2018 Fall striped bass run:

[AndyS]

How was the fall striped bass run this year ?

[jmurr711]

not over yet!

[Gerry Zagorski]

Had a shot at some larger fish early in the fall and then it turned into short city, but all you wanted... Seems like the larger migratory fish coming down from the north bypassed and stayed out further east.

We’ve had better falls in terms of size but quantity was average or above... Your milage may vary depending on where you fish out of.

Didn't get out for them this Fall but from the reports made it sound like a sub par late run. Didn't sound like there were the amounts of bunker around either, sounded like more sand eels than bunker and mullet. With the wind machine on almost the entire Fall out of the E/NE, bait as you pointed out could have tracked further offshore or maybe the Omega processing boats parked off Sandy Hook during the Fall mopped them up. Bass will find the bait before anglers find the bass and if it's not inshore they'll take a wide track offshore and keep heading south until they do during their migration.

[Capt John]

Originally Posted by Gerry Zagorski

Had a shot at some larger fish early in the fall and then it turned into short city, but all you wanted... Seems like the larger migratory fish coming down from the north bypassed and stayed out further east.

We’ve had better falls in terms of size but quantity was average or above... Your mileage may vary depending on where you fish out of.

Gerry, this has been the 4th year in a row that the bigger fish have stayed off shore in substantial numbers....beyond 3 mile limit. Smaller (sub legal) fish inshore chasing sand eels. For those looking for beefy fish (trophy).....for the most part NOT! Just my two cents.

[Gerry Zagorski]

Originally Posted by Capt John

Gerry, this has been the 4th year in a row that the bigger fish have stayed off shore in substantial numbers....beyond 3 mile limit. Smaller (sub legal) fish inshore chasing sand eels. For those looking for beefy fish (trophy).....for the most part NOT! Just my two cents.

Yep but there was an accational good bite on big fish Deal and South to IBSP.

I think a lot of people’s perception will depend on where they fish. Sandy Hook immediate area was a good deal of shorts and nothing like we used to see late in the year between the channels.

[WhaleFart]

For us guys who don’t fish for stripers on a boat, it was hands down one of the worst I can remember, sure over the last few weeks you can catch 20 schoolies in a morning, but I can do that all summer long in the back waters. 2016 was one of the best where I caught and released 7 fish over 25lbs from the sand.

[Capt John]

Originally Posted by Gerry Zagorski

Yep but there was an accational good bite on big fish Deal and South to IBSP.

I think a lot of people’s perception will depend on where they fish. Sandy Hook immediate area was a good deal of shorts and nothing like we used to see late in the year between the channels.

Gerry,

True on all points. Have a wonderful Holiday.

[Fun King]

One keeper bass, 30 lbs, and 0 keeper fluke for the season. No clouds of birds on fish, no epic gannet frenzies. Lower Harbor, Sandy Hook to Breezy Point. I had my boat wrapped up yesterday. See you in the spring.

[Chrisper4694]

def didn't compare to the last few years where we were fishing