Although some anglers may have caught their first fish of 2009 last month, most of us will experience that much-anticipated thrill sometime this month. March may have its good points, but April is a much better month for fishing in regard to the weather conditions encountered and the number of fish in the area. The rising water temperatures we see this month will encourage whatever fish are already in our waters to feed more aggressively and will draw new species into the mix.

   Fishing last spring was plagued by chronic cold weather, raw onshore winds, icy currents that kept water temperatures unbelievably low, and a lack of both bait and game fish. Hopefully, spring fishing will revert back to a more predictable and normal pattern this year. Winter flounder and striped bass should dominate most of the inshore action this month, and other species are available farther offshore.

 

Short-season flatties

 

   Winter flounder can be found in several locals in North Jersey. The Manasquan, Shark, Navesink and Shrewsbury Rivers, as well as the Point Pleasant Canal, all harbor this popular flatfish. Boaters can nab them in Raritan and Sandy Hook bays, on the Keyport flats, and around the Earle Navy Pier. The most popular and productive areas to catch these great-tasting fish are the Navesink and Shrewsbury rivers and in Raritan Bay. Clam chum, bloodworms or sandworms, and a little patience is all it takes to have the first fresh fish dinner of the season.

 

The stripers are coming!

 

   Stripers dominate April fishing both in the bays and rivers throughout the month. Water temperature dictates the tempo of our early-season striper fishery. The mud flats found along the southern coast of Raritan Bay harbor some of the warmest water anywhere in this region. That relatively warm water, coupled with the availability of worms, clams and other food staples, attracts striped bass to such early season bay-shore hotspots as Port Monmouth, Belford, Union Beach, Cliffwood Beach, Pebble Beach and Keansburg. Bass can also be found along the oceanfront during the second half of the month. The bay-shore hotspots mentioned earlier do have a definite down side. They are mobbed with anglers around the time of any high-tide cycle.

   Small fish dominate the early-season striper fishery along the Raritan Bayshore and nearby oceanfront, between Sandy Hook and Monmouth Beach. Statistically, Raritan Bayshore beaches yield more numbers and larger fish, than what is caught along the surf in April. However, there are a lot fewer anglers working the ocean beaches. Anglers who do not like to be crowded while fishing may want to consider working the surf from mid-April onward.

   Fresh clams, sandworms and bloodworms are the baits of choice for both flounder and stripers in the cold water found throughout the region this month. Bloodworms used to be my favorite spring bait, but their ridiculous price in recent years has turned me against them. Sandworms have also risen in price but not excessively so, and they catch fish just as effectively. Fresh, not frozen, clam is the most economical bait and has also become the most popular early season offering for most anglers.

   Some of the new artificial baits, like Berkley’s Saltwater Gulp!, perform well, and can be purchased at a reasonable cost. They are also great to have in the bait bucket as emergency bait on those days when bass quickly deplete one’s natural bait supply. Using artificial scents like the Bloodworm, Sandworm, and Clam potions from BioEdge Fishing Products (www.BioEdgeFishing.com) is a great way to enhance the aroma trail that natural baits put out and will help to refresh baits after they have lost their natural juices.

 

Not ready yet?

 

   Now is a good time for procrastinating anglers to get their fishing bucket or boat equipped with all the gear that they typically need early in the season. Perform the prerequisite prep work to the boat. It will serve you well when you need it. A well-stocked bucket will enable anglers to conveniently carry a lot of needed items, as well as provide them with a handy seat during the waiting game that is typical of early season bait fishing.

   Get together the cold-weather gear. Dressing warm to combat the early season chill and having the right gear is important so that one will catch fish and be reasonably comfortable while doing so.

 

 From here to the wrecks

 

   Boat anglers can target other species both inshore and offshore. The Sandy Hook and Sea Girt reefs, the Klondike banks, and Scotland Grounds provide some top-notch bottom fishing to anglers seeking ling, blackfish, and scattered codfish. Actually, any rough bottom, from the Sea Girt reef out to the Mud Hole wrecks and beyond, yields ling, occasional blackfish, and some school cod. Middle-distance deepwater wreck fishing also yields ling, cod, pollock and good numbers of blackfish. Furthermore, the first sea bass of the new season appear on offshore wrecks late in the month.

   Party boats from the Atlantic Highlands, Shark River, and Brielle fleets specialize in providing anglers with access to this excellent bottom fishing. Be sure to call ahead to see what species the boats are targeting, and to determine when the boats plan to depart and return.

 

Yellow-eye invasion

 

   Expect additional species to arrive in the region’s waters during the month. Bluefish can begin flooding into our rivers and bays anytime after the middle of April.  Bluefish certainly stir the mix, causing some species to move out and others to be aware of their presence and feed more reluctantly.

 

   Fishing during April is definitely better than it was during March, but is not as great as it is going to be in May. Use April to get organized, get a line or two wet, and back into the ‘loop’. One will catch their fair share of fish in doing so, and will be well prepared for the even better fishing that lies ahead next month!