NJ Fishing reports for the week of 5-5 to 5-11-2008

[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
CISP - Corson's Inlet State Park
CMC - Cape May County
CMR - Cape May Rips


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

[bunkerjoe4]

The NJ week in Review 5-5-08

This has been a a second great week for the surf and boat fishermen.

Bluefish continue to tear the heck out of rods, reels, and gear, though some bodies of smaller fish have moved in. If you do catch a lot of bluefish, please only keep what you need. There was a time when there were no jumbo blues available. Al Ristori had a great article on that recently.

Bass will continue to be more challenging to catch as long as the bluefish dominate. The bass bite is scattered along NJ areas, and many of the decent catches have come at night for surf fishermen, and out of reach of surf guys, in 10-15' of water in the bay, for boaters. Otherwise, it's a slow pick for keeper bass.

Off the fishing topic, a body washed up at Sandy Hook earlier this week, young male, haven't yet heard the ID info. A woman jumped off one of the jetties in MoCo this past year as well because of financial problems and depression. Very sad to read these stories.

There are still some surprisingly large weakfish being caught, but not reported. Folks, these huge weakfish are breeders, and need to breed to propagate the species. If you are lucky enough to catch a weakfish over 8 lbs, you have every right to keep it.

However, please consider catch, photo, and release, so it can make baby weakfish.

Some who fish regularly feel many bass have bypassed the RB and NJ shores, because keepers are being reported regularly in several NY areas. The bass still haven't finished the spawn down in the Southern bays, so that body will still be moving North, little by little.

Additionally, bigger bass are now being caught in the Delaware River by those using live herring or chunks. The Delaware herring run is in full swing now, and would be a good time to take youngsters fishing using sabiki rigs for these fun, acrobatic fish. Make sure you have freshwater licenses, Rangers are out checking every day.

I wouldn't give up on bass fishing for the surfcasters. You folks have less options than guys fishing from boats, so you have to think strategically to catch bass (or just get lucky sometimes):),

Bass like current, and primarily feed in low light conditions. Try to pick a spot that has current, food on the bottom, or warming water with baitfish present. If you satisfy one or more of the above conditions, you have a better shot at landing a bass.

As an indication that our waters are getting warmer, the trickles of fluke that were caught last week are now turning into more reports, with some bigger sizes. Remember the season does not open yet, they have to be thrown back until then.

New York week in Review 5-5-08

Bigger bass are still being caught in the Hudson by those using bunker, herring, and eels.

The back bays action is in full swing, but fishing, like many other things, is not consistent and dependent on bait and sunny weather warming up an area for a few days.

One thing that is almost guaranteed is bluefish, from Jamaica Bay to the more northern bays and spots, sometimes it's hard not to catch a bluefish.

The hordes of bunker schools being chased into the back bays in the northern NY baywaters have resulted in massive bunker kills. Good thing it's not summer, but this is a naturally-occurring phenomenon that unfortunately occurs several times a year if water oxygen levels fall.

The northern reaches of LI have turned on big time, with jumbo bluefish, and keeper bass, following the bunker, and also gorging themselves with squid.

And more fluke, some very respectable size, are being caught, but remember they must be thrown back until the season opens.

Good luck out there - catch em up!

[fishlipper]

Out back RB sun afternoon. Went to a couple spots, no one was catching anything as the tide came in. Then we got to a spot where guys had bailed bluefish.Three guys said they caught 36 bluefish between 4:30-6:30, bunker chunks, 6-10lbs.

Took out some krocodile spoons out, caught some decent ones for the last 15 mins of the bite. Fish wouldn't hit topwater, and you had no indication they were there. Bite died one hour before full high, kinda strange. It probably picked up on the ebb, but we cut out of there early.

Beautiful sunset, great day to fish, water didn't look dirty from saturday's NE, just a couple of weed lines.

[bunkerjoe4]

Hey folks, I wanted to extend my thanks to all who contribute here. I wish more of our members were less shy about posting, but that will come in time.

At this point, I would again like to ask some members who have registered but not yet posted, to take a chance and post! Some here have been fishing for a long time and are less conscious about posting. Others members, who may be new to fishing, may not feel like they have a lot to offer, or self conscious that they may say something stupid.

As to the fishing reports, even if you went out and got skunked, that's not embarassing-- please post anyway. Happens to the best of us. We all have days when we throw everything but the kitchen sink, and it just ain't happening.

A lot of people may be traveling great distances to fish. With the gas prices being so outrageous, people are cutting down on many things, including fishing trips. So even if you posted that you went out, to _____ Bay, used____, tried ___, and the skunk followed you home, you are helping out a fellow angler by saving them the trip.

I, and they, would appreciate people posting more. Helps us all, many thanks. :clapping:

Also, let me assure you that there are no stupid questions here. If you want to contribute your opinion, or ask a question, chances are that many others have the same thought, but are too shy to post. So take a chance and post! I promise it's a painless process, and we can all learn from each other. :thumbsup:

Meanwhile, some people are becoming regular contributors, and are helping to make the site more colorful (although I have to admit some of you seem like pretty crazy characters, I would still fish with you in the dark of night).

You are all helping to make this a site worth coming to visit, more like the community I envisioned when I first started this. Many, many thanks to all for your posts, your feedback, and your participation.

You are all a great group of people, even the slightly disturbed ones. http://www.stripersandanglers.com/images/icons/icon10.gif ;)

http://www.stripersandanglers.com/images/misc/progress.gif

[captnemo]

Out on the boat for a quick trial run today, RB bayside near a big pier, chunks got us plenty bluefish, some larger, and 2 bass, biggest 17#.

[clamchucker]

Outgoing at SH early this morning blues on poppers and metal.

[bunkerjoe4]

For a limited time, I will be giving out a plug, lure, custom jig, or something similar each month to 2 randomly chosen members who post in our regional fishing reports.

Member response has been ramping up, so I decided to change it from one lucky person to 2 people.

Winners for the Month of April 2008:

Southpaw1123 (NJ)
Pinhead44 (NY)
Please check your e-mail, and let me know where you want them sent.

Thank you all for your participation. Your chances of winning are the same if you post once, or 50 times, to make things fair for everyone. If you went fishing, and you post a report in ANY regional fishing report thread here, you are eligible, so keep those reports coming, folks.:thumbsup:

[fishinmission78]

Fished NoOCo tonight pm, poppers, skunkola.

[basshunter]

bunkerjoe, got mine 2 weeks ago, forgot to say thanks, afraid to use with bluefish, wait for bass heres a pic.

[Southpaw1123]

Fished the incoming last night RB. Big blues on bunker & metal. I think it may be time to get the Yak in the water. The beaches are becoming increasingly crowded with the warmer weather. Too many tangled lines and muggings when you are into fish. I can't wait for the fall.

[fishjay]

fished NoMoCo yesterday with 2 friends. picked blues from 2 to 10 lbs. on an poppers and swimming plugs

[amboyangler]

http://americanpridebt.googlepages.com/scrnshot.jpg

[amboyangler]

http://americanpridebt.googlepages.com/joseluis.JPG

[fishinmission78]

Ibsp this morning, decent pick of blues on bucktails, they were off and on, some bigger ones.

[clamchucker]

Tried to get away from the crowds last night. rb inside, chunks fed some hungry bass up to 34". seems a new wave of fish may have arrived. Nice fish, amboy, is that you in the pic?

[basshunter]

Wow nice fish amboy, all I could do is stick 2 bluefish last night on the incoming out back, should have stuck around for a later bass bite I guess. Nice fish :clapping:

[wish4fish]

out back is hot. Def had the bunker bass feedbag on last night, started halfway on outgoing, clamchuck ur right bass moved in!

[amboyangler]

Tried to get away from the crowds last night. rb inside, chunks fed some hungry bass up to 34". seems a new wave of fish may have arrived. Nice fish, amboy, is that you in the pic?

no thats not me in either of those pics.... those were 2 fish brought into my buddys bait shop today.... i just thought that they were post worthy

[yardvillejimmy]

Good action yesterday afternoon with medium size blues on small metals.
:bigeyes:

[clamchucker]

Took a ride to IBSp this morning, 15 minutes of action cocktail blues, blink and you missed it. Hitting short profile metal.

[wish4fish]

Weakies in the current today, up to 8lbs, bucktail, all put back.

[fishinmission78]

IBSP very early, one tiny bluefish bucktail, gave up after 1/2 hour, windy and weedy.

[fishlipper]

Fished some current last night looking for weakfish. Threw bucktail, shad, leadhead, different rubber, everything I had that would make them commit suicide. Windy and rainy, extreme high flood tides. Only 2 other guys in a popular spot, last night was perfect, but couldn't connect. Didn't see them hook up either, I know we fished the wrong side of the tide, but got out there late. Went to SI after that, where I continued to bring the NJ skunk with me. Tomorrow's another day.

[wish4fish]

Back rb last night, one bluefish on a bunker chunk, things slow for everyone around me.

[clamchucker]

Yesterday out front NoMoCo, clams and bunker, sea still dirty and weedy, 6 oz to hold. :skunk: