Flatties or Triggers ?

[Slugo]

I've been reading all the horrible reports from the Bay and wondering if a change of speicies might not be in order. I have yet been able to get down to fish due to work load. I know most of you are from the LIGHT side , We always launch from the DARK side. My question is are any of you fishing for Triggers around the different structures in the bay. I was reading good reports about them being caught around structures off NJ . planning to come down next Fri. - Sun. would it be worth the effort to give it a try? Need to stretch my string and bend the rod a lot I'm jonesing bad!! Tight Lines Everyone!!!!

[Slugo]

Thanks for the feedback! I guess it was a touchy question . Tell you what, I will try it anyhow ! Wish us luck Tight Lines everyone!!!

[Bay Invader]

Good Luck Slugo.How do you fish for triggerfish?I'm always open to fishing for a new species.What bait?I just started structure fishing,I've never encountered them.

[WETDREAM]

From what I know, which ain't much, fishing triggers is like toggin. green crabs or sandfleas on stucture. small hooks since they have small mouths. rock piles, lighthouses, reef sites. Not sure of the regs on em.

anything but sharks is worth a try.........

[Bay Invader]

Thanks Wetdream.I looked on the NJFW website I couldnt find anything pertaining to size or bag limit on triggerfish.No regs that I can see.However there was mention of a state record caught in Great Bay,so with that in mind I'd say they are legal to take.That article also mentioned that they are good eating too.I'll start fishing for them when Tog come back in season.

[SeaHag]

I caught triggers a couple of yrs ago when wreck fishing on the capt Robbins out of SIC. Used small pieces of squid on a hi-lo rig. They are absolutely delicious!

[Great White]

My son shot some last week off of some local jetties. The tog probably out number the triggers 1000 to 1. We went to some bouys that usually have triggers around them in the 12 to 20 mile offshore range but they only had small jacks on them. 74 degrees at the f bouy but no triggers. Maybe a little early or someone already gotum.

[Slugo]

I really don't know how to actually target them, the only ones I caught were while either toggin' or flattie fishing. From what I've been reading the best / better way to go is to anchore and chum over structure. In the past we caught them on sand fleas and squid. They do say smaller hooks are better and I can see why but , I've landed some on 3/0 Kahle hooks. Thanks for the replies. Seems like this question may have sparked an idea in others as well ? Tight Lines Everyone!!!

[Fluka Brasi]

I fished for triggers this past Sunday and did well on an inshore wreck out front of Cape May. There are definitely some wrecks that hold them better than others. I would guess they would be in the bay, but I think one of the keys to finding them is clean water which can be a problem in the bay. I typically fish a high lo rig with 1/0 hooks and use squid, clam, crab, and/or meat. They are great bait stealers, scrappy fighters, awesome table fare, and one of my favorite fish to target.

[BILLO]

Check out MATTLIST's posts on the HOME PORT site on the Barn. Triggers are IN and biting in the rocks.

[U / W HUNTER]

Don't know if anybody catches them in the bay or if nobody reports it but those rock piles around the lighthouses do look inviting, give it a shot and let us know

[mattlist]

Hi guys. I'm sure they're are triggers in the bay around some structures. I've been doing some research on wrecks and sunken structure in the DB and from what I see you guys have allot of unknown junk around..from small sunken bouys to larger wrecks.( If someone has a side scan they can do some serious damage finding this stuff!) The downside is the big tides and currents and all the weight you have to use when it gets ripping in certain areas. Salinity seems to play a factor as well..any rain flooding into the river will usually shut down the tog bite so I'm assuming triggerfish won't like it either. I wouldn't be sure about chumming in the DB either at this time of year with all those sharks and rays..ect. The final factor is the huge shark population..larger sharks and dolphins eat triggers with no issue. All that said I'm sure you can find em..if not now than maybe later in the season when they are done spawning and hang all over inside verticle structure and sodbanks.If your not good at anchoring I'd go take a trip with Adam Bomb or Fishin Fever first and learn some stuff before I attempt. I know they get sheepshead..Triggers and the occasional Spade over on the dark side so I can't see the CM side being much different. Once you find em you wont loose em. I wrote some stuff on triggerfish when I was living in Av full time just click on my homepage and check it out if you want more info. Good luck!