The fishing has definitely recovered since last week’s storms, but we unfortunately got a heavy dose of south winds which has cooled the ocean temperatures down dramatically. The colder incoming has striped bass and bluefish being caught along most inlets while the same water moving through the backwaters has ignited the fluke. Fluke fishing out front has been good and towards the middle of this week a shot of east winds helped the bite. Yellowfin tuna are being caught from the 60 to 80 miles out and jigging has been the way to go. Most shops have started carrying green crabs again as the Tog fishing is back up to 1 per person.
Fishing Report For Southern New Jersey
Creekside Outfitters in Waretown reported some good fluke fishing from the Barnegat Light reef and boats reported fish just inside the site. Bay fishing has been good with lots of blowfish for the kids and buckets of crabs being caught on overnight traps.
Bobbies Boats in Barnegat Light had good reports from some of their rental boat customers with good numbers of blowfish being caught around the channels in the back. Fluke have been landed around the inlet and some have been close to 5 pounds. The shop is has good quantities of minnows, Gulp, and green crabs.
Reel Reaction Charters out of Waretown and Barnegat Light reported great action on some of the recent ocean trips with anglers boxing 7 to 8 keeper fluke along with tautog in the 5 pound range. With the tog season open, the skipper is bringing some greenies (when available) to round off the fluke trips with quick 1-fish limits of keeper tog. The boat will be running special 3-hour twilight Striped Bass trips through the month of September and these will focus on primarily using artificials.
The Super Chic out of Barnegat Light has been on some of the reef sites hitting up fluke and sea bass. When there are windows for offshore action, the skipper is running canyon tuna trips. The boat has dates available in August and September for inshore and offshore action.
Fisherman’s Headquarters on Long Beach Island reported a couple days of heavy fog, but the fish were still biting with striped bass and bluefish at Barnegat Light during the outgoing tide. The main channels are producing fluke, but short to keeper ratios are much lower out at the reef sites. Bluefin and yellowfin can be caught 20 to 70 miles out and a variety of techniques have been working. The LBI surf has been producing some keeper flounder along with kingfish, but anglers are have to work the areas prior to the sunbathers hitting the sands.
Absecon Bay Sportsman in Absecon just received a new load of Gulp as it’s been flying off the shelves especially for the anglers working the reef sites for fluke. The shop did weigh in a nice 9 pounder caught by one of the local anglers. There has been plenty of baitfish in the backwaters as the peanut bunker and mullet are perfect size for doormat fluke. The Brigantine and Atlantic City jetties have been good for fluke, tog, sheepshead, and triggerfish.
Offshore Bait & Tackle in Atlantic City had some nice reports the last few days with customers fishing along the rocks and catching flounders all day. Everything from squid to live bait was producing on rigs or jigheads. The kingfish continue to swim in local waters and it has defiantly been one of the best seasons for them in a while. The shop has only heard of a few offshore reports with one nice yellowfin caught on the troll out in 30 fathoms. Another boat had some decent mahi action at the cigar with all the bites coming on ballyhoo.
Fin-Atics in Ocean City had good reports of flounder from the reef sites and along the inlet areas for boats drifting live baits or jigs. The surf fishing has been very good for anglers using small pieces of clam or bloodworm for kingfish.
Badfish Charters in Ocean City worked areas along some of the thorofares to put some keeper flounder on the boat. The skipper has dates available for the month of August.
Sea Isle Bait & Tackle in Sea Isle had some nice reports of keeper Tog off the jetties and around the bridges. The shop weighed in a nice 6.65 pounder that was caught on green crab. The flounder bite has been getting better at the reef sites, but if anglers prefer the bay then most fishing should be concentrated around the inlets. Due to the storm, it was a slower week with the offshore reports.
Avalon Hodge Podge in Avalon received better reports from the ocean in terms of keeper flounder than the bay. There has been a variety of fish caught off the wrecks including sea bass, fluke, tog, and triggerfish. The surf has been good for kingfish and some small flounder to keep the rods bent.
Peace Token Fishing Tackle in Cape May Court House reported a good mix of action from the Cape May area. There has been decent action on keeper flounder from most of the area’s reef sites, but the key is to pounding the wrecks. The surf and bay jetties have some action on short flounder, weakfish, and some croakers have been caught. Offshore action is beginning to recoup from the recent weather events, but there has been some yellowfin and mahi caught 60-70 miles out.
Jim’s Bait & Tackle in Cape May had some nice reports from local charters able to catch nice sized flounder at the area’s reef sites. Big baits or jigs tipped with Gulp have been the ticket for most. Sea bass are still being landed offshore, while tog have been landed from the inlet rocks. The backbay salt marshes are giving up small striped bass and weakfish on artificials.
Greenhorn Outdoors in Bridgeton is still receiving reports of weakfish being caught from the beaches east to Cape May. Shedder crabs tipped on jigheads are the best baits for these, and don’t count out a flounder in the mix. The shop just received a shipment of fresh shedders.
Want to get in on the bite? Find an OTW-approved Charter Fishing Captain for New Jersey.
South Jersey Fishing Forecast
The best bet for the weekend will be to hit the jetties, rock walls, or backbay bridges as the winds do not look favorable for boating anglers this weekend. The beach fishing may be rough, but kingfish, croakers, and fluke will still feed in the turbulent surf. Anglers working green crabs or fiddler crabs on jigs will have good shots at tog and sheepshead. August night fishing is a great time to work small plugs or poppers in the back-salt marshes to producing C&R striped bass. Good Luck, Be Safe, and Tight Lines!