Weakfish theory..

[bulletbob]

Maybe someone could back me up here...
I have been thinking that if I made a serious effort to catch/release weaks this coming summer, I would do ok, even though they are in significantly reduced numbers these days.. I am thinking about trying strictly at night on the same channel edges I caught them on for years.. I would bet drifting whole sands in the dark on a 3x3 rig with maybe a Gulp worm alongside would catch weaks that most guys weren't aware of.. I think there are more of them around than folks realize, but with the massive pressure boat and fishing these days, they don't hit much during the daylight as they once did... any thoughts?? bob

[kmaty]

This yr gone by my experiences are that you may be onto something turn of the tides when the water slowed id take the ultra light out with a 1/4oz jig and mullet gulp for croakers and bang weakies until the current picked up then go back to bass mostly during the summer months of course

[Gerry Zagorski]

We had a flurry with a bunch of spikes with some keepers mixed in while jigging for Stripers in October. Drop and reel fishing in the bay back behind Romer Shoal. They were practically suicidal.

At one fish per person I don't think many people are targeting them but I think they are around.

[HydraSportsPT]

Found them on the way from SH to Rocks en route to Striper/Blues (10.19) hitting krocs, avas n the kitchen sink. Found a few hanging out with the 100s of small sea bass off the towers during summers.
It was my guess they were schooling away from the blues n all over the early sand eels n peanuts.

[bulletbob]

You guys are discussing the small weaks that were busting on top this past fall... I was thinking more along the lines of the bigger fish that are in and around the deep channels in Raritan/Sandy Hook... No one targets them at night these days, and I bet if the effort were made, there are still some big ones feeding out there in the summer months.. There aren't as many, i realize that, and there is a ton of fishing pressure during the summer during daylight hours.. I just have a feeling there are more around than people realize, but most guys aren't fishing them at night.. Weaks are much more of a nocturnal feeder than many folks realize...

During much of the 70's and 80's stripers weren't caught by the "unwashed masses" the way they are today.. They simply were in a very low population cycle, for a very long time.However, during those lean times, there were many sharp fishermen catching big stripers and in decent numbers.. They were almost universal in fishing night tides, when it was very quiet, and the pressure was low. During the day, the stripers simply didn't hit, and folks took it for granted there were none around... They were there, but tactics had to be altered, and most guys didn't put the effort in...
I bet there is some decent weakfishing still to be had and with good size fish, using bait at night. I hope to test it out this coming summer... Got the boat, the spots, the good color FF, and the desire, it just depends on if I get the needed time...bob

[HydraSportsPT]

I will try as well. Always looking for some thing to fish on those warm summer nights when the fluke shuts down and it to calm n nice out to go home. Bust out those worms n work the channels. TC/Reach/Chapel Hill S
Ambrose? I dont think Ive ever picked up a weekie in Ambrose.

[Papasown]

I think you're on the mark, BB. Back in the day when weakies were in abundance, and I was on LBI, there was a good daytime fishery in the deepest holes that were left after the dredging in the bay from the big storm of '62, when the Island was breached in 3 locations. At that time the weakfish was more abundant then now, however. In more recent years, near the BI there had been a good fishery in the after dark hours on the outcoing tide in Barnegat Bay. At that time, the best action was near the crab traps that were baited with bunkers. Follow your theory, and catch ém up.............. Papa

[bulletbob]

I will try as well. Always looking for some thing to fish on those warm summer nights when the fluke shuts down and it to calm n nice out to go home. Bust out those worms n work the channels. TC/Reach/Chapel Hill S
Ambrose? I dont think Ive ever picked up a weekie in Ambrose.

Indeed,, right where everyone is fluke fishing during the day...

I have a feeling there would be some nice weaks to be caught, and maybe be even a small bass or two.. I have caught them on Tiger Tails between the channels years ago mid summer while weakfishing...

Yeah you can only keep but one weakie, but here's my plan...
Go fluking, but don't go out till maybe 4-5 PM when everyone else is heading in.. Fluke until maybe dusk, and then finish the night with 3x3 rigs and sandworms... I bet a lot of guys caught some nice weaks this year, but weren't dumb enough to report the wheres and whens.. bob

[Capt Sal]

I will try as well. Always looking for some thing to fish on those warm summer nights when the fluke shuts down and it to calm n nice out to go home. Bust out those worms n work the channels. TC/Reach/Chapel Hill S
Ambrose? I dont think Ive ever picked up a weekie in Ambrose.
The biggest weakfish are caught in Ambrose near the VZ bridge.Won a few tourneys there in the past.Peanut bunker 3ft leader and a dropper.Bass are in the same place.

[Denlon]

Weakies are nowhere near as abundant as they used to be.

In the late 1940's and early 1950's my Dad and I would dig our own blood/sandworms in the Navesink river at the end of the dead-end roads in Fair Haven and Rumson.

At dusk we would take our flyrods and use the worms on a bare hook, no weight, and float them in the current. We fished from shore. It was particularly good on the Middletown side at the base of the Oceanic Bridge during out-going tides. On some tides, between us, we could manage about a dozen nice weaks in the 2-4 pound range. This was some fun on a fly rod!

In those days, times were tough and money was tight. So catch and release was never even a thought in our heads. Since there were no season restrictions: no size limits and no bag limits virtually all the fish we caught went home with us to eat. (Schoolie stripers were often in the mix, and they also went home with us for the table since the size limit at that time was only 18 inches.)

In those days, the Navesink was a haven for large tide-runner weakfish which would run far upriver when the river had risen and was muddy after a large rain. The bulkhead at Marine Place park in Red bank sometimes became a mad house when the guys fishing for eels with shedder crab would suddenly start picking up very large weaks in the 10-12 pound range. The guys even further up the river fishing (Illegally) off the bridge to River Plaza would also get them. I only saw this about 2 or 3 times in my life, but it did happen.

Also, during summer nights we fished from the surf in many "Special" locations from Sandy Hook down to about Deal. In those days, it was possible to actually walk onto the beach to fish in most places. We usually could round up a good catch of smaller (2 lb ?) weakies along with croakers which were also in good supply in those years. Again, all those fish went home to eat. Those were the days. I don't think we'll ever see them again!

Denny

[Reel Class]

We've been jigging the spikes along the beach in September/October since the mid 90's and it's still as good now as it was years ago, but the fish are generally smaller now.

What has changed IMO is the summer and early fall fishery in the bays/rivers where weakfish are virtually non-existent. Some years they do show down here in Barnegat Bay and into the Metedeconk and Manasquan Rivers, but for the most part, if you put time in, you catch squat :rolleyes:

My big question is where are all these weakfish we see along the beach every early fall coming from if they weren't inside? They've always been tough to figure out when they're in down cycle, like now, but who knows?

[SharkHart]

I specifically targeted bigger weakies on a 2 week stretch in spring and did better then I thought. And yes I did ti all at night, high hook was about 5 fish on night. The Tiderunners now ranged between 4 to 8 lbs with most around 5 lbs. This comming spring I am expecting a solid run. What is great is the low amount of anglers not fishing for them, and of the newer anglers dont even know about weakies and the amazing days of the past. With stripers dwindling it will become popular real fast once again.

[bulletbob]

I specifically targeted bigger weakies on a 2 week stretch in spring and did better then I thought. And yes I did ti all at night, high hook was about 5 fish on night. The Tiderunners now ranged between 4 to 8 lbs with most around 5 lbs. This coming spring I am expecting a solid run. What is great is the low amount of anglers not fishing for them, and of the newer anglers dont even know about weakies and the amazing days of the past. With stripers dwindling it will become popular real fast once again.

I appreciate your sharing...Just as in the 80's when there were few stripers to be had, they WERE caught by guys that targeted them.. It was just more effort.. Weaks and stripers both feed at night very often . When the numbers of stripers were real low, it was the night time fisherman that caught them.. There are still some good weaks around. You just won't catch the big tiderunners on an ava 27 during the day anymore.. At least not many... Night time with worms or small live eels???.. I would bet a lot of guys would be surprised.... I hope to prove it this coming year... bob