The tables been set weather wise for fishing to begin in the next few weeks. After a pretty brutal winter, or normal if you're old, everyone who has been battling Cabin Fever is ready to get to fishing. Fly, spin, bait, you name it, all of the fish that swim in waters are about to get deluged by anglers looking to catch and eat them or catch and release (or torture) them.
Soon the rivers of the Upper Delaware will be full of waders and drift boats looking to put the first scars into the lips and mouths of wild trout who call the East or West Branch or the Main Stem home. In other trout waters spring means a season opener in the put and take fishing for stocked trout, and in New Jersey that begins April 11th. And then there's the rivers and bays that will literally heat up defrosting holdover and early migratory striped bass up and out of their winter doldrums. In a few weeks the horizon, and the channels, will be chock full of head and six pack boats driving around marking fish to target.
But before that we say goodbye to the fishing conventions and shows. This weekend The Fly Fishing Show ends it's 2026 season in Lancaster, PA. I've never been but some say it's the best show, small and intimate, and just a two-dayer. This last stop caps off the East to West back to East Coast road trip for the show.
If you don't want to take the drive to Amish Country you can take a ride up to Edison for the three-day New Jersey Saltwater Fishing Expo which opened up yesterday. I don't know if there's show fatigue but as of late there's been Surf Day at Brookdale, the Asbury Park Fishing Flea Market, and shows out in Long Island. But this show seems to be a big draw for all kinds of saltwater anglers.
Regardless of what type of fishing you do or what type of species you target anglers are chomping at the hook to get out there. And for many it's hoping that those secret, well there aren't many left these days, spots remain trafficless and don't get blown up. Over the last 15 years we've seen the plethora of posts, articles, and pictures on all types of media telling us when, where, and how, to catch these fish. In the past there were limited sources to get information from, and the best was always finding your own spot and your own fish. Internet detectives started "spying" on peoples locations looking for landmarks in the background of those shitty fish pictures guys and gals would post up. Some would even look up the info on pictures shared if the location setting wasn't removed from iPhone pics.
In a world of instant gratification weekly fishing reports just don't cut it anymore. Where are the fish....now. That rings especially true for migratory species and those that blitz eat when the predator fish meet the bait fish. And that, coupled with a decrease in advertising, is why fishing related magazines have gone by the wayside. Some still remain but for most they've stopped their subscriptions and only pick up an issue if they know someone, are in it themselves, or it's an article about their local fishing hole.
This month On The Water magazine put out an article by Neil Krauter. It talked about the Navesink and Shrewsbury River fishery for striped bass and bluefish. That used to be a sleeper fishery with only the locals and the sharpies knowing when and where to target said fish. While the numbers of anglers who called those waters their early go-to spot was many, I would say it wasn't blown-up until about 10 years ago. Hard core anglers in these waters would fish stealithy in the shadows of darkness from boat, kayak, and on foot, camouflaging themselves from the lights from the houses and bridges that lined both rivers. Then it morphed into a daytime thing, especially in the pre and after work hours. If the tides were right and the bait was in, and the word got out, tons of anglers would park anywhere and anyway they could, legal or not, to get close to the water. And if and when the gator bluefish showed up, forget it.
I read the well-written article and it was, well, good. That's why people buy magazines and subscribe to channels. It's a mix of entertainment and an investment into fishing knowledge, and it cuts down on the discovery and learning curve that it takes to find, the most important thing, and catch fish. But what it's not good for are the fish, especially early season fish, that tend to bunch up in certain spots as part of their yearly pre-spawning and vacationing ritual. It's also not good for those anglers who have put their time in year after year and wait for it to all go down. And then there's the homeowners and businesses that will see an increase of traffic and parking, and people urinating and tossing butts, in and around those waters. Truth be told there's very few spots you can just park and walk to, and those fill up quickly when the bite is on. And then there's an increase in boat traffic, which is annoying to be in the mix of, and can actually change a fishes behavior. With an article like this, or any spot kind of article, I wonder if it does more bad then good.
I doubt that I am part of the problem but I may be, by drawing attention to the article and the fishery, but I did it. As a magazine or content creating entity, how vague can you be? Eventually the readers will need more or they'll stop buying if there's nothing to be gained from dropping money on a recent edition or subscription. As far as striped bass, and I've said it before, New Jersey has the best striped bass fishing, year round, out of all the states that striped bass call home or visit. There may be times when one state is on fire, but New Jersey gives anglers just about a 10 month season. That's why I was in favor of some type of No Target or seasonal closure, especially for those pre-spawn fish. But hey, the ASMFC and Adam Nowalsky know better.
So if you're not attending one of these shows and your spouse doesn't have you chasing the spring honey-do list then at least go through your fly rods and flies and get ready for the spring. Find those waders and your stripping basket and make sure you have your licenses up to date. Soon the fish, fresh and salt, will be on the move as will be the other anglers competing for your spot.