New Jersey & Delaware Bay - Southern New Jersey Fishing Reports

It was a good week for striper anglers fishing the bay, mouth of the creek and all along the Mullica according to Gina at Dockside Cafe and Marina. In the bay, fish from 18 to 30 inches were being caught on live spot. In the river, the bite was centered on live eels with some larger fish in the mix to 35 inches. The creeks and the river were both giving up plenty of white perch for anglers fishing with bloodworms or grass shrimp.

The fall striper run is in full swing according to Justin at Allen’s Dock. There have been plenty of fish moving into the inlet and bay this week, and some moving on up into the Mullica. All these areas have been producing fish in the bonus tag and keeper size range. There have also been several fish over 31 inches reported, including a 44-incher earlier in the week. Anglers report catching fish on live eels, live spot, trolling and casting hard plastics.

The striper bite in the Mullica was pretty consistent this week according to Mary Anne at Chestnut Neck Boat Yard. More fish were being caught on live eels, but anglers also found some fish on live spot and on the troll. Most of the fish this week were bonus tag size or larger, including some “overs” to 36 inches. The only other local action has been the white perch which are taking bloodworms, grass shrimp, and for anglers targeting jumbos, small crankbaits.

Capt. Dave at Absecon Bay Sportsman Center was cleaning the day’s catch when we spoke Sunday afternoon. That morning trip put two bonus tag fish and a slot keeper in the box, along with some shorts and an over released to swim another day. This trip was typical of the week, which, despite the wind, found good numbers of fish willing to bite. Capt. Dave gives credit where credit is due and credits his trolling motor for doing all the heavy lifting this week, making it possible to drift live spot right to where these stripers were cruising. With the water temperatures hanging around 60 degrees, he feels the best is still yet to come, especially with the recent winds pushing more bait into the inlets. This water temp is also attracting more tog to the jetties, inlet and back bay structures. Green crabs are catching plenty of fish, with keepers to 18 inches mixed in with up to 30 shorts per trip. In the Mullica River, stripers are being caught on live eels, but the best bite has been for jumbo white perch on live grass shrimp or bloodworms.

Green crabs, live eels and fresh bunker are all in stock this week and demand has been high according to Capt. Andy at Riptide Bait and Tackle. The greenies are working well on tog from the jetty, bridges and sod banks. Keepers to 17 inches were landed this week by anglers fishing green crabs on tog jigs. The live eels, as well as a variety of soft plastics are getting the attention of back bay and inlet stripers to 30 inches. From the beach, a few anglers have found stripers up to 32 inches on fresh chunked bunker or SP Minnows. There are plenty of bunker schools just off the beach with whales feeding on them daily, but there is not a large concentration of stripers on them just yet. A bit further off the beach, 7 to 11 miles or so, there has been a good bluefin tuna bite according to customers.

Capt. Cody of Jersey Nutz Sportfishing put in their first full weekend of fishing out of Point Pleasant for jumbo stripers. Some days the bite was sporadic due to boat traffic, some days it was nonstop action. Four trips this week, even during the slower days, saw all anglers on board boating personal best fish. Smallest fish of the week was 38 inches, and three fish landed were well over 50- inches. Sailing through mid-December; Capt. Cody strongly suggests, if possible, booking a weekday as these days see less boat traffic and anglers are more likely to encounter surface feeding fish and all out blitzes.

There are “tons of tog” in Atlantic City according to this week’s report from Noel at One Stop Bait and Tackle. Fish were caught from the jetties, boardwalk, sea wall and even from the beaches with adjacent jetty structures. Green crabs have been the top bait, and sand fleas have been a solid backup. Customers are catching fish on almost all tide phases and if you stick it out long enough, you’ll find your keeper as you play catch and release with dozens of short fish. Striper action has also been very good from the jetties, and also from the inlet and back bays. These fish, from 23 to 33 inches, are taking all kinds of baits and artificials, including live eels, chunked bunker, soft plastics and SP Minnows. A few customers, including shop regular Brazil, are targeting huge cows at night on live eels. Several fish from 47 to over 50 inches were reported this week. Coming up soon is the shop’s Fishing For Toys Tournament where entry is simply an unwrapped toy. Details to follow, but like last year, there will be fantastic prizes and all toys are donated to a local children’s charity.

Stripers and tog were keeping things going this week in Ocean City according to Bill at Fin-Atics. A few stripers were caught from the beach, but most of the action has been centered around the back bay shallows where anglers report seeing plenty of bait. The stripers are sticking tight to the sod banks and are being caught on soft plastic jerkbaits and larger Gulp grubs, up to 6 inches, fished on 3/8-ounce leadheads. Most of the fish are falling between 20 and 28 inches. Tog have also been a back bay target for anglers fishing the deeper sod bank drops and the bridges. Green crabs fished on tog jigs have been working for fish to 17 inches and anglers tell us that the dead low tide has seen the best action, especially for keeper size fish.

Stripers are keeping local anglers busy according to Pier 47 Marina. Anglers are finding action from Hereford’s Inlet all the way into the skinniest back bay creeks. The creeks are seeing fish flood the shallows at high tide in search of baitfish. As the tide starts going out, anglers report feeding frenzies on fish from 20 to 27 inches. During these situations, the fish have been willing to bite on small top water poppers, spook type lures, Mag Darters and a variety of soft plastics. When the fish aren’t actively feeding in the creeks, anglers tell us that live eels fished in the deeper channels along Grassy Sound Channel and out to the Inlet have resulted in fish to 26- inches.

Will at Hands Too Bait and Tackle checked in again with this week’s report. He tells us that, other than the high winds, there hasn’t been much change in the fishing action. Tog are literally “all over the place”, including Cold Springs, Cape May Point and North Wildwood Jetties. Customers are finding lots of short fish, but most are reporting finding at least one keeper per trip with green crabs being the preferred bait. Stripers are being caught along the back bay sod banks on Mag Darters, paddletails and smaller poppers. The fish have ranged greatly in size, many of which were between 18 and 26 inches, but some bigger fish to 33 inches are moving into the back bays. Some much larger fish have been found in Cape May Harbor by anglers fishing at night with live eels, live spot and who squids. We have reports that many of these fish are between 36 and 45 inches, with one this week just shy of 50 inches.

Higbees Bait and Tackle is closed for the season, but the Delaware Bay reports keep rolling in. Most of the action we hear revolves around tog being caught throughout the bay. The lighthouses have been a hot spot, but so have the deeper water structures in the greater bay. Green crabs have been scoring fish to 18 inches. Stripers were being reported in the bay as well for a few anglers who were chunking fresh bunker from Pierces Point to Egg Island. These fish were not huge, but all respectable fish between 20 and 30 inches.

Reports out of Big Dave’s Tackle tells us that another windy week kept many from venturing offshore, but those that did found some spectacular sea bass action on the deep water wrecks and reefs. Anglers tell us you have to go deep in order to make the trip worth it as the keepers are really stacked up on the structures in 110 to 150 feet of water, but the shallower sites have nothing but shorts and dogfish. Inshore water temps have been perfect for tog, and they are really chewing from the back bay structures to the nearshore wreck sites. Again, windy conditions this week kept anglers from getting to the local wrecks and reefs, but many fished the relatively protected back bay bridges and sod banks. Here, they found plenty of short action, as well as keepers to 17 inches on green crabs. On the striper front, it has been mostly a resident fish bite in the back bays from Ocean City down to Cape May on live eels, spot and soft plastics. If you are in the market for new gear, I suggest marking your calendars for November 20th, from 7 pm to 10 pm, which is Big Dave’s “Green Friday VIP Night”. It will be a night of discounts, giveaways, hot chocolate and even Santa will be making an appearance; be there.