Southern New Jersey Fishing Report
It’s the time of the season for offshore anglers, with yellowfin and bluefin both being landed off parts of southern New Jersey. Quite a few respectable bluefin have been caught 10 to 15 miles off Seaside Park, while yellowfin are hammering trolled and chunked setups in the Toms and Lindy canyons. Ocean fluke fishing has been steady, with plenty of shorts being caught, but keepers remain more of a chore to box. Large Gulp baits or whole squid are producing better numbers of keeper fluke. The surf is alive with croakers, some kingfish, and small bluefish during the daytime hours, while nighttime has been producing a few sand tiger sharks, brown sharks, and the occasional bull shark. Bayside anglers are finding plenty of short fluke, small croakers, and a few weakfish.
Here is this week’s rundown:
Hook House Bait & Tackle in Toms River reported excellent crabbing around Seaside Park and the Route 37 bridge. There are also a few small bluefish and striped bass around the bridges during the night tides, especially on the incoming.
Creekside Outfitters in Waretown said it’s been tuna time from the Seaside area south to the Barnegat Ridge. The bites are there, but you have to find them by watching for subtle bird activity or marking fish on the machine. Ocean fluke fishing has been a tad tough, with some nicer fish coming from the Axel Carlson Reef and the Seaside Pipe. Bay fluke fishing was challenging this past week due to the heavy winds, but the inlet has started giving up some nicer fish.
Reel Reaction Sportfishing out of Waretown has been extremely busy running double trips, with bay charters producing consistent action. Most bay trips are seeing 35 to 50 released fluke, while keepers in the cooler range from one to five fish. A recent ocean charter produced 16 ling and seven keeper fluke up to 7 pounds on several different pieces of structure.
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The Super Chic out of Barnegat Light has been pulling double duty with inshore fluke trips and offshore tilefish trips during favorable weather windows. The deep-drop tilefish bite has been excellent. Capt. Ted said the bite is hot, and their inshore fluke trips are producing some keepers, a fair number of shorts, some ling, and a few sea bass. The boat has some open tilefish dates next week, so give them a call to reserve your spot.
Tackle Direct in Egg Harbor Township said the offshore yellowfin bite has been extremely good, with most vessels boxing their limit. Areas from the Toms Canyon south have been producing best, while some of the eastern canyon edges are giving up bigeyes. Spreader bars, ballyhoo, and chunk baits are all working. Great Bay fluke fishing was steady over the past week, aside from the severe storms and winds that churned up the bay. There are plenty of fluke, croakers, and a mix of weakfish around to keep anglers busy. Along the oceanfront, anglers are catching fluke and some small bluefish in the surf, while the inshore reef sites are producing better numbers of keeper fluke on Gulp baits.
Tight Lines Bait & Tackle in Somers Point said the word around the bay has been fluke to 4-pounds-plus and some very nice sheepshead being caught around the back-bay bridges. The surf has a variety of summertime gamefish during the day, while the night bite has been sharky. Offshore, the reef sites are producing plenty of action—you just have to sort through the short fluke. Bay crabbing has been off the hook, with the best catches coming in and around the marshier areas.
Waterfront Marine in Somers Point reported good flounder action in parts of the bay on Gulp and minnow combinations. There are nice schools of peanut bunker around, which make excellent fluke baits. Bay bridges and marshes near deep mussel beds have been producing good numbers of sheepshead. The reef sites from Ocean City to Wildwood have been giving up larger fluke to 8 pounds.
Captain Brian Williams of Badfish Charters in Ocean City reported a good bay flounder bite throughout most of the area, with some spots producing quality keeper fluke. The skipper said the action has been excellent, with plenty of short fluke mixed with keepers on light-tackle setups. The ocean bite has been a bit better for keeper fluke on the reefs.
Captain Joe Hughes of Jersey Cape Guide Service in Sea Isle City said the warmer water has kicked the shark fishing into high gear, with plenty of spinner and dusky sharks around. The crew has been catching them with both bait and fly gear. Flounder fishing has been much more consistent over the ocean reef sites than in the bay.
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The Cape May and Fortescue areas had another solid week of offshore reports from the canyons, with yellowfin, mahi, and even a few billfish caught on the troll. The lumps and humps closer to home are producing bluefin on the troll, with even better action coming on jigs and poppers. Flounder anglers fishing the reef sites from Wildwood to Reef Site #11 are bringing in some nice fish to 9 pounds. The Cape May surf is producing a good number of croakers, spot, and kingfish. Although the recent heavy winds and storms have churned up the water, the mainland creeks are giving up good numbers of white perch.
South Jersey Fishing Forecast
The best bet this weekend will be to fish the jetties along the beaches and inlets, where some quality doormat fluke have been hooked and speared over the past week. A small bucktail tipped with Gulp and a Gulp teaser remains the rig of choice, and it can be worked effectively through an area with repeated casts. The forecast calls for light northeast winds, which should help warm the water and improve fishing over the wrecks and reef sites. Anglers heading offshore should have excellent opportunities for yellowfin in the canyons. If you don’t have a boat capable of making the run, check with the local head boats, as several are sailing tuna trips. With the approaching moon, crabbing has been off the charts, making it a great way to spend a few hours at a local pier, marsh, or dock.
Good luck, be safe, and tight lines!