Tiger sharks are generalist predators that feed on various fishes and invertebrates, seabirds, marine mammals, and other sharks, as well as any lost fishing gear they find. Furthermore, they scavenge for dead animals – even their kind! – for their sustenance. This includes eggs from sea turtles, which they devour, and any dead shark bodies they come across.
Tom Giglio of Tackle World in Rochelle Park reports excellent surf fishing conditions from Sea Bright to Sandy Hook on small bucktails tipped with Berkley Gulp. Keeper flukes have also been captured.
Inlet Fishing
Recently, flounder action has been excellent in the inlet, producing many short fish and some keepers. Small jigs and lead heads with white Gulp swimming mullet are your best bet, while inshore wrecks and reefs have also produced plenty of flounder and sea bass along with some impressive classy striped bass starting to appear! Now is an excellent time to be out fishing!
The Inlet night bite has also been promising. Keeper stripers have been caught using bucktails fished along rocks at dark, while several minor blues were caught during daytime incoming tides on lures such as an SP Minnow with either a squid or small jig attached – which have all produced good results.
Inshore wrecks and reefs have produced some keepers of flounder, typically caught using either jigs, small bucktails, or white Gulp swimming mullets with white Gulp swimming mullet heads. While some swell currently exists, most anglers report only moderate difficulty catching flounder.
Today was another excellent morning of fishing at the inlet, with several decent-sized tautog landing. Big ones still need time to arrive, but activity has increased significantly and is at its highest for a long.
3Rs and Fenwick 4wd access ramps have re-opened; all other bridges north of the Inlet remain closed until further notice.
As temperatures cool off, bass fishing has seen some improvement. Capt. Hal Hagaman, onboard Sea Tiger II out of Atlantic Highlands, has had some excellent afternoon bass bites on clams while also experiencing good morning fluke action; 15 keepers up to 22 pounds were caught this week! Though conditions in the bay remain rough and slow, activity may improve this weekend. We shall see. In any case… Have fun fishing locally and have a blast until next time…
Surf Fishing
Surf fishing requires a unique set of skills. While techniques for surf fishing may be learned quickly, mastery often comes through practice. A good rod is also essential, and most fishermen choose more extended models (6-15 feet with various actions and weights) when fishing from shore or boat. Carrying pyramid sinkers such as egg and teardrop sinkers in your tackle box may prove advantageous when fishing from the surf.
At dawn or dusk, tide changes cause fish to feed most aggressively, offering the optimal conditions for surf fishing. Furthermore, this time of day provides less competition from beachgoers, so casting your line won’t scare away swimmers or other beachgoers by throwing them into their path.
When fishing the surf, look for areas with coarse sand and shells and note where the breakers roll in. These are more likely to contain baitfish which larger fish will feed on. Baitfish often leave behind an obvious trail in the sand or mud as they feed, which you can often spot from far out in the water.
Once you find the ideal spot, stay put throughout the tide cycle. Some fish prefer feeding at high tide, while others may only come at low. Also note that it is easier to read the beach during low tide by quickly locating sand banks, dips, and hollows.
Fluke provides excellent beach fishing action, and more prominent black sea bass have also begun appearing. Striper action in Raritan Bay was down after a stormy weekend, yet Sea Tiger II out of Atlantic Highlands reported some good throwback and keeper catches using clams and bunker bait – small bucktails with either grubs or swimming plugs have produced excellent results for keepers and throwbacks alike.
Bottom Fishing
Bottom fishing involves placing bait near the ocean floor to attract bottom-dwelling species like grouper and tilefish. Although challenging, bottom fishing offers great rewards if mastered; additionally, it provides excellent social benefits by bonding with friends and family while enjoying its beauty.
Many fishermen believe the best way to catch bottom-dwelling fish is using live bait, which gives it its most natural look and thus attracts the fish more effectively. While live bait requires additional work – you must catch and place it into the water yourself – it could be worth your while as some highly sought-after species might bite more often!
The Sea Tiger wreck is a must-see when visiting Hawaii as it teems with marine life – including six-foot sea turtles and schools of fish – making this shipwreck suitable for beginner and experienced divers alike. Situated at 90 feet, this spot is accessible even for novice divers.
Due to its generally cold waters, beginners should bring a dive light and wetsuit to Hawaii. Furthermore, reasonable buoyancy control will allow them to navigate tight areas full of sharp metal pieces safely.
Bottom fishing as a long-term investment strategy relies on the tried-and-tested principle of buying low and selling high to generate returns in the market. It’s especially effective when used to identify assets that are currently overvalued, thus helping many investors amass fortunes through this investment method; for instance, those who purchased banking stocks during the financial crisis realized significant returns; others purchased shares of print media companies when the Internet threatened those businesses’ existence while buying oil and gas producers during an energy crisis saw substantial returns as well.
Boat Fishing
Byron Stout of Jersey City was among many fishermen to set out this week in a boat, sailing out on his Sea Tiger II and discovering that fluke fishing had improved both in Raritan Bay and the ocean. Although fluke numbers weren’t great, catch rates of throwbacks and keepers were better than anticipated; using white curly tail grubs and greenback MirrOdine plugs, Stout caught two nice 9.5-pound stripers and several doormats.
Boats around town have still found some short fluke and quality sea bass to catch. While catching has been slower, now that the ocean has settled down there should be some exceptional fishing this weekend.
Today was another fantastic day with an enthusiastic group of regulars at the Seabass grounds. Started with some short fluke, picking up several nice keepers and plenty of ling and porgies before ramping up with more regular action and limit fish around the boat with some impressive quality fish caught. Joe Simoes from Harrison won the pool with an outstanding 6lb. Fish. The weather looks promising for tomorrow and Sunday’s expeditions!
Join us this weekend for some fantastic fluke and black sea bass fishing off of Jersey Shore. Book online or walk-ons are welcome – sailing daily at 6am. Hope to see you out there! The Sea Tiger II is a 55-foot custom-built vessel outfitted with top-of-the-line tackle, electronics, and comfort features. US Coast Guard certified, we specialize in Striped Bass, Fluke, Flounder, and Bottom fishing, offering ample cabin seating space with clean restrooms – we also have an experienced crew that strives for perfection every trip run – proud to be part of Jersey Shore Fishing Report.
