Finally, fluke season is upon us.
Despite a last-ditch effort by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission to derail the start of New Jersey’s fluke season, it opened today with a three-fish limit at 18 inches. The season will run through Sept. 5.
Last Monday, the ASMFC passed a motion not to accept New Jersey’s regulations, which had been approved just the week before, saying that the state’s rules were insufficient to meet the required catch reductions.
All the ASMFC did was to add more confusion to an already chaotic situation.
The NJDEP calmed things down when it issued a press release on Wednesday announcing the season would open as planned.
With the opening of sea bass season on Friday, anglers will now have blues, bass, fluke, ling and cod to chase on Memorial Day Weekend.
Phil Sciortino Sr. at the Tackle Box in Hazlet said the bluefish continue to dominate the action in Raritan Bay and around the bay shore. There are some bass around, he said, but you have to get through the bluefish first.
Anglers with clams are picking up the occasional bass in the surf at Sandy Hook, he added
Capt. Rob Semkewyc on the Sea Hunter out of Atlantic Highlands reported excellent striper fishing last Saturday recording the best day of the year so far. There were lots of keepers and shorts. Unfortunately, the following day was just so-so.
Capt. George Bachert on the Angler out of Atlantic Highlands ran his annual Fish With Me Charter last Saturday where he takes youngsters who don’t normally have a chance to go fishing on short catch-and-release fluke trips.
One young angler caught seven in about 45 minutes including a 20-incher, so we know they’re around. Spearing was the hot bait.
Sunday’s bottom fishing trip on the Angler produced a good catch of ling, tog and sea bass. All but the ling had to go back.
Mel Martens at Giglio’s Bait and Tackle in Sea Bright said it’s still mostly bluefish in the Shewsbury and Navesink rivers but there are bass in the rivers. He said guys floating worms in the Shrewsbury are picking up more stripers. The fluke are in there as well.
Martens said clams and chunks were catching some keeper bass in the surf. He heard of a few fish in the 15-pound range.
Bob Matthews at Fisherman’s Den in Belmar is all set for the opening of fluke season and reported some nice fluke have up to 8 pounds have already been caught – and released – in the Shark River.
He’s also been selling a lot of clams to surf anglers and one returned to the shop on Wednesday after catching a 10-pounder off the sand in Bradley Beach.
Boats out of the marina continue to catch big bass on Mojos and bunker spoons.
Capt. Pete Sykes on Parker Pete’s Sportfishing said the bass bite has been pretty good. There are bunker around and he’s picking up more bass snagging and dropping. The livelining bite has been better on the afternoon trips.
If the bunker aren’t around he switches to trolling. Bass up to 47 pounds have been coming over the rail.
Capt. Sykes said he’ll be running magic hour trips for bass on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays through June by reservation only.
Capt. Ron Kish on the Capt. Cal II out of Belmar has been chasing the blues and catching fish from 3 to 15 pounds. Come Friday, he’s switching to sea bass.
On the Skylarker, Capt. Steve Spinelli said he’s still going strong with the bluefish with most of the fish in the 3- to-5-pound range. He’s also been doing some bottom fishing, catching ling and cod. A codfish usually takes the pool most days, with fish in the 9-pound range. He’ll be concentrating on sea bass come Friday.
John Vafiadis at the Reel Seat in Brielle said the private boats out of the Manasquan Inlet are doing well with stripers – snagging and dropping, on poppers and trolling Mojos and bunker spoons.
The bluefishing has calmed down but there are still some small fish at the inlet and in the Manasquan River along with a few bass and some weakfish. Pink Fin-S jigs look to be the ticket.
The fluke are waiting in the river as well. The party boats out of Bogan’s Basin have been catching bluefish, ling and winter flounder.
Freshwater anglers can look forward to an improved fishing picture this holiday weekend.
Most of the shops contacted said warming water has got the fish biting.
Laurie Murphy at Dows Boat Rental at Lake Hopatcong said the night time action on walleyes has started with fish up to 7½ pounds taken on Bombers. She also reported a lot of nice hybrids over 8 pounds being caught on herring.
Jim at Behre Bait and Tackle in Lebanon reported good fishing at Round Valley, Spruce Run and Merrill Creek reservoirs.
Shore fishermen are getting bass and yellow perch fishing shiners on Carolina rigs and trout on Power Bait. The folks in boats are catching rainbows on the troll using Warrior spoons in 65 to 85 feet of water.
Hybrid fishing has gotten better at Spruce Run on herring and some nice crappie are being caught as well. He’s also received reports of channel catfish and carp being caught.
Lake trout are also being caught at Merrill Creek by boaters trolling Warrior spoons at about 40 feet over 90 feet of water.
Jeff at Fins and Furs in Newfoundland reported anglers are catching some landlocked salmon and crappie at Lake Wawayanda and walleye and perch at Canistear Reservoir. He added that the fishing has been pretty good at Green Turtle Pond for a variety of species.
Ken at Tackle and Field in Wanaque said the fishing has picked up nicely in his area. There have been a number of muskies caught at Greenwood Lake and the walleye are biting there and at the Monskville Reservoir.
Larry at the Newark Sinker Company in Pine Brook said there have been pike catches in the Passaic River and a few trout are being taken as well.
Steve at Garden State Bow and Reel in Stockholm said things are starting to pop in his neck of the woods. The fishing in all of the local reservoirs has been good and the shad fishing is still holding up in the Delaware River. There have been some big channel cats caught in the river as well.
Fishing Forecast for Northern New Jersey
With the opening of the fluke and sea bass seasons this weekend, anglers have more choices on which species to target. The fluke bite will be better in the rivers and bays while it will take a little while for the ocean to catch up. There are some in the surf, however, as a few keepers have been caught on bunker chunks.
A good number of party boats will be targeting the fluke and sea bass so it’s a good weekend to jump aboard. Check departure times as some will be sailing earlier than usual.
Landed a 47lb Striper 5/24/17 in the Highlands area.