Northern New Jersey Fishing Report
They’re called summer flounder for a reason. It’s that time of year and they’re the season’s most popular fish. And, thankfully, the fishing is pretty good. Rivers and bays continue to give up some nice fluke with fish up to 6 pounds reported and the ocean bite is gathering momentum after a sluggish start. The fishing off the beaches has been especially good. When the fluke fail to cooperate, party boats are filling coolers with plenty of ling. Anglers are also allowed to keep one sea bass as of July 1.
This past week saw better tuna reports as mid-shore spots started to produce while fishing in the canyons held up with bigeye, bluefin and yellowfin catches reported. There were also the first reports of mahi-mahi offshore. And to add to the good fishing, there’s clear weather in the forecast for the holiday weekend.
Capt. Phil Sciortino at the Tackle Box in Hazlet said fluking on rough bottom is getting very good with Gulp and bucktails. He’s also getting reports of triggerfish on the sticky stuff. Ling fishing, he said, is excellent. Sciortino added that cobia have been spotted swimming in the bunker schools and a 45 incher was reported caught.
Capt. Joe Greco of Chasing Tails Charters out of Sayreville said he’s been catching keeper fluke around Raritan Bay and there are still bass being caught at the mouth of the Hudson River.
Steve Garelli at Julian’s Bait and Tackle in Atlantic Highlands said most of their customers are focused on fluke fishing now with surfcasters finding plenty of action in the suds.
Mike Pinto at Giglio’s Bait and Tackle in Sea Bright said there are keepers being caught in the surf on Gulp and bucktails. Pearl white jerk shads are proving a popular choice. He added that keeper fluke are being taken in the Navesink River. The surf is also giving up an occasional bass and bluefish.
Mike Gleason at TAK Waterman in Long Branch said the tuna fishing remains very good with fish moving in closer. Bluefin are being caught from mid-shore to the canyons. Yellowfin are showing up on mid-shore spots as well. Jigs, poppers and soft plastics have all been working. Gleason said fluke fishing on the beaches is holding up nicely with lots of action reported on Gulp and bucktails.
There are plenty of fluke in the Asbury Park, Ocean Grove and Bradley Beach surf. I also had stripers hit the floating jig heads on my fluke rigs off the beach late last week so there are still some bass around.
Jesse Thomas at Fisherman’s Den in Belmar said the fluking is very good in the Shark River. Four 27-inch fluke were reported caught over the weekend in different parts of the river. One was caught from the floating dock next to the L Street Pier, which is finally open after a barge at the end of the pier was moved. Thomas said the party boats out of the marina, including the Big Mohawk, Capt. Cal II and Ocean Explorer, are all doing well with fluke. Thomas said the striper fishing in the river has been pretty good at night as well.
Capt. Rich Falcone on the Golden Eagle out of Belmar has been targeting bluefish with mixed results. He’s finding them most days, and sometimes they’re biting and sometimes they keep their mouths shut. When the blues won’t bite, the ling will, and he’s been filling coolers with them.
Capt. Steve Spinnelli on the Skylarker out of Belmar said his charter caught loads of fluke on Tuesday’s trip along the beaches. There were not as many keepers as he would have liked but plenty of action. They caught loads of sea bass as well but could one keep one per angler. He also mentioned the excellent ling fishing.
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Capt. Jay Richardella of Side Job Charters out of Belmar said he’s been catching fluke but now that the tuna bite has picked up, he’ll be heading offshore. He’s got open dates and can be contacted through his Facebook page.
Ted Imfeld at the Reel Seat in Brielle said there are plenty of keeper fluke still in the Manasquan River with fish up to 6 pounds reported. The short action will keep you busy as well. He said the offshore fluke bite is getting better on the Sea Girt and Axel Carlson reefs. Surf fluking is good as well, he said, with Gulp jerk shads and bucktails. Keepers are a bit spotty, but there’s plenty of bites. Imfeld said that starting July 4, customers making purchases of $200 or more will get a free Reel Seat SDA Silicone Tumbler.
Capt. Tom Wolfe on the Norma K III out of Point Pleasant Beach said that the fluke fishing is day-to-day depending on conditions. He did add that the fishing is better north of the Manasquan Inlet up toward Long Branch. In general, the morning trips have been more productive than the afternoon ones, when the south wind comes up. He’s had success getting blues into the slick on his Friday and Saturday night trips but the fish don’t always bite. Excellent ling fishing has been taking up the slack.
Brian Flanagan at Captain Bill’s Landing in Point Pleasant Beach said a ton of bluefish in the 3- to 5-pound range came into the Manasquan River on Tuesday. He also had good reports on fluke at the Manasquan Inlet, in the river and the ocean to the north of the inlet. Reports of bluefin and yellowfin were also good from the Hudson Canyon and bluefin at the Triple Wrecks. For those that have the license, Flanagan added that the clamming is very good in Barnegat Bay around Sedge Island.
Kyle Tangen at Fishermen’s Supply in Point Pleasant Beach said there is solid fluking in the rivers right now. The Shark and Manasquan rivers are both giving up keepers in the 3- to 5-pound range. There are loads of spot in the Manasquan River and Barnegat Bay, Tangen said, and anglers are using them as live bait for bass at night and fluke during the day. Fluke fishing is the surf is providing plenty of action, if not a whole lot of keepers. He did add that the fluke bite is good at the Sea Girt Reef and to the north in the Long Branch area. Tangen said there were rumors of mid-shore yellowfin at the Triple Wrecks and the Chicken Canyon. Reports were good for yellowfin and bluefin in the Hudson and Toms canyons. He mentioned that some friends were out chasing tuna and they came upon a floating log that was providing cover for some sizable mahi-mahi. The crew pulled a 20-pounder aboard. Tangen also heard the mahi were starting to congregate around the pots.
Frank Giacalone at Gabriel Tackle Co. in Brick also reported good fluking with plenty of fish landed in the north end of Barnegat Bay, in the Manasquan River and at the inlet. Local wrecks and reefs are also producing keepers. Live eels and spot are working for bass and blues in the Point Pleasant Canal and crabbing is good off local piers and docks.
Pete Kupper at Charlie’s Bait and Tackle in Normandy Beach said anglers are catching fluke and blues in the surf there. Barnegat Bay fluking has been pretty good he said with a number of 5- and 6-pound fish landed. Live spot has been the way to go for the bigger fish. He also reported good crabbing around the bay.
Frankie Z at Grumpy’s Tackle in Seaside Park said there are loads of fluke in the surf. Lots keepers are being caught, both on Island Beach State Park where anglers can keep two fluke at 16 inches and outside the park where regular limits apply. Barnegat Bay is absolutely loaded with spot, he said, and they make great live bait for the fluke. Bluefish are running in an out of Barnegat Inlet, he added, and big crabs are coming out of the bay.
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Best Bets for the Weekend
What better way is there to spend the Fourth of July Weekend than fishing for summer flounder? Surf fishing for fluke has been very good with anglers dragging Gulp and bucktails through the suds. White jerk shads have been a popular choice, too. There’s plenty of action and keepers to be had among the shorts. Rivers and bays are also giving up nice fish with Barnegat Bay yielding keepers on live spot and the Shark and Manasquan rivers still producing on Gulp and bucktails.
Party boats are also reporting decent fishing on local reefs and wrecks with rocky bottom north of the Shark River Inlet holding some nice fish. And the ling fishing is excellent offshore.
Have a safe and happy Fourth of July.