Rack and Fin

The next couple of weeks are the twixt ‘n tween of the emerging hot spring saltwater fishing.

One week in, and it’s looking like this will be on par with last year’s spring gobbler season harvest when 2,864 gobblers were brought in to the mandatory check stations during the five week segmented season.

While stripers and tog have been getting the overwhelming majority of the saltwater angler attention, the black drum have been rolling with a building bang that will reach a kettle booming crescendo during the upcoming weeks.

The out front (read: ocean) spring run of stripers is underway, and when it comes to out-of-the-doldrums-let’s play smash mouth, well, the opening bell has been rung.

The 2019 trout season kicks in at 8am this Saturday, and from all indications, it looks like not only a banner Opening Day, but a season as well.

It’s time to catch the biggest bass of your life...at least in New Jersey! The largemouth, not the striped kind.

Figure by this weekend, and into next week for sure as a result of the warming trend and uptick in water temperatures, the white perch will start putting the raspy lips to blood worm and grass shrimp baits.

And just like that, it’s once again legal to fish for striped bass in the bays and tidal rivers and creeks.

February is a tricky month fishing-wise.

Finally! Some consistency with the flounder bite, especially in the back bays, ICW, rivers and inlets from Manasquan south through Hereford.