NJ Fishing Reports for the week of 12-15 to 12-21-08

[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

[bunkerjoe4]

NJ/NY WIR 12-15-08

Folks, we have been through some stormy weather, with some more predicted for this week. The small fish are still feeding, though the bite is spotty. If you want to use your fishing time productively, try to target before or after weather systems come through. Another good thought when the water is colder is that when you have a few days of warming after a prolonged cold snap, sometimes the bite improves.

Realistically, this doesn't change the ocean temperatures much, which are now in the mid-40's. Late in the season, sunny days offer more opportunity for surfcasters and bait fishermen.

There have been a few good days of fishing here and there. Bear in mind that keepers are now few and far between. The bulk of the larger fish, as mentioned previously, are now setting up in their southern wintering grounds. There are still a few large bass to be caught from south Jersey beaches. Last week, a fisherman caught a 49lb bass from a Cape May beach using a ling head.

There have also been some magnificent catches reported in the area of the Chesapeake Bay bridge tunnel. A 63 pound striped bass was caught recently from a boat, and there are daily reports of fish in the 40's and 50's being taken.

Anyone who hasn't winterized their boat for the winter, now would be a good time for a trip to that area to partake of the incredible fishing.

As to the NJ and NY beaches, there are still some small bass. With the weather patterns as they are, more rain is forecast this week. The temperatures will be relatively mild for this time of year, so take advantage of them and use those sunny days to escape the "honey do" lists and fish for a few hours. :) Tight lines, bunkerjoe.

[fishinmission78]

Ibsp for 1 1/2 hours before work this morning. Got 3 bass blind casting with an ava and green teaser rig, 22-25".

[cowherder]

nomoco 4-6pm. 2 bass, biggest was 24". Got them on a schoolbus bomber. Fish are still here.:fishing:

[SurfGazer]

Good job, guys! I thought all the fish are gone already, looks like there are still some around.

[clamchucker]

I fished Monmouth county and north today. Conditions weren't that bad until the S wind kicked up a bit. I continued north until the wind was not an issue any more, and found fish in an area as the tide changed. 8 bass to 27.5". Some on a mambo, others on a hopkins.

[DarkSkies]

wtg guys, it's killin me reading these reports and I can't get out, deadlines.:( The weather is perfect, glad someone is catching.

[wish4fish]

nomoco 6:30-7:30am. followed clamchucker's trail :HappyWave: got 2 fatt bass around 26", storm shads. fish are still here, woo hoo!

[clamchucker]

Ibsp this morning from 8-1, 13 bass on a deadly **** and green teaser. Nothing big, biggest 26", but nice action.

[LennyD]

Its good to see that fish is still around, gotta make another trip b4 they gone;)

[fishinmission78]

Ibsp this morning from 8-1, 13 bass on a deadly **** and green teaser. Nothing big, biggest 26", but nice action.

Clamchucker with the hot hand! :clapping: I was there from 5-6:30 this morning, 3 bass to 24" on a storm shad. Hope they stick around for awhile..

[DarkSkies]

wtg, clamchucker. :thumbsup:

[storminsteve]

Ocean county this AM I fished near a pier, hit some holes and caught 5 short bass to 26" using a pearl white stormshad.

[jigisup]

Somoco-went out from 7am till about 10:45 caught 8 on ava 27s with a red gill teaser. Played with the colors abit but mostly white. The size varied from 14 to 22 inches. Ive noticed alot of little bumps and nibbles depending on how fast or slow I was reeling in. The bite isnt totally over yet lads. Get out there and get those lines wet before it is.

[clamchucker]

IBSP this morning 7-11. The fish are still around in the OC area, it seems there are quite a few smaller ones mixed in. 18 small bass, most in the 16-20" range. Ava and green teaser were the ticket today. Most fish hit the teaser.

[DarkSkies]

Went to fish with a friend last night at the last minute, got unexpectedly delayed. I was getting down as he was leaving, instead had a good conversation. Haven't fished with him in a while, good people. He gave me the intel where he was, not much action, so I decided to hit nomoco, moving water.

The strategy was to hit the dawn and daylight bite. I slept in the car, up at 7, on the water at 7:15. Fished bucktail and porkrind. Got 4 bass to 25" until 9, when I stopped. Fishing was sporadic, you had to work for them, but they were there.

I believe if I was fishing clams, I would have done better, especially with the noreaster coming in. I don't want to mess with clams till the spring, bucktails are good enough for these small fish. I was using my 8' tica, perfect rod for the little schoolies.

Since I wasn't exactly killing em, I went back to the car when it started to snow a little, and tried to wait out the storm, hoping for a break. Woke up to more rain and stronger wind, so I decided to pack it in. I saw the surf was getting bigger when I left.

The action was still good, and it was great to be out, first time out in awhile. Like other guys here said, fish are still around, you just have to downsize your gear a little, and keep moving to different pockets.

[DarkSkies]

IBSP this morning 7-11. The fish are still around in the OC area, it seems there are quite a few smaller ones mixed in. 18 small bass, most in the 16-20" range. Ava and green teaser were the ticket today. Most fish hit the teaser.

If you notice a shadow when you're on the beach one day, that would be me, muggin ya! Nice work, wtg. :thumbsup:

[DarkSkies]

Somoco-went out from 7am till about 10:45 caught 8 on ava 27s with a red gill teaser. Played with the colors abit but mostly white. The size varied from 14 to 22 inches. Ive noticed alot of little bumps and nibbles depending on how fast or slow I was reeling in. The bite isnt totally over yet lads. Get out there and get those lines wet before it is.

wtg, good to see people ain't givin up. :clapping: Welcome to the site, man. :HappyWave:

[jigisup]

Thanks. Glad to be here.

[wish4fish]

bass still out there, get your lazy mofo azzes off the couch and catch em up.:D got 5 today 3-5pm nomoco, on chickenscratch mambos. biggest 26". birds were working farther out, i wish i had a kayak. :wheeeee:

[DarkSkies]

wtg, w4f :clapping:

[storminsteve]

Bass still out there, get your lazy mofo azzes off the couch and catch em up. :D Got 5 today 3-5pm nomoco, on chickenscratch mambos. Biggest 26". Birds were working farther out, I wish I had a kayak. :wheeeee:

It was too cold and windy for me. I thought about going, saw the wind on the surfcam, and canned it. Nice work.