My thoughts about fall Stripers-Reel Fun Sportfishing

[ReelFun]

Wednesday November 23, 2011

Fellow Anglers,

As I reported on my web site a few short weeks ago, I was expressing my concerns about the fall migration route of the Striped Bass and hoping they would pay a visit to the Sandy Hook area on their southerly swim. Well, I'm sad to say, that for the 3rd straight year, it's become apparent to me that's not going to happen.

I'm not sure you've heard, but the Manasquan River and Barnegat boats as well as Island Beach State Park surf fisherman are "hammering" the Striped Bass right now and have been, almost daily, for the past 3 weeks. Schools of sand eel baitfish are being devoured by the Stripers along the beach as reported by my sources. Sure, there are resident Stripers in Sandy Hook to go fishing for, but once again THE big body of fall migrating Striped Bass are not going to appear in the Sandy Hook area, at least not so far. Sad, very sad!

Something is wrong here in the Sandy Hook area for these thousands of migrating fish not to follow the contour that they followed on their spring northerly migration to their Cape Cod summer playground. What it is I really don't think I'm qualified to answer, but something is definitely happening here at Sandy Hook for these fish, that turn the corner around Montauk, swim right past us and wind up in the waters from Manasquan south to Barnegat Inlet for the 3rd year in a row.

Coincidence.... don't think so. Something is wrong here and it's time for the powers to be to earn their money and do some investigation on this pattern that's developing. I want some answers as what the heck is going on here and is their something I can to do change this pattern.

Tight Lines,
Capt. John

[Offshore Madness]

Like i said before you nailed it. It is just amazing how they "bypass" us and slam the south.I also fish these waters and for the first time in a long time im ready to head south.
  Your right,we up here can fish all day to get our limit and some dont even get it,including us! them guys south have their limits in 3 drifts or 30 minutes. Dam even the southern surf fisherman/woman are doing better then MOST boater's up here.

 Ever since you posted last time i've followed the reports and even fished for them. To tell the truth it SUCKS in the raritan...

 I'm still holding out hope that the next few weeks bring in some bigger fish cause all great things must come to an end sooner or later.

[Wreckfish]

It's always about the bait.  If you got the bait you got the fish.

[ReelFun]

It's always about the bait.  If you got the bait you got the fish.

Sir, I'm well aware of the cause and effect of your statement. So where the hell has all the sand eel population gone here in the Monmouth County area? Rainfish has been the predominant baitfish as of late. The bunker reduction boats killed that species back in June so what is left?

Which takes me back to my original post a few weeks ago on my web site and I think here too........water quality. Destroy "their" environment and they are out of here.

Like you said....no baitfish, no fish!

[Andys Delight]

It's always about the bait.  If you got the bait you got the fish.

Sir, I'm well aware of the cause and effect of your statement. So where the hell has all the sand eel population gone here in the Monmouth County area? Rainfish has been the predominant baitfish as of late. The bunker reduction boats killed that species back in June so what is left?

Which takes me back to my original post a few weeks ago on my web site and I think here too........water quality. Destroy "their" environment and they are out of here.

Like you said....no baitfish, no fish!

I'm not so sure about the "overall" water quality theory.  They were here in the spring.  I managed to strike out completely, but most reports and boats coming back into my marina were having a banner year.  Between Irene and alot of other rainstorms, the Raritan River (and I'm sure the Hudson) has been constantly overflowing this season.  Hell, just from last night's storm the river is way over its banks in Branchburg and muddy chocolate milk is sure to head to the bay shortly if not already.  Just guessing without any real proof, I'd be willing to bet the salinity levels of the water around us is much lower than usual.  I have a feeling this, among some other issues, is why the baitfish and Stripers have passed us by.  Younger bass do well in lower salinity, which is why I'm betting we have alot of schoolies right now.   

[Wreckfish]

Are sandeels a predominant bait in that area?  I think you hit it right on the head: bunker reduction boats

[IKAT]

It's always about the bait.  If you got the bait you got the fish.

I couldn't agree more!!

Some of my thoughts
I grew up on the R/bay since 1955 and left 1996--back in there in 2010 with the IKAT.
Back in the day you never heard anyone say Rainfish-Sandeels.
Just Bunker
I used to go out in the morning and snag bunker just about anywhere in the bay to go crabbing for a day--but now I have to buy it
Why the bunker are not as abundant in the bay-I have no idea--But we all know why.
My Thought
Larger bass--bunker--12" to whatever
smaller bass--sandeel,and herring-smaller bait
Bunker pods went south--larger bass
BUT yesterday was in contact at 6:30 am with a friend had no problem in a few hours doing a limit for 4 trolling the area around the bay--I guess there is still hope
Bait Weather and when you are there are the real factors.Still some nice bass up here in the north.

[Offshore Madness]

I dont know about the spring run(work) but this fall run sucks and has sucked. I have been sayin it for a while "wheres the bunkers"....All year i think i seen bunkers 3 times.....I am by NO means an "Expert" but to have this large mass of fish bypass us 3 years in a row?

 Alot of Very well Respected Party and Charter boat captians(some even here) Have said its not up to "par" yes they get their days and we do to but not like it used to be or should be.

 The absence of baitfish is the concern i have in raritan bay. I undersatnd the bunker boats and all but they have been here year after year even when we did have a few sweet years so their not the only Fault.

[wb]

YSA definitely did better bassin' in the spring the past few years too....

I think the lazy-ass bass linger too long up in the waters off New England in the late summer, then suddenly they realize ah$h!t the water's too cold here, gotta go. They hightail it to warmer waters, zooming around Montauk and beelining for Cape May. With little forage around to entice them to stop in in beautiful RB they just eat their way past us offshore.

[Kenny]

It's always about the bait.  If you got the bait you got the fish.

I agree w/Phil    bait = fish

[Offshore Madness]

It's always about the bait.  If you got the bait you got the fish.

I agree w/Phil    bait = fish

thats a reason for that...what it is

[Twins n Fins]

just some quick facts, menhaden stocks are down 80% over the last 30 years! last year Omega protein harvested 400 million pounds of Bunker, this is in one year guys the majority of them coming from the Chesapeake. granted they want to reduce that catch by 37% but that won't take place until 2013 i believe. so i will go out on a limb here and say i think bait plays a HUGE role in it. like the guys are saying there is an abundance of sand eels down south so what does a hungry Bass do hang around NY to catch the sites of the skyline or B-Line it south for some Grub. Just my opinion fellas.

[ReelFun]

It's always about the bait.  If you got the bait you got the fish.

Sir, I'm well aware of the cause and effect of your statement. So where the hell has all the sand eel population gone here in the Monmouth County area? Rainfish has been the predominant baitfish as of late. The bunker reduction boats killed that species back in June so what is left?

Which takes me back to my original post a few weeks ago on my web site and I think here too........water quality. Destroy "their" environment and they are out of here.

Like you said....no baitfish, no fish!

I'm not so sure about the "overall" water quality theory.  They were here in the spring.  I managed to strike out completely, but most reports and boats coming back into my marina were having a banner year.  Between Irene and alot of other rainstorms, the Raritan River (and I'm sure the Hudson) has been constantly overflowing this season.  Hell, just from last night's storm the river is way over its banks in Branchburg and muddy chocolate milk is sure to head to the bay shortly if not already.  Just guessing without any real proof, I'd be willing to bet the salinity levels of the water around us is much lower than usual.  I have a feeling this, among some other issues, is why the baitfish and Stripers have passed us by.  Younger bass do well in lower salinity, which is why I'm betting we have alot of schoolies right now.   

Allow me to address some of your points which are well taken.

You say that the Stripers were here in the spring. True, but in lot less numbers than when I started my business in 2004.

In 2004 you could close your eyes and clam all the Stripers you wanted...as they say "stupid fishing" for my customers, who for the most part, are very inexperienced fisherman. Like I said earlier, we always have the "resident" fish here to work with if you put in the time and resources (gas) to find. With gas prices what they are and with time limitations of most charter businesses, running around searching for a "good" day can turn into a very expensive and time consuming ordeal. Not what most charter customers want to contend with. Romer one day, West Bank the next. The clam beds one day, Shrewsbury Rocks the next....well I think you get my point. The less fish there are, the more the pods move around and have to be located.
Years ago I was able to clam the Highlands Bridge area for a good 2 months without having to "scout" the area looking for a small isolated pod of Stripers. Now, that's all you do. Here one day, another place the next. Small isolated pods giving you 1 to 1.5 hrs of nice fishing and BANG....gone.

Now about Irene...you are dead on the money. Irene was a killer for the Fluke as well the Stripers. The bulk of my charters are Fluke guys, so when they extended the season to September 25th I was as happy as a tall dog in short grass. Especially knowing that most of the larger Fluke would come to me in September. Then on Labor Day weekend, Irene destroys the entire Fluke fishery here in Sandy Hook. A killer for me!

Another poster said he had friends who did very well "trolling" Raritan Bay the other day. That's fine for the trollers, but the vast majority of my clients will have nothing to do with trolling. And quite frankly, neither will I. Although trolling does produce, I've had customers who told me that if I start to troll during our trip, to turn the boat around and head for the dock. That simple. My customers are light tackle bait and lure fisherman....PERIOD!

In the end, what's the common thread here. No bait=no fish. And what caused the bait to bail out of here? I think it's the disgusting water that was here after Irene. You should have seen what Raritan Bay looked like a week after the infamous Saturday....the garbage floating around and the smell from the water was unimaginable. Water quality.

[Luna Sea 5]

A few years ago you could walk across the bay on the backs if the bunker.  Not any more.  I pulled my boat out of toms river in hopes to launch in Sandy Hook for the Striper run.  I should have left it in TR.  live and learn.  The spring Striper run is better then in the fall in the Sandy Hook area, but the cows are always South. Up till a few years ago, Sandy Hook was (the place to be).  Now, not so much.  

[Twins n Fins]

i have had my cow days right in  the back bay but always in the spring and ALWAYS on fresh bunker. and capt. i agree with your customers i guess trolling has its place but give me light tackle and bait or plugs any day of the week.

[Hotrod]

It's just your turn to watch us catch all the fish

[Hunter 2]

I had a great spring, lousy fall season with Stripers in the Raritan down to the hook. Not much bunker at all this year.

[Capt. Carl]

I got some intel from a friend that the mid south shore of long island broke wide open the last couple of days...epic bite goin off....if we get these fish in a week, o will call it an extremely late run....if we dont see it.....something is definately definately wrong and i also will start with the bunker stocks....bit we ahould have the sand eels as well pretty thick too....lack of all local baits is a problem with the ecosystem and water quality.

[Twins n Fins]

Well let's hope those fish decide to stop by and say Hi! Hot Rod

[Offshore Madness]

I got some intel from a friend that the mid south shore of long island broke wide open the last couple of days...epic bite goin off....if we get these fish in a week, o will call it an extremely late run....if we dont see it.....something is definately definately wrong and i also will start with the bunker stocks....bit we ahould have the sand eels as well pretty thick too....lack of all local baits is a problem with the ecosystem and water quality.

Be nice if they showed up sooner rather then later