It’s an almost typical start to August so far, with the fluke fishing starting to pop along the beaches and inshore reef sites. Most of the shops and boats surveyed this week reported a nice uptick in activity. Meanwhile, the surf shark fishing is still good, but is slowing down a little which should spark an influx of kingfish. The kingfish have been holding in areas away from the sharks trying to avoid becoming lunch. The offshore bite is still great for tuna and mahi, with most anglers easily finding the mahi on any type of floating debris. The only thing lacking right now is inshore pelagic bite which has been hampered by green, dirty water. I’m hopeful that this week’s east/northeast winds should dramatically improve the bite with the influx of cleaner, bluer water. Fingers are crossed! S & S Bucktails are mentioned and referenced by so many of the South Jersey tackle shops, that I thought I should share some unfortunate news of the passing of Stanley Gola, Sr. Stanley worked as a first mate out of Shark River for over 30 years, was the former president of the Long Branch Fishing Club and was the founder of S & S Bucktails. He will be missed.
The fishing this week has been really good according to Greg from Brielle Bait & Tackle with the Axel Carlson and Sea Girt reef being the hot spots. Fluke to 9 pounds have been hitting the scales with most anglers bucktailing with Gulp. The snags from the Shark River Reef to the Mudhole are producing good catches of ling, winter flounder, and cod. Regarding the Manasquan River, there are definitely keeper fluke but you have to work for them. Anglers who’ve been hitting the top of the tide have had the most success.
Jason from Fisherman’s Supply said that the inshore fluking has been hit or miss depending on the drifting conditions. The Southeast corner of the Axel and any high spots on the reef sites have been producing the most keepers. Anglers working Ambrose Channel have been picking through shorts to find some nice fluke. Most are using 2- to 3-ounce bucktails tipped with Gulp grubs. The nearshore wrecks have been holding Cod and Ling, while lumps 8 to 12 miles out have had consistent shark action. He got some reports of bluefin at the southeast corner of the Chicken Canyon, but evidently the bite has died off a bit. And for the night owls, the schoolie striper bite has been on around the Rt. 35 Bridge, all on bucktail or soft plastics.
The Point Pleasant boats had a decent week on the various snags fishing for groundfish. Capt. Ken of the MIMI VI reported good bottom fishing almost everyday with good numbers of Pollock, Ling, Cod, and Winter Flounder. Most of the trips have had boat limits of winters in the 19- to 23-inch range, with the fish on Gulp and Clam. He mentioned that the fluking has started to pick up south of his inlet.
The Gambler reported good fishing at most depths from 45 to 70 feet, with just about all locations holding fish. The past week we had a full moon current which made holding bottom a little tedious. Drifting conditions are the biggest factor for catching, when it’s good the boat has been doing well with pool winners in the 5- to 7-pound range. “The drag baits have been doing just as well as the bucktailers”, said one of the mates.
The Norma K III has also been onto the fluke reporting good fluking up until the full moon. The full-moon current ran so hard it was tough to hold bottom, even with 16 ounces of lead. Some of the keepers have been over 6 pounds, with pink and white Gulp giving the best success. They expect the fluking should really turn on as the full moon passes. Bluefishing has slightly improved with some of the fish approaching the 5 pounds, and there has been some mackerel mixed in.
Ray from Jersey Hooker Outfitters also reported good ocean fluking with lots of keepers coming from the Axel Carlson and Sea Girt reef sites. The Manasquan River still has lots shorts with some keepers mixed in. Crabbing has remained excellent, but slowed just a tad with the full moon shed. Little Italy and Ridge had reports of chub mackerel and occasional football bluefin. It seems past 30 miles is where the cleaner water has been with lots of big Mahi. The shop mentioned for any pot-hopping Mahi hunters, that they sell minnows by the gallon, but you have to call ahead.
With the surfside report from Island Beach State Park, Betty and Nick’s Bait & Tackle mentioned anglers are still getting Brown sharks at night on bunker. During the day, anglers working fluke rigs or bucktails in the surf zone have been waxing keeper fluke. Bayside has been snapper-city, which have been easily caught off most piers and docks.
Cow-nose rays, brown sharks and sand tigers have been the word from Phil at Dock Outfitters. They have had some small kingfish and blowfish in the back, but the snapper blues have been everywhere. Crabbing has slowed a tad with the full-moon shed, and should pick up in a few days. Fluking has been the same lots of shorts among a few precious keepers.
Lenny from Capt. n Hippos reported lots of snappers in the Toms River and surrounding waters, which can be easily caught and used for doormat fluke bait. Crabbing is holding it’s own, with Ocean Gate and Good Luck Point the prime spots to wax 6-inch claws. Fishing for fluke and blowfish has been solid around the research buoy and along the inlet.
The Barnegat Light boats have reported another good week of fluking. Capt. Ted of the Super Chic has been on the fluke at the various snags and inshore sloughs. He reported good action with lots of short fluke and some keepers approaching 5 pounds. Again, tough drifting conditions with either no wind or too much wind coupled with the recent full moon. The fish should be on the feed as the full-moon currents subside.
Gina from the Carolyn Ann III reported good fluking when the drifting conditions are there. It’s been no or alot of wind, some days using close to 20 ounces of lead to hold bottom. She reported some real good morning trips with the boat picking lots of shorts and keepers. Most pool winners have been in the 5- to 6-pound range, with an occasional 7-pounder.
Across the bay, Liza from Creekside Outfitters reported good fishing from the Seaside Pipe out to 45 feet and down through the Bathing Beach off IBSP. The shop weighed in a bunch of 3- to 6-pound fish this past week as the bite went off prior to the full moon. Regarding the bay, snappers are thick and the crabbing is still great near the Oyster Creek Point. There are not many anglers targeting blowfish, but some of the local crabbers are reporting them in the traps.
With our Long Beach Island and adjacent waters report, Andy from Tony’s Bait & Tackle, mentioned that fluke fishing north of Barnegat Inlet to the Bathing Beach was good in 45 feet of water. Oyster Creek channel has been holding short fluke with an occasional keeper. The reef sites have been very quiet in terms of catching keepers. The snappers are easily targeted in the back with spearing on a small hook.
Moving south to the beaches of Brigantine, Riptide Bait & Tackle, reported sharks up to 7ft off the beach with mostly sand-tigers being the species. Bunker and mackerel are the baits of choice when targeting them, and if you can use a kingfish head, it’s lights out. The shop is getting better reports of kingfish off the surf, mostly on bloodworms. Fluking remains the same with shorts and a few keepers being caught from the suds.
Dave from Absecon Bay Sportsman reports a definite pick up in the bait, and increase in the number of keeper fluke being brought in. The Great Egg reef and Ocean City reef had a good bite on fluke, whereas the Atlantic City reef has been a little slow on keepers. The shop has seen a nice influx of smaller spot, which should keep some bigger fluke and resident stripers around.
Nowell from One Stop Bait & Tackle continues to report on good fluking around the T-Jetty in Atlantic City. The shop’s fluke candy tipped with minnows and Gulp have been accounting for alot of the keepers from the piers and jetty. Nowell recommends working the bait as close to the rocks as you can to catch the doormats. They has also been an uptick in the kingfish which are being caught on either Fishbites or bloodworms.
Capt. Mike from Stray Cat Charters couldn’t be reached for a report as he has been offshore fishing for tuna, mahi, and wahoo. The boat still has some dates available for inshore or offshore action but you need to call and line it up with the skipper.
The Tackle Direct crew recommended weakfish and fluking in the back bays, and to target bigger fluke and weakies near structured areas – hard sod banks and bridges. The offhshore action has improved with Mahi, Wahoo, and Yellowfin in the southern canyons – Poor Man’s and the Wilmington. If you want to target Mahi, look for any type of floating debris and you should be able to put a cooler full in the boat.
The Ocean City beaches have been giving up some nice kingfish according to Fin-Atics. Lots of short fluke in the back and snappers around the piers. The shop recommends targeting the inlet areas and deeper holes for doormats using either peanut bunker or snapper blues. Brown sharks are less abundant which may be a reason for the increased kingfish bite. As far as inshore reports, the Great Egg and Ocean City reef are still holding keeper fluke with an occasional Cobia. The shop had solid reports of Cobia and Bonita from anglers trolling the edges of the Atlantic City reef site – so have some heavier, stout rods rigged up.
Mike from Sea Isle Bait & Tackle reports lots of short flounder, but some nice ones at the various reef sites. The shop received word of some sheepshead in the backbay to 5 pounds, but the anglers were very tight-lipped as to location and bait used – most likely some sort of crab. The sharking in the surf has dropped off, but the kingfish has gotten much better with 5 to 7 fish per surf fishing sortie. Most likely the two are correlated with each other – sharks feed on kingfish.
The striper bite is still strong on the flats and mouths of creek channels with the Rapala Skitter-Pop, and also by the sod banks in deeper water. This has been an evening bite only. The shop weighed in a summertime striper caught off one of the docks to 40 inches and 38 pounds, so those resident bass are around.
And with our southern most report, Jim’s Bait & Tackle, mentioned the fluke fishing consistent at the Old Grounds and Wildwood reef sites, whereas the Ocean City reef had a really good bite on keepers the last few days. Some of the reef sites are also holding mahi, mainly the Cape May and Reef Site #11. There have been some reports of Wahoo around the Elephand Trunk and lumps near it. The Wilmington Canyon had another nice bite of Yellowfin and Bigeyes, and the Baltimore Canyon gave up some White and Blue Marlin. Inshore has been mainly a croaker and kingfish bite, but the recent full-moon current wreaked havoc on alot of the anglers.
Best Bet for the Weekend
As it seems, the best shot for bringing home meat would be to target fluke, kingfish, or croakers depending on what part of the state your in. With the recent full moon ending, the currents will start to lose their strength and the fluke should be on the feed again. The bite should regain it’s pre-full moon momentum, so look to the local reef sites to give the best shots at summertime doormats. If you like working the night shift, then striped bass and weakfish can be best caught on soft plastics around any place that has structure and lights. Good Luck, Be Safe, and Tight Lines.