And here we go! The month we’ve all be patiently waiting for. May is upon us and with it, some of the best fishing of the year. The warm winter should set the stage for a phenomenal month of fishing. To start with the striper run will be in its full swing from tip to tip of the state. Fluke season starts on May 3rd with an 18-inch minimum size and three fish bag limit which is a great parameter for keeper class bigger fish to bring home. Blackfishing however is now closed. Tuna was above average last year, but we are hoping for a banner fishery like 2 years past. Black sea bass season also reopens with a 10 fish bag and size at 12.5 inches from May 17 to June 19. If all goes well, the bluefish should be hot and heavy in the bays and out front too. Even though Memorial Day signals the kick off to the summer season, get your fishing in now!
RARITAN BAY
The bass bomb will be exploding in Raritan Bay all throughout the month. Usually the early part of the month has the fish still stuck in the backwaters of the bay off spots like the Amboys, Great Kills Harbor, Tottenville and the Keansburg areas. Anglers generally search around for birdplays to cast Yo-Zuri poppers, Island X plugs and RonZ shads at the schools, but will start too by trolling around with shad bar spreaders and Mojo Ball rigs to find the roving schools. By the end of the month, the fish will be pushing off of Coney Island, Romer Shoal, the Ammo Pier and off of Sandy Hook Rip where the same tactics apply. The Highlands Bridge area is a prime time spot to find feeding bass during the night hours, as shads dropped down will get whacked. If bluefish move in, they will be anywhere the bunker schools are. If you’re just looking to hook up, send a few bunker chunks out on 60-pound leader to get into the choppers, but if you see them crashing bunker on the surface, launch out the poppers to get bone jarring strikes. Just remember to switch out the treble hook for single hooks for easier releases. The Island X model Sidewinder plugs come equipped with single hooks out of the package. Fluke should be firing too off the Amoo Pier, Chapel Hill Channel and off Coast Guard Row. Drag bait strips like mackerel, sea robin or bluefish to hang some flatties, or bounce bucktails tipped with Berkley Gulp grubtails. Generally, fluke are in 12 to 25 feet of water at this time, but bump around channel edges to find where packs are schooling up.
NORTHERN COAST
The northern river systems got a shot of bass action in early April and both the Navesink and Shrewsbury rivers will be holding fish through the month as shads and plugs ae key to find fish at the oceanic Bridge flats and by where the two rivers join up. For color selection, always go with a white offering as the pattern shows up better in the dark muddy bottom of the rivers. I had heard some rumors of winter flounder in both of the river systems if you feel the urge to try for the tasty flatfish. Fluke was hot last year this month as the flats off the Oceanic Bridge held plenty of keeper size fish, as did the docks off the Shrewsbury river area by Tommys Bar. Off the coast, bass will also be roaming about, especially off the Spring Lake Hotel, Shrewsbury Rocks, Long Branch and the Deal Flume areas. Trolling will find the fish, but visuals of bunker being blasted will warrant bringing out the poppers, shads and plugs. Fluke anglers should blanket the area off Elberon and the sandy Hook reef area as they exit the Shark River and colonize the rubble structures in 25 to 50 foot of waters. The Shark River is also a red hot spot to load up on winter flounder, off the concrete Pier, L Street and the Tennis Courts. A well defined clam slick will get the flundies snapping, bait up with bloodworm or sandworm bits on hooks fixed with yellow grub tails or yellow beads above the shank of the hook for added attraction. If bluefish are around, you’ll know they are there with busted bass and fluke rigs coming up when you reel in. Drop down with Ava jig metals to target them more effectively.
CENTRAL COAST
Flatfish hounds are no doubt going to be working the Shark River and Manasquan river systems throughout the month. Try further back in the river to start off. The Manasquan River holds fish tight by the Route 70 bridge, off Treasure Island and off of Clark’s Landing, then they progressively move toward the Route 35 drawbridge and train bridge by month’s end. Shark River is usually productive by the Route 35 bridge and drifting outward to the Route 71 bridge and into the inlet itself. Bucktails are always clutch when working river systems, just be sure to tip them with Berkley Gulp Swimmin Minnows or bait strips to get them on the bite. Winter flounder are at their Back Bay peak right now. Yearly hot areas are by the Mantoloking Bridge, Pelican Island in Toms River, the Island Heights docks and upper Silver Bay at the end of Bay Avenue. By the end of the month, they will have pushed through the canal and into the river where the ICW channel and the area off the Big Jamaica dock holds the packs as they filter out into the inlet and off of Dog Beach. You always have the opportunity to cast and blast bluefish around Treasure Island and the old Hospital area in the river as well. Don’t overlook the entire expanse of Barnegat Bay for blues, stripers, fluke and flounder as all species are found for a grand slam catch on the day by the BB and BI buoys, Oyster Creek channel and inside the Barnegat Inlet itself.
OFFSHORE
Fingers are crossed for a solid tuna season. Last year, the bluefin moved in so close to shore at the Seaside Lump that only a 5 mile run out of Barnegat Inlet had anglers into 50 to 100-pound class fish using live squid baits that were prevalent in the area. More commonly, the bluefin can be spread out anywhere from 5 to 65 miles out, with perennial hot spots the Atlantic Princess, Resor Wreck Barnegat Ridge, Triple Wrecks and the Chicken Canyon. Its all a crap shoot to start until the fleet begins to find where they are staging. Early season yellowfin tuna have become more and more common in May as they follow warm water eddies into the Hudson Canyon and all the way into the 45 mile range at the Chicken Canyon area wrecks and ledges. Get ready to drop 100 to 200 g metal jigs or to prospect areas by dragging Chatter Lures sidetracker squid bars in black/purple or rainbow, cedar plugs and ballyhoo baits on blue/white Ilander skirts. Often overlooked, golden tilefish are chewing heavy during the month along the inside of the canyon flats in 300 to 500 feet of water. Large chunk baits of mackerel, bluefish or herring can land you fish up to 45 pounds on those bottom fishing excursions as tilefish always can save the day if the tuna have lockjaw.
There is so much on tap during the whole month of May from the backwaters to inshore to offshore; it’s hard to know where to start. Plan your days out well to jump between species if one is not cooperating and have the boat filled with all the proper gear to tackle a wide array on your day out. It’s about maximizing your time on the water for a full effective and productive outing! Get out and enjoy, the summer is almost here!