NJ Fishing Reports for Winter 2014....www.StripersAndAnglers.com

[finchaser]

Inlet 32 degrees this morning

Beaver Dam Frozen
Metedeconk River Frozen
Manasquan River Frozen west of 35 bridge and along most of its banks
Point Pleasant Canal has skim ice
Barnegat bay Frozen

[cowherder]

Thanks for that. looks like we will be in a deep freeze till March!

[storminsteve]

Anyone else going stir crazy yet? Thank God for the fishing flea markets.

[Monty]

Anyone else going stir crazy yet? Thank God for the fishing flea markets.

I am going BONKERS....

Will likely go to Surf Day, Berkley and Asbury shows.
Targeting April 6th to start fishing again.

[storminsteve]

Hell ya Asbury is the best in the world cant wait! The other ones are good too. Why are you waiting till april 6 the season starts on mar1.

[Monty]

Hell ya Asbury is the best in the world cant wait! The other ones are good too. Why are you waiting till april 6 the season starts on mar1.

April 6th is about 5 1/2 months from the shoulder surgery. They say in 6 months should be in decent shape, I have had the 6th on the calendar as the target before the surgery. While I am doing great on the recovery Im still a good month from attempting a cast. So the 6th seems perfect. I usually start late March fishing. I am really looking forward to the shows, its the perfect lead into the season.

[finchaser]

Good for you, it will be nice to have you back. You do know you may have to stay away from the 10 to 11 foot rods and fish 9' . Balanced tackle also helps immensely.

[Monty]

Good for you, it will be nice to have you back. You do know you may have to stay away from the 10 to 11 foot rods and fish 9' . Balanced tackle also helps immensely.

Reluctantly a bit, about a month ago I realized it. Decided to start the season off with a light and balanced 9 footer. Will see where I can go from there. Thinking on working on becoming an ambidextrous caster.

[finchaser]

if you need me to do anything on the rods for you call me. By the way my biggest rod is 9'6" never needed anything bigger I can throw my 9' CTS and Super surf further than most with an 11' ask Dark. Your a small guy you may find that also.

[Monty]

if you need me to do anything on the rods for you call me. By the way my biggest rod is 9'6" never needed anything bigger I can throw my 9' CTS and Super surf further than most with an 11' ask Dark. Your a small guy you may find that also.

Ok, thank you, I used a 9' rod last year at the end. So if I have an extremely light 11 foot rod, does that make things better, or is really the rod length that stresses the shoulder?

[DarkSkies]

if you need me to do anything on the rods for you call me. By the way my biggest rod is 9'6" never needed anything bigger I can throw my 9' CTS and Super surf further than most with an 11' ask Dark.

Aah.....you know how those Eyetalians are always bragging how they can do something better than others....
I gotta chime in here, just ball busting him...but what he says is all true.....he can, and does, consistently outcast most guys on the beach.....and over the decades he's been involved in fishing and rod building, understands the basic physics of it......casting has a lot to do with your presentation, height to rod ratio, stance, and understanding of how each rod loads and works best.......

Generally speaking......If you're 6' or taller, IMO you are in a better position to throw a longer rod.....if not, you can learn to use a shorter rod to maximize your casts, and possibly get maximum distance. I use my 10'6" rod when the fish are beyond the breakers but there are times when I do just as well (and with less fatigue) with a shorter stick........

You should take him up on that most generous offer....he really knows casting, and what's best suited for each person, once he fishes with ya and gets a chance to see how you fish........

He did mention to me that with your shoulder surgery you would be now best suited to shorter rods if you want to keep that shoulder strong and minimize re-injury.......take a ride to see him in April and let him critique your casting...bring a few different length rods with you and get feedback on each........it's an offer that will provide invaluable insight....

[buckethead]

I think I remember that. That guy killy made the clambrella famous.

clambrella and the effumall club that brought back some memories. Anyone up for some surf fishing? Winds are 34mph on the beach now, gusts to 38mph.
http://www.surfchex.com/manasquan-web-cam.php

[finchaser]

Just got back tried the fly rod with clams as it was a little brisk for a fly. just a bunch of shorts Even wore my Effum all hoodie to stay warm

[storminsteve]

clambrella and the effumall club that brought back some memories. Anyone up for some surf fishing? Winds are 34mph on the beach now, gusts to 38mph.
http://www.surfchex.com/manasquan-web-cam.php

Just got back tried the fly rod with clams as it was a little brisk for a fly. just a bunch of shorts Even wore my Effum all hoodie to stay warm

haha rofl! You guys are hardcore thanks for the intel! I'll get my clambrella gear and try for after the storm stops. finchaser was this in moco or occo? clams on a fly rod lol.

[bababooey]

Just got back tried the fly rod with clams as it was a little brisk for a fly. just a bunch of shorts Even wore my Effum all hoodie to stay warm

Curious about the mechanics of the clam and fly rod combo. Did you use an inline egg sinker for distance against the wind or was the weight of the clam enough to get it out there with the 38mph winds?

[finchaser]

I use a littleneck clam on the 1/2 shell with hole drilled for hook to go through

[storminsteve]

I use a littleneck clam on the 1/2 shell with hole drilled for hook to go through

Still using bait, what a piker!

I got my first NJ keeper bass last night after midnight. Artificial only, baby!
How I did it - I went to an unnamed inlet, and fished the incoming tide which I thought would be warmer. After the warm sun yesterday it was probably in the 40 degree range but I did not have a temp gage. I was using a bucktail with pork rind after midnight. It was dark and cold but I did feel life out there, did feel some things bumping my line. So I brought my rig back in and put a teaser on. It was a very small one about 18" above the bucktail. I kept doing that for another 15 minutes as the bumps on my line increasd. I was figuring they were bunker or herring but I could not see them. Finally I got a hit!!! (or maybe I snagged it I am not sure)
It felt and swam like a herring or small bunker. I pluyed it out because I thought it would be my only fish of the night. When it stopped fighting so much I reeled it in to see what it was. BAM!!!!!! All of a sudden the line got hit like it was snagged. I tried to free it and it took off! I thought it was on the teaser so I was careful fighting did not want to lose it.
I fought it for a few minutes and gradually gained line. I think the bucktail and pork was near the bottom because as it got close I got hit again! Presumably on the bucktail. Then it was on! It felt like I had a giant shark or bluefish on because my rod was bowed in half and it was heavy!
I was thinking it couldn't be a bluefish because it is too cold for them now. As I got it close to the inlet rocks I could see it was a keeper striper that ate my herring, and a fluke!!!!! Fluke are out of season now. I took a pic of both of them, kissed them and released for good luck! I was the only crazy out there fishing.

Hoping to see more action, I pulled out my trusty clambrella rig that I made following the helpful hints on this site. Instead of clams I used popcorn. I casted it out and let the incoming tide take it into the channel toward the middle of the inlet. I got a few more bumps or hits but no takers. There were birds coming around to eat the popcorn that was falling off the hooks. I was cold and tired so i called it a night.

I want to thank buckethead and finchaser for their perseverance and advice on fishing this cold weather. Without their old salty advice I would have never hooked up in the first place. Check out my pic and tell me what you think!

[baitstealer]

Wow thats awesome congrats on the fish! North or South jersey if I may ask?

[hookset]

^^^^^^Total bs but entertaining none the less. You left enough clues in there for Hansel and Gretel to find their way out.

[Monty]

Still using bait, what a piker!
Instead of clams I used popcorn. I casted it out and let the incoming tide take it into the channel toward the middle of the inlet. I got a few more bumps or hits but no hookups. There were birds coming around to eat the popcorn that was falling off the hooks. I was cold and tired so i called it a night.

I want to thank buckethead and finchaser for their perseverance and advice on fishing this cold weather. Without their old salty advice I would have never hooked up in the first place.

I'm confused, is popcorn an artificial or considered bait?




You should be writer SS