According to the reports from True World Tackle, fishermen are catching small bluefish from shore, providing fun light-tackle action.
The report from Pete at Parker Petes is that fluke fishing comes in waves, with anglers catching nice fish upwards of 8 pounds when conditions are good. There have been lot of shorts, right around 17 inches, which is at least providing fun catch and release action between keepers. Fishermen continue to catch plenty of sea bass with bucktails at wrecks, rocks and mussel beds, making it easy to fill the two-fish limit.
According to Steve at Skylarker Sportfishing fluke came alive this week, with the best action happening in 30 to 40 ft of water. There aren’t a lot of keepers yet, but some are mixed in. Fishermen are finding easy limits of black sea bass still, but bluefish remain elusive. At some deeper drops, fishermen are catching ling, winter flounder, and the occasional cod. While there have been a few bonito taken, they have not arrived in numbers just yet.
According to the boys at Keyport Marine Basin there has been a lot of action in the Raritan Bay lately, especially the Keyport flats, buoy 1 area, 11a off Keansburg, and the triangle. Bill Gillespie was fishing Keyport flats, and caught 7 keepers up to 5.35 pounds. Joe Fischler caught a 9.47-pound fluke, and Capt. Charlie Matts, limited out on fluke at 11a, with fish up to 5.65 pounds. Basic bottom fishing rigs with squid, spearing and strips of bluefish or sea robin are working best.
Some big fish were reported by Tackle US this week, including a 180-pound thresher. Fishermen are still catching big stripers by fishing live bunker at night around Ambrose Channel.
According to Mariner’s Mart the rain and wind kept a lot of fishermen from hitting the water this week.
According to Tom at Giglio’s Bait & Tackle, fishing has been slow from the beaches.
Julian’s Bait Tackle reported fluke, striped bass, sea robins, and dogfish are being caught using bait rigs on the bottom in both the Raritan Bay and Navesink River. Crabbing is excellent. Several fishermen have even been treated to humpback whale sightings off Sandy Hook as one whale has been living it up, feasting on the bunker schools.
The Old Salty II has been fishing to the north of Shark River in 30 to 70 feet of water and catching tons of fluke. Most have been undersized, but keepers to 6.5 pounds have come over the rails this week. Every trip has brought back a limit of sea bass (the limits are still two per person), by fishing the same areas where the fluke are holding. Cod and ling have been in the mix as well.
The Bait Shop reports that fluke are being caught in Shark River Inlet using squid, spearing and Berkley Gulp. Fishing for stripers and blues has been quiet.
Best Bets for the Weekend.
Fluke fishing is finally fired up out front. You’ll have to pick through the shorts, but there should be no shortage of action. There are enough keeper-sized sea bass mixed in with the fluke that catching a limit is no problem. Boat fishermen heading out after dark with live bunker can still find big stripers in Ambrose Channel.