New Jersey & Delaware Bay - Southern New Jersey Fishing Reports

Customers at Dockside Cafe and Marina tell us that the flounder action in the bay and in the creeks really ticked up a notch this week. Anglers reported up to two dozen flounder per trip with a couple of those being keeper size. The spearing/squid combo seemed to account for a good majority of the catch. Anglers also found a few small bluefish along with countless cownose rays, stakes and sharks.

Mike at Tuckerton Bait and Tackle tells us that the flounder fishing is getting better as the water temps in Great Bay rise. With readings nearing 70 degrees at low tide at Little Sheepshead Creek, the flounder have gotten very aggressive and are hitting just about anything that is drifted slowly in the right direction. Minnows, spearing, Gulp and squid strips all have accounted for tons of shorts this week plus a fair share of keeper fish. Anglers report that the fish are all healthy and “thick” with bellies bulging with minnows, crabs and grass shrimp. Black drum action slowed down in the bay, but a fish nearing 60 pounds was caught this week along the inlet by an angler fishing for flounder. With the warmer water the crabbing increased exponentially this week with customers finding crabs in all the creeks.

There was a nice variety of fish to keep anglers busy this week according to Justin with Allen’s Dock. Stripers, blues, flounder, croakers, and even a black drum graced the cleaning station at the Dock this week. Flounder were the biggest draw, as usual, with anglers finding fish to 23 inches on live minnows and Gulp. Blues to 5 pounds also found the Gulp baits irresistible. Shedder crab did the trick for croakers and drumfish this week, while the stripers were caught on live eels.

The striper bite in the lower half of the Mullica River was “pretty good” this week according to Wally with Jersey Devil Marina. Most anglers are drifting live eels while other are trolling up fish using diving plugs. The fish have been a mix of shorts under 20 inches, to fish just over 30- inches. The upper half of the river is seeing the white perch slowly disperse, but good catches can still be put together in the deeper pockets and holes. Bloodworms or grass shrimp have been the best bait, but with the fish being super aggressive, an ultralight jig and tiny grub has also been working.

Reports out of Chestnut Neck Boat Yard tell us that most anglers are focused on flounder in the bay, but some are still finding stripers in the river. Flounder are being caught from the Fish Factory on out to the inlet on the outgoing tide. Live minnows or spearing have been the best producers for anglers looking for quantity over quality. For keeper size and better fish, anglers are adding a long thin strip bait to their minnow or spearing offering. Customers tell us that this has made a huge difference in the number of keepers that they are catching. In the river, stripers from bonus tag size to slot limit size and overs were being caught this week, mostly on live eels. Early morning and late evening have been best.

More quality flounder were caught this week in the back creeks according to Capt. Dave at Absecon Bay Sportsman Center. More keepers and more fish in the 20- to 24-inch size range were reported by boaters fishing the outgoing tides with minnows and spearing. The 6-inch size Gulp fished on a leadhead also accounted for a good number of keepers and the largest this week was a beautiful 6-pounder. Live spot have also been responsible for some of the larger flounder recently, and has also been scoring anglers stripers to 30 inches.

Squid and minnow combos have been slaying the back bay flounder according to Capt. Andy with Riptide Bait and Tackle. Anglers were treated to a nice uptick in the keeper ratio with some boaters reporting limiting out on fish to 23 inches. There are also some stripers in the back being caught at night, near the bridges on soft plastics. Striper action from the beach slowed down, but fishing with clam baits have still gotten some fish to bite, along with several black drum this week to 25 pounds. Those chunking from the inlet and the beach tell us that not only are there 4- to 5-foot sand sharks to contend with, but the brown sharks have also moved in.

The tides have shifted a bit in the Atlantic City area according to Noel with One Stop Bait and Tackle. Anglers are now taking aim at flounder as their primary prey and are finding that there ar plenty of keeper to be had, and not just for the back bay boaters. Anglers fishing from the jetties and surf are scoring keeper fish on live minnows, spearing, squid and mackerel strips. And the fish that were the target species just a few weeks ago, stripers and blues, are now the bycatch. Still excellent fishing going on locally in Atlantic City with sheepshead being caught in the back bays and now spot and kingfish joining the oceanfront party on bloodworms baits. Noel has all the baits you need in stock including bloodworms, minnows, sandfleas and fresh bunk and he is always willing to “put you on the hotspot”.

The back bay waters have cleaned up nicely and the temps are on the rise making for good flounder action according to Scott at Scott’s Dock. Rental boats and the Capt. Robin found a good number of keepers this week fishing along the ICW, not far from the dock. Live minnows with strip baits were the top producers with fish nearing the 4-pound mark. Plenty of action for everyone with short fish, small blues and lots of dogfish in the back bays right now.

Waterfront Marine tells us that there are plenty of flounder in the bay and it’s been a numbers game in order to get a few keepers. Anglers tell us that they are finding fish in 10 to 14 feet of water on the turn of the outgoing tides. Spearing, minnows and squid have all be working, along with bucktails tipped with 3- to 5-inch Gulp grubs. Bluefish and dogfish are the bycatch along with a rare weakfish to 16 inches.

Fin-Atics tells us that the flounder fishing improved this week not just for boaters but also for land based anglers. Fishing from the piers and along the bridges, angles found flounder to 4 pounds along with the occasional blue to 3 pounds. Outgoing tide continues to be the best bet for consistent action. Anglers are using more Gulp Baits, and larger strip baits in order to up their chances of hooking a keeper

Pier 47 Marina in Wildwood reports that they saw more keepers coming into the dock this week than in the past few weeks. Fish were being caught from the back bays of Wildwood on up to Stone Harbor. Live minnows were again the top bait with bucktails tipped with Gulp grubs a close second. Those fishing the Delaware Bay tell us that the drum bite continues to be strong but the fish have been much smaller recently with fish topping out at about 40 pounds.

Hands Too Bait and Tackle reports that the sea bass fishing on the deep shore wrecks continues to be hot. Anglers report limits of fish in short order while fishing the 30-mile wrecks. Inshore, there have been way more shorts than keepers and limits were much less common. In the Delaware Bay, drumfish continue to be caught in really good numbers. Many of the fish this week were on the smaller side, but the bite was hot. The bay also gave up some keeper flounder, but much of Nick’s customer base tells us that the back bays are still your best shot for finding keeper fish. The keeper ratio is not that high along the ICW from Cape May to Stone Harbor, but they are there and there is also plenty of action on shorts.

Higbees Bait and Tackle reports that the flounder bite in the Delaware Bay got started this week. Private boaters found keepers to 21 inches on live minnows. The party boat crowds are seeing a mix of flounder, small weakfish, croakers and kingfish. Those targeting drum tells us that the bite continues to be ‘outstanding” with a fish from 15 to 45 pounds caught on clams.

Boulevard Bait and Tackle reported that the flounder bite was “pretty good” this week with anglers not only finding fish in the back bays, but also along the inlet and from the beach. Top and bottom rigs fished with live minnows and strip baits (like salmon bellies) took the majority of the fish. The keepers were all thick fish, mainly in the 20- to 22-inch size range with the biggest fish of the week weighing 5 pounds, 8 ounces.

Big Dave’s Tackle reports that the flounder fishing in the back bays improved this week, some stripers and drum are hanging around the surf line, and the Delaware Bay continues producing good numbers of drumfish. Flounder to 5 pounds were reported this week behind the barrier islands of Cape May County. The fish took a variety of baits including minnows, spearing, Gulp and strip baits. Reports out of Delaware Bay confirm that the drum are still there and being caught in good numbers on clam baits or on shedder crabs.