Barnegat Bay Fishing Charters

Capt. Joe Rizzo of Barnegat Bay Fishing Charters said fishing picked up a bit this past week. Anglers got a few sea bass. Saturday he caught some fluke and weakfish. He said the birds were pciking and there was a lot of boat traffic, could’ve caught more without the boats running through. He heard of some stripers being picked up off Sedge Island using popping plugs. The bass will hang around as long as the water is cold. No signs of blowfish yet.

Capt. Joe Rizzo of Barnegat Bay Fishing Charters reported that fluke fishing remains slow overall, with cold water temperatures continuing to hold the bite back. Down in Great Bay, a sizable fleet of boats gathered on Sunday morning and managed to pick away at a few fluke, but success was limited. According to reports, white Gulp was the only presentation consistently producing bites, making it the clear standout among anglers who found fish. In Barnegat Bay, persistent slime on the bottom has made fluke fishing even more challenging. As a result, many anglers have shifted their focus to striped bass along the sod banks, where early-morning plug fishermen are still finding some success and enjoying a few exciting topwater and light-tackle opportunities. Crabbing, meanwhile, has been disappointing. The bay is loaded with egg-bearing female crabs, and once they enter a trap they tend to foul the catch, making it difficult for crabbers to put together a productive outing. Until conditions improve, fishing remains the better bet for those looking to spend time on the water.