Ernie Giglio at Giglio’s Bait and Tackle in Sea Bright reports there’s a lot of activity in the surf. Big fish are breaking just out of range at Sandy Hook and there’s lots of bait in the wash, mostly sand eels. Anglers are picking up bass, and some fluke, on Gulp!. The fluke are going back. Bass are also being taken on worms in the ocean and river. The snappers are getting bigger and the crabbing is still holding strong. Jack Monteiro of Surf Side Bait and Tackle in Long Branch reports lots of small bait fish in the surf, including sand eels, rainfish, peanut bunker, spearing and snappers. He said keeper striper are being caught but not weighed in. It’s an early morning and late night bite on clams, worms and small swimmers. Fall blowout specials are still going on at Surf Side. Bob Staub at Long Branch Bait and Tackle weighed in a 3 1/4-pound fluke for Jordan Cook, 11, of Long Branch as the season ended. He also said Jack Kingsley, Long Branch, and a buddy got 87 porgies up to 2 pounds at the Naval Pier. Staub walked the beach earlier this week and picked up some small stripers in the surf at daybreak. John Christensen at Scott’s Bait and Tackle in Bradley Beach weighed in a bunch of keeper stripers after Earl left including a 12.6 pounder for Quincy Jones of Asbury Park, a 10.1 pounder for John Judge of Deal and a 12.9 pounder for Jose Bossbaly of Ocean Grove. All were caught on fresh clams in the surf.
John Oswald