Fairfield Fishing Tackle

“Once again we had some good striper and blackfishing and then came the wind on Friday,” said Joe over at Fairfield Fishing Tackle. He said the wind-less weather we had early in the week put a lot of boats on the water with anglers trying to get in their last trips of the year and most caught keepers, slots and a few overs and shorts. Back bay waters continued to produce bass however on Raritan Bay you had to be in the right place at the right time. Party and charter boats caught bass up to 3 miles off the beaches and while there were some bass in the wash off Sandy Hook on Tuesday, and Wednesday the surf from Sandy Hook down remained quiet. Joe said on the freshwater front trout streams remained on the low side even with the rains we had this past week, At least the leaves are off the trees in most places and not on the water, he said. The winter stocking put some trout in the Barbours Pond and other lakes. Joe ended his report by saying bass and crappie fishing in local lakes has started to get picky as water temps are getting closer to the 30s in most waters.

It was a decent week of fishing in the brine according to Joe over at Fairfield Fishing Tackle. Striper catches were a mix of keepers, slots and overs with some good action in both the back waters of Raritan Bay and in the ocean up to three miles off the beaches. Bottom fishermen also enjoyed a nice mix of tog, sea bass, porgies and ling. On the sweetwater scene Joe mentioned some northerns and big carp being caught in the upper Passaic. He also said the recent rains put some water in the streams and improved the trout fishing in northern waters. Lastly he said walleye fishing was good in Monksville, Swartswood, Greenwood and Hopatcong.