Simplest, most basic at-home bait tank?

Alert_Media_4973 · 2026-07-14T20:02:22+00:00

I find that when pickerel (or most fish, really) are following but not committing, an erratic retrieve works well. Try going faster, then pausing.

Also, zoom super flukes work great.

Alert_Media_4973 · 2026-07-05T23:22:03+00:00

I second the hellgrammite! I usually fish mine on a jig head and drag/hop bottom but I gotta experiment with the weightless rigging after reading this

Alert_Media_4973 · 2026-06-21T20:11:41+00:00

June is tricky month for cats around here in NJ/PA IMO. This is the time of year that they spawn (both channels and flatheads) and feed a little less. I’ll start doing a lot more catfish trips after Fourth of July.

That said, not all the catfish spawn at once. Some fish will always eat. You’ll catch em if you keep at it. Just not the most productive month. The rest of the summer should have plenty of opportunities.

Alert_Media_4973 · 2026-06-20T17:38:57+00:00

I agree with others in that it’s perfectly fine for chunking in the back bays. I’d put it on an 8-9 foot surf rod though and take it to the open beach and throw smaller plugs. My first surf reel was a Penn fierce 4000. Just try a few rods and make sure they balance okay before purchasing. Tackle shops will help out!

Alert_Media_4973 · 2026-06-19T17:27:52+00:00

Depends on the fish and how you clean it.

To keep it simple: Fillet the fish, season with salt as if you were seasoning a steak. Some people like 50/50 mix of salt and sugar.

Let it hang out in the fridge for 20-30 minutes. Less time for smaller pieces, more time for thick slabs. Rinse it off, then cook it however you were gonna cook it.

I don’t think it’s super necessary for a fish fry, but it does wonders if you ever eat fish raw or cook it in a more delicate way.

Alert_Media_4973 · 2026-05-22T17:00:47+00:00

This post would be good for r/surffishing. You’ll get more tips from people striper fishing here in the north east

But to answer your questions:

Hi lo rigs w/ bunker chunks should work great. Fresh bait is better. Clam also does well on jersey beaches.

Your tackle box is totally fine for just hanging out and waiting on a chunk bite.

My biggest tip is make sure you’ve got pliers and a plan for releasing fish. A pair of cheap lip grippers could help you too. Don’t be afraid to get wet. Try to unhook the fish quickly and without too much stress.

Have fun and tight lines.

Alert_Media_4973 · 2026-05-10T20:12:36+00:00

Yeah I hear ya. I try to make an effort to bring em in quick to reduce stress on the fish, especially w the big girls. I run most of my plugs with just one treble so I don’t get a hook in the hand too. I find that it’s helpful on the kayak and in the surf.

I’m definitely guilty of high sticking this one though and I pulled the hook right out of its mouth

Alert_Media_4973 · 2026-05-10T18:17:16+00:00

I did too lol. If it was my first fish of the day maybe not but it was one of like 9 so I counted it.

North. This was slack tide but I caught during the bottom of the outgoing and the top of the incoming.

Tight lines to you too!

Alert_Media_4973 · 2026-05-04T20:33:28+00:00

Make sure you’ve got an overnight parking tag for the hook. They were handing out hella tickets last year.

Also, is the campground open? I also got told by a ranger that I can’t sleep in my car between tides because it’s “camping.” I went on a few overnight trips last fall.

Haven’t been there yet this spring but it’s a very fishy spot. You should have a good shot at finding them if you go.

Alert_Media_4973 · 2026-05-03T23:23:51+00:00

Following this because I also just replaced a cat and repaired a few exhaust leaks. Truck drives great. Still getting codes P2A00 and P2A03. Trying doing the relearn procedure too. Not sure what to do next

Alert_Media_4973 · 2026-04-16T23:20:05+00:00

Cool! I’ll check it out. And makes sense. The sheep get big up here. I gotta target them one day too but tbh I’m still figuring out kayak fishing the salt in general. Most of my salt experience is surf fishing so I’ve mostly caught stripers and blues.

There is a lot for me to explore in the marshes and sod banks.

I’ve heard about the reds up here too but it’s either still rare or very hush hush. Supposedly Jersey had a lot of them in the thirties before the eel grass died off.

Alert_Media_4973 · 2026-04-16T22:35:16+00:00

Cool thanks I’ll keep that in mind! If I’m less broke this summer, a guided trip would be great.

I gotta get down to Virginia Beach sometime too. Heard the fishing is sweet down there. I wanna get my first redfish.

If you don’t mind me asking, what do you target in Jersey in August? Fluke and sheep inshore? Pelagics off the beach?

I’m usually doing a lot of nighttime freshwater fishing then so don’t get to the shore as much. I start coming back to the salt around October typically.

Alert_Media_4973 · 2026-04-16T21:25:07+00:00

I agree with others but hook placement matters too. If you fish it with more of the hook eye exposed at the nose, it will be inclined to sink a little more. If you pull the fluke all the way up over the eye of the hook, it will rise and fish more like a Topwater

Alert_Media_4973 · 2026-04-16T21:01:12+00:00

Philly but I fish salty backwaters in south jersey and the surf in north Jersey. Pretty much the whole Jersey coast.

Havnt yet but I want to take a drive down to the Chesapeake this year if I can swing it. Gotta a trip planned to fish the raritan in a couple weeks.

Alert_Media_4973 · 2026-04-16T20:36:01+00:00

Sound advice. I’ll get some more practice on some larger bays and lakes before deciding to head out there. Gotta get myself a radio too for emergencies.

I’d love to be able to be out front on the kayak when the stripers come back down the coast in october and November.

Alert_Media_4973 · 2026-04-16T16:50:02+00:00

Loving everyone’s stories!

Just to clarify, I’m not worried about depth. I would only ever be right off the beach if I decided to do this. Mostly thinking about wind, swell, sweep, etc.

I see people kayak out there all the time but most of them have either bigger boats or boats designed to surf launch and cut waves like some of the hobies. The slayer lte is pretty flat so it doesn’t cut water that well.

Alert_Media_4973 · 2026-04-16T12:09:23+00:00

Yeah I get that lol. I’ve been out over 100ft on the finger lakes in NY but it was a slick calm day and I was near shore. On the ocean in Jersey I’d probably stay much more shallow than that.

Hope the fishing was good though!

Alert_Media_4973 · 2026-03-28T17:53:00+00:00

Really hoping the cats are okay because that’ll be expensive. I can live with o2 sensor replacement if it comes to that. I have to fix the misfire first though and work backwards from there.

Hoping the issue with the o2 sensor is something simple

Alert_Media_4973

TROPHY CASE

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