Which county has the Best All around Fishing?

[Joseph Lamberty]

While I live in Ocean county and have caught my share of fish here. I have to say; " Monmouth County Beaches" offer the best shot at scoring stripers consistantly,I work up there. There is clearly more hard structure in Monmouth over Ocean cnty. These Jetties hold more non migrating fish especially during the tougher warm weather months and early fall season. I find there to be more bait in the wash in Monmouth county and the fish can be found close to the beach more often than in Ocean County.

The Reason why I pose the question to you guys is I want your opinion..I have fished L.B.I. over the past three weeks without as much as a single bass caught. I try and avoid the higher pressure areas like the Barney Inlet.
Although I will fish the Bay near the Inlet in the spring w/ pretty good success. and the south end occasionally But the Fall season seems to me to be much better outside on the Monmouth beaches for me. Whats your opinion..



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[Bobes]

There are no fish in Monmouth County....

....carry on.

[Bobes]

Monmouth may have the rock jetties, but south jersey has the sods (whick I've never fished yet). I guess it depends on the type of fishing you like. Me, I like hard structure, with some open beaches in between. This gives you tons of choices.

[sw.dawg79]

Atlantic County Fool!

[DJ COAST]

Not sure which county can claim the fall, but the Cape May surf in the Spring...hands down...

[RhinoScores]

They all suck. I vote for Block Island

I have fished L.B.I. over the past three weeks without as much as a single bass caught.

Sometimes it's not the location, but the fisherman From the reports I have, I think you may have been there a little early. I've been up in NoMOCo and while I've been able to find shorts and tons of fluke, I haven't seen one keeper bass landed and there is always a beach/rocks full of fishermen. I think my timing sucks

[Joseph Lamberty]

They all suck. I vote for Block Island



Timing maybe the Issue, certainly, but prior to the Big Nor Easter, I was able to find keepers in all of Mo Co. There were alot of shorts, but a few nice schoolies (29"-32") in the mix. I plug late night, early morning tides, so crowds are never my problem. I thought the Nor Easter might have moved those fish further down and outside the 3 mile zone of O.C. What I'm hearing the guys on I.B.S.P. & L.B.I. aren t fairing too well either. WHERE are the migrating bass.? maybe outside the 3 Mile zone.



I haven't seen one keeper bass landed and there is always a beach/rocks full of fishermen. I think my timing sucks

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[ulackfocus]

If you mean all-around as in boat & surf, it has to be Cape May. You've got the ocean and the bay to choose from. I can't remember a spring that I went without a bass from the surf, nor a fall without a bass from the rips. My best flounder came from near the Cape May reef (8.5 lbs). I will say that for specific species there are better areas at certain times of the year, but for all-around it is definitely Cape May.

[Joseph Lamberty]

If you mean all-around as in boat & surf, it has to be Cape May. You've got the ocean and the bay to choose from. I can't remember a spring that I went without a bass from the surf, nor a fall without a bass from the rips. My best flounder came from near the Cape May reef (8.5 lbs). I will say that for specific species there are better areas at certain times of the year, but for all-around it is definitely Cape May.

I never get down that way but, I can Imagine its gotta be good. Did you see the Article in "ON The WATER" about the up coming Toggin Season ? it showcases Cape May.



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[RhinoScores]

As for surf fishing, Cape May is good in the spring with bait. Not so good in the fall or if you're plugging. However, if your loking for one last bass from the beach come late Dec., it's the spot to try... and I'm usually the lone guy on the beach a couple of days before Christmas.

[RhinoScores]

I plug late night, early morning tides, so crowds are never my problem. I thought the Nor Easter might have moved those fish further down and outside the 3 mile zone of O.C. What I'm hearing the guys on I.B.S.P. & L.B.I. aren t fairing too well either. WHERE are the migrating bass.? maybe outside the 3 Mile zone.

I also plug the darkness and at a few of the better known spots there usually 8 - 10 guys fishing a few blocks of beach; the jetties, not so much at night. I agree with your point about before the big blow in the begining of Sept. I too was finding bass on a regular basis. Now it seems the boat guys are doing well, but the beach seems to be more miss than hit.

[SIC Wit It]

I don't think its fair to pick one county, while I've never fished NOMOCO I hear its usually a great beach area, but theres no back bay fishery like Capemay county has. As far as my exp. Ocean county has been great to me number wise from the beach, but my biggest bass came from cape may county, not to mention all the fluke I caught from the back bay this spring/summer, and good bassing on the flats. So yeah, I don't think you can pick one county and say its the best all around fishing county