NJ fishing reports for December 2016

[DarkSkies]

NJ Fishing reports for December 2016 - www. StripersAndAnglers.com

Short and sweet......

1. Post your fishing reports here.....
2. Be as specific as ya want....but remember the*limited access....If you don't enjoy fishing next to 40 friends at night in a 400 foot section of beach,"think" before ya post.....

3.Location
Out front....
out back.....
or the county...

further details on the first page of any past S&A monthly fishing reports.

4.Moderation...
I rarely have time to moderate these threads.
If something needs to be addressed,and you are a contributing member.....please PM me or send an e-mail via the report post button.

**Thanks for your cooperation and for being such a great group!

[DarkSkies]

Late Fall recap....
(it seems kind of funny to phrase it that way, as just this week temperatures are still in the sixties on some days.)
None the less, Late fall/ Winter patterns are starting to become evident.
Many of the larger bass have migrated on .....to Cape May and Delaware.

1. There are still some amounts of larger bass holding in the New York Bight area.
There have been many internet "experts" proclaiming that the best is yet to come.... because they are still catching bass in some areas in Montauk and Long Island Sound. What many don't realize is we will never see most of those fish, with a large percentage wintering in the Connecticut and Hudson Rivers

2. Bunker are still on the radar for anyone targeting big bass.
These bunker are both a blessing and a curse. They seem to concentrate all the fish in one area, around them.

3. A notable difference for the late fall this year has been the staggering amount of peanut bunker, one of the best crops in years.

4. There are also some squid inshore in select areas.

5. The sandeels that everyone is waiting for have been here for over a month, but 1-3+ miles offshore. I believe in the next few weeks folks will start to see them filter into the surf zone. They have shown up here and there in the surf periodically.

6. Lots of little striped bass from the robust 2011/2015 YOY classes.
The folks who fish the shores of Long Island have been seeing them for about 2 weeks now. I think we will start to hear about them more often in the days ahead.

7. Winter Herring have shown up in the past week.... and accordingly things could get interesting with this development.

[DarkSkies]

There are still many areas that should hold fish consistently, and do not......

In the past 6 weeks, I have fished.....
fronts of most major Inlets in the Long Island and New Jersey areas.....
jetties, both walkable and broken...
and some of the most dangerous and challenging waters at night...
in pursuit of larger bass.

I have done OK.... but there have been many failed nights/days where I could produce nothing.....and the few other lunatics out there with me failed as well.
For now, the best times to fish seem to be that afternoon 2 to 5 p.m. window....

* As always, those who fish most often have the best chance. Halloween and Thanksgiving windows were exceptional, with some friends being able to score over 50 bass from shore in a multi-hour trip. YMMV
As the smaller, end-of-season fish start to show up....that time window may be extended.
.
In the meantime......if you're out there on the water on a boat, or just fishing some isolated area at night from land...in bad weather... please be careful and safe.
I have put myself in some nerve-wracking situations in the last 6 weeks, in pursuit of larger Bass.....risks always calculated and supplemented by a "plan B" if something bad happens.....
but still, one should not have to take such risks, or go to such lengths ......to catch them if the bass were truly as plentiful as some misguided souls claim.
*(Something to think about...)

God Bless all, please be careful out there. :HappyWave:

[storminsteve]

Jetty and inlet fronts? you fished the jacks on the front of the MI and the small isolated rocks at the front of the SRI? were you skishing, dude?:kooky:

[storminsteve]

gave it my best shot in moko yesterday after work. 4 to 6:30 p.m. I saw some fish breaking just beyond the last breaker. Big swell. 2 far to reach. Dirty water. Hopefully it gets better for the weekend

[hookedonbass]

Lsomoco from 3 to 6. I saw some bunker out of reach. Seemed like there were some fish on them but neither me nor the other guys trying could get anything. Very frustrating. may try again tomorrow afternoon. can't catch them from the couch right?

[baitstealer]

Got some stripes and blues finally! Mo co sat from 2 till dark. There were small stripers hitting pencil poppers. Got a few up to 22". When it was almost dark some blues came in and got a couple of those as well. Not giants but they were fun. Everything died at sunset. Good day for me.

[7deadlyplugs]

Crossed the bridges to fish jersey yesterday AM after hearing about some good action. FWIW its rat city on the SS now and even that is not guaranteed. I don't know why it sucks so much. Sick of it so made the jersey drive. Hope I can say this here if not plse delete. Started at the beginning of island beach. I believe it's a state park. Kept driving north these fish were moving fast! Ended with over 20 stripers on poppers and rubber storm shads. Action was a lot better than I have been seeing on LI, if you kept moving. Jersey guys seemed pretty nice.

[fishinmission78]

Crushed the stripers yesterday. Did a lot of run n gun fishing got over 50. All on poppers and crocodile spoons in OC. Today sucked by comparison, one on popper at first light this morning. Nothing more. and went home. Been fishing the last two hours, and zilch, hoping for something before sunset

[buckethead]

Glad you guys are doing so good. Slow pick for me. Skunked yesterday at sunrise in my usual area. Lots of peanut bunker and rain fish. Today I went a little earlier because of low tide. Managed 2 bass on bucktail and redgill teaser. Both short.

[Monty]

Fished Moco this morning, nothing in dark and 2 blues on SS Popper around 9:00.
Did not hear or see any bass caught where I was, not a lot of guys fishing, heard a few blues where picked up.
Was nice out, looks like end of this week its supposed to get cold.

[cowherder]

No disrespect meant, how did you get to fish in NJ again? I thought you abandoned the state. Did NY kick you out? Persona non grata? Details details!:HappyWave:

[cowherder]

Fished moco today, like Monty said it seems the stripers left for Disney world rofl. Got some nice BLUES on poppers 2-4, nice fight, that was all she wrote.

[bababooey]

No disrespect meant, how did you get to fish in NJ again? I thought you abandoned the state. Did NY kick you out? Persona non grata? Details details!:HappyWave:

:laugh:Post office finally updated their most wanted list?

[Monty]

No disrespect meant, how did you get to fish in NJ again? I thought you abandoned the state. Did NY kick you out? Persona non grata? Details details!:HappyWave:


:laugh:Post office finally updated their most wanted list?

:laugh:

:HappyWave:

For whats likely my last trip of the year I thought it would be a good idea to fish the rock piles of Jersey......and the beach replenishment sand that makes the water around them very shallow, screwing up the natural structure, plus I could get to wave to the jersey boaters who feel it is fine to race up the coast well within casting range, just off the tip of the rocks.....did get a sun rise.


https://i2.wp.com/rocksimpson.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/2016_12_4_SR.jpg?w=850

[buckethead]

Nice sunrise pic Monty. Sure did miss them when you used to fish New Jersey.

[buckethead]

nothing for me today. Great morning and sunrise but no activity. Saw a school of adult bunker about a half mile long. Very happy bunker, nothing bothering them at all.

[ledhead36]

Yeah bunkers are everywhere. Now we're seeing herring too. STill getting stripers in the Hudson. Bunker heads for bigger keepers. Herring showed up last week so these stripers have a lot of food in front of them.

[buckethead]

Fished before dawn this morning, my usual area. Surf was very turned up. I had no hope for anything but managed one short bass on bucktail at first light.

[baitstealer]

Well you're a braver man than me dude! I got out of bed early with eager anticipation today - you know the Northeaster legend and stuff LOL. go down to the beach and was a washing machine. Made two test and that was it I was done! I don't like it when the surf is flat, but this was way too much for me. May try back tomorrow. Good luck guys.

[jigfreak]

The Northeast is crap. 24 hours before, possible good times. After that the water gets dirty, bait moves offshore, and it's potluck. Steady West or Northwest is a much better pattern for getting into good bites.

[buckethead]

Twas probably just a lucky fish. when the surface turned up like that it's really like Russian Roulette whether you're going to catch or not. You can increase your odds by fishing the cuts. like Jig said, I would much rather fish with a N or NW at my back.

[cowherder]

Gotta be in it to win it! love your reports man living vicariously and enjoying the truthfulness.

[SharkHart]

Talking to a guy the other dayon the lookout steps .sunday the slow day he complained we havent had any NE this fall and i said yea hasnt it been great. He rolled his eyes in disbelief he went into all the cliches its been a like a lake". "Need a NE to get them going" !he also had been seeing sand eels all day while i seen zero, well wishes come true NE and big water. We will see how things go

[hookset]

That guy sounds like a tool. if Northeasters are so great look at the weigh ins at the tackle shops and see how there are hardly any after a northeaster passes. If he was talking about sandeels, all the northeaster does is push em out away from the beach. West is best.

[dogfish]

The few proven areas where nor'easters produce big fish WHEN they're happening are places like Montauk, and maybe outer beaches of CC and Plum Island MA. Have also gotten fish in the CC canal during a nor'easter because bait sometimes comes in there to hide and the fish follow the bait.

[cowherder]

Great understanding of the Northeast storm systems and what actually happens with fishing. Learned a lot, thanks for your insight gentlemen.

[cowherder]

So the consensus is West is best! DS if you're reading this please bring back West Wind Wally!

[fishinmission78]

Yeah I like a strong west blowing at my back as well. That being said the water was mostly white water this morning and pretty dirty. Gave it a shot anyway before work. Skunk for me.

[hookedonbass]

Moco inlet from 9 -11 incoming tide. Water was so dirty and disgusting. I was tossing shads. I don't think the stripers could have found them if they wanted to. total skunk

[storminsteve]

I felt the same way. Was out in nomoco Thursday night 4-7.
made the long death march. Very dirty water and windy no fish. Hope to get out a few more times before the end of the season. It would be nice to run into a few stripers as well.

[hookset]

Finally got some stripers in moco yesterday 3 to 5 p.m. Small peanuts and herring came in. Mostly micro bass, 16-20 inches. A few 26 inchers in the mix. Small plugs and shads.

[baitstealer]

Awesome report thanks for sharing. Some of you guys are hard-core sticking it out to the end. May give my luck a try this afternoon if it's not too windy. good luck everyone.

[jigfreak]

Fished moco to oc yesterday 3 to 5 p.m. Perfect conditions. Water was dirty could not beat the skunk. Lots of bait out there different sizes.

[lostatsea]

monco for sunrise and an hour after. NADA, best I can say it was a nice sunrise.

[cowherder]

Moco right at sundown yesterday. 1 15 inch striper on a yellow school bus bomber. That was all she wrote.

[cowherder]

Fished moco to oc yesterday 3 to 5 p.m. Perfect conditions. Water was dirty could not beat the skunk. Lots of bait out there different sizes.

Yeah I saw that too, bunch of different sizes and only one striper for me. That's a bad sign.

[cowherder]

Fished moco to oc yesterday 3 to 5 p.m. Perfect conditions. Water was dirty could not beat the skunk. Lots of bait out there different sizes.

Yeah I saw that too, bunch of different sizes and only one striper for me. That's a bad sign.

[surferman]

Cm for 2 afternoons this week. This time of year can be very good for the big stripers because when the bunker come in we can get some. Had fresh clams n bunker, nothing but doggies and skates.
All the fish are three miles off of Cape May point and off Delaware in the deep water.

[finchaser]

1 hit at dusk tonight and ice on the guides

[ledhead36]

It's definitely over in the Hudson. We haven't caught a striper in a while only small ling aka red hake.

[buckethead]

Would have to agree. Have been fishing pretty regularly in the ocean. Have shifted the times of trips to late afternoons. have avoided fishing terrible days like yesterday, or in the rain. None the less, am fishing pretty consistently. My last 4 trips out, I managed bass on only two of them. Bucktail and red gill, and they were very small fish.

[basshunter]

Fished moco 7-8 am. Cold but bearable for the hour that I was out there LOL. Gannet's diving very far offshore. Nothing in close. Skunk for me although it was a nice morning.

[basshunter]

Def agree with you guys, its over Johnny!

[cowherder]

I'm tempted to give it a try this afternoon. Will let you guys know if I do. It is pretty warm out there. I took a look at the cam and the surf is dirty though. Still on the fence, good luck to you guys if you go.

[cowherder]

I did try yesterday afternoon. The surf was dirty in nomoco, and big.
Gave it an honest half hour, but with dirty water I had no confidence. Will keep trying in the afternoons. I think you guys nailed it when you said have to be some sunny days to stimulate the activity. You can't catch em from the couch, right?

[fishinmission78]

Agreed. was busy holiday shopping with the missus Sunday, but will be giving it a shot in the afternoons as well. Most of the big fish are gone. nothing but rats remaining. Time to downsize the rod and tackle. There still may be some life left

[finchaser]

OK CH
NE brought it back to 46 got 4 to 25" all on small swimmer http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/images/misc/paperclip.png Attached Thumbnails http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=20612&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1482197696 (http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=20612&d=1482197696)

[cowherder]

awesome! See it's not over yet. where you fishing the magic hour before sunset?

[jigfreak]

Nice work.

[finchaser]

awesome! See it's not over yet. where you fishing the magic hour before sunset?

yes sir ocean county fish are on sand eels as you can see by how fish took plug

[storminsteve]

A day late and a dollar short! if only those sandeels were here in force 2 weeks ago it could have been awesome. Nice going. You might be the last man standing this year.

[hookset]

Somoco yesterday on the outgoing tide into dark. Picked up 1 shorty on a half ounce bucktail. Water looked very fishy, but unfortunately was not.

[hookset]

nice going fin chaser. will have to check out the ssndeel situation later on this week if I can get out.

[surferman]

cool to see there are still a few fish around. Even if they are small it is still something on the end of the line, congrats.

[finchaser]

Heard of nothing caught for the first time today at the shop water was 40


Lots of Bluefin tuna 20 miles off in 51 degree water

[cowherder]

Wild! bluefin tuna get your pencil poppers and tuna beach trolling rods out! wait for the west wind and surely we can cast 20 miles lol.
thanks for the report I guess some guys are out there chasing them?

[cowherder]

Had a few days off so decided to fish this afternoon. Down in moco, skunked so far. stopped at DD to get some coffee. Will try for one more hour then heading home.

[fishinmission78]

Got some yesterday afternoon in OC on small Ava. 3 - 5 p.m.20619

[cowherder]

Awesome! Congrats guys it's good to hear there are still a few around

[cowherder]

Late report, I went back out that afternoon and continued my skunk. I'm not giving up yet. Will try to get out this weekend and report back. Good luck to everyone. congrats on the catching!

[seamonkey]

Congrats guys, good to see some fish being caught.

[clamchucker]

A few younger guys I keep in touch with have been getting small stripers in the afternoon. A slow pick from what I'm hearing. Tight lines ladies and gents.

[finchaser]

We got them yesterday afternoon nada today miserable SOUTH wind

[surferman]

Good going. FYI Cape May surf is totally dead, although they still seem to be catching stripers like out at the 3 mile line and near Delaware reefs.