The weather is bouncing around from Indian summer to fall, love this time of year.

The fishing is still decent for some of the summer fish but the fall fishing has fired up for sure. The surfers are loving the fall wave action, kite boarders are getting some serious winds for some wave jumping and fast action.

The hikers are enjoying the palette of fall colors adorning all of the trees, but maybe not looking forward to raking them. Looking at them is much more relaxing.

The water temperatures are holding around 60 degrees but drop a little lower at night and that is getting one fish very excited.

The striped bass action is killer for schooling bass, not the migration yet, but people are seeing some great action. Once you find the bass you can really get some decent numbers and a sore arm. They are all short, but there have been some keepers here and there.

They are hitting swim shads, bucktails and poppers. The action at night under the lights is great for the schoolies. You want the larger keepers you need to fish the dark waters. Nighttime is the right time is a saying For many bass anglers as well as creepin’ while you’re sleepin’.

The bigger bass prefer the darker water so they can hunt better. Striped bass have very sensitive cones and rods in their eyes, so they can practically see in the dark. The short bass are young, hungry,and just don’t care. Your larger bass however prefer the dark.

In the Bay

Tautog action is hot in the Delaware Bay, even for DNREC when employees nailed a boat full of undersized and over the limit taug the other day. Poachers are so annoying, don’t get me started.  They are the reason you have creel limits.

Anyway the tautog are hitting green crabs, sand fleas and box crabs.

The Indian River Inlet has some decent action but are mostly small fish. Masseys Landing and the surrounding waters have a lot of small tautog. Even the rock jetties around Pots Net communities hold tautog.

Elsewhere

Seabass action is still hot offshore at the Del Jersey reef and offshore sites. You just have to take that long ride.

They are hitting squid, clam and damn near anything you put on the hook. Great action for the offshore anglers.

It should be a good weekend of fishing. It’s just a little cool out there, which is how we like it for striped bass fishing.

White perch action is hot in the tidal creeks and rivers. Big perch, too, are fat and healthy. They are hitting bloodworms on top and bottom rigs. Soon they will hit minnows or small jigs below bobbers.

Small puppy drum — the black ones — are hitting with the perch, too. There have been a few redfish here and there as well.

Watch your slot limit on the red drum. Some folks got popped on the U.S. 50 bridge last weekend for undersized puppy drum as well as striped bass.

There has been some decent redfish action around all the back bay areas and we are starting to see some more in the surf.

It should be a good fall for fishing, or at least we hope. One can never tell until it happens