BLACK DRUM

While black drums are most abundant in Delaware Bay, a few are caught in other coastal bays. This large, bottom species is usually taken with clams for bait in the vicinity of shellfish beds.

BLACK SEA BASS

The sea bass is of great importance to the party boat fishery. Sea bass are bottom feeders taken on clam, squid, and fish strips. The best place to catch sea bass is on ocean wrecks and reef sites.

BLOWFISH of PUFFER

At one time, the blowfish was considered a nuisance species and thousands were discarded by sport and commercial fisherman each year. Today, the blowfish, alias “sea squab,” demands a good price on the market. Blowfish are found in the surf and coastal bays during spring and early fall. They take a variety of baits, such as squid, clam, shedder crab and blood worms. Small, long-shanked hooks are recommended.

BLUEFISH

Adult bluefish can be taken by trolling with various lures, chumming from a boat or surf casting with either cut baits or lures. Young bluefish, known as “snappers,” are usually caught in the bays with bobbers and small hooks baited with spearing, although casting small lures, such as bucktails and spoons, also works well.

BLUE CRAB

The blue crab is a tasty crustacean. Crabs are abundant all along the Jersey coast, from the Hackensack River to the Delaware Bay. The best places to catch crabs are in tidal creeks, rivers and shallow bays. The most common methods include handlines and folding traps, baited with chunks of fish. Another technique, especially effective for soft or shedder crabs, is to wade the shallows with a scoop net. Remember to release all females bearing an egg mass or “sponge.”

BONITO

Bonito vary in abundance over the years. They frequent ocean ridges and lumps. Bonito are caught by chumming or trolling feathers and spoons.

COD

Cod inhabit deep, offshore wrecks and reefs, usually during the colder seasons. Cod are generally taken on bait (clams or cut bait) on or near the bottom, but, at times, they can be enticed with a jig.

CROAKER

Croakers are usually abundant in Delaware Bay and in nearshore ocean waters. Preferred baits are shrimp, shedder crab and squid.

DOLPHIN or MAHI MAHI

Usually found well offshore, this spectacular migrant from southern waters is generally take by trolling or casting in the vicinity of flotsam.

FALSE ALBACORE or TUNNY

Fast moving lures will usually entice this species, but they are occasionally taken by chumming. They are comparable to school tuna in general appearance, size and fighting ability. The false albacore is not usually sought as a food fish because of their strong flavor.

FLUKE or SUMMER FLOUNDER

The fluke is probably the most sought after fish by New Jersey’s recreational anglers. Being a voracious species, the fluke prefers a moving bait and the most successful fishermen let their boat drift with the tide and wind, when fishing from the bank, cast up and across the current. The object being, for either method, to let the singer drag along the bottom and keep the bait in constant motion. Killies, spearing, other small bait fish or squid strips are favorable baits. Some

anglers prefer to troll slowly with their baits dragging over the bottom.

HARD CLAM

Hard clams, or quahogs, are found throughout New Jersey’s coastal bays, although their abundance varies considerably with location. They can be harvested from a boat with tongs or a bull rake, with a scratch rake or by “treading” with your feet. A clamming license, which can be obtained at most tackle shops, is required for residents and non-residents. Clammers should be careful to observe all regulations and avoid condemned waters.

KINGFISH

Bloodworms, squid, shrimp and shedder crabs are good bait, and should be fished on the bottom. Kingfish prefer sandy bottoms of the surf and coastal bays.

LING or RED HAKE

Ling are a bottom species, and are usually caught on clams. They prefer the muddy bottom of deep ocean sloughs and shipwrecks and reefs. Ling have a delicate white meat that is good to eat.

MACKEREL

Two species are found in New Jersey waters; the common mackerel, which is the largest, and the small chub mackerel, also known as “tinker mackerel” or “thimble eye.” Mackerel generally occur in our waters as transients enroute to the New England coast where they spend the summer. They are generally taken offshore from party and charter boats by jigging with small lures. Chum is often used to attract and hold the school of fish near the boat. Mackerel are more often caught for bait than tablefare.

MARLIN and SWORDFISH

Three billfish species commonly occur along the New Jersey coast – white and blue marlin and swordfish. All are found in deep, offshore ocean waters during the summer and early fall. Trolling baits and lures catches the two marlin species. Swordfish are caught at night with squid or fish baits.

PORGY or SCUP

Porgies are found on wrecks along our entire coast and are also taken over mussel beds in Delaware Bay and Sandy Hook Bay. Clam is the standard bait, but bloodworms and squid are also good.

SHARKS

Sharks of several species are regularly taken along the New Jersey coast. Sandbar and occasionally sand tiger sharks can be caught in the bays and inlets as well as in the ocean, as one moves offshore, tiger, hammerhead, mako and blue sharks can be found. They are generally taken on large chunks of bait. Chumming with ground up fish increases the chances of success. Shark meat provides excellent eating, but the meat must be cooled quickly to prevent spoiling.

SPOT

Spots, also nicknamed “Lafayette” or “Cape May Goodies,” are an important species in the Delaware Bay area, but they also occur further north along our coast. Cape May Point, Crow Shoal and the Cape Shore Channel are good fishing areas for this species. Clam and squid are excellent bait.

STRIPED BASS or ROCKFISH

The striped bass is the ultimate trophy for New Jersey surf fishermen. Popular fishing spots include Sandy Hook, Shrewsbury River, the Monmouth County jetties, Island Beach, Barnegat Bay and Inlet, Great Bay,

Mullica River, Great Egg Harbor River and Bay and Maurice River. Many lures, including metal squid, plugs, spinners, spoon and jigs are used successfully, while shedder crab, clam, bloodworms, shrimp, mullet and live bunker, herring and eels are used for bait fishing. Anglers find that stripers often bite best at dawn, dusk and throughout the night.

TAUTOG or BLACKFISH

An abundance of structure is a prerequisite for good tautog grounds. Structure can be provided by rocks, weeds, bulkheads, bridges, peat banks, wrecks or artificial reefs. They are found in coastal bays, along the beach and in shallow, nearshore ocean waters. Catching them is quite an art since one “must set the hook before the fish is felt,” according to the experts. Although rarely taken on lures, tautog take a variety of bait including green crabs, sand bugs, fiddler crabs, clams, mussels and bloodworms.

TUNA

Tunas are large and powerful gamefish. Bluefin, yellowfin, bigeye and albacore tuna are available during summer and fall. These species all inhabit deep, offshore ocean waters out to the canyons. Either fast trolling or chumming with fish chunks catches them.

WEAKFISH

Many weakfish are taken in our bays by chumming with live shrimp. Shedder crab, squid and spearing are also excellent baits, while bucktail jigs, shad darts and plugs are effective lures. During the fall, weakfish move into the ocean and can be caught in shallow, nearshore waters.

WHITTING or SILVER HAKE

Whiting, also known as “frostfish,” are taken with clam, fish strips, squid and diamond jigs. This species is not strictly a bottom feeder and the bait must sometimes be fished well off the bottom. Whiting are no longer as abundant.

WHITE PERCH

Worms and shrimp are excellent baits for white perch, although they also hit spinners and jigs. Perch prefer the brackish waters of creeks and rivers that flow into coastal bays. They can also be taken through the ice using shrimp, worms or small killies, particularly on the Mullica and Toms Rivers.

WINTER FLOUNDER

Baits, including bloodworms, clam, shrimp and squid, should be fished on the bottom. Using a chum pot or a device to stir up the bottom will often improve your success. Since winter flounder have a very small mouth, special hooks, such as the “chestertown,” are employed. Fish deep sloughs and channels in the coastal bays. Winter flounder are most abundant between Raritan and Barnegat bay.