NJ Fishing Reports for the Week of 6-23 to 6-29-08

[bunkerjoe4]

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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]

Week in Review 6-23-08

New Jersey

Well folks it has been another spectacular week for NJ surfcasters. In some cases they have had better days than boaters, and several lifetime personal records of 50lb fish have been caught from the surf in the past week.

This is not only incredible news, but it's mainly due to the bunker still to be found along our coast, which 5 years ago wasn't possible due to the Omega Protein bunker reduction boats.

Everyone is entitled to keep 2 bass a day. However, some of these bass are big enough to feed a family for a week!

If you have the fortune to catch one or 2 of these fish, please consider that the largest ones are around 18 years old, and older. Takes a long time to grow a bass that big.

All I'm asking is that you think about it if you have such good fortune to catch multiple huge cows in one day.http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/images/icons/icon3.gif

There have been a lot of stories out there, most unfounded rumours, but some actually true, of people throwing back smaller bass in favor of a bigger one. No matter how you look at it, that's not cool.

I believe with the south wind and some of the storm/swell patterns, the bass could stay around for another week or 2. The cold water will help to keep them here, and of course the bunker.

There is also a decent body of bass holding in the areas around Cape May. We may get a shot at these during their northern migration.

However, there is no guarantee. If you want a shot at them, try to make time now.

On the fluke front, some bigger fluke have been caught, but the throwback ratio is around 20 to 1 to get a keeper. That's pretty sad, and has a lot of people irritated. The next time there are hearings, hopefully some more people get involved and voice their opinion.

Be careful out there. So far there have not been too many reported injuries. It's not a good thing to get a hook stuck in you by an overeager surfcaster next to you. Please be careful.

New York

Again, there is more action in the back bays, though still spotty. The ocean is providing some good action for surfcasters willing to put in their time. Learn the water you are fishing in. Go there at extreme low tides, if you can, so see how things are set up. You will be a better surfcaster because of it.

As to the fluke progress on the NY side, guys are catching keepers, but it is pretty sad to see all the big fluke being thrown back. Again, the next time there is a meeting asking for public feedback, make sure you go and voice your opinion.

As for the sea robins, we are experiencing a bonus crop like never seen before.;) Please don't throw them on the rocks. The bigger ones are good eating. Try one, you'll be glad you did. :thumbsup:

[fishlipper]

Moco last night.:skunk: Got out late, heard of a few quick blitzes here and there, over in 15 mins at each location in the late afternoon. By the time I got out, it was dead, and the S/SE winds put the bite off. Hit some good water anyway blind casting. Hit the first spot and heard 2 fish in the 20's were caught a 1/2 hour before around 8pm, so I plugged the heck out of that place, nothing.

Hit 3 more spots. Bunker had been coming in and out, so it was worth a shot. No bunker when I was there. 2nd spot was 10 miles S of the initial area. Met a guy who caught a 25 lber there around 8pm, pencil popper, blind casting. So last night, after the crowds went home, 8pm seemed to be the magic hour. Plugged for another hour, same results. :skunk:

Today with the winds going offshore should be better, push the bunker in.

[fishinmission78]

IBSP yesterday some big blues came in, got 10 on metal, up to 14lbs.

[wish4fish]

Hit some good water anyway blind casting. Met a guy who caught a 25 lber there around 8pm, pencil popper, blind casting.

Hey Fish, didya have a seeing eye dog with you when you were out there, LOL? j/k, with all the blizt warriors out there, did'nt think what anyone knew what blind casting was anymore?:D

[fishlipper]

Hey, wish, sometimes blind casting is the ticket. Worked for a bunch of us tonight after most people went home.

Did a lot of driving tonight. Started scouting occo around 5:30pm. Got a call from a friend that it was blowing up at that time on a popular moco rockpile, but I was 20 miles south. He also said someone hooked another guy's hand with a plug, and it was shoulder to shoulder fishing.:kooky:

I was trying to get something going away from the crowds, and finally found a 1/4 mile long pod of bunker at a sandy beach. No other fishermen around, with bass blowing up on them. They would move closer, then out, and then finally closer. There were so many fish under them blowing up I had to try, so I waded out to my neck, and cast to them, landing 300 feet short each time. :burn: Gave it up and moved north.

Most of the people that crowded the rocks before had gone home, action had been very hit and miss. Finally found a few pods of bunker with fish under them about 500 feet offshore that were moving closer. Had to walk pretty far to get to those rocks, where 15 guys were blind casting on the tip. Scene was crowded and intense, with people yelling at each other, only one guy hooked up.

Within the space of 5 minutes, bass and bunker pod started moving closer to us, came to the tip, started to veer toward the beach, and then shoots out offshore again on a diagonal, moving south.

I left those rocks, and others started running to a broad set of rocks, easy to cast from. However, it quickly filled up with about 40 people. I went to another smaller rockpile near there. Rocks were more pointy, so only about 4 guys at the tip. One guy was hooked up blind casting. I threw a chartreuse pencil, and was hooked up by the 3rd cast.:drool: 8:30pm.

Great fight, fish pulled lotta drag, reel screaming for awhile. Woo hoo! :D Pulled the fish in with a wave, and then tried for another. Rocks were very slippery, and with the incoming tide was a little hairy fishing all the way out front. I continue to be amazed by the amount of people climbing around without Korkers. Even wearing mine tonight, I slipped and still bashed my leg.

Bite only lasted 1/2 hour, hottest action only 15 minutes, but at least it brought me a fish. Been 2 weeks since I caught a decent fish, just missing all these crazy blitzes by minutes every time.

Fish 42", around 25-28lbs, nice healthy fish. :thumbsup:

[fishinmission78]

Greap report fish. From what I have been hearing the fishing up by you guys is a lot of "running and gunning" You get fish for a few minutes, and then they're gone. Sounds great, but I can't get motivated to make the trip up there, seems like insanity. Good report anyway, wtg. :thumbsup:

Yesterday and today the cow nose rays and hickory shad showed up at IBSP. I didn't see the cows, but some buddies saw the fisn cruising out of water. Look like sharks, except there are 2 of 'em.

This morning I snagged a shad on a treble while casting metal. Dropped it down, but no bass. Maybe this week will heat up.

[wish4fish]

nice, fishlipper. wtg, I tried to nail one yesterday, they came close to us, but only one guy hooked up.

[fishlipper]

This afternoon sucked. The south wind put the bite off. I could only find bunker near the outside of one inlet, but no bass underneath. Ended up blind casting a set of rocks in moco, no action. Guys fishing bait next to me brought in a small bluefish. Hopefully tomorrow we'll have some west wind.

[wish4fish]

Goose eggs for me last night. Pencils and swimmers. moco

[fishinmission78]

Ibsp this morning, no bunker, no life in the suds. Threw poppers and metals, nothing.

[fishjay]

Congrats on your nice fish FISHLIPPER,. I know you worked your butt off for it .
the more I cast the luckier I get!!!

[fishlipper]

Moco last night. Saw quite a few pods of bunker 1 mile out, 2 kayaks were into em. Some guy comes paddling by, I tried to sent him out to the pod, he thought I was pointing to the rocks and fished there. :kooky: 3x I tried, communication breakdown. Saw that the other guys got fish in the 20's when they beached.

Plugged till dark, then hit it again in the AM. :skunk:

[fishinmission78]

ibsp this morning. One tiny blue on metal at dawn, nothing on plugs.Flies are organized into fly armies.
This is starting to get lame. . Go there 5 times, get fish once, decent fish only when bunker are around.

[wish4fish]

occo last night, no fish, but huge bunker shcools. Might blow up today. :drool:

[clamchucker]

Moco yesterday afternoon, looked good but then the wind started howling, made it tough to plug. Finally wrapped it up around 7pm, nothing.

[voyager35]

Went looking for bunker schools yesterday everywhere from SH to LB, but we couldn't manage a bass despite the many bunker being out there.:skunk:

[fishlipper]

Yesterday was tough. Fish only ganged up on surf bunker in one or 2 spots. Even talked to a club bud who had 5 hits but could't seem to bring a fish in during that time. Some fish were caught by the almost guaranteed bunker/bass lottery.

I was out there, 1 mile from the action and 1/2 hour too late. Tried my best anyway till the rain came at 9. :skunk:

[hookedonbass]

Yesterday was tough. Fish only ganged up on surf bunker in one or 2 spots.

I was out there and heard about that action later. Hard to hit that stuff up unless you have a cell phone network or are in a club.:(

[LennyD]

fished at Moco yesterday hit couple of my spot, later the evening some bunker showed up here and there but they did not come in, always just a little bit out of reach, i decided to buy a kayak for next year and i'll be on top of them.:naughty:

[clamchucker]

Moco, fished in friend's boat near Shrewsbury rocks. Lots of small fluke, we caught 35, only 2 keepers. Another friend was further off, bluefishing, saying the blues were spitting up huge spearing. Think they are all about 2-4 miles out.

[fishlipper]

fished at Moco yesterday hit couple of my spot, later the evening some bunker showed up here and there but they did not come in, always just a little bit out of reach, i decided to buy a kayak for next year and i'll be on top of them.:naughty:


Lenny, saw the same thing over the last few days. What kills me is I have a kayak sitting unused. Not a high end model, but it still works for a stable SOT paddle yak. Haven't had my truck for almost a year now, hard to get it on a small car.

A kayak will definitely help to put you on fish, except for the fall, when the peanuts come back down the coast, and move quicker than the adults. This is the prime time to be out in a kayak, but if you are new, should always go out with another kayak in case something happens. They are looking for a missing kayaker as of this morning, Manasquan River.

Also, pay attention to the weather. A calm day is no problem, but when there is a big NE or SE swell, rollers 5-6ft high, it is suicidal to be out there, no matter how many fish.:scared:

Plus for the next months, there will be big threshers offshore 1/2 to 1 mile out where you will find the biggest blitzes at times. Need good upper body strength, or consider a Hobie revolution.

And you gotta build up your skills to try to hit the beach in the right way and not dump.

If you get one, PM me aand I will give you some sweet locations to launch from oceanside where you won't get dumped. Might even motivate me to get my truck fixed, and make it out there again. I been drooling over those "hard to reach" blitzing pods too much this season. I hear ya, man. :drool:

[LennyD]

Lenny, saw the same thing over the last few days. What kills me is I have a kayak sitting unused. Not a high end model, but it still works for a stable SOT paddle yak. Haven't had my truck for almost a year now, hard to get it on a small car.

A kayak will definitely help to put you on fish, except for the fall, when the peanuts come back down the coast, and move quicker than the adults. This is the prime time to be out in a kayak, but if you are new, should always go out with another kayak in case something happens. They are looking for a missing kayaker as of this morning, Manasquan River.

Also, pay attention to the weather. A calm day is no problem, but when there is a big NE or SE swell, rollers 5-6ft high, it is suicidal to be out there, no matter how many fish.:scared:

Plus for the next months, there will be big threshers offshore 1/2 to 1 mile out where you will find the biggest blitzes at times. Need good upper body strength, or consider a Hobie revolution.

And you gotta build up your skills to try to hit the beach in the right way and not dump.

If you get one, PM me aand I will give you some sweet locations to launch from oceanside where you won't get dumped. Might even motivate me to get my truck fixed, and make it out there again. I been drooling over those "hard to reach" blitzing pods too much this season. I hear ya, man. :drool:

Thanx for the tips.
I'll let you know if i got one, won't happen this year.
:fishing: