Catching Spot (norfolk spot)

[teddysclaw]

Hey guys. I remember pre-hurricane Sandy I used to catch a lot of Spot pretty much everywhere. Even at the boat dock while waiting for my fluke boats to leave, I'd catch anywhere between 4-20 spot just using a sabiki rig tipped with bait. I even remember there was one trip on The Fisherman or the Angler that I went on and caught monster Spot the size of porgies. These guys are killer bait and the big ones are good table fare depending on how you cook it.

They look like a shorter, rounder bodied small croaker with a black spot behind each gill. I haven't seen one of these guys caught in the years post-sandy. Any of you guys been getting them in decent numbers in NJ anywhere? A shame to see them gone. Figured they'd have made a comeback by now, considering it's been over 4 years, and no one really targets them up here like they do in Maryland.

[ALS Mako]

They are still around. Caught small ones in crab traps last year in barneget bay also hook and line on bay side of sandy hook. Mosty in late summer.

[Duffman]

In 2014 We would catch them just inside the sailboats in Keyport. Literally C&R over a hundred spot between my kid and I from late June thru August.

In 2015 we still had them but in noticeably reduced numbers.

Last year we had zero. None all summer in Keyport and maybe 2-3 total down the Navi

[bulletbob]

Ever since I was a kid, Spot have been a "spotty" species..Some years they are everywhere, and drive you nuts, other years they pull a disappearing act..
they might be back in droves this year... or not...
If they do show, i hope they bring lots of big Croakers, Kingfish, and blowfish up here with them.. 3 other species that show up when they feel lke it, IF they feel like.. Same as it ever was..... bob

[dakota560]

Blowfish there's one fish I wish would stage a comeback. I know they've rebounded to some degree in Barnegat Bay but not so much areas north of there. I remember back in the late 60's early 70's there were absolutely all over the place and then the following year they disappeared. One of the best tasting fish I've ever had and great for kids to catch, would be nice to see them back in numbers.

[stevelikes2fish]

I know they were here in good numbers back in 2014. My friend was catching them in the surf. We had several big fluke caught that weekend using whole spots.

[blindalfred]

Blowfish there's one fish I wish would stage a comeback. I know they've rebounded to some degree in Barnegat Bay but not so much areas north of there. I remember back in the late 60's early 70's there were absolutely all over the place and then the following year they disappeared. One of the best tasting fish I've ever had and great for kids to catch, would be nice to see them back in numbers.

There were quite a few blowfish off the officer housing and around the ferry dock last summer. 2014 was the last year for kingfish, croaker and spot in big numbers in Sandy Hook Bay. Maybe this year.

[teddysclaw]

I know they were here in good numbers back in 2014. My friend was catching them in the surf. We had several big fluke caught that weekend using whole spots.

Interesting. I didnt' know you could catch spot on the ocean side of the surf. Always thought they were a bay/river fish.

[rikard.froberg]

Interesting. I didnt' know you could catch spot on the ocean side of the surf. Always thought they were a bay/river fish.

In 2014 we would catch them by the bucketfuls with a castnet in the Seabright surf late in the summer.

[bulletbob]

In 2014 we would catch them by the bucketfuls with a castnet in the Seabright surf late in the summer.

Interesting.. eating size, or bait size?.....

[Reel Class]

Hey guys. I remember pre-hurricane Sandy I used to catch a lot of Spot pretty much everywhere. Even at the boat dock while waiting for my fluke boats to leave, I'd catch anywhere between 4-20 spot just using a sabiki rig tipped with bait. I even remember there was one trip on The Fisherman or the Angler that I went on and caught monster Spot the size of porgies. These guys are killer bait and the big ones are good table fare depending on how you cook it.

They look like a shorter, rounder bodied small croaker with a black spot behind each gill. I haven't seen one of these guys caught in the years post-sandy. Any of you guys been getting them in decent numbers in NJ anywhere? A shame to see them gone. Figured they'd have made a comeback by now, considering it's been over 4 years, and no one really targets them up here like they do in Maryland.

They're very cyclical in their presence along the shore. Some years they're everywhere and then you have a down cycle. This is typical of the "drum" family: croakers, spots, weakfish, black and red drum. They're truly species of feast and famine!

We used to catch monster spot off the dock in SSH where the Dock Outfitters is now, back in the early 80's, just fishing worms in september/october.

We've seen the come and go many times since. I'm sure they'll show up again!

[Rottilover]

They're very cyclical in their presence along the shore. Some years they're everywhere and then you have a down cycle. This is typical of the "drum" family: croakers, spots, weakfish, black and red drum. They're truly species of feast and famine!

We used to catch monster spot off the dock in SSH where the Dock Outfitters is now, back in the early 80's, just fishing worms in september/october.

We've seen the come and go many times since. I'm sure they'll show up again!


I remember those days off of the pier in Seaside in the early 80's. We used to hammer spots in late August on little pieces of worms. I remember catching one after another on the day before school opened in North Jersey. Loved Barnegat Bay back then.

[Jigman13]

Had them in the surf out in montauk a few years back. Thick as thieves. Great bait for stripers. Got them on fish bites and small hooks. It was better than paying $4-5 per piece at star island!

[torchee]

Ever since I was a kid, Spot have been a "spotty" species..Some years they are everywhere, and drive you nuts, other years they pull a disappearing act..
they might be back in droves this year... or not...
If they do show, i hope they bring lots of big Croakers, Kingfish, and blowfish up here with them.. 3 other species that show up when they feel lke it, IF they feel like.. Same as it ever was..... bob


Truth!!! Especially up north and in bays...
But in the wash lbi snd south they used to be more consistent

[bulletbob]

Many, many years ago, my father used to catch Spot by the gazillions in the Hudson river in Jersey City... Back then among the JC locals they were called Lafayettes... bob

[Finprof]

We catch spot for bait in Chesapeake Bay. The spot usually arrive around the beginning of July and stay until mid-October. We will catch about 50 or so for the livewell before we start using them for bait.
Incidentally, we catch spot in shallower water than the striped bass, anchoring in one place for spot and then moving to another for striped bass. The two places might be only a couple of hundred yards apart but we never catch striped bass in with the spot or vice versa. I don't know why the fish don't go to where the bait is.

[ScowardNJ]

We had a bunch of them mixed in with juvenile sea bass while blow fishing Barnegat Bay last summer. Chummin clams. I haven't been into any croakers in a few years.

[Anthony]

show me a pic of a spot...

[Duffman]

show me a pic of a spot...

Here ya go....

[Anthony]

Here ya go....

I have one of those ....