Despite a persistent southeast wind that cooled water temperatures, this past week saw a marked improvement in the fluke fishing.
Bigger and more plentiful fish were caught in the bays and rivers, on the beaches and offshore on the wrecks and reefs.
The bite has a way to go, but for June, it wasn’t bad.
The fishing will only get better from here on in. And, starting Thursday, you can add two sea bass to your offshore fluke catches.
Rich Hebert at Tackle World in Rochelle Park said the fluke bite continues to improve in Raritan Bay, he added, especially in the back.
He’s also had good reports on shark fishing with threshers, browns and makos all in the mix.
Hebert also heard of solid yellowfin action in the canyons to the south, specifically the Carteret Canyon.
On the freshwater side, the walleye are hitting live herring at Greenwood Lake. Musky, he said, are, in turn, eating the walleye.
Capt. Phil Sciortino at the Tackle Box in Hazlet said the fluking got a lot better this week and the 12½ pounder he weighed in for Steve Callahan from Spotswood is proof. The doormat hit Gulp and a bucktail in Sandy Hook Bay.
Sciortino said that fluke are also being caught off the beach on Sandy Hook. Anglers there are sending live killies out under a bobber and catching keepers.
The striper bite in Raritan Bay has slowed down but some jumbos are still being caught, mostly on the chunk. A 43-pounder was caught aboard Just Sayin Fishing Charters earlier this week.
Mike Pinto at Giglio’s Bait and Tackle in Sea Bright said things haven’t changed much since last week with small blues up and down the beach hitting metals and plugs.
There are more fluke being caught in the wash on bucktails and Gulp. Pinto said spearing have arrived in the surf.
If you get out early, short bass are in the surf hitting sand crabs.
Fluking is getting better in the Shrewsbury and Navesink rivers. He had weigh-ins up to 6 pounds. Crabbing is also showing a big improvement in the rivers.
Pinto also mentioned that the shop just got a new shipment of ODM boats rods.
Mike Gleason at Tak Waterman in Long Branch said he’s hearing of better fluking off the beach and from the boats. Gulp and bucktails are working for both.
He also reported good bass fishing in the suds on sand crabs. A buddy of his said he was catching all he wanted.
The tuna fishing has been good when the boats can get out. The relentless south wind this week has made for difficult conditions.
Gleason said the shop is now carrying Centaur jigging and plugging rods for offshore anglers.
The sand crab bite was very good in the Ocean Grove surf until the cold water arrived. They’re still around, but the action did slow down.
The fluke are in the surf as well, hitting Gulp, bucktails and sand crabs.
Bob Matthews at Fisherman’s Den in Belmar said the fluke fishing was up and down this past week depending on the wind direction. The south wind chilled the water and put the brakes on the bite.
Matthews reported that the party boats out the marina had some good days with limit catches. The Big Mohawk, Capt. Cal II and Ocean Explorer all reported a few double-digit fluke.
Shark River fluke anglers wrestled with the same conditions but some keepers were caught. Justin Biedinger, fishing with his father, Brian, did well on a rental boat getting a couple of keepers to 4 pounds on Sunday.
Matthews said they are seeing quite a few triggerfish in the river and he’s had good reports on the tuna and shark fishing.
And the blues are biting with the Golden Eagle and Miss Belmar enjoying bluefishing just like the old days, jigging fish from 3- to 5-pounds.
Capt. Pete Sykes of Parker Pete’s Sportfishing out of Belmar has been getting into the small blues as well along with some keeper and short fluke.
Parker Pete’s starts its open boat Bucktail Extravaganzas Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Spots are limited so call ahead to reserve a place. He’s planning on getting sea bass to go along with the fluke.
Capt. Sykes will be running open boat fluke trips every day unless there is a charter.
Capt. Jay Richardella on Side Job Charters out of Belmar reported a very successful canyon trip last Saturday. The charter caught 17 yellowfin, hooked a couple of white marlin and lost a jumbo tuna when the hook pulled after a 40-minute fight.
Capt. Jay still has some open dates for offshore tuna, inshore sharking and bottom fishing. He can be contacted through his website.
Jake at the Reel Seat in Brielle said the fluke fishing is starting to heat up on the local reefs with bigger fish showing up. The fluking is decent in the Manasquan River as well.
The canyon reports have been good for tuna while things are pretty quiet when it comes to the inshore bite, he added.
Jason Szabo at Fishermen’s Supply in Point Pleasant Beach also reported better fluking on the local reefs. The fluke bite is pretty good in the Manasquan River as well.
Anglers continue to get bass in the river at night on small plastics and the guys drifting clams are catching the bigger fish.
Owen DeBenedet at Capt. Bill’s Landing in Point Pleasant Beach said he’s been getting good reports on the yellowfin bite in the canyons.
The shark fishing has been good as well on makos and threshers. They weighed in a 370-pound thresher last week.
The Manasquan River, he said, is giving up more keeper fluke along with the shorts.
Capt. Matt Sosnowski on the Norma K III out of Point Pleasant Beach said it’s been a good couple of days on the fluke front with bucktails tipped with Gulp catching some nice fish.
Pool fish have been in the 4- to 6-pound range but Monday’s winner tipped the scale at 10 pounds.
The Norma K III is sailing for fluke every day. Capt. Matt is running full day trips Monday through Friday and two half day trips every Saturday and Sunday.
Capt. Kenny Namowitz on the Mimi VI out of Point Pleasant Beach has been bottom fishing and coming up with good catches of ling, cod, and winter flounder.
He’s running an open boat trip this Friday for sea bass, ling, cod and winter flounder. Capt. Kenny can be contacted at 732-370-8019.
Frank Giacalone at Gabriel Tackle Co. in Brick reported stripers being landed on the local beaches and there are some fluke and weakfish in the wash as well.
He, too, said the fluke fishing is starting to pick on the wrecks and reefs. The shop is also getting plenty of reports on blowfish in Barnegat Bay.
Pete Kupper at Charlie’s Bait and Tackle in Normandy Beach said the bluefish are in and out on the local beaches. There are bass to be had there as well at night.
The fluking is also pretty good off the sand. There are plenty of fish to be caught, he said, but he’s surprised at the lack of anglers.
The crabbing in the bay, he added, has improved dramatically with some big crabs showing up in traps and on hand lines. The folks who know the right spots are doing very well.
Frankie Z at Grumpy’s Bait and Tackle in Seaside Park said the wind-chilled water made for tougher fluke fishing but some keepers were still caught out front.
He’s looking forward to the reopening of sea bass season as he caught a couple of jumbos on his last fluke trip.
In the surf, stripers, blues and fluke are being caught. Gulp and bucktails are working for the fluke while bait and artificials are catching the blues and bass.
Best Bets for the Weekend
Fluke fishing has improved on all fronts – on the beaches, in the rivers and bays and offshore on the wrecks and reefs. Grab some Gulp, bucktails, killies, spearing and squid and give your favorite spot a shot.
We’re supposed to get a break from the south wind which should help the fishing. Have a happy and safe Fourth of July.
