South Jersey Fishing Report- June 2, 2022

What a spectacular Memorial Day weekend with It kicking off another excellent week of fishing.  The pelagic bite has started with some reports of over-sized bluefin tuna at the glory hole and mud hole.  The canyons have been red hot on tilefish for those willing to drop down deep.  As you move closer to home, sea bass fishing has been very good from 5 to 30 miles offshore.  Anglers reported excellent action on flutter jigs for the bigger sea bass.  Striped bass has been in full swing and the beaches continue to be producing good numbers of fish.  Boats trolling from Beach Haven to Manasquan inlet are finding bass to 40 pounds.  Fluke fishing continues to slowly improve as most areas have reported tougher on the quantity of fish caught, but decent catches on the over 18-inch category. 

Here is this week’s rundown: 

Hook House Bait & Tackle in Toms River reported Bass off the surf yesterday hitting clams. Blues off the local beaches this morning hitting bunker chunks and mullet for the bait fisherman. Poppers, SP Minnows and metals worked for those moving. A few keeper fluke were reported from guys fishing the BB and BI buoy area. Blues roaming the back bay and the Toms River and there are still bass around. Heard of a few weakfish as well. Fresh bunker and chowder clams in the shell just came in as well as more salted clams.

Lacey Marine in Forked River had anglers reporting solid bay fluke from the BB to BI buoys on white bucktail tipped with white Gulp.  Small striped bass and nicer sized blues have been caught on the backside of Island Beach State Park.  Striped bass on the ocean front have been caught on the troll and the beaches of IBSP.  Sea bass fishing remains solid as some hardy anglers have been running 20 to 30 miles to find limits of quality fish.  Offshore action is just beginning and several anglers hit a trip to the tilefish grounds catching fish to 30 pounds.  

Jerzey Buoyz Sportfishing reported a solid week of sea bass fishing with 4 to 6 man limits on most of the trips.  The crew added a few stripers on some of the trips as the skipper hit the inlet area on the way in.  Once the sea bass season closes, the boat will begin charters for pelagics and the skipper has some dates available. 

Creekside Outfitters in Waretown received good reports on sea bass fishing from the wrecks in the 70 to 100 foot depths.  Striped bass fishing has been very good from the inlet on plugs and clam, and along the beaches on trolled MoJo’s and bunker spoons.  The fluke got pounded over the weekend with lots of boats out and fishing the normal spots.  Better catches of size were landed over the past few days and anglers said the “snot grass” has been rather tough.  The shop was busy over the Memorial Day weekend with their annual tent sale and there are some leftover deals going on. 

Reel Reaction Sportfishing out of Waretown had a busy week fluke fishing putting over 33 keeper in the cooler.  Some trips had as many as 10 keepers and most of the action has been on light jigs tipped with natural baits.  The crew will be tournament fishing this upcoming weekend, but back to fluke and striped bass charters on Monday. 

The Super Chic out of Barnegat Light reported excellent sea bassing over the past week as groups of anglers worked clam baits for limits.  The boat has openings for sea bass or striped bass in the coming weeks, so give Captain Ted a ring. 

Tony’s Bait & Tackle in Manahawkin received decent reports of fluke being landed around the clam sticks off Beach Haven and Tuckerton.  Anglers working minnows on the top have been doing the best.  Sea bass fishing continues to be excellent on the local wrecks along with some ling action.  

Tackle Direct in Egg Harbor City reported good fluke fishing for most of Great Bay and areas behind Ocean City.  There has been quite a few short fish in the mix, but this past week hasn’t seen anything crazy in terms of size with most in the 20 to 23 inch range.  

Tight Lines Bait & Tackle in Somers Point had a good number of quality reports on fluke in the bay, sea bass from the wrecks, and striped bass off the beaches.  The shop said it was a stellar week for fishing with lots of species being caught.  There were a few drum fish caught locally on clam over the past week.  Weak-fishing has been excellent on some of the jetties with pink artificials, but you have to put in your time to get dialed in. 

Badfish Charters in Ocean City has been extremely busy working the backwaters and bridge areas with artificials and flies.  I tried contacting the skipper, but he has been on the water literally every day this past week.  He did text and say striped bass, blues, and flounder have been very cooperative.   

The Cape May and Wildwood areas had great fishing in the Delaware Bay with lots of drum fish being caught, but you have to be in the right location when they go on the feed.  Sea bass fishing continued to put full limits of fish most boats.  Wrecks in the 5 to 30 mile range are producing with regularity.  Flounder fishing was a tad slower, but some did find keepers on the shallower parts of the ICW between Wildwood and Cape May.  Striped bass continued to pick up baits and plugs off parts of CM point.  Small blues are around for anglers hitting the rocks and inlet areas, and the toughest reports to get are for weakfish, but from what I’m allowed to say “they are around.” 

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South Jersey Fishing Forecast 

The best bet for the weekend will be to fish for choice, as it’s a “your choice” weekend.  The winds are supposed to be light out of the NW both Saturday and Sunday.  Sea bass fishing will continue for a few more weeks, so the weekend may be a perfect time to stock up the freezer.  Anglers looking for more of a land-based approach should work the beaches during the night tides for striped bass.  Casting plugs and jointed bombers in the colors of black or blurple have been producing with amazing regularity on fish to 40 inches and don’t be surprised if you land a large weakfish in the mix.  Fluke fisherman should be working the 6 to 10 foot depths as the bay waters have warmed quite nicely over last weekend.  It seems most keepers are hitting in the 64 to 68 degree range – warmer than that becomes mostly shorts and colder than that becomes no bites.  Good Luck, Be Safe, and Tight Lines!