Spy house pier (Port Monmouth pier)

[Manny]

Had cabin fever, so since I live close to all my fishing spots, decided to check out the spy house pier, since I believe Tomkat posted a link about it being rebuilt. I believe this is the second time in since 2011 that it is rebuilt, since it was also destroyed, before Sandy in the previous storm with had in 2011.

I stopped fishing this pier, because in my fishing experience there, unless you
are fishing the end, you will not catch anything. I have caught fish there, but never off to the sides. Not sure if it is, because since there are so many poles out at the end, this acts like a chum and attracts the fish to those baits first, but that has always been my experience there. Plus I usually take a net with me, but when you are alone the net is useless, because you usually need some to net the fish for you. However I usually fish the beach or sod banks to avoid this problem. I am assuming that the pier was closed all of 2013, but would like to hear from anyone that fishes it often if that was the case and if they just fished off the beach and how did they do fishing off the beach, if the pier was closed. also a lot of fishermen on that pier act like they own it, so this kind of turned me off to it, though I have to say there are a lot of good friendly fisherman there that are great and outnumber the bad ones. Also I have to day that fisherman are usually the most friendliest people I meet since I fish myself, but like everything there will be a few that will screw it up for all of us. Attached some pics I took today.

[Skolmann]

I've taken plenty of fluke (& flounder) fishing off the sides of the pier. In my my experience, the east side is better.

I've also seen big bass right in the wash at the base of the pier at night under the light.

[Wien21]

Horrible place to fish. People are jerks, water is shallow, always crowded....a place to stay away from.
On a serious note, thanks for the pictures, really glad they finally rebuilt it.
Have seen some good fish come up there, just not on sunny Sundays with 150 folks there
Gotta keep in mind fishing the sides at low tide you have about a foot of water to deal with.

[torchee]

I have launched my kayak beside the pier many times. The entire area is a shallow 6 ft flat no matter how far you cast or at what angle. The pier offers no advantage as to water depth or structure. I've taken a good look at the area on the fishfinder.

I would suggest the nearby inlets fluke since both a a deep channel.

I would bass fish from the shore so you can move and cover more ground.

I do throw my cast net off that pier though!

[hartattack]

Have done better off the rocks by the inlet coming out of Monmouth Cove Marina. It's just west of the pier, deeper water, ez parking, and you can fish off of both sides of the jetty . . .

Here're some "before" pics of the Pier . . .

[tropics]

Originally Posted by hartattack

Have done better off the rocks by the inlet coming out of Monmouth Cove Marina. It's just west of the pier, deeper water, ez parking, and you can fish off of both sides of the jetty . . .

That looks like a good spot for Flounder, I have never tried it though. Has any one tried for them in that creek?

[Skolmann]

Originally Posted by torchee

I have launched my kayak beside the pier many times. The pier offers no advantage as to water depth or structure. !

The pier itself is the structure that attracts the bait fish.

I like fishing there on the last 2 hours of the incoming and the first 3 of the outgoing.. When I fluke fish there, I drop my bucktail or killie just a few feet off the pier, straight down or under the pier and slowly hop it along the bottom. The pilings of the pier create eddys which the fluke lie in. there was 1 year I can recall that if you casted out a 6" purple plastic worm with a white tail and slowly worked it back you'd get a fluke on almost every cast. As I've stated, the best fluke I've taken from the pier is a #7 that I walked down the pier and just pulled it up on the beach. But have taken numerous in the 20-22" class.

In my experience, the best action for bass/blues in from mid April until the end of May and for fluke from early May until mid June.

[Capt. Debbie]

I've fished there many a time to let NWS Earle give me a lee in easterly wind days on the tow boat. I have to stay out. SO don't get butt kicked even worse having to run accross SH Bay in a NE when working up north or Keyport area.

Yes it is all VERY flat for at least a 1/2 mile. Even the channel running out is barely a channel. You have to look for the markers even with a FF. It's not much of a difference in the channel from the flats.

Lots of short fluke. LOTS