Point Pleasant Canal Fishing Reports

[ed v]

Hit the canal by the 88 bridge at about 4pm today. Started to fish "Gary style" with a 5in. Fin-S in "Arkansas shiner." Didn't have much luck with that so I put on a Bagleys deep diving crankbait and on the 2nd or 3rd cast got a nice 30in. bluefish. Didn't have a net so had to yank him up with the Fireline (ouch!). Not much else happened just a small hit and a lost Fin-S to the bottom. This is my 3rd time fishing here so I have a lot to learn still.

Gary, do the resident stripers Summer over in the canal or does the water get to warm. By the way great site here guys. Nice to see people that are actually willing the share information and not get all bent out of shape if someone says "too much."

Ed

[wink_man]

Congrats Ed, thats a great fish. While most of the blues in the Canal average 2 to 4 pounds, those school up. However, I don't know why, but there tends to be some large blues in the canal between the 88 Bridge and the mouth of the canal at the river. They are loners, they don't school up, and tend to lay right on the bottom.

Good choice on the crankbait, for only fishing the canal for the 3rd time, I'd say you're doing pretty good. Also, I find a net the most valuable tool I have at the canal. If you're looking for big fish, and don't have a net or gaff(with a LONG handle), you might as well go home.

I've found the stripers tend to stay all season, right into the fall/winter migration, I've never seen the water get to warm. Trouble is with the stripers, they are a hard fish to fool in the canal, and it's really mostly a live bait proposition. Livelined herring and eels are especially effective. The reason being that on the outgoing tide, a ton of bait goes through the canal from Northern Barnegat bay, and on the incoming the same thing happens from the Manasquan River, and both places are loaded with bait. The tide really rips in the canal, and the baitfish are pretty helpless in that fast current, thus, easy pickings for the stripers. They tend to see a lot of bait wash past them, without having to work for it, therefore, they are extremely picky.

Garry

[ped579]

At this point I can't wait to reel in anything.  I hope to get out Thursday night at Ortley Beach right before dusk.  Anyone want to join me?

My daughter is going camping this weekend so I have to get her ready.  After that I am free to hit the beach once it closes to bathers.  I usually park in the 3rd Ave. Parking lot.

Paul

[wink_man]

Well, I don;t have a report from yesterday, because the big kahuna here had me slaving and typing in directions and links for the Point Pleasant Canal. He's cutting into my fishing time, LMAO, and if he expects more, I want a pretty secretary I can dictate to.

Hit the canal at 4:20AM this morning, tide was running much faster than it should have been on the outgoing, I'm sure the south wind had a lot to do with it. That south wind just won't quit. Daughter was at the beach yesterday afternoon in Spring Lake, and remarked to me that the water was very cold. Water was clear, and full of jellyfish. They were lighting up a neon blue color when my lure went past them, was pretty cool. Boat traffic was minimal till about 6:30, then it was a little higher than normal, and weed and cabbage was almost non existant.

Fished my usual spot close to the 88 bridge for an hour with the Fin-S and the Rapala, could not draw a strike to save my life. So I moved up closer to the 88 Bridge and fished the eddy there, and picked up my first bass on the Rapala about 5:20AM. About 24 inches, and put up a nice fight:


Worked a little further up the eddy and picked up a second one about 10 minutes later, smaller, about 17-18 inches:


And that was it for the rest of the morning, could not draw another strike from a striper. Bluefish were scarce, I did get one 2 pounder, and a 5 pounder in the eddy on a Fin-S. And a few Fin-S fish slashed up, but the blues weren't there in any numbers.

Spoke to my friend Joe(whose backyard I fish in most of the time), and he told me yesterday early evening, he fished the mouth of the canal by the river and caught a 36 inch gator blue, and another guy caught a 34 incher. He said his young son netted it for him, and was thrilled, but said 'Dad, we need a bigger net'.

So I quit about 9AM, but fished the wall all the way out with the Rapala, and couldn't draw a strike, left about 9:30AM.

2 fisherman on my side of the canal, at the mouth, and 2 on the other side, but no one appearred to be doing anything. One boat down there fishing early, but he didn't stay very long.

Garry

 

[gymrat987654321]

Nice report. Those are some big blues. 

[wink_man]

Hit the canal at 4:30PM this afternoon. Identical tides as this morning, and extended fast water due to the south wind. Water was clear, weed and cabbage heavy this afternoon, boat traffic moderate.

Fished the wall with the rapala from Pine Bluff Ave all the way to the route 88 bridge, looking for a hungry striper. Got one about 45 minutes after I started in the same eddy as the 2 I got this morning, fish was about 20 inches. Fished my favorite spot as the water slowed with the Fin-S, and nothing, worked the wall and the hole.

I figured I'd go check the westerly side for access and try it before the tide switched, so headed out and found access to the westerly side, I'll write up the directions when I get a chance. Worked the wall and several holes with both the rapala and the Fin-S from River Road to the route 88 bridge, had one bluefish bite a Fin-S off and that was the sum total of the action.

Fishing is way off, I'm sure due to the south wind, there's really no other reason for it.

Met a guy who just moved in on the westerly side, and he invited me to access the canal through his yard anytime, real nice guy. Also met another guy who peruses this site and recognized me, and said he's going to join now.

I was debating fishing the nite tide tonight, however, there is a good tide situation at 5:30AM tomorrow morning for a couple of hours, and Weather Underground is saying a 60 percent chance of thunderstorms from 11AM on tomorrow, so that may be what the fish need to go on a feed, will give it a shot in the morning.

Garry

[IrishAyes]

Nice report Garry. Good luck on tomorrow's outing. 

[ped579]

Good report Garry.  I am sure that the change in the fronts have a lot to do with the bite being off.  I fished Ortley this evening I tried all the usual holes not even a hit or a tap.  This must be a good front coming through.  Batten down the hatches boys its goina blow,  Argh...

Paul

[ed v]

Gary,
What kind of rapala are you using, an X-rap ?

[wink_man]

Hit the canal at 5:30 this morning. Water was clear, weed and cabbage almost non existant on outgoing, and BAD on incoming. Boat traffic only a little above normal(surprised me), and a few guys fishing at the mouth of the canal.

Started working the wall with the rapala at Pine Bluff Ave., right where I walk in. 3rd Cast, I get a good hit, turns out to be about an 8 pound bluefish, the best kind too, he gave me a great fight, and came off right at my feet when I brought him in. Worked a little ways up and got a striper about 20 inches, didn't get a pic because the pack was still on my back. Worked up to my spot and then to the eddy at the 88 bridge, and picked up another 20 incher in the eddy. Action died with the rapala, so I switched to the Fin-S and got another 20 incher right at my regular spot.



So by 6:15 I had 3 shorts, a good day already, considering what the south wind has done to the fishing lately.

Couldn't do nothing in the holes with the Fin-S, so I switched to a Storm Big Mac deep diver. I like the Big Mac, it's a deep diver, yet doesn't bend your rod in half diving down(and I use a light rod). Problem is it is poorly designed as to location of the hooks. I cast it this one time, and retreiving, it doesn't quite feel like it's vibrating right, and as I watch it come out of the depths, I can see the 2 rear hooks hooked together, prolly due to the fact that it isn't very areodynamic. Like this:


So as I watch it come up, a split second after I see the hooks, a bass follows it out of the depths and grabs it. I set the hook, but it didn't work, LMAO. Was real cool to see though. It was a better bass too, maybe even a keeper, but at least bigger than what I have been catching lately. I am going to remove the middle hook to eliminate that problem ever happening again, LMAO.

Tide started ripping to hard, and I left about 8:30, boat traffic had pretty well died, and only one person fishing from the bank that I saw. Probably due to the look of the sky and the fact that they're calling for thunderstorms this early afternoon.

Garry

[Ren]

I've been fishing point pleasant canal just about everyday. I've been getting so many storm lures chewed up by monster blues its ridiculous.  I've had a 15+ lb blue on the line just about everytime I go. For some odd reason, I never bring a net( Net is a MUST ). I'm going to start hitting the canal around 3:00 AM (tide dep.) in search of my weary striper. Today is the 4th so boat traffic was already bad at 8:30am. No luck incoming tide. This is my first time on this site and already getting good info from Garry. 

"Keep the fish throw the old lady back"

Ren

[wink_man]

Gary,
What kind of rapala are you using, an X-rap ?

Ed,
     Yes, I'm using an X-Rap SXR-12, at 3/4 ounce in the Glass Ghost(white) finish.

I also have the same lure, same finish in SXR-14 at 1 1/2 ounces, which I think might even be a better imitation of the baitfish in the area, but it's difficult to argue with the success I've had with the 12, but I'll try the 14 when I get the chance.

Garry

[wink_man]

I've been fishing point pleasant canal just about everyday. I've been getting so many storm lures chewed up by monster blues its ridiculous.  I've had a 15+ lb blue on the line just about everytime I go. For some odd reason, I never bring a net( Net is a MUST ). I'm going to start hitting the canal around 3:00 AM (tide dep.) in search of my weary striper. Today is the 4th so boat traffic was already bad at 8:30am. No luck incoming tide. This is my first time on this site and already getting good info from Garry. 

"Keep the fish throw the old lady back"

Ren

Ren,
     Boat traffic really wasn't that bad considering it's a holiday weekend, I've seen it a LOT worse.

I mentioned in a previous post that there are some really big blues laying on the bottom in the canal. And incidentally, you don't have to tell me about plastic bait being bit off, I'm going broke on Fin-S fish, but it's the little 2 pound blues doing all the damage, they're to small to take the whole thing, and just bite them in half, and the canal is really infested with those little blues this year, worst I've ever seen.

Garry   

[ed v]

Gary,
What kind of rapala are you using, an X-rap ?

Ed,
     Yes, I'm using an X-Rap SXR-12, at 3/4 ounce in the Glass Ghost(white) finish.

I also have the same lure, same finish in SXR-14 at 1 1/2 ounces, which I think might even be a better imitation of the baitfish in the area, but it's difficult to argue with the success I've had with the 12, but I'll try the 14 when I get the chance.

Garrt

Great, I have that exact lure and color in my surf bag. I'll be sure to give it a try. What did you think of fishing the westerly side ? At least it keeps the sun off during the hot afternoon. I went and checked it out at the end of River rd. but didn't put in much fishing time yet.

[ped579]

First Welcome Aboard Ren, good report thanks.

Second if the trebles are hooking up that way I would remove the middle treble, the blues usually go for the tail and the bass will go for the head so your covered either way.

Just use a split ring pliers to remove it and see if the action changes drastically, just by looking at it it should alter the swimming action to much.

There is another trick and that would be to switch out to single hooks and do away with the trebles altogether.  It would be easier to remove them as well especially in low light conditions.

Happy Catching

Paul

[wink_man]

Great, I have that exact lure and color in my surf bag. I'll be sure to give it a try. What did you think of fishing the westerly side ? At least it keeps the sun off during the hot afternoon. I went and checked it out at the end of River rd. but didn't put in much fishing time yet.

Ed, I fished the westerly side yesterday from River Road, almost up to the 88 bridge. While I definitely appreciate being in the shade in the afternoom, frankly, I didn't care for the westerly side, I like the water flow on the easterly side better, but maybe thats just because I'm used to it.

Garry

[wink_man]

First Welcome Aboard Ren, good report thanks.

Second if the trebles are hooking up that way I would remove the middle treble, the blues usually go for the tail and the bass will go for the head so your covered either way.

Just use a split ring pliers to remove it and see if the action changes drastically, just by looking at it it should alter the swimming action to much.

There is another trick and that would be to switch out to single hooks and do away with the trebles altogether.  It would be easier to remove them as well especially in low light conditions.

Happy Catching

Paul

Good advice Paul. I plan on removing the middle hook and checking the action, but I have been thinking of going to single hooks, as you mention. The other day, I lost a striper at the net because the front treble tangled in it, and he came off before I could actually net him.

Garry

[Ren]

Garry,
  Considering the holiday boat traffic was not too bad. (Yet) But, just enough for me to quit the striper search.  For me, I have had too many lures destroyed while fishing closer to the condos with attacks by smaller blues. For some reason the blues seem to be alot bigger closer to 88 bridge. Only seem to be loners like you said.  Have an awesome 4th and hope to see you out.

Ren
 

[ped579]

Hi Garry, I have changed over to single hooks on most of my plugs and have had better hook up ratios I guess by changing over it gives the lure a better profile in the water as well.

Paul

[wink_man]

Hi Garry, I have changed over to single hooks on most of my plugs and have had better hook up ratios I guess by changing over it gives the lure a better profile in the water as well.

Paul

Paul, I agree, I think I need to do the same thing the more I think about it, at least for the few plugs I do use. Still like a single hook on a jig with a Fin-S the best though, LOL.

Garry