stripers and blues

Question
this weekend i'll be targeting stripers and blues in asbury park, nj.  what is the best time to fish for these species.  any other tips appreciated.

Answer
Scott;

The best time might be to wait a few weeks.  Here on LI, bass and blues do not usually show up until the end of April or the first part of May, with the bass showing up first and the blues a couple of weeks later.  In fact, the first few weeks of bass fishing with clam bellies is especially nice because there are no bluefish.  Once they move in, it is problem since fishing with clam bellies is most effective with light lines, light mono or flourocarbon leaders and bluefish just bite off the hooks when they take a bait.  Though bellies is not a prefered bluefish bait, when then first show up, they seem ready to eat just about anything.

If in fact there are bass and blues where you fish at this time of the year, then my personal experience is that in the spring, especially during the early part of the season, time of day is of very little importance.  As you get into the summer months, night becomes far more productive than day.  And of course, dawn and dusk are generally the best of all.

If you elect to cast artificials, anything that is fairly small and slender would be your best choices at this early part of the season.  Lead heads with 4 or 5 inch slender bodies, thin profile plugs of about the same size, and metal lures such as deadly dicks should be used.  The predominant forage these early bass and blues will be feeding on are sandeels and spearing, and lures with a similar look are best.