My wife's family has a tradition of going to Ocean City, NJ the last week of August each year which is nice since we get a deal on a house right next to the beach and don't have to deal with as many crowds since a lot of people are home and getting ready for school or already started.

I had been doing some jetty, back bay and surf fishing while there but the past couple of years have been pretty lousy and I was going to give up on it this year but my brother in law wants to go so I've decided to give it a go again.

Does anyone from the Jersey Shore area know how the surf fishing has been this year? We will go out to the beach to surf fish very early in the morning like 5:30 am to 7:30 am because I need to be back to help my wife with two children now (right now 2.5 years old and nearly 3 months old!) and don't have the luxury of doing this anytime like before.

I had been using a "fish-finder" rig with an 8-10 oz pyramid sinker (the surf has been super rough in recent years, in VA I can use a 2 or 3 oz sinker no problem) and clams for bait. I wonder if the really rough surf was part of this issue that wasn't catching crap? In previous years I'd be pulling in small sharks and dogfish, skate, croaker and weakfish(sea trout) but the past 2 years have been awful. It's nothing special, but it's still fun for me to catch anything!

Anyone do any surf fishing there this year lately? Any advice or reports would be appreciated!

Check out the Fisherman Magazine for the weekly reports:

http://campaign.r20.constantco...a0-98f5-496a8867b9ea

quote:

Originally posted by 41:
Check out the Fisherman Magazine for the weekly reports:

http://campaign.r20.constantco...a0-98f5-496a8867b9ea

Thanks! I go to that Fin-Atics shop in OCNJ so I trust their reports.

Might try:

http://www.stripersonline.com/...017-fishing-reports/

I usually surf fish the Gulf of Mexico of FL, and DE, and love a heavy surf myself. I especially love to fish at night for sharks, using Mullet/bunker heads. For rough surf, you might try storm sinkers; this way you can reduce your weight, and still have very good holding power. Sometimes I like a little rolling around, as it presents the bait to more fish, and finds the holes where they ambush from.

I have never had to use more than 6 oz's, and I make sure my #80 shock leader is in good shape, checking the connecting knot often.

http://www.betty-n-nicks.com/fish.shtml

Good info.

I go to LBI and fish that from the entrance, south to the inlet.

I never go by what Betty an Nicks say. It could be 12" of snow a typhoon just came thru and they will tell you fishing is good.
So far fishing this summer is nothing to write home ab out, but it is still enjoyable. I've been using clams and 4oz. triangle weight. You might get lucky and have a school of blues come by, not great eating but fun to catch. Of course Ocean City is a good 45 miles south of me.

quote:

Originally posted by FN in MT:
http://www.betty-n-nicks.com/fish.shtml

Good info.

I go to LBI and fish that from the entrance, south to the inlet.

LBI or Island Beach State Park? Two different Islands. Betty and Nicks is at the beginning of Island Beach State Park.

I've had good luck with the guys at Finatics, didn't fish this year but have used squid and minnows at the south end of the island