Normal winter-Normal striper run?

[Capt Sal]

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?

[dfish28]

im not sure but just saw this post...




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

[SplitShot]

It would be nice......

[O'Connor]

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.

[Reel Class]

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!!

[ruger1v]

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

[SaltLife1980]

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..

[Capt Sal]

Originally Posted by SaltLife1980

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..

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.

[RnK]

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.

[Michael82929]

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.