Surf fishing the NJ coast is some of the best fishing you will find anywhere. Of course thats my opinion. I have fished for about 25 years so I would hope my opinion would count for something. Surf fishing is some of the best fun and one of the cheapest ways to go Salt Water Fishing. But, you have to know what you are doing and the best places to go. I will be the first one to admit that I don't know everything there is to know about fishing, but I think I have a pretty good understanding of how to fish NJ waters.
Whether you are a walk on angler or if you have the luxury of owning a 4 wheel drive vehicle, it's a good time. Either way, you can have a blast, especially with the beach cooler carts they now make. But owning a 4 wheeler definitely has its advantages. Not only does it allow you the comfort of bringing just about anything you heart desires on the fishing trip, but if a spot is no good, you just pick up and drive down the beach a little ways and you are at it again in no time.
Below, I have a list of my top 3 fishing spots in NJ. Granted, I am from South Jersey so keep that in mind.
These are "my" top 3 picks for places to surf fish in NJ.
I would have to pick my favorite place as being IBSP (Island Beach State Park) because it is such a big beach and it does not usually get crowded unless you go on a major holiday. IBSP is great because they allow you to have campfires right on the beach as long as you are at least 50 feet from the dunes. You can bring your pets as long as they are on a 6 foot leash, just not on the bathing beaches. And there are 3 main area's to access the beach for 4 wheelers. There is Gilkins, area 7 beach and the end entrance. I like Gilkins because even during low tide, it is some of the deepest water you will find on the beach. This is the only beach area that you are not allowed to have a campfire because it is a smaller beach and to close to the sand dunes. But the rest of the beach you may have a fire. Click here and it will take you right to the NJ website that explains what you need to be able to fish at IBSP. If you are a 4 wheel drive owner and are a resident of NJ you can get your Beach Buggy pass for $195. Out of state and you are looking at $225. They also have 3 day passes if you don't plan on fishing there on a regular basis.
If you want to check to see what they are catching, the best places I found to do this are Betty and Nicks Bait & Tackle and Grumpy's Tackle. Both places have a great group of guys that know there stuff that can tell you whats the best bait or artificials to use before you head out to the beach. Also, make sure to check on their fishing report page to check what is being caught and what the surf and weather conditions are for that particular day.
Another of my picks to go surf fishing would have to be Brigantine Beach. This is a great place to fish with lots of action. There are a couple of drawbacks to IBSP fishing. First, the beach is no where near as big. And the other thing would have to be the "Green Heads"! Man I hate them. If you are not prepared when the weather is right for them to be buzzing around, they can definitely put a hurtin on you! Be prepared and you will save yourself a lot of heartache and be able to concentrate on fishing and not swatting. This beach has some great area's to fish. It starts down at the end of Brigantine Ave and wraps around at the Brigantine Inlet. Great fishing all around. You can also have fires and pets on this beach.
And rounding out my top 3 picks for surf fishing is Ocean City 5th street getty. I only fish there on rare occasions anymore because I like driving onto the beach, but when I do, I always catch something. It seemed that no matter when I went, there was always someone catching something. The only drawback I find with the location is that it is right on a bathing beach so when you are fishing in season you are going to have bathers nearby. But believe me, this does not stop the fishing action, I can attest to that! You can also check out the Longport/AC bridge if you are in that area.
So those are my picks. I am going to try and start keeping a weekly log of what is being caught around the NJ beaches, mostly covering Central and Southern NJ. Look forward to the posts as the fishing season is fast approaching with this mild winter. They are still catching the occasional Stripers in Monmouth County.
