The northern portion of coastal Ocean County stretches from the
Manasquan Inlet to Barnegat Inlet, a distance of approximately
twenty-five miles. Along this stretch you will find beaches in their
natural state with very few jetties. You will also notice that the Army
Corp of Engineers Beach Replenishment Project has not yet moved into
this area.
The jetties that are located in this area can be found on the south side
of the Manasquan Inlet, Bay Head, Lavallette, and the famed North Jetty
at Barnegat Inlet. The two most noted and productive locations along
this entire area for the fly fisher are Island Beach State Park and
Barnegat Bay.
As each new season rolls around some of the earliest opportunities for
the fly fisher will take place in the northern most portion of Barnegat
Bay. Here the waters will warm quickly in the springtime due to warm
water run-off from the Metedeconk River and Beaver Dam Creek. The mouths
of these two waterways are good locations for schoolie bass, small
blues, and weakfish.
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BONITO IN THE SUDS
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A small boat is the most effective way to fly fish the northern part of
Barnegat Bay, as there is very limited access on foot. You will also be
able to take advantage of the deeper channels of the IntraCoastal
Waterway (ICW) that begins at the mouth of the Point Pleasant Canal in this
same area.
The most noted areas along the ICW that you will want to target are the
waters around Herring Island. Here you will find the most well known
hole in northern Barnegat Bay. This hole is called Gunners Ditch whose
name is derived from the numerous duck hunters that use this area during
their season. This hole will drop off quickly from three to fourteen
feet of water and holds a healthy population of weakfish throughout the
season. Drifting across the holes' drop-off while using sinking lines
with clousers or jiggies will usually take one weakfish after another
when the bite is on.
Moving out of the ICW channel and up onto the flats during the evening
is also very effective in this area for small stripers, weaks, and
blues. These fish will push baits such as spearing, snappers, small
herring and bunker into these areas as they coral them for an easy meal.
Here is where small top water poppers, sliders, or crease flies fished
on floating lines are often deadly.
Heading further south along the Bay will bring you to the Mantoloking
Bridge. This bridge runs from west to east across the Bay. There are two
small channels that run under the bridge that are about fifteen feet
deep. This area is most productive from June through September for
weakfish and small bass. Since most of the fish you will catch in this
area (and in the northern part of the Bay) will be on the small side
many fly fishers will size down their rods from five weights through
seven weights.
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The ocean front waters in northern Ocean County will put a much deeper
bend in your rod. There is an outer bar that is approximately 100 yards
off the beach that characterizes this entire area. Here you will find
much larger bass and blues coming over the bar during periods of high
tide. In the fall when the mullet and peanut bunker migrations are
taking place blitzes will occur right at your feet.
The entire length of beach from Brick Beach down to the end of Island
Beach State Park offers 4x4 beach buggy access. This is approximately 18
miles that you can cover if you acquire the necessary permits for each
town along the way. Running a 4x4 will allow the fly fisher the same
luxury as running a boat along the beach. One can quickly move from
place to place locating fish, baits, and attractive structure.
The real allure however of northern Ocean County for the fly fisher is
Island Beach State Park. (IBSP) The Park is located at its southern end. This
9.5mile stretch of barrier beach is a virtual paradise of undisturbed
maritime wilderness overspread by rolling dunes, tidal marshes, lush
vegetation, and diverse wildlife. The Island is also home to New
Jersey's largest osprey population and serves as a sanctuary for many
other species of waterfowl, migratory birds, and shorebirds.
The Island offers both oceanfront and backbay opportunities along with
one of New Jersey's longest jetties. It is divided into three management
zones, the Northern Natural Area, the Central recreation zone, and the
Southern Natural Area. The northern zone is limited to ocean fishing
only, the central zone has ocean and bay fishing, but ocean fishing is
restricted during the summer, as this area becomes the Park's bathing
area. The southern zone provides year round access for both ocean and
bay fishing.
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There are many locations that a fly fisher can access along the Island
without a 4x4 beach buggy permit. As you enter the Island and pass the
tollgate the first access to the northern most beaches of the Park will
be the Short Road on your left. There is limited parking at this access
point. Here you can walk over the dune to the beach.
As you travel approximately one more mile you will come to the next
parking area by the maintenance shed. This lot can hold twelve cars. As
you travel further into the central zone there are two large parking
lots that hold 900 and 950 cars, respectively. Once you pass these areas
you will find parking areas designated from Area-1 through Area-23.
These will be in the southern zone and located on the east side of the
road that runs the length of the Park. Parking and walking from any of
these areas to the beach is quite simple, as these distances are
relatively short.
If you have a 4x4 permit for your vehicle there are three access areas
to enter onto the beach. The first is two miles from the Park's entrance
and is called Gillikens. This is one of the most popular fishing areas
on the Island because of the deeper water and numerous holes that are
found here. It consistently gives up big fish year after year.
The next access area is at Area-7 five miles from the Park's entrance.
The last access area is at the end of the road and is Area-23. At this
end of the Island you will find shallower beach topography. To operate a
beach buggy you will need to purchase a yearly permit or a
three-day pass. You will also need to carry all the necessary
safety equipment that must be in compliance with the New Jersey Beach
Buggy Association. Mandatory
Equipment for a mobile
sportfishing vehicle will be inspected upon entering before a permit will be
issued.
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The entire oceanfront along the Island is characterized by a very
pronounced outer bar that sits 100-150 yards off the beach. In front of
this bar the beach topography is such that there are holes, cuts, rips,
troughs, points, and bowls. Knowing how to read a beach will be the key
to your success for locating the most likely spots to shoot your line.
There are also several access areas along the length of the Island where
you can park that will lead to the bayside. These locations can be found
at Areas 7, 10, 15, and 21. All of these areas have well marked paths so
there is no chance of getting lost.
The bayside of the Island offers the fly fisher plenty of wading
opportunities away from the strong winds and pounding surf. These areas
are also the first locations where the fly fisher has the opportunity to
hook into stripers, blues, or weakfish at the start of as new season.
Some early season tactics will be to wade out onto the flats to the edge
of a drop-off and fish clousers, jiggies, half/halfs, or deceivers on
intermediate or slow sinking lines. Chartreuse, yellow, or olive over
white are the most productive colors for these early season patterns.
The outgoing tide in the late afternoon will produce the warmest water
of the day and usually the most fish.
Excellent opportunities present themselves on the Island even during the
summer months but it is the fall that is the Island's claim to fame. At
this time hordes of mullet, peanut bunker, spearing, and bay anchovies
run along the beach as they migrate to the south. Many times the action
will hit up to a fevered pitch and trophy fish will be caught with
regularity. We will also see the arrival of the fly fishers' most prized
quarry, the false albacore that will take center stage at this time.
During this run the North Jetty at Barnegat Inlet is where the fly
fisher will want to be. This jetty will draw anglers from the tri-state
area. On any given day longrodders can out number spin fishermen
two-to-one. This jetty is one of the longest and most picturesque in all
of New Jersey so definitely have your camera with you for a Kodak
moment. Posing here for a photo with a teen size albie or linesider
under the watchful eye of "Old Barney", the Barnegat Lighthouse, is
definitely one for the scrapbooks.
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THE BACKSIDE OF BARNEGAT BAY
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The North Jetty can be divided into three sections when we look at its
overall length. These would be the Tip, Hump, and Pocket. The tip is one
of the most productive locations along these rocks and can safely
accommodate two or three fly fishers who know how to coordinate casting
with one another.
At the tip you will find the sunken rocks that extend for several
hundred yards out into the ocean. They are actually a submerged
continuation of the North Jetty. These rocks run out to the Monument,
the jetty's true end. As waves wash over these rocks a lot of whitewater
is produced that will disorient the bait making them an easy prey for
large predators. Casting into this whitewater with siliclones, large
wide-bodied deceivers, herring, or bunker patterns and allowing these
flies to drift over the rocks is extremely productive.
On the Inlet side of the Tip you will find a deep hole right at the base
of the rocks. This is a favorite location to target weakfish in the
spring and summer. Here you will need a quick sinking line to get your
flies down in the strong currents that are usually present. Be cognizant
of spin fishermen when out on the Tip. It is good etiquette to yield to
them and move down the rocks giving them plenty of room.
The approximate half waypoint of the North Jetty is known as the Hump.
This area is so named because it has the highest elevation above the
water line. The area between the Hump and the Tip is the favorite
location for flyrodders to position themselves to hook into false
albacore in the fall. Albies will usually cruise back and forth along
the rocks in this area as they chase small baits such as spearing,
mullet, peanut bunker, and bay anchovies (rainfish). Hooking into these
pelagic speedsters is truly an experience you will never forget. They
can quickly strip two hundred feet of line from your reel leaving you
deep into your backing.
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THE NORTH JETTY JUST BEFORE THE SUNKEN ROCKS
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The best window of opportunity for hooking into these fish is from the
middle of September through the end of October. In the earliest part of
their run bonito and Spanish mackerel will also join them. Small
translucent flies, such as Popovics surf candies and jiggies tied with
ultra hair in the one to two-inch ranges are top producers. Small
clousers, deceivers, glitter head epoxies, and crease flies will also
produce fish. . Green, blue, gray, blonde, white, and even purple body
colors are effective.
Since the blood red meat of the albie makes it inedible is best to land
these fish as quickly as possible to increase their chances of survival.
It is recommended to use an eleven weight rod and large arbor disc drag
reel for this purpose. This rod will provide more of a backbone in the
butt section to deliver the necessary power and leverage to subdue the
fish quickly. Nine and ten weight rods will land these fish but if the
albie is on the large side it will be near exhaustion when it comes to
the rocks.
The last section of the jetty known as the pocket is its most landward
part where the ocean beach and water meet. It is shallow but has good
water movement in the form of rip currents that run along the sides of
the rocks. In the fall the pocket can be explosive as mullet and peanut
bunker get pinned in this area by bass and blues. Top water poppers,
Bob's Bangers, and siliclones are favorite flies to use at this time.
White or yellow are two of the most productive colors. The fly fisher
can also work this location from the beach without having to climb on
the rocks.
If the North Jetty is unfishable due to rough surf or high winds the fly
fisher can move to the back area of the jetty along the Inlet. Here you
will find a very popular bulkhead that offers plenty of shelter and
casting room. This location is particularly known as a weakfish hotspot
in the summer. Night fishing at this location is also extremely
productive.
Access to the North Jetty is by 4x4 from Area-23. You will need to drive
1.4 miles along the beach to get to this point. You can also park at
Area-23 and walk this distance if you do not have a permit, but plan to
travel light if you do so. Walking along the hard packed sand along the
waters edge will be easier than taking a path down the center of the
beach.
The northern Ocean County beaches can be accessed from exits 98 through
82 off of the Garden State Parkway. There is also Route 35 South that
will run along the beach from Point Pleasant all the way down to Seaside
Park.
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