In Monmouth County, just to the south of Sandy
Hook, there are approximately twenty-five miles of coastline
that are available for the fly fisher to shoot the suds.
This productive stretch of beach lies between the Borough
of Sea Bright and the Manasquan Inlet. This entire area
has traditional been referred to as "Jetty Country" because
of the numerous rock groins and jetties that literally
line the coast throughout the entire area. In this area
you will also find two extensive back bay systems that
are fed by two of the most improved inlets in New Jersey.
These would be the Shark River Inlet system and
the Manasquan River Inlet system. Two other prominent
hot spots that open to the ocean along this stretch are
the Deal Lake Flume and Wreck Pond in Sea
Girt. Also in the northern most portion of this area
you will find the Shrewsbury Rocks located just
off the beach.
If we move from north to south through these Monmouth
County beaches one will find that its northern end that
extends from Sea Bright through Long Branch is highly
productive throughout the season for stripers, blues,
weakfish, and false albacore. This is due to its close
proximity to Sandy Hook Bay, the Shrewsbury and Navesink
Rivers. These three bodies of water act as a source for
supplying baits in both the spring and fall they will
take up residence along the beachfront.
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JETTY
AFTER BEACH REPLENISHMENT
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In
this location you will find the re-exposed tips of many
short jetties that have been previously covered by sand
as a result of the ongoing Army Corp of Engineers Beach
Restoration Project. A relatively shallow bottom has
now replaced the deeper holes and cuts that used to be
associated with the jetties in this area. In spite of
the current beach profile baits will still move along
this shoreline particularly in the fall. Intermediate
sinking lines will be the norm throughout this location.
Just to the east of these northern beaches are the Shrewsbury
Rocks. These submerged rocks are one of the most
unique pieces of structure found along the entire New
Jersey Coast. They are well known among the striper elite
as one of the prime locations in all of New Jersey for
producing trophy bass.
The Shrewsbury Rocks are a wide area of rocky bottom
that stretches from fourteen feet of water out to the
fifty-foot depth off of Monmouth Beach. It is only accessible
only by boat and offers the longrodder a shot at some
great top water action from summer through fall.
In the summer blues ranging in size from small cocktails
to large slammers will crash such baits as spearing and
bunker on the surface. Top water poppers, crease flies,
or Bob's Bangers will imitate the larger baits while
clousers, jiggies, or deceivers can be used for the more
slender profile baits. When the blues are deep anchoring
up on the rocks and chumming with bunker parts or spearing
will entice these razor lips to come up towards the boat.
In this situation drifting a chum fly back through the
slick is often deadly. Wire or heavy mono shock tippets
are a must when utilizing this method.
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TYPICAL
JETTY OPPORTUNITY
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The
fall however is when the Rocks really shine. Peanut bunker
will invade the inshore areas and bass will dominate
the surface action. NJ's Capt. Gene Quigley has designed
an excellent fly pattern he calls Geno's Baby Angel.
The Baby angel along with slab flies will be the imitations
of choice. As the season winds down the bass will be
cruising closer to the bottom looking for sandeels. Drifting
over the rocks with quick sinking lines becomes very
productive.
As you move south through the Borough of Deal you
will currently find the only stretch of beach in Monmouth
County that has not been replenished. As a result you
will find the finest jetties that are available along
the entire Coast. Not only are they long but there are
excellent rips and deep holes that lie along their edges.
This is the heart of "Jetty Country" and the longrodder
should be prepared with a good pair of korkers. As you
move further south along the beach you will come to the
little town of Allenhurst. Here you will find a T-jetty.
This jetty is very well known for its particular shape.
This jetty juts out into the ocean and also runs parallel
to the beach for a good distance. When the wind is out
of the west and the water is calm this T-leg extension
is an ideal location to stand and cast with the wind
at your back. A nice pocket is also present where schools
of bait get pinned making themselves easy prey for bass
and weakfish.
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THE
DEAL LAKE FLUME OPENS TO THE OCEAN
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The Deal
Lake Flume is the next prominent feature that you
will encounter that is just south of the T-Jetty. The
flume is as outflow pipe from Deal Lake that opens to
the ocean. It is located right at the Eighth Avenue Jetty
in Asbury Park. This flume serves as one of the first
locations in Monmouth County that draws big stripers
to the oceanside in April and May of each season. The
arrival of these big bass is triggered by the run of
alewife and blueback herring that are entering the Lake
at this time to spawn.
The presence of these bigger baits will necessitate the
need for bigger and bulkier flies. Seven to eleven inch
wide bodied deceivers tied with a bronze or bluish back
with greenish hues will best imitate the herring. Ten
and eleven weight rods will be needed to throw these
flies but more importantly they will be needed to subdue
any large bass that takes your offering.
Approximately five miles south of Deal Lake you will
come to the northern most improved inlet along the Coast.
This is the Shark River Inlet and is bordered
to the north by the town of Avon-By-The-Sea and to its
south by the town of Belmar. The north jetty of this
Inlet is an excellent fly fishing location. It is close
to the surface of the water and has relatively few jetty
rocks that extend out in front of you. It offers casting
access to both the ocean and inlet sides.
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The
north jetty also has an L shape to it. As you walk out
to its end the jetty juts out parallel to the ocean just
before the beacon light for about one hundred feet. The
rocks have plenty of poured concrete between them so
there are very few holes to hinder your walking. This
also makes the north jetty a very safe platform for casting.
The backwaters of Shark River Inlet are most well known
for stripers and weakfish that will eagerly hit a fly.
A small boat however will best obtain access. The areas
around the Oceanic, Main Street, and Route 35 Bridges
are always teaming with fish particularly at night during
the summer and early fall. Deer hair sliders in all black
are extremely effective when fish are popping on the
surface.
As you move south along the beach the next five mile
stretch will contain jetties that have been notched by
the Army Corp of Engineers. These jetties, in Belmar
and Spring Lake, are inaccessible since the rocks connecting
them to the beach have been removed. You will still find
however excellent fishing in this area if you know how
to read the water and fish the deeper holes and cuts
that exist. In this area an intermediate line will be
your workhorse line throughout the season.
As you move south into the towns of Sea Girt and Manasquan you
will find fishable jetties that have not been notched
to this date. Since this entire stretch of beach (from
Asbury south to Manasquan) was replenished with sand
several years ago you will find a relatively shallow
beach profile. For this reason the entire area is best
fished during incoming water. During periods of low tide
particularly on the new and full moon phases there is
very little water around many of the jetties.
One area that is of particularly interest along this
stretch is the Wreck Pond Outflow Pipe in Sea Girt. This
outflow pipe is very similar to the Deal Lake Flume in
that it draws thousands of anadromous herring in the
springtime. As a result trophy stripers can fall prey
to some large herring patterns. The Pipe can safely accommodate
two fly fishers at its end but no more. In this location
you will also have plenty of competition from liveliners
and pluggers.
All of the jetty tips between Shark River Inlet and Manasquan
Inlet come alive during the month of June into the first
two weeks of July. Here is when large adult bunker can
be found on a daily basis. Fishing is best from first
light until about 9:00AM. After that boat traffic will
scatter the baits. Plenty of teen size to mid-thirty
pound bass are taken at this time. Casting to the edges
of the schools from a small boat is the most effective
way to work the area at this time. Large doll's eye bunker
patterns up to fourteen inches in length will often draw
vicious strikes.
At the end of Monmouth County you will come to the Manasquan
Inlet. It is located in the heart of Central New
Jersey and is home to the Manasquan River and estuarine
system. It is one of the busiest Inlets in all of New
Jersey and is heavily used by both recreational and commercial
fishermen. |
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MANASQUAN
INLET ROCKS ARE HIGH MAKING IT
DIFFICULT BUT NOT IMPOSSIBLE TO FLY FISH
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The
North Jetty of the Manasquan Inlet is well known for
producing trophy fish but because of its height above
the water it is difficult to fly fish from. Besides this
there are many of her jetty rocks that extend out in
front of you that will easily catch your line. An experienced
flyrodder can however manipulate these rocks and with
the help of a friend successfully land fish.
A better bet is to fish the pocket of the Inlet that
is located along the beach at the base of the jetty.
Here you will find plenty of baits, like mullet and peanut
bunker that will get pinned in this area when they are
migrating during their fall runs. Stripers and weakfish
will be on these baits and the action will be right at
your feet.
Located on the Inlet side of the North Jetty one will
be able to fly fish near Carlson's Corner. This would
be at the east end of the rail where it ties into the
jetty rocks. Here you can successfully fish a deep hole
that is located right at your feet while standing on
the rocks. This location is well known for producing
some rather large weakfish in the spring and through
the summer months. A 300-400 grain sinking line with
a three to four foot leader works best in this area.
Clousers and jiggies in yellow and white or pink and
white are always hot flies.
A striping basket is a definite must when fly fishing
this area or any of the jetties that are located in Monmouth
County. Trying to negotiate your line without one will
only result in it getting hopelessly entangled between
the jetty rocks.
As you move around to the back of the Manasquan Inlet
you will come to Fisherman's Cove. This area is wadable
and offers excellent fly fishing opportunities with plenty
of fish. Here you will see the old bait shop that has
now been taken over by the Monmouth County Parks System
and converted into a Welcome Center. |
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A
TYPICAL NJ STRIPER BLITZ
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If
you walk along the shoreline of the Cove you will see
a point about a quarter mile to the west. Walking to
this point is always worth investigating. Wading at this
point will bring you close to the River's main channel.
Water depths will be in the five to eight foot ranges
depending on the particular tide stage. The strong tidal
flows that can be present here will have a tendency to
lift your line and fly up and out of the strike zone.
Carrying an assortment of sinking heads will allow you
to quickly select the right sink rate to keep your flies
near the bottom.
Two interesting events to look for when fly fishing the
backwaters of the Manasquan River system are a major
cinderworm hatch and a shrimp hatch that takes place
in the late spring and early part of the summer. At this
time the flyrodder can score quite well by matching the
hatch with small red and brown cinderworm patterns or
with a Bob Popovics' ultra shrimp pattern. Both floating
and intermediate lines are effective. Just allow your
fly to drift naturally with the current giving it a slight
twitch every few seconds.
If you are accessing the River with a small boat the
area around the Route 35 Train Bridge is usually teaming
with schoolie bass. This area particularly comes alive
at night when the boat traffic is at a minimum. At this
time you can hear plenty of popping and slurping going
on as these bass are heavily on the feed.
A final location that is worth investigating in the River
is the Point Pleasant Canal. The Point Pleasant Canal
is located in the southwestern part of the Manasquan
River estuary system and offers fly fishing opportunities
for both the shore bound angler and small boater. This
two mile long man-made structure connects the northern
most portion of Barnegat Bay with the Manasquan River.
This allows for the free flow of water between these
two systems that is governed by tidal flows and variations.
When fly fishing the Canal the most important consideration
is to note that the slack tide in the canal will occur
approximately three hours after it occurs along the oceanfront.
So when you try to calculate the time of slack tide from
a local tide chart you will need to add on these additional
hours. You will have a window of about thirty to forty
minutes between the changing of the tides when there
will be very little current present. This slack period
presents the best opportunity for the fly fisher. At
other times of the tide the currents will be ripping
through the Canal top fast to be able to do anything
successfully. During the slack tide it is not uncommon
to see and hear fish breaking on the surface as they
come up to hammer the baits.
You can access the Monmouth County Beaches from exits
117 through 98 off of the Garden State Parkway. Head
along the easterly routes as you exit. There is a Ocean
Drive or First Avenue in just about every town that runs
parallel to the beach.
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