The northeast’s beaches and shorelines are what most would consider “rocky terrain.” In fact, a large portion of the New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts coastlines are dotted with boulders, rocks and gravel, creating a terrific habitat for the predator fish and their food of choice. While fishing the nearby beaches and their connected rock piles, another man-made rock structure cannot be disregarded by the angler.

The Jetty

A jetty is a man made structure that was created along the shorelines to prevent storm surges from damaging property, to help stop beach erosion and to create small causeways into the rivers and salt ponds in the northeast. For the fisherman, these grounds are rich with fish at some point or another and if you understand when, it can enhance your catch any time.

Striped bass feel at home in fast-moving and turbulent water. This is primarily because their prey becomes confused in the froth, literally becoming an easy meal. Other predators like bluefish, weakfish and false albacore also exploit these same water conditions. Jetties generate this type of turbulent water by forcing waves to crash into the rocks too early, before reaching the beaches (where they normally lose some of their power). It is not rare to find masses of these predator fish feeding ferociously on baitfish right up against the jetties, where the water is actually the most turbulent.

Beside the above-mentioned fish species, blackfish and porgy also take advantage of the jetties. Crabs, mussels, periwinkles, and whelks all use rocky structures to make their homes. The scup and tautog start housekeeping in these areas for the same reasons as other fish; they offer shelter and food. They are able to roam the stretches of the jetties to feed on the crabs and mussels, and can also wedge between the rocks to hide from bigger predators.

High tide is the best time for fishing the jetty. The closer to high tide, the better the fishing will be since you’ll have more water and your prey will be far more focused on finding something to eat. Baitfish are plentiful in the causeways that lead to ponds and rivers – they can be found in abundance when the tide comes and again when the tide goes out.

Blackfish and porgy are normally easy to catch, as they rarely roam very far from the rock walls. They have everything they need to survive there in the rocks. You can take advantage of this by making shorter casts and not using unnecessary amounts of weight to present your baits.

One overlooked necessity in jetty fishing is safety equipment. While safety at all times should be a first consideration on every fishing trip, fishing a jetty means additional safety precautions you might not think about for shore fishing. As with any fishing, a personal flotation device is a must. Don’t try fishing without one at any time, but especially if you are fishing a jetty. Remember, these waters are extremely turbulent and you could turn an afternoon of fishing enjoyment into an afternoon of disaster without taking the proper precautions. If you are planning on jetty fishing you will want to invest in a pair of cleats. Algae and moss are rich on these rocky surfaces which remain wet almost the entire season. A misstep can easily cause a broken arm, a broken leg or a broken ankle or other more critical injuries. Common sense precautions can keep you safe during your fishing trip and the minor expenses involved in securing this gear can save your life.

As you can see, if you have not yet made use of the jetties you have been missing out on some excellent fishing opportunities. Some days the beaches will offer the most fish, and other days the jetties will. The important thing is that now you can fish both areas in one trip. If both areas seem to be missing bluefish and stripers, then you can totally shift gears and fish for blackfish. This is just one more excellent option to add to your surf-fishing approach. It could turn a miserable evening of fishing into one that you will never forget.

There are many supplies that are helpful when fishing on the rocky shoreline. Some of these supplies include: Daiwa Fishing Rods, Shimano Calcutta Reels, and Daiwa Saltiga 30T.