When I was growing up we waited every year for the herring run in March
Jim Bolton By Jim Bolton
Here it is March and no one has mentioned any herring news. Now I know this is not a sports fish like stripers and perch and shad are popular eating fish. Planked shad is a delicacy at this time of year. They are mostly taken by net. And also shad roe is popular at this time of year.
When I was growing up we waited every year for the herring run in March. We had fun snagging herring with treble hooks and a pinchon sinker. We did this at the "Sluice Box" on the Sharp Street hill when the water from Union Lake emptied through the water works building down into the stream that emptied into the Maurice River.
Although herring were not very good to eat their roe was in much demand and we would sell the roe to private individuals or a fish market.
Fried herring roe was always my favorite. Haven't had any for years.
Perch and small stripers are being caught all over the plrce. Back Creek has been a very popular spot. Strait Creek and Maurice River are also producing some nice catches of perch and small stripers with an occasional keeper. The Fortescue Beachend has also a popular spot for perch and some nice stripers are also being caught.
Also heard one fellow caught a keeper striper at the bridge in Fairton. How about that?
Down at the shore it's the same from Mullica River on down the coast for both perch and stripers. Towsend's Inlet was one hot spot.
Also tautog are still being caught down at the shore.
Ken at Husted's Landing told me that perch are biting in Back Creek. David Chavous had a catch of 20 up to 13 inches in deep water.
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From his family, Happy 88th Birthday to Jim Bolton!
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Jim Bolton is the outdoors columnist for the South Jersey Times. He can be reached at 856-313-9347 or 22 Arbutus Ave., Millville, NJ 08332.