Jumped in the yak during the predawn hours looking to chase down some micro-linsiders. Took me a while to dial in but once I did I had decent C&R light tackle action on bass to 16″.  My weapon of choice was a trimmed down white BKD. Funny having a 16″ bass actually turn your yak around when you fight it.

Screaming drags, Capt. Alex 609-548-2511

With some free time yesterday I got out and fished. I thought about fishing locally, but ended up making the hour drive north to fish the Raritan Bay with fellow store staffer Blake. There were just too many good reports flowing to miss out.

Blake and I were greeted with the midday’s super low full moon tide. It made launching difficult but we managed. At the ramp we talked with an angler who was pulling out after fishing the morning. He reported good fishing, catching small bass both on the troll and casting lures. He said the bite got good as the tide dropped but had to cut the session short due to work.

We launched and headed out to the area he suggested. There were a couple gannets roaming around so we started casting. Within the first hour or so the only other boat in the area picked a pair of fish on the troll. No takers for us on poppers, soft baits or jigs. The wind kicked up and the tide started to flood. The water temp dropped from 50 to 48. We decided to make a run west looking for the warmer water and protection from the wind. After searching around trying different areas we finally settled in on the area off of Laurence Harbor and Cliffwood Beach. There were a couple gannets roaming and scattered marks on the sounder. Without luck on lures we were forced into trolling. It didn’t take long and we were into a steady pick of small bass trolling rubber shads right into sunset. There were some other boats that joined in on the area for the last couple hours and from the looks of it everyone was catching. It was a good day and a successful shake down trip.

Late this morning we received a nice bait delivery. We currently have surf clams (both live in the shell as well as shucked salted pints), green crabs and bloodworms. With the awesome weather we have been super busy so we aren’t confident our supply will last long. It’s best to call to confirm bait stock before making the drive.

Here’s some info on local fishing…

Store staffer Steve-o said, “Perch fishing is going in the evenings. Use small jigs, worms and/or shrimp. Winter flounder and schoolie bass are present in the mid-island bay. One customer said he got two small bass clamming the mid-island surf yesterday.” Steve reported a good four hour session fishing a bulkhead with worms. Store staffer Joe C. has been catching on the bayside too. He reported small bass going for bucktails in the mornings. The outgoing tide is best but with weather like this get out and enjoy it when you can.

Lots of questions about Inlet reports. Bluefish? Tog? While we have not received direct reports it’s that time! We should be seeing the spring’s first yellow eye soon. On the tog front, we know some customers are trying because we are selling green crabs; however, we have not heard back. With the positive reports from boats fishing the near shore reefs and wrecks we expect the white chins to be hanging around the Inlet Jetty soon if not already there.

Here’s a weekend report from one of our area’s local party boat, Carolyn Ann III out of Barnegat Light. They got out and and put their clients on fish.

The CA3 reported, “Saturday’s steady 20-25 mph north west wind all day, didn’t affect fishing. The bite was real good with a nice catch of blackfish and some cod. Several anglers had their limit and pretty much everyone caught keepers. Richard Wiesz (see photo) won the pool with a 7lb tog. Sunday was a beautiful day on the water, but the bite was slower. Still a great day with a mix of blackfish and cod. Mike Keane took the pool with a 6.5lb cod.”

The Carolyn Ann III is fishing every Saturday and Sunday though April; however, they are sailing on Good Friday and this upcoming Saturday. They are NOT sailing on Easter Sunday.

The Carolyn Ann mentioned, “Don’t forget about our charter service! Whether it’s a group fishing, birthday party, corporate event, memorial service or ocean cruise… We will do our best to fit all needs!” They can also arrange catering. Call Gina to discuss your needs and details 856-313-5493

Most anglers aboard the Reel Fantasea continue to score double digit numbers of striped bass  into the 20’s++  while boat/trip totals continue to flirt with triple digit numbers on a regular basis!! This puts our seasons’s striped bass catch and release total above 650-700 for this young 2017 fishing season!

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Striped Bass! Perch! Winter Flounder! Drum! Weakfish! Fluke! Blue Claw Crabs!

While the first three are old news the second half is music to our ears! The striped bass fishing is strong. Both early season spots are lit up and activity has spread out elsewhere in the bay too. Softbaits and bucktails are doing the trick as well as natural baits like clam and worm. White perch fishing has been good. Today we got a report that it was on fire mid week with some quality fish size in the mix. We also heard herring were boiling too. Store staffer Steve-o reports there are winter flounder in the mid-island bay. He got a couple fishing yesterday.

Word broke a couple days ago on the season’s first black drum, weakfish and fluke. Only waiting on the yellow eye demons and we’ll have a full house. A customer was in the shop earlier Friday buying clams. While here he reported catching a quality black drum Thirsday but didn’t want to share where. Captain Steve of Reel Fantasea Fishing Charters recently put his clients on the season’s first weakfish and first fluke! See his report which is a separate post.

Yesterday we had a customer buy a bucket full of frozen bunker. He stopped back today with a positive report. “Two dozen blue clabs!”  They are out of the mud or they skipped burrowing into hibernation.

With a good stretch of weather laid out we are optimistic on local fishing. So far we’ve had a great weekend.  We currently have a small amount of live surf clam left as well as live green crabs and salted clam. We sold out of live bloods. If you can’t find worms we have DynaBait Freeze dried blood and sand worms in stock. Try them they work! If you want to wet a line stop in and we’ll hook you up.

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Here’s some news from Van Staal… The super popular Van Staal VR Series family of fishing reels is getting a baby brother soon. Craig at Van Staal stopped by the shop a couple weeks ago and showed us the prototype. We were impressed with it style and feel. Nothing innovative, just a rock solid all metal spinning reel made for fishing by fisherman. What’s so complicated with that? Anglers have been asking for something like this for years.

Here’s a recent photo of Craig putting the VR50 to the test! Stay tuned for its release. We expect it will be shown at ICAST this July.

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Here’s some news on the LEI Dredging…

Little Egg Inlet Dredging Expected to Begin in Early July
Apr 05, 2017
A project to clear dangerous shoals from Little Egg Inlet is projected to start mid-summer, according to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. The DEP’s Division of Coastal Engineering is expediting dredging of the inlet, which is a major thoroughfare for boat traffic between southern Long Beach Island and Brigantine to the south.

“We’re hoping to advertise the request for proposals this month,” said DEP press officer Lawrence Hajna. “Allowing for the procurement process and fish-migration timing restrictions, we would expect work to begin in early July.”

The project will focus on shoaling of sand on the oceanside of the inlet. Currently, in many places the channel has become less than 6 feet below mean sea level, making navigation very difficult, especially when contending with waves. An estimated 1 to 1.5 million cubic yards of sand will be dredged to create a channel 25 feet below mean sea level.

“This situation has become critical so we are moving forward, using state money, to dredge the channel and make it safe again for everyone who needs this vital access for fishing and recreation,” DEP Commissioner Bob Martin said last month. “We need to take action to get this channel dredged for the safety and enjoyment of the public this summer season.”

According to the DEP, “The project, which will require U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permits, will be designed to have negligible to no impact on the nearby (Edwin B.) Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge or migrations of fish.”

Steve Rochette, spokesman for the Army Corps, said the Corps’ regulatory office received the permit application last week, and is conducting an initial review now.
As Hajna noted, “It’s hard to say at this stage how long the project will take. This will depend a lot on the amount of sand that actually has to be dredged and, of course, weather.”

The dredged sand will be used to replenish beaches on portions of southern LBI.

— Juliet Kaszas-Hoch, The SandPaper

Finally got to invite a couple of fish, white perch, to diner.  Hit a local tidal lagoon Saturday at dusk and went 2 for about 6.  I was using a shad dart tip with a piece of bloodworm.  Others around me got a few and some were skunked.  Tide was starting to flood but still not a lot of water were is was. Small bass continue to bends rods in the usual super early locals but are being seeing more through the bay at place they usually hang out. Based on the ease at which Ospreys have been coming back to nesting platforms with big bunker you know there are toms of bunker schools out there.  Hear of a few fluke caught already. Fluke move into the back bays a lot earlier than most think, it is just they may chew well until the waters warm.  These fluke will get hungry because they just got done spawning on the shelf waters and swam several dozen of miles west to put some weight back on.

On the nature side of things: white perch’s scientific name is Morone Americana.  Striped bass have the scientific name of Morone saxatilis. Both fish are placed in the family of temperate basses which is Moronidae. Remember taxonomic classification you learned in school?  There are 6 known species of temperate bass worldwide.  Sharing the same genius, Morone, indicates that these two fish are very closely related.  They are so closely related in that when the eggs of one of them is mixed with the sperm of the other species offspring arise.  These offspring is what we hybrid bass.  They are a true hybrid in that as adult they cannot produce fertile off spring. The ability of an organism to produce fertile offspring with what makes is a species.  Fish farmers started breeding hybrid bass in the others and they are noted for a fast rate or growth, good table fare and hard fighters.

Springs dates are filling in fast so if you are thinking about going out with me contact me soon. I don’t like leaving people at the dock.

Screaming drags, Capt. Alex 609-548-2511

After yesterday’s torrential down pours and wicked winds I wasn’t sure what if any effect it would have on our fishery for the next couple days , well it didn’t take too long to have that questioned answered!