Normal winter-Normal striper run?
 

Last year we had no winter.The water stayed warm all year.Some bass never migrated south.Kind of like the canada geese lol. When we were live lining nice bass April 15 i knew it was a super early run.May is the month the good sized bass normally run in Raritan Bay.June is the month for ocean side trophy bass.

Been doing this a long time and learned this,the earlier they come the earlier they go.Although there is some snow and cold it is the norm for Jersey.We want the bass to run on schedule.School fish first on clams then med sized on the usual Party Boat spots.Bunker chunking and live lining day or nite in Raritan Bay.Migratory Chessy Bass ocean side until early July.What do you think?

Re: Normal winter-Normal striper run?
 

im not sure but just saw this post...




http://www.njfishing.com/forums/showthread.php?t=56381

Re: Normal winter-Normal striper run?
 

Re: Normal winter-Normal striper run?
 

I think there are always resident hudson fish around all winter. On warmer years or more importantly one's with bait they will bite all winter. Hudson fish make up 10 percent of coastal bass...does not seem like a lot but it is thousands...I do not think the chessie fish show up much earlier but I do think the fish wintering in the area will light up if the bunker show up in the spring. for a few years in the late 90's my friends and i plugged bass all winter..i remember catching over 20 fish in the teen sized class one night in february of mo-co jetties. water temp over 42 I bet I could get a bite fishing bass on the beaches. we were real good at it and I do not think it changed that much for winter fishing.

Re: Normal winter-Normal striper run?
 

Sal you could be right, and my gut says you are - but what if our "normal" bass runs are shifting to an earlier arrival of the ocean fish and a longer run for the spring season? Stuff is always changing - always be prepared!!

Re: Normal winter-Normal striper run?
 

Last year first trip on the water was April 14. Had great success. Success continued into June for me.

Re: Normal winter-Normal striper run?
 

Last season we beat the bass up on the first day big time.. and continued to put a hurting on them all season.. I have a feeling that this year will be the same.. The water is still warm and just like last season i feel most of the fish have not gone to far... They are still catching them now on the beach on clams.. so i think its going to be another early run. They might leave early but the time we have to fish for them will be great..

Re: Normal winter-Normal striper run?
 

The bass being caught in the surf now are not the bigger miratory fish.Although we caught fish from April until July last year i would say we have had better runs.There will always be resident stripers year round.Year ago NY striper season opened May 8.They changed it to April 15.Although we all have the itch to catch bass after a long winter,i would like it to break open with the bigger bass the first week of May.Clamming for schoolies in April,chunking and live lining Raritan Bay in May and the usual live lining and popping oceanside in June.The weather is nicer later in the spring also.:)

Re: Normal winter-Normal striper run?
 

it's about the bait. Last Spring the bunker were so thick that is was easy for the bass to gorge themselves, which made fishing very spotty from day to day, being there when they decided to feed was key. Spring and Fall runs seem to vary quite a bit from year to year both ocean side and Raritan Bay.

Re: Normal winter-Normal striper run?
 

Bait / Water temps....

To me that will what dictate the run we have this year...

I think last year's run was good - saw some bunker schools last year(on some days_ that I have never seen before in terms of size and length...

Was disappointed in the east bite in 2012 compared to 2011 - that was banner...

I continue to lose faith more and more in raritan bay in terms of size and action compared to fishing out front.. but sounds to me you're right on point sal.

Re: Normal winter-Normal striper run?
 

Every year is different.In 2011 we had great action on large bass in Raritan Bay.We had two bass at 49lbs and multiple fish near the 40lb mark.See what happens this spring.In 2000 we had limits everday until June 21.It sure is nice when there are plenty of bunker around and the bass are close.I have a good feeling about this spring.Maybe we will see some trophy weakies mixed in.

Re: Normal winter-Normal striper run?
 

Now wouldn't that be nice!!

Re: Normal winter-Normal striper run?
 

But what about Sandy?

I don't know of the effects that they bay getting all washed out is going to have-does anyone?

We've been out in the Navesink looking for Winter Flounder-not much found and I'm wondering about it...there are some fish around however it's a bit quiet.

The clammers have been out in SH bay so at least that fishery has proven to be resilient.

Re: Normal winter-Normal striper run?
 

The spring run of bass are migratory.The bigger fish we catch in Raritan Bay are wintering off the coast of Virginia.The bass that winter up the Hudson come out after they spawn.Although Sandy put a hurting on all of us i don't think she will affect our spring striper run.The winter flounder stocks in the Navesink and Shrewsbury were way down long before the storm.Our striper fishery is healthy and it looks like the weakfish are making a come back.My dad and grand dad told me as far back as the late thirties weakfish were a cycle fish.I believe that from my own exp. in the bay and Sandy Hook.

Last year we had the most bunker around in quite a few years.The water stayed warm and the bass came early.With the restictions on the "reduction menhaden boats" i would expect to see a repeat of last year or better.Last year was not the norm but the exception in migratory stripers.Not long to go now and we will know by mid April.

Re: Normal winter-Normal striper run?
 

I predict the second week of april in the bay feeding on herring:eek:

Re: Normal winter-Normal striper run?
 

Bunker for miles again! Cant wait!!!!