It seems hard to believe that there’s more snow on the way for New Jersey, but there is. Regardless of the weather, the fishing is slowly improving as the water creeps toward that magic 42-degree mark.
South Jersey is producing a few stripers right now, mostly in the rivers, reported Billy at Fin-Atic’s in Ocean City. Fishing bloodworms on small hooks in the Tuckahoe and the Great Egg Harbor rivers has produced a mixed bag of white perch and small stripers. Bill recommends using the same rigs that produce kingfish later in the summer. Imitation bloodworms are working as well, reported Bill.
The Mullica River is also producing stripers and perch, though Gravelling Point, a perennial early-season striper spot, has been slow. A few short stripers have been reported from Gravelling, but the water still needs to warm up a bit before the action picks up.
Freshwater fishermen in the southern half of the state are finding open water and hungry bass, crappies and pickerel. In the Northern half of the state, there’s still ice on many lakes, and at this point, most of the ice isn’t safe to fish on. One exception seems to be Lake Hopatcong where Laurie at Dow’s Boat Rental says a handful of guys are still ice fishing. With colder temps at night, the ice on New Jersey’s largest lake is still about 12 to 14 inches, but some shorelines are starting to open up. A mixed bag of fish are being caught, with the most action coming from the Woodport area. Max Hughen weighed in a largemouth bass at 2 pounds, 6 ounces, and Justin McCarthy had a nice pickerel weighing 4 pounds 1 ounce.
Efingers in Bound Brook and Harry’s Army Navy in Robbinsville had little to report this week. Both shops hadn’t heard much news of anglers hitting the water.
Best Bets for the Weekend
While waiting for the water and weather to warm, there are a few good events this weekend.
On Sunday, the Patchogue Fishing Flea Market will be taking place at St. Joseph’s College. Also happening this weekend is the Saltwater Fishing Expo at the Garden State Exhibit Center in Somerset. With saltwater-specific vendors and a full schedule of seminars, this is a can’t miss show for the saltwater angler.
For fishing this weekend, the rivers are again your best bet for stripers. Use bloodworms on small hooks and you’ll catch a few bonus white perch as well.
I was on the Dauntless late last week and the cod were the only thing in the area. Everyone caught but there were a lot of shorts a few keepers but only a few of them. Thanks for all your reports, it makes the winter alittle shorter.
I caught and released 8 yellow perch to 11″, 5 white perch to 9″ and a 10″ black crappie while ultralight jigging with 1/32 oz tube jigs in a Central Jersey lake Wednesday. There was lots of ice in my spot.