New Jersey & Delaware Bay - Central New Jersey Fishing Reports

Capt. Joe said the Jamaica II has been finding plenty of life on the fluke grounds. The bite has been producing more shorts than keepers, but there are still some quality fish mixed in, with fluke reaching up to 6 pounds. A few anglers have even managed to put together limit catches, making for a productive day on the grounds.

The crew at the Reel Seat said fluke fishing remains steady, with plenty of shorts keeping anglers busy and some quality fish pushing into the 4- to 5-pound range. The river and nearby reefs, including Sea Girt and Axel, have been producing, with Gulp and live bait such as killies both getting the job done. Tog fishing is also holding strong. Striped bass are still prowling the area, with anglers finding them at night while working the incoming tide. Meanwhile, the inlet continues to see plenty of action, with bluefish and Spanish mackerel moving in and out and providing additional opportunities for anglers looking to bend a rod.

Christian at Fishermen’s Supply said bonito and false albacore are providing exciting action in the early mornings. Bluefish have been especially active, with excellent numbers keeping rods bent. Fluke anglers are finding success with Gulp and Q8 products, which have been among the most productive offerings lately. Blackfish action around the canal and inlet is also solid and improving by the day. Green crabs and sand fleas remain the baits of choice for anglers targeting tog.

Capt. Bob on the Gambler said fluke fishing is still going strong! This week continued to produce consistent action, with rods bending throughout the day on plenty of short fluke, sea bass, and some quality keepers. Quite a few limits have come over the rails, while many anglers are heading home with one or two keepers in the cooler. The summer season may be winding down, but the fluke bite remains hot! Night Wreckin’ trips also produced some quality catches this week, with nicer ling moving onto the grounds and filling coolers. The high hooks have been putting together impressive catches, with 30-plus ling landed on the best trips. Sea bass are still showing up at night, while the bluefish have been a little finicky. The crew continues to put plenty of chum in the water in hopes of getting the blues fired up and chewing.

Capt. Tom said the Norma K III is still finding plenty of life on the fluke grounds, with some sea bass mixed into the catch. Their night trips have also produced some great bluefish action, keeping anglers busy after the sun goes down. Of course, not every day has been in their favor, as challenging conditions have occasionally kept the fish tight-lipped and suffering from a serious case of lockjaw.

Capt. John Zema at Yankee Rose Fishing said a trip to the reef this week produced an excellent fluke bite, with the crew scoring big on quality fish. They’ve also been picking away at a solid mahi bite, adding some colorful and hard-fighting action to the mix.

Frank at Gabriel Tackle said fluke fishing on the local wrecks and reefs is showing signs of improvement, with the Axel starting to produce more keepers. Anglers heading north out of the inlet toward the Sandy Hook area are also finding better numbers of keeper-sized fluke. Local wrecks and reefs are producing a mixed bag as well, with blues, mahi, and bonito all being landed. In the surf, anglers are finding some bonito and fluke, but not much else is happening at the moment. The Point Pleasant Canal continues to produce fluke around the mouth on both sides, while plenty of stripers and blues are still prowling the area at night. For those targeting stripers, live eels remain the ticket. Fluke fishing in the Manasquan River, inlet, and Barnegat Bay remains consistent, with plenty of fish being landed but anglers having to weed through the shorts to find a keeper. Offshore, reports are coming in of nice-sized mahi and marlin at the Monster Ledge, along with bluefin tuna around the Seaside Lumps and shipping lanes. Back inshore, crabbing has been good around local docks and bridges, while clammers are finding productive banks and plenty of action.

Rich at Jersey Hooker Outfitters said the inshore fluke bite has been a mixed bag, with some anglers struggling through mostly shorts while others are putting together impressive catches of keepers. The Axel through the Garden State North Reef has been fishing well, with productive water ranging from 30 to 50 feet from Sandy Hook down to Barnegat Light also holding bluefish and bonito. The river continues to produce fluke, while crabbing in the creeks has slowed as the crabs appear to have moved out into the bay. Anglers are still finding plenty of them in the bay, however. Blowfish are also showing up around the mouth of the canal on the Barnegat Bay side, giving anglers another option for some fast-paced action.

Philly Billy at Charlie’s Bait & Tackle said the surf is loaded with short fluke, keeping anglers busy even if most are being released. In the bay, anglers are finding a mix of spot, croaker, and small fluke, with a few snappers joining the action. There are also some keeper-sized crabs hanging around, giving anglers another worthwhile target.

The crew at The Dock Outfitters in Seaside Heights said anglers are finding decent-sized crabs early in the morning right off their dock, along with plenty of spot and croaker. Small fluke are also hanging around, although most have been too small to keep.

Scott at Grumpys Bait & Tackle said kingfish and croaker are showing in the surf, making it a good time to transition the Fishbites from the bay to the ocean. Anglers are also finding bonito in the surf while casting resin jigs. Fluke fishing from the beach has been especially hot, with some anglers saying the bite right now may be the best of the season.

Scott at Yakitty Yaks Kayaks said the fluke bite has picked up, with anglers finding fluke at the wrecks while working the back bay for spot and croaker. Bonito have also been showing along the surf, although most have been on the smaller side, with some bluefish mixed in. Croaker are also being caught from the surf, adding another option for anglers fishing close to shore.

Beck at Hook House Bait & Tackle said anglers are finding fluke from the beach, while snappers are providing steady action in the bay. Ocean anglers are also getting into fluke around the reefs, with some bonito making an appearance and adding another exciting option to the mix.

Capt. Joe Rizzo of Barnegat Bay Fishing Charters said it was another good week on the water, with nice weakfish being caught daily and a few keeper fluke making their way into the cooler. Croaker are also abundant, with anglers able to catch as many as they want. The fluke seem to be keying in on minnows, while nearly everything else has been favoring squid. A few sharks have also started showing up, adding an extra dose of excitement to the action.

Tom at Creekside Outfitters said bonito, mackerel, and bluefish are all moving through, with the inshore speedsters providing plenty of exciting action. These hard-fighting species are especially popular this time of year, whether anglers are targeting them from the boat or casting from the beach. Tom recommends gearing up with a light-action rod and reel combo and tossing a selection of proven baits and lures for some fast-paced inshore fun.

Vince at Bobbie's Boats said the fluke bite has improved considerably, with more keeper-sized fish making it into anglers’ coolers. Tog season is also beginning to kick into gear, with green crabs producing well for anglers targeting blackfish. Crabbing has picked up, too, giving anglers another productive option close to home.

Capt. Sam Rescigno of the Mary M IV said fluke and sea bass have been providing great action, with plenty of fish keeping anglers busy. Most of the fluke have been on the short side, but the crew has been working hard to find keepers and has put some quality fish on deck, including fluke up to 6 pounds. Gulp and cut bait have been the most productive offerings lately.

Capt. Lenny of Miss Barnegat Light said every day has been producing good fishing, with sea bass, croakers, and bluefish mixing into the action. There are plenty of shorts keeping rods bent, along with a good number of keeper-sized fish making their way into the coolers. The bite has been steadily improving, with conditions seemingly getting better and the fishing getting stronger by the day.

Greg at Fisherman’s Headquarters said he’s hearing good reports of yellowfin tuna, mahi, and tilefish offshore out of Barnegat Light. With September and October typically offering some of the year’s best tuna fishing, offshore anglers have plenty to look forward to as the season shifts into fall. On the beach, bonito are being reported from the mid-island down to the south end, giving surfcasters a shot at some fast-moving action close to shore.

Steve at Jingles Bait and Tackle in Beach Haven said there is still a month left in the fluke season, and anglers are starting to see some bigger fish mixed in with the usual shorts. Keeper fluke are being caught as well, including a nice 3.2-pound, 20.25-inch fish brought in by Mark Bartlett early in the week. The reefs remain the best bet for targeting quality fluke, although a nice-sized fish was recently caught back in the bay, proving there are still some surprises lurking inshore. The surf has also been producing plenty of fluke action, though most have been undersized. More kingfish are starting to show, while anglers are also reporting cocktail-sized bluefish, adding some extra excitement to the beach bite.

Fred at Surf City Bait and Tackle said Spanish mackerel have arrived and are hitting Deadly Dicks, giving surfcasters an exciting new target. Fluke are also continuing to bend rods from the beach, with Gulp proving to be the most productive offering.