We are heading into the last unofficial week of August and the fluke fishing in the ocean continues to heat up despite our most recent wind conditions. There is still plenty fish in the bays, but as far as keepers the ocean is the place to be. It seems that most areas up and donw the coast are holding fish anywhere from 60 to 90 feet. There has been a sprinkling of weakfish activity throughout our area with fish from spikes to fish in the 4 pound range. The key is to getting out early or fishing late at night. The offshore action has been quite slow except for the Bigeye Tuna action, but can change at anytime with the right eddy spurring off the stream.
So here’s the rundown from Brielle to Cape May:
Greg from Brielle Bait & Tackle said fluking has been heating up with both party and private boats picking up keepers in 60 to 90 foot stretches. The Axel Carlson and Sea Girt reef site have been holding lots of shorts among the doormats. The wreck boats have been hitting the Mudhole wrecks hard for cod and ling in 180 foot depths. There has been mahi and spanish mackerel around the lobster pots out there.
Fisherman’s Supply reported good fluke fishing in 70 foot and also off the Red Church with boats getting keepers on bucktails and Gulp. Regarding nearshore action to the ridges and beyond have had only mackerel and the shop has not received any reports of bonita or albacore.
The Point Pleasant boats had some good action as of late with Capt. Ken of MIMI VI fishing for fat blackbacks and ling on the offshore wreck sites. Some of the most recent trips have had winters over 3 pounds.
The Gambler has been on the the fluke this past week despite some strong drifting conditions and anglers have been boxing keepers on squid and spearing combinations along with bucktails and Gulp. Most pool winners have been in the 5 to 7 pound range, with an occassional 8 or 9 pounder. Night bluefishing has been solid with anglers getting into 1 to 5 pound bluefish and 1 pound mackerel which make a nice summer grillin feature if cared for correctly.
The Norma K III has been picking some quality keepers and some nice doormats came over the rail up to 8 pounds, but you have to weed through the short fluke. Bucktails and Gulp have been the ticket to the bigger-sized fluke.
Jersey Hooker Outfitters reported good fluking out front in the 65 foot depth ranges, while fluke have also been in the near and along the Manasquan and Barnegat inlets. The snappers are just about everywhere and the blowfish have started to show up in force, but most are in the smaller size.
Brian from Betty and Nick’s Bait & Tackle said there has been alot of shorts in the wash, but more keepers coming from the suds, along with some small bluefish towards Barnegat Inlet. Anglers should expect some schoolies off the rocks with this upcoming week’s south winds. The back still has very good crabbing and some increasing blowfish action.
Dock Outfitters reported no real change in the fishing this week. The fishing remains similar to the prior week with fluke and mixed blues in the surf. Crabbing has lots of action, but you need to catch alot to put a catch together. Snappers have inundated the bay accompanied by some small blowfish. There are loads of bait in the back with mullet, peanut bunker, spearing, and rainfish.
Moving down the parkway to the Toms River area, Lenny from Capt. n Hippos is now an authorized Okuma repair dealer. Regarding fishing, fluke are in the usual spots closer to the inlets and anglers should be hitting the incoming tides, but there are still a bunch of throwbacks per trip. Snappers are everywhere and most anglers are getting them on the shops’s lancet rigs tipped with spearing.
The headboat action out of Barnegat Light has been pretty consistent according to Gina from the Carolyn Ann III the ocean has been really good with some nice fluke being landed. The boat’s most recent trip has anglers fishing 12oz in heavy wind conditions to box 15 keepers up to 6 pounds.
Capt. Ted of the Super Chic reported fair fluking outside with lots of shorts and a decent number of keepers coming over the rail. The skipper had a offshore day troll out 70 miles for yellowfin and bluefin. The boat has some weekday dates in September and October available for offshore tuna, and also dates for fall striped bass.
Creekside Outfitters had quite a few anglers fluking off Seaside and Ortley in depths of the 70 foot range according to Liza. Frank Molinach from the Fishhawks club weighed in a nice 5.67 pound caught off of Harvey Cedars. The blowfishing has been slow, while crabbing has provide tremendous action for the little ones.
With our Long Beach Island report, Andy from Tony’s Bait & Tackle reported that the fluke fishing turned on a within a few miles of the Barnegat Inlet in 60 foot of water, but you needed heavy weights to hold with the recent moon and high winds. There have been snapper blues everywhere, but higher concentrations at the inlets. The crabbing has picked up along some of the marshes towards the west side of the bay.
The Brigantine area has been invaded by kingfish and anglers are easily connecting with them according to Riptide Bait & Tackle. You need to have your baits out past the bar, but most are keepers and bloodworms have been the bait of choice. Regarding flounder fishing, it’s been all out front for keepers as they head for deeper cooler waters.
Dave from Absecon Bay Sportsman said keeper flounder are still in the bay, but you need to work some of the deeper channels where the cooler water is. Dave recently had a charter out and hit the backwaters for flounder putting 3 nice keepers to 20 inches in the box. There are alot of baits around that should hold some of the flounder around along with igniting the late evening bite for striped bass.
One Stop Bait & Tackle reported good fluking from AC’s jetties along with decent catches of croakers, spot, and kingfish. Bloodworms and Fishbites have been the bait of choice for aforementioned, and Gulp/Minnow combo for the flounder. There has been alot of mullet in the area, so now is the time to stock up and cast net for them.
The Tackle Direct team reported not much word on the offshore bite, other than the good Bigeye bite going on and some marlin picked up at the Wilmington. Fluking has been pretty good at the local reef sites (OC, TI, WW) for anglers bucktailing Gulp, while working the sods on the evening shifts has been producing striped bass.
Fin-Atics reported fishing remained similar to the previous week with good flounder fishing continuing closer to the inlets, and outfront along Ocean City and Sea Isle City. The inlet areas of Corsons and Townsends have been producing consistent keepers in the deeper channels. Some anglers have been getting into weakfish at night or the wee-hours of morning on soft plastics by hitting the local bridges and thoroughfares.
Sea Isle City Bait & Tackle reported that the surf was packed with spot, croaker, and some fluke. Some anglers are taking the smaller spot to the back and near the inlets to box keeper-sized flounder. The back has had alot of smaller sea bass and snappers to keep to young ones interested. The Townsends Inlet reef had good reports of keeper flounder compared to some of the other reef sites, and offshore action took a uptick with Yellowfin and Bluefin Tuna for anglers trolling 60-70 miles offshore.
And to round out our SJ reports was Jim’s Bait & Tackle reporting good fluking at Delaware reef site #11 on keepers. Reports from the Old Grounds varied some boats fishing in a little shallower water 75-85 foot. on structure caught some nice Fluke, but there are still a lot of short fish. There has been some good fish coming from the Wildwood Lump this week along with a bunch of shorts. The inshore trolling action has increased at the East, Middle, and Northeast lumps as well as the Cigar with anglers trolling feathers and Ballyhoo. The Marlin were snapping in the Baltimore Friday and Saturday, some boats got multiple shots at Whites and a couple of Blues were hooked up as well. The surf hasn’t changed much this week the Croakers slowed down a bit at the Point but it still seems to be the best spot for some surf action. The Sharks are still cooperating for the catch and release fishery at the Point and the Fluke are still biting around the rockpiles near the Lighthouse
Best Bet for the Weekend
Your best shot at keepers this week would be to hit the area’s reef sites for fluke or flounder, while your best bet for action would be in the back on short fluke, snappers, blowfish, and crabs. The nightshift has been giving up striped bass and some weakfish around jetties and bridges almost entirely on soft plastics. Regarding offshore possibilities, it seems to be a good shot at the Wilmington for Bigeye Tuna, White Marlin, and Blue Marlin.
No report on the Delaware Bay? Whats up with that, if you report to cape may, maybe you could do something on the bay. Please.
Hi BILL,
I call a few shops in Cape May area, but some are reluctant to give fishing reports (no names mentioned) as compared with the central jersey shops who are very accommodating and forthcoming with quality information. Jim’s Bait & Tackle (CM) gives me quality reports week in and week out – so as for Del.Bay action, I would surmise that it’s a pick on flounder, not too many weakfish, and some croakers. Most action has been at the reef sites and offshore. I will try to get some intel on Del. Bay next week for you. Thanks for reading our reports. Capt. Brett Taylor
ok