Defining bait in the water

[seamonkey]

What awesome shares here. I was bored today and read over some of the posts very helpful. I wanted to ask your guys' opinion on something. In SJersey we have a LOT of spearing. You can usually find them near any lighted bulkhead, marina, creek mouth, etc. Last few nights have been makeing some stops on the way home from work. I noticed a lot of spearing at almost every place I stopped at. This one place, with a deep water harbor nearby was a little different. There were these larger and thicker fish mixed in with the spearing. I would say they were 6-9 inches long and about twice the thickness of the spearing. If I didn't know better I would think they were snapper blues or mullet! But that's not really possible this time of year.
I could only view them from on top and the water was so windy I could not get a clear pic of them. Was wondering what you guys thought they might be?
Could herring be in the harbors like that? I thought they only go in the rivers and larger creeks? thank you for thoughts.

[ledhead36]

Could be herring. Have seen a few in the marinas like you experienced.

[basshunter]

gannets diving on herring in Belmar yesterday awesome, wish I was there!

[7deadlyplugs]

Wow just saw this. You guys are certainly lucky to have herring and stripers still around.

[Rip-Plugger]

Wow just saw this. You guys are certainly lucky to have herring and stripers still around.

was looking at a satellite view of jersey,you guys have a lot of backwater areas,I would bet money there are fish back there.
my guess is those that know keep their mouths shut so,knowing is not widespread.

[buckethead]

Not really, it must be a lot different from where you are fishing. Our back bay areas heat up quickly in the spring, but they drop just as quickly in the fall. When I was younger I used to fish many of those places, I know them well. I don't remember catching many fish in the back after November 15th though.

[7deadlyplugs]

I heard more reports about herring and someone posted a fb video of gannets diving in New Jersey. it's kind of interesting that by us they seem to gravitate to the inlets and by you guys you have them in the open oceans.

[Rip-Plugger]

Not really, it must be a lot different from where you are fishing. Our back bay areas heat up quickly in the spring, but they drop just as quickly in the fall. When I was younger I used to fish many of those places, I know them well. I don't remember catching many fish in the back after November 15th though.

that's is indeed odd.
having backwater with tidal flows are what keeps fish around in my parts.
as long as the water temp is above 42f,they will bite with 46 being good for using plastic plugs cranked slow the last 2 hrs of the flood in some areas and the same near the end of the ebb.
so,the small fish stay in the ocean in your parts?

[Rip-Plugger]

Not really, it must be a lot different from where you are fishing. Our back bay areas heat up quickly in the spring, but they drop just as quickly in the fall. When I was younger I used to fish many of those places, I know them well. I don't remember catching many fish in the back after November 15th though.

the same thing here.
I was chatting with someone here that lives near the Mullica river[I think it is] and they said there are no fish in there.
I looked from the sat view and it looks like it would hold some fish somewhat.
lots of smaller bait hangs out back there with herring moving inside too.
don't know why there are no fish back there.

[Rip-Plugger]

What awesome shares here. I was bored today and read over some of the posts very helpful. I wanted to ask your guys' opinion on something. In SJersey we have a LOT of spearing. You can usually find them near any lighted bulkhead, marina, creek mouth, etc. Last few nights have been makeing some stops on the way home from work. I noticed a lot of spearing at almost every place I stopped at. This one place, with a deep water harbor nearby was a little different. There were these larger and thicker fish mixed in with the spearing. I would say they were 6-9 inches long and about twice the thickness of the spearing. If I didn't know better I would think they were snapper blues or mullet! But that's not really possible this time of year.
I could only view them from on top and the water was so windy I could not get a clear pic of them. Was wondering what you guys thought they might be?
Could herring be in the harbors like that? I thought they only go in the rivers and larger creeks? thank you for thoughts.

I would say herring,they show up around here this time of year too.
as for where they go,if it has some kind of flow they will go.