Jersey

[summersoff]

Headed up to jersey for a couple of days this weekend for this crazy nice weather. I was fishing backbay around mid-jersey area. The weather was great with no wind. I started in the dark around 4:30, and was hoping for pre false dawn bite, but I have been fishing for drum and specks so much this fall it took me a while to hook up. My cast were good and I was in the right spots but nothing. The. A lightbulb went off around 6:00 that dragging the bottom with a root beer paddletail might be candy for drum, the stripers weren’t even sniffing it. I switched up to a white zman, and sped it up my retrieve with some good jerks. Right away I hooked up with a nice, 25”. The day just got more productive, ending up with 30-40 over the two days, and some really nice ones, even slightly bent my net.
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[mike o]

thanks for the report

[summersoff]

Went up again to Jersey, no big blues I was hoping for, but plenty of stripes
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[Slobber Bob]

Had there been any reports of them up in Jersey this year yet?

4 years ago this past week, wolf packs of hungry, monster bluefish were destroying everything I threw at them in 3 ft. of water behind Ocean City, MD. So far this year I haven't seen or heard of even the first one, snapper or gator, being caught.

I think catching bluefish in the shallow, back waters is about the most exciting fishing you can do locally. Bummer you didn't find any.

[Jman]

I saw one big big blue caught in VB last week. With the warmup this week it could spur some action.

[mjkeith13]

Apologies as I was not is not from my kayak but wanted to chime in since I agree that bluefish are great sports.

About a week and a half ago we drove down to the Florida Space Coast area near Sebastian Inlet to surf fish the tail end of the spring pompano run. First 2 days were terrific with super clean water and perfect swells. Limited out both days on pompano by noon, including a PB 17”.

Third day began the bluefish invasion and any bait other than clams was hit within minutes of your cast. Even lost a gotcha plug on fleuro to one toothy blue. However, after one long battle that I thought was a large Permit turned out to be this 26” bluefish on a 20lb test mono triple dropper rig. He bit through the line seconds after I got him on the sand. Was surprised at how really blue they are that far south. Maybe I just never noticed since I never caught one that big before.

Craziest catch was the combo pompano on one hook and a speckled crab on the other hooked through a claw!






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[summersoff]

Not yet, even the Striper bite has been eradicated. I got lucky, my buddy a bay over got jack (not Jacks, but jack$&@?)

As you know, the big blue bite is quick and it’s all about being right place right time. Heading up again

[summersoff]

Apologies as I was not is not from my kayak but wanted to chime in since I agree that bluefish are great sports.

About a week and a half ago we drove down to the Florida Space Coast area near Sebastian Inlet to surf fish the tail end of the spring pompano run. First 2 days were terrific with super clean water and perfect swells. Limited out both days on pompano by noon, including a PB 17”.

Third day began the bluefish invasion and any bait other than clams was hit within minutes of your cast. Even lost a gotcha plug on fleuro to one toothy blue. However, after one long battle that I thought was a large Permit turned out to be this 26” bluefish on a 20lb test mono triple dropper rig. He bit through the line seconds after I got him on the sand. Was surprised at how really blue they are that far south. Maybe I just never noticed since I never caught one that big before.

Craziest catch was the combo pompano on one hook and a speckled crab on the other hooked through a claw!






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Holy crap, a 26” FL blue!!! Love Em or Hate Em, I think we can all agree, blues fight great.
That looks like a perfect day of fishing. Great report!

[summersoff]

Headed up again for a couple days. Two on the boat one on the yak. Struck out severely on the boat, ran over 30 miles, trolling and casting but not a nibble. Bait was everywhere, there was literally bunker the entire run. We fished both tides and no movement. Didn’t see anything either. Second day I decided to hit back bay on the yak. The tide and wind were perfect. Started 4:30 in the dark to hit the 6:30 low. Got one 23” and ton of micros. A total switch from a couple weeks ago, where there was a ton of solid fish. Although it was fun casting to fish, regardless of the size. Trolling on a boat is possibly the most painful way to fish, I don’t care if it is stripers or tuna, the only skill is unhooking the fish the throwing it back in. Give me casting to micros any day. Again no blues, and didn’t hear of any. Was really hoping and searching for the blues - ugh so disappointing. Last day spent trolling (ugh) the river for only a couple decent fish around 25-27”. Although, there are reports of people getting them on the beach, we didn’t see or talk to anyone who had any luck, but then again, as always, it could have been a night bite. Try again next week.
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[summersoff]

Fluke bite turning on a bit. Went up for a couple days. Hit the outgoing high, low wind, 1.1- 1.7 drift. Used a couple older Lami XC 6.5 and 7’, Lexa 100 and finally picked up one of those Quantum Accurist Skinner always raves about. Gotta say, say what you want about that reel, that flipping switch is sweet for keeping a bucktail on the bottom. Day one was prefer, no wind, but blazing sun. Picked up five, four shorts 15-17 and one 21” keeper. Day two same conditions, two keepers, two shorts. Half were on the teaser, half on 1/2 and 3/4 Tinman sparkie bucktails, both tipped with gulp - 4” and 5”. Heading up again, tell ya how it goes.
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[mike o]

Nice job on the fluke. I just ordered an Accurist hope to get some fluke soon

[mjkeith13]

Great looking flukes! Sounds like a good trip. I’m still trying to figure out the difference between a NJ Fluke and an SC Flounder. Other than the fact that your flukes were much bigger than the flounder I caught in SC several weeks ago [emoji28]


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[summersoff]

Great looking flukes! Sounds like a good trip. I’m still trying to figure out the difference between a NJ Fluke and an SC Flounder. Other than the fact that your flukes were much bigger than the flounder I caught in SC several weeks ago [emoji28]


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It’s funny, there ain’t a damn bit of difference between the two, but they sure do fish for differently. Other than bait, in the north they’re always vertical jigging, and in the south it’s all about casting to creeks mouths on the outgoing. I’m heading down to Folly for a few days, and screw it, I’m going to vertical jog for them. I’ll tell ya how it goes.

[mjkeith13]

I’m jealous! Good luck down in SC.

I fished Pawleys creek again about a month ago. Caught over a dozen flounder over 2 days but only a couple were over 15.” All caught by trolling live mud minnows. Didn’t catch anything else and the locals said the speck bite has disappeared.


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[summersoff]

It has been one of my better weak years in Jersey. Nothing huge, but most give or take 20”. Fluke have been decent, but not great.