NJ Fishing Reports for the week of 3/1 - 3/8, 2008

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!

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, not 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

One of the first reported keeper bass was caught 3/2, Sunday pm. "out back". It was weighed in at an Ocean County shop, over 20lbs. It was caught using a bomber, retrieved slowly.

Circumstances surrounding that catch are unique to that particular area. There have also been some small bass caught out front by those using clams. However, these bass will be few and far between, until the ocean temperatures get significantly warmer. The ocean temperatures have been ranging in the high 30's, still very low.

For anyone considering going fishing in the warm days ahead, the best efforts would be concentrated in the bays, particularly where the water is shallow.

Fresh clams and smaller hooks would improve your odds. Some smart guys are using worms already, though they are expensive, and sometimes hard to come by.

For those interested in learning "How", if you try to find shallow areas of the bay that are significantly warmer than the ocean, and you do your scouting so that you learn the territory you are fishing in, you might begin to find bass where warmer water is moving.

The bay waters have reached 48 degrees during the day the last time I checked. People have been catching throwback fish in different areas, but it might be a week or so before any catches are reported with consistency.

In the meantime, if you are sick of looking at the 4 walls, get out and fish! There is nothing like being out in the fresh spring air to make you feel alive again, and recharge your batteries. Someone has to catch the keepers, and you will if you put in your time. Learn one area well, and fish it effectively, after that water has warmed a bit.

Feel free to post reports here, but please follow the spot burning guidelines above.

Last reminder - if you are fishing with clams or other bait, please remember if you carry trash in, to pack it out with you when you go. We are losing enough access already, please don't ruin it for us all. Good luck, guys.

Bunkerjoe

Fished in back RB early this morning, using fresh clams. Wet gear, soaked skin, nothing doing.

Fished in the back last night, where the water is radioactive. Got 2 short bass on rubber jigs, fished slowly. Didn't see any bunker around yet.

Don't u thing "water is radioactive" is just a little too obvious?

Listen guys "water is radioactive" could only mean one place if you are referring to fishing in NJ. Technically, it could be considered a spot burn, although just about every other website and fishing magazine burns it from time to time. We really don't want to be like every other site here. As I said, we are going to try to be aware of spot burning possibilities, and edit them where appropriate. I will try to keep the guidelines above for the start of each weekly fishing report, to make it easier on you guys.

For those not aware, what spot burning does is sometimes bring undue pressure on an area, the residents, and people who fish there regularly. It's ok if it's miles of open beachfront, but some isolated and secluded back bay areas cannot handle "you and 500 of your closest internet friends" fishing elbow to elbow.

That's why we ask you not to do it. Also, although this a small but growing community, you never know how many unregistered "lurkers" are out there. We want to be seen as responsible and respectful, not only by other fishermen, but the community groups and homeowners out there.

Recap: Any time a location describes a specific, unique, location, we would prefer that you not mention it, or describe it without the specifics. Thanks for the cooperation, guys.

Some friends were out in the lower DB a few days ago. Came upon acres and acres of bunker. Other guys out in front of CM, also ran into some schools just a little offshore. I have a friend in MoCo who saw dead bunker on the beach yesterday, don't know why, but maybe they were part of the huge schools.

Even though we are not killing them yet, the table is set, won't be more that a few days or a week before we are into fish. check your gear, line, tackle, make sure everything is ready. Ready, set, go.