Absecon Bay Sportsman Center

Capt. Dave at Absecon Bay Sportsman Center shared the February edition article by Nick Honachefsky in The Fisherman over the weekend all about white perch. Though we’ve been locked in this deep freeze with no open water really to be found in South Jersey, Dave spoke to Nick over the weekend about white perch. “The day before he had tried ice fishing on the Navesink River with no luck,” said Dave, explaining how Nick was in search of bait. “My first advice was that we are getting too old and it's too damn cold,” laughed Dave, adding “if you can't get a net thru the ice you can't catch grass shrimp and the mud flats where the bloodworms are dug by hearty Maine watermen are solid rock.” Dave also noted that Collins Cove on the Mullica had filled in and has not been a hot spot at all like it was in the 1960s and 70s. “I'm frozen in right now, but I am looking forward to warmer weather by the end of the week and as soon as there is open water I hope that my suppliers will come up with the grass shrimp and bloodworms, because the perch are hungry and feeding up for the spawn,” Dave added, advising customers to call before they come in.

Capt. Dave at Absecon Bay Sportsman Center said it’s been a long time since he has seen such a freeze-up like we’ve had of late. “I'm pretty well shut down,” Dave noted, saying the parking lot looks a little like the Arctic tundra. “I hate to say it, but it is better to not even come by until this breaks up,” he said over the weekend, noting that with a few days above freezing in the forecast this week perhaps he’ll see a bit of clear-up. “I'm still getting phone calls about live grass shrimp and bloodworms and perch fishing. That is a definite NO until we have completely open water,” Dave said, adding that while it might be possible to find some safe walking ice somewhere in the brackish areas to chop a hole and drop your line, he would really advise against that right now. “That being said, I will be open with grass shrimp and bloodworms as soon as you can get a line in the water and we will be in 100% spring mode during the last week of February,” he added.