Lunker striped bass are being caught along the New Jersey shore lines

According to our saltwater reporters from On the Water Magazine, the striper migration is exploding as waves of post-spawn fish are spreading north through New Jersey. Big bass are blitzing bunker schools along the beaches, inlets and back bays, while surfcasters are finding quality fish on plugs, clams and fresh chunks. Bluefish too are beginning to mix in across southern New Jersey and despite a slow fluke start, the overall saltwater bite continues to improve by the day. 

Here’s what some New Jersey tackle shops are reporting.

*Capt. Phil Sciortino at the Tackle Box in Hazlet, says big bass are hitting eels on planer boards and they’re in the surf as well where they’re eating clams and chunks. There’s also some short fluke being caught in Raritan Bay by Officers Row and in local rivers. 

*Joe Julian at Julian’s Bait and Tackle in Atlantic Highlands reports some keeper fluke were caught in the Shrewsbury and Navesink rivers, and out the Bug Light. Striped bass are here as well and hitting metal lip swimmers and Mag Darters off the beaches just south of the shop. 

*Mike Pinto at Giglio’s Bait and Tackle in Sea Bright said fishing is as good as it gets with the rivers lit up with big bass and off the beach. SP Minnows, glide baits, Joe Biggs Swarters and bloodworms were all working. In the river, MP Bucktails, Ruthless, Tackle 9-inch Candy soft baits and paddletail shads were hooking them.

*Dave Eurell at Grump’s Tackle in Seaside Park reports striper fishing off the beach there is pretty good on clams while a few bass have been taken on lures. There are keepers along with some pretty big bass in the mix. Fluking action is back in the bay with fish up to 23 inches eating Gulp, bucktails and killies. 

*Mike Gleason at Tak Waterman in Long Branch said the surf bite is strong on bottle plugs and glide baits with most bass in the 15-18-pound range with some larger fish in the mix. Anglers are still getting baas in the local rivers and a few fluke were taken out of them since opening day. 

*Frank Giacalone at Gabriel Tackle in Brick, said he has solid reports of stripers on the beaches from Manasquan Inlet down to Island Beach State Park. They’re hitting clams, bunker chunks and lures. He also reported good fluke fishing from the north end of the Point Pleasant Canal and Manasquan River on bucktails and Gulp jerk shads, along with killies. 

*Stanley Gola at the Reel Seat in Brielle, said there are loads of stripers in the river and hitting plugs and soft plastics. There are bass on the beach as well, and it’s strictly a clam bite. He added that fluke fishing is off to a good start in the Manasquan River on Gulp and that bluefish have shown up in the river. They’re long, but skinny. 

*Pete Kupper at Charlie’s Bait and Tackle in Normandy Beach reported good bass action at night in the bay and out front on the beaches and eating SP Minnows and paddletails. And in the surf, they’re hitting clams. He also reported the first bluefish appeared this week. 
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These Jersey saltwater spots appear to be a good bet for really big, good eating fishing action.