New Jersey & Delaware Bay - Central New Jersey Fishing Reports

Matt at the Reel Seat reported striped bass along the beaches, with anglers finding good blackfish action in the river and canal. Glide baits are proving popular among anglers targeting stripers.

“Refreshing that we have fishable weather now,” is what Jason at Fishermen’s Supply said on Sunday. He said striped bass fishing is finally off to a good start, even though the weekend was a bit of a grind. “We saw some good fishing to the north of Manasquan, also to the south,” Jason said, with boaters mostly livelining bunker, but also catching fish on wood metal-lips, Tsunami heavy shads and flutter spoons. Night bite in the canal has been very good as well on soft plastics. And despite a one-fish bag limit, Jason said a lot of people finding good tautog life on the structure off the beach.

The crew of the Gambler was finally headed offshore to the tuna grounds on Sunday, just as the weather began to clear up from the weeklong nor’easter. Hopefully we’ll have good reports to share next week.

The Norma K III got back out on the grounds on Sunday, finding a few tautog before getting into the striped bass action. “Had some bites today, boat traffic shut them down quick every time we got into them,” was the word from Sunday. Must be a good sign that stripers are on the move outside of Manasquan with boat traffic. Which is why as of Monday the boat is sailing everyday, 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for striped bass.

Frank at Gabriel Tackle reported that the Point Pleasant Canal and Manasquan Inlet are worth targeting. Blackfish and striped bass are both making appearances in the canal, with eels remaining the go-to bait for anglers targeting stripers. The Manasquan Inlet rocks are producing some quality blackfish, while surf reports remain relatively quiet, though a few striped bass have been reported along the beaches. The fall striper run is still a few weeks from hitting its stride, but cooling water temperatures could help jump-start the action soon.

Amanda at Jersey Hooker Outfitters reported good blackfish action in the canal, with anglers putting some keeper-sized tog in the cooler. Striped bass are also showing up in the canal, while the inlet is producing a mix of tog, stripers, and triggerfish. Along the oceanfront, fishing has been relatively quiet, with poor weather keeping a lid on the action and making it difficult for anglers to get out.

A few anglers are finding action in the canal, where blackfish, striped bass, and bluefish are keeping rods bent was the report from Pete at Charlie’s Bait & Tackle. He said the canal was where most folks fished last week due to the wind, saying guys from the shop were there and noted “every day they’re getting a keeper over there.” Shrimp is working when you can’t get greenies. Eels at slack tide in the canal. Pete reported seeing some bunker off the beach on Saturday, but no fish reported by day Saturday, a few overnight Saturday into Sunday on plugs. A fleet of boats off Brick on Sunday afternoon with bunker slicks made things interesting. “A lot of guys are heading up north as far as Rockaway, NY, and some bluefin in the shipping channels too,” Pete told me. “I hope it blows up this week,” Pete said on Sunday, noting the offshore winds to start the week along with Monday’s full moon could be the ticket.

The crew at The Dock Outfitters in Seaside Heights reported a lull in activity, with the surf bite quiet and bay fishing slowing considerably. Crabbing has crawled to a near standstill, and fewer anglers have been heading out to wet a line. For now, local fishermen are waiting for striped bass to move into the area and breathe some life back into the fall fishery.

Scott at Grumpys Bait & Tackle is hopeful that calmer weather and a shift in the winds will bring schools of bunker crashing along the beaches, with hungry striped bass close behind. For anglers targeting fish on the surface, pencil poppers are a solid choice, while live-lining bunker offers another enticing presentation. And when bass are holding deeper, the old reliable bucktail worked along the bottom remains a proven option for tempting a strike.

Scott at Yakitty Yaks Kayaks reported excellent blackfish action in the backwaters and nearshore waters. Farther north, striped bass fishing has been productive on certain days, while other outings have been slower. Despite the inconsistent bite, anglers are still finding quality fish and worthwhile opportunities to get in on the action.

Beck at Hook House Bait & Tackle reported blackfish and striped bass in the canal and inlet, with a few fish also being caught off Lavallette.

Capt. Ray Lopez of Miss Liane Charters reported that the crew is targeting wreck fish and tuna while gearing up for striped bass season in November. Their most recent wreck-fishing trip took them 40 miles offshore, where they enjoyed fantastic action.

Tom at Creekside Outfitters reported exciting back-bay striper action, with fish hitting light tackle lures and poppers! Stripers of all sizes are holding along the sedge banks, giving anglers plenty of opportunities to find a bite and enjoy some fast-paced action.

Vince at Bobbie's Boats reported that recent rough weather has made fishing challenging. Some blackfish are being caught along the south jetty near the lighthouse, though keeper-sized fish have been scarce. Striped bass action has also been slow, but with bass season just around the corner, Vince is optimistic that the fall run will gain momentum as November approaches.

Capt. Sam Rescigno of the Mary M IV reported that the crew finally got back out on Saturday, greeted by beautiful weather and a manageable swell. The morning started slowly, but the bite improved as the day progressed. Anglers brought in a roughly 50/50 mix of porgies and sea bass, with bluefish making an appearance as well. Sam expects the fishing to improve further as the swell continues to settle, setting the stage for more productive trips ahead.

Greg at Fisherman’s Headquarters reported that striped bass action along the surf has been on the slower side, but the bite typically starts building around Halloween, making November a promising month for beach anglers. He’s expecting cooler temperatures compared with the last blow, which could help usher in better action. Frankie from the shop headed to the beach targeting kingfish but was pleasantly surprised to reel in some weakfish instead. Meanwhile, blackfish action around Barnegat Inlet has been productive, offering anglers another solid option while waiting for the striper run to gain momentum.

“I literally just watched whales in the surf, there’s bait all over the place,” said Steve at Jingles Bait and Tackle in Beach Haven on Sunday, adding “there’s tons of bait out there.” The big Sea Shell boat tournament was going on over the weekend, which always seems to lessen the number of inshore striper reports (loose lips), but Steve did say they had one slot striper reported caught in the inlet on a lure.

Fred at Surf City Bait and Tackle reported some promising blackfish action, with Andrew Curtis landing a nice tog on Friday. Another blackfish was caught in Barnegat that same day on green crabs, while Francis also brought in a quality tog in Barnegat Light. Joe entered his blackfish in the LBISFC competition, adding to the local tog activity. The shop has fresh bunker available and is working to keep green crabs in stock as anglers gear up for more fall fishing.