Your go to for opening day Fluke!

[Detour66]

What is your go to bait, lure etc for opening day. I would think smaller baits and finesse methods due to colder water and sluggish fish! Would appreciate any advice. Thanks in advance!

[Irish Jigger]

Small bucktails white or chartreuse with a teaser 18” above. 4 inch gulp white or chart with a 3 inch gulp new penny shrimp on top or the bottom. Shallow water and light tackle.

[bulletbob]

Small bucktails white or chartreuse with a teaser 18” above. 4 inch gulp white or chart with a 3 inch gulp new penny shrimp on top or the bottom. Shallow water and light tackle.

I agree up to a point.. year before last, guys were catching them like crazy on garishly painted gigantic 8 oz jig heads the size of golf balls or bigger, with huge 6 inch Gulp, and gobs of bait along with the Gulp... I was using a 3 oz Spro and didn't even get close . This was in early June... I suppose it depends on where you go, and what they are feeding on... bob

[Irish Jigger]

Exactly Bob I fish out of Atlantic and stay in the bay for the first few weeks in 12 to 20 feet of water. All the early season fluke we caught last season were loaded with small shrimp. Match the hatch! Once you get a few keepers you can find out what’s in their stomach and make the correct adjustments on bait.

[firstlightbite]

1/4 OZ Chartreuse shad dart with a fat Killie.

[AVA67]

If I was going out on the opener out of the Atlantic Highlands I would be starting with a basic 3/8 oz spro high and 1-3 oz (what ever it took to hold on the swing) spro low combo the the little spro tipped with gulp and the bottom jig tipped with a strip of whatever I had, squid, mackerel, bluefish, ect.

BUT I would have a second rod rigged with a very basic single hook rig with a light leader. If you see fish coming up on bait (think the rental rods catching fish) I would make the switch to bait with no hesitation.

I spent too many cold early seasons when I was working deck watching the "sharpies" jigging up nothing while the rentals and kids were catching keepers on bait. Their are many days in the cold water when especially the bigger fish won't chase a jig, but will gladly inhale 2 spearing as they gently float by.

[NoLimit]

I tried the wonder rig last year - it works great outside too.

[ALS Mako]

live herring fished on 3/0 red octopus hook on a fish finder rig. only problem is the robins and blues like'm too.

[Skolmann]

The past two seasons I actually have done better fluking in Raritan Bay with spearing or a spearing/GULP combo as opposed to a bucktail/teaserin the first few weeks of the season. I attributed it to the water temps being on the low side of a fluke’s tolerance (even in the shallower waters) thus the fluke not being as aggressive as when the water temps go warmer.

[SaltLife1980]

Im not giving away all my secrets!!:D 1oz jig with teaser 10in above. Color will change a million times until i figure out what they want. Also have to throw on some meat. Worst comes to worst i will fish a chicken rig or even drag some bait

[shrimpman steve]

Ohhh do I miss opening day.

[hartattack]

Shark River Special: Naked Spearing on 1/2 oz jighead, teaser above with another naked spearing - on your favorite trout rod: can't wait :D

[TerriMc223]

Tap dancer (three way) rig. 2 to 3oz Bucktail or jig head with gulp grub(Nuclear chicken or New Penny )as the "weight" , chartreuse gulp swimming minnow and really angry killie on the trailer hook. Will use fresh strip bait ( sea robin e.g.) if available as well.
I also got some new rigs at the Point Pleasant Fishing Flea market over the winter I am anxious to try from " One on Jigs" which I have seen others use with good results both locally and off Nantucket.
I usually fish on a party boat out of Atlantic Highlands ( Atlantic Star). I try to get there early to grab a good spot in the pulpit or one of the stern corners. For opening day most everyone starts out just inside the hook: Bug light to Coast Guard Station etc. Heavy fishing pressure there but I have done well there in the past.
It is always great to be out fluking on opening day!

[Detour66]

Thanks for sharing your "go to" rig information. I will be going with a JW Fluke candy rig and also a 3 way rig with either spearing or live killie ! See ya all at Bug Light Friday morning! Tight lines!

[fishpro28]

If I was going out on the opener out of the Atlantic Highlands I would be starting with a basic 3/8 oz spro high and 1-3 oz (what ever it took to hold on the swing) spro low combo the the little spro tipped with gulp and the bottom jig tipped with a strip of whatever I had, squid, mackerel, bluefish, ect.

BUT I would have a second rod rigged with a very basic single hook rig with a light leader. If you see fish coming up on bait (think the rental rods catching fish) I would make the switch to bait with no hesitation.

I spent too many cold early seasons when I was working deck watching the "sharpies" jigging up nothing while the rentals and kids were catching keepers on bait. Their are many days in the cold water when especially the bigger fish won't chase a jig, but will gladly inhale 2 spearing as they gently float by.
This is spot on my experience also. It seems Gulp works better in warmer water temps. I’m one of those sharpies that insisted on bucktailing instead of bait....getting outfished by kids. Lol

[the directa]

Meat , meat and more meat nothing fancy