Conditions could not get any better this week. Anglers hit limits all week long from the Raritan Bay all the way to the Barnegat Bay.
Bait fishing kicked in this week with boats from the back of the Raritan around the hook all the way to Shrewsbury Rocks. Bass seemed to be everywhere and hitting bunker chunks or anything you put on the troll. I have to say, it’s been the best in spring bass fishing I have ever seen in my lifetime!
Most fish have been in the 15- to 20- pound range with a few exceptions. I have not seen a short under 28 inches, and that means these fish are returning bigger and in more numbers than past years.
The two-fish-per-man limit seems to be working, and with a little luck the fall bass run will be one to remember.
Bluefish were mixed in with the bass in the bay due to warmer water and massive schools of bunker moving in. At the Rocks, we found more bass and fewer blues, but I have a feeling this will all change in the next few days with warmer temperatures.
Capt. Matt on the La Barca from Sandy Hook maxed out three times this week by 9 a.m. on the troll. Bunker spoons and the stretch lures were working and landing big fish in the early hours for the crew.
Capt. Carmine aboard the Island Girl called me from Great Kills Yacht Club in Staten Island, N.Y., and his reports were all on the bunker chunk. Capt. Carmine maxed out his last three trips and never went past the Great Kills bug light.
Action in the Raritan is in full swing early mornings, and late afternoon bites have been even better.
With so many boats this weekend, the bay looked like a parking lot. According to Capt. Carmine, this bass run has anglers coming from all over to get a shot at a Raritan trophy.
As I mentioned in a recent column, it hurts me to see so many boats still on dry dock, but that doesn’t mean you can’t surf fish or log on to NJSaltwaterfisherman.com and find a boat to fish. With so much life in the bay and along the shores, anglers have been lining the beaches day and night in pursuit of a trophy fish.
Big bluefish, and I mean big — up to 15 pounds — have been patrolling the shorelines and keeping bait within reach for everyone to experience a good fight. Pick a tide, and take it from me, I have fished the Raritan Bay for more than 30 years, it doesn’t get any better than this.
Remember to keep your distance from one another, on a boat or off the surf. When chasing birds on the jig or trolling around the fleets, be alert and use common courtesy and safety first. Fishing is the greatest sport in the world and should always be fun and memorable. It’s up to you.
Fish On!