October 12, 2026 - 10:35:19
I wasn’t able to reach the folks at Hands Too Bait and Tackle on Sunday, but our South Jersey field editor Anthony Califano did, and the word is of some good striper fishing in the back bays. “Anglers fishing the sod banks and bridges found plenty of stripers willing to take soft plastics on 3/8-ounce leadheads, including several fish in the 40- to 46-inch range, and a 48-incher,” Anthony noted, adding that he also had word of a, quote, “honest bass blitz” out at Hereford Inlet.”
October 12, 2026 - 10:35:14
Perch in the streams, bass and crappies in the lakes and pickerel in the cedar waters, was he word from sources at Hands Too Bait and Tackle in Cape May. The top lakes for bass and catfish were Ponderlodge Lake and Dennisville Lake while local tidal streams were producing the perch on small jigs tipped with minnows and Gulp. Killies were taking the bulk of the pickerel in the cedar waters, we were told.
October 12, 2026 - 10:35:08
Cape May was a bright spot for this week’s reports with Nick at Hand’s Too Bait and Tackle telling us that his customers report excellent tog, sea bass and striper action. Just before we spoke on Sunday afternoon one of his customers reported that the tog action from the local wrecks and reefs was very good with plenty of keeper size fish and one just shy of 10 pounds. Sea bass action has been very good from the nearshore to the offshore wrecks and reefs. The nearshore sites, including the Del-Jersey Site were giving up limits of sea bass to 15 inches. Customers taking the 40- mile trek offshore to the deepwater wrecks are also finding limits of fish, but these have been big knuckle heads. Cape May is also getting an early round of big stripers in the back bays. Anglers fishing the sod banks and bridges found plenty of stripers willing to take soft plastics on 3/8-ounce leadheads, including several fish in the 40- to 46-inch range, and a 48-incher. Add to this an honest bass blitz along Hereford Inlet this week and it is already shaping up to be a good fall run in southernmost South Jersey.
October 05, 2026 - 10:47:34
Down in Cape May at Hands Too Bait and Tackle Will said after the storm the fishing bounced back real well as sheepshead from 5 to 10 pounds were checked in this week. Weakfish of quality size were hitting in Wildwood and off the rocks on pink Zooms, bucktails and even some bloodworms. Some smaller 1- to 3-pound bluefish are running around but stripers really got on a good feed along the back bay sod banks. Blackfishing is good, but its hard to find a keeper class fish.
October 05, 2026 - 10:47:29
Over at Hands Too Bait and Tackle in Cape May we were told that the coastal area got a lot of damage, however they weathered the storm well. He told us the only report he had was of some bass and catfish being caught at Ponderlodge Lake. Perch fishing was also good in the tidal streams that had settled down.
