New Jersey & Delaware Bay - Central New Jersey Fishing Reports

“Our ice machine was in the parking lot surrounded by water, but the boat weathered one of the worst nor’easters we have is in many years,” said Capt. Joe Bogan of the Jamaica II. Joe told us he will resume fishing for sea bass and porgies about mid week weather and sea condition permitting.

The young lady at the office of the Big Jamaica told us the boat had to cancel all their trips this past week. No surprise there. She said Capt. Bogan expects to try and get out on Tuesday weather and seas permitting.

We started off this week’s report with a call to the Reel Seat where we were told this past week’s weather wasn’t exactly good for business; however they did weather the storm without any damage and will be open normal hours on Monday.

The folks of the Fishermen’s Supply told us they were high and dry as of Saturday and there were a couple more high tides before the storm departed for the parts north. One place they did mention some fish being caught was in the Point Pleasant Canal where greens were catching blackfish and eels were taking stripers and blues in the evenings. They said the shop will be open normal hours this week.

“That storm was one of the nastiest nor’easters we have seen in many a year,” said Capt. Bob Bogan of the Gambler. “We got the boat through it with no damages, but it sure was a bumpy time,” Bob told us, saying he will resume fishing this week for tuna seas permitting.

“We have not fished since last Monday because of the week long nor’easter,” reported Capt. Alan Lee of Mushin Sportfishing. He told us the boat withstood the winds, the rains and abnormal high tides and he is looking forward to getting back on the ocean for both inshore and offshore fishing as soon as the seas and weather settle down.

I spoke with Capt. John Zema of Yankee Rose Fishing over the weekend and needless to say he was not pleased with the weather this past week. He told me he will resume fishing for sea bass this week and will switch to striped bass fishing as soon as the fish turns hot.

We actually got a couple of fishing reports when we spoke to Frank at Gabriel Tackle. He also heard of some blackfish being caught at the Point Pleasant Canal on greens. In addition he mentioned some blues and stripers also being caught in the canal after dark on eels and plugs. Lastly he said the shop weathered the storm in good shape, although he did mention he closed early just about every evening this past week because of nobody stopping in.

Word of tog, stripers and bluefish being caught in the canal reached Amanda over at Jersey Hooker Outfitters. She told us most of the tog are being caught on greens fished on the lower part of the tide, while the stripers are being taken on eels after dark, preferably on the bottom of the tide. She also mentioned some blues and bass also being caught at the inlet along with some blackfish, when the waters were fishable.

“It could have been worse,” said sources over at The Dock Outfitters in Seaside Heights. “We had minor damage to the building from the wind but nothing that will keep us from being open this week,” they said. Likewise there was flooding all around the shop but nothing major.

“Prior to the nor’easter we had several reports of stripers being caught on small metal lip plugs in the pocket at Island Beach,” cited Ray over at Grumpys Bait & Tackle. Needless to say that fishing went to the devil with the blow. Just when things started looking up on some of our local beaches along comes Mother Nature who throws a weather tantrum. “Hopefully things will settle down quickly this week and fishing will rebound quickly,” Ray said. He also said he hoped we had some beaches left.

A call to Scott at Yakitty Yaks Kayaks got us an interesting story. He told us a brave angler stopped by after fishing the Island Beach side of the inlet mid-week and caught several bluefish on metal. Some would say brave young lad, some would say foolish young lad, but he caught a few fish and lived to tell the tale. So despite some minor flooding Yakitty weathered the storm and he too said it would be nice to see everything settle down quickly this week.

Flooded streets at high tide were the rule most of the week said Bob over at Bob at Better Bait and Ice. The store made it through the nor-east blow and will be open this week. Hopefully conditions will settle down quickly this coming week, he said.

The word over at the Hook House Bait & Tackle was we sure got a pounding from the storm; however some local sharpies who know the waters still got in on the fish. The few anglers that fished the lower Toms River, despite the winds and rain caught a nice mix of stripers, small blues and perch on small plugs, jig-swimbait combos and bait. In addition we were told that they too heard of the tog, stripers and bluefish bite in the canal on low tide.

Over at Creekside Outfitters we were told despite all the flooding in Waretown the store weathered the nor’easter and they too will be open this week.

“While the Causeway was closed during high water most of the storm it reopened on Sunday morning,” said Vince at Bobbie's Boats. He was on his way to the store when I spoke with him and he said the store should be open as of Monday.

Capt. Sam Rescigno of the Mary M IV told me his boat made it through the storm with no problems. He was another boat captain that told us you would have to go back pretty far to find a storm as nasty as this one, especially when it comes to how long it hung off the coast. He told me the boat will be sailing on Tuesday or Wednesday and will be bottom fishing for sea bass and porgies, seas permitting.

“We had flooding all around us but where we are in Ship Bottom. Our problem was getting to the store,” said Greg over at Fisherman’s Headquarters. He told us the store will be open normal hours this coming week. We were told Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday - before the storm - were good days with stripers and blues being caught on mullet type plugs. Several of the regulars at the store braved the winds and weather and got some since fish, they said the storm dropped the water temps some 10 degrees during the week. It beat up on the shoreline and they said it looks like the bass are on the move and hopefully the fishing will pick up right where it left off once the seas calm down.

“We got away with a little water in the store and will be open on Monday,” said Steve and Carol Ann Palmer at Jingles Bait and Tackle in Beach Haven. “Since we live over the store we could watch the water rising and this was the highest we have seen the water come up in the 10 years we have had the store,” the Palmers noted. Hopefully things will settle down quickly and the fishing will start back up by mid-week.

“We had water in the streets at high tide but none of it dared to get into the shop,” said Fred at Surf City Bait and Tackle. He was another person that told us the fishing was just starting wake up and along came the nor’easter. Fred said he too hopes the weather and conditions settle down and the fall migrations will start up quickly this week.