Lets start with the facts. 2015 is going to end as one of the most intense El Nino years on record, and for us saltwater folks, this has direct impact on our fisheries, most important of which is the warmer water that has taken grip on our coastal shorelines. Water temps in Southern New Jersey hit 80 degrees sometime in mid July, and have been hovering around 80 ever since. Now with the onslaught of shorter days and lower sun angle we are seeing our temps fall back a bit, but we're still in the mid 70's throughout most of NJ.
Lets take a look back to 2012, the warmest year on record. It brought warm waters to our shores at about the same time, and we had fantastic shark fishing all summer. Now in 2015, same deal, sharks on top of sharks on top of sharks. If you didn't catch any Sharks this season, you either didn't try, or you need to find better spots, because the run was strong all the way up to Cape Cod. Expect sharkin to finish strong sometime in October. 2012 also brought perhaps the best numbers of Redfish that our region had seen in decades, Redfish everywhere from as far north as IBSP and south, we got a real treat that year. Those fish were the 2010 year class of fish, for some reason we had an outstanding spawn in 2010 which is what put 2012 in the books as an epic Puppy Redfish year. That year our fish were all 15"-18". My best day that year came about a week after hurricane Sandy came through, where I easily put 40 Reds on the sand over the course of 2 days in Early November. Reds were caught through January that year.
Now in 2015, the 2010 year class is back, and after 5 years these fish are packing a punch, expect these fish to be over 30" and pushing 3' by the time they decide to head south in a couple months. Right now, there is a population of 5 year old Redfish spawning along our Cape May County beaches. Redfish are fall spawners, usually dropping their eggs in September along our out front beaches, before moving off the spawning grounds and onto their feeding grounds. They are concentrated around certain areas where they have chosen to spawn, and are feeding on Mullet and Sand Fleas, the bite has been going on for almost a month now, however you won't hear about this anywhere other than right here on sea money. Thanks to an elaborate network of die hard fishermen, I caught wind of this Redfish bite a couple weeks ago, I figured I'd spend all of Labor Day Weekend down at the shore probing the Jetty Pockets, Inlets, Creek Mouths and sand structures with mullet in search of these southern ghosts, and after 3 days I had nothing, absolutely nothing to show, other than a few Sandbar Sharks and a Couple Kingfish and Weakfish. Mullet was easy to come by that weekend, and has been ever since, which is providing our Reds with the forage they need to take up residence in our Jersey waters.
I filled in a friend on the Redfish bite, he got out in his boat for a couple hours one day and hit a 15lber in just a couple hours of fishing. The following week, he invited me out, and I finally got my chance at a Red, getting 3 Redfish all 32"-33", 2 fatty females ready to pop and one longer skinnier male, milting on my hands and shoes. 2 of these fish came on jigs, 3/8th ounce jigheads with 5"-7" zoom flukes in white and pink. 1 fish came on a live mullet fished on a half ounce jighead. These are rare fish for NJ, and a testament to the strength of the 2010 year class. I feel with the warm water of 2015 and the large number of spawning fish around right now that this will be another successful year class for the Spawning Redfish, which should strengthen this fishery as the years go by. With the decline in Striper population, and warmer trending water temperatures, it only makes sense that Redfish will become a more viable fishery for New Jersey in the future, also thanks in part to the brilliant regulations on these fish. Once a Redfish is sexually mature, at about 3 years of age, you are no longer allowed to harvest. You can harvest up to 5 fish depending on which state you live in, but there is a federal slot limit in place, which allows harvest of fish on 2 year olds only, which are just reaching sexual maturity. Redfish are a true Gamefish, incredibly versatile fishery, can be caught on all lures and baits, fight with an attitude and can handle mishandling better than most saltwater fish. The perfect fish for New Jersey, and all coastal waters.
Basically, the Redfish crack is back!
In other news, everything is slow! Worst year for Fluke fishing in probably 10 years, word on the water is a 29% reduction in recreational harvest in 2016 due to lower numbers of Fluke. I believe it, I haven't fished Fluke this year like I did in years past, but the few times I did I was lucky to pluck just a keeper or 3 in a whole day, a far cry for limiting out in 2 hours like I'd seen in years prior.
Striper Fishing... not much to say about Striper Fishing. They're there, and in fact 2015 has been a better year than the past 2, but still sub par in the books of those who've been doing it for more than a decade. I don't have much left for Stripers these days, after great fishing in years past, now it seems like more work than its worth. Actually, on second thought, Ill probably do a lot of Striper Fishing this fall.... for now though, water temps are too warm and I have the Redfish on the brain.
Albies! Albies showed up on the Jersey beaches this past week, they've been running strong in New England for awhile now, Jersey is just starting to get in on the fun. Schools of Albies have been seen running the beaches as far south as Cape May, and surely as far north as Sandy Hook. I'll put in a couple sessions in search of my first Jersey Albie, however, Ill be in Marthas Vineyard for a week in October, which is when the real Albie fishing will take place (hopefully!).
Freshwater wise... Man, I really don't have much for freshwater right now. I fished a couple tournaments in August, a bass Tourny on Octoraro lake and a Catfish Tourny on the Delaware. Didn't place in either. Filmed an episode of HookShots with Field and Stream Magazine, that was a lot of fun, kicked back on the river banks with 3 guys I've never met, one of which who makes his living off creating 10 minute Videos, hearing stories of traveling to fishing destinations and shows gone wrong.. Terrible fishing, but worthwhile company. Worth it? Yes.
Flathead fished a reservoir for the first time. Can't get into much detail about that, but saw some big Flatheads. The Schuylkill River sits low on my list of fishing destinations right now.
These are the fish for which will drive me to the edge and back over the next 2 months, beautiful Jersey Reds each in the 15lb range -
