Raritan Bay Striper Fishing Explodes
As this year’s shad run nears and end, anglers begin thinking about other game. One of the recent additions to the Easton fishing scene has been the striped bass. While striped bass catches in past years have been increasing, they cannot compare to this year’s saltwater striper run, particularly in Raritan Bay. If the angler puts his faith in the right captain, he can reap large rewards.
Twenty years ago, striped bass were rare catches and signs of the good ole’ days of fishing in the 1960′s, when 20-pound stripers were not uncommon. After commercial striped bass fishing was banned and conservative size limits imposed, the fishery rebounded. This fishery, however, did not rebound overnight. It took over 20 years to get back to anywhere near the good ole’ days.
Today, striped bass minimum sizes have relaxed from 36 to 28 inches, and anglers can keep two stripers instead of one. In fact, one of those stripers must be a “slot” fish measuring between 24 and 28 inches. The fishery certainly has rebounded and may be better than even the good ole’ days, as I saw in a recent fishing trip to Raritan Bay.
I sailed with Captain Jim Crawford of Cop-Out Charters, located in Highlands. Captain Jim has been fishing the salt for many years and lives locally in northwest New Jersey, so I was looking forward to fishing with one of my neighbors. We left the dock at 6:30 a.m., and by 7:30, I was into a fish – a big fish.
When we reached the fishing grounds in the western part of Raritan Bay, Captain Jim immediately picked up readings of stripers on the bottom via his fish finder, which detected everything within range – even pieces of paper floating through the water. We began trolling bunker spoons, and within five minutes, both of our rods were bent over with big fish on them. After fighting for ten minutes and having many exciting runs, I landed a 33-inch striper that weighed over 20 pounds. The other rod also had a keeper striper on it, a 29 incher.
We kept trolling for about 30 minutes until the tide changed, then switched our method to fishing clams. While we were trolling, we caught three stripers and two bluefish, and every fish weighed over 10 pounds. Captain Jim employed chum methods when we were clamming, and the methods paid off handsomely.
There were a total of four of us who went out with Captain Jim that day, and for the next few hours, we had a steady pick of stripers that ranged from 24 to 32 inches. At times, I used my Ambassador 5500 that is equipped with 12-pound test. I landed two stripers on the lightweight rod, then lost a larger one after the fish wrapped itself around the anchor line and broke off. The day’s fishing was fast-paced and exciting, and we brought many keepers to the boat.
By the end of the day, the entire boat had caught its limit of stripers and had thrown many more back. We returned to the dock happy but weary; fighting large, 20-pound stripers all day long will tire anyone. The day was an overwhelming success for all of us, and we were quite pleased with our day’s catches.
Captain Jim said that this fast-paced fishing should continue throughout May and June, so be sure to get in on this hot action. My experience on the Cop-Out was one of the best that I’ve had, as Captain Jim was courteous, friendly, and accommodating to everyone’s needs. Compared to other boats, particularly the party boats, the trip was a dream.
Captain Jim runs charters on the Cop-Out fishing for stripers, fluke, bluefish, weakfish, and other sportfish found in the Sandy Hook area. He said that he still has openings for the upcoming weeks of the striper run, so give him a call now to reserve your spot. You can reach Captain Jim at 908-362-4257.
Raritan Bay’s striped bass fishery is truly a modern-day success story. The fishery is as good, if not better, than it has been in years, and it probably rivals the productivity found in the good ole’ days. With only a 1-1/2 hour drive from Easton, every angler needs to experience this world-class fishery. If you’re looking to catch a lot of fish and have the experience of a lifetime, be sure to work with a top-notch charter captain that knows where to go and what to do. The time is now, so don’t miss out!
