Winter NJ Spearing?

[pirate_diver]

Anyone have any scoop on what the spearing, if there is any, is like during December? I've never been in NJ in the winter for spearing. I know the summers are good, and have done my share of summer spearing in NJ, but know most of the fish move out once the water gets cold. The tasty tog and black sea bass are off shore in deep water. What about winter fluke, late winter stripers??? I want to know if it'd be worth it to bring my spear gear with me when I head up to PA for the holidays?

[JJ131]

Hey Whats Up I heard Some Guys Say that The Stripers Are Still Good Not Sure..

[OysterToadFish]

Yeah man its def worth bringing your gear as long as your prepared for the cold... Theres black fish and strippers from the surf in jettys and ubnder bridges but black seabass would be a little more offshore.

Im in fla now and may head to the keys soon, pm me for some info..whats up with diving the 7mile brdge..

[TriggerNJ]

In my opinion I'd leave the gear home. By Christmas the waters freezing and everything has moved to deeper water or migrated. The inlets and jetties are pretty much barren of shoot able fish. Winter flounder are out of season until March 23 and other winter fish that are around are a long shot if your shore diving. The bass hanging around in the ocean by that time are to small and there aren't many to see anyway. Other bass overwintering in the bay(never find them anyway) are off limits as of Dec.21 until March. Unless your on scuba and have someone to take you out I'd say forget it, not worth it by mid Dec. If you happen to surf too though bring a board 5mil/Boots/Gloves/Hood you might catch Jerz good.

[pirate_diver]

In my opinion I'd leave the gear home. By Christmas the waters freezing and everything has moved to deeper water or migrated. The inlets and jetties are pretty much barren of shoot able fish. Winter flounder are out of season until March 23 and other winter fish that are around are a long shot if your shore diving. The bass hanging around in the ocean by that time are to small and there aren't many to see anyway. Other bass overwintering in the bay(never find them anyway) are off limits as of Dec.21 until March. Unless your on scuba and have someone to take you out I'd say forget it, not worth it by mid Dec. If you happen to surf too though bring a board 5mil/Boots/Gloves/Hood you might catch Jerz good.

Thanks for the heads up. I tried going out once last January, but the conditions didn't even make it worth getting in at the jetties. As for the surfing, I hope the surf is up. Hopefully we get a day like that one day last January, 72 degrees in the air...that would be great.