South Jersey Shore/Wading Options

[JZSnyder]

Heading down to visit with the folks in South Jersey, was wondering if anyone might be able to point me towards general locales for shore fishing or wading. I'm thinking anywhere from Atlantic City south to Stone Harbor on the ocean side, or from in the vicinity of Fortescue on the Delaware Bay side. However, I'm not too sure of where to work it. Any recommendations? The flats near Corson's Inlet or Townsend's Inlet? How about the point bars on the Maurice River?

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks - Jeff

[LigonierA1]

I've got a week with the inlaws coming up, spending it in Stone Harbor and Cape May. I do a ton of stream fishing in PA but am completely clueless when it comes to the salt. Never done it, but anxious to try it.

Can anyone recommend shops in the area that speak fly fishing, places to fish, and what to show these salty critters? I'll be tossing a 9' 7wt, heaviest outfit that I own, so I'm a bit limited if that matters. Perhaps I'd better stick to the bay/backwaters?

And for that matter, what would I be fishing for? Haha, I told you I was clueless on this :rolleyes:

Not trying to highjack your thread JZ, I figured our interests and querries were very similar and that starting another thread might be redundant.

Thanks for any advice!

[JZSnyder]

No worries on the hijacking! We are on the same page. It's funny, because I spend time with my inlaws in Rhode Island and I know the target fish, some of the waters, and some of the techniques up there. Now when I come back home to my old stomping grounds with a new approach (on the fly) I'm clueless, too.

I've been checking the local papers (for us, its the Atlantic City Press and the Vineland Daily Journal) to follow the fishing reports, but most of the reporting seems to be resting on bait fishing for drum and flounder right now. Although, the stripers are still supposedly showing in the inlets around Corson's and Townsend's. Unfortunately, Saturday's noreaster is probably going to limit the flycasting...I'll have to wait until Sunday.

I spent a summer living in Avalon, so I'm kinda dialed in with the scene as far as non-fishing items goes...surfed all over Avalon, Stone Harbor, and Cape May (used to by-pass Wildwood for that sort of thing). If you have any questions on the area, let me know.

Good luck. If I learn anything from this weekend I'll pass it on!

[JZSnyder]

LigonierA1:

I ended up fishing on Delaware Bay down in Fortescue this weekend. Spinning gear on Saturday, my father and I caught three small stripers (15 - 18 inches) on storm jigs. I fished on the fly Sunday, kept shifting patterns to throw at a few fish that were busting at the surface, but had only one strike.

As for what you would be fishing for: striped bass are working in the area, and supposedly weakfish are starting to push in now, too. If you are fishing down by Avalon and Stone Harbor and you are on the fly those will probably be the target fish, I guess. If you are going to use bait at all, then Flounder might also be in the cards.

If you check the Atlantic City Press, http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com , do a search for Shep. Shep writes a weekly column this time of year, usually publishes on Fridays I think, and he covers all of the fishing in the area. You may be able to piece something together based on what he writes.

Good luck...

[LigonierA1]

Appreciate the report, I'll check out the source you gave me. Another has menitoned the canal running across Cape May as a good place for a stream fisher from PA to try their first salt experience, we'll see.

Strippers and weakfish- so THAT'S what I'm after. haha, thakns for the tip. --127-3-