As winter turns to spring, the again bays, rivers, and dirt flats of New Jersey come to life. After shifting to the world, I grew to become enamored by the often-forgotten Navesink and Shrewsbury rivers, generally known as “the 2 rivers.” Within the shadow of Raritan Bay and Hudson River fishery, they’re on the northern vary of the Jersey shore and conjoin to move out between the Highlands and Sandy Hook into the Raritan Bay.
These two rivers could be a productive fishery year-round, however the months of March, April, and Might are actually particular for these looking for early season striped bass in shallow water. Virtually each creek, bridge, level, flat, tidal rip, and sod financial institution can have fish. This time of 12 months, many captains select to expire of the 2 rivers and into Raritan Bay to affix the large fleet chasing birds and bunker pods so far as the attention can see. I usually want to remain within the productive backwaters the place I’ve miles of shoreline to myself.
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Whereas the big spawning fish are out in pressure across the bay, the 2 rivers do have high quality fish. Over the previous few years, I’ve recorded the lengths of over 300 springtime fish on this backwater system. The striped bass have averaged 28.9 inches, with the largest of the river fish coming in at concerning the 37- to 39-inch vary yearly. I’m positive there are bigger fish to be discovered for individuals who know when and the place to look.
Fishing in each the Navesink and Shrewsbury rivers could be a skinny-water sport. Throughout high-water phases of the tides, many spots will nonetheless be beneath 4 ft, however I prefer to push again into the quite a few creeks the place striped bass are corralling pods of bunker towards bulkheads, docks, and sod banks. There are expansive flats and islands which can be usually excessive and dry, however they rapidly turn out to be fish magnets on a flood tide. Many of those creeks and flats are inaccessible by boat on a low tide. Throughout low-water phases of the tide, my technique is to maneuver out and work channel edges, sunken factors, bridges, and rips the place the forage fish are getting flushed out by fast-moving water into ambush factors. The place the 2 rivers meet, a collection of sandbars causes rips to kind. On a falling tide, this stretch of water from the Rumson-Sea Vibrant Bridge all the best way to the Highlands Bridge and past could be a productive space to poke round and blind-cast on lengthy drifts.
A Cross-Nation Migration
The 2 rivers play an attention-grabbing position within the historical past of striped-bass fishing in america. In 1879, striped bass had been captured within the Navesink River and placed on a prepare sure for San Francisco, California. Only a few individuals know that the gene pool of fish now populating the San Francisco Bay space, the California coast, and all the best way as much as Canada are the descendants of those New Jersey river fish.
What to Throw and When
The springtime forage within the two rivers is primarily menhaden, although there may be a particularly wholesome inhabitants of mummichogs, (“killies”) which can be starting their lengthy spawn season. I’ve repeatedly landed striped bass that regurgitated a multitude of those small fish all around the deck of the boat. Different typical two-river forage fish embody grass shrimp, alewives, and herring. Given the scale distinction of those forage fish, I can throw very massive choices or go gentle and fish very small. This fishery is a superb place to strive new issues and experiment, so don’t be afraid to toss something uncommon.
March
In March when the water is bitterly chilly, I are inclined to focus my plug exercise on no-light and low-light conditions. The still-frigid water temperature requires painfully gradual subsurface retrieves to entice successful. For this, I usually throw soft-plastic swim shads, metal-lipped divers, and floating Daiwa SP Minnows. Throughout March daylight, it will also be productive to float bloodworms or bait, then wait to relaxation and recharge for the nightshift.
April
April is one in all my favourite months to fish the 2 rivers. The catch frequency begins to choose up noticeably because the water warms and the fishery comes alive. Maintain a watch out for hovering ospreys which can be able to dive since they are going to be keyed in on the pods of bunker filling within the rivers on each tide.
In early April, I stick to subsurface swimmers and gliders till I begin to see extra constant floor exercise. One new lure in my arsenal this 12 months was the G-Ratt Sneaky Pete Glide Bait. It’s a slow-sink bait that permits for a pleasant pause and is provided with a rattle. It has a medium to massive profile at about 7.5 inches, however the glide it supplied was clean and I appreciated the flexibility to fish it at completely different depths by various my retrieve pace or permitting it to sink.
There have been occasions when the small-profile IslandX Lures Stinger Minnow was the best weapon in my field. The design of this lure permits for quite a lot of retrieve speeds and cadence, although I discovered {that a} medium to gradual retrieve, paired with a twitch, induced it to dart erratically and solicited response bites when different lures couldn’t. The lure’s physique is provided with a willow blade to offer some flash and vibration, which was extraordinarily useful when the water readability was decreased from latest heavy rain and runoff. It was frequent for bass to observe this lure for a protracted distance, nearly mesmerized, earlier than inhaling and erupting boatside. On any given day when the chunk obtained choosy, downsizing to this degree was usually my ticket to success.
Later within the month, as soon as the water temperatures start to climb, topwater motion is tough to withstand. It may be quick and livid, with two, three or extra bass at a time relentlessly attacking topwaters like they haven’t eaten in months. My topwater lures of selection for late April are the Lil’ Doc Spook and the Hogy Constitution Grade Popper.
Might
In Might, the topwater chunk remains to be alive and properly, however the two rivers’ fishery begins to alter. Sizeable bluefish invade the river with pressure and the bass inhabitants slowly begins to skinny out as some proceed their migration north into cooler, bait-rich waters.
Relying on the 12 months, by mid- to late Might, the water temperatures in shallow creeks have elevated dramatically to an nearly uncomfortable degree for the bass. Below the quilt of darkness within the cooler nighttime air, creeks and flats off the principle rivers can nonetheless be productive, however focus across the mouths of the creeks.
As soon as we get later into Might, drifting eels beneath quite a few bridges at evening will nonetheless produce, however there are in all probability three blues for each bass that’s able to chomp your eel in half. The larger bass within the river have a tendency to go away first, however sturdy numbers of schoolies stick round into early June and past. Might is the month when you might have the very best likelihood at a Two River Grand Slam, which consists of catching a striped bass, bluefish, fluke, and weakfish in the identical day. In Might, I usually downsize my choices to extend the chance of discovering rogue weakfish.
Entry and Planning Your Journey
Entry to the rivers is plentiful. It’s a very forgiving atmosphere for all variations of anglers whether or not it’s a kayak crew, a wader gang, bridge folks, or somebody trailering a ship. There are quite a few areas to park, hire a ship, or launch your individual.
For these venturing into the rivers for the primary time, be aware of the ever-changing tidal flats and sandbars. The first channels have been lately dredged, however they’re by no means the identical because the 12 months earlier than, and charts can usually be outdated or deceptive. It’s also price mentioning that you ought to be conscious of the brand new boating laws concerning life preservers in New Jersey. A USCG-approved life jacket is required to be worn always when outdoors of a cabin on a ship beneath 26 ft through the cold-water months (whereas in movement) from November 1 to Might 1.
The world across the two rivers is dwelling to a variety of sort out retailers the place you may get the newest studies and refill on what you want for the day. Giglio’s Bait & Sort out in Sea Vibrant, and Tak Waterman in Lengthy Department are the closest two retailers, so you’ll want to pay them a go to. In case you are coming from the north or west, it’s possible you’ll discover it handy to cease by the Sort out Field in Hazlet or Julian’s Bait & Sort out in Atlantic Highlands.
Associated Content material
South Jersey’s Spring Striper Run
March Methods for New Jersey Stripers
Spring Striper Fishing on Raritan Bay
