Southern New Jersey Fishing Report- September 12, 2024

Gas up, jump aboard, it’s tuna time! An unbelievable week according to bluewater boaters, with excellent numbers of yellowfin being caught at the Hudson, Lindy, and Spencer. Most of the yellows have been 30 to 70 pounds, but there have been a few bigger ones in the mix. The pots are still loaded with mahi as most boats have been hitting those after the yellowfin onslaught. Inshore continues to be pretty good for fluke, although the action is tending to be deeper according to most charter and head boats. Bonita, Spanish mackerel and bluefish have been hanging together in the same areas offshore as the action continued to be within the sight of land. Surf fishing had anglers finding excellent numbers of kingfish and hungry fluke feeding off the suds. The bay is still holding good numbers of fluke, weakfish, and large sheepshead for some parts of our area. As we approach the midpoint of the September, it’s been an outstanding month for inshore, offshore, and bay fishing.

Here is this week’s rundown:
 
Hook House Bait & Tackle in Toms River said Seaside Park and IBSP was very consistent on fluke action over the past few days. Pink Gulp on bucktail or jigs were the combos for surf action. There are lots of shorts, but you have to work for keeper fluke. Anglers working the rocks are finding excellent numbers of tautog along the north jetty of the Barnegat Inlet. Striped bass action has definitely ramped up during the night tides around the bridges and some of the bay areas on the backside of IBSP.

Creekside Outfitters in Waretown has been selling lots of tuna gear and the shop said the yellowfin bite was “red hot” over the past week from the canyons. Anglers transiting 80 to 100 miles out of Barnegat Inlet found excellent numbers of yellows and plenty of mahi. Inshore action ramped up on the bonita and spanish macks out front with plenty of bonita under bird play. There is plenty of action for fluke and bluefish off the beaches and around the inlets, but keeper fluke are a tad harder to find. Ocean reefs and wrecks are the spots to be for better sized fluke. Bay blowfish and spot was excellent for another week in the usual, BI to BB areas – just anchor up and you’ll get them said the shop.

 

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Reel Reaction Sportfishing out of Waretown ran some afterschool trips this past week, but the winds through a curveball to the charters. Ocean turned bay charters were still able to release over 45 fluke while boxing 3 to 4 keepers in a 4-hour timeframe. The 4-hour ocean charters are finding good numbers of fluke along with bonita, mahi, and some blues. There are a few weekdays available prior to the fluke closing, so give them a call.

The Super Chic out of Barnegat Light had a busy weekend with the vessel hitting the tuna grounds for excellent action on yellowfin and mahi. The skipper said the bite has been very good with lots of tuna coming over the rail. The boat will be out today searching the inshore grounds for bluefish, bonita, and spanish mackerel.

Tony’s Bait & Tackle in Manahawkin reported a definite uptick in striped bass action along the back sods behind IBSP. Anglers drifting the sods have also been picking up fluke and some weakfish, especially from parts of southern LBI to Brigantine. Ocean fluke fishing has been better deeper with the AC reef producing some nice whopper keepers to 7 pounds. The inshore reefs have action, but there has been more shorts. Tautog are very thick along the jetties with green crab as are kingfish from the beaches with Fishbites. Blowfish, spot, and kingfish are being caught in the western parts of Barnegat bay.

Tackle Direct in Egg Harbor City reported fishing on all cylinders with bay action heavy on flounder at the inlets and along some of the deeper channels. Anglers drifting small spot are hooking up with large “doormat-able” fluke with some of the deeper bridges producing nice specimens. Bay striped bass fishing has begun as the bridges and marshes are showing excellent action during the night tides.

Tight Lines Bait & Tackle in Somers Point has been selling lots of sand fleas, green crabs, and plugs. Tautog, sheepshead and striped bass are the big game in town for land or bridge based anglers. Βeach fisherman are still landing a good number of kingfish and flounder on Gulp, bloodworm and Fishbites. Ocean fisherman are picking at keepers to 6 pounds at the reef sites. The canyons have exploded with yellowfin to 80 pounds and there are tons of mahi around pots from 6 to 80 miles out.

Badfish Charters in Ocean City said the migration is in full swing with cooler September night time temperatures. Capt. Brian said the bass have been responding with better action, but lately he’s been targeting fluke, triggerfish, and bonita. The skipper has been catching some nice sized fluke, blues, and bonita for his charters and he will be targeting striped bass towards the end of the month.

The Cape May to Fortescue areas have also been dealing with less than better forecasts so anglers have had very small windows to hit the ocean wrecks. Reef site #11 and wrecks in the 100- to 120-foot range have been producing better numbers of keeper flounder. The Delaware Bay has a variety of fish from croakers, flounder to weakfish and bluefish over the past few days. There have been a few black drum taken on bloodworms along sections of the Delaware Bay and Fortescue areas. Green crabs and sand fleas are the hot baits for tautog and sheepshead. A few of the head-boats picked away at keeper flounder in the big D with fish up to 23 inches. Offshore fishing was hot-hot for the big sporty’s and head-boats that hit the canyons for yellowfin tuna.

The best bet for this upcoming weekend will be to hit the deep water wrecks and reef sites for doormat fluke. The close-to-home pieces seem to have many more males based on the size and some visible signs spewing from the them. As one of the local charters said: “The fall migration is definitely in full swing and flounder spawn is on!” The bigger fish, which are the females, seem to be deeper out with the males on their tales—pun intended. Large Gulp baits and strip baits are the way to go for bigger fluke jigged tight to the structure. Anglers with the ability to fish offshore should easily find limits of yellowfin and coolers full of mahi over the next few days—the bite has been beyond hot. Anglers looking for action off the beaches and bays should be able to work small bucktails jigs for bluefish, bonita, and spanish mackerel. Good luck, be safe, and tight lines!