Destroyer
God
February 23, 2012 Jimmy Fee
Forecast: New Jersey
As usual, brought to you by On the water Magazine www.onthewater.com
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A couple great shows and seminars are taking place in the Garden State this weekend including the New Jersey Boat Sale and Expo in Edison and the Jersey Shore Surfcasters Surf Day at the Brookdale Community College. From the sound of it, attendees will be able to take the new gear and knowledge they acquire at the Surf Day Seminars and put it to use immediately on the bass that are still feeding off the New Jersey beaches.
Eric from Harry’s Adventure Outfitters in Robbinsville found fish-a-cast action on Wednesday, and apparently, the word is out. Eric said as many as 30 other anglers were in the area hooking up constantly on 18- to 24-inch stripers.
Ron at Fisherman’s Supply Co. in Point Pleasant had heard a similar report, and said that orange has been the hot color lately for these winter bass.
The bite has been best on the jetty tips anywhere from Asbury Park up to Sandy Hook. The backwater striper season is still closed, remember, so focus your efforts out front.
The tradeoff for this mild winter has been slow cod fishing compared to last year. A few are taken each trip, but it’s a far cry from last year’s “cod comeback.” But, the ling are still chowing down big time, and some big blackfish continue to hit crab baits fished over wrecks and reefs. Ron at Fisherman’s Supply heard of a couple tog in the 12- to 14-pound range this week.
Freshwater fishing is quickly affected by these warm and cold snaps, and the recent warm weather has put the largemouths, crappie and pickerel into high gear. Anglers are fishing shiners for these fish and doing very well reported Eric at Harry’s. Some of the trout waters in the northern part of New Jersey are also putting out good catches of holdover trout.
A brackish-water option, the white perch, is also biting well right now. The white perch eagerly take small jigs, bits of bloodworm or grass shrimp. They can be found in Toms River, the Mullica River and the Great Egg Harbor River, among other places.
Best Bets for the Weekend
The forecasted sea conditions look good for a weekend party boat venture, and with the ling bite still hot, you should be able to come home with plenty of fresh fillets. Check to see which boats are sailing for tautog if you want a shot at a big white-chin.
Scale down your gear if you are hitting the surf, since the bass around seem to be on the small side. It probably wouldn’t hurt to pinch the barbs either since you’ll be releasing these juvenile stripers anyhow, and you’ll want them to be in good condition so they grow to spawning size to keep this fishery alive. As Ron said, orange is the go-to color at the moment, so get some orange jigs, plugs or plastics and hit the surf from Asbury to Sea Bright.
And the freshwater fishing isn’t to be ignored. As the waters warm, bass, pickerel and panfish will be voracious and catching big numbers are possible. Eric at Harry’s said the Trout Magnet Jigs are doing well lately for the crappies, but pickerel and bass aren’t shy about snapping them up either.
Forecast: New Jersey
As usual, brought to you by On the water Magazine www.onthewater.com
Please support them and the sponsers that make this forecast possible.
A couple great shows and seminars are taking place in the Garden State this weekend including the New Jersey Boat Sale and Expo in Edison and the Jersey Shore Surfcasters Surf Day at the Brookdale Community College. From the sound of it, attendees will be able to take the new gear and knowledge they acquire at the Surf Day Seminars and put it to use immediately on the bass that are still feeding off the New Jersey beaches.
Eric from Harry’s Adventure Outfitters in Robbinsville found fish-a-cast action on Wednesday, and apparently, the word is out. Eric said as many as 30 other anglers were in the area hooking up constantly on 18- to 24-inch stripers.
Ron at Fisherman’s Supply Co. in Point Pleasant had heard a similar report, and said that orange has been the hot color lately for these winter bass.
The bite has been best on the jetty tips anywhere from Asbury Park up to Sandy Hook. The backwater striper season is still closed, remember, so focus your efforts out front.
The tradeoff for this mild winter has been slow cod fishing compared to last year. A few are taken each trip, but it’s a far cry from last year’s “cod comeback.” But, the ling are still chowing down big time, and some big blackfish continue to hit crab baits fished over wrecks and reefs. Ron at Fisherman’s Supply heard of a couple tog in the 12- to 14-pound range this week.
Freshwater fishing is quickly affected by these warm and cold snaps, and the recent warm weather has put the largemouths, crappie and pickerel into high gear. Anglers are fishing shiners for these fish and doing very well reported Eric at Harry’s. Some of the trout waters in the northern part of New Jersey are also putting out good catches of holdover trout.
A brackish-water option, the white perch, is also biting well right now. The white perch eagerly take small jigs, bits of bloodworm or grass shrimp. They can be found in Toms River, the Mullica River and the Great Egg Harbor River, among other places.
Best Bets for the Weekend
The forecasted sea conditions look good for a weekend party boat venture, and with the ling bite still hot, you should be able to come home with plenty of fresh fillets. Check to see which boats are sailing for tautog if you want a shot at a big white-chin.
Scale down your gear if you are hitting the surf, since the bass around seem to be on the small side. It probably wouldn’t hurt to pinch the barbs either since you’ll be releasing these juvenile stripers anyhow, and you’ll want them to be in good condition so they grow to spawning size to keep this fishery alive. As Ron said, orange is the go-to color at the moment, so get some orange jigs, plugs or plastics and hit the surf from Asbury to Sea Bright.
And the freshwater fishing isn’t to be ignored. As the waters warm, bass, pickerel and panfish will be voracious and catching big numbers are possible. Eric at Harry’s said the Trout Magnet Jigs are doing well lately for the crappies, but pickerel and bass aren’t shy about snapping them up either.