We keep live minnows in stock whenever the store is open.  We make sure they are big and lively since I catch them myself with the help of my son, Kevin.

$10.00 a Pint, $7.00 1/2Pint

These ugly little critters are probably the most expensive seafood outside Japan... and we feed them to the fish.  Because they work.  Almost everything will gulp down a piece of bloodworm, or go for the gusto and put a whole one on the hook for a striper.  For salt and brackish water panfish nothing else even comes close. 

I keep them in stock all the time, but I do not catch them, they are dug in Maine and Maritime Canada and every box is different.  I have good suppliers so I usually have good worms. 

Now More Popular Prices

Bloodworms: $12.00 a dozen,

3 Dozen or more: $10.00 a dozen

 Need a Flat? order ahead 125 worms $90.00

If you want the very best chance to bring home a Striper, there is no better bait than the lowly Surf Clam.  Just find a fishy looking spot, drop the anchor, put a big glob of clam on a 8/0 hook, and drop it to the bottom.  Most likely a big ole' Bass will inhale it and you're hooked up.  Yes there are some details to learn, but you can go out on your own and catch stripers if they are in the area.

Surf Clams:

 $.60 each,  $6.00 a dozen, $20.00 a 4 gallon bucket, $45.00 a full bushel. 

Eels are one of the very best Striped Bass Baits and work year round especially at night.  I keep them all year long, but sell the most during the Fall Striper Season.  I have the best suppliers and I bought extra during the Fall eel catching season.  I currently have a good number overwintering in my indoor tank and should definately have them available as soon as the Stripers start munching. 

Last Spring I had very good results using eels in the Mullica River and I expect to be doing the same as soon as I can intice the Bass to bite.

Local Eels are back normal pricing return.

Current pricing:  $1.50 each, $15.00 per Dozen, $100.00 per hundred.

Live Spot is one of the most effective Live Baits for Striped Bass and in the smaller sizes everything eats them, particularly Keeper Summer Flounder and Weakfish.  South Jersey is normally the northern part of their range so they usually have to be transported from Maryland or Virgina, either from the Chesapeake Bay or the Atlantic coast regions. 

In Maryland and Virgina they can be trapped commercially, but this usually coinsides with the Commercial Crab Trapping season which means that the very earliest that they will be available is May 1st. 

We do have a good chance of having local Spot available.  2012 was really the year of the Spot, since there was a huge influx of juvinile Spot along the whole New Jersey Coast and even north to New York waters.  I am seriously hoping that many of these Spot that were so abundant are wintering over in the nearby Ocean waters and will make an early Spring appearance in our local esturaries.  If they do they will be most readily available caught by hook and line. 

These great baits are just bite sized for big stripers and are one of their favorite foods.  I cast net them myself in the back bay and on the beach front.  They are harder to keep in pens than spot and they wil only last until the first serious cold snap.  When the run is over the prices will go up.

One great advantage to Finger Mullet is that they are extremely good as frozen baits.  I stockpiled plenty last fall during the run and have them available even for the Spring Run.  They can be used in the Surf, Back Bays and in the Rivers and will seldom be refused.  I don't know if it is their oily smell or what, but they attract every kind of Gamefish.  There really isn't anything better for the early cold water bluefish that invade our local waters. 

For monster Fluke you really should give the frozen mullet a try.

 Frozen:$5.00 a Dozen