New Jersey & Delaware Bay - New Jersey & Delaware Bay Surf Fishing Reports

More fluke are moving into the cuts and sloughs daily according to John at Betty and Nicks in Seaside Park as white Jerk Shads on bucktails are working well. Some nice fish pushing 3 pounds have come up. There’s been a plethora of roughtail stingray and southern stingrays along with dogfish and brown sharks in the area as well.

At Charlie’s Bait and Tackle in Normandy Beach Philly Billy stated that the surf has been a bit slow but overall fluke, spot, bluefish and sharks can be caught by tossing out a bait rod with clam or bunker chunks. The bayside docks are ripe with blue claw crab action though.

Greg of Fisherman’s Headquarters in Ship Bottom said there’s been more croaker reports in the surf than the last 5 years combined and that’s good news as they are fine fare in the frying pan. Toss out some Fishbites bloodworms to hook up. Fluke moved in a bit more with some fish pegging the 4.5-pound mark mid-island and at the inlet. Sporadic bluefish activity with 1 to 5 pounders hitting chunk baits. The Barney Inlet rocks are a good spot to dunk squid bits for triggers and sand fleas for a possible sheepshead.

Kyle from Fishermen’s Supply in Point Pleasant said - believe it or not - lots of northern stargazers are stuck in the surf along with tons of short fluke. Sand fleas around the jetties are finding some stripers north of the inlet. Sharks are all over busting lines at night.

Frank of Gabriel Tackle in Brick noted the surf has some fairly steady fluke activity happening on Gulp baits. The Manasquan Inlet has been infiltrated with triggerfish eager to nip at clam or squid bits on size #6 beak hooks. Crabbing has been very effective off the local bayside docks.

At Grumpys Tackle in Seaside Park it’s more of the summer status quo with fluke hitting soft scented baits on bucktails and smallish bluefish on bunker chunks. The bayside docks are good spots to toss Fishbites for croaker and spot, with some kingfish down on the south end past Area 23 on IBSP.

A few more kingfish pushed into the surf according to the folks at Jingles Bait and Tackle in Beach Haven with bloodworms and Fishbites the best baits. Fluke are on the smaller side all over the island with a keeper here and there. Occasional bluefish are rumbling through to hit chunks.

The Townsend Inlet surf beaches have been smokin’ with fluke action according to Cam down in Sea Isle at Boulevard Bait and Tackle. Bucktail and Gulp combos or squid/minnie combos are working to pull on flatfish from 18 inches up to 5 pounds and more. Work the moving tides with a sweep to score with the flatfish. Out front, kingfish, croakers and spot are picking away at baits.

At Fin-Atics in Ocean City John reported kingfish and spot are the main catches mid-island. The North end beach replenishment is screwing all the fishing up that way so stay on the mid island or south. Corson’s Inlet gave up scattered reports of weakfish of 15 to 18 inches on Gulp baits. Sharks and stingrays are plentiful in the suds at night.

Bobby of Hands Too Bait and Tackle in Cape May said croakers and kingfish are best on the oceanside while the Cape May Point jetties are holding more flounder and weakfish with a chance at a sheepshead. Bottom Sweeper jigs tipped with sand fleas will fi

A ton of activity is happening off the T-Jetty according to Noel of One Stop Bait and Tackle in Atlantic City. Bits of Fishbites and sand fleas are claiming triggerfish, kingfish and croakers. Fluke are being plucked on squid and killie combos. Bluefish are hitting topwater poppers in the morning hours where 1- to 5-pounders blitzed the area but the only problem was big brown sharks were chomping the bluefish in half before you could get one to the beach!

Andy of Riptide Bait and Tackle in Brigantine stated the Absecon Inlet jetty is the spot to be to pluck a few keeper fluke on Gulp baits while out front Fishbites are finding some kingfish, croakers, spot and even a few errant black drum still milling about. Sharks and rays are on the night shift.