“The big wait”- Fishing report-09-14-10-By Bob Misak

[Fishing Report]

A healthy to ready to go on the author's stringer

“The big wait”- Fishing report-09-14-10-By Bob Misak
This is the time of year when the striper chasers are on the big wait for the fall run and some are even out there catching bass as we speak. Bass are being caught off the beaches and in the back bays but it isn’t a big deal right now is because most of those fish are from 12 to 20 inches, and you’re hard pressed to keep a bass at 28. But as we wait, those giant bluefish are beginning to make their way in and some gators are coming in from time to time off the sands. There are also kingfish and sandworms or fresh clams against the finger jetties over in Loveladies are producing some fish. The surf has calmed down for now, but here comes hurricane “Igor” to possibly stir things up next week. But if you can’t get outside to the wrecks for sea bass the bay is still pretty hot on the blowfish. There are a ton of little ones around right now and guys are finding themselves sifting through 30 or 40 to get 10 to 15 eaters. Bob Hill and his son Alan hit it over the weekend and they showed me a healthy looking bowl of puffers ready to be happily breaded. A good running tide and lots of chum with fresh clams as bait is the only way, along with those teeny, weeny hooks that you use like, trout fishing hooks. But along with puffers are some nice kingfish moving into the bay, and the crabbing is still strong. I was actually thinking about going crabbing this week, but I first have to find someone to pick the meat out for me. Anyway, you don’t have to venture out far, but the guys that are dock crabbing are complaining about too many little ones and if you have a boat to get out into open water you’re better off. The head boats are back on the blue fishing and I’ve heard that the night trips have been great, with some fish going 12 to 14 lbs. That’s a gator, but those 20 lb. mega-dogs will beat you up, and you’ll know you’ve been in a fight. In the inlet there are also bluefish being caught but those are good eating 2 to 5 lb. choppers. On a nice calm, clear morning you can light it up over there and a little silver thingamajig will do it. That means you could catch em’ with your sock if it’s shiny and has a hook on it. The blackfish are still out there at the end of the jetty waiting for someone to risk life and limb to go catch them, and some dudes are grabbing that opportunity, and Basil has the green crabs for that. There are also togs at the 6th st. dock, and bring some rigs, because there is some structure to deal with when tog fishing, whether on the jetty or at the docks. So there are some options for the die-hards out there, and Barnegat light bait and tackle will equip you with what you need, except for Basil. As nuts as is though, he does know where the fish are at. I just worry about him sometimes when he eats the chum or sticks his hand in the green crab tank. So we’ll see you down at the shop, and if you hit the jetty you better be wearing cleats, unless you’re Dorothy Hamel. Good luck and great fishing.

Barnegat Light Bait and Tackle
1501 Bayview Ave.
Barnegat Light, NJ
(609) 494-4566
Website www.barnegatlightbaitandtackle.com
Email info@barnegatlightbaitandtackle.com