New Jersey & Delaware Bay - Central New Jersey Fishing Reports

Capt. Joe said the Jamaica II has been working hard to find productive fluke grounds. Short life has been plentiful across the area, with a few keepers mixed in here and there. Some days have produced better than others, but the fluke bite continues to offer anglers a shot at quality fish. A few sea bass are also still joining the catch, adding some extra variety to the action.

Tucker at the Reel Seat said fluke fishing has been productive on the inshore wrecks, with anglers finding plenty of action. Blackfish are also biting well around the inlet and along the jetties. From the beach, anglers are getting into bonito and false albacore, providing some fast-paced action close to shore. There have also been plenty of cownose rays cruising the area. Striper fishing in the Point Pleasant Canal has been good, while inshore pots are holding a surprising number of mahi. Adding to the mix, some impressive sea bass have been caught lately, giving anglers another exciting target to pursue.

Christian at Fishermen’s Supply said fluke are showing up around the inlet and along the surf, with anglers finding success on Gulp and Q8 baits. Tuna, however, have been MIA lately. Along the beaches, the early-morning bite has been lively, with a good showing of bluefish, bonito, and false albacore. The fish have been keying in on resin jigs and presentations imitating spearing, giving surfcasters plenty of opportunity to get in on the fast-paced action during the morning hours.

Capt. Bob on the Gambler said they’ve switched over to their 3/4-day fluke schedule, running through Saturday, September 19. The fluke fishing has been a little picky, but the keepers coming over the rails have been quality September fish. There are still plenty of shorts around, along with some nice sea bass mixed into the catch. Garrett kicked off September’s Monthly Pool with a beautiful 7.9-pound flattie! Night fishing this past week produced some impressive catches of bluefish and ling. In fact, many of the ling were getting chased by bluefish on the way up, making for some pretty exciting trips!

Capt. Alan of Mushin Sportfishing said Capt. George and Mate Jon had Joel E. and friends out for a fun and productive day chasing speedsters. Bonito, false albacore, and bluefin tuna topped the list, with a few additional species rounding out the day. The crew kept only what they planned to cook, making the most of a fantastic fall fishery that is just getting started! They also had Tom C. and friends aboard for an Inshore Exotics trip, and the variety certainly didn’t disappoint. While the ratio wasn’t always ideal, with more bluefish than hardtails, the crew still found a great mix of false albacore, bonito, and blues. Fluke, sea bass, porgies, and even a starfish added even more variety to the catch. With so many species showing up inshore, this fall fishery is shaping up to be one worth watching.

Capt. Tom said the Norma K III has been steadily picking away at fluke, with plenty of life around and keepers showing up here and there. There are also plenty of sea bass in the mix, providing anglers with plenty of additional action. At night, the crew has been doing well over the bluefish grounds, with both bait and jigs producing fish. The nighttime bluefish bite has been providing some spirited action for anglers looking to bend a rod after dark.

Frank at Gabriel Tackle said fluke fishing remains good, although anglers still have to weed through plenty of shorts to find the keepers. There have been reports that the Axel is starting to produce more keepers, while anglers heading north out of the inlet toward the Sandy Hook area are also finding a better class of fish. The same short-to-keeper ratio is being seen in the Manasquan River, inlet, and Barnegat Bay. As always, bigger baits are producing bigger fish. Local wrecks and reefs are producing bluefish, mahi, and bonito, while surf anglers are finding bonito and fluke, with the occasional striper mixed in. The Point Pleasant Canal continues to hold plenty of stripers and blues at night. For stripers, live eels or spots are the ticket, although anglers need to get their baits down past the bluefish to reach them. Offshore, reports are coming in of quality mahi and marlin around the Mud Hole, bluefin near the Seaside Lumps and shipping lanes, and yellowfin being taken on chunks. Back inshore, crabbing has been good around local docks and bridges, while clamming along the banks has also been very productive.

Rich at Jersey Hooker Outfitters aid bluefish and striped bass are active in the canal, while fluke continue to be caught throughout the river and bay. Blowfish are also beginning to show in better numbers, giving anglers another option to target. Crabbing, however, has started to slow down.

Philly Billy at Charlie’s Bait & Tackle said he’s heard reports of kingfish showing up around Normandy Beach, both in the bay and ocean. A few weakfish are also being caught in the bay, with Fishbites producing some action. Overall, fishing has been a bit slow, but there are still a few opportunities for anglers willing to put in the time. Crabs seem to be getting smaller, while clamming has remained productive and continues to provide some good action.

The crew at The Dock Outfitters in Seaside Heights said anglers are picking up some small fluke right off the dock, along with plenty of snappers. There are still good numbers of spot and croakers around, providing plenty of bait and action for anglers fishing the area. Crabbing has slowed down, but the crabs that are being caught have been a decent size.

Scott at Grumpys Bait & Tackle said some quality fluke are still being reeled in from the surf. Dom landed a nice 3.6-pounder, while Tony put another impressive 4.25-pound fluke on the sand. The surf has also been producing some fantastic action with bonito readily hitting small jigs. It’s been great fun in the suds, especially on light tackle, with these hard-fighting speedsters putting plenty of bend in the rod.

Scott at Yakitty Yaks Kayaks said anglers are finding false albacore moving closer to the beach, while fluke continue to provide steady action. Bluefish, Spanish mackerel, and bonito are all hitting epoxy jigs, giving anglers plenty of opportunities for fast-paced light-tackle action. In the back rivers, resident striped bass are still being caught, while nighttime fluke fishing is also producing for those willing to venture out after dark.

Bob at Better Bait and Ice said anglers are finding some big crabs around Guilford Park, in the Toms River, and near the power plant. The power plant is also producing blowfish. Fluke are being caught around the Point Pleasant Bridge and near the BB & BI Buoy, while bluefish are spread throughout the Toms River. Moving south toward Barnegat, anglers fishing outside Point Pleasant are finding some big bluefish along with a few fluke. The fluke bite continues to produce near Barnegat, while bluefish are also being caught from Ortley Beach to Lavallette. There’s plenty of action scattered throughout the area, with anglers finding fish both inshore and along the beachfront.

The crew at Hook House Bait & Tackle said the shark action has been phenomenal, while bonito are seemingly everywhere. Big bluefish are also providing plenty of excitement, and the fluke bite continues to improve with each passing day. Anglers are finding plenty of big crabs, while spot and croaker remain active in the bay. Offshore, the Axel is holding a lot of mahi, although most have been on the smaller side. With everything from sharks and big blues to bonito, fluke, and mahi in the mix, there’s no shortage of options for anglers right now.

Capt. Joe Rizzo of Barnegat Bay Fishing Charters said fishing remains good, with fluke still being caught throughout the bay. He’s also heard a report of an angler catching as many as 100 blowfish, including 35 keepers, although he couldn’t confirm the accuracy of the report. If true, that would be an impressive showing of blowfish for the area.

Tom at Creekside Outfitters said Capt. Benson and the crew loaded up on mahi, with the fish falling for Creekside’s full squid and whole sardine offerings. Dave Bye also had an impressive day on the fluke grounds, landing two quality flatties weighing 5.45 and 5.35 pounds. Both fish were true standouts, making for an excellent showing of big September fluke.

Vince at Bobbie's Boats said the fluke fishing has really improved, with anglers doing well and finding plenty of quality keepers. A lot of big fluke are being caught just outside the inlet and throughout the bay. Crabbing has also remained consistent, giving anglers another productive option inshore.

Capt. Sam Rescigno of the Mary M IV said fishing was good throughout the week. Fluke have been on the smaller side, but anglers are still finding some keepers, with a few sea bass mixed in. One recent trip produced a full boat limit of bluefish up to 3 pounds, providing plenty of action for the crew. They’re hoping the blues stick around and put on some more size as the season progresses.

Capt. Lenny of Miss Barnegat Light said the fluke and sea bass fishing has been good, although the action has slowed a bit on recent trips. The bite is still producing, with Gulp grubs in Glow, Pink Shine, and Sardine, if you can find them, getting the job done when tipped with squid or fresh sea robin strips. Anglers have been finding plenty of life, but they’ve had to weed through the shorts to reach the keepers. A few sea bass have also been joining the catch, adding some extra action to the mix.

The crew at Fisherman’s Headquarters said James Nacion scored an impressive 9-pound fluke recently, with a mullet presentation doing the trick. Inshore, anglers are also starting to see some false albacore, bonito, and Spanish mackerel showing up, adding some fast-paced action to the mix. Offshore, there have been a few reports of yellowfin tuna in the canyons, along with scattered bluefin, although the bluefin numbers have been limited.

Steve at Jingles Bait and Tackle in Beach Haven said the fluke fishing remains very active, although anglers are still sorting through plenty of shorts. Keepers are being caught, but not in the numbers anglers would like to see. The good news is that some larger fluke are starting to show. Most of the quality keepers have been coming from the ocean, although the crew at Lindy’s continues to hear of a few big fish being caught in the backwaters. In the surf, Jon has been catching three to seven short fluke each morning, finally connecting with an 18-inch keeper last Saturday. Kingfish are also showing along the beach, and reports of some larger bluefish are beginning to trickle in, adding even more promise to the surf bite.

Fred at Surf City Bait and Tackle announced that Matthew was the winner of the kids’ SCBT Crab Contest. Reflecting on the event, he said, “We’ve loved watching all of the kids bring in their catches, share their excitement, and make this contest such a fun part of summer.” On the fishing front, fluke continue to be caught from the surf, in the bay, and around the jetties. Bluefish are also beginning to show up, adding some extra excitement to the inshore action.