The fishing is just about as hot as the temperatures as the area has seen some really good fishing over the past week. The ocean fluke bite is still off on consistency, but it seems that some of the bigger fish are biting with 8 to 10 pounders being boxed. The past weekend had quite a few fluke tournaments (too many to report), but most of the reef sites produced the bigger fish. Anglers who pound the structure will eventually get rewarded with a big girl. The nearshore ridges and lumps produced bonita, Spanish mackerel, and mahi. The beaches and inlets have seen a variety of species: fluke, triggerfish, sheepshead, bonita, and even some cobia have been reported close. With the high humidity and warm temperatures, always keep a look out to the West and south as storms can develop rapidly and this past week was a prime example of that.
Here is this week’s rundown:
Capt. Bill’s Landing in Point Pleasant Beach had good information that the bluefin have been biting from 25 to 45 miles outside of Manasquan Inlet as spreader bars and cedar plugs were flying out of the shop. Anglers fishing the canyons have been reporting spotty fishing with yellowfins and mahi. Inshore it has been bigger fluke at the Sea Girt and Axel reefs with Gulp and bucktails as the hot baits.
Norma K III in Point Pleasant Beach reported lots of action with fluke, sea bass and a few bonitos being netted and brought over the rail. Pool winning fluke have been over 6 pounds and the morning trips have had the better bite. The crew said Gulp and bait have been working equally over the last few trips. The boat has been working rough bottom, so bring plenty of bucktails if you plan on jigging. The night bluefish trips have been spotty on bigger fish as most have been in the 1 to 3-pound range, but for blues these are the best table fare.
The Gambler out of Point Pleasant Beach reported good action on the 1/2-day fluke trips this past week with good numbers of shorts, keeper sea bass, and fluke up to 7 pounds being caught. Some of the fluke drifts have also been producing small bluefish, bonita, mackerel and the occasional cutlassfish. The night wreck trips continue to produce good numbers of Ling and a few sea bass while the weekend bluefish trips have anglers bending the rod with 1 to 2-pound bluefish.
The MIMI VI out of Point Pleasant reported great numbers of sea bass, ling, and winter flounder over the past few trips. Some of the sea bass have been over 5 pounds and the skipper continues to work some of his favorite snags. There are some Open Boat trips where the number of anglers is limited, so it’s best to call the boat to check on availability.
Jersey Hooker Outfitter in Brick reported good fluke fishing at the middle to south-east corner of the Axel. Bucktails with whole squid or tipped with Gulp have been the hot baits. There are quite a few tog around the Manasquan Inlet and some of the closer rock piles with the 1-fish limit being very easy to fill. There were good reports of small bluefish and bonita invading Manasquan Inlet and the river on the incoming tide.
Charlie’s Bait & Tackle in Normandy Beach reported better fluke fishing off the beaches for anglers working light bucktails tipped with Gulp. There has also been some nice kingfish, bonita, and cocktail blues invading the surf. The shop did get word on a pretty good bonita bite in the Manasquan Inlet with anglers catching them on small metals and epoxy jigs.
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Grumpy’s Bait & Tackle in Seaside Park had the latest update that bonita have been working the surf off of Island Beach State Park and anglers have been catching them on small metals and epoxy jigs. The fluke fishing off the beach has been fair with a good number of short fish, but few keepers. There have been small bluefish picking up both fluke baits and metals. The shop has a full line up of the new colored Gulps.
Lacey Marine in Forked River reported some keeper fluke to 8 pounds being caught near the Barnegat Lighthouse on live peanut bunker. Double Creek and Oyster Creek channels have been a little tougher on the keepers. The Barnegat Ridge has been seeing a good number of bonita over the past week.
Creekside Outfitters in Waretown said the blowfish bite is still good with lots of anglers working the 4 to 6 foot depths in Barnegat bay. The fluke bite has been good in the bay, but the most successful anglers are cast netting for live peanut bunker as some of the bigger keepers are falling for them. The Barnegat Light reef and areas around the reef have been producing fluke, but it has been an inconsistent bite with keepers sometimes biting in the morning or afternoon depending on the day.
Reel Reaction Charters out of Waretown and Barnegat Light has started to work the Ocean for fluke, but an inconsistent bite with some trips getting up to 6 keepers while others struggled. They have been boxing limits of sea bass and tog, and then hunting for fluke on the slower days. The bay is still producing better numbers of fish with trips averaging 40 to 50 with 2 to 5 keepers. September is a prime month for bigger ocean fluke and the boat has weekend dates available through the close of summer flounder season.
Fisherman’s Headquarters in Ship Bottom reported bonita and mahi at the Barnegat Ridge with an occasional bluefin being caught in the mix. The shop recommended checking any floating debris or buoys as some of the bigger bull mahi can be seen 15 to 20 feet down and live peanut bunker or minnows are great baits. The Barnegat Inlet has been pretty consist on bluefish off the rocks along with tog and triggerfish. The Garden State South and Little Egg reef sites have had some of the better bites for fluke. The Long Beach Island surf has still been very hot on kingfish and small bluefish with the occasional bonita being landed.
The Ocean City to Cape May areas reported a pretty good week on the fluke front with most of the inshore reef sites from Townsends to the Wildwood reef site producing fish in the 8-pound range. There have been good reports of mahi and bonita around the reef sites, so checkout any pot buoys or hi-fliers. The inshore lumps are still producing bluefin and the yellowfin bite has started to ramp up at some of the southern canyons. The Delaware bay is loaded with sharks for anglers looking to bend a rod for this catch-n-release fishery. Reef Site #11 had a good number of fluke in the 8-pound range being caught and the world’s largest fluke tournament, “Flounder Pounder” out of Delaware worth over 300K in prizes reported that the “EL NINO” team out of New Jersey took the 1st place 100K prize with an 8.6 pound fluke.
South Jersey Fishing Forecast
The best bet for this weekend would be to hit the surf, inlet, and jetties as it looks like it’s going to be windy Saturday and Sunday. Another good option would be to jump on one of the headboats as the fluke fishing has been pretty good. Most of our South Jersey boats have been doing well, especially over the past week. I recommend bringing your own bucktails and Gulp to work for the bigger pool winners. Jetty fisherman have the best bet at boxing sheepshead, triggerfish, and keeper tog on green crabs, fiddlers, or Asian shore crabs.
We had some vicious storms this past week and don’t take them lightly as when you’re on the beach or water — “You are the highest point”. Grumpy’s in Seaside Park reported that an angler’s rod got blown apart by a lightning strike as it was sitting in the sand spike off of IBSP. Remember, the fish will be there the next day and take caution on those high humidity days. Good luck, be safe, and tight lines!
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catchin nothin but sting rays really big sting rays 5 ft across with huge spikes a couple cownose’s also and one 3 footer spotted ray .At least no footballs aka skates