Whiting or other winter fish from the beach?

[basshunter]

Who will be fishing for whiting or tommycod in the winter surf? Would like to give it a try. Any thoughts on the best tackle and techniques? Would an inlet be better or should I seek shelter from the wind near one of the big jetties around high tide. I remember reading stories of them catching by the bagful at long branch pier and have been thinking that surely there must still be a few coming in. Dont really know what I'm doing though and would appreciate any advice. thank you

[jigfreak]

I remember seeing them with my grandpa when I was a kid. Frost fish they used to call them. We would walk the beach with a burlap sack and put the frozen whiting in it. Pretty cool quality time that I spent with my gramps. Not exactly sure but I think they showed up around Thanksgiving.

If you want to fish for them what I would use would be a high low rig with clams. Fresh or frozen prob would not matter. I would use smaller hooks like fluke hooks and put small pieces on. Def a light tackle fishery if you use a big meat stick you would not feel the bites. There are prob not that many around now because the draggers wiped them out years ago. You might catch a few. The beach replenishment will probably work against you. Like I said I did not really fish for them just picked them up off the beach into the sack. Maybe some of the guys who fished the LB pier could chime in with further detail. Good luck its cold out there bundle up.

[porgy75]

Frost fish that must have been cool. My uncle would talk about catching them when he was younger. Either burlap sacks or bushel baskets when they ended up on the beach and froze. No rod and reel needed. What chased them into the beach?

[cowherder]

They used to get them from the long branch pier too. All winter. Guess there are not enough around now to make it worth it to fish for them

[surfstix1963]

Yes I've heard the same from my Grandfather, just go and pick them off the beaches they would wash up and freeze.
Frost fish that must have been cool. My uncle would talk about catching them when he was younger. Either burlap sacks or bushel baskets when they ended up on the beach and froze. No rod and reel needed. What chased them into the beach?