New Jersey Fishing Report for Manasquan Inlet to Delaware Bay
The Back Bays are Loaded!
Where did the summer go? I know that’s the question you must be asking yourself this week. It seems like only yesterday when I was nagging everyone to get ready for the spring season and here we are looking fall directly in the face. There is more than enough summer fishing left in this season for all who want to partake of it. Flounder (fluke for those of you up north) weakfish, tog, triggerfish, offshore pursuits and of course, the non-salt variety are all at their best for the next month. Cooler waters, air temperatures and overall conditions will even light up a few new species. Certainly, striped bass will start to become more active as they move in to take advantage of one of the best NJ bait fish seasons that anyone can recall. Crabbing should remain good for at least another 45 days and with all the baits and the early molts this year, they are bigger and meatier than ever. If you are bored with all the action, I suggest you start getting your gear ready for the fall run. Once it starts, you will be all the better off if your equipment is ready to go. Just a suggestion. So let’s see what’s going on in the southern part of the state.
Before you head over the bridge into Cape May proper, I suggest you stop in and visit with Nick at Hands Too Bait and Tackle if you intend on doing any fishing while there. When I spoke to Nick this week, he told me the croakers had moved into Delaware Bay finally. They are more than a little late this year but it has been a strange year. Bigger flounder at the Cape May reef are the par but there have been nice reports of the flounder catch improving at the mouth of the inlet. Off the beaches, there are some flounder but spot and kingfish are dominating the suds. Night anglers are doing well with sharks off Cape May Point. Nick also told me the area around the Bell Buoy off the tip of the inlet is holding a nice supply of triggerfish and sheepshead. The 8-hour headboats in Cape May and surrounding areas of Wildwood are still running to the Old Grounds and Reef Site 11 and coming back with fish up to 10 pounds. The Old Grounds have been the definite hot spot again this summer. Offshore, it’s been big eye tuna and white marlin dominating the deep waters but Nick has had some indication that the Big Eyes have moved further north of late. There have been some nice mahi weighed in and wahoo have made an appearance at both the Hot Dog and Cigar. Water temps inshore have definitely gone up in the south of the state making it imperative that you do your homework before breaking dock. The lines have been shifting almost daily according to Nick.
With over 9000 items in inventory, the Tackle Direct retail store on Tilton Road in Egg Harbor Township is without a doubt one of the best stocked fishing centers in the state. And their staff at the store is not your typical box store staff. These guys fish and fish hard locally. When I spoke with Chris at the store this week, he told me that the inlets and the offshore reefs have been the place to go. Small mahi have been played at several of the inshore reefs and there have been more than a few cobia taken in the 55-inch range. Water temps out front have gone up a touch out front. The back bays are teeming with all sorts of bait from mullet to peanut bunker to spot. Small stripers are starting to take advantage of the smorgasbord available to them in the back and can be had with small top water lures such as the Stillwater Smack It or Gibbs Polaris. If you are limited to the beaches, he suggests using some artificial blood worms and targeting northern kingfish.
Captain Rich Wilkowski and the crew at the Jersey Hooker are gearing up for some long range offshore hunting and I have a hunch they won’t come home empty handed. At both the ship and the shop, it’s all hands on deck! Getting ready for their fall striper tournament, keeping up with inventory for the store and outfitting the boat for the long haul nothing seems to stop the Jersey Hooker. Big eye, according to the captain is this week’s target if the weather holds up. Reports have been good at several canyons. In the really deep water, there is also good tilefishing if the tuna bite slows down, and it has been a fantastic white marlin season. Captain Rich told me has had reports of mahi, albies, bonito and big blue fish on the Shark River Reef. Inshore, the fluking has been holding up real well in the area. The back bay has a mix of everything with blowfish, and fluke leading the pack. Weakies are still in the area and the crabbing has been flat out awesome.
Lenny Hahn of Captain Hippo’s Bait and Tackle in South Toms River has had a long, eventful season. And even though the Labor Day Holiday is just around the corner, he is far from finished. This week, I chatted with Sandy at the shop to get the low down. As I mentioned, Lenny is always busy. The Toms River is still giving up its share of flounder, the farther east you move, the better the catch is. The best catch this week has been blowfish. Using a Captain Hippo chum log will draw them in and their special salted clams will knock them into the boat. I have been told that the 40-foot buoy right outside of cedar creek has been the go-to area. If its weakfish you are looking for, head across the bay from there into the shallows and you chances will get better. Sandy told me there are plenty of snapper and cocktail blues in the river, tracking the big schools of peanut bunker. For some freshwater action, moving all the way west up the river will give you ample opportunity to take some pickerel on spinning lures or yellow and white perch which are definitely in abundance right now. Striped bass are starting to get active now but Sandy told me most are still rather small. In regard to the stripers, don’t forget to stop in the shop and register for the Capt. Hippo bass tourney which is coming up fast. Details can be had at the store or on their web site.
If you are looking for some action on the water aboard a state of the art head boat, then I recommend you head up to Point Pleasant and book passage on the Gambler Fishing boat. They are still running half day fluke trips on their new 90 foot cruiser, departing twice daily at 8 and 2. Additionally, the Gambler has evening trips Thursday through Sundays, targeting blues, ling, squid cod and pollock, depending on availability. Lately, the fluke fishing on the day trips with fish up to 8.5 pounds and more than several customers getting their limits. The night fishing trip has had some great results as well. Ling up to three pounds with some cod in the mix. Night bluefish has been good, and is expected to get better with fish up to 12.5 pounds. If you are looking for a stable fishing platform with a crew that knows how to put you on the fish, your search is over. Just head over to the Gambler in Point Pleasant and hop aboard.
Mike Cunningham is the sleep deprived owner of Sea Isle Bait and Tackle but no matter how tired he is from working the shop and staying up with is new son; he always has time to give me a good scouting report. This week, Mike was high on the surf report as the spot have finally given the sand dodgers an opening and the kingfish are filling their buckets. Kings up to 13 inches taken on Fish Bytes or bloodworms are the norm with a few weakfish mixed in on the same baits. Out front, Mike told me the flounder fishing has been good on the Wildwood, TI and Ocean City reefs. Sea bass are better a little further out at the deep water reefs. In the back bay, the bait fish are still thick which makes for some good opportunities. The upcoming full moon has turned on the striper bite with topwater plugs you best bet for some solid action. With mullet and peanut bunker all over the waters, blue, black and silver coloring on these lures is the most popular combinations. Small blues are in the area, so metal is in play for those yellow eyed monsters. And Mike told me the crabbers are still having excellent results using bunker in their traps.
First, I want to give a big shout out and thank you to Captain David Showell, Owner and CEO of Absecon Bay Sportsman’s Center on the mighty Absecon Bay. I had wanted to try some of Uncle Josh’s new artificial bait “MEAT” and had been unable to locate any in all the usual places. I should have known to check with Dave as he has one of the best supplied bait outlets in all off the state. Thanks Dave, I would share some of the 5-pound fluke it got me, but sadly, it has all been devoured already. Now, on to fishing in Absecon! Between the spot, baby sea bass and mullet in the bay, it’s a wonder there is room for anything else. The inlet drift has been the best place to get a keeper flounder this week. Tide changes at both the top and bottom have relatively good, but it has been a slow pick. There are some schools of weakfish in the bay but getting to the big ones has been a challenge. Getting thorough the volumes of spot and other bait fish with bait has been darn near impossible at times. Kingfish off the beaches and jetties represent the same dilemma, getting to the bottom without the spot or bass stealing you bait. If you can get there, you will most certainly be rewarded. Stripers, some up to 36 inches are starting to begin their feast in the back. First and last lights and a small top water lure will do the trick. Out front, there was some action at the AC Reef, especially on the deep side with fish up to 8 pounds and even the shot at some small chicken Mahi. One angler I spoke to had some cobia follow his bait but could not get them to bite. Remember the Boy Scout motto and be prepared with a casting rod rigged with a bucktail and a long strip bait or artificial eel. Cobia don’t hang around that long and if you snooze, you lose. One nice cobia of 40-plus pounds was taken in that area and I am sure it was not alone. And don’t forget, if you are looking for live bait or even artificial for that matter, Absecon Bay Sportsman’s Center should be your first stop.
If Barnegat Bay is your target this weekend, you just may want to stop in the Dock Outfitter just off the Rte. 37 Causeway in Seaside Heights before you hit the surf. Located on the bay, they are a full service fishing resource with bait and tackle, boat rentals and even a fishing pier on the bay. Did I mention they have a café in case you forget to pack a lunch? Talk about everything in one place, nothing can be more convenient. In the bay this week, blowfish are the major attraction with clam bits being the best baits. Weakfish are also very active between the BI and BB buoys. Anglers are using mullet heads and or shedders as well as artificial lures to capture these snaggle toothed critters. On the beaches of Island Beach State Park, Fluke in the surf rule the day. Buck tails and Gulp by Berkley are the hot baits for flukers. There are also plenty of spot and kingfish in the surf, use artificial bloodworms and you just might fill a cooler or two. If you are looking for some night action, brown sharks are still active off the beaches in the dark and there have been some runs of slammer level blue fish at times.
Smack dab in the middle of the state sits Long Beach Island. With a big back bay and castable deep water off the front beaches, there isn’t a finer place to wet a line. And if you need to bait up before you hit the suds then the place to go is Oceanside Bait and Tackle in Brighton Beach, just north of the causeway end. If you like tossing plugs, I can guarantee you won’t be disappointed. They have one of the best selections of manufactured and custom lures in the area. And if there are fish anywhere near the island, Val and the crew know where they are hiding. On the beaches this week, kingfish are finally poking their heads through the spot. Fish Byte artificial blood worms, real bloods and or salted clam pieces. Fluking from the surf is still going good but the throw back ratio is up as is to be expected this time of year. Blues in the surf are strong but the size is still in the 2 to 3 pound range, perfect for table fare. In the back, crabbing remains strong, small blues are all over the place and there has been a resurgence of the blowfish population. Bits of clam and a chum pot to draw them in will make for a good days fishing and a better night of eating! There are weakfish in the back and front of the island but most are spikes although if you are patient, you should be able to find an 18 inch single tooth to take home with you for your one keeper. Peanut bunker, spot and lately, nice mullet are all over the sod banks and tight channels in the bay.
Once the Labor Day holiday passes, I will start my travels up and down the coast in search of the perfect Jersey fishing hole. One of the first places I plan on stopping in and meeting are the gang at Two Chums Bait and Tackle in Sea Isle. Not once this season have they failed to give me the straight scoop on what is going on in their area. This week when I spoke with Lou at the shop, he didn’t let me down. The fluke bite off the beach and the jetties of Townsends Inlet have been giving up flounder but the better catch has been I the inlet and at the TI Reef. Off the beaches, your best bet is king fish and weak fish. Both are being caught on Artificial or live blood worms. At night, there have been some nice sharks still being caught but that bite has even slowed a bit. Bluefish are of the Taylor variety and can be had both off the front beaches as well as the bay side using metal or any live bait you can get your hands on. Crabbing remains good and should get a little better as the waters start to cool down from their current temperature of 75 degrees. I also found out another reason to stop in and visit with the gang a Two Chums. They are one of the few shops on the coast that carries white leg crabs. If you are a togger and are looking for the ultimate bait for them, then white legs are what you want. And even though tautog closes for 45 days at the end of the month, this is a bit of information you want to file away for when it reopens.
Billed as America’s number one Family Resort, Ocean City couldn’t say that if they didn’t promote fishing. The new fishing piers they have incorporated into the Ninth Street Causeway in conjunction with the state are prime indicators that they care about us anglers. And the fact that they have an outfit like Fin-Atics Marine in OC is more proof that they care. Most if not all of your angling needs can be met in a visit to Fin–Atics. This week, when I spoke to Jeb at the store, he pointed me towards the reefs where the bigger fishing are hiding. The GE and Ocean city reefs have been doing well and the AC Reef has had some good days, especially on the deeper northeastern side. At all the inshore reefs, there has been both cobia and dorado action of late. Sea bass are a little sluggish inshore but much better if you move further out at places like the San Jose. Off the beaches, spot and Kingfish are crowding the surf. Some flounder are being caught with the north end by the GE Inlet being the best option for action. Crabbing has been good and the bay is filled with both baitfish and an enormous brood of juvenile sea bass, bothering every hook you lower into the water. Crabbing remains good and should get better after the moon goes full. There has been some striper activity off the sod banks in the back; top water lures and small hammered metal like a Hopkins spoon are seeing the best activity.
Best Bets for the Weekend.
It’s one of the busier weekends of the summer, plenty of people vying for space on the beaches and the water. The back bays from Barnegat Bay south to Cape May are absolutely overflowing with baitfish of all kinds. Flounder fishing in the back is best in the deeper waters surrounding the inlets but if you can find a deep hole in the back, you may find a keeper or two. The deeper the water the better the odds for a keeper fish. Also, keep in mind that there is a second full moon this month, known as a Blue Moon, so you will be looking at extreme tides through the weekend. Throwing a plug at the sod banks could be an option for some striper and bluefish action, especially at night. Tautog season closes on Saturday until October 16th, so you have been put on notice. Kingfish are up and down the coastal water and could be the closest species to a guaranteed catch this weekend. That is if you can get through the spot. In regard to spot, it seems like they are starting to move from the back to the front, so if filling up your bait pens for striper season is a priority, this may be the time to do it. Offshore, there are plenty of White Marlin still hovering in the canyons and some wahoo and mahi have finally come out of hiding. All in all, the options are unlimited. Make your plans and have at them. But stay safe out there. We lost an angler down in the Cape this week and while the search goes on for him, our prayers for his safe return go out to his family and friends. You only get so many days in the game so spend them wisely. Have fun and stay safe. See you on the incoming.