New Jersey Fishing Reports

Action began to take off, including in the Navesink River, said Joe from Julian’s Bait & Tackle. A few striped bass were dusted up there, and one angler saw another walk from the river with an 18-pounder. Bait must’ve swam the river, and shore anglers on the bay at Cliffwood Beach tackled fairly healthy catches of the fish. Night was probably best, but anglers along the bay shore usually score throughout the day. A few stripers were reported caught from the surf on Sandy Hook, and none was weighed in so far. A few winter flounder were plucked from the Navesink. The bag limit is two of the flatties this year. But two customers this morning bought $100 worth of bait to hunt the fish. Worms, fresh clams and mussels, fresh-frozen baits, freshwater baits and the full supply is stocked. The store is open every day.

The season will kick off Saturday with winter flounder fishing on the party boat Atlantic Star, Capt. Tom said. The bag limit is only two fish this year, but anglers were calling, asking when the boat will sail, so trips will run. When ling fishing improves at the Scotland Grounds as the ocean warms within weeks, the boat will switch to ling. Tom last week had described some of the damage to the port from the storm two weekends ago. The weather had ripped away the ladders that patrons use to climb down to the vessels on low tides. Tom this week wasn’t asked whether the damage was repaired, but apparently that was no longer an issue. The Atlantic Star will begin winter flounder fishing Saturday on two trips daily 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The party boat Fishermen will begin the season’s fishing on Saturday, April 10, starting with striped bass trips, running 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily, Capt. Ron said in an e-mail. Mostly clamming will be done for the fish at first. The fare will remain the same, and the striped bass regs are currently the same: two stripers 28 inches or larger. But there’s been talk about the bag limit being changed to one fish 24 inches or larger and a second striper 34 inches or larger. Those were the regs several years ago, “and to me that was a disaster!” he said. The smaller fish helps patrons bag a bass, “but I certainly don’t want to go back to a 34-incher for the second one,” he said. Bonus tags that allow a third striper to be kept can be purchased online from the state for $2 per day if anglers feel the need for a third. “Looking forward to fishing with everyone again,” Ron said, “(and) hope to see you soon.”

Belmar

One boat was rented so far from Fisherman’s Den for winter flounder fishing on Shark River since opening day of the flattie season Monday, Bob said. Normally 10 boats would be rented on opening day alone, but this year’s two-fish bag limit apparently made anglers reluctant to take off work. More might show up on their day off Saturday if the weather’s fair. Bob saw a few of the fish reeled in from the bulkheads here and there, but that wasn’t enough to tell how the fishing was going. The majority of flounder are caught on boats, because of chumming. All the flounder supplies including worms, fresh clams and fresh mussels are stocked. Anglers farther north on Raritan Bay nabbed striped bass, but striper fishing takes off later in the season at Belmar in the surf. A few customers tried for stripers locally with no results. One of the Belmar party boats is bottom fishing and sailed today, and Bob would know how the fishing fared after the vessel returned. But ling and cod are the likely catch. The trips are running whenever the weather allows and enough anglers show up, and winds were too strong to leave port in the past days. The shop is open every day.

Brielle

Offshore wreck fishing was slow during the weekend, including poor on Sunday, on the party boat Jamaica, an e-mail from the vessel said. Big pollock and cod were sometimes clobbered on the trips, but only two to three dozen and some ling on Saturday. On Sunday only a dozen cod, a few blackfish and some ling came up. Pool winners on the trips included Rob Finkle, Sparta, with a 35-pound pollock; Fred Moore, Staten Island with a 30-pound pollock; Joe Dressnor, Canadaigua, N.Y., with a 28-pound pollock; Paul Kacsmar, Spring Lake, with a 19-pound cod; and Tracy Forbes, Lakewood, with a 12-pound cod. But water temps held in the range for the migration of cod and pollock, and trips will continue to fish the 50- to 90-mile wrecks for cod, pollock, hake and ling. Some will fish the 20- to 50-mile wrecks. Upcoming trips to the 50- to 90-mile wrecks include ones that depart 11:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 1 a.m. Wednesday. Upcoming trips to the 20- to 50-mile wrecks include one that sails 5 a.m. the following Friday, April 2. See the boat’s Web site or telephone the vessel for more of the schedule.

The boat was splashed for the season, and the crew can’t wait to begin trips, said Capt. Jerry from Fish Monger Charters in an e-mail. Winter flounder fishing and bottom fishing for tog, ling and cod will be first up. Interest in flounder was down because of the year’s two-fish bag limit, but some anglers still asked about the flatties. So a few flounder trips, including open-boat ones on Mondays, will run for those who still want flounder or who want to fish for them from northern Barnegat Bay to the Manasquan River when ocean trips get weathered out. The price is reduced for flounder fishing, and tackle, worms, clams and plenty of chum are provided. Bottom fishing was slow at the moment, “but that’s spring for you,” he said. But water temps were rising, and once the fishing kicks off, and Jerry hoped that would be soon, the charters will begin. Open-boat bottom trips will also be added, probably on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The trips are “all day, the Monger way!” he said, and tackle, crabs and clams are provided, and hot coffee will brew throughout the outings. Weekends are already booked for charters in April, but weekdays are available. A few weekend days are available in May, July and August, but weekends are booked in June. Fish Monger runs trips seven days a week until January. May will be a time for striped bass, blues and ling. Many of June’s weekdays are even booked, because of great livelining for stripers coinciding with the opening of sea bass season. The crew reserved a few dates for open-boat trips in June. Both morning and afternoon fishing will sail in June, depending on when stripers bite. Open-boat fluke trips are booked for July and August, but more of the trips will probably be added. Dates for fluke charters remain available on weekdays during those months. Weekends are also booked in November and December. In other words, book dates for the year now! Sign up for the newsletter on <a href="http://www.fishmongercharters.com" target="_blank">Fish Monger’s Web site</a>. Become a fan of <a href=" http://www.facebook.com/pages/Brielle-NJ/Fish-Monger-Charters/130507938739" target="_blank">Fish Monger’s Facebook page</a>. Don’t forget the Save the Summer Flounder Fishery Fund’s <a href="http://www.ssfff.net/fundraiser.html" target="_blank">Third Annual Fund Raising Dinner</a> on April 16 at Crystal Point Yacht Club in Point Pleasant. “Great cause, good time!” Jerry said.

Point Pleasant

Wreck fishing was “off,” produced less than before, during the weekend on the party boat Gambler, Capt. Bob said. The reasons couldn’t be known, “just one of those (times),” he said. But more of the trips will sail today through Sunday, mainly for cod, and the crew plans to target different wrecks the boat hadn’t fished this year. A trip was slated to fish the deep for blackfish Wednesday, Bob said before the outing. The Gambler is fishing for cod, pollock, hake and ling Thursdays through Sundays at the 20- to 50-mile wrecks and for deep-water blackfish Mondays through Wednesdays. ***Update, Friday, 3/26***: A trip Thursday pounded cod from shorts to a 15-pounder, a steady pick, the first two hours in 140 feet, Bob said. Not too many dogfish bothered the anglers. Wrecks in 130 feet then doled out somewhat slower fishing for smaller cod, not too many big ones, and some ling. A couple of blackfish were also bagged that day. So cod, ling and the blacks made up the catch. Elton Bennet, New Gretna, socked a 15-pound cod and two 5-pounders, and Harry Scharmers, Oakhurst, clocked two 10-pound cod and a 4-pounder. Not great fishing, not bad, Bob said.

Mostly ling and cod were swung aboard the party boat Dauntless, and sometimes a few blackfish were boxed, including last weekend, Capt. Butch said. The fishing wasn’t great, wasn’t good, but at least some catches were made. Sometimes patrons totaled 2 to 10 fish apiece, other times only 2 to 5. The bottom must’ve been ice cold, though the ocean surface was 42 to 44 degrees where the boat fished in the deep in 130 to 200 feet. All the rains and melted snow had to keep the depths chilled, and more days that were sunny like this week were needed to raise the temps. The watch was now on for the migration of mackerel, and the boat mixes in fishing for the Bostons with bottom fishing on each trip if the migration swims close enough to the coast. The fish in past years showed up as early as the first week of April, and during others moved through as late as the last weeks of April or even into May. No spring run materialized close to shore in recent years, but every year is different, and maybe this year’s old-fashioned, cold, snowy winter will create a spring run that can be fished. A couple of commercial boats docked with mackerel and even bluefish, but they fished far offshore like 100 miles. The Dauntless is bottom fishing 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily.

Toms River

Seven winter flounder including one keeper were rustled up from the Toms River at Island Heights on Monday, the opening day of the flattie season, on a trip that Jeff from the shop took, said Dennis from Murphy’s Hook House. Jeff on Wednesday pulled in two flounder, including a 15-inch keeper, four short striped bass and four white perch from the same area. Fairly good catches of flounder, fish here and there, were reeled up from the river, and lots of the fish had mud on their backs, a good sign, meaning they were just crawling out of the bottom and should stick around in the river a moment longer, before migrating to Barnegat Bay and eventually the ocean. Jeff fished with bloodworms on the trips, and bloods were the most common bait there, but a few used sandworms. The perch fishing was pretty good on the Toms, and the stripers averaged 12 to 18 inches in the river, but a few keepers were claimed, mostly at night on worms. Flounder fishing was somewhat more productive near the Mantoloking Bridge on northern Barnegat Bay, and anglers there tend to use sandworms. Customers who fished near the bridge checked in a 2.58-pound flounder and a 2.25-pounder this morning, saying they scored a decent bite. A couple of customers who flounder fished in that area said they limited out. That’s only two fish this year, but the blackbacks seemed active. Kayakers and anglers on small boats at the Route 37 Bridge, farther south on the bay, knuckled in stripers including a few keepers at night on Rapala X-Raps and other small lures. Mark Osborne, Toms River, toggled in a 13-pound 4-ounce striper from those waters. Sign up for the shop’s free winter flounder contest, featuring $50, $30 and $20 gift certificate prizes for the first through third biggest checked in until the flounder season closes May 21. Murphy’s is open full time.

Forked River

Those who fished for winter flounder, caught, said Grizz from Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle. The bag limit was only two fish, but the flatfish were out there. Anglers with boats hooked them on Barnegat Bay, and the mud huggers are a cold-water fish that winter in the bay. But anglers from shore picked them up from Oyster Creek. Striped bass, including keepers, and 17- to 24-inch bluefish also came from the creek. The stripers bit soft-plastic lures such as Fin-S Fish, Rapala X-Rap lures that were popular, bloodworms and clams. Some customers dunked mullet for the blues. White perch fishing sounded good on the Toms River. All the baits including bloodworms, fresh clams and chum are stocked. The shop is usually open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays and 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sundays.

Mystic Island

Good things to tell, said Scott from Scott’s Bait & Tackle. Graveling Point’s striped bass fishing served up the catches, and some of the fish were bigger than usual. Keepers are usually 7 to 10 pounds, but a 21-pounder was checked in Wednesday, and 16- and 18-pounders were reported caught today. The fishing at the early-season hot spot, shore angling at the confluence of Great Bay and the Mullica River, produced the bass on bloodworms and clams. Bloods typically work best at first during the season, when waters are cold and the worms are easier for the stripers to digest, but now clams also drew strikes. Waters at Graveling were 48 degrees. Dress warm, and today was a hat and gloves day that felt cold and damp at the area. Warm, outgoing tides are usually best at Graveling in the early season, but no particular tide seemed best lately. Little feedback came in about striper fishing on the Mullica River, but the usual spots such as Clark’s Landing and Hays Road should be worth the effort. Saturday gave up decent fishing at Clark’s and slow angling at Graveling. But Sunday turned out good catches at Graveling and none at Clark’s. White perch anglers seemed to score, and Scott knew about no specific locations, but live grass shrimp, the favorite perch bait, kept selling quickly. Collin’s Cove on the Mullica probably held the fish, and the other perch hangouts around the state probably put up. The shrimp and also minnows are stocked, and Scott was able to catch them, but runoff was pouring out of the streams where he locates them. Was a wet winter and early spring. Green crabs are stocked, and a few anglers bought them for tog fishing, but angling for the blackfish was slow. Some anglers ran offshore, boating cod and ling, but far offshore, hitting the tog grounds closer to shore on the way in or out, scoring zero. Plenty of bloodworms are stocked, and shucked clams ran out, but more will come Friday.

Absecon

Live herring will be stocked at the shop today for the first time this season, and Capt. Dave, the store’s owner, called and said today he netted the most of the baitfish so far this year, said Ray from Absecon Bay Sportsman Center. The first of the spawning migration started to be seen about a week ago. Striped bass were landed up the Great Egg Harbor and Mullica rivers but were yet to get active in the bay near the shop. But that fishing will turn on soon, and a fyke netter who’s been catching white perch in the bay has been finding a few stripers, including a few bigger ones, such as one that was 25 pounds, in the bay. So the fish were there but “just weren’t doing anything yet,” Ray said. When the fish begin to feed in the bay, anglers will fish with clams for the first week or two, or live herring will also work well. Stripers were already landed farther north at Graveling Point at the junction of Great Bay and the Mullica on bloodworms. Word about striper fishing on the warm, shallow flats of Delaware Bay farther south, where some of the year’s first catches are usually taken, was scarce, but one well-known charter from the bay was buying fresh clams and catching up the stripers. White perch fishing came back on again in the rivers, after catches had slowed previously, and many of the slabs were big, like 1-pounders. Commercial crabbers began to trap she crabs on the bay. If anyone’s got a recreational pot license, take advantage of the crabs. Bloodworms, fresh clams and all the baits anglers could want are stocked, and live herring were arriving today. Capt. Dave had recently returned from Guatemala, where he’s opening a charter service for angling including sailfishing. See a link and info on the store’s Web site.

Atlantic City

From the surf anglers started to bank a few striped bass and tog, said Noel from One Stop Bait & Tackle. Bloodworms or clams will grab the bass, and green crabs or clams will take the tog. Stripers were still making their way down from the rivers. One angler called today, saying lots of small stripers were bloodwormed in the Mullica River. Noel heard about no herring migrating as of this morning, but that could change quickly. A buddy who’s been fyke-netting white perch found no herring in his nets, and should’ve seen them if they were around. But he loaded up on perch. Bloodworms, fresh clams, green crabs and all the baits are stocked, and minnows will arrive Friday. One Stop has reopened every day for the season.

Longport

Open-boat trips should get back out to fish the wrecks Sunday on the Stray Cat on the ocean, Capt. Mike said. Forecasts for this coming Saturday looked windy. The boat was docked this week during the weekdays, but the last trips picked away at cod and a few blackfish Thursday to Sunday at the 15- to 20-mile wrecks. Previously the vessel fished the 30-mile wrecks, but the catches ended up better closer to shore recently. The fishing was a pick, but anglers who worked could put a catch together, four or five fish in the box. Wasn’t bad at all for the time of year, and Mike sounded pleased. The blackfish were small and sluggish to bite, but the season was early for them. They refused crab baits and only inhaled clams, squid heads or soft baits. But the tog will feed better within a couple of weeks or so. Open-boat trips are sailing, and call to be kept informed of the schedule.

Ocean City

Rivers including the Great Egg, Middle and Tuckahoe shoveled up striped bass, especially at the mouths, said Bill from Fin-Atics. He heard about no herring migrating up the waters, but now is time for them to arrive, and the baitfish should school the inlets in another week. He previously heard from someone who, from shore, saw fish breaking in the ocean, and that would seem to be herring or shad. Word about offshore catches of migrating mackerel came in, and some of the cod caught offshore had mackerel in their stomachs. Cod were boated offshore, but more on ocean catches in a moment. Lots of white perch were pelted on the rivers. Nothing was heard about stripers drummed up from the inlets and surf, and the wash was 44 or 45 degrees but fluctuated. Striper fishing in the surf will be yet to begin before temps consistently reach that range. Tog were pumped in from the corners of the far-off reefs in the ocean and from some of the corners of the reefs closer to the coast, especially the northeast corner of A.C. Reef. The blackfish began to show at the jetties and along the bridges. Bloodworms, fresh clams shucked or in the shell, fresh bunker and frozen herring, mackerel and squid are stocked. Minnows and eels will be carried later in the season. Fin-Atics is open every day.

Sea Isle City

Capt. Joe Hughes from Jersey Cape Guide Service, affiliated with Gibson’s Tackle, did no fishing since the weekend, he said, and the weather was rough. But trips this weekend should once again try for the season’s first striped bass on the boat, fishing on the back bay. The first charters of the year tried for the bass last weekend, and one of the linesiders was hooked but got off. Jersey Cape is running a special on striper trips through March: no fish, no pay, an opportunity to boat the first stripers of the season. Joe usually tackles his first in March on the bay. His anglers at this time of year fish with soft-plastic lures or Clouser flies, working them slowly in the cold waters. They fish waters such as at creek mouths that pour warm waters into the bay on outgoing tides in spring or at the warm waters of the Beesley’s Point power plant. Afternoons that coincide with outgoing tides can help if the sun warms the waters. Joe had expected a later start to the fishing this year because of the cold, snowy winter, but one never knows. The jigheads fished during the weekend came up cold from the waters.

Anglers had a legitimate shot at boating a striped bass on the bay if they set up at the right place at the right time with bait such as clam or bloodworms, said Wes from Gibson’s Tackle. Chum such as clam or bunker is essential. Locals will know the best spots, but they target places such as the confluence of two creeks on warmer, outgoing tides on days with higher temperatures. Such areas form conditions like a hole and a warm thermocline that promotes algae growth that attracts bait and therefore stripers. The weather was still chilly, even if forecasts talked about conditions such as 64-degree days and a breeze. But when Wes steps out of the shop and faces east, the wind wants to knock the cap off his head, and feels cold. The ocean near the shore was 46 degrees. Wes heard about a couple of stripers beached from the surf, but otherwise skates and sharks were the catches. Bloodworms and a fresh supply of frozen baits are stocked including clam, bunker and mackerel. Stop by to check out the rearranged shop for the season that includes new displays. Wes has been meeting with tackle reps, and new tackle for the year will keep coming in gradually. The store is open every day.