Who's ready for Spring??

[Hookmanski]

I know I am! Just organized all my saltwater lures and tackle and filled up my new plug bag yesterday. Can't wait til the water gets a bit warmer and the fishing really turns on!

I know spring time is associated with bait fishing, but bait and wait fishing has never really been my thing. What's your favorite spring time lure? Mine might have to be a bucktail or deadly dick just because they catch so many different species.

Hoping this year we'll have some more surf/shore reports on the site. I know its been a struggle for a lot of people the past few years and spot burning is definitely a thing but as a mostly landlocked non-boatowner I always love reading the posts from the surf guys.

Tight lines and a goos spring season to everyone!

[Jigman13]

big ass surface poppers, metal lips, gliders and hydro minnows... save the bucktails and deadly dicks for the fall run unless you're swinging bucktails around bridges...

[krob8979]

My man, pot and pans. I personally can't wait. I like you Hook am a non-boat onwer, so surf is what I do. I'll be posting a lot more this year as I plan on fishing a lot more this year. Tight lines to all and be safe out there.

[torchee]

I'll be losing sleep from now until May. I may even try tonight. I have a friend who scored some fish up to 26" down Barnegat Bay area.... But I think I'll try Raritan Bay first.


Last year SP minnow caught me some beautiful early season keepers. Even when the bass bite daytime is on worms/clams - I find some hungry keepers in the dark hanging around bunker that'll take a swimming plug - slow and low.

[WhaleFart]

Spring is a fun run on the beach, I will fish lures exclusively if bait is present in the surf zone (bunker). Like above, big pencils, metal lips, and darters have put some solid fish on the sand for me over the years.

I will say, in may/June, i have done very very well fishing with fresh bunker chunks, this is NOT a bait and wait game, this is fishing cuts on the beach, no sand spikes, no multiple rods, just cast the chunk out, if nothing happens in 25min, walk down to the next hole or cut. Very similar to lure fishing. However bluefish can clean you out of bait if they are thick, and sometimes they only want meat and lures won’t get them to commit so it’s part of the game, but of course fun.

I’ve also landed a number of MASSIVE rough tail rays in June fishing this way, that fight will make any bass/bluefish look like a sunfish.

[Gerry Zagorski]

So ready I can actually taste it and clocks go an hour forward Monday for more daylight :D

You got some great suggestions above for spring lures... Why not do both, throw your lure and set up a bait pole in a sand spike. This time of year blood or sandworms or clams.

PS if fishing Raritan Bay from the shore at this time of year, we always did better an hour plus or minus from high tide. As far as Bunker, you may see them but the fish seem to ignore them until the water warms up. They'll start to hit chunks first as the early spring wears on. This year is unusually warm so I'd definitely bring a snag cause you never know...

Go get'um and make us proud ;)

[torchee]

[ As far as Bunker, you may see them but the fish seem to ignore them until the water warms up. They'll start to hit chunks first as the early spring wears on. This year is unusually warm so I'd definitely bring a snag cause you never know...


I agree 100% ....
except on the late shift... I don't even see them chasing bunker...

But They must definitely instinctive eyeball them - hang in the neighborhood hoping for a dumb one.

Last year April 1st...I was catching quality keepers under bunker - but no sign of bass feeding


Late night on an SP minnow.
Chunks were working as well

What was the water temp last year April 1????

[torchee]

Any one have a log of last years water temps?

[RAMMFISH66]

Getting the surf gear all set to hit the Sandy Hook beaches real soon...Cajun Red should do the trick again..see ya all later, Rammie

My heart surgery is ready to be tested. It is three months after it...heart working well too

[Duffman]

Any one have a log of last years water temps?

Don’t keep a log but if I remember correctly we were at 41-42 on the K-burg gauge this time last year. Just checked now and it’s at 43-44 with a spike of 48 yesterday afternoon. Def a few degrees higher with the mild winter. Early run??

[PortlyRedhead]

Don’t keep a log but if I remember correctly we were at 41-42 on the K-burg gauge this time last year. Just checked now and it’s at 43-44 with a spike of 48 yesterday afternoon. Def a few degrees higher with the mild winter. Early run??

The lack of melting snow in the Hudson estuary certainly keeps the water warmer.

[Gerry Zagorski]

Don’t keep a log but if I remember correctly we were at 41-42 on the K-burg gauge this time last year. Just checked now and it’s at 43-44 with a spike of 48 yesterday afternoon. Def a few degrees higher with the mild winter. Early run??


Any day now :D:D

[Duffman]

Any day now :D:D

Don’t say that!! Too early. Not ready yet!

[porgylber]

With the warmer waters, does anyone foresee a reappearance of the elusive spring mackerel run this year?

[Gerry Zagorski]

Don’t say that!! Too early. Not ready yet!

Same here... I'd did however at least start thinking about it earlier this year... Hope to get in 4/1 to fish for some Tog before it closes down on 4/30.

[Hookmanski]

big ass surface poppers, metal lips, gliders and hydro minnows... save the bucktails and deadly dicks for the fall run unless you're swinging bucktails around bridges...

I definitely have some hydro minnows and metal lips in the bag! Noted on the others.

My man, pot and pans. I personally can't wait. I like you Hook am a non-boat onwer, so surf is what I do. I'll be posting a lot more this year as I plan on fishing a lot more this year. Tight lines to all and be safe out there.

I look forward to your posts! Good luck this season!


I'll be losing sleep from now until May. I may even try tonight. I have a friend who scored some fish up to 26" down Barnegat Bay area.... But I think I'll try Raritan Bay first.


Last year SP minnow caught me some beautiful early season keepers. Even when the bass bite daytime is on worms/clams - I find some hungry keepers in the dark hanging around bunker that'll take a swimming plug - slow and low.

Slow and low SP is one of my favorites. There’s a bunch of em in the bag!

I will say, in may/June, i have done very very well fishing with fresh bunker chunks, this is NOT a bait and wait game, this is fishing cuts on the beach, no sand spikes, no multiple rods, just cast the chunk out, if nothing happens in 25min, walk down to the next hole or cut. Very similar to lure fishing. However bluefish can clean you out of bait if they are thick, and sometimes they only want meat and lures won’t get them to commit so it’s part of the game, but of course fun.

I’ve also landed a number of MASSIVE rough tail rays in June fishing this way, that fight will make any bass/bluefish look like a sunfish.

Well that does sound like fun... might have to give it a shot this year :D

So ready I can actually taste it and clocks go an hour forward Monday for more daylight :D

You got some great suggestions above for spring lures... Why not do both, throw your lure and set up a bait pole in a sand spike. This time of year blood or sandworms or clams.

PS if fishing Raritan Bay from the shore at this time of year, we always did better an hour plus or minus from high tide. As far as Bunker, you may see them but the fish seem to ignore them until the water warms up. They'll start to hit chunks first as the early spring wears on. This year is unusually warm so I'd definitely bring a snag cause you never know...

Go get'um and make us proud ;)

Doing both is seeming like a good idea! I sense lots of after work trips in my future :D:D:D

Getting the surf gear all set to hit the Sandy Hook beaches real soon...Cajun Red should do the trick again..see ya all later, Rammie

My heart surgery is ready to be tested. It is three months after it...heart working well too

Glad to hear you’re doing well, hope you have a great season!

[Gumada]

Early launch this year if the gods are with me...🤞

[Jigman13]

The hooks and split rings on the hydro minnows are good out of the box. The SPs on the other hand, i highly recommend swapping them out with 3-4x owner trebles or single inlines and stronger split rings. The hooks that come with them are garbage. If replacing with heavier trebles, keep the weight of the hooks in mind as adding heavier hooks will impact buoyancy, action, etc. May need to experiment especially early season back bay for stripes. You're fishing shallow and the plugs will dig into the mussel beds; you dont want that.

I also crush all of the barbs on my trebles. Makes the release easier, especially at night when your balls deep on the flats lol...

[shucker]

Gliders

[june181901]

Earliest Spring, 19 March, since 1896. Can't come soon enough so I can head home.

[Skolmann]

Looking forward to not only the Raritan Bay bass bite but the last 3 springs starting in late April (might be earlier this year with the mild spring) thru early June the run of gorilla bluefish in the Manasquan River and connected waterways.

I have numerous spots that produced good number of bluefish all on artificials and all in either shallow or semi shallow water. I’m talking blues up to #15.

SP Minnows, Topwater poppers, Spook type plugs, Rapala XR14s, Swim baits, Jig heads with plastics all producing.

Countless times over the past few springs I’ve had big bluefish blow up on my plug when it was maybe 8-10 feet from me and have them jump and cartwheel-gills flared out like tarpon.

[Skolmann]

I also crush all of the barbs on my trebles. Makes the release easier, especially at night when your balls deep on the flats lol...


I’ve been swapping out the trebles and replacing them with inline hooks. Haven’t noticed a decrease in my hook ratio. Makes it a 1000X easier to unhook and release.

[Duffman]

Looking forward to not only the Raritan Bay bass bite but the last 3 springs starting in late April (might be earlier this year with the mild spring) thru early June the run of gorilla bluefish in the Manasquan River and connected waterways.

I have numerous spots that produced good number of bluefish all on artificials and all in either shallow or semi shallow water. I’m talking blues up to #15.

SP Minnows, Topwater poppers, Spook type plugs, Rapala XR14s, Swim baits, Jig heads with plastics all producing.

Countless times over the past few springs I’ve had big bluefish blow up on my plug when it was maybe 8-10 feet from me and have them jump and cartwheel-gills flared out like tarpon.

Had great action on the Raritan flats last spring as well. No surface action at all to give away there prescience and that was in only in 6-10 fow. And no one else around to boot.
Stripped all the top waters of trebles and replaced with a single siwash hook.

[Skolmann]

Had great action on the Raritan flats last spring as well. No surface action at all to give away there prescience and that was in only in 6-10 fow. And no one else around to boot.
Stripped all the top waters of trebles and replaced with a single siwash hook.

Yeah, we would wade out to knee to waist deep water-so we’d be at almost eye level with the fish.

Let me know if you’d like to tag along this spring.