NJ killing 'em but MD gets nada inside?

[jacksdad]

The optimist in me wants to believe that the rockfish just haven't really left NJ yet and we'll be seeing them inside 3 miles soon enough.

But then we hear about guys seeing them 10+ miles out from OC and I'm wondering if they never really come inshore here at all.

What is causing this? Is OC just not part of the near shore route for rockfish, ever, or is it a weather pattern thing or what? What do those of you who have been doing this a long time think?

[rocksteady]

It's all about where the majority of big schools of bunker are in my opinion. Even the commercial netters aren't seeing them

[Hillbilly Boater]

It's all about where the majority of big schools of bunker are in my opinion. Even the commercial netters aren't seeing them

Have to agree. Find the bait, you'll find the fish. !0 miles out there are big schools of bunker and big schools of stripers. Didn't see much bait Sat. inside. Can't say, however, why all the bait is offshore.

[ISLAND HOPPER]

Monday i ran past the bass grounds saw nothing.There was no life at all.

[Hillbilly Boater]

Monday i ran past the bass grounds saw nothing.There was no life at all.

Keep up the search Grasshopper. They are there.

(BTW Grasshopper is from an old TV show. Can anyone name that show?)

[jacksdad]

Indeed I won't be hanging myself in the closet of a hotel room if I don't find rockfish soon....but I will be bummed!

[rich daiker]

yes Master---I know the show:)

[iwannanewboat]

you would you old timer

[rich daiker]

Yup....sure sign of a wasted youth:)---did you make it out saturday??? We ran to Little Gull after a duck hunt but found no love from the rock. I hope you did better

[cross21114]

I'm holding Pat's 40". I caught a 35". Both just inside 3 mile line Tuesday.54580

[PGM3638]

Great fish! Gives me something to look forward to tomorrow. You get it on the troll or cast? I keep my boat at sunset as well. Are you the 25' world Cat?

Pat M.

[fowl]

There ya go Cris !!! It has been slow so far in the ocean ...

[n2striper]

I can tell you that the migration fish we are waiting for to show here in the lowest parts of the Chesapeake Bay have not got here yet. Thanks for the report. I was curious how you guys up north were doing.

[Kevin Smith]

Hopefully the spawning stocks of Menhaden that take refuge in the Delaware Bay & Chesapeake Bay for year 0, 1 & 2 will expand because of the recent decision by the ASMFC. Once they implement the reduction it should only a couple of years before the coastal striper fishing in Delaware, Maryland & Virginia will come back like "gang busters".

Kevin
Weekend Mistress
NO BAIT = NO FISH = NO FISHERMEN

[htroutner]

I fished the mouth of Delaware Bay the past 2 Saturdays. Got 2 a 36" fish on the 19th and another this past Saturday. All on eels. While drifting I saw 2 commerical fishing boats on the ocean just outside the mouth of the bay. Both had their booms down so I presume they were dragging for something. What would they be dragging for there? Can they net stripers that close to shore.

[Westocgreg]

The water temps are still toooooo warm. The fish only migrate as far south as they have to. If the water stays at 56 degrees outside of OC then the fish will stay up north. I am catching alot of big fish but the main bio-mass is still up north and until the water gets too cool up there, they will stay right where they are. It's getting cooler now so I expect the huge mass of fish to start moving south soon.

[jacksdad]

Greg I guess that makes total sense. I think we saw 56 deg. this past Saturday.

[khoelper]

The Bass in Jersey right now are on sand eels. They are piled up in LBI, having said that this stretch of beach (OC) is terrible for inshore fishing. Doesn't matter if it's flounder, sea bass, tog, or stripers. There is not much structure to hold bait fish let alone school of bass. I have fished Jersey and Ny for over 15 years and seeing the blitz on the beach, the massive amount of bait that comes down the coast, the numerous jettys (north jersey over 100), inlets, the spring bite thats last till july, pods of bunkers that hang around, the shad, the herring, and structure. All of which I feel OC lacks! I have seen it blow up here but only a few days not weeks on hand. That also has to do with the rapid drop in water temperature when we get in to December. A year like this (warm) those bass are dragging their heels to get here. I hope it stays warm with a gradual cool down, if not I think the majority of fish will shoot right past us like some many years in the past.

Think about this, when was the last time you boat 60 bass in a day inside 3 miles. It's happening everyday off LBI

[cross21114]

Great fish! Gives me something to look forward to tomorrow. You get it on the troll or cast? I keep my boat at sunset as well. Are you the 25' world Cat?

Pat M.
Pat,

Sorry I didn't get back earlier. I keep my 25 WC up in South Bethany - we just stopped at Sunset for some fuel.

Went back out last Saturday to the same place but nada. Fowl was actually watching me from the beach and called me. Probably gave me bad luck.

Chris

[Westocgreg]

Well finally this week they have been right off the beach in OC. it is hit or miss but the birds are the tell tale sign. weather has been crappy other then yesterday when they picked up a few keepers inside the 3 mile line. sorry forgot to text you but i think they will be here until at least the first week or so of january. if the water stays this warm we might see them all winter.

[Don Hershfeld]

Thanks to all providing thoughtful posts on this thread. Interesting.

[Worm]

When you can snatch the pebble from my hand....... It is time for you to go.

[jacksdad]

Hoping to get out thurs. Cf saying good things.

[TerpHeels]

jacksdad...where u runnin out of as we will b outa Chinco if comes below 15 overnight...68 or 72...

[jacksdad]

Decided to work this am. May go in afternoon if conditions nice enough. Fish out of OC.

[johnholmesjr]

kung foo

[reel determined]

With the quick drop in water temp, are the fish flying right past us? Anyone doing anything out of Chincoteague?

[jacksdad]

Sat shows W10 but 3-4 ft. I think should be good to go. Sunday afternoon shows even better.

Chinc. 30 mile boat ride from inlet! I'm going to head S unless something else shows up in reports but looks like little gull and sliver will be the places to go.

[jacksdad]

Hey Terp can you give a quick low down on launching from Chincoteague for the first time? Thinking about trailering down but have never fished there and don't know the water at all. Is it simple like OC?

[Bob L]

I believe you need a town ramp permit for Chincoteague.

[jacksdad]

Thx bob I'm just going out of oc tomorrow. I'll learn chincoteague this spring for flounder.

[TerpHeels]

Sorry jacksdad, the best ramp is on the south end of town at Curtis Merritt. Like Bob L states u will need town permit which u can get at the police station off Maddox. Kinda a PITA if u don't go down there often. I run out of Captains Cove so I don't have 2 deal with.

[reel determined]

How far of a run is the inlet from Captains cove?

[TerpHeels]

Bout 6 miles if u run the shortcut under the queens sound bridge. It is very shoal in areas so its not for the faint of heart.

[jacksdad]

Thanks Terp. I don't mind buying the permit as it's money for a good cause. Chincoteague is what OC used to be and i'm all for some growth down there. Have a couple clients in the area and would like to spend a bit more time down there in the coming years.

Is the run from the harbor through the inlet easy and well marked or is it sketchy? are charts reliable for the area?

[TerpHeels]

There's not a chart or chartplotter up to date on that inlet now that I'm aware. I have brand new lowrance HDS system and it ain't right. Having said that it is a super ez run from Curtis Merritt thru the hole in the wall. When u come out of harbor turn to your left and put her on plane...run past 2 greens keeping them on ur right. Past the 2nd green turn 90 degrees to starboard where u'll pick up a red which u will keep on ur left. U r now in the inlet...probably 1/2 mile or so from Curtis Merritt. Only tricky part since ur chartplotter aint gonna show it is that 90 starboard turn. Good deep water.

[jacksdad]

Great, thank you again!