Jimbo
03-18-2004, 07:40 AM
Weather curtails striper action
Thursday, March 18, 2004
The weather has certainly had a lot to do with the striper fishing the last couple of days. After a glimpse of springtime only a few days ago, the weather has reversed itself and returned to a more wintery scenario. As a result only a handfull of anglers have been giving it a try and those that did had poor results.
We checked with several area sport shops that usually have their ear to the ground as far as striper action is concerned and found little in the way of concrete information. In addition, we heard from a couple of individual anglers with mixed results.
Anglers Scott's Bait and Tackle in Mystic Islands reported that since the first keeper was beached on March 6, only a couple of other bass have been taken. The weather has been the bug-a-boo as only a smattering of anglers have braved the northeast winds of late.
In talking with folks at Busnardo's B & T in Bridgeton, we learned that things have been relatively quiet on the striper front along the Fortescue beach and bulkhead. This was echoed by Marlene at Jenkins Seafood in Newport who said things were quiet of late along the beachfront.
From those at John's Seafood in Paulsboro, we heard that the only action of any note was at the DOD above Penns Grove, but otherwise things were quiet due to the weather. The word from everyone at Shag's in Pennsville is that a couple of bass came from Elsinboro, but that this week the weather has shut things down. The same lack of bass came from the Fisherman's Cove in Mantua.
Another regular on the striper scene is Bob Kelly of National Park, whose daily beat is Beach Hill in that town. He has failed to connect as yet except for a large channel cat, but that is hardly what he had in mind. As far as he knows no stripers have been taken there.
One encouraging bit of news came from Dennis Quinn of Somerdale, who along with Bill Dickinson of the Villas, fished near No. 1 buoy in the Maurice River Cove on Sunday and boated a pair of bass on bloodworms. Both were slot fish of 24 and 27 inches.
Dennis reported a couple other hits and related that they had a rod out with clams, but that it never had a tickle. He reported that the water was 42 degrees that day and saw no reason for it to get any warmer with the cool weather we have had lately.
It certainly looks as if it is going to take some better temperatures both in the air and water to get the fish active and the fishermen out there trying. The surf over at Gandy's Beach has been filled with grass that forms a ball around your bait and sinker, but after this disappears some action could take place on those sands. East Point and Reed's Beach should produce as soon as the conditions improve as well.
Freshwater anglers are faring better as bass have been hitting lures and baits fished slow and deep. Pickerel and perch have started to show as well.
Word from Busnardo's is that someone weighed in a 3-1/4-pound bass and a 2-pound, 15-ounce pickerel, both taken in Mary Elmer Lake in Bridgeton. Sunset Lake has given up some large yellow perch and even some holdover trout from the fall and winter stockings have been hooked both there and at Shaw's Mill Pond.
Freshwater anglers are reminded that this Monday will see the shutdown of all fishing in lakes and streams that will be stocked with trout for the opening of the New Jersey Trout Season at 8 a.m. on Saturday, April 10.
Some folks think that this means no fishing for trout during this closed season time, but it means no fishing, period, for any species. Most of the lakes affected will be posted by the Fish and Wildlife Division, but regardless, the no fishing law applies. Remember, ignorance of the law is no excuse.
The South Jersey Fly Fishers will hold their annual banquet at the Salem County Sportmen's Club on Saturday, April 3, and their monthly meeting at the same location on Thursday, April 15. The speaker will be Don Douple, whose topic will be "Great trout streams of Pennsylvania."
Ralph Knisell is the outdoors writer for the News. His column appears on Thursday.
Thursday, March 18, 2004
The weather has certainly had a lot to do with the striper fishing the last couple of days. After a glimpse of springtime only a few days ago, the weather has reversed itself and returned to a more wintery scenario. As a result only a handfull of anglers have been giving it a try and those that did had poor results.
We checked with several area sport shops that usually have their ear to the ground as far as striper action is concerned and found little in the way of concrete information. In addition, we heard from a couple of individual anglers with mixed results.
Anglers Scott's Bait and Tackle in Mystic Islands reported that since the first keeper was beached on March 6, only a couple of other bass have been taken. The weather has been the bug-a-boo as only a smattering of anglers have braved the northeast winds of late.
In talking with folks at Busnardo's B & T in Bridgeton, we learned that things have been relatively quiet on the striper front along the Fortescue beach and bulkhead. This was echoed by Marlene at Jenkins Seafood in Newport who said things were quiet of late along the beachfront.
From those at John's Seafood in Paulsboro, we heard that the only action of any note was at the DOD above Penns Grove, but otherwise things were quiet due to the weather. The word from everyone at Shag's in Pennsville is that a couple of bass came from Elsinboro, but that this week the weather has shut things down. The same lack of bass came from the Fisherman's Cove in Mantua.
Another regular on the striper scene is Bob Kelly of National Park, whose daily beat is Beach Hill in that town. He has failed to connect as yet except for a large channel cat, but that is hardly what he had in mind. As far as he knows no stripers have been taken there.
One encouraging bit of news came from Dennis Quinn of Somerdale, who along with Bill Dickinson of the Villas, fished near No. 1 buoy in the Maurice River Cove on Sunday and boated a pair of bass on bloodworms. Both were slot fish of 24 and 27 inches.
Dennis reported a couple other hits and related that they had a rod out with clams, but that it never had a tickle. He reported that the water was 42 degrees that day and saw no reason for it to get any warmer with the cool weather we have had lately.
It certainly looks as if it is going to take some better temperatures both in the air and water to get the fish active and the fishermen out there trying. The surf over at Gandy's Beach has been filled with grass that forms a ball around your bait and sinker, but after this disappears some action could take place on those sands. East Point and Reed's Beach should produce as soon as the conditions improve as well.
Freshwater anglers are faring better as bass have been hitting lures and baits fished slow and deep. Pickerel and perch have started to show as well.
Word from Busnardo's is that someone weighed in a 3-1/4-pound bass and a 2-pound, 15-ounce pickerel, both taken in Mary Elmer Lake in Bridgeton. Sunset Lake has given up some large yellow perch and even some holdover trout from the fall and winter stockings have been hooked both there and at Shaw's Mill Pond.
Freshwater anglers are reminded that this Monday will see the shutdown of all fishing in lakes and streams that will be stocked with trout for the opening of the New Jersey Trout Season at 8 a.m. on Saturday, April 10.
Some folks think that this means no fishing for trout during this closed season time, but it means no fishing, period, for any species. Most of the lakes affected will be posted by the Fish and Wildlife Division, but regardless, the no fishing law applies. Remember, ignorance of the law is no excuse.
The South Jersey Fly Fishers will hold their annual banquet at the Salem County Sportmen's Club on Saturday, April 3, and their monthly meeting at the same location on Thursday, April 15. The speaker will be Don Douple, whose topic will be "Great trout streams of Pennsylvania."
Ralph Knisell is the outdoors writer for the News. His column appears on Thursday.