Southern New Jersey Fishing Report

Another solid week of striped bass fishing with lots of fish over the 36-inch mark being caught and released off Island Beach State Park and areas north.  The epicenter of bass action has been areas north of Manasquan Inlet, but the southern push is on and piles of fish should be here in the coming week or two.  A few boats reported several thresher sharks mixed in the bunker busting pods.  The bayside bite is going strong in parts of Great Bay and south along Ocean City for slot bass to 40 inchers.  The tautog bite has been epic along any rock-lined jetties in our area.  Green crabs, sand fleas, and Asian shore crabs continue to be the prime baits for tog to 9 pounds.  Anglers looking for sea bass are still finding them, but the runs from shore are becoming greater in distance with the cooler water and eastward movement of sea bass.  The weeks leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday should see a larger push of striped bass in our areas, so gear up and get out there. 

Here is this week’s rundown:

Hook House Bait & Tackle in Toms River said Island Beach, Seaside Park, and Seaside Heights have been fairly good for striped bass with quite a few overs released off the beaches.  Topwater plugs, swimshads and even a few fish fell for casted metals.  Some bigger blues have also moved in off the beaches and along Barnegat Inlet.  Anglers driving the length of IBSP are finding cooperative tog biting along the inlet. 

Creekside Outfitters in Waretown reported a slower week in the back during the day with only a few striped bass landed from the main channels, but anglers working the night shift with eels found a few 40 inchers swimming in Barnegat bay.  Isolated schools of bunker and bass to 50 pounds are being found from IBSP to Ship Bottom.  The bite has been mostly a snag-n-drop bite, but a few bass have been caught on plugs and flutter spoons.  The Barnegat Inlet had an excellent tog bite this past week for anglers dropping greenies between the rocks and some solid keepers were caught. 

 

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Reel Reaction Sportfishing out of Waretown has been out almost every day this past week targeting striped bass and tautog.  The charters have been releasing bass in the over range, while keeping a few each trip from 24 to 31 inches.  The skipper has been ending trips with an hour of togging to box limits of fish up to 8 pounds while releasing 40 to 60 fish.  The crew has gift certificates available for the holidays and a third of the 2024 season is already booked, so give them a ring. 

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The Super Chic out of Barnegat Light has been targeting striped bass north and south of Barnegat Inlet.  Although the most recent trip didn’t have any keepable fish, the clients released quite a few fish up to 50 pounds on live bunker. 

Tony’s Bait & Tackle in Manahawkin reported a decent striped bass bite from the bathing beach of IBSP to the Harvey Cedars lump on fish to 50 pounds.  Most of the action has been on snagged bunker, but white plugs and poppers to 7 inches are also working for anglers.  The bay bite slowed with not too much action from the area’s bridges during the night tides.  Boaters drifting eels are finding a few larger fish at both ends of Long Beach Island in some of the deeper channels.  The blackfish bite has been off the charts at Barnegat Inlet and the shop recommends grabbing a few dozen green crabs due to the large number of shorts. 

Tackle Direct in Egg Harbor City had excellent reports of slot to large striped bass in parts of Great Bay, Somers Point, and Stone Harbor.  Anglers working plugs, live spot, and even flies have been landing some nice sized fish.  The beaches have been more spotty on stripers with an occassional bass being landed on chunked bunker.  Tog fishing remains hot through the past week and the jetties off of Atlantic City have been producing some nice fish to 7 pounds.   

Tight Lines Bait & Tackle in Somers Point received a fresh load of bunker and live eels as the bass bite has been very consistent in the bay.  Live eels and spot are producing a solid number of fish from 24 to 38 inches.  The bridges have been alive with baitfish and striped bass harassing them during the graveyard shifts.  Anglers looking to box a nice tog should stock up with large numbers of green crabs as the bite has been insane off some of bridges and jetties. 

Badfish Charters in Ocean City was busy working the backwaters for another week and Capt. Brian releasing some beauties on the fly in the back.  The skipper has been fishing ultra skinny water to 1.5 feet and had stripers up to 40 inches engulfing flies.  The first light bite has been excellent and the crew will be focusing on skinny water fishing over the next few weeks, so give them a call to get in on the action. 

 

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The Cape May and Fortescue area reported some decent striped bass action with fish up to 30 inches being taken along the backside of Wildwood and Cape May.  The main game has been drifting live eels at night or spot during the day to box a fish or two.  The beaches were a little slow this past week for anglers working clam and chunked bunker baits with only a few striped bass and dogfish being landed.  Anglers taking the boat ride for sea bass are finding large numbers of shorts, but working through them is producing a nice cooler full.  Tog fishing continued the hot streak from October as there are tons of fish off the jetties and bridges.  Green crabs and sand flea baits tipped on jigs or traditional tog rigs continue to produce fish to 7 pounds.  A few larger specimens in the 10 pound range were landed from one of the reef sites. 

South Jersey Fishing Forecast

The best bet for this weekend will be to target striped bass for most of our region as schools are beginning to trickle into Atlantic and Cape May counties.  Surf fisherman will have their best shots within the first two hours of the sunrise as bass moving into the shallows to feed will usually pounce on worked poppers or plugs.  Boat fisherman employing the snag, circle reset and drop technique have excellent shots at releasing fish over 50 pounds.  With those larger fish, it is imperative that you support the entire fish when holding for a pic and the best way to prevent injury is to keep the fish in the water.  These fish are the breeding stock of the future, so take care of them.  Although New Jersey is still at the 1-fish limit for tautog, it’s a great opportunity to introduce a first timer to tog fishing as the bite has been drop-n-reel.  Grab the gear, some crabs, and pick a jetty along any of South Jersey’s inlets for a guaranteed tautog bite.  Good Luck, Be Safe, and Tight Lines!