Fluke, blues and stripers on the bite at the Jersey shore

Good eating fluke like this are the hot angling ticket right now at Jersey shore points. Contributed photo

With vacation being foremost for many families this month, perhaps a trip to the shore is in the offing. If so, it may be a good time to take in some saltwater angling  as the New Jersey shore points are reporting good action for a variety of species. 

Our fishing contacts from On the Water Magazine report the following from the popular northern New Jersey coast. 

*Rick Hebert, at Tackle World in Rochelle Park, said fluke are getting the most attention however swings in water temperature had an impact on the bite. There were some decent catches in Raritan Bay and the Verrazano Bridge 

*Capt. Phil Sciortino, at the Tackle Box in Hazlet, reports numbers of blues and fluke are being hooked at the Rip on Sandy Hook. Blues are also showing up along the Sandy Hook beaches. Anglers fishing with killies are getting fluke at Keansburg Pier while porgies are being caught at the Tin Can Grounds and Rockaways. 

*Mike Pinto, at Giglio’s Bait & Tackle in Sea Bright, said blue fishing is going strong in the Shrewsbury River with fish in the 2-10 pound range being hooked early in the morning on topwater plugs. Sand bugs are still picking up stripers in the wash and there are fluke in there as well. Fluke in the surf are just so-so. Crabbing, which is great for kids to do, is picking up in the Shrewsbury and Naversink Rivers.

*Mike Gleason, at TAK Waterman in Long Beach, said fluking in the surf has been steady while it’s been a bit inconsistent for boat anglers. Water temps have been fluctuating and that’s been affecting the bite. But there’s plenty of triggerfish on the jetties and inshore pieces. As for tuna, Gleason says it’s been a tricky season so far as there are bluefin and yellowfin offshore but fishing for them is hit or miss. Stripers, he reports, are hitting plugs at first light off the beach. Stripers continue to hit sand crabs in the Ocean Grove surf and fluke are also in the wash and hitting sand crabs and Gulp baits. 

*Bob Matthews, at Fisherman’s Den in Belmar, said fluke are active in Shark River with party boat anglers latching onto fish up to 9 pounds. Stripers, blues and triggerfish were being taken at Shark River Inlet. Anglers fishing the surf are hooking fluke, kingfish, blues and stripers with the top bait for stripers being sand crabs while Gulp and bucktails are luring fluke to hook. 

*Pete Kupper, at Charlie’s Bait & Tackle in Normandy Beach, reports the summer routine is in progress with fluke, blues, stripers and crabs the main bites. He goes on to say fluke are in the wash and eating sand crabs and Gulp, while bass prefer clams and sand crabs. Blues on the other hand are chasing mullet and metal. He added that crabbing in the back bay is improving.
 
LEASER LAKE

Trout action has been a surprise at Leaser. Yes, you read right, trout. Guess the muskies didn’t eat all of them as a friend managed to land a plump 20-inch rainbow last week on an ice jig as he was fishing for crappie. At first he thought he hooked a musky as the trout fought hard. 
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If you hit Leaser on the weekend, prepare for lots of company with kayaks, canoe’s and paddleboards being plentiful all over the lake. 

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