Windy Forecast Hampers Weekend Fishing

Turn off the fan…PLEASE!

OK, it’s going to be blowing a bit through the end of this week and into the weekend, so that does throw a wrinkle into the plans.

If you did not get out when the window opened the beginning of this week, you are going to be kicking yourself in the aft a little, as you will see when we get to the news from our network in a minute.  There is a little promise of a let-up maybe Sunday into Monday, but that is still a little far off for me.

By all rights, you really can target just about any legit species that hangs in our zone right now.  From bluefin and yellowfin, right down to blowfish and crabs.  Even the recently disappearing masses of stripers that basically moved up to their New  England summer haunts are popping up here and there when the wind is right.  By the way, it is a really lousy time to be an eel right now if you hang up there.  BIG fish being caught at night on the rocks.

So read ‘em and reap!  Around the horn we go for the latest scoop starting with the northern most reporter in our territory and moving to the end of the Jersey Cape.

Kicking off with Ron at Fishermens Supply in Point Pleasant.  The West Elbow of the Hudson fired up with yellowfin for the guys going long, with rainbow spreader bars, green machines and skirted ballys being the choice of these speedy streetfighters.  Bluefin guys connected in the Atlantic Princess area to south of the fingers with good connections coming on cedar plugs.  Jigging for bluefin was also a strong option when the screens lit up deep.  Bluefish have invaded the Mudhole and although the ling catching has been on smaller fish, there are plenty of them.  The canals and the beachfront have given up some interesting catches of weakfish over the last week or so, which is very, very encouraging considering their disappearing act over the last couple of seasons.  Also some nice stringers of kingies coming for the sand stompers.  Ron also reported a topwater blitz of…wait for it… stripers off the beach on poppers this past week.

Pretty much the same story from Mike over at Reel Life, also in Point Pleasant.  Large 6-inch Gulp have been the hot ticket for fluke out at the Sea Girt reef.  There have been some decent catches of sea bass mixed in the cooler.

I caught Nick and Rich from Jersey Hooker Outfitters in Brick getting ready to run down to jump into the Beach Haven White Marlin Invitational.  Just as a sidebar, this is a great tourney with lots of history.  If you get a break between now and Sunday, run down to LBI and check out the fun. Fluking on the party boats has stepped up this past week with real nice catches coming in.  The general consensus is that the blow has pushed the fish a little deeper into the 80-foot-plus structure.  For river guys, the Shark River catching seems to be better than the Manasquan right now with a better keeper ratio, but there is plenty of action in both.  There are loads of 15-pound bluefish at the Hole.

Tom at Jersey Coast Bait and Tackle in Brick is doing a good job of dialing in the fluke. Shallow water, you are looking at about a 10:1 ratio with the bigger fish holding out deeper.  He is sending his guys out to the Klondike, Sea Girt and other 70-foot-plus structure.  Tailor blues are around on the beach and the bay.  They are great for smoking, or, fill up the box and take them for a little shark trip.  Smaller duskies, threshers and even some hammerheads are within very close range with a couple bigger surprises mixed in.  There is lots of forage for these guys inshore.  On the tuna front, the bluefin action has been hot and cold, day to day but jigging seems to be getting better traction.  Trolling is turning up much smaller fish.  Reports of pretty good mahi catches from the Manasquan Ridge out to Little Italy.

George at Go Fish Bait and Tackle in Tom’s River is confirming lots of action Barnegat and the Manasquan.  In the bay, the area from the BB to Myers hole has been productive in numbers on fluke as has Double Creek.  The grass flats are producing short weakies on grass shrimp, which is just about as much fun as a kid can have if you can get the weakies stacked up behind the boat.  Just make sure they keep their fingers away from the little mantis shrimp that are mixed in – that could really ruin a day.  Snappers and crabs should also be a part of the plan if you bring the kids along as there are plenty of both back there.  Oyster Creek is giving up some kingfish and spot but the blowfish seem to have slowed a little.  Out front, the Sea Girt reef, and other structure in the 70-80’ range,  has been good for fluke.  Spro bucktails with 6-inch Gulp will do the trick.

Just so the swimmers and surfers don’t feel neglected, John from The Dock Outfitters in Seaside  reports there is still a pretty good brown shark bite going on off the beaches at night on bunker chunks.  Pretty good chance you can pull on a nice cow-nosed ray also.  When the sun is up, there are cocktail blues, kingies, and some fluke in the surf.  The back bay is full of crabs and their rental boats are doing real well.  Calling ahead for a reservation is always a good idea.

Team Tackle Direct has been hitting the yellowfin bite at the Hot Dog as often as the weather will allow.  Even though they have been armed to the teeth with all the high end jigging gear the Egg Harbor Township showroom has to offer (worth the trip to check out, by the way), it has really been the chunk bite that has been filling the boxes with fish in the 40- to 70-pound range.  Lighter leaders with smaller circle hooks are part of the combination, but hauling a livewell full of those little spot the beachfront and canals are covered up in are really firing things up. Jigging is connecting hit and miss, but forget the troll, and forget the drift.  Find some good marks, button up, start the slick and once you get them behind the boat keep on chunkin.

Guatamala Dave over at Absecon Bay Sportsman’s Center is still all about the fluke in the bay, although the number of fisherman this past week dropped off.  The water in the bay is really warm and there are tons of spot and peanuts back there so you really need to be out there when the feed starts.  Top of the tide is when you should start and without question you should be matching the hatch with live bait.  If you do not want to buy spot, then figure out how to catch some.  There have been few reports on the tog since the opener, since you can only keep one, and the dirty water from the storm last week and ongoing winds is not helping matters.  The good news is that if you do decide to go toggin’, there are some big sheepshead out there, and the number of triggerfish is really bumping up.  More encouraging news in weakfish-land.  Catches are up and a few keepers are hitting the decks.  Great to see them!

Bill at Fin-Atics has seen the fluking at the reef and in the inlet pick up, for those that are venturing out.  There are plenty of kingfish on the Ocean City beaches, but you have to sift through the 2-inch spot to catch them.  Lots of guys keeping the spot for fluke bait and then changing gears later in the day.  The tuna bite out at the Hotdog is still strong but it is a long ride if you don’t have a go-fast ride to get you there – 77 miles each way at 12 knots. makes you think twice.

Down Cape May way, Rusty at Off The Hook reports that if fluke is your thang, the Old Grounds is where you should be headed.  Reef site #11 is also a good target but the Cape May reef seems to be holding so many little sea bass and bergal that there is more bait snatching going on than filleting.  The Bay itself is super slow with lots of little croakers and small weakies.  There is still tuna coming in from the Dog and 19 FL, and a few reports from the Trunk.  Staying away from the fleet (if that is possible…) is part of the winning solution.

Best Bet for the Weekend

Keep an eye on the wind.  If getting out to the reefs is possible, load up your livewell with peanuts or spot and start bumping bottom as tight to the structure as you can.  If you are not losing some rigs, you are in the wrong place.  It looks like going long is out due to the weather, and backbay tides are not really dialed up proper with the daytime high very late in the afternoon.  I’d stick to the inlets if you can’t get out and “keep it live” for baits if you can.  It might be a great time to hit the bridges and pilings at low tide to wrangle a tog, or maybe fill a basket with some tasty blue claws!

Stay Tuna-ed!