New Jersey & Delaware Bay - Central New Jersey Fishing Reports

"Our first Sea Bass Special of the season was a great success," the crew of the Big Jamaica reported over the weekend, adding "the sea bass were chewing, and everyone onboard easily limited out, with a few nice porgies mixed in." Starting in November, the Big Jamaica will begin their 18-hour offshore sea bass trips, which will continue throughout December. "We’ll also be running a special striper trip on Thanksgiving Day and Friday after Thanksgiving Day," they added. The Sea Bass Special to the mid-range wrecks will leave Wednesday morning at 4 a.m. returning around 4 p.m.

Capt. Joe said the Jamaica II picked away at porgies throughout the day Monday. Anglers had to work a little harder to locate the fish, but some managed to put together limit catches. Tuesday's action slowed under snotty ocean conditions. Although the crew marked fish everywhere, getting them to bite proved challenging. A few bass and plenty of chops rounded out the day's catch. Wednesday brought a welcome improvement, with steady porgy action for much of the day and a couple of decent shots at sea bass. Several anglers put together limits of both species. Thursday delivered gorgeous weather and a strong finish to the Jamaica II's final nine-hour fall trip, with plenty of doubleheaders and limit catches. Friday kept the momentum going, as porgy limits were common once again. Saturday started off strong with good early action before settling into a slower pick for the remainder of the day.

Jackson at the Reel Seat reported striped bass action stretching along the beaches, with fish being found up and down the coastline. Sea bass are keeping anglers busy at the wrecks, where the daily limit has recently increased to 15 fish. Blackfish are also biting in the canal and inlet, while offshore anglers are finding swordfish and yellowfin tuna out at the canyons.

Jason at Fishermen’s Supply reported that boat anglers are enjoying reliable striped bass action during the early morning hours and again in the afternoon, with bunker producing well. Glide baits are also accounting for fish, with the Shimano Gravitator proving to be a popular option among local anglers. Bass action is stretching from Barnegat Inlet to Sandy Hook, with an encouraging push of fish reported farther north as well. Blackfish anglers are finding good action on local wrecks and reefs, while the inlet and canal are also producing well on green crabs. The canal has been particularly productive for nighttime striper anglers, with most fish falling for soft plastics jigged along the bottom. Some quality bass are in the mix, with fish weighing upwards of 20-pounds.

Capt. Bob on the Gambler announced that it's officially time to shift gears for striped bass season! The boat is gearing up for daily striper trips from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday, while Mondays will be reserved for heading offshore on the boat's weekly Sunday night tuna trips. Reports of larger bass are encouraging, with plenty of big fish making their presence known. Although many of these oversized stripers must be released, they're still delivering plenty of drag-pulling excitement and unforgettable battles for anglers aboard the Gambler.

Cody at Jersey Nutz Sportfishing announced that fall striped bass season is officially underway! The Jersey Nutz 53 is sailing out of Point Pleasant through mid-December, giving anglers plenty of opportunities to get in on the jumbo striper action with Jimbo. Once the fall run wraps up, the crew will head south to the Outer Banks to pursue giant bluefin tuna this winter.

Capt. Tom aboard the Norma K III reported that striped bass fishing is heating up, with enormous schools of bunker spread throughout the area. The biggest challenge has been navigating around the crowds of boats competing for the action. Maggie celebrated a memorable milestone this past week, landing her very first striper before quickly following it up with another fish estimated at an impressive 45 pounds! Toward the end of the day, the crew located some larger schools of "real bait" being pushed north, with big bass feeding on them. It's an encouraging sign as the migration continues to develop.

Capt. John Zema at Yankee Rose Fishing reported finding a promising bait pile earlier in the week, where the crew managed to pull five stripers before the action fizzled out. The biggest of the bunch measured an impressive 49 inches and was landed by Gerome Scherer. Saturday's trip didn't quite match the success of recent outings. The crew started strong with a good shot of fish, but heavy boat traffic quickly put the bite down. They relocated to another area and managed a few additional bites before that action also tapered off. On a positive note, an enormous amount of bunker is now spread throughout the area, setting the stage for what could be an excellent fall run. Striped bass fishing is heating up, with action improving by the day!

Frank at Gabriel Tackle reported striped bass action stretching from Monmouth Beach south to Barnegat Inlet. Anglers are finding success with a variety of techniques, including working topwater plugs, drifting live eels, and trolling. Sea bass action has been somewhat limited, but blackfish are keeping anglers busy on local wrecks and reefs. The Point Pleasant Canal is also producing both blackfish and stripers, with eels proving to be the bait of choice for bass. Manasquan Inlet is giving up some quality blackfish around the rocks. Surf anglers are finally getting in on the action as well, with chunked bunker, eels, and SP Minnows producing some encouraging results along the beach.

Amanda at Jersey Hooker Outfitters reported good blackfish action in the canal, with additional fish being caught in the inlet. Striped bass are also showing in both areas, while the ocean bite has picked up considerably. Anglers are finding improved striper action off Point Pleasant and continuing south along the coast. Black sea bass fishing remains productive over the reefs, providing steady action for bottom fishermen.

Pete at Charlie’s Bait & Tackle reported schools of bunker moving down the beach, with surf anglers picking away at striped bass during the morning hours and again just before dark. Chunked bunker has been producing well, along with plugs and metal-lip swimmers. Boat anglers are also finding success trolling or working large shads. The canal is holding some tog, although keeper numbers have been a bit lower. Green crabs and shrimp are producing for bottom fishermen, with tog also being caught near the railroad bridge on green crabs. Meanwhile, nighttime striper action is developing in the river, where live eels have been getting the job done.

The crew at The Dock Outfitters in Seaside Heights reported some impressive striped bass being caught right off the beach, with very large fish making their presence known. There have been no recent updates on the back bay bite. Fresh bunker is available in the shop, and anglers are finding success livelining it for these heavyweight stripers. Stop in and gear up as soon as you get off the bridge heading into Seaside Park and Island Beach.

Scott at Grumpys Bait & Tackle reported an impressive week of striped bass action, with surf anglers finding plenty of fish along the beach. Riley Mangold landed a beautiful bass on a chunk of bunker, while Aaron also connected with a quality striper from the surf. Tony Kim joined the growing list of successful anglers, landing his bass early in the morning on a Tsunami Sand Eel. RJ Depp got in on the action with a fish of his own from the wash, while Brian Gentilello scored two bass at last light, one on a bunker chunk and another on a metal-lip swimmer. On Wednesday, Todd added another striper to the tally, this time on a bucktail. Boat anglers are also enjoying good action, with the list of successful fishermen continuing to grow. One thing is clear, the stripers are here, and the bite is heating up!

The crew at Yakitty Yaks Kayaks reported that striped bass mania is in full swing! Kayak anglers are launching right off the beach and getting in on the striper action by live-lining bunker and working plugs. Conditions for the upcoming week are looking promising for those heading out in kayaks, although they'll want to keep an eye out for whales cruising the area. Back-bay anglers are still finding fish as well, with multiple smaller bass being caught on individual outings. Sod banks and river areas are producing, with hard structure proving to be a productive target for anglers looking to connect with stripers.

Beck at Hook House Bait & Tackle reported striped bass action both along the oceanfront and in the canal. The canal is also producing blackfish, giving anglers another opportunity to target tog while chasing stripers.

Capt. Ray Lopez of Miss Liane Charters reported fantastic striped bass action over the last several trips, with the recent outings producing excellent results. The charter still has dates available for anglers looking to get in on the hot bite. The crew is also planning to offer wreck-fishing trips in the coming weeks, along with a weekly open-boat trip. All trips are weather permitting, so anglers are encouraged to check availability and conditions when planning their outings.

Tom at Creekside Outfitters reported that striped bass are moving into the area, with ocean action really heating up over the past week. Anglers are finding success with a variety of offerings, including flutter spoons, shads, glide baits, and live spot. For those looking to target blackfish, the shop also has green crabs in stock.

Vince at Bobbie's Boats reported an impressive push of striped bass over the past several days, with plenty of big fish showing up along the coast. Large schools of bunker are holding offshore, attracting good numbers of bass. However, many of the fish are oversized and must be released. Anglers are finding success fishing bunker, working spoons, and live-lining spot. Sea bass action is also holding strong, while tog fishing around the rocks has been productive. The shop is well-stocked with plenty of green crabs and white-legger crabs for anglers looking to get in on the blackfish bite.

Capt. Sam Rescigno of the Mary M IV reported a steady pick of sea bass and porgies. While the action hasn't been spectacular, anglers are still managing to put fish in the cooler. The crew expects to shift gears to striped bass fishing soon, with reports of bass stretching from Barnegat Inlet north to Manasquan Inlet providing plenty of encouragement for the upcoming switch.

Capt. Lenny of Miss Barnegat Light recently headed offshore with a group of anglers ready for whatever the canyon had to offer. After locating a promising patch of warm water on the temperature charts, the crew spent the afternoon working around lobster pots and targeting mahi. The action produced fish ranging from a few pounds to several impressive specimens. Plenty of current and favorable sea conditions allowed the crew to cover a large stretch of the warm-water edge. Although the mahi provided some exciting action, the swordfish bite was slower, yielding just a handful of squid and one swordfish for the effort.

Greg at Fisherman’s Headquarters reported a solid week of fishing and expects the action to remain productive over the coming weeks. Striped bass are beginning to show along the LBI surf, although anglers are also dealing with plenty of dogfish intercepting their baits. With schools of bunker spread along the beaches, larger lures that imitate these baitfish should be a good bet for targeting bass. Blackfish anglers are finding some quality fish as well, with Alex landing an impressive tog weighing approximately six pounds.

Steve at Jingles Bait and Tackle in Beach Haven enthusiastically reported, “They are here! It’s time to get out on the beach and fish, fish, fish!” The fall striped bass migration is beginning to take shape, and anglers can look forward to some of the season’s most exciting surf fishing in the weeks ahead. With the best action potentially still to come, now is the time to gear up and hit the beach!

Fred at Surf City Bait and Tackle reported that striped bass are making their presence known in the surf, with anglers beginning to connect with some quality fish. Jimmy Finn landed a slot-sized striper on fresh bunker, while Pete Kelly also got in on the action with a slot bass of his own on bunker. Paul Donnelly of the LBI Fishing Club added another beautiful striped bass to the tally from the surf. The blackfish bite is heating up as well, with Jim landing a nice tautog in Barnegat on green crabs and Dave scoring another quality tog on sand fleas. With both stripers and tog producing, there's plenty of action to keep anglers busy around LBI!