Southern New Jersey Fishing Report

Get ready, Get set…

The official beginning of Summer is here!

Please understand, as a local to the Jersey Shore, I speak of nothing but love and affection to those that choose to join us for our glorious summer season. No tongue in cheek, no sarcastic rolling of the eyes, no raised eyebrows. You have chosen, whether out of habit or sincerity, to return to a place that may look the same, smell the same, and feel the same. It has been nothing short of a herculean effort to make it appear this way… but I promise you it is not.

I hope you will take this with a grain of salt, and just tuck it away in case you need to remind yourself of it. Less than six months ago, our lives were in ruin. No, thank God, we did not lose any children, but many of our homes, many of our businesses, and many of our lives were just as twisted and mangled as those poor folks you saw this week where the wind came sweepin ‘ cross the plains.

So if you have to wait a little while longer for your Saturday night reservation at your favorite restaurant and would normally pop a fuse, remember. If you are on line at the corner market and some lady is digging out pennies for exact change and you are in a rush, remember. If the old guy at the tackle shop stops to tell you a story you have heard him tell a few times already, remember. I know we are not on your vacation, but you are in our homes…. and it has been a really tough year. Please remember, and let us welcome you with open arms that are tired from lifting, but sincerely open just the same.

Let’s go fishing.

Once again, there is no spring. We go from no fish to GO fish, and the species list is really starting to grow along with the catch reports. Not kidding, in the last week we have heard of solid catches of fluke, stripers, drum, bluefish, weakfish, more fluke, kingfish, sea bass, makos, bluefin tuna, MORE fluke, tilefish, spot, herring, MORE fluke… seriously, I’m not even touching the freshwater….what the hell are you waiting for?

The only issue that should stand between you and a great weekend of catching is the wind, and you can work around it. The ocean forecast as of today (Thursday) is a solid 4-6’ at short intervals which will keep almost everyone in their right mind on the inside of the inlets in our area. Delaware Bay anglers are in better shape with 2-4’s forecast but we will all be dealing with a NW 15-20 blow. Northwest will mean the beaches are in play for surf anglers and jetty jocks, the bays from the mainland sides, and with some power trolling and wind socks, small boat anglers will be bouncing bottom.

Hopefully offsetting the wind will be the tides this weekend which are just perfect for back bay angling. High tides in South Jersey are clocking in around 6AM and 7PM, making for great early day and late day casting and popping of favorite banks and flats. You may have to anchor up wind instead of drift, but the opportunity should be there.

Let’s check some of the shop and see how the week has gone so far, so you can pick your strategy for the weekend.

In Manahawkin at Tonys Bait and Tackle, there is strong action on fluke in Great Bay with anglers racking up both on numbers and size. Significant catches of keepers this week according to Kevin. For those that ventured out front, the bunker schools are within a mile of the beach and have mid-size striper on the chow line. There were fish in the 15-30# range reported but no pigs hit the scales. Full bait supply at Tony’s including fresh bunker.

Team TackleDirect has been out crushing the fluke in the back bays. Ocean City, behind Margate, Behind Atlantic City, and in the not yet greenfly infested back waters of Brigantine. From opening day last Saturday, which just saw a ridiculous number of 4 and 5# flatties in coolers, right through this week the action on the bottom has been strong. As you might imagine, the throwback to keeper ratio has taken a mean swing, but the action is still there. A wonderfully welcome resurfacing of keeper weakfish are also making a showing for the TD boys. Small white bucktails sporting purple worm trailers on super light tackle seems to be the combo making it happen. Many are just being picked on bottom bouncing bucktail intended for fluke, but they like to target them specifically with the ultra-lights.

Ed at Fin-Atics in Ocean City is getting much of the same backbay info, but also has had a couple of really impressive shark reports. Mako water is not that far offshore and at least two confirmed sea monster hit the deck this week. Ed’s back room is loaded with flats of Macks and chum if this is part of your upcoming plan. The 9th St piers are also productive for Ocean City anglers with both bass and fluke catches reported. The beachfront is seeing bass on bait and a remarkable number of early kingfish.

Down the parkway a piece in Sea Isle, I got a real treat this week. Instead of one of those tackle shop guys, I got the lovely Nicole to give me the local scoop. High point of the last couple of days was a 43.1# striper that hit the scales at Two Chums Tackle. That is a really impressive beach fish! Action in the back bay on fluke, small blues, and weakies is also very strong. Last Saturday, all but one of Two Chums rental boats took keeper fluke up to 4 pounds.

Mike down at Sea Isle Bait and Tackle was out but I got John on the horn. The striper bite from the beach is not what it was last week but still totally worth the run. For those targeting kingies and blowfish, which are not many, the action with bloodworms is just plain great. Bluefish in the inlet from the jetties are getting bigger and lots of fluke in the 20” range are hitting the decks. GULP Mantis Shrimp seems to be a good choice in S.I.

From one of the cornerstones of the Cape May fleet, our own Captain Bob Cope from Full Ahead Sport Fishing has just simply been slamming the Delaware Bay. A monster day this past Sunday on drum where 20 hit the deck. Bob had double digit trips every night this week and very happy anglers including Leo Kyt from Bayonne and Ron Merker from NY. Capt. Bob runs out of Utsch’s Marina. Dial him up at 609-847-2304 if you are looking to fill the box and have a great day out.

 

Fishing Forecast for South Jersey and Delaware Bay

Figure out a way to beat the weather because the fish are there and the feedbag is on! I’d just plain forget about anything out front by boat, but the beach is certainly going to be in play. Be sure to knock those sand spikes in deep enough with the bait rod before you start plugging. In the back, you are going to have to figure out a way to slow down the drift with brisk NW winds, but if you can get it going in the direction of the current you should bang big flatties. Try casting a bucktail or worm to the sod bank points and cuts as you drift by for a shot at a weakie.

You can’t catch if you don’t go, and with the exception of a little cool and a little breeze there is no excuse not to give it a run.

Stay Tuna-ed!