Blues, cobia, fluke, mahi-mahi and tuna are on the bite at the New Jersey shore

As we’re in the late summer travel period and if you’re still planning a trip to the Jersey shore, my fishing reporters from On the Water Magazine say that fishing for fluke, blues, mahi-mahi, yellowfin tuna, croakers, stripers and some sea bass remains good. 

Capt. Phil Sciortino at the Tackle Box in Hazlet, reports fluking is good in Ambrose Channel and mahi-mahi moved onto the pots. Sciortino said he was out drifting sandworms last week and did very well on striped bass. Anglers are still catching plenty of spot and croakers from the Keansburg Pier and snappers are in the local marinas. 

Mike Pinto at Giglio’s Bait & Tackle in Sea Bright, reported better fluking on the beach as more bait has appeared in the surf. There’s also small blues around plus bonito at the Shark River Inlet. Crabbing remains good in both the Shrewsbury and Navesink rivers. 

Mike Gleason at TAK Waterman in Long Branch said the fluke bite on the beach has been good with one customer bringing in a 25-incher from the surf. Gleason said snappers also showed up along the beaches which should keep the fluke interested. The tuna bite improved with yellowfins showing up more in mid-shore areas. They’re falling for jigs, poppers and paddletail lures. Bluefin are around and feeding on all the squid that’s available and there’s some prized cobia mixed in with them. 

Kyle Tangen at Fishermen’s Supply in Point Pleasant Beach reported tons of small blues in the 2-pound range are feasting on loads of peanut bunker and other small baits at the Manasquan Inlet. Fluking is still good in the river while some folks are catching tog at Point Pleasant Canal on sand bugs and green crabs. Tangen added that bluefin anglers are doing good on the squid grounds and yellowfins are at the Triple Wrecks out to the Bacardi. They’re hitting jigs and poppers. 

Capt. Kenny Namowitz on the Mimi VI out of Point Pleasant Beach report good catches of ling, porgies, sea bass, triggerfish, keeper blackfish and fluke. 

Chris Parlow from Captain Bill’s Landing reports a number of big fluke are being caught on the local reefs while the squid bite continues at the Tolten Lump. 

Capt. Danny Gregory on the Norma L III out of Point Pleasant Beach said fluking up to 5.5 pounds have been as has big sea bass. 

Frank Giacalone at Gabriel Tackle in Brick said tuna action for bluefin and yellowfin has been good as they’re feeding on loads of squid in the canyon’s ad mid-shore spots. He reported the mahi-mahi bite has picked up at the pots and fluking remains good with the Axel Carlson Reef producing some nice fish. The Manasquan River fluke action is also good but you have to weed through the shorts. 

Ray Kerico at Grumpy’s Bait and Tackle in Seaside Park reported small blues are all over the beach and fluking remains good om the surf. There’s also a decent amount of spot back in the bay and crabbing has been very good. Surprisingly, blowfishing has been off so far this year. Ocean fluking has been solid at the Axel Carlson Reef and anglers are catching tog at the inlet jetties. 

INSHORE/MIDSHORE REPORT

Also from On the Water Magazine comes an Inshore/Midshore report of bluefin tuna in the 50-60-inch range barraging schools of squid off the Jersey coast according to Fishermen’s Supply in Point Pleasant Beach, NJ. 

Bluefins are taking a well-placed popper, paddletail or a jig, dropping a live squid is nearly a sure bet. 

But Fishermen’s Supply says that anglers have to race out to the blue because bluefin are eating squid for breakfast, lunch and dinner. 

Meanwhile, yellowfin are playing hard to get. The few boats going for them are scoring with jigs and poppers from the Triple Wrecks out of the Bacardi. Just slightly north of there, massive schools of menhaden have invaded the Bight between New York and New Jersey. 

To get the latest on this bite check in with Fishermen’s Supply at 732-892-2058. 
​