Fluke, stripers and tuna are on the saltwater angling menu

Charles Maurer of New Tripoli measures the 47-inch yellowfin tuna he caught last week in the Baltimore Canyon in Ocean City, MD. Contributed photo

If you didn’t visit the Jersey shore this past holiday weekend, it’s likely a trip is forthcoming. For anglers, this is prime time as good eating fluke are in the rivers, on the wrecks, in the surf and the reefs. For another good eating fish, bluefin tuna moved closer to shore and are 15-20 miles out along with stripers and bluefish. Yellowfin tuna are also in the offshore southern canyons and in the Hudson Canyon. 

According to On the Water Magazine, stripers are still in the surf and hitting clams, sand fleas and plugs. Metals are working for blues at the inlets, in the rivers and in the ocean. 

Triggerfish are also in the inlets and on the reefs, while croakers and spot remain thick up in Raritan Bay. Crabbing is excellent  around the Keyport waterfront and a good choice for some family fun as I remember our kids enjoyed setting traps and pulling them up to see their catch. But mom had to clean and boil them for a dinner delicacy. 

*Mark Fudill at Tackle World in Paramus, said that croakers and spot are all over Raritan Bay and he also had good reports of kingfish in the surf down by Long Branch. There’s also an early striper bite on the beaches on clams and sand fleas. Fluking is also good in the surf on Gulp and bucktails.

*Capt. Phil Sciortino at The Tackle Box in Hazlet, said croakers and spot are everywhere in Raritan Bay. Fluking is good but better out in the ocean with fish up to 6 pounds reported. There are also triggerfish on the rock piles. 

*Mike Pinto at Giglio’s Bait and Tackle in Sea Bright, reported a ton of fluke in the surf there. However many are shorts. But stripers are in the surf and one customer caught a 45-inch striper earlier in the week on a metal-lip swimmer bait. 

*Mike Gleason at Tak Waterman in Long Branch, said tuna fishing is really good since they pushed into their waters. They’re hitting jigs and a casting jigs. The average tuna was 40-50 inches with even larger ones around. He added that fluking is good in the Shrewsbury and Navesink rivers. Plenty of bluefish were caught offshore. Stripers are hitting sand bugs and calico crabs in the surf in Asbury Park, Ocean Grove and Bradley Beach. Mike said he picked up two last week around mid-morning on the outgoing tide.  

*Stanley Gola at the Reel Seat in Brielle, said there are loads of fluke in the Manasquan River along with small blues and stripers at night. Stripers are hitting small plugs and plastics. Ocean fluking is good and getting better on jigs and Gulp. Tuna fishing has really turned on with blues located from 15-50 miles out. Yellowfin are in the southern canyons and Hudson Canyon where tile fishing is also decent in the ocean. 

*Pete Kupper at Charlie’s Bait and Tackle in Normandy Beach, said stripers are still biting in the surf on clams. Fluking is improving off the beach and in Barnegat Bay, especially around the entrance to Point Pleasant Canal. Gulp and killies are doing the job in both locations. Spot are also in the bay and crabbing has been good. 
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