RJ
07-11-2009, 02:02 PM
Overview: This past week along the Jersey Shore has been hit or miss for most anglers. The weather is fine, but the fishing is just plain crazy. Most of the bass and bunker schools have disappeared. Fluke anglers are keeping busy, but their coolers are not as full as they should be. Keeper ratios for fluke are around 10 : 1 in most spots. Inshore weakfish and small bluefish are starting to form up around both inlets. Hopefully the offshore grounds start producing on a consistent basis.
Manasquan and Point Pleasant: Surf fishing around Bay Head with bait seems to be the only game in town as of late. Clams and bunker are taking a few smaller bass near this area, but most stripers are offshore by now. Little has been reported about bluefish around the Point Pleasant area with many cocktail blues being available near the boat docks. Shorts have plagued fluke fishing inside the Manasquan River for the past two weeks. Keeper ratios haven’t been below 10 : 1 and it’s even worse in the ocean. The only true honey hole for fluke has been on the opposite side of Herring Island using killies and Gulp baits.
A word to the wise for any ocean anglers; bottom draggers came through by the Axel Carlson this week and devastated the whole area. Flattie action was OK by the Manasquan Ridge earlier this week, but that has shut down too. Offshore action has been limited to the Hudson and Chicken Canyon for small bluefin and yellowfin. Monsters Ledge has provided a few 200-pound makos, but the bite is still red hot for yellowfin at the Hudson.
Manasquan and Point Pleasant: Surf fishing around Bay Head with bait seems to be the only game in town as of late. Clams and bunker are taking a few smaller bass near this area, but most stripers are offshore by now. Little has been reported about bluefish around the Point Pleasant area with many cocktail blues being available near the boat docks. Shorts have plagued fluke fishing inside the Manasquan River for the past two weeks. Keeper ratios haven’t been below 10 : 1 and it’s even worse in the ocean. The only true honey hole for fluke has been on the opposite side of Herring Island using killies and Gulp baits.
A word to the wise for any ocean anglers; bottom draggers came through by the Axel Carlson this week and devastated the whole area. Flattie action was OK by the Manasquan Ridge earlier this week, but that has shut down too. Offshore action has been limited to the Hudson and Chicken Canyon for small bluefin and yellowfin. Monsters Ledge has provided a few 200-pound makos, but the bite is still red hot for yellowfin at the Hudson.