Southern New Jersey Fishing Report
Wind and weather has hampered the fishing a tad in regard to angler participation, but there are tons of opportunities awaiting anglers willing to endure the elements. Fluke fishing continues to be good in most areas, although some recent algae slime explosions have hindered the action in parts of Barnegat Bay and Great Bay. Big fluke have been the mainstay this year, with 6- to 10-pound fish being caught, but this may also coincide with more tackle shops carrying spot and more anglers using them for fluke. If you’re fishing bay fluke tourneys, using live spot is the way to go to hit the leaderboard.
Beach fishing continued to be very good for fluke along LBI and the southern tip of IBSP. Striped bass are being caught on live spot at the inlets and there are a few fish on bunker in the ocean. The sheepshead bite is on in the southern part of the state, as many quality sheeps have taken up residence along our bridges and piers; just drop a fiddler crab and be ready. Sea bass fishing remains solid if you can find some untapped pieces, otherwise it’s a grind to work up a limit. Regardless of the weekly reports, take a Dad fishing this weekend. Happy Father’s Day!
Here is this week’s rundown:
Hook House Bait & Tackle in Toms River said crabbing has been very good along the bayside areas of Berkley, Bayville and Seaside Park. Bunker in traps or hand-lines off the docks and piers has been the best bet. Striped bass and fluke are being caught along the surf of Island Beach State Park. There were reports of a few threshers crashing on bunker outside the breakers off of Seaside.
Creekside Outfitters in Waretown said a few nice fluke to 8 pounds were caught in the bay along the sedges and lighthouse area with live spot. Anglers jigging are picking through some keepers also, but the slime has been a major issue lately. Bluefish are around on the backside of IBSP and near the inlet, where striped bass are being picked up on live spot. Anglers with heavier tackle have been targeting some nice threshers outside of Barnegat Light reef and along the Barnegat Ridge. Canyon reports have been solid for deep-dropping tilefish, according to a few of the shop locals.
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Reel Reaction Sportfishing out of Waretown was plagued by winds, cold water and slime over last week, but the skipper still ground out a few trips to put keepers in the box. Anglers worked through 25 to 35 shorts while boxing 2 to 4 keepers per trip. The crew feels the bite should get better as the algae slime subsides and fewer lures are fouled.
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The Super Chic out of Barnegat Light said the sea bass fishing was solid for most of the weekday and weekend charters with anglers getting limits of sea bass. The boat has had to work several wrecks and pick through lots of shorts, but the skipper said there has been excellent action.
Tony’s Bait & Tackle in Manahawkin reported decent flounder action south of the bridges of LBI and along the beaches of Barnegat Light to Harvey Cedars. Gulp tipped on white bucktails has been the top bait for keeper fluke. The north jetty has been solid on the incoming with live spot for striped bass, and also with soft plastics at the bridges. Threshers are in tight and bluefin tuna are biting further out at the ridges. Crabbing has been hottest around the Barnegat area, especially the Barnegat Municipal dock with bunker and traps.
Tackle Direct in Egg Harbor City said the fluke fishing has been decent along the Atlantic City jetties and areas around Wreck Inlet have had keepers. Bucktails tipped with white 5-inch swimming mullets or minnows, as well as live spot drifted along some of the deeper cuts, produced fish to 6 pounds. Striped bass are very active along the bridges at night and there were a few weakfish caught in the mix. Pink, white and purple soft plastics on light jigheads worked along the shadow lines have been producing. Sharking has been very good at the Atlantic City and Sea Isle City ridges, with some nice threshers being caught on bunker.
Tight Lines Bait & Tackle in Somers Point had a nice 5.2-pound fluke weighed in, as well as several decent-sized sheepshead caught from the area bridges on sand fleas. Most anglers reported good fluke fishing in the 10- to 15-foot depths, but the shop said you have to fight through some slime. Sea bass fishing has been very good at the wrecks in 90- to 120-foot depths. Crabbing has been very productive with the past full moon, so grab some of the shop bunker.
Captain Brian Williams of Badfish Charters in Ocean City has been doing well on striped bass using small plugs and glidebaits. The cooler incoming tides have done wonders for striped bass and fluke in the shallow backwaters. Some of the skipper’s recent trips have been solid for striped bass, fluke and sheepshead. Sheepshead have been chewing well at the crew’s usual spots and some of them have been up to 8 pounds. The boat has some openings in the next few weeks for back bay action, so give Capt. Brian a call.
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The Cape May and Fortescue area had a variety of species on the board over the past week. Flounder up to 20 inches are being landed on minnows along parts of Delaware Bay, but most locations are producing steady action. Most of the shops recommend working various depth contours to find piles of feeding fish. Spot and croakers are starting to show in the surf and in the bays. The best way to target them is with small pieces of bloodworm on double-hook rigs. Anglers making the trek to deeper water off Cape May are finding sea bass and some ling on the wrecks. Some of the area bridges along the backside of Cape May are showing some nice-sized sheepsheads.
South Jersey Fishing Forecast
The best bet for the weekend will be to work the bay or beaches for summer flounder as the action has been pretty good. The key is making sure you maintain contact with the baits, as any extra “weight” tends to be fouling algae or weed. White bucktails tipped with white Gulp have been the top jig baits, while live spot or minnows drifted on spinner rigs are producing excellent results. Anglers working the beaches should fan-cast bucktails tipped with Gulp in the suds and work the beaches before the crowds get there. The best beach action has been around the inlets on falling tides. Another solid bet would be for anglers to make the drive to Cape May, pick up bloodworms, and go for spots and croakers along Delaware Bay. If you have access to bridges or a vessel that can hold its position with a trolling motor, hit the bridges with sand fleas or fiddlers for quality sheepshead. Good luck, be safe, and tight lines!