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Weakfish charters?

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bassturds

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Yep finS, light bucktails, bubble gum worms, 5" bombers and redfins.. mirro lures. 

Spent alot of time in my youth chasing trout. Delaware bay in my grandfather's boat and surf fishing in both nj and Delaware. I truly miss them, it's been 10 years or so since I caught more then a random one. 

Haven't seriously tried to target them since. If you really go looking in south Jersey you'll eventually find spikes. 

But, as far as a real tiderunner over 10lbs. Good luck

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1 hour ago, Haycreekrambler said:

Yep finS, light bucktails, bubble gum worms, 5" bombers and redfins.. mirro lures. 

Spent alot of time in my youth chasing trout. Delaware bay in my grandfather's boat and surf fishing in both nj and Delaware. I truly miss them, it's been 10 years or so since I caught more then a random one. 

Haven't seriously tried to target them since. If you really go looking in south Jersey you'll eventually find spikes. 

But, as far as a real tiderunner over 10lbs. Good luck

That was my point.  I have not broke the 5lb mark on weakies in a long time.

 

They are out there but you really need time and luck to get them.  

 

One of my all time favorite fish but the tiderunner nights are just not there anymore

I fish fine

look stupid 

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If you're gonna use soft plastics, jigs, weighted tubes (nordic eels, tiger tails and the like) when you think you're working it slow enough,  slow it down some more. I've had good luck 3-waying sand worms 3 feet up and 3 feet out. Squid strips used to do the trick on a similar rig in Peconic Bay at night. I'm thankful I got to fish for them when they were plentiful. 

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23 mins ago, Captain Ahab said:

That was my point.  I have not broke the 5lb mark on weakies in a long time.

 

They are out there but you really need time and luck to get them.  

 

One of my all time favorite fish but the tiderunner nights are just not there anymore

Me too. I still dream of nites with huge trout and big bass in the same area. It was 2010 or 11 I got into a handful of 6 - 7 lbers. I remember hoping that I'd see more the next spring.. nada I still hear rumors and occasional pic. Anymore just I just call then unicorns. 

I think its alot of factors

Draggers maybe

I know for a fact that bass eat them like candy. Ten or so years ago I know of a bunch of guys that cleaned bass and little weakies were stacked in there stomachs like pancakes.

Its been almost 20 years since the last real flood of big weakfish in the areas I fish.  

Always thought they would make a comeback.. anymore I'm not so sure

Edited by Haycreekrambler
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Last time caught a weakie was off the green lawns in peconic bay in the early 2000’s, last time I was on a boat where a weakie was caught was off greenport li like 6  years ago, both time while fluking, most of my fishing is done all over mass tho and I’ve never caught one there, oh and I can report they are marginal table fare, better to just release them 

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If what we saw in Long Island's Great South Bay last year carries over into this season, it should be a half-decent May.  Not spectacular, but enough fish that, from a boat, I should catch just about every trip.  I tend to fish 3/4 oz bucktails slowly on the bottom, often with a 6" plastic worm trailer to slow the drop.

 

If you don't have access to a boat, you should be able to find fish from public land abutting the bay, between sunset and shortly after sunrise.

"I have always believed that outdoor writers who come out against fish and wildlife conservation are in the wrong business. To me, it makes as much sense golf writers coming out against grass.."  --  Ted Williams

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CWitek,that is good to hear./grew up on the GSB.in the 60's there weren't many weakfish in the bay,you had to go to the

peconics to get them.the early 70's the GSB came alive with small weakies 1 to 4 lbers.the mouths of creeks that emptied in the bay were alive with them.later in the 70's there was a run of big weakies 8 to 15lber and even bigger on the grass flats off Davis park/barret beach.the pink Salty dog or a hopkins were the lures of choice..at that time iwas digging clams for a living,the weakies love to hang around the guys that were tonging in the shell beds just north ofthe grass flats

 

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My first encounter with Weakfish must be around 1952 Great Bay we rented a U-Drive at Rands Boats That alone was an adventure with a rope start 1 cyl inboard. Would Anchor at the Rip to the Bay south of the Stinky ( Bunker Factory ) Chum with Grass Shrimp with a fresh split cocktail shrimp with a Cork bobber and drift it from the Boat. we did ok but no blitzes. Over the years they went down in numbers in a few areas and up in others. Night fishing was the best under lights with small white Buck Tails with a squid teaser.  The Middle 80s  had a resurgence in Raritan Bay along with Spanish Mackerel, The areas were kept secret and Beleive me SECRET it was the beginning of Kayak Fishing, The weak action was at Night were methods that would also Catch Stripers. Trolling was the trick slow and quite. from Plugs to Clauser Flys. Over the years it remained good till The Nor Easter before and after Sandy, The Stripers are back in massive numbers and sizes but the Weakfish are few but for one area that I know of.   But are out of reach for me. Photo is a Nights catch of a Weakfish and a Striper. from my first Kayak Wilderness System Pamlico Excel 120 with 5 others that Followed in my Family. The areas are prime for Kayak Fisherman who do better than Boat and shore with Access - Stealth. And are Tight-lipped for obvious reasons. The group I was in disbanded. along with the Store and Web Site. Good luck   

Old Kayak Fishing.jpg

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On 4/2/2020 at 11:36 AM, Captain Ahab said:

If you are looking for a tiderunner your best bet is south Jersey

I saw some nice fish, maybe 5-6lb. last fall while Sea basin'.We were fishing' wrecks 30-40 miles off.....we were fishing with a couple last year and the wife caught a nice one, she was thrilled.Later the husband pulled the fish out of the cooler to show someone and he drops it and it slid under the rail and off the boat.She was a little pissed.

Edited by AlwaysWading
Practice catch and release
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