Hot Spot: Sea Girt Reef - The Fisherman

Hot Spot: Sea Girt Reef

One of the finest fishing locales in New Jersey exists as the Sea Girt Reef. At a manageable 3.5 miles northeast from the Manasquan Inlet, this man-made reef is truly one of the most angler-friendly and accessible of all Jersey’s reef sites. What makes this place so special is that it can be fished easily for a family day out with fun species or plied with targeted precision for trophy bottom dwellers.

Ranging in depths from 57 to 75 feet, the reef has old school roots, as the Sea Girt Reef took its first contribution in 1937.  With deterioration of older vessels, it has been added to excessively in the years since. The reef site runs from northeast to south with a bend in the elbow about midway through, and the total area encompasses 1.3 square miles. A wild variety of structure exists on the reef which fish can call home.

Chart
Chart courtesy of A Guide to Fishing and Diving New Jersey’s Reefs from the New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife.

Both low lying and high relief structures abound on the site, including barges, commercial vessels, tugboats, army tanks, tankers, dry docks and literally tons of concrete rubble. Some worthwhile lengths to hit include a 100-foot dry dock, a 270-foot barge, a 242-foot tanker sponsored by The Fisherman, the 70-foot clam boat Carlson II, the 205-foot ferry Cranford, a 75-foot trawler the Kiley B, and a 95-foot tug dubbed the Rockland County. Perennial favorites also include the Banana Barge and the Spartan Tug. Water depths range from 57 feet on the western portions to 75 feet on the eastern edges of the reef.

During the late fall and winter, it’s a blackfish haven. On any given day you can score a true whitechinner over 10 pounds and greater while filling the box with “roasters” of 3 to 6 pounds. November, December and early January are prime months to hit as water temps generally flitter around the low 50s or high 40s then, perfect for blackfish.  Usually by early February the tog will push off further to find warmer water. Occasionally, you will see some cod and pollock pulled off the site during the cold months.

BY THE NUMBERS

Carlson II                                40° 06.805 / 73° 57.176

Cranford                                  40° 07.447 / 73° 56.227

Kiley B                                     40° 06.540 / 73° 56.827

Rockland County                    40° 07.942 / 73° 55.879

Banana Barge                         40° 06.400 / 73° 57.080

Spartan Tug                            40° 06.158 / 73° 57.198

The Fisherman Reef               40° 07.930 / 73° 55.942

Summertime months, May through October, an eclectic summertime variety of sea bass, bluefish, porgies and sea robins will inundate the wrecks and rock rubble. Recent years have brought back scores of triggerfish, pecking away at small clam and squid bits which makes for a loaded cooler. From June through August, fluke are the main target and tend to take up residence. It’s normally a keeper-size site for flatties, with an easy shot at filling the box, and every now and then if you set up and hit the sides of the wrecks or edges of the bridge rubble you’ll be linked up with a doormat fluke over 10 pounds.

When summer peaks in July and August, you’ll even be able to troll small feathers and metals around the area to tangle with Spanish mackerel, bonito, false albacore and even the chance encounter with some chicken mahi mahi.

Right now for the month of January, plug in the numbers to your favorite piece of structure and start dropping down for blackfish, and it must be said, keep an eye out for errant bluefin tuna running through!

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