Southern New Jersey Fishing Report
We are officially in summer mode, with most New Jersey high schools graduating or having graduated over the past week. Shore towns will be abuzz over the next two months, and so will our waters as anglers hit the salt in search of a variety of gamefish options.
The fluke (flounder) scene has been hit or miss depending on your fishing location. Somers Point to Cape May continues to yield the most fluke, with fish up to 8 pounds. Anglers are cashing in on keepers from the bays to the inshore reefs, as well as picking up some nice keeper sea bass outside. Further north, it’s a completely different story, with few fish in the bays (Barnegat/Great Bay), but the positive sign is the inklings of an ocean bite, as there were some encouraging reports toward the end of the week.
The surf is providing some bluefish and fluke, with the occasional striped bass. The nighttime surf scene has been sharked out with sand tigers, browns, and occasionally, duskys. The 50- to 60-mile range has bluefin being caught along with a few yellowfin. Poppers, such as the Madd Mantis Cherry Popper, and jigs are the top choices for the bluefin.
Here is this week’s rundown:
Hook House Bait & Tackle in Toms River reported a mostly short bite at the D Bridge, as well as in Barnegat Bay, for fluke. Keepers have been a rare sight in the bays, but there have been some nice fish caught off the surf. There are still a few striped bass being caught off Island Beach State Park, along with some fluke and bluefish.
Creekside Outfitters in Waretown said they have been selling Gulp, minnows, squid, and spearing to anglers looking to bend a line. Unfortunately, the shop said the fluke bite in the bay continues to be very slow, but it seems the ocean stops have a few fish around. Offshore, there has been word of some big bluefin around, which can be caught on poppers and jigs.
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Reel Reaction Sportfishing out of Waretown had a tough week on charters, as the bite has been experiencing high throwback-to-keeper ratios. Most trips are seeing between 20 and 30 fluke in a given 4-hour window, with fresh bait working the best. The skipper had a bunch of 4-hour charters this week, but the most notable trip boxed a 30.5-inch fluke that weighed more than 10.2 pounds in 7 feet of water.
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The Super Chic out of Barnegat Light said the ocean sea bass fishing finally began to improve, but just a tad too late, with the seasonal regulations going to one fish per person. The vessel will be running fluke and sea bass charters, and the ocean bite is starting. The crew will also be running overnight tilefish charters in the coming weeks, so book ahead.
Tackle Direct in Egg Harbor Township reported a slower pick in Great Bay, with anglers finding a few keeper fluke and some shorts. The bite seems to get much better the farther south you move. The better news of the week has been the ocean fluke bite picking up at the reef sites, along with some nice sea bass. Offshore action has been solid on tuna, with soft plastic jigs and poppers doing the best. Most tuna runs are in the 50- to 60-mile range for solid bluefin action, while yellowfin are farther out.
Tight Lines Bait & Tackle in Somers Point said the fluke bite is off the charts, with a good number of keepers in the mix. The backwaters are producing on Gulp, live minnows, and fish strips. Anglers hitting the reef sites are starting to pick a few keepers off the wrecks. Sheepshead and some nice throwback tautog are being caught along some of the bridges and rock piles.
Waterfront Marine in Somers Point said the end of the incoming tide continues to be the best time to find keeper fluke, but there has been plenty of action in the area. Bridges are producing some beautiful sheepshead over the past week. The ocean bite was decent at the reef sites, with a mix of shorts, keepers, and some sea bass being caught.
Captain Brian Williams of Badfish Charters in Ocean City said the flounder action has been steadily picking up on the jig and the fly. There has been a good mix of throwbacks and keepers around to keep clients busy. Striped bass are still in the mix and are being caught on slowly worked glide baits. With the warmer water, rays have begun to show in the area.
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Captain Joe Hughes of Jersey Cape Guide Service in Sea Isle City reported bay fluking has been solid, with high numbers of throwbacks and a few keepers mixed in. Anglers are having a blast in the backwaters, but the skipper is also looking forward to the July ocean shark fishing, so give him a ring.
The Cape May and Fortescue areas continue to produce excellent action on fluke, with keepers being caught up to 7 pounds. There has been a mixed bag of croakers, bluefish, and fluke along parts of the bay. Minnows have been the best bet for fluke, according to most shops in the area. The reef sites are beginning to produce some nice flatties, with some boats able to catch five to seven keepers on their trips. The area has plenty of action for the little ones, with spot and croakers around to keep things interesting. The surf has been a tad slower, with a mix of croakers, flounder, bluefish, and the occasional weakfish.
South Jersey Fishing Forecast
The best bet for the weekend will be to hit the southern part of the state if you’re in search of keeper flounder. The bite from Ocean City to Cape May continues to be solid, with a decent number of keepers around, as well as some beautifully sized sheepshead along bayside structures. Fiddler crabs, sand fleas, and mud crabs are working for these fish, but you have to get through the feisty tog. If you have access to a vessel, it may be worth heading into the ocean, as it seems the reef/wreck bite for fluke has begun.
Surf fishermen have decent shots at a variety of fish including fluke and bluefish, and if you don’t mind working the night shift, there are some nice “toothy” critters around. Crabbing seems to be very good for most of southern New Jersey, so grab some bunker and a few hand lines to box a few jimmies. Good luck, be safe, and tight lines!