NJ Fishing Reports for the week of 3/17 - 3/23, 2008

[bunkerjoe4]

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, 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]

NJ WEEKLY SUMMARY:

The second full week of the season has still been a little slow. Guys are catching keepers, but they are few and far between. The best action is in the back bay areas of DB, where in several areas there are large schools of adult bunker. Locations change from one day to the next. There is no real consistency in the bite for migratory bass yet.

The resident smaller bass that seem to hang around certain areas are feeding, but that bite is hot and cold from day to day as well.

Then encouraging news is that large schools of bunker are moving up the coast to the northern areas of NJ. There are already smaller pods of adult bunker in RB areas, but if you blink you will miss them. Huge schools of bunker and herring have been sighted within a few hundred yards of the shoreline. Many of these bunker will continue to move northward into the back bays. Conditions are setting up for a decent bite, but it has yet to really happen.

In the meantime, guys, it's a good idea to get out and learn your favorite spots all over again. Severe winter storms and increased river flows have changed some areas significantly, both out front and out back.

What worked last year may not work this year. The successful fisherman is one who learns to adapt to his/her environment and changing conditions. There may also be a slight shifting in the migratory patterns. Places that had bass by March first last year only hold a few schoolies so far this year.

So get out there and do some prospecting! The only way to catch a fish on your couch is through a video game, and that's not too much fun.

[clamchucker]

Fished RB inside tonight first 2 1/2 hours outgoing. 3 small fish 20-22" clams. Looked like they came from the same cookie cutter mold. Dinner is being served, but the action really centered around an hour after it got dark.

[clamchucker]

Fished the same stage of the tide tonight as last night, top part of outgoing. Not even a tap. It was like someone turned the switch off.

[fishinmission78]

hey clamchucker, weren't you just fishing plugs in s jersey last week. Coming over to the dark side?

[clamchucker]

Fishinmission, there isn't too much I won't do or try if I really need to catch a fish.

Fished RB in back during the top of the ebb this morning. A few shorts up to 20", fresh clams. On the way home, I saw a few places of bird activity inside RB. No fish breaking. A bird nailed a big bunker, so I am assuming bunker are here in greater numbers. Bigger fish can't be far behind.

[cowherder]

Fished RB last night outgoing tide, clam rigs 1 oz sinkers. Action was red hot for about an hour, caught 6 rats, biggest 23", then action died. Windy as hell. They're here.

[wish4fish]

fishin, a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do. There isn't too much I won't do or try if I really need to catch a fish.

i hear ya, dude. i would stick dog crap on ahook if it would get me fish. got fish on hot dogs one time, lol no one believed me.

[cowherder]

^^^ ??? What's up with the edit? Al Ristori in today's Ledger named that spot, why such a big deal if it's in th papers?

[bunkerjoe4]

Cowherder, Al can write what he wants. He's been writing that column for years, and you might say all the outdoor writers are burning spots anyway, what's the difference?

If you fish there a lot, you know that particular town has about 1 1/2 miles of beach. The most productive area is about 1/2 mile long. I ask you - do you think you and 500 of your closest internet buddies could fit there tomorrow if you wanted to?

No one owns any spot, and this is a free country. But too many internet sites and outdoor writers burn spots like this. It would be smart marketing for this site to do it, but I won't.

I have seen the crowds at Oyster, Graveling, Pebble Beach, Long Branch, and Allenhurst. Ask any homeowner living on the water there what they think of fishermen.

It has definitely gotten worse in the years I have been fishing. There are spots which can only handle a few at a time. Some are in danger of being closed.

Others can do what they want. Many sites don't care, and blame the crowds on different factors. Cell phones or internet, you take your pick. I hope in time others might feel the same way. You have to stand for something, and this is something I feel strongly about.

This info can be best handled through back channels and pms, one person at a time. I have no problems with members doing that, but I am doing my part not to spread it throughout cyberspace. I hope this made it a little easier to understand.

[cowherder]

Didn't realize that, sorry man.

[basshunter]

Went to fish tonight, but punked out. I got there, gusts were like 25+ mph, and knew it would be a waste of time. Even with the wind, water didn't seem that dirty. If it lays down a little, should be good.

[voyager35]

^^^ ??? What's up with the edit? Al Ristori in today's Ledger named that spot, why such a big deal if it's in th papers?

Ristori can burn that spot all he wants, for all I care. It's great, but a coin toss. Fished this morning with clams, windy and cold. Skunk city. Need a little bit of sun for a few days, I think.

[basshunter]

Fished back of RB this morning using clams. Only got one tap, but a guy fishing about 100 feet away from me caught 2 bluefish using small bunker chunks. Earliest I have ever seen bluefish in the bay.

[clamchucker]

fished outgoing in the back 3 small bass on clams. light hits. This was the nicest night I have seen in awhile. Only a slight wind, water calm, no crowds, me, and Mr Bud Weiser.