Ingram Thorofare Fishing Guides
A back bay thorofare behind Avalon carrying tidal elevation on the gauge, at the heart of the southern New Jersey barrier island marsh fishery.
Guides on the Ingram Thorofare
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About the Ingram Thorofare
Ingram Thorofare is one of the channels running behind Avalon through the marsh that separates the barrier islands of Cape May County from the mainland. A thorofare in local usage is exactly what the name suggests, a through channel connecting one body of back bay water to another, and the network of them here forms a maze of sedge islands, mud flats, sod banks and deep cuts. It is protected water, fishable when the ocean side is unworkable, and it holds fish through more of the year than the beachfront does.
The gauge reports tidal elevation against a fixed vertical datum rather than discharge, which is the right measurement for water like this. There is no meaningful net downstream flow to measure; what there is instead is a tide that fills and drains the marsh twice a day, and the elevation record tells you where in that cycle you are and, just as importantly, how far the actual water level has departed from the prediction. Nor easters and sustained onshore wind can hold water in the bay well above predicted tide, and a hard northwesterly in autumn can drain the sod banks dry.
Striped bass are the backbone of the fishery, worked along the sod banks and channel edges on moving water, with the spring and autumn runs the peaks of the year. Summer flounder are the summer staple in the deeper cuts, and bluefish and weakfish come through in numbers on their own schedule. Tautog and black sea bass hold on any hard structure, and blue crabs are abundant enough to be a target in their own right. False albacore show off the inlets in early autumn. Avalon and Stone Harbor provide launches, guides and tackle, and small boats and kayaks fish this water better than large ones.
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Access
Avalon - the barrier island town on the thorofare, with marinas, tackle, guides and lodging.
Stone Harbor - immediately south, with further launches, services and back bay access.
Townsends Inlet - the inlet north, a major striped bass and false albacore location.
Hereford Inlet - the inlet south at North Wildwood, with strong tidal flow and structure.
Cape May - down the coast, with the largest fleet, full outfitting and offshore access.
Sea Isle City - north across the inlet, with additional ramps and marsh access.
Atlantic City - forty minutes north, with the nearest regional airport.
Seasons
Spring: strong as striped bass and weakfish move into the back bays and the water warms ahead of the ocean.
Summer: busy and warm, with flounder in the channels and early and late tides the most productive.
Fall: the best of the year, with the striped bass run, bait pouring out of the marsh and albacore at the inlets.
Winter: cold and largely shut down, though tautog hold on structure and holdover bass appear in mild spells.
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Questions
What species can you catch on the Ingram Thorofare?
Anglers target Atlantic Croaker, Atlantic Menhaden, Black Sea Bass, Blue Crab, Bluefish, False Albacore, Northern Kingfish, Northern Puffer, Scup, Striped Bass, Striped Mullet, Summer Flounder, Tautog, Weakfish, Winter Flounder on the Ingram Thorofare in New Jersey.
Where can you access the Ingram Thorofare?
Avalon - the barrier island town on the thorofare, with marinas, tackle, guides and lodging. Stone Harbor - immediately south, with further launches, services and back bay access. Townsends Inlet - the inlet north, a major striped bass and false albacore location. Hereford Inlet - the inlet south at North Wildwood, with strong tidal flow and structure. Cape May - down the coast, with the largest fleet, full outfitting and offshore access. Sea Isle City - north across the inlet, with additional ramps and marsh access. Atlantic City - forty minutes north, with the nearest regional airport.
When is the best time to fish the Ingram Thorofare?
Spring: strong as striped bass and weakfish move into the back bays and the water warms ahead of the ocean. Summer: busy and warm, with flounder in the channels and early and late tides the most productive. Fall: the best of the year, with the striped bass run, bait pouring out of the marsh and albacore at the inlets. Winter: cold and largely shut down, though tautog hold on structure and holdover bass appear in mild spells.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Ingram Thorofare?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the New Jersey agency site: https://dep.nj.gov/njfw/fishing/marine/