New Jersey & Delaware Bay - Southern New Jersey Fishing Reports

Gina at Dockside Cafe and Marina tells us that there was a little bit of action this week between anglers fishing the river for stripers and the bay for spot and croakers. The weather certainly didn’t help to put many anglers on the water, but those that did get out said that all three species were hungry. The striper bite has been mostly on live eels in the river with anglers finding fish in the morning and late evening. Some impressive size fish, to 31 inches seem to have moved into the river following all the baitfish being pushed upriver.

Another slow week as the water in the bay and the back bay have not cleared up as fast as expected according to Mike at Tuckerton Bait and Tackle. There were a few anglers out looking for blowfish, and some of his customers scored large numbers of jumbo fish while others were only able to attract smaller numbers of fish. The successful customers say they were using clam logs, “not sparingly” and also fishing in no more than 8 feet of water. These anglers also attracted some sea bass, tog and triggerfish. The water temperature drop has gotten the crabs really active and customers are reporting plenty of keeper size crabs.

The full moon with the northeast storm pushed tons of bait into the bay and rivers according to Justin with Allen’s Dock. It also pushed hungry stripers into the river as well as several feet of water into the tackle shop. The shop is all cleaned up and back to regular hours with live eels in stock for those hungry stripers. Fish were found in the river close to the bridges and in the bay, with anglers scoring fish on soft plastics at night and live eels during the daylight hours.

Wally with Jersey Devil Marina tells us that this storm pushed the perch further up the river and creeks while baitfish and stripers seem to be scattered throughout the river systems. Customers reported a few jumbo perch on live grass shrimp, bloodworms, and on 1/32-ounce jigheads with matching chartreuse grubs. Chartreuse was a popular color along with pink and white for anglers fishing soft plastics for stripers. The bridges, especially at night, have been seeing lots of baitfish, from tiny fish loosely described as resembling “rain bait” to some very large peanut bunker being crushed by schoolie stripers.

With more wind out of the northeast this weekend, the bay and river are again swollen with water, baitfish and stripers according to Violet with Chestnut Neck Boat Yard. Anglers got out a couple days this week and found stripers to 27 inches on live eels, soft plastics and on the troll. In the bay, spot, croakers and triggerfish were still being caught in good numbers despite the recent drop in water temperatures. The key to finding and catching these fish is to chum heavily with clam logs. Bait choices have ranged from bloodworms, clam strips, squid strips and Fishbites.

“All dried out and open every day,” was this week’s report from Capt. Andy at Riptide Bait and Tackle. The slower week also coincided with the end of the shop's Summer Fishing Derby where prizes were awarded for the top flounder, kingfish and bluefish this summer. Out with the old and in with the new as the Riptide Fall Derby has already started. Capt. Andy reminds you that with a Brigantine 4x4 permit AND entrance into the Fall Derby, anglers can fish the front Brigantine Beach 24/7. Another friendly reminder from the good Captain is to drive slow as there have been many scarps formed over the last week, and nobody wants to see you on this year’s Beached Cars of Brigantine Calendar.

Tog were chewing again on the AC Jetties just as soon as last weekend’s storm passed according to Noel at One Stop Bait and Tackle. Not only are there plenty of fish to be had, but much larger fish have moved in with keepers to 4 pounds caught on green crabs and sand fleas. Before, during and after that storm, the stripers were feeding heavily on all the baitfish that are migrating past Atlantic City. Hard and soft plastics fished at night have been taking stripers from schoolies to 33 inches, with plenty of fish falling in the keeper slot and bonus tag range. This week’s striper action bodes well for next weekend’s Casting for a Cure Striped Bass Tournament. Noel says that “this is more than a fishing tournament—it’s a community coming together to cast for hope, fight for a cure and fish for a brighter tomorrow”. The date is October 11th, see shop for details, but the day also includes giveaways, live music from Swing De Guille and a party-like community atmosphere.

There were very few reports this week from customers at Waterfront Marine. Those that did get out to fish found dirty water, especially in the river where they were looking for perch or stripers. The bay cleaned up just a bit quicker, but the only action reported was spot and croakers being caught on clam and Fishbites.

A few anglers got out this week according to reports out of Fin-Atics. Most of the activity was from anglers fishing the sodbanks and bridges, on foot, at night. The bridges produced schoolies stripers to 22 inches on soft plastic jerk baits with 3 to 4 inches being the preferred size. Along the sod banks, the bite was on larger baits with stripers taking Mag Darters and 6-inch SP minnows as well as 6-inch white rubber shads.

Pier 47 Marina reports that some of their customers found that the stripers were on the feed on most nights this week. Fish were found in the back bays, even into the skinniest creeks with only 3 feet of water, feasting on minnows, spearing, mullet and peanut bunker. The fish were not picky on most days and were willing to take spook lures like the 3-inch Berkley J-Wakers, soft plastic paddle tails, paddle shads, and Mag-Darters. Reports are that there are a lot of fish in 18- to 22-inch size range, but most nights saw a fish or two falling into the bonus tag and keeper slot range.

Reports out of Big Dave’s Tackle tells us that the Delaware Bay saw a little bit of action this week with anglers on the sheepshead, tog, croakers, spot and stripers. Green crabs and sand fleas put good numbers of sheep on deck in the bay and tog from the Cape May Jetties. Away from the structure, the greater bay was a little quiet with scattered reports of a few weakfish, spot and croakers.