Bigger fluke in bigger numbers is this week’s highlight as we head into the second half of August.
Boats fishing the rough stuff are the big beneficiaries of the better fluking. It’s still a lot of shorts along the beaches for surf anglers.
The folks on the sand, however, are catching bass, blues, kingfish and some Spanish mackerel.
The tuna anglers are also having a field day with yellowfin on jigs, poppers and chunks.
Northern Jersey Fishing Report
Kevin at Tackle World in Rochelle Park said the ocean fluking has really picked up in the last week with a number of big fish, in the 5- to 8-pound range being caught.
He also reported good porgy fishing on the New York side of Raritan Bay.
On the freshwater side, he said the summertime largemouth bass bite has been good at Lake Hopatcong, Monksville Reservoir and Greenwood Lake and the pike are biting in the Passaic River.
Capt. Phil Sciortino at the Tackle Box in Hazlet also reported bigger fluke caught out front with fish up to 10 pounds.
He said the porgy fishing has been good on the local rock piles and in front of Officers Row on Sandy Hook.
Mike Pinto at Giglio’s Bait and Tackle in Sea Bright said the stretch of north beach on Sandy Hook that was closed due to tern nesting has re-opened and anglers have been pulling some keeper fluke out of the surf there.
Other spots, he said, are mostly giving up shorts.
Stripers are still biting in the Sea Bright surf at dusk and dawn on plugs and shads and the crabbing in the Navesink and Shrewsbury rivers remains excellent.
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Mike Gleason at Tak Waterman in Long Branch said there are lots of fluke in the surf but unfortunately the majority of them are small.
The stripers are in the wash there as well and a diver buddy of his reported loads of bass hanging around the jetties.
The yellowfin bite, he said, has been great in mid-shore waters on Nomad Streaker jigs and Mad Mantis poppers.
Much closer to home, the crabbing in the Shrewsbury River keeps getting better, he said, and the snappers are all over the place.
It’s been nothing but short fluke and sea robins off the jetty for me in Ocean Grove lately and the Spanish mackerel have gone missing since Isaias blew through. The snappers that were in the surf also disappeared.
Bob Matthews at Fisherman’s Den in Belmar said the fluke fishing is hot like the weather. The top three fish in the annual Jersey Coast Anglers Association’s fluke tournament were weighed in there with the biggest, a 9.9 pounder caught by Matt Sorrentino, the tournament winner.
The party boats out of marina had good week as well with a lot of big fish coming over the rail.
He also reported good fluking in the Shark River with rental boats and kayakers getting limits with fish up to 6 pounds.
The Den is carrying green crabs for the blackfish that are biting at the inlet and Point Pleasant Canal.
Capt. Pete Sykes of Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters out of Belmar reported good fluking on back-to-back bucktail extravaganzas Tuesday and Wednesday.
Tuesday’s trip saw several quality fish right off the bat with fish over 9 pounds hitting the deck. The bite fell off a bit requiring a change in tactics and rigs with more keepers and lots of shorts coming over the rail before the day ended.
Wednesday saw even better fishing with lots of limits with plenty of fish in the 4- to 8-pound range. Parker Pete’s runs the bucktail extravaganzas, sponsored by Anthony Palmer Tackle, on Tuesday and Wednesday with limited reservations.
Capt. Jay Richardella on Side Job Charters out of Belmar reported an excellent day of tuna fishing for the John Carter party on Sunday, going 5-for-9 on jumbo yellowfin.
The fish were caught trolling side trackers and ballyhoo and there were some skipjack in the mix as well.
Capt. Jay said he had some inshore trips for fluke and sea bass on his schedule for the remainder of the week. He can be contacted through his website.
Amanda D’Apice from the Reel Seat said big fluke are being caught on the Sea Girt and Axel Carlson reefs and anglers are also picking up their one blackfish there as well.
She also reported small stripers and blues in the Manasquan River and Spanish mackerel at the inlet and off the beaches.
Jason Szabo at Fishermens Supply Co in Point Pleasant Beach also reported large numbers of big fluke being caught recently with many in the 5-to 6-pound range. He, too, said the Spanish mackerel were tight to the beach hitting epoxy jigs.
The night bite for stripers in the Manasquan River has been excellent, he added, on soft plastics near the bridges.
He also said the yellowfin bite around the Triple Wrecks is as good as it gets on jigs and poppers.
Capt. Matt Sosnowski on the Norma-K III out of Point Pleasant Beach had a good fluke week with Monday’s trip producing several very big fish and Tuesday’s outing providing smaller keepers but plenty of action.
On Monday, Richie Greenberger took the lead in the monthly pool bringing an 11-pound, 14-ounce doormat over the rail. Bob Holloway followed him with an 8½ pounder and Sue Matysik landed an 8 pounder. All the jumbos were caught on Gulp and bucktails.
Tuesday’s trip saw a lot more action with keepers and shorts on every drift. Capt. Sosnowski said the fluking was a little slow after the tropical storm but it’s been getting better every day. Reservations are required for all trips.
Gary at Capt. Bill’s Landing in Point Pleasant Beach said lots of boats are heading to the Triple Wrecks for the hot yellowfin bite. Jigs, poppers and chunking are all catching fish.
He also said mahi-mahi, up to 20 pounds, are being caught at pots 15 to 20 miles out.
The fluking, he added, keeps getting better with fish between 6- to 8-pounds caught on the local reefs.
Frank at Gabriel Tackle Co. in Brick said some nice size keeper fluke have been landed at the Manasquan Inlet and there are cocktail blues, Spanish mackerel and blackfish there as well.
As far as the reefs go, he said both are producing fluke and sea bass with the Sea Girt Reef better in the morning and the Axel Carlson in the afternoon.
Crabbing, he reported, has been extremely good at the Mantoloking Bridge and there are blowfish at the south end of the bay and snappers in the lagoons.
Want to get in on the bite? Find an OTW-approved Charter Fishing Captain for New Jersey.
Pete at Charlie’s Bait & Tackle in Normandy Beach said the beach took a bit of a hit from Isaias but is recovering. It’s mostly short fluke and small blues in the surf and it appears the Spanish mackerel have disappeared for now.
From what he’s hearing, the crabbing in the bay calmed down a bit but the blowfish are still cooperating.
Ray Kerico at Grumpy’s Bait and Tackle in Seaside Park had plenty to smile about this week after taking the top spot in the Friendly Sons of the Shillelagh’s Annual Fluke Tournament last Saturday with a 9-pounder.
As for the fishing there, Kerico said its small blues in the surf on metal and mullet and fluke on Gulp and bucktails. The fluke are on the small side, but bigger ones can be found offshore on the reefs.
Bucktails and 6-inch Gulp grubs are working best in the deeper water while 5-inch grubs are getting more attention from the sand.
Finally, Ray said that while it’s been tough to keep shelves stocked with customer favorites, the shop just received a huge shipment of rods, reels and tackle earlier this week.
Dennis at Betty and Nick’s Bait and Tackle in Seaside Park in Seaside Park said it’s been the same there with small blues and fluke in the surf.
He said the crabbing in the bay slowed down some but the clamming is very good.
Fishing Forecast for Northern New Jersey
There’s a little more than a month left in the summer flounder season, so if a doormat is on your wish list, it’s time to get going. The bigger fluke are here. Rough bottom is holding the bigger fish and bucktails and 6-inch Gulp grubs are catching them. Have fun.