If you look at your calendar, you will note that this weekend marks the last before the unofficial end to summer, Labor Day.  Try not to focus on the date as there is still plenty of summertime fishing left in this season.  With the 8 day extension of the summer flounder season, you have exactly one month left to put up a stock for those colder winter days. And as the waters start to cool off, there will be plenty of of opportunities to augment the fluke catch with other species.  The offshore bite remains strong and in some areas, has moved closer to the inshore bite. Weakfish and striped bass should pick up as the fall migration starts to peek out from its northern hiatus.  The bug issue starts to diminish and the air temperatures, for the most part, become pleasant again.  For me, the move into the fall season is one of the best times of the year.  Crowded beaches and waters start to thin out, but this can be a double edged sword. Fewer people out there fishing also means that word of mouth reports are harder to come by.  But don’t worry. Our On the Water reports rely on sources we have spent years developing. Our shop owners and charter boat captain are in the fray every day and have some of the best and most up to date info available anywhere.  And we share it with our readers. Let’s see where the fish are hiding this week.

Starting at the bottom of the state this week, I thought I would speak with Joe of Hand’s Too Bait and Tackle at the foot of the bridge into Cape May.  Finally, there has been some action on fluke ion the Delaware Bay. Try the area around Brown’s Shoal if you are in the area. And inshore, the fish seem to be spreading out a little more in the recent week.  McCries Shoal, Wildwood Reef, Cape May Reef and the FA Buoy have all been producing lately. Best Baits lately have been big strips of cut baits and or Berkeley Gulp 6 inch grub tails in pink or chartreuse.

Inching up the coast a bit to Sea Isle City I spoke with Mike Cunningham of Sea Isle Bait and Tackle. He tells me that the reef fishing at the TI has stayed hot of late.  Best depths for keepers seem to be in the 50-60 foot range.  Mike told me that bait wise, anglers are using Berkeley Gulp Squiddos and 6 inch grubbs as ammunition. He also told e that he is carrying Argentine Trolling Squids for those looking for real bait. Closer to shore and on the beaches, Mike told me the kingfish are finally able to squeeze through as the spot have moved out of the area. FishBytes and worms are working well on the northern kings. Fluking from the surf has also picked up.  The closer you get to the Townsend’s Inlet, the better your odds are for finding a keeper flounder. In the back, the crabbing has been decent and there are of course, weakies and stripers at first and last light. Stick close to the sod banks and bulkheads for both.

PSA — Strathmere fishing and environmental clubs 10th annual kids fishing tournament. August 31, at Prescott St. and the ocean in Strathmere. Registration begins 7:30 AM fishing from 9AM – 11AM. Bait, T-shirt’s, hot dogs and drinks all provided. Bring your own rod. Lots of prizes and gifts so come on out for a good time.

Jumping up to South Toms River, I spoke with Lenny Hahn at Capt’n Hippo’s Bait and Tackle there to see what is happening up the river. Crabbing, according to Lenny has been strange this year. If you find the big crabs, stay on them because they seemed to be grouped up. The Beachwood Community Dock has reopened and is a good spot for both crabbing and snapper fishing. The blues are getting a little bigger with the abundance of peanut bunker in the area. If you are looking for some blow fish action, head up to the bay and anchor up between the BI and BB buoys, put out a chum pot and start reeling them in. While you are at it, don’t forget to take along your favorite weakfish setup and double your pleasure.  Lenny tells me that lately, the fluking in the back has picked up a little. The throwback to keeper ratio has cut down a bit which tells me that the fish are working the tides. If you are looking for some to pick a fish fight, Lenny suggests throwing a top water plug along the banks and wrestling with some of the 20” stripers there.  Sometime the small ones are more fun than the big brutes as they are more protective of their dining areas.

I stopped in to visit with Captain Dave Showell this week at Absecon Bay Sportsman’s Center to load up on some new Gulp Baits and get the scoop on the local action.  Dave was busy nursing his shedder crabs out of the shells and into the soft shell variety but still took some time to speak with me.  The south end of the AC Reef has been the hot spot lately with many anglers staying in deeper water just south of the actual reef. Look for plus 80’ depths for best action. Dave recommended the 5” nuclear chicken Berkely Gulp Mullets and the 6” Grubbs or Squiddos in Chartreuse or Pink.  Dave also told me not to forget the back waters for big fluke either. The pick has been a little slower but he has weighed in some nice fish taken in the inlet and Little Panama recently, including a 10+ pounder taken in Little Panama.  By the way, if you are a soft shell crab enthusiast like me, Dave has them just out of the shell. I will be picking up a few for the grill this weekend.

I got a call from Captain Jeffery Hoffberger of St. Judith Charters in Atlantic City. They have taken a break with their 66’Viking and are fishing the Mid Atlantic 500. Right now, they have several White Marlin to their credit but none yet on the leader board. That’s ok, there is still a day left and all you need is one to make it all worth the while. The Captain tells me that they have been fishing the Toms and Carteret and have been on the fish, just not the big one.  We are all pulling for you Cap! Check out St Judith Charters if you get a chance. If you are looking for a luxury ride and fishing, this is the outfit for you.

According to Chris at Better Bait and Ice in Toms River there is plenty out there in the bay to keep you going. Fluke, blowfish, some weakies, crabbing and snappers are all around in nice numbers. The BB buoy in Barnegat has been confirmed as the go to place. Chris recommends sparing, squid or killies for most species and clam for the blows. He told me that anglers off the beach are catching snappers and live-lining them for fluke. White Gulp Mullets are also working but the number of snappers in the area can make that an expensive proposition.  Crabbing is steadily increasing. Better bait has all of the bait and tackle you will need and is one of the few places in the area that stocks block ice if you need it.

In the Manahawkin and Long Beach Island area Tony’s Bait and Tackle is the one stop shop for all your fishing needs. That includes the latest in fishing information to make your next trip a success. Recent reports from the shop indicate that the fluke fishing in the area is centered on the inshore reefs like the Garden State and the Flour. Look for waters in the 50-75 range and fish the edges of the structure.  Keep an eye out for cobia in the area as there have been reports of some following catches up to the boat.  A bucktail with a long strip bait or squid could entice a cobia onto your hook.  If you do manage to hook one, hang on for a nice wrestling match. In other news, Barnegat bay has croakers and blowfish. There are also some weakies around and this time of year, having a shedder crab in your bait locker could make the difference. Speaking of crabs, they are still being caught in nice numbers in the bay.

Team Tackle Direct may be one of the biggest internet fishing tackle sellers but that doesn’t me they spend all of their time in the virtual fishing world. Their brick and mortar store is on Tilton Road in Egg Harbor Township so I gave them a call to see what was happening in the area.  Ed told me that the flounder bite was still going strong on the reefs out front of Absecon Island  and in the inlets on either side of the island. The AC Reef has been the local go to spot. Ed suggested the deeper holes on the southern perimeter. The Ocean City reef has been the hottest reef in the area for week now and it doesn’t seem to want to give up that distinction. Big Gulp Baits seem to be the difference maker on all of the reefs. Pink, white and green are the preferred colors.  The same color patterns on bucktails.  Offshore, the 20 and 30 fathom line are producing nice Bluefin, yellow fin and mahi on both the troll and the chunk.  If you are fishing off the beaches, its croaker, kingfish and spot with the occasional flounder thrown in for good measure.  The smaller fish are all taking FishBytes but bloodworms are also keeping pace.  If you have never visited the Tackle Direct store, I recommend a trip to see it. Be sure to put a limit on your credit card before you go. It has been known to bring on the “Kid in the candy store” effect on some visitors.

For the past few days, I have been hearing rumors of a 16 pound fluke taken in the back waters off of Greater Egg Harbor so I thought I would ask around to see if anyone knew who the angler was that caught it. Actually, it’s more than a rumor as I have seen several pictures of the fish and the female angler who boated it. So I called over to John at Fin-Atics Marine Supply in Ocean City figuring if anyone had info on it, the guys there would.  And while they had a 1046 pound fish weighed in at the shop by Richard DiGiacomo  of Dansville Pa., they had not heard of a bigger fish. Richards fish was caught by the Longport Bridge on a Spro tipped with squid.  In other news, John informed me that locals have been chasing sharks off the beach at night with great success. The bait of preference has been mackerel, bunker or whole spot.  Fluking has been good on the local reefs especially the edge of the OC Reef. The beaches have spot, croaker and kingfish.  John told me that while the offshore reports have been quiet because of the ongoing MA500, there have been some nice catches recorded in the Carteret and Berkeley.

Tom Wolfe, owner of Jersey Tackle in Brick must be on vacation as I haven’t been able to get in touch with him.  I have seen some pictures of fish he and his son have caught and from the looks of it, he is somewhere south of the Mason Dixon Line.  Looks like he is fishing down in Myrtle Beach which works well for me as I have a trip scheduled there later in the fall and I can get some scouting advice.  I did check out the Jersey Tackle web site and saw some nice trolling lures. Check them out if you get a chance.

According to the reports I have been getting from Peace Token Bait and Tackle just outside North Wildwood, the fishing off the beaches remains consistent. Fluke, kings and spot rule the subs. The local head boats are expanding their territory to closer wrecks and structure and doing well on fluke and triggers. The Cape May Reef has been active lately as has the Ben Franklin.  If you have never been to the new Peace Token shop, you definitely should stop in Located at Rtes. 9 and 147, there are few in the area that carry as much inventory. And their hand tied rigs have a national following. Enough said.

Best Bets for the Weekend

As mentioned at the start of this forecast, there is one week left before the long Labor Day Weekend. Next weekend will be hectic, that is for certain, so I would get as much in this weekend as possible. The offshore bite is red hot if that is your cup of tea. But with a month left in the flounder season, I would focus my attention there. The waters have cleared up and big fluke are the call of the day.  There are still big fish in the back waters as well.  Each day finds more and more bait breaking in the still water. Peanut bunker, mullet and spearing are all in abundance.  Don’t forget that tautog is open although you are limited to a single take home fish. But you can augment that with some trigger fish which can be found in the same spots. There is plenty of action out there if you go looking for it. Just be careful. You only get so many days in the game, spend them wisely.  See you on the incoming.