Southern New Jersey Fishing Report
Who’s playing with the off-n-on bite switch? The fluke bite has been back and forth between hot and cold over the last week, with an excellent ocean bite at the reef sites from 60 to 90 feet. The ocean swell most likely plays a large role in the hot and cold bite, but hopefully, we end the season with some calmer seas and fantastic head-shaking action over the next few weeks. Bucktails tipped with Gulp or fish bellies have been the hot baits for most anglers with fish from 5 to 11 pounds being boxed. Many anglers ask what type of fish belly? Salmon, sea robin, bluefish, and (legal-size) fluke bellies all work well. Now is the time to target big flatties at the reef sites with these baits. Anglers looking to still tangle in the bay waters will need to secure live bait – large minnows, mullet, and peanut bunker will all work this time of year, especially for the larger specimens.
This week, beach fishing yielded surfcasters a few bluefish, Spanish mackerel, and albies on epoxy jigs and tins. Meanwhile, anglers working the rocks, jetties, and bridges are still getting excellent shots at sheepshead and tautog. Remember, all fish love structure so tighten up that drag and get hooked up!
Here is this week’s rundown:
Hook House Bait & Tackle in Toms River reported blowfish around parts of Barnegat Bay along with some bluefish and false albies just offshore. Fluke are still being caught in the wash from Seaside Park to Island Beach State Park. The shop received a bunch of new plugs for the upcoming run of striped bass, so swing by and check out the full selection.
Salty Love Sportfishing in Forked River said there is a pretty good tuna bite going on at and around Hudson Canyon for yellowfin on chunks and bigeyes at night. The skipper also will be working on his fall striped bass charters, so give him a ring.
Creekside Outfitters in Waretown had a few nice fluke weighed in over the past week as the bite got real good over the weekend, but the recent swell has calmed the bite. The Garden State reef sites were very good, as well as Little Egg with pink shine Gulp and fish bellies. Tog fishing has been a slower pick at the inlets, but the bridges are holding sheepshead to 10 pounds that are being caught on fresh and frozen sand fleas. Tuna fishing has been red hot for yellowfin beyond the canyons and at the Bacardi, and the shop reported flats of butterfish flying off the shelves.
View this post on Instagram
Reel Reaction Sportfishing out of Waretown spoke to their marina and the new engine will be installed over the weekend. In the meantime, the crew has been sneaking out for some back-bay striped bass scouting trips on the skiff. Some of the spots have decent action on 20- to 24-inch fish, and it should get better as the water begins to cool. The crew will be back at it next week targeting fluke in the ocean and will begin targeting striped bass after school hours during the week.
Tackle Direct in Egg Harbor City reported a decent flounder bite around the inlets and even better action from the reef sites. The shop had excellent reports of keeper fluke coming from the Little Egg as well as the Great Egg Reef sites. 3- to 4-ounce bucktails tipped with 6-inch Gulp grubs have been the hot ticket. Bayside action continues to be red-hot on sheepshead and tog with a host of baits working: fiddlers, sand fleas, and green crabs. The word in the shop has been yellowfin and bigeye from the Hudson and Toms canyons, but some vessels had to run to the eastern edge some 120+ miles to find good action.
Tight Lines Bait & Tackle in Somers Point had some beautiful fluke weighed in over the past week with fish to 7 pounds, along with tautog and sheepshead. The shop said the area has been red hot for fluke (ocean-wise) and sheepshead (bay-wise). Small tog jigs up to 1.5 ounces tipped with a variety of crustaceans will do the trick. Keep a few different options ready to see what’s working. Offshore, it’s all about the northern canyons where there’s a hot bite for bigeye and yellowfin tuna.
The Super Chic out of Barnegat Light was away the last two weeks, but the skipper will be back at it on Sunday for wreck fluking. During the month of September, the boat will be running some offshore yellowfin trips. Capt. Ted said it’s best to give him a ring for details on the trips.
-
Want to get in on the bite? Find an OTW-approved Charter Fishing Captain in New Jersey
Capt. Brian William of Badfish Charters in Ocean City said flounder have been in the bays and ocean front and he’s seen some nice fish to 5 pounds. The skipper will be chartering for striped bass starting in mid September. Lately, he has been picking up albies out front on soft plastics, epoxies, and flies.
View this post on Instagram
Capt. Joe Hughes of Jersey Cape Guide Service in Sea Isle City was offshore over the weekend tangling with some white marlin. The skipper will be fishing in Montauk from mid-September through the end of October.
View this post on Instagram
The Cape May and Fortescue area was popping with some nice flatties being caught in the deeper sloughs of Delaware Bay and state reef sites along Wildwood, Cape May, and the bay. The deeper pieces of structure were holding bigger specimens to 9 pounds, which were hammering Gulp and jigs. Sheepshead and tog continue to crush crabs and sand fleas off the jetties and some of the southern bridges. If you can find areas which are hit less frequently, you may find a treasure trove of sheepshead; some of the sod banks and overhangs, where they can feed on mussels and crabs, are holding excellent numbers of fish. Offshore action has been billfish and some wahoo at the mid to southern canyons, while spots to the north are producing excellent catches of yellowfin.
South Jersey Fishing Forecast
The best bet for the weekend will be to hit the fluke grounds, especially Sunday, and the spots to be are the reef sites. One key is to fish close to structure, and if you don’t find them, move around to different edges or smaller pieces. Anglers working 2- to 6-ounce bucktails with Gulp have the best shots at putting keepers in the box. Bay fluke fishermen should cast net live bait and live-line for keeper fluke. The bays are giving up spot on Fishbites and some of these spot have been small. These baits, when dragged along through inlet waters, tend to produce large fluke to 10 pounds. Offshore action is ridiculously hot—hit the Bacardi and Hudson Canyon for almost guaranteed yellowfin and bigeye. Good luck, be safe, and tight lines!