First stripers of the season 2015 place your bets!

[storminsteve]

I figure with all this frigid weather and ice the season will get a real late start this year. The spring season starts in only 7 days its hard to believe! When do you think water temps will be warm enough for the bays to start producing striper activity? other than the power plants. I'm betting on the 3rd week of march, around march 17 or st pattys day. Any takers or other opinions?

[seamonkey]

Just a guess but the first stripers of the year are usually caught at graveling point by march 12th give or take a few days. So i'll take march 12th. Even the perch bite has dropped off from what I read. I think we won't see them hit worms in the delaware before the last week of march.

[jigfreak]

gonna take more than a few weeks to get out of this ice age and for the icebergs to clear. after that the bays will be severely impacted by the ice jams melting up the rivers. What you will have is the usual doofus will catch a keeper bass at the plant the first week of march after pre-fishing the 2 days before to see what tides the fish are biting on. Then they will run it down to Brigantine for the bucks and say they caught it at Graveling or Collins. To me those fish don't count and are easy pickings.

I say Mar 19 before any real amounts of bass action starts. Hoping I am wrong. Remember fellas there is always flounder which is open all year now. As soon as the bridges clear out the ice and you can see at least a few 100 feet of clear water the flundies should start stirring. I may hit them up before the bass this year. Got a hankering for a fresh caught flounder sandwich.

[jigfreak]

Even the perch bite has dropped off from what I read.

So true the perch bite is dead. They're not feeding at these temps.

[fishinmission78]

Since no one took it yet I'll take the 16th for the S Jersey bite. I agree with what jigfreak said. Way to cold for any real activity. All that ice will take weeks to melt.
That thought of flounder keeps me going. Will prob be out with some homemade chum logs near one of the bridges. Sammich anyone?

[finchaser]

2nd or 3rd week in April

[Blazin420]

2nd or 3rd week in April
There's always the early fish from the plant and down S(even that i think is gonna be late this year id say last week in March) But the spots i go to regularly( RB area) id go with what Fin said 2nd 3rd week in April...During warmer winters in the past id go with more in the St pattys day area but not the last year or so...And this years looks to be the same as last...There will be a random lil bass that some will post up and everyone will get all excited about...But as far as the bigger fish go def and April thing this year..

[basshunter]

I agree. The southern part of jersey you will probably hear of a few bass. Otherwise it's going to take a long time to get rid of the icebergs as was said. By Mothers day we should have some fish lol. fishingmission that sandwich looks tasty!

[storminsteve]

2nd or 3rd week in April

Yeah it seems sad but true. Going to have to be happy with the flounder to fill in the early season. fnm nice samwich!

[fishinmission78]

Glad you fellas like the sandwich. I sure as heck ain't buying flounder in the market for $15 a pound or better. It's much more satisfying to catch your own even if the trip does cost the same when you add it all up.

[Monty]

19204


http://www.abseconbay.com/

[surfstix1963]

Mid April for NJ/Mid May for NY.

[surfstix1963]

The glow in the dark stripers...

[surfrob]

That power plant zone should be C&R... hey, I know they went out, crawled through fences or whatever. But a bunch of guys running there so they can get first fish prizes for tackle shops all over NJ seems wrong to me.

Sorry if this comes off as sour grapes, and those are two nice fish (not like they are poaching schoolies), but something about those catches bothers me.

Dave from the absecon shop even KNEW they were power plant fish (duh) and couldn't care less as it's action for his scale a pic and free advertizing for all the other frozen in shops.

Some here may know my distain for tourneys anyway, but at least some shops run specific local tourneys (example, Andy at riptide has the brigantine only contest... perhaps someone cheats there but the shop rules are clear anyway)

ah well, clearly I got the cabin fever grumps... tight lines all :D

[hookset]

The glow in the dark stripers...

Right on, nuclear fish don't count!
I agree the first real back bay stripers bite other than power plant ones will probably turn on around the last week of march first week of april.

[finchaser]

Ocean still 29 to30



http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=19221&stc=1

[finchaser]

33 this morning at the inlet at end of incoming

[hookedonbass]

What do you guys think the best temps are to look for when the stripers will start to eat?

[Blazin420]

In the back bay spots i fish its all about that 45 deg mark to really get them chewing!! 45 or better and its on....Ive caught out front when its been in the 42-43 range...But they seem to be a bit more sluggish and harder to entice with artificials.....And i dunno no if anyone else saw but another 16lb nuke fish was wieghed in by the same guy this am down in Absecon

[finchaser]

what he said^^^^^^