What’s Biting in March in New Jersey?

Northern New Jersey

By Jimmy Fee

Skip the Surf, Hit the Bays

After the incredible fall run of 2022, expectations will be high going into the official start of the striper season in New Jersey. While the oceanside striper fishery never closes—and there were undoubtedly several diehards casting from the sand through January and February—most fishermen begin their striper season with the re-opening of the backwaters on March 1. 

For the first 5 or 6 weeks, the best striper fishing will be happening far inside in the inlets, up the rivers, and deep in the bays. A mix of winter-over stripers and fresh arrivals will congregate in the warmest waters they can find, which is right where the bait will be congregating as well.

In years past, March striper fishing was largely a bait-and-wait affair, with fishermen babysitting clam-baited rods cast over mud-bottomed flats. Back then, the prevailing wisdom was that bass seemed more interested in grubbing soft-bodied invertebrates than chasing down baitfish in the cold March waters. 

Whether it was a change in angler attitude or a shift in bass behavior, today, most fishermen start the season casting plugs and jigs, and the fishing, particularly in Raritan Bay, is as good as it gets. The improving numbers of bunker in the bays are also likely playing a role. 

The hot lures have been minnow plugs, especially in bone and white. Glidebaits in the smaller 1-ounce size have been big producers on spring bass in the bays, as are the new wave of paddletail plastics with matching jigheads, such as the Florida imports from No Live Bait Needed and Big Bait Big Fish. 

Clams and bloodworms still catch, and they can be especially effective during the day when lures aren’t as productive. 

Blackbacks Yes, Blackfish No

Blackfish get March off before the spring season opens on April 1, so the best option for bottom fishing this month is the “blackback,” the winter flounder. 

Winter flounder fishing is an exercise in nostalgia these days. While your grandfather might have gone out and fed the neighborhood with a day’s catch of it, you’ll likely have to chum heavily and put in some time in order to fill your two-fish limit. Whether or not this is “worth it” depends on your mindset. Enjoying some March sunshine while letting an outgoing tide waft the contents of the chum pot over a shallow mud flat sounds like a wonderful way to welcome the new fishing season, whether or not the day ends with some fresh flounder fillets. Just be sure to bring plenty of clam chum (and even consider sending down two pots), and keep your baits of sea worms, clams, or mussels fresh.

Southern New Jersey

By Capt. Brett Taylor

Early Season Options in Fresh and Salt

We have finally rounded winter’s corner as backwater fisheries kick off in southern New Jersey. Over the winter, most of the dedicated anglers have been attending sports shows to increase their fishing know-how and prepping their gear for the 2023 season. March brings stronger winds, occasional nor’easters and, finally, warmer temperatures! With the sun’s influence becoming longer each day, our bays, tidal creeks, and freshwater ponds begin to warm, which in turn drives fish to feed.

Winter Flounder

Winter flounder fishing gets into full swing this month in certain areas of Barnegat Bay, with both land-based and boat anglers being able to catch a few fish for the table. Current New Jersey regulations allow keeping two flounder with a minimum length of 12 inches. The backside of Long Beach Island offers plenty of areas along the Intercoastal Waterway that hold batches of winter flatties during the month.

Most flounder-seeking anglers fish these areas all the way north to the Route 37 bridges. The key to finding good locations is to look for areas off the main channels adjacent to nearby mud flats.  This is where flounder move in and out of the deeper holes as they feed on worms and other marine invertebrates along the bottom. 

Anglers anchoring along these areas while working double chum pots have the best shots at putting a catch together. Bloodworms cut into ½- to 1-inch pieces are the “go-to” baits, and they work best when tipped on double-hook rigs. I recommend using rigs with yellow beads, as the splash of color helps the flounder locate the bait. 

There is nothing better than frying up a couple fresh “blackback” fillets to kick off the fishing season.

White Perch 

Another excellent eating quarry for this month is white perch, and if you hit them right, you can have a blast catching them. Perch are voracious eaters of grass shrimp, marine invertebrates, and small minnows, and South Jersey has many locations that offer good fishing. 

The critical factor to finding the best spots is the presence or intrusion of natural fresh water since perch prefer brackish water over full salt. They spawn in April, so during March, they are eating and prepping for the spawn that occurs in freshwater rivers or ponds. 

There are 6 main rivers that have good perch fishing: Toms River, Wading River, Mullica River, Great Egg Harbor River, Maurice River, and the Cohansey River. These, along with their tributaries, attract plenty of white perch. 

Although they can be cumbersome to attain, grass shrimp will outfish bloodworms almost every day. A simple two-hook (size 4) rig baited with 2 to 3 grass shrimp on each one, along with a ½- to 1-ounce weight, will work fine. Whether worked from a boat, kayak, or shore, this setup will produce perch as they move through. The best time is a higher tide around dusk with an outgoing current for the last hour or two of daylight. Sometimes, it’s nonstop action an hour before dusk.

Striped Bass

The striped bass season officially reopens on March 1, and it will be a bloodworm game for the majority of the month as resident and migrating bass look for easily digestible marine organisms. When using worms, a 3/0 inline bait-holder circle hook works best when tipped with 2 to 3 worms. If you have the extra cash, use it on jumbo bloodworms because early-season stripers love the bigger annelids. 

Southernmost areas will see the bite first, with stripers getting most active in tidal creeks, marshes, and points farther away from the inlets. Graveling Point, parts of the Mullica River, and the Great Egg Harbor River, as well as the Maurice and Cohansey rivers, are excellent starting points. If you’re new to the game, spend some time on Google Earth prospecting different areas. Some of the same locations that have white perch will also provide early chances at stripers. 

As the month progresses, clams and small soft plastic both work. If you plan on using live or fresh bait to target striped bass, make sure you are using inline circle hooks as required by New Jersey Fish & Game. 

By the end of the month, the water has usually heated up enough to use soft plastics and small plugs. The key to using these in the early season is to fish them slow and to be ready for the strike. 

Chain Pickerel 

If you prefer to fish sweetwater in the early season, this month offers solid opportunities to catch chain pickerel.  These are one of the few fish that can tolerate the low pH of the tannic Pineland waters, and they also love cooler water, so March is prime time to look for these ambush predators. 

Plastic worms, spinnerbaits, jigs, and jerkbaits all work well on chain pickerel because they will hit nearly any prey that is moving. Live shiners or minnows also work under bobbers or on split-shot rigs. 

The New Jersey Pinelands offer a host of lakes and bogs that are easily accessible and provide good pickerel action. Lake Lenape, Prospertown Lake, Tuckahoe Lake, Batsto Lake, and Pickle Factory Pond are just a few favorites, but don’t be afraid to try other accessible bogs. However, make sure you are allowed to fish and to be on the property. Some of best small ponds or old bogs are absolute fantastic honey holes. There are some sections along far western parts of the Mullica River and Tuckahoe that also have decent pickerel action.

Don’t think of March as just another month of winter to get through because there are plenty of options for the beginner to the savvy angler. Good luck, be safe, and tight lines!

Source: https://onthewater.com/whats-biting-in-march-in-new-jersey

$post[‘post_content’] .= ‘Source‘;