RJ
04-24-2010, 09:49 AM
Overview: Striper fishing has been running on all cylinders in the Raritan and in the ocean! Guys are catching some really, really nice bass this past week, but the bunker run is still just out of anglers reach for now. Places like the Raritan Reach and North Beach are flooded with striper. Most of North Jersey has been dominated by the striper bite with anglers scoring on clams and jigs. Trolling Stretch 25’s are just about as good as it gets during an early spring run. Flounder spots are few and far between which many anglers consider a joke that the season is still even open. Action offshore seems to be dwindling down to a few cod here and a few blackfish there. All in all the big time bass and the bunker schools are almost at our gates so get ready!
Atlantic Highlands Area: Beach fishing in this area is better here than towards the Raritan Bay. Trolling just off the beach, less than a mile out, is perfect water right now. Stretch 25’s, Stretch Imitators and rubber shad patterns are working off of Flynn’s Knoll with a slight East wind. Fishing with clams has picked up since last week, but jigging and trolling are super hot right now. Further north near Sandy Hook has been good with clams, but once you get in a boat you’re going to want to bust out the spreader bars and bunker spoons. Flounder is pretty much dead at this point. Look to see anglers switching their attention to mainly bass and blues within a week or two.
Long Branch Area: All the action this week revolves around the amazing bass bite near the Shrewsbury Rocks. Big time bass are being caught on big 6-inch bunker patterns from Tsunami. Offshore at the Sandy Hook Reef anglers are taking plenty of late season blackfish on green crabs and clams. Fish anywhere from 40 to 60-feet of water and you’re bound to hit a good lump at the Sandy Hook Reef. Forget about flounder or blackfish inshore in the Long Branch Area. Concentrate on migrating bass within a few weeks.
Atlantic Highlands Area: Beach fishing in this area is better here than towards the Raritan Bay. Trolling just off the beach, less than a mile out, is perfect water right now. Stretch 25’s, Stretch Imitators and rubber shad patterns are working off of Flynn’s Knoll with a slight East wind. Fishing with clams has picked up since last week, but jigging and trolling are super hot right now. Further north near Sandy Hook has been good with clams, but once you get in a boat you’re going to want to bust out the spreader bars and bunker spoons. Flounder is pretty much dead at this point. Look to see anglers switching their attention to mainly bass and blues within a week or two.
Long Branch Area: All the action this week revolves around the amazing bass bite near the Shrewsbury Rocks. Big time bass are being caught on big 6-inch bunker patterns from Tsunami. Offshore at the Sandy Hook Reef anglers are taking plenty of late season blackfish on green crabs and clams. Fish anywhere from 40 to 60-feet of water and you’re bound to hit a good lump at the Sandy Hook Reef. Forget about flounder or blackfish inshore in the Long Branch Area. Concentrate on migrating bass within a few weeks.