Ocean Fishing / Striped Bass Report Card - Page 3 - NJFishing.com Your Best Online Source for Fishing Information in New Jersey

Ol Pedro · #21 06-18-2013, 11:10 AM

We used to put a couple of rods out when we were drifting for Mackerel. (remember them ?) the Bass would be following the schools . A live Mackerel was like candy. I feel that Big Bass have always moved through and until recently they have either passed too far offshore or got on the Bunker and are real smart . Bait movement and water temp. is the key to whether we have a good Spring .

AndyS · #22 06-18-2013, 11:52 AM

Maybe the trawlers in Virgina caught them all ?

Leif · #23 06-18-2013, 12:27 PM

Please....

It is no suprise that the fishing for bass is not as good as it has been and it will be no suprise when it declines further.

I have no "sientific data" Only experience and what I call common sense.

This is just my opinnion. You guys should do and will do what you want. Some of my best friends fish for them and kill everyone they are entilted to. It is legal and I know it may be "your business" and I appreciate that but....

I am not impressed by the senseless never ending killing of these big fish. It does not teach the younger anglers a damn thing. Some of the methods being used requires no skill and diminishes a wonderful resource that "we" have rebuilt through years and years of sacrifice.

It is a game fish and should be treated that way so generation after generation can continue to fish for them. They are one of my favorite fish to catch and eat but I rarely fish for them now as I dread being associated with the gluttonous hordes of snag hook slingers and cow killers.

I will be content with fly fishing for them in the spring and fall and keeping a couple smaller fish to make some chowder and utilize the entire fish. I look forward to the next moratorium on the fish like we had after they were wiped out in the 70's and 80's

Leif

CatchEmUp · #24 06-18-2013, 02:02 PM

^^^
Big +1

Michael82929 · #25 07-01-2013, 11:14 AM

Well its fourth of July weekend - 2 weeks since this thread has been posted...

Two weeks later and the bass fishing never improved - you had some hail mary spots in the ocean that produced some fish here and there - nothing consistent and never in the abundance than some of us are ust to.. Putting together a 3 - 8 fish catch from my experience is nothing to write home about.

No east bite to really speak of, heard of some little chatter but nothing to run down for..

Raritan Bay continues to impress, stopped fishing the ocean and had a one week of drop and reel fishing on a lump that I had all to myself... then they bigger fish moved out and the smaller fish moved in...

So as we rap up 2013 spring fishing I think the general consenious is, that Raritan bay was the big suprise with consistent fishing chewing for most of the spring like a typical early 2000's run and the first time in 4 -5 years lets say, the ocean fishing failed to meet expectation

Continued southerly / easterly flows have shut down the grounds for the most part and has made for less than optimal conditions. In addition the bait situtation in my opinion was very disappointing.. never had those 1/4 mile thick long school 20 feet deep in the column once this year..

I feel in my heart of heart, that we have put a dent in the larger fish stock population of striped bass. 30pds and up from the last few seasons... and the last five yrs potentially has some effect of the future of our fishery in sometime future. I have no fact or data to support, just my gut feel.

Will continue to fish out the summer and see how the fall shapes up...

rumster · #26 07-02-2013, 12:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leif

Please....

It is no suprise that the fishing for bass is not as good as it has been and it will be no suprise when it declines further.

I have no "sientific data" Only experience and what I call common sense.

This is just my opinnion. You guys should do and will do what you want. Some of my best friends fish for them and kill everyone they are entilted to. It is legal and I know it may be "your business" and I appreciate that but....

I am not impressed by the senseless never ending killing of these big fish. It does not teach the younger anglers a damn thing. Some of the methods being used requires no skill and diminishes a wonderful resource that "we" have rebuilt through years and years of sacrifice.

It is a game fish and should be treated that way so generation after generation can continue to fish for them. They are one of my favorite fish to catch and eat but I rarely fish for them now as I dread being associated with the gluttonous hordes of snag hook slingers and cow killers.

I will be content with fly fishing for them in the spring and fall and keeping a couple smaller fish to make some chowder and utilize the entire fish. I look forward to the next moratorium on the fish like we had after they were wiped out in the 70's and 80's

Leif

Right on point Leif. My 15 year old son and I were out fluking in the back of Raritan last week and saw 2 guys livelining bunker and catching 4 20lbers in about twenty minutes releasing all four. When they blew out of the spot my son and I gave it a shot, snagging some bunker and livelining them for 2 fish in the 25lb class. After all was said and done with a smile on my boys face from ear to ear we followed the previous boats lead and released our fish. My son said he never felt so good about doing something.

Urban Angler · #27 07-02-2013, 12:14 AM

Cathy I'm with you...this ain't over..no way...just landed a few a hour ago! had great bass this past weekend!...ps I should have followed you last Friday after netting buncker!

Michael82929 · #28 07-15-2013, 03:33 PM

Its been pretty much thirty days since I wrote this report... and the ocean bite never materialized like we all were hoping for...

Charter boats moved off the bass into bottom fishing and had to throw in the towel..

Raritan bay continued to suprise with bass still being caught in certain pockets.

To sum up the 2013 spring bass run....

Raritan Bay did a 180 from years past with some excellent fishing inside Raritan Bay

The ocean bite fell off the chart with some disappointed bass fisherman looking for those epic once in a lifetime bass blitzes.

Onwards and upwards to the 2013 Fall Run - let see what it has instore for us.

NoLimit · #29 07-15-2013, 10:12 PM

Yes, no doubt about it. We recreational fishermen have killed all the stripers...and bluefish...and whiting...and bluefin...and flounder.

Its just a matter of time till we ruin everything. Maybe its time for drastic action against our oppressive nature.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1E_2P...utu.be&t=10m8s

Gerry Zagorski · #30 07-16-2013, 05:40 AM

I have no scientific data either but I don't believe this years Striper fishery, or lack thereof, was caused by recreational over harvesting.

The last 3 or 4 years we had unusually great fishing in the spring. I believe this was due to the cyclical nature of any fishery, our local conditions and the migration path of the Stripers. We simply got lucky these last few springs and all the stars to include bait, water temps and the path of the migrating Stripers aligned on the ocean side of NJ.

The fishing in the Raritan Bay area was pretty typical of what it used to be prior to 3 or 4 years ago... Most caught were resident fish or Hudson River spawners and the large mass of Chesapeake and Delaware bay migrating fish simply passed us by.

Having said all this, I support catch and release of Stripers and we only keep an occasional fish if someone really wants a few for the table. I also find it interesting that a lot of people don't seem to mind people keeping their limits of Fluke, Cod, ling etc but when it comes to Stripers they feel differently.