Episode 25 | Topwater Striped Bass Fishing Action Egg Harbor, NJ

Tautog Fishing Dock Pilings

We met Chase at his house in Ocean City, New Jersey and launched his boat. We were excited to make a run to our first spot where we would target Tautog. All we had to do was drop down small crabs on a jig head. We fished around dock pilings and any structure we could find.

The bites were crazy!

I could feel the fish picking the crabs apart, but Chase told us that we would have to wait for one hard thump and then set the hook!.

It took me a while to get the hang of waiting for a hard thump, but I finally hooked up to my first Tautog after Chase had already put seven of his own in the boat! He was kicking my butt, but now I finally understood what the bite was like!

“It took me a while to get the hang of waiting for a hard thump, but I finally hooked up to my first Tautog after Chase had already put seven of his own in the boat!”

After that, we found a honey hole and started catching fish after fish for the next hour. As the sun started to get low, I finally stuck a good one. We decided to call it and head out for some topwater Striper fishing in the low light.

New Jersey Striped Bass Fishing

When we pulled up to our first spot, there was already action on the surface! We were fishing these awesome backwater channels through grass flats with a pretty swift current because of the outgoing tide. Right away, one missed my popper… a few moments later, Chase stuck a nice Striper after it demolished his popper!

“Right away, one missed my popper… a few moments later, Chase stuck a nice Striper after it demolished his popper!”

After he released his beautiful Striper, it was my turn to hook into one. Within 5 minutes, I was leaning into a solid Striper! As soon as I hooked up, Chase set the hook into one too! It was an awesome feeling having both fish in the boat, but when you have four sets of treble hooks flopping around, it’s always a little nerve-racking! I still have yet to hook myself during the Tour!

“As soon as I hooked up, Chase set the hook into one too! It was an awesome feeling having both fish in the boat, but when you have four sets of trouble hooks flopping around it’s always a little nerve-racking!”

After the release, we bounced over to one more spot. This spot was simple, a light at the end of a dock, but Chase said the baitfish migrate to the light. He was right, on his first cast, Chase caught a really nice 27” Striped Bass.

“He was right, on his first cast, Chase caught a really nice 27” Striped Bass.”

We decided to call it a night, but as we were heading back, Chase noticed a good shade line under a bridge and told me to cast under it! As I worked the swimbait in, I saw a flash right behind my bait, then the rod doubled over! I connected on one last Striper and then we headed in.

“As I worked the swimbait in, I saw a flash right behind my bait, then the rod doubled over! I connected on one last striper and then headed in.”

Our Striped Bass Lures

Our key baits for this action packed Striper fishing weren’t anything out of the ordinary. We focused in on key colors to match the baitfish the Striped Bass would be targeting. Our baits were a Tactical Anglers Popper during the low light!

“Tactical Anglers Popper during the low light!”

We then switched up to Damiki Swimbaits in Gizzard Shad and Anchovy Shad once the night fishing began!

“Damiki Swimbaits in Gizzard Shad and Anchovy Shad once the night fishing began!”

Chase definitely knew what he was talking about, because these baits got munched by some hungry Striper! It was really cool to see these baits available at our next stop!

Behind the scenes at Tackle Direct

We woke up early the next day to head into the Tackle Direct shop! What a beautiful shop. It was like dying and going to tackle heaven. Frank Torres showed us around the shop talking us through the companies history. It was an awesome experience and I may have spent a little bit of money before walking out! 

We headed off up towards Martha’s Vineyard in Cape Cod where we hopped on a ferry and for the first time, the Tour Jeep was on a boat. Stay tuned for some crazy Striped Bass action from Cape Cod!

Current Species Count:

We’re gunnin’ for 20+ over the course of the tour. Here’s the list, so far:

1. Steelhead
2. Largemouth Bass
3. Spotted Bass
4. Rock Bass
5. Silver Red Horse Sucker
6. Quillback Suckercarp
7. Skipjack
8. Blue catfish
9. American Shad
10. Spotted Gar
11. Mooneye
12. Asian Carp
13. Pumpkinseed
14. Smallmouth bass
15. Bluegill
16. Brown Trout
17. Striped Bass
18. Rainbow Trout
19. Freshwater Drum
20. Speckled Sea Trout
21. Red Fish
22. Gafftop Catfish
23. Hardhead Catfish
24. Whiting
25. Sand Trout
26. Croaker
27. Summer Flounder
28. Atlantic Sharpnose Shark
29. Tilapia
30. Snook
31. Bonito
32. King Mackerel
33. Spanish Mackerel
34. Cero Mackerel
35. Jack Cravalle
36. Trigger Fish
37. Barracuda
38. Red Snapper
39. Mahi
40. Stingray
41. Rock Fish
42. Grouper
43. Lemon Shark
44. Black Tip Shark
45. Tautog

This is the ANGLRTOUR.  –Jacob Jesionek

About the ANGLR Tour

Follow Jake and Alex, collegiate Bass anglers, fish biologist, and vloggers, on an epic two-month fishing trip. They’re on a journey to catch 20 species, 10 state fish, and win the 2018 FLW college national championship on Red River, LA.

Will they be able to complete their whole challenge? Follow along as they catch bass, kayak fish Texas Bass Lakes, inshore Tarpon fish, have dinners with Bassmaster elites, jack Smallmouth Bass in Michigan, and Striped Bass fish Cape Cod. They’ll even have a Hobie vs. Bonafide kayak fishing challenge on Sam Rayburn. They’re vlogging, blogging, and recording it all right here.

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