Northern New Jersey Fishing Report
Bigger fluke, bonito, bluefish, and loads of mahi-mahi captured the headlines this past week.
Ocean boats reported larger fluke caught this week, with the title going to a 13.5-pound doormat landed on the Big Mohawk out of Belmar.
Schools of bonito have been popping up off the beaches from Sandy Hook down to Island Beach State Park all week. You have to be quick, as they’re gone just as quickly as they appear.
And while the tuna fishing has been a bit inconsistent, offshore anglers are finding plenty of nice-sized mahi-mahi just about everywhere they go.
There are also stripers in the rivers, spot, croakers, and snappers in the bays, and fluke off the beach.
Rick Hebert at Tackle World in Paramus said ocean fluking has been good all over, with the better reports coming from south of the Shark River Inlet. Tuna fishing has been spotty, he added, but folks are still trying and finding a few bluefin. Largemouth fishing has picked up as cooler water has got the fish on the move.
Capt. Phil Sciortino at the Tackle Box in Hazlet said bluefish were running off the Sandy Hook beaches on Monday. Folks tossing metal and epoxy jigs were hooking the fish. Small fluke, spot, and croakers remain in Raritan Bay and the rivers. Stripers are starting to bite in the rivers as well as the nights turn cooler, he added.
Capt. Harry Browne of Muscles Magoo Charters out of Atlantic Highlands said he found more keeper fluke in the ocean over the weekend, but there are still lots of shorts around and plenty of big dogfish. He personally boated a 21½-inch fluke last Sunday. Capt. Browne said he has a few openings on his schedule, and can be contacted through his website.
Joe Julian Jr. at Julian’s Bait and Tackle in Atlantic Highlands said there are loads of bluefish in the Sandy Hook surf. In addition to metal lures, anglers are having success fishing with bunker chunks. There are a lot of fluke around, he said, but unfortunately, most of them are shorts. Julian also mentioned stripers biting in the Shrewsbury and Navesink rivers on plugs and soft plastics.
Mike Pinto at Giglio’s Bait and Tackle in Sea Bright said loads of bonito invaded the beach right behind the shop at first light on Tuesday. Epoxy lures and 007 Avas were doing the trick. There have been a few reports of albies on the boats but nothing in the surf so far. Pinto said the shop now carries the Albie Daddy epoxy from UVT in 1- and 2-ounce sizes. With all the bait around, he’s expecting a good showing of false albacore this year.
Mike Gleason at Tak Waterman in Long Branch said the bonito have been a constant presence along the beaches. A lifeguard in Asbury Park told him schools of bonito appeared non-stop over the weekend. Fluking is okay in the surf, he said, just not a lot of keepers. The boats are finding the bigger fish. Gleason said there is a lot of bait around the jetties, including spot and snappers, and he expects bigger fish will be moving in before too long. Bluefin fishing has been up and down, with a lot of smaller fish around. Albies have been mixed in with the tuna. Yellowfin have been hit or miss as well. The mahi fishing, on the other hand, has been very good. They’re being caught in mid-shore and offshore waters. Gleason said his final delivery of Scabelly Lures for the season will be coming next week with all the fall run favorites.
Bonito have taken up residence along the beaches from Asbury Park through Bradley Beach. They’ve been breaking close to shore all day, every day this week. It’s been a daily game of whack-a-mole as I chase them up and down the beach. There’s a ridiculous amount of bait in the wash, and that seems to have made for a better fluke bite. There’s been plenty of action with shorts and even a couple of keepers.
Johnny O. at Fisherman’s Den in Belmar said bluefishing has been good for the boats out of the marina. There are also Spanish mackerel at the inlet and bonito along the beaches. The fluke boats are also doing better with keepers. In addition to the 13½ pounder caught by Mike Speck on Monday aboard the Big Mohawk, an 8-pounder came over the rail the day before. The Mohawk also reported a good amount of limit catches this week.
Capt. Rich Falcone on the Golden Eagle out of Belmar reported a mixed bag of bluefishing this week, with Monday’s trip the standout. Blues between 10 and 15 pounds came over the rail, with Ava 47s with tails doing the trick. The Golden Eagle sails twice a day for bluefish. Check the website for details.
Capt. Steve Spinelli on the Skylarker out of Belmar said the fishing has been getting better, with good catches of bluefish, bonito and fluke in the last week. There have also been a few Spanish mackerel in the mix.
Stanley Gola at the Reel Seat in Brielle said the ocean fluking is very good, with a lot of big fish on the reefs and wrecks. For those looking to catch their one blackfish, there are plenty of tog on those same reefs and wrecks, and in the Point Pleasant Canal. Tuna fishing has been spotty, he said, but there are loads of mahi around. He said the same thing about cobia.
Kyle Tangen at Fishermen’s Supply in Point Pleasant Beach said the Manasquan River is chock full of bait, including peanut bunker and spearing. Fluking remains good, and there are stripers at night hitting plugs, plastics and live bait. Folks are getting bonito and a few Spanish mackerel off the beaches and at the Sea Girt and Axel Carlson reefs. Bigger fluke are biting in those same places. Mahi fishing has been very good at the Chicken Canyon and Mud Hole, with fish up to 15 pounds. He, too, said tuna fishing has been a bit of struggle, but said there were good reports on wahoo. The Chicken Canyon and Texas Tower were mentioned as productive areas. Tangen said a buddy of his hooked a 101-pound wahoo after tossing a Ron-Z lure into a school of breaking skipjacks.
Brian Flanagan at Captain Bill’s Landing in Point Pleasant Beach said he had a good morning on Wednesday just before we spoke. He pulled a 24½-inch fluke from the Manasquan River while fishing from the dock at Captain Bill’s. The river and inlet are thick with a mix of bait, he said. Blues and bonito are in and out of the inlet, and blackfish and triggerfish are in there as well. Fluking is okay on the Axel Carlson, but there are still a lot of shorts. Bonito and Spanish mackerel are also popping up around the reef. Tilefishing in the Hudson Canyon remains excellent, as is the mahi bite with fish up to 15 pounds. There were also good reports on mahi from Monster Ledge. Flanagan added that albies were reported at the Seaside Lump and Manasquan Ridge.
Capt. Tom Wolfe on the Norma K III out of Point Pleasant Beach said the fluke bite is improving, with way more keepers reported. The biggest fish of the week was a 9.3-pound fluke caught on Wednesday. The better fishing has been on the Axel Carlson Reef, he added, and there has been an increase in limit catches. Last weekend’s night bluefish trips were very successful, Wolfe said, with fish up to 10 pounds coming over the rail. Jigs and bait were both working.
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Capt. Kenny Namowitz on the Mimi VI out of Point Pleasant Beach reported that the recent fluking has been the best of the season. There have been lots of fish to catch and plenty to keep. Tuesday’s offshore trip came up empty as far as tuna were concerned, but the Mimi VI did get a boat limit of mahi-mahi.
Frank Giacalone at Gabriel Tackle Co. in Brick reported that fluke fishing on the local wrecks and reefs offers plenty of fluke, but you still have to weed lots of shorts. Blues, mahi, and bonito are being landed on those same wrecks and reefs, he added.
Pete Kupper at Charlie’s Bait and Tackle in Normandy Beach said there are lots of bonito popping up off the beach. Barnegat Bay is giving up fluke, bluefish, and schoolie stripers behind Island Beach State Park, he said, and the bay is still filled with spot and snappers. The Point Pleasant Canal has bass as well, hitting plugs close to the wall.
Frankie Z. at Grumpy’s Tackle in Seaside Park said more keeper fluke are showing up in the surf among the many shorts. There are also bonito and bluefish right off the beach hitting epoxy lures and Deadly Dicks. Blowfishing is picking up in Barnegat Bay, he said, with heavy chumming the key to success.
Best Bets for the Weekend
Small bonito seem to be everywhere right now, along the beaches from Sandy Hook down to Island Beach State Park. Epoxy lures and small metals tied directly to the leader will work for them. Go with a fast retrieve.
There are also blues and Spanish mackerel off the surf.
Fluking in the ocean has also improved, with more keepers reported, especially south of the Shark River Inlet. Fluke season closes on Sept.25