Another disappointing week for bass anglers. It seems that everyone has the bluefish blues. The Raritan Bay is producing very few if any keeper bass. This time last year you could not miss catching a trophy bass .Bass are being caught but they are few and far between.
Bunker are plentiful in the bay if you get them early before Great Kills Harbor is jammed up with 50 boats clogging the entrance .If you can’t find bunker than expect to pay $20 per dozen on average.
Captain Ron on the Fisherman from Atlantic highlands reported another tough week for bass but plenty of bluefish being caught from 5 to 15 lbs.
Captain Dave reported the same with bluefish keeping anglers busy and hopes of trophy bass turning on. The bay is loaded with spearing; rain fish and bunker so where are all the bass?
From Barnegat Light Captain Steve Purul from Reel Fantasea Charters reported a banner week of top water action. Enormous schools of adult bunker continue to migrate into Barnegat coastal waters bringing trophy striped bass and monster alligator blues up to 15 lbs. The big schools are also attracting dolphin’s whales and occasional thresher sharks being sighted. Numbers of big bass should start turning up in the next two weeks.
From the Suds
Expert surf fisherman Paul Danielczyk reported high numbers of Bluefish blitzes that were in the weight range of 15 to 20 pounds on average.
As far as any particular spot well lets just say there were catches all up and down the coast. If you can get out over the weekend Paul advises you to pick up a number of bunker for the blues and clams for the bass.If you are adventurous put on at least an 8/0 circle hook and the head of a bunker, cast out and hold on the big bass will be along shortly.
Even though there are a lot of fish around the bite is off when it comes to lures, Paul says give it a little more time and patience and you should be able to throw your lure of choice and have a fish on in all areas of the shore.
The water is starting to warm up nicely with Fridays water temp at 57 the steady climb and a low barometer should give a good showing this week. To learn more about surf fishing from Paul log onto NJSaltwaterfisherman.com for the latest surf reports.
Fish On.
