Point Pleasant Canal Fishing Reports

[njdevil]

Again nice report

NJDEVIL 

[IrishAyes]

Nice Garry. Always fun to catch the blues. 

[Pfishingruven]

Nice report, thanks!

 

[ped579]

Yeah, looks like the blue spawn is over and they are coming in with a feeding vengeance.

[Treebeard]

Good stuff there Garry. Your reports are always a great read 

[wink_man]

Hit the inlet this morning at 4:30 AM. Plan was to catch hickory shad, go to the north end of the canal and catch a blue, then go to the south end and liveline a shad for a striper. Put the large live bait tank in the truck yesterday(50 gallon with a 850 GPH aireator).

Shad arrived like clockwork, but didn't stay long, about 15 minutes. I managed like 8, which was more than enough. Went to the north end of the canal. The shad were dying on me, don't know why. Wound up with only 2 fishable shad, therefore never got to the south end of the canal.

Water was clear, tide incoming and to strong to easily fish but doable, wind non existant, weed and cabbage liveable, boat traffic medium.

First shad was hit about 20 steps from Pine Bluff, friend Sam was walking with me. He lurks here and read the reports, LOL. Fish runs, stops and I wait till he moves again to throw the baitcaster in gear and set the hook, as the shad was about 14-15 inches. Bingo, big fish on, and he takes off south and across the canal. He ripped out a lot of line on his initial run. Sam was a little skeptical about the outfit I was using, but after seeing it in action, said it was like a 'musical instrument', LMAO. Fish is 200 feet south of me and across the canal, and here comes a boat, right down the middle of the canal. Sam sprints up ahead and waves the boat to the other side(man he could move for an older guy, even with boots on). Thats the kind of stuff that makes fishing fun and interesting in the canal, tough fishing and always an obstacle (like a boat, or MANY boats, LMAO), and friends helping each other out. Anyways, my outfit made short work of the fish, brought him in, wrapped the 50 LB leader around the small stick I carry and hefted him over the fence. I figured him for 12 pounds, maybe 13, Sam insisted he was bigger.

Fished shad number 2 and got a hit halfway up to the curve, fish ran, stopped, and that was it. Somehow, again, an alligator managed to rip the shad right off the hooks. And that was it, as the rest of my shad died.

Sam wanted this fish so kept it for him, and while I watched him fish, I went to the truck for my scale, as he was still saying it was bigger. Well, Sam was correct, 14 lbs, 8 ounces.

Nice morning with good company between the inlet and the canal, life is good.

Garry

 

[ped579]

 

[IrishAyes]

Good job on landing the fish. Sounds like you need a traffic cop out there for the boats. 

[Ren]

  lol...good report garry..

[Pfishingruven]

Nice catch and report...as usual!

 

[MartyS]

As far as the shad dying...have you ever tried the Frabill Aqua-lung tablets?  They condition and oxygenate the water for up to nine hours.  I've used them with great success on freshwater bait and also killies.

[wink_man]

Took a little scouting trip this morning at 10AM, to see if any friends were around and if anyone was doing anything.

Mantaloking bridge was pretty full, people crabbing, and a few people fishing, but didn't stop there, just rode past.

Stopped at the inlet, then the canal. Water clear, wind south, tide just starting at the outgoing at the inlet, incoming at a decent pace at the canal. Weed and cabbage medium both places, boat traffic fairly heavy.

Plenty of short fluke and sea robins to be had at the inlet, a friend I know did catch one keeper fluke earlier in the morning before the water went slack.

Only one guy fishing the north end of the canal. He caught 2 porgies, so looks like they are starting to show there. Also stated that a guy caught a weakfish earlier, about 22 inches, 4 pounds from what he described to me.

Those porgies at just legal size would make a great bait to liveline for the gators in there, and a lot less trouble than trying to carry live bait from the inlet. Just a nice size too, you wouldn't need a stinger hook. He was catching them on sandworms.

Think I will put in an effort to catch weakfish next week, and try to determine what kind of numbers are around there, they appear to be just starting to come in, amazing how late everything is this year.

Marty, have never used the product you mention, I have used 'herring keep'. Oxygen is not an issue with the aireated pump I have, and may all become a moot point if I find weakies next week, but thank you for the tip.

Garry 

[Pfishingruven]

Nice report, thanks!  I am hoping to get out at some point this weekend or next couple of days at night and do some weakfishing as well.

Good Luck!

 

[wink_man]

Nice report, thanks!  I am hoping to get out at some point this weekend or next couple of days at night and do some weakfishing as well.

Good Luck!

 

Yup, I know what you mean. I don't generally fish weekends, however, I'm sitting here, reading a tide chart, seeing a good tide this evening at the canal between 5pm & 8pm, and my favorite weakfish rod is staring at me saying 'take me fishing', just like my kids used to when they were small, so somehow I'm smelling a weakfish expedition to the north end of the canal this evening, LMAO.

Garry

[Pfishingruven]

I always have lots of intention to go fishing!  Somehow something or other always gets in the way or delays it.  Evening into night fishing on the weekends are not so bad here, but during the day....forget it!!

 

[wink_man]

Decided to hit the canal late this afternoon, looking for weakies. Stopped at the inlet first, to see if anyone was around. Just a few short fluke being caught, and the tide running about an hour later than normal, due to the new moon I guess.

Hit the canal at 5PM, and water was running kind of fast, but fishable with difficulty with a one ounce jig. Fished till about 5:45 when a looming thunderstorm with lightning in the distance made me decide to go back to the truck(just as the water was getting nice and fishable). Started fishing again at 7PM, and fished in earnest till almost 9PM when the water was running to fast for my liking. Concentrated on the very north end of the canal where it meets the river, and only jigged pink Fin-S, looking for weakies. 3 Fin-S bitten off by small blues, and that was it. However, it was nice to be using my favorite weakie rod and jigging pink Fin-S, knowing they are starting to come in.
Water clear, wind south, boat traffic heavy, and weed and cabbage fairly heavy this evening.
No one else fishing land, 3 boats working the river just before dusk, and the talk is weakies. One guy says 'fish on', a guy from another boat yells, 'is it a weakfish?', first guy yells back no, a small blue.

At dusk, 2 younger guys come fishing down by me, they are fishing for 5 minutes, and one of them hooks into an alligator blue, on a gulp bloodworm, no less, LMAO. He had to follow the fish up past Pinebluff and out of my sight, he's telling his friend to run to the truck and get the net. They come back, and no fish? Guy said he got it to the side of the canal and up to him and it broke off, so I told him they were in there and to rig up with wire and a 50 lb mono shock leader. Would have been nice if they managed to land it.

Garry

 

[Pops Soul]

Good report as always Garry

[Pfishingruven]

Great report again! 

 

[mgm]

WTG Garry......you gotta launch "Garry's Canal Guide Services!"

[wink_man]

Thanks, as always, for the kind words guys.

Garry