With three days to fish this weekend, Northern New Jersey anglers have a few good options when hitting the water. The key lately has been having a good back-up plan just in case your target species doesn’t show.
The striper fishing is definitely slowing down, reported the crew at True World Bait and Tackle in Bayonne, but fishermen are having luck drifting eels in the bay after dark. Small bluefish have invaded the bay, and fishermen are catching them on small metals. Shore fishermen are picking up fluke at Liberty State Park, including a few keepers.
Just a reminder that on July 1, the black sea bass limit changed to 2 fish per person. Parker Pete’s Sportfishing took full advantage of the last few days of the 15 fish limit, catching big numbers of big sea bass.
Steve from the Skylarker has adjusted his tactics since the sea bass limit changed. He’s been starting the day targeting sea bass, easily filling the two-fish-per-man limits, then switching over to ling, which have been biting well lately. There are even a few cod still in the mix. Steve said the ocean fluke fishing is showing some signs of life finally. The bluefishing, however, has been very slow.
The bad bluefishing seemed to be the theme of many of this week’s reports. The crew of the Suzie Girl reported made no bones about it, calling the bluefishing in the ocean “terrible.” Fortunately, the fluke fishing is picking up, and the fishing for big sea bass is outstanding, making catching the two-fish limit just about a sure thing.
The Miss Belmar found some decent fishing on Wednesday afternoon, catching a mix of fluke and bluefish. The fishing has been hot and cold, but the constantly shifting weather and fluctuating water temperatures are likely to blame.
There’s no shortage of bunker around, so hopefully it’s just a matter of time before the big blues move in.
Shore fishermen are getting in on the fluke action, catching them out of Shark River Inlet reported the crew at the Bait Shop in Bradley Beach. The vast majority of fish are throwbacks, but keepers are being caught as well. Fishermen dunking bait in the surf are still catching stripers. The Bait Shop checked in a 15- and a 17-pound striper this week caught from the surf at Bradley Beach and Ocean Grove. One was caught on clams and the other on seaworms.
Fishermen running over to Long Island are catching huge stripers reported the guys at Tackle US in Laurence Harbor. Several fish between 40 and 48 pounds were caught on live bunker this week. There were also a few surprise catches this week. A pair of cobia were caught, one in the Raritan Bay and another off the beaches. The beach cobia weighed 12 pounds and the one from the bay weighed more than 30.
Best Bets for the Weekend
A combo trip for sea bass, fluke and ling will be the best bet for bottom fishermen this week. Catching the sea bass limit should be no problem over the wrecks, and then shifting gears to fluke or ling will be the way to go.
From the beach, if you’re after stripers, dunk some bait. Clams are working well, but a chunk of bunker could tempt one of the larger bass that are lingering off Northern New Jersey. Small bucktails fished in the surf or in Shark River Inlet are the best bet for fluke. You’ll need to weed through some shorts, but the keepers are there, so stick with it.