NJ Fishing Reports for the Week of 5-19 to 5-25-08

[bunkerjoe4]

Important when registering on our site use an active email address so you can activate account to be able to post.


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]

Important when registering on our site use an active email address so you can activate account to be able to post.


NJ Week in Review 5-19-08

Well folks this has been a great week for fishing. Boaters have done better than surfcasters in terms of catching bass. This has some long-time surfcasters saying "Where are the Bass? in NJ".

Bluefish are providing consistent action for those using bunker, and starting to give some exciting action for those using topwater plugs. The ocean has been churned up by the storms. Although people are catching fish in the ocean, the best action remains in the back bays, or in the bay areas adjacent to the ocean where the waters are somewhat protected.

A significant body of bunker has been sitting in the area off IBSP for the past 2 days. These bunker are out of reach of surfcasters, but there are times during low light when the tide is right, and the bunker drift closer. These small windows give surfcasters and liveliners the chance to catch bigger bass. Unfortunately, these time windows are sometimes very limited opportunities.

"Ya gotta be in it to win it" translates to the fact that those who are in the right place in the right time in the surf will be rewarded. Others may be disappointed, but the experience of surf fishing is what motivates many of us anyway. Catching a fish is always a plus, and is what keeps us coming back for more, but it is never guaranteed. Even the best fishermen don't catch fish all the time.

As far as bait other than bunker, larger spearing, and decent schools of rainfish, are starting to appear with greater frequency in the bays and inlets. Small herring are also being slaughtered by hungry predators.

I feel the next 2 weeks ahead will offer exciting opportunities for those at the right place at the right time.

There are those who feel the bass numbers are down this year, especially for NJ. I would agree with that perception, to a point. No one wants to listen to claims the sky is falling if the NMFS stats say the biomass is the same as it has been. For now, I think it's safe to say that there have been some changes in catches, especially for surfcasters.

This may be due to changes in the biomass, people keeping more breeding fish, different bass migration patterns and locational shifts, or slight combinations of these and many other factors. I think as we get more data and stories from veteran fishermen as to how their season is, people can get a better assessment of where the truth lies.

Sometimes, we perceive one thing to be true, merely because we don't have enough information. Once we get more information to fill in the gaps in our reasoning, things become clearer, and the conclusion reached may be entirely different from what it once appeared to be. Food for thought. http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/images/icons/icon3.gif

If you have any spare time and want to catch a bigger bass, now is the time to plan and strategically target the best location and time, and go get your quarry! Good luck out there.

NY Week in Review 5-19-08

Folks, the fishing in some areas on NY has been reported and documented as spectacular, but please remember there is no area that is hot all the time. There are some areas in NY that are offering incredible fishing for those willing to brave the elements of weather. However, 2 years ago some of these places had a poor Spring fishery, while other areas in NJ were experiencing a bounty.

Thic could give credence to the cyclical nature of fishing, or it could indicate something else. No one really knows, and the truth usually lies somewhere in between all the assessments, perceptions, and beliefs.

The NY fluke season opened with some impressive catches. It seems insane to have 20.5" as the minimum, which is again decided more by science, and less by anecdotal evidence from veteran fishermen that fluke levels are as high as they have ever been.

However, this is what was decided, so we must live with it for now. The sad part for me is that I think eventually party boat captains will be hurt by this. Many people will make choices not to go fishing when faced with a $45 boat fare and the "possible" chance to bring home one or 2 fluke.

Again, this is something that fishermen as a political force have the opportunity to monitor and get changed. If the season turns out terrible in terms of your catches, please think about getting involved with a fishing club or group and let your collective voice be heard. There are some fine clubs listed here in the forums. If anyone is close to their areas, I suggest you check them out, and think about getting involved politically if you are not happy.

Any other clubs out there that represent the legitimate interests of fishermen, feel free to contact me, and we will put up some info so others can learn more about your club and what it offers.

Back to fishing -- the NY back bays and inlets are still offering good chances to connect with decent fish for those at the right place at the right time. Not all inlets and bays are producing consistently. Remember the bigger predators show up in search of food. Especially now as the spawn is over, bigger fish will be caught. Look for concentrations of bait, you will find the bigger fish not far behind. Good luck out there! -- bunkerjoe

[clamchucker]

One small bass on clams 24" out front today. If you have a line on some bigger fish joe, don't hold out, let me know, cause I haven't seen any in a while.:D

[fishinmission78]

Ibsp this morning, one small bluefish on a bucktail. Looked for bunker, but they must have gone offshore or north, didn't see any.

[fishnambition]

Out back 9-1 last night, 1 awesome robin on fresh bunker.

[yardvillejimmy]

Fished NoMoCo yesterday late afternoon and evening with metals and swimming plugs. Not even a bump. :banghead2:

[clamchucker]

"Out back 9-1 last night, 1 awesome robin on fresh bunker."

I read the sarcasm in your post, fishinambition, but you're not alone.

I fished a good portion of NoMoCo and Oc the last few days with bait, bunker and clams, sometimes in the mornings. sometimes in the afternoons. Total catches, 8 sea robins, 5 skates, one dogfish, 2 small bluefish. If my wife knew what I spent in gas to catch that impressive selection, she would shoot me. Where are the bass? This is the latest I can remember that it hasn't been a spring push of bass for the surfcasters. Friends in boats are doing ok, but even they are burning lots of miles to finally get bass.

[wish4fish]

Fished that famous place in rb last night before dark. 3 blues on poppers, but I only got hits when I threw out as far as I could, otherwise nothing. It was pretty lame. I misss the big bluefish. :drool:

[fishinmission78]

wish4, the front was hot today. Fished the upper area of nomoco, outgoing. Hit many small blues 1-5lbs on poppers. They were hungry, but not a lot of people out fishing where I was, maybe 5 others in that area. Good times, finally some crazy action, even though no bass were caught.

[fishlipper]

Fnm, my brother was out in the bay yesterday, acres of blues eating big spearing. I think you may have been close to there by your description. Those blues can move miles in a day. But maybe the big spearing will anchor them in our area for awhile, and get some bass action going. Striped bass fishing in NJ has been pretty sad lately.

[clamchucker]

NoMoCo, very early, decent bluefish run from first light to around 7 in the morning. Metals, poppers, bluefish up to 12 lbs. They were there because of the bunker, as it has been slow action for the last week.

[basshunter]

No one got in on that moco blitz 3 nights ago? (I didn't either):o Some guys I know, right place right time, bass to 30 lbs, pencils when the bunker came in. The place was a circus after the cell phones came out, but the cows have finally hit the sand in NJ!

[clamchucker]

Do you mean the "blitzes" that have been happening for 1/2 to 2 hours at a time? Unless you live in the county or close by, they will be over by the time you blink your eyes. 30lbers will be caught. Then the next day there will be 500 guys driving up the beach scanning with the binoculars hoping to see it happen again. It will happen, but on the NEXT night, when you're not there. ;)

Put in your time, do your scouting at high and low tides, double-check your terminal tackle, and you will be prepared when you get your chance.

[fishinmission78]

I like the guys who will sit in their trucks with the binocs. Won't even get out unless they see you have a fish on. Then they will run and stand 5 feet away from you like you are the magic keeper of the big fish.:don't know why: