NJ Fishing Reports for the Week of 11-3 to 11-9-08

[bunkerjoe4]

Please post fishing reports here.......as little or as much detail as you want to give.

Please note: NO SPOT BURNING! Posts burning spots will be Edited or DELETED!
Some veteran fishermen have put in years developing and learning about certain spots.Some of these spots can only handle a few guys at a time. We are losing enough access as it is, due to the unfortunate behavior of a few selfish people. No sense in making it worse.

For some areas, it would be wiser to say:
OutFront (Ocean) OR -- OutBack (Bay) -- if you feel too many people will figure out what you are talking about. "Spot burning" also could involve mentioning something specific only to that area. If you do this, your post may be edited, or deleted. Remember that thousands of people could potentially read these posts. You don't want to be fishing next to ALL of them at the same time!

IF you are fishing an area that is NOT residential, being vague is less critical. For example, it's acceptable to say (Any)Park, or (Any)Bay, or mention a specific state park that has loads of parking and can handle the crowds.


If you are unclear on this concept, ask yourself:


If I name this place on the internet, will it be too crowded for me to enjoy tomorrow when people hear I got 30 fish here today?


If the answer is "Yes", then you should probably not be so specific.


We post these reports so our community will have a sense of what is working, what is not. We want to show people how to catch fish, rather than where.Even if you struck out or got skunked, it would be helpful to hear that as well.

If you have any additional details you would like to share - weather conditions, tide (incoming, outgoing, ebb, flood) water temps, bait present, or other mention of techniques or plugs used - feel free, as long as you are not overly specific about location.

Some acronyms -

SH - Sandy Hook
NoMoCo - Northern Monmouth County (below the hook to Shark River Inlet SRI)
SoMoCo - Southern Monmouth County (below SRI to Manasquan Inlet)

OC - Ocean County
IBSP - Island Beach State Park
LBI - Long Beach Island

AC - Atlantic County
AI - Absecon Inlet
CISP - Corson's Inlet State Park
CMC - Cape May County
CMR - Cape May Rips
GEI - Great Egg Inlet
TI - Townsend's Inlet

RB - Raritan Bay
BB - Barnegat Bay
CB - Chesapeake Bay
CBBT - Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel
DB - Delaware Bay


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[bunkerjoe4]

NJ WIR 11-3-08

It has been another banner week for surfcasters, folks, with guys hooking up up and down the coast. Some of the gripes I get privately are from members saying they are trying their best, and still getting skunked.

The best advice I can give if you are experiencing this is to think about when and where you are fishing, and change those parameters.

Right now, the most challenging thing about the striped bass bite is the inconsistency. The peanut bunker have not made the last dash down our shorelines that they are traditionally known for, and that is causing some inconsistency for surfcasters.

These peanut bunker and acres of sandeels are to be found offshore in 50-70 feet of water. The bass and big bluefish are gorging on them, and boaters who know how to fish structure are doing well.

Also, some guys key into a particular stretch of beach because they heard it was hot. That's where the inconsistency comes in. There is one hotspot in Monmouth County that has produced fish for 3 weeks now, but not every day, and not in a sustained way.

Those who get to know this beach will read the structure, especially during low tide, and figure out where the fish might be sitting in the darkness or early dawn hours.http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/images/icons/icon3.gif

This area that I am thinking about was not productive for the last 36 hours, and some guys gave up on it. Yet, Sunday morning around sunrise someone pulled in a 25lb bass on a bucktail.

Many times these catches are not reported, and for good reason. Some guys have put in many hours learning to be better surfcasters, and are not willing to ruin the fishing for themselves.

This is understandable. To all the new members coming on here, I will say to you that things will get better if you put in your time, and are open to learning about fishing in different environments. Pay attention when you see others catching fish, without crowding them. Put all these lessons into practice, and your catches will increase.

NY WIR 11-3-08

If I had to pick an area to focus on right now, I would choose the LI beaches. They are hard to learn unless you target one area at a time and learn it well, and put in your time. You may also be fortunate enough to go fishing with someone who knows that area. If so, pay attention, and learn the lessons well.

There are big fish still coming down the coast of LI, and the abundant bait concentrated in the near surf area is keeping them in close. Guys are mostly doing well at night, but there are decent daytime bites in key areas of inlets and structure.



Folks, we may be in a period now when we are making the transition from the night bite to a late afternoon bite. If you notice this pattern in your area, do your best to take advantage of it.

The fish wait for no one, you have to be there when they are biting.:)

Also, please bundle up with layers, as it is getting colder. There is no sense fishing when you are miserable from not having enough layers. Be careful out there, catch em up! -- bunkerjoe

[fishinmission78]

Caught the skunk at IBSP this morning. There was bait and birds far out, but they never came in.

[voyager35]

We attempted to fish the ocean yesterday down the beach from Sandy Hook. It was rough and we got no good bait markings. We ended up with one skate and one short drifting clams in the rips.

We lucked into a school of bass on the way back in RB, and had an hour and a half of good action on white shads, bass 27-33". They were eating peanut bunker.

[LennyD]

Sunday OC, 3 keepes 31" - 32" Kept 2 :HappyWave:

[fishjay]

We fished OC Monday with no luck. good conditions no takers

will try again today:)

[chas527]

fished nomoco this morning day break till 9am. got 10 small bass 3 blue fish on metal. saw alot of fish jumping.

[DarkSkies]

Fished moco last night 10:30-1:30. A friend landed 4 by the time I got there, 1 keeper sized, on a yozuri crystal magnum minnow. I was happy, he finally got a chance to bring home a fish for his boys, who ask him every time he comes home if he got anything.:clapping:

The bite slowed down after that, and we moved around a lot. He picked 2 shorts more from the sides of jetties. We were using schoolbus bombers and silver megabait.

Since the bite lessened, we decided to go back to the original place we started and fish the outgoing. Despite many casts, the best I could manage all night was one small bump at the last place.:skunk:

It seems for this week, in moco at night, we've noticed the bite is better on the incoming, and shuts down for the outgoing. I made note of this last year in a log, similar time frame.

Anyone else notice this?

Also, there was a cool thing going on with the waves, the wave tops were electric, fire in the water, but it wasn't that bad lower in the water column, and didn't stop the fish from hitting. Psychedelic

[DarkSkies]

Sunday OC, 3 keepes 31" - 32" Kept 2 :HappyWave:

Nice goin, man.:clapping:


fished nomoco this morning day break till 9am. got 10 small bass 3 blue fish on metal. saw alot of fish jumping.

Nice, a friend was in OC and got some, seems like first light is a good bite.:thumbsup: When you saw fish jumping, could you tell if they were bass swirling, bluefish, or maybe herring?

[wish4fish]

fished the rocks back of rb last night, sure thing we would nail the bigger bass with clams, only noone told the bass. goose eggs. 00, lol.

[SharkHart]

i am doing alot of nothing around squan and south last 2 days, 1 bass near keeper sized, tried day and night cant get anything going. bunch of sun dials being caught at the inlet. I hate light NE I want the NW back!

[clamchucker]

i am doing alot of nothing around squan and south last 2 days, 1 bass near keeper sized, tried day and night cant get anything going. bunch of sun dials being caught at the inlet. I hate light NE I want the NW back!


Shark Hart, there is a lot of action at IBSP, but 98% of the fish being caught are shorts. I got 6 today in the first hour after sunrise. All between 24-27.5" on clams. After that the bite died down a bit, as it usually does.

As a guy who fishes plugs and bait, I am getting irritated with the guys who set up the wagon trains in the park, groups of 2-4 guys and their trucks, each guy with 4 rods. They block up 1/4 mile of the beach at a time, with no room for anyone else. This really is not being considerate, it's quite selfish.

[Ole Stumpy]

Was on the Brick beach last week, walked out on a bar on the ebb tide, fishing clams and hooked a 20" short striper after a few bumps. Got several bumps after that but that was it.

[SharkHart]

Thanks it does sound like the surf bass are down that way now. Sounds like a few boats got into bass and blues good today not far from the inlet BUT in 60-70 feet of water. not good!

[voyager35]

That's because they're gorging on sandeels in those depths. You wouldn't believe the sandeel and bait readings we're getting out there. Incredible amount of bait in that area right now.

[captnemo]

Did a quick run out of AH yesterday late afternoon, 2 hours. Set up with clams near Roamer, only 2 fish caught to 27", although there was a good amount of bait marked. Seemed a litle slow.

[SharkHart]

My point was alot of us seem to be surf anglers. i do realize the bait is out there and therefore the fish. That is deep water and i was trying to make a point that guys fishing on dry land may be missing the good stuff.

[voyager35]

You're right about surfcasters missing much of the action, Shark. I wasn't trying to gloat, we have our good and bad days on the boat, days when we burn $150 in fuel for nothing.

I think this fall, the sandeels are in a bit closer, and providing more action for the surf guys. Last fall, for the most part all the best action was 1-1 1/2 miles offshore.

Now, there are so many sandeels they are spread around from 10-70 foot depths. There are more in the 50-70 depths, but there are also a good amount spread right beyond the surfline. I hope they continue to give you guys a shot at the bass. I know boat fish don't count, but I'll catch em anyway when I can get them.:D

[wish4fish]

just got back from sandy hook, thought i would do some clamming. man i chickened out, gave it up, lol. too intense.

[DarkSkies]

just got back from sandy hook, thought i would do some clamming. man i chickened out, gave it up, lol. too intense.

It was rough out there last night, you did the right thing if you didn't feel ok with it. Not much caught in that slop last night anyway.

[DarkSkies]

Fished last night 12-3am. The rain seemed like it was lessening, and I wanted to give it a shot. I read about that guy drowning off the Avon jetty, so I decided to check out some inside urban spots. Ain't worth dyin over a few fish.

I knew the fish were there, the wind was a mf'er. They forecast 20's, but some of the sustained gusts were in the 40's, N, then NE, then NW, then back to N.

I wanted to fish this one place that was lit up. The boulevard of broken dreams was closed by the time I got there, and the wind was not in the right direction. Ended up fishing 1000 feet away from that after I found a lee from the wind. First searched for the bunker that are bringing the fish in, no luck snagging in a few deepwater spots. Decided to throw a rigged eel for awhile, no luck with that.

Finished the last 2 hours plugging, from midwater swimmers chicken scratch mambos, etc, to different bombers, to bunker profile plugs, to bucktails with small rubber eels. Not a tap.

I kept looking at this one spot that jutted out into the water. It was a perfect spot, a point into deeper water, with serious current running past it. Unfortunately, it was also exposed to the wind, and walking the solo piling there was like walking a tightrope. Every time I ventured out there, the wind would make me wobble. I thought about that guy falling off the jetty, and gave up on the idea. I know that place has to hold fish regularly, I will be back to fish it when it's more favorable.

On the plus side, without the wind it would have been a perfect night. The rain wasn't that bad, mostly a fine mist, many rain free periods. The temperature was so mild I could have fished all night, maybe in the low 60's.

I finally gave up when I realized what I was presenting wasn't working in that deeper water. Bait is the key there, they are gorging on that adult bunker. I will be back.

[voyager35]

Fished Raritan bay yesterday, trolled umbrellas with white shads, nothing. Eeled, nothing. Finally managed a few small shorts jigging storm shads, white, near a channel where we saw a few birds. Overall not a great day, maybe the offshore winds later this weekend will change things up.

[cowherder]

Fished Sandy Hook this morning. I was just crazy to get out. The front has a lot of white water, it's not that bad, but I could not get any hits using a bomber. I went around to the bay part, and got one bass, 25", with a bucktail with a pink fin-s on it. A lot of walking for one fish, but it was nice to be out.

[clamchucker]

Clammed the IBSP surf this morning. 8 oz to hold and the surf was still big. 3 small bass.

[bunkerjoe4]

OK folks, the winners for the September and October NJ fishing reports plug giveaway are surferman, and SharkHart. :clapping:

I have been a little busy, and it was pointed out to me I forgot the drawing last month. Sorry.

Additionally, I wish to inform you that in months where I get a number that has won before, I will run the random numbers again to target a contributing member to these reports who has not won a plug before.

If after 1 try, the number generator does not produce a member who hasn't won a plug, the plug will go to the original number as indicated in the first run. I am doing this to be fair to all members.

As site administrator, I feel it's important to explain the steps I go through to make sure things are fair. You all deserve to be informed when a change is made, although I want to state clearly here that I reserve the right to change these rules or cancel or amend any giveaway at any time, for any of the regional forums (the lawyer made me put that in:)).


Please e-mail me the address where you want it sent. The plug will be a Davis topwater swimmer, similar to the ones fishlipper is using. If anyone has not yet checked out the thread for Davis lures, go take a look. He's a good plug-builder, sells them at reasonable prices, and as shown, they do catch fish.

http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=78 (http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=78)


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[wish4fish]

^ sweet plugs there bunkerjoe, maybe one day i'll win one of those babies from ya!
just got in from the hook, part of the incoming, fast water, 5 bass to 26", fat, chicken scratch mambo. water wasn't that bad up there.

[surferman]

:HappyWave:Thanks BunkerJoe, I'll PM.

[surferman]

Nomoco last night :skunk:again. I'm due for a keeper.

[wish4fish]

got 3 bass at the hook this morning. i'm lazy and don't feel like writing the stories some of the other guys write, but saw this other format & maybe it will be easier.




Date Fished:11/8
Time fished:6-7a
Tide Stage:outgoing
Weather:fog
Surf Conditions:mellow
Boat Name:
General Location:sh
Fishing Method:
Type of lure/fly:bucktail
Bait type:
Water Temp:
fish caught:3bass
size:around 25"
Report:

[DarkSkies]

^ Spent the day looking for some shoulder fish in some inside spots. I can't use that format, wish4, though it might be a good idea for you, I got too many words in the flow.;)

So I'll save some people the trouble of reading this whole report and say I did not catch any fish today, though I tried. I did do a lot of prospecting, scouting, and meeting cool people.

Here's that story:

Started around noon, got to a recently productive area inside. Guys did well the night before, saw about a 40" one guy had. Bunker had left for another location, and I went on the hunt to find them in different cities.

As I scouted, I ran into the first of many interesting characters -"Fast Freddie" from Michigan.

He said: "Hey, why are you fishing here, they are snagging bunker over there!" I left him to get some bunker, but not before hearing some amazing stories from the perspective of a visitor to this area. He's working here temporarily, going back to Michigan soon, but already he's scored some impressive catches at night, and had some kick-*** stories about steelhead fishing in Michigan that kept me interested. He's a fishin maniac, I home he comes on here to tell some fish stories.

Thanks, Freddy, I did find the bunker.:thumbsup:

Found them in a pocket of a broken jetty area. As I got there, this guy Manny was struggling with a mid teens bluefish. I jumped over a high fence to help him, and promptly fell on my ***.:embarassed: I then got his gaff for him, and he gaffed the fish. We were the only fishermen around there, fishing in the rain.

He's been fishing that area for 20 years, and gratefully gave me tips on that area and some others that had been producing well. Thanks Manny. I didnt get bunker there, but another place a little up from there, just a few, they are coming in and out, a few minutes at a time is all you get to snag and drop and get the bigger fish.

Made my way back to some other areas I will fish in the future, got some intel from the people there. Amazingly, ling are available, though most people are targeting bass and blues.

Ran into a decorated veteran named Frank F. :HappyWave:Thanked him for his service, moved on to find more bunker.

Ended up at the original spot I was earlier, set up for the dusk bite. Met some cool dudes and started BSing after I asked them if they wouldn't mind me setting up near them.

Turns out I know them from another site, small world. You never know who knows what. After talking to this other sitemember, I realized he knows more about that area, and has caught more big fish, than many of the elite VS guys. Yet I would never have known it, he hardly ever posts.

Lesson: Don't judge a book by it's cover, try to be friendly whenever you can. Thank you G and others for all the help and info, you guys know how to pull in large.:clapping:

Saw one "small" :laugh: 28" fish caught, thing was fat as a football. Also saw some more ling and winter flounder caught, which were released. I learned a lot, and appreciate the hospitality I was shown. I got nothing, bite was slow tonight, but I may go back tomorrow.

All fish caught on bunker chunks. Ling on bunker, flounder on clams. I tried jigging the deep water with a bucktail, and super long bass assassins, and fished a live eel, but the only thing that really works there is bunker. Put out the bunker, go big, or go home.

I thank you all, and will be back to find the shoulder fish.:wow:

[VSdreams]

After a long week I finally got out to the hook. No luck with keepers but had 2 shorts on a purple bomber.

[cowherder]

Nomoco last night, plugged with bombers and a mag darter black, buy I got the :skunk:. It seems like every time I reeled in the plug, the fire on the water stuff was visible. It was frustrating to not even get a bump, but the glowing on the tops of the waves was pretty cool.

[paco33]

Went on a friends boat yesterday, at the Hook and down the beach. We got 5 bass by using clams. The biggest was 17 pounds. They are right off the beach in the channels.

[clamchucker]

Good action at IBSP this morning. I got 7 bass to 29" (1keeper) clamming. Rest were smaller. Most of the action was hear sunrise and 2 hours after.

[Monty]

NOMCO this morning out front. 4 shorts arond 24 inches and 2 hickory shad I believe. All on teasers except 1 bass on an ava. Fished 5:30 to 10:00. It was to nice out.

[wish4fish]

did the sandy hook walk tonight, 3 bass on needlefish, out at the end of the cast. biggest 23". wheres the bigger bass?