3/25/07 - 3/28/07 South Jersey Bays

[Even Steven]

Started out Sunday night (3/25/07) from 5PM - 7:30PM on the sods out back in South Jersey. Did not get down early enough, so had no bait, but plugged for the duration. Nothing happening.

Started Monday (3/26/07) off at 11AM in a different spot. Had one rod with clam on FF rig, second rod with bloodworm and FF rig (both with 8/0 Gama Circle and 6" leader), and I was plugging with the third. Fished hard, then got hungry (and frankly a little bored) around 2PM. Took one bite out of my lunch, looked up, and WHAM! My first hit of the season! She gave me a good run and broke water a few times before running in right towards me. Got her into the shallows and she came right into shore. Measured 27". Circle hook entered the cheek, but never touched the gill plate, so she was revived and set free. Here is my first of the season and this was on bloodworm. This will be the year I get my first keeper:



The fish was very healthy looking, gave a good fight for it's size, and was aggressive and looked great! This is yet another good sign for the state of striper fishing in NJ!

Fished hard still for another 3 hours and left for eats @ 5PM. Hit another spot @ 6PM. Tossed one rod out with bloodworm, FF rig with 8/0 Gama Circle like earlier. Threw out a plug and started working it when WHAM! The baited rod gets nailed!! Not really a big run, felt different than a striper at first but wound up she was just tired and came right in. This one measured in at around 26". Again, revived and set free. Good hookset on this one and yet another VERY healthy looking fish:



Fished till about 8PM at that spot, nothing else happened. Moved North a bit and tried the location from the first fish earlier and had no bites. Wrapped up @ 10PM.

Went out Tuesday (3/27/07) at 11AM. Fished hard with 2 baited rods and plugging along with third rod and nothing. Wrapped up with a skunk for the day @ 3PM.

Also drove down last night (3/28/07) and fished hard with the wife (yes, she rocks!) from 5PM - 8PM. Had one tiny tap tap tap (very light) on bloodworm again just before sunset. Had a gull try and take an RM Smith custom. So, ended that evening with another skunk.

More fishing and more reports to come!

Steve

[Sam]

Great job, Steve! It's always nice to take that first bit of a sandwich and realize you have a fish ON!

[Even Steven]

Sam, it never fails! I swear

LOL

[trowpa]

Great job Steve!! So close eh??? I KNOW you'll get your keeper this year! You've got some MOJO already and it's only March.

[Even Steven]

trowpa, i really hope so. I have been trying really hard so far this year! I will be down on AI the 14th and 15th of April. Is that a good time down there? Who knows, maybe my first keeper could be that weekend.

[trowpa]

Steve - who knows - they haven't really arrived in numbers yet...but any momemt. They should be there by then you would think...I'm probably going to be there the 13th and 14th...Perhaps we can hook up and fish!

[Charkbait]

Steve,

As you can tell they are staging in the estuaries and bays now and for the next couple weeks until the big release and then you'll see em. I caught keepers on AI on April 1 last year but there were fish being caught before I got there. Seems pretty quiet so far. The fish that are being caught on AI I believe are DE bay and other area spawners, there should be a big lull in AI action come Mid April when they spawn. Then again I'm not a biologist, just going off of the spawning activity I see around here in the Chessy.