New Jersey & Delaware Bay - New Jersey & Delaware Bay Surf Fishing Reports

John at Betty and Nick’s in Seaside Park spoke of the usual small blues whacking away at metals all through the daylight hours. Dedicated anglers working the holes and cuts for fluke are coming up with plenty of shorts and an occasional keeper flattie. The IBSP and Seaside suds are a combo of fluke and small blues during the day, with rays gnawing on chunk baits during the night. Some bass were taken on small plugs off the docks in Ocean Gate and around the bridge pilings for dedicated bass hounds fishing during the dark hours.

John at Betty and Nicks in Seaside Park wrapped up December with a bang as there were some days you literally couldn’t find a spot to fish on IBSP as both the bass and the anglers were tick as thieves. John has been pleased to see a pretty legit fall run materialize though you have to find the fish each day. The basic pattern has been fish will hold in a certain spot for three to four days then move on and you have to find them again. The shop will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. throughout the winter.

As Dave from the Absecon Bay Sportsman said, “We got worms and you don’t need no ivermectin!” The shop is loaded with bloodworms for the tons of white perch in the Mullica River and surrounding back creeks. Some huge whiteys up to nearly 2 pounds are being hooked on the moving tides. Bass fishing should be hot and heavy in the Mullica and Absecon backwaters on March 1 as last year’s bass prize was taken on day one with a 30-inch plus keeper that won $200.

Avalon Hodge Podge in Avalon had the power turned back on by the weekend and does have crabs in stock to get after those sheepshead along the local rockpiles.

At Bait N’ Hook in Sicklerville comes word of triggerfish in tight along Cape May County jetties take green crabs or clam baits. There’s also been some terrific sheepshead fishing to be had for those using green crabs and fiddlers on a quarter-ounce jighead.

At Old Inlet Bait and Tackle in Delaware the recommendation for surfcasters was drifting sand crabs at night for striped bass there along Indian River Inlet.