Fri., March 29, 2024
Moon Phase:
Waning Gibbous
More Info
Inshore Charters
Offshore Charters
Party Boats
Saltwater
Tackle Shops &
Marinas
Saltwater
Boat Rentals
Freshwater
Guides
Freshwater
Tackle Shops
Brrr ...
It's Cold:
Upstate N.Y.
Ice Fishing
Upstate N.Y.
Winter Steelhead &
Trout Fishing
Long Island, N.Y.
Winter
Cod &
Wreck Fishing

Delaware Bay Fishing Report 11-1-16


<b>Port Elizabeth</b>

One customer said a couple of friends boated a couple of striped bass from the bay, said Sharon from <b>The Girls Place Bait & Tackle</b>. But the past week was pretty much a blowout for boating on the bay, or strong west wind prevented boating. Strong wind from that direction builds seas on the bay’s New Jersey side, the east side of the bay. Not much was heard about fishing the bay. If anybody boated the bay, that was probably on Sunday, when wind was calm in the morning. Wind blew strongly again Monday. Fresh bunker was in demand somewhat during the weekend at the store. That’s a favorite bait for striper fishing this season. None was stocked until Friday. Bunker boats got the weather to sail Wednesday, but Sharon stocked none of the bait then, because there was no demand in the middle of the week. The fall, southern migration of stripers seemed to be arriving along the state’s northern coast substantially, maybe as far south as Long Beach Island. A few of the fish seemed to be found in the ocean off South Jersey. A couple were reported beached at Atlantic City, too. The arrival of the few fish in South Jersey might’ve been early compared with recent years. But in years farther back, striper fishing would’ve been underway in South Jersey already. The migration arrived later in recent years here, but gave up good angling. The time is getting closer. Nothing was heard about kingfish or croakers anymore that were reported schooling the bay previously. Maybe those fish departed for the season, potentially another sign that fall migrations were happening. People still crabbed, and caught. Sharon saw a couple of crabbers at the docks this weekend, nabbing a few, not a lot. Commercial crabbers kept after the blueclaws, able to catch more than were in demand, so some seemed to remove some of their pots from the waters. Demand drops off after the warm months. We’ll see what happens with striper fishing this week, Sharon said.  The Girls Place, located on Route 47, just after Route 55 ends, carries a large supply of bait and tackle, and is the long, one-story, yellow building on the right. It’s on the way to the bay.

<b>Money Island</b>

Lots of fish filled Nantuxent Creek, a report said on <b>Money Island Marina</b>’s Facebook page. The fish were mostly small striped bass and also included white perch. Customers fish the creek, running past the marina, from the shop’s fishing docks. They also boat the creek for the catches. Anglers hope the migration of bigger striped bass arrives soon in the bay. Water temperatures were dropping, “(so) it won’t be long now …,” the page said. The crew at the marina had hoped to stock fresh bunker, favorite bait for stripers in the bay, last weekend. But none of the bunker suppliers sailed in strong wind last week, so the bait was unavailable. Still, fresh, individually-flash-frozen bunker were carried that were next best. More stripers caught on that were seen at the marina in past years than stripers taken on fresh. That was because the frozen was available more often. Still, some anglers are convinced the frozen won’t catch. An angler Saturday was told at Fortescue that no fresh were available locally that day because of wind in previous days. The angler was skeptical and drove to Money Island Marina, and was told the same thing, and the angler said frozen won’t work. There was no point in trying to convince.  The marina features a bait and tackle shop, a boat ramp, boat slips, dry-dock boat storage, fishing docks and gas. The fishing docks, $5 per adult and free for kids, can offer angling for white perch, small striped bass, croakers and more, at different times of year. A 12-foot aluminum boat with a 2.5 h.p. outboard is available to rent to fish the creek.

<b>Cape May</b>

Sounded like striped bass began to migrate down the coast, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. Catches were made along the northern state’s coast. He was at Long Beach Island on the central coast, and anglers reported a few catches there. To the south at Cape May, some throwback stripers bit in the surf in mornings and evenings. Popper lures and swimming plugs hooked them well. A few of the bass were socked on bait during the rest of the day. A few blues, occasionally bigger, remained in the surf. Good blackfishing was nabbed at surf jetties. Not much was heard about boating on Delaware Bay, and strong west wind often blew last week. That direction roughs up seas and can prevent boating on the bay’s New Jersey, eastern side. The back bay was a good place to tangle with stripers, including a couple of keepers mixed in, during early mornings on top-water lures and soft-plastic lures. Sea bass fishing was good on the ocean.

Back to Top