New Jersey & Delaware Bay - Southern New Jersey Fishing Reports

We received a really good report about perch fishing in the river and creeks this week from customers of Dockside Cafe and Marina. They tell us that the perch have been large and plentiful this week, especially for anglers fishing live grass shrimp way up the river. Those fishing for stripers are having better luck towards the mouth of the river and into the bay where the fish are taking both clam and bloodworm baits. Graveling Point has been especially productive with fish in the 24- to 36-inch size range reported this week. In addition to the stripers, anglers reported a few smaller drumfish, in the 10- to 15-pound size range also being caught on clam baits.

Dylan with Empire Fishing and Tackle tells us that the drum and stripers are “all over the place.” Some decent drum were caught in the bay on fresh clams, and anglers are finding stripers in the rivers, creeks and bay on both bloodworms and clam baits. In Tuckerton Bay, Dylan tells us that there are schools of blues moving around and while these fish are mostly under 5 pounds, there are some gators over 10 pounds mixed in. The tog season finale weekend was pretty spectacular, with one angler fishing a local jetty landing 40 tog on Saturday. Not much perch action reported, but that could be because many anglers have switched over to chasing stripers and drum.

When I spoke with Mike with Tuckerton Bait and Tackle on Sunday he said he was just excited for a bright, warm sunny day for a change. He is confident that this will get the crabs moving around on the flats this upcoming week. This past week saw a very good striper bite in the bay with anglers scoring on surf clams. The drum bite was either a bit off or many anglers were being “hush-hush” about it. Anglers made the most of the last full week of tog season, while others started prospecting in the bay ahead of the flounder opener. Mike has lots of minnows coming in this week just in time for Flounder season. On a sobering note, Mike relayed to us that Butch Pawson passed away this week. Butch was a longtime local angler, active with the Berkeley Striper Club and the NJBBA, supplied local shops with his hand tied rigs under the “Butch’s Tackle” label and was an “all around great guy” according to Mike and the many others who knew him. He will certainly be missed.

Justin with Allen’s Dock tells us the perch fishing is very good, but the fish are pushed way upriver right now. Bloodworms and live grass shrimp are the key to putting together a good catch of fish. Stripers are all around, including the river, bays and inlet. These fish are still taking bloodworms and fresh clam baits. There are also reports of blues in the bay, but Justin has yet to have one weighed in.

The Mullica and Great Bay are both seeing upticks in the number of stripers being caught according to the report this week out of Chestnut Neck Boat Yard. Natural bait has again been the key to getting the attention of these fish which are ranging in size from 20 to 35 inches. Bloodworms, live eels and fresh clam baits are all working equally well. Those fishing clam baits in the bay also report drumfish to 20 pounds.

This week, Capt. Dave with Absecon Bay Sportsman Center not only put his clients on the bass, but there were lots of keepers too. This was mostly back bay fishing and the fish have been eating live eels, clams, and Gulp Paddleshads. Fastforwarding to Saturday, May 4th, Capt. Dave will be hosting his annual free Grand Slam Customer Appreciation Tournament. Weakfish, blues, stripers and flounder will all be eligible for gift card prizes. If you're looking for that trophy flounder or weakfish, the shop has the perfect size live spot for you.

The fishing action is coming together nicely according to Capt. Andy with Riptide Bait and Tackle. This past week stripers hit the surf and back bays, large blues arrived just as predicted, and the spring tog season went out on a good note. The stripers are in the slot range and over and can be caught on Riptide Rotters, live eels and on hard plastics. The blues are mixed in with the stripers, and they are running in the 10–pound range. Tog action seems to be very good right through the close of the season as tog to 3 pounds were consistently being caught from the local jetties and larger fish were coming from the offshore wrecks.

Capt. Cody with Jersey Nutz Sportfishing Charters tells us that they have several tilefish trips scheduled for the next few weeks. They will target tiles until about May 12th when they will then switch their attention to tuna trips. Spring and summer dates are starting to fill up. Charters and some open boat trips are available.

Noel with One Stop Bait and Tackle tells us the striper bite is “of epic proportions” from the jetties, seawall and boardwalk. I must say that when customers tell us they tried to get on a jetty but it was elbow to elbow with anglers catching keepers, I’d have to agree with the “epic proportions” description. Soft plastics and hard plastics, even some poppers are being thrown, and at the right time, resulting in stripers from 26 to 36 inches. There are 12-inch herring in the surf, so large metal lips have also been working well. There were also some big blues (up to 35 inches), and at least one weakfish caught this week by anglers targeting stripers. If bait is more to your liking, the fish have no problem at all taking bloodworms, fresh clam or bunker. The tog action on the same jetties continues to be very good as the season closes.

Scott with Scott’s Dock (formerly Ray Scott’s Dock) tells us that the tog action was good to finish out the week/season and that striper action has been improving for the last three weeks. The stripers are mixed in sizes from shorts to overs, but with lots of fish falling in the keeper size range. Bloodworms and clams have been the go to baits for anglers fishing the daylight hours. Those fishing the nighttime shift are throwing Mag Darters, Bombers and soft plastics in the back bays. There have also been some bluefish action with fish in the 2- to 5-pound range in the back bays, but larger fish reportedly are moving in from the inlets. Later this season, Scott will be christening The Captain Robin, a 40-foot pontoon boat, built for daily back bay flounder trips, sunset cruises and named in honor of his late mom Capt. Robin Scott. We are certainly looking forward to the launching of this new endeavor as well as the additional opportunities it will afford to anglers looking to get in on Margate’s hot back bay flounder fishery.

As tog season winds down, reports out of Waterfront Marina tell us that the bluefish and weakfish action is just starting up. Several weakfish and at least a half dozen blues were caught behind Longport this week by anglers throwing soft and hard plastic baits for stripers. The weakies were on the small size, topping out at 16-inches, but the blues were your typical spring “racers” in the 5- to 9-pound range. The striper action has continued to be good with most fish being caught at night, including many keepers that are just hitting the 28-inch mark.

Justin with Fin-Atics provided this week’s fishing summary report. He tells us that the tog action was pretty decent with fish being caught from the inlet, the 9th Street Pier and from the local bridges. New this week are the reports of bluefish in the back bays and inlet. Anglers are reporting a few fish in the 5- to 7-pound range being caught on mullet, bunker, clams and hard plastics. Anglers tossing artificials at night are seeing a good bass bite around the docks and bridges on fish from 20 to 30 inches. The daytime striper bite is on bloodworms, clams, and bunker with similar size fish being caught.

Capt. Mike and the crew of Mighty Heron Charters took advantage of the last full week of the April tog season with a couple of trips to the offshore wrecks, fishing in 70 or so feet of water. Here they were treated to a good pick of over 60 fish on one trip and over 100 fish on their second trip. All fish were caught on green crabs, and they were able to harvest about 3 dozen fish (plus a bonus cod) between the two trips. With tog season just about over, Capt. Mike will soon be gearing up for sea bass season, and their much anticipated “Go Big or Go Home” deepwater jumbo sea bass open boat trips. In the meantime, river striper and perch trips will fill the void until flounder season opens and then there will be both private and open boat trips in the back bays for flounder.

Anglers from Bait N’ Hook were taking advantage of the last full week of tog season by hitting up the jetties around Absecon Inlet. Here, fish to 4 pounds were being caught on green crabs and many anglers told us they were able to score two or more keepers per trip. The back bays from Ocean City down to Cape May are starting to get some attention as anglers are finding small weakfish on soft plastics as well as a mix of stripers from 22 to 30 inches. The shop is again hosting a charity auction where you could win a Nucanoe Flint Kayak and a great starter kit for kayak angling. Proceeds to benefit the Washington Township Police Department Cops and Bobbers Program. Details can be found on their Facebook page at Bait n Hook Sportsman’s Supply.

Reports from Pier 47 customers tell us that the back bays of the Wildwoods have been very productive for stripers this week on artificials. The size of the fish were all over the place with some creeks holding 20-inch fish, while other creeks saw fish in the slot range and over, up to 35 inches this week. The artificials they are being caught on also vary from 4-inch soft plastics like pink Zooms and 6-inch green/white shad bodies to Mag Darters and Crystal Minnows. Anglers advised us to up our leaders to at least 30-pound test as there are definitely some burly blues around. Heartbreaking cutoffs were reported along with fish landed in the 7- to 9-pound range on hard plastics.

The Delaware Bay is producing some stripers according to Nick with Hands Too Bait and Tackle. Both bunker and clams baits are working well, while some anglers are throwing lures and bucktails. Reports of drum in the Bay are starting to roll in and Nick has got his surf clam supplier all lined up and will start taking reservations. There have already been some weakfish caught in the County, and Nick suggests using the smallest bucktail possible or floating bloodworms for the tiderunners. Also new this week, big bluefish invaded the area, including the surf and back bays. Anglers caught these fish on bunker and also on large hard plastics while striper fishing. The shop is all geared up for the start of flounder season next weekend.

There are plenty of stripers around Fortescue according to this week’s reports from Higbee’s Bait and Tackle. The challenge is finding enough bloodworms to supply the hoards of anglers descending on Fortescue Beach. There is no doubt that the fishing is hot right from the beach as fish from 26 to 46 inches were caught this week. Again this past week, a lot of those fish managed to fall within the keeper slot limit with only a few under and many more overs. The shop advises calling ahead to see if they have bloodworms in stock before making the trek down there.