There weren't many people at Atlantic Highlands this morning, so only a couple of boats sailed.Some scrod cod were mixed in, and that fishing is expected to improve as waters warm.
Though the main focus has been on clamming for stripers in Raritan Bay, and both live bunkers and trolling Stretch plugs have also been producing bass, Dave Lilly of Hazlet found Tony Maja medium bunker spoons were even more effective Saturday afternoon as he trolled limits of bass over 20 pounds in the back of the bay.At Fisherman's Den in Belmar Marina, Bob Matthews reports improved winter flounder fishing, while some legal blackfish are being caught in Point Pleasant Canal.
With continuing good weather, striped bass fishing in Raritan Bay held up today for most anglers with more keepers in the mix.Rich and Bryan Dziuban plus George Doll from Matawan caught 25 bass that included four keepers.
The Jamaica from Brielle will be seeking those ocean bass on Saturday at 7 30 a. m. Though they re usually located in northern areas such as Shrewsbury Rocks, those stripers could be located anywhere along the coast. Betty Nick s Tackle in Seaside Park had reports of gannets diving, presumably on herring, earlier in the week off Island Beach State Park.
Following is Friday's column as submitted SL4 18 14Ristori for FridaySTRIPERS BITING IN RARITAN BAY WHEN WINDS PERMITby Al RistoriThe spring striped bass run finally appears to be underway in Raritan Bay, and if the weather will cooperate there should be some good catches made over the weekend.Art Berkman of Pompton Plains was out Wednesday with Capt. Rick Woerner on Carnivore from Brown's Marina in Keyport as Brett Penedos of North Brunswick boated the first North Jersey charter boat keeper reported, a 38.5 inch bass that weighed 25 pounds.That's the color it turns just before spawning, but that shouldn't happen until May in the Hudson River especially after the very cold winter.Capt.
With several days of strong winds in the forecast, the best bet for catching a fish may be with feet planted firmly on shore at Point Pleasant Canal.Any keeper bass from the surf could win it.
It was way overdue, but the first legal striped bass was finally caught today on a party or charter boat when Capt. Stan Zagleski made his first trip of the season on Elaine B. II from Bahrs in Highlands.Bob Matthews weighed the first bass brought into Fisherman's Den in Belmar Marina.
While bottom temperatures remain very cold, surface waters are warming into the mid to upper 40s and the first stripers could be getting active as they did at this time in ocean waters a couple of years ago.cod season as he's releasing four of them to every one of the 50 haddock his charters have been averaging per day on his Big Mac from Green Harbor.
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