Fish On
Local fishing prospects looking good for 2007
Ron Nuzzolo

Who would have thought 2006 would be one of the best years on record for bass fishing for the New Jersey angler, with 2007 already looking to be an even better year?

Having fished the Raritan Bay for over 35 years (and my father for over 55 years), I can say with confidence that the Raritan Bay has produced some of the best bay fishing on the East Coast. From Montauk Point to the Florida Keys, we have more species of fish and marine life cruising our waters right in our backyard. For over 55 years, my dad and his brothers have fished the bay with great success. From the relentless bluefish to the graceful striped bass and the doormat fluke, the stories, memories and pictures are priceless.

The great American pastime has grown to over 34 million anglers in the United States, with an average of 16 days of fishing per angler. That's an NFL season.

The sport continues to grow, with fresh water being the most popular. With corporate America (Wal-Mart) sponsoring hundreds of millions of dollars a year to the sport, fishing can be bigger than NASCAR and football combined. That's insane, you say? Well, I Googled fishing and got 150 million hits. Then I Googled NASCAR and only got 44 million hits.

Anyway, as I walked Cliffwood Beach on Saturday, the locals told me that the bass fishing slowed down in the bay. The schools have seemed to have moved out to chase the giant schools of herring, reportedly headed south.

In Keyport, the locals received word that the bass were breaking water down south at Ortley Beach, with over 100 anglers lining the shore and landing some big keepers off the surf.

Right now is the time to get your tackle box in order and sharpen those hooks - 2007 looks like it is going to be the "Year of the Angler."

So put new line on your reels and get ready.

And if you're looking to stock up on some new gear, this week is the 24th Garden State Outdoor Sportsmen Show, running from Thursday to Sunday at the N.J. Convention and Exposition Center at Raritan Center, Edison (www.gsoss.com).

This is a great show for the whole family. Children under 15 years old get in for free, and women are half-price. Tickets are $10 at the door. This is a good time to replenish your tackle box and meet some of your favorite outdoor experts.

Did you know?

The N.J. Division of Fish and Wildlife reported the Axel Carlson reef, located 4.4 miles southeast of Manasquan Inlet in Monmouth County, will receive 10 tons of worn concrete buoy sinkers from the U.S. Coast Guard during January and February 2007, as part of the division's artificial reef program.

A total of 38 blocks of concrete from 5,000 to 12,000 pounds will be set in place by the USCG buoy tenders CGC Katherine Walker and CGC Juniper. According to NJF&W, these sinkers will provide an excellent surface for marine life - mussels, barnacles, hydroids, stoney coral and other invertebrates - which will quickly make their home on the structures. By summer, sea bass, tautog, scup, trigger fish and summer flounder will colonize the reef. It will become a favorite target for New Jersey anglers. That's great news for all of New Jersey and a great way to start the year.

I look forward in the months to come to keep you informed on the local fishing news in the Raritan Bay and the New Jersey Shore.

Ron Nuzzolo, an Aberdeen resident who has inherited a love for fishing from his father, will be contributing a weekly local fishing report to Greater Media Newspapers, starting this week. You can contact Ron at ron@signbrothers.com with any stories and/or reports you would like him to pass on to our readers.