New Jersey & Delaware Bay - Northern New Jersey Fishing Reports

When we spoke with Chris over at Bayonne Bait and Tackle on September 19 he told us most fisheries in his area were in flux. Some like fluke had started to move back into the ocean, while striped bass, mostly local fish, had just started moving into a fall pattern and were hitting in the evenings. Croakers, spot and small blues were still around in good numbers and should still be here for at least the first part of October. The best fishery going was the blues, bonito and false albacore that were moving along the inshore waters. He ended his report by saying it’s a good bet the fishing will break open after the full moon in early October, weather permitting.

Joe at Fairfield Fishing Tackle told us of dropping numbers of fluke in the second half of September. He said while anglers were still catching some flatties most of the better fishing had shifted into the ocean. Needless to say the weatherman did not help anything with the scary weather predictions and nasty storms. On the upside when anglers were able to get out they found some good bluefish, bonito, albacore and Spanish mackerel fishing along the inshore waters. A few bluefin were also boated. Bottom fishing was also decent with tog, sea bass, triggers, croakers, occasional porgies and ling being caught. The bottom fishing should be even better with the sea bass bag limit going up to 10-fish, he said. Lastly he mentioned some stripers already being caught, usually a precursor of things to come in October.

Fluke fishing really slowed down in the second half of September according to Ken over at Dockside Bait and Tackle, saying it doesn’t look like the flatties were interested in waiting for the final bell of the season and decided to get a jump on their fall migration. While there are still some croakers around the fishing for them also slowed up. In addition he said there are still plenty of baitfish around and plenty of peanut bunker also moved into the backwater area. On the upside blues and bonito were moving along the inshore waters and some fluke were still being caught outside. Lastly he said it’s a good bet that we will see the first movements of the stripers and good fishing come with the approaching full moon for October.

“Late month fishing was decent but hampered by the winds and weather,” said Dave Rani over at Raritan Marina. Dave said bluefin were giving anglers some action in the second half of September. He qualified that by saying when you could get out. Steve Tesori enjoyed a good bite of sea bass and Kurt F caught the first tall striper at the marina and Dave said those fish were a preview of what we could expect in October if the weather cooperates.

“We’ve seen mixed results with the weather and fishing in the second half of September,” reported Steve Haas over at Up Front Bait and Tackle. Needless to say the poor seas and weather didn’t do the last two weeks of fluke fishing nay favors. Steve said he expects to see the migratory stripers start moving down the coast sometime in October along with the bigger bluefish. “It’s a good bet we will see a lot of anglers bottom fishing for sea bass and ling in October as the bag limit on sea bass goes up to 10 fish,” he added.

A call to Mike over at Wagner’s Marina got us a couple fishing reports and a few choice words for the weather. He said there’s still plenty of baitfish around and fish like snappers, cocktails and croakers are still in good numbers as well. Bluefish, bonito and albies are also cruising the waters just off the beaches but the recent weather kept boats at the dock. Mike said if we are to have good fishing in October we are going to have some better weather conditions that will allow boats to sail especially with the fuel prices so high.

I spoke with Phil over at the Tackle Box and he told me if the current weather forecast holds true the month of September will go out like a lion roaring. Some stripers have started to show up in the evening on eels. Mixed size bluefish with small bonito and albacore also produced some up and down fishing in the second half of the month and with some good weather they should provide some good fishing in October. There are some weakfish and kingfish being caught and here too October is traditionally a better month for those fish. Phil told me he hopes the poor weather that is predicted stirs up some of the fisheries in October to give us some good fishing,

“September was another up and down month with the weather,” said Lou over at Atlantic Highlands Municipal Harbor. He told us after a good week of fishing a stiff bow shut the fishing down on September 20 and that was typical of the rest of the month. “Hopefully October will serve up some better weather and sea conditions,” he said.

“The last couple of weeks of the fluke season were nothing to write home about,” said Capt. Bob Henn of the Ebbtide Too. He said between the weather and winds we were very limited to the number of days we were able to get out and when we did get out the winds limited the locations we were able to fish. When it comes to October’s fishing, the boat will be fishing 3/4-day sea bass as of September 23. Bob said the boat is also accepting charters for sea bass and stripers in October.

The second half of September had mixed results, said Jay over at Julian’s Bait & Tackle. Bluefins were moving in and out of the mid-range waters and into the inshore waters with anglers finding some good fishing. Jay said that fishing should still be on tap in October. Bluefish, bonito and albacore were also in good supply and they too should give anglers some good fishing. Local stripers were also starting to get active and it’s a good bet they will still be around most of October. Jay said the full moon should be the spark plugs for some good fishing in the tenth month.

“The weather and rough seas really cut into our schedule in September,” said Capt. Mike Scardingo of the charter boat MiJo. He said he will target sea bass until the striped bass fishing gets good then switch to linesider fishing until he shuts down for the season.

Another person that told us things were right on the edge of change from the summer mode to the fall mode was Tim over at Bahrs Landing Marina. He said there is no question that the fluke were moving out in the second halt of September. However since the season ends as of the 25th they will have no effect on the fishing in October. With the bag limit on sea bass at 10 fish it’s a good bet a lot more anglers will be bottom fishing while they wait for the stripers to start moving. Tim also said with some good weather boats can sail to the mid-range waters and offshore tuna and mahi should also give fishermen some good catches in the tenth month. A foot note to Tim’s tuna comment is that several party boats have weekly offshore tuna trips planned for October which need good seas and weather.

“We had fluke to 4 pounds and decent numbers of sea bass when we were able to fish in the second half of September,” stated Capt. Pete Wagner of the charter boat Hyper Striper. Pete said he will be switching over to striped bass as soon as possible in October. He also said that the expected week long nor’easter could stoke up the striped bass migration or delay it. “We have already started seeing some local fish on the move so keep your fingers crossed,” he said.

We started our Highlands report with a call to the folks over at the Twin Lights Marina who told us boats sailing out of the marina spent more time tied to the dock than fishing this past month. While the fishing was not bad when they were able to fish the weather reports often kept people from coming down to their boats. As to the fishing in October everyone says there are a lot of fish and baitfish in northern waters; it would be nice to have some consistently good conditions to be able to get at them.

“The second half of the month was a real smorgasbord of fish when conditions were favorable,” said Capt. Fletcher Chayes of Two Rivers Charters, adding “Stripers, blues, bonito, albacore, sea bass, porgies, tog, fluke you name it we caught it.” Capt. Fletcher said it looks like we are in for a good October, barring any weather problems. He also said the boat has dates open in October and November for striper and bottom fishing so give him a call for info.

The Big Mohawk III spent most of the last two weeks of September in the dry dock getting her annual refit. Greg Hueth told me he will be bottom fishing for sea bass when the boat gets out of dry dock and will be full-time sea bass fishing as of October 1 after the bag limit goes to 10 fish.

Plenty of shorts and a fair number of bigger fluke passed through the inlet in the last 10 days, before the season closed, said sources over at Fisherman’s Den. In addition we were told some stripers were being eeled after dark in the inlet. Along the inshore waters bluefish, bonito, albacore and some bluefin tuna were still on the heavy feed and look for these fish to start off the month of October.

“The bluefishing switched around big time before the weather caught up to us in the second half of September,” cited Capt. Rick Falcone of the Golden Eagle. That switch was from artificials to bait with good numbers of slammers, bonito and albies along with some big sea bass being caught in the chum slick. Rick said it’s a good bet that pattern will continue into October unless the weather changes it. He added that the boat will continue its weekly tuna trips until Columbus weekend, weather permitting and spots are available on these trips while they last..

Another person that told us September was a tough month was Capt. al Shinn of the Miss Belmar Princess and Miss Belmar. He said besides lost days to the weather when the boats are able to fish it was often hit or miss fishing with one day doing good the next you had to work hard for the fish. When it comes to the fishing in October the boats will be bottom fishing for sea bass until the stripers move into northern waters in fore, then switch to stripers and blues.

When I spoke to Capt. Nick Caruso of the Ol’ Salty II and Big Kid on September 20 he said it looks like we are going to lose the entire last full week of September because of the nor’easter. He said the weather conditions really put a dent in his sailing schedule, especially his tuna trips in the ninth month. He told us the Salty will be bottom fishing in October and will also mix in striper fishing when the bass show up in good numbers. The boat will also keep trying to fish mid-range and offshore for tuna weather permitting.

“Weather limited us to five trips the third week in September, all of which found some good fishing,” cited Capt. Steve Spinelli of the charter boat Skylarker. The NSIT charter enjoyed as good bite of fluke, sea bass and ling, Ethan Zimmerman party found a good catch of slammers to 8 pounds and sea bass on their trip. Members of the Bensalem Fishing Club were on the deck for a good pull of fluke and sea bass. The Rich Caryo group braved some rough conditions for a good fair bite of blues. Lastly John and his party scored some fluke and sea bass on their trip. Steve said he expects to target sea bass on his October trips.

Over at Bullet Hole Annex Nick gave us an optimistic outlook on the October fishing. He said with all the baitfish around in northern waters, and the variety of fish that are still around, October should be one of the best months of this crazy season. Local stripers are starting to stir in our northern waters and blues, accompanied by bonito, albies and Spanish mackerel have given anglers good fishing this year so you can expect to see them on the menu in October. A 10-fish bag limit on sea bass will make bottom fishing very attractive especially if we have good sea conditions. A lot of anglers are looking for some good tuna and mahi fishing in the tenth month and here too you need good seas to get to them, he said.

We gave Capt. Phil Bouchard at the dock of the Misty Morn a call and he told us the second half of September was on the slow side for him when it came to the fluke fishing. The boat fished a limited schedule in the second half of the month and most of its trips picked away at the shorts and finished the trip with a few keepers and fair numbers of seas bass. Phil said when he could not fish the ocean he fished New York Harbor where he found the same results. He told us in October the boat will be bottom fishing for sea bass, tog and porgies, then switch to striped bass as soon as the fish show up in decent numbers.