Does anyone Fluke fish in the bay anymore?

[Royal Coachman]

Took a party boat out of Atlantic Highlands yesterday and we took an hour and change boat ride down to Shrewsbury to fish in the rocks. Fishing was fair and I lost many rigs. On the way back in I noticed even the 1/2 day fleet was heading to the ocean. Years ago those boats didn't head to fishermen's bouy until the fall migration, now they all fish there. So here's my question. Is fishing really THAT bad in the bay?

[Duffman]

No.

[torchee]

I guess Ron stopped trying to fish between the channels because no one brings enough lead.

[wyldbillnj]

The water temp in the bay seems to be really hot right now. Don't think the fluke are liking it. Heading out tomorrow early. I was planning on trying around TC & 17 as I move outside.

[MasiJC]

I was on a 1/2 day trip out of the highlands yesterday as well.
Only 3 keepers on the boat - Tons of sea robins and dogfish...

Didn't leave the bay.

[Irish Jigger]

No

[EddieG]

Why any one leaves their boat in the bay I still have no idea.... I guess you do have the early spring striper run that’s always good... then maybe the first week of fluke season... after that for the remainder of the year it’s all trash fish being caught ( if you catch anything)

[Duffman]

Why any one leaves their boat in the bay I still have no idea.... I guess you do have the early spring striper run that’s always good... then maybe the first week of fluke season... after that for the remainder of the year it’s all trash fish being caught ( if you catch anything)

Glad you think that. I hope many others do as well. It keeps it it nice and quiet without much competition.....;)

[Gfedor]

I'm 52 yrs old, my 1st boat i bought when I was 18 yrs old (19 ft mako cc, ) back then we never left the raritan bay. We fished early spring to fall, striped bass,blues,weakfish,fluke. Always came home with dinner. Ofcourse size limits have changed, but there are days now (within the last 7 years or so) we have almost no bite in the bay. What has changed? I don't know. I love the raritan bay, but most my buddies go around the hook these days. Once I get a newer boat, I'll be joining them.

[Gerry Zagorski]

Biggest Fluke we ever caught on our boat was 13 and change in the middle of the Summer on Flynn's Knoll. There is definitely fish in the bay this time of year and heading into the fall when they start to leave the bays and rivers the deep shipping channels are like a highway to the ocean for them.

[Gfedor]

Good post/topic . You can see the shift in the party boats as well. Local captains that grew up on the bay and know it like the back of their hand are now moving out to the ocean

[EddieG]

Glad you think that. I hope many others do as well. It keeps it it nice and quiet without much competition.....;)

Catching crabs at Blue Rock doesn’t count pal... 😂🤣

[Detour66]

I bet there is still good Fluking in the bay but you need to put the time in. Not so long ago the hot bite was in the reach channel. Who's to say they are not there now?

[rwp2101]

It's funny that a couple of months ago someone posted here asking why the party boats weren't fishing in the ocean and instead were all fishing in the bay.

Captains are taking their boats to the best places to catch fish for their customers at any given time. Given current conditions, they think that's not in the bay, probably due to the fact that the movement of the body of fluke offshore has begun. Are the only fluke in the ocean, of course not.

[1captainron]

I bet there is still good Fluking in the bay but you need to put the time in. Not so long ago the hot bite was in the reach channel. Who's to say they are not there now?

The Party boats fishing the knoll......

[Skolmann]

Why any one leaves their boat in the bay I still have no idea.... I guess you do have the early spring striper run that’s always good... then maybe the first week of fluke season... after that for the remainder of the year it’s all trash fish being caught ( if you catch anything)

Obviously you don’t know anything about the back bay area.

[Skolmann]

Glad you think that. I hope many others do as well. It keeps it it nice and quiet without much competition.....;)

Exactly.

[EddieG]

Obviously you don’t know anything about the back bay area.

Hey to each their own... once the quality of my toilet water after my
Morning glory was better then the back bay water I was out years ago.... but please keep fishing there... just a matter of time till you become famous for catching a fish with a added dorsal fin or extra eye.. clearly I’m the only one that thinks that tho so don’t let me discourage you...

[Gerry Zagorski]

It's funny that a couple of months ago someone posted here asking why the party boats weren't fishing in the ocean and instead were all fishing in the bay.

Captains are taking their boats to the best places to catch fish for their customers at any given time. Given current conditions, they think that's not in the bay, probably due to the fact that the movement of the body of fluke offshore has begun. Are the only fluke in the ocean, of course not.

Yep it's all about conditions and party boats are going to go where the best drift conditions are within their range at any given point in time based on wind and the direction of the tide/current. Often times when it's honking out of the east they might have to stay in the bay where it more comfortable for passengers... Hard out of the west it will be more comfortable on the ocean side close into the beach...

It's not easy putting people on fish while balancing time and distance constraints, passenger comfort and catching fish. It's actually pretty stressful....You toil over these decisions every time you go and every move you make and most days your plan changes with the conditions. You take what the conditions give you and you put yourself in a place where the drift conditions are most favorable and where the fish are.

Point in case... The bottom in a certain area can be paved with fish but if the drift conditions aren't right you won't catch... Conditions trump everything !!

[Blackfish Bobby]

You Said TRUMP !!!!

[Capt Sal]

Why any one leaves their boat in the bay I still have no idea.... I guess you do have the early spring striper run that’s always good... then maybe the first week of fluke season... after that for the remainder of the year it’s all trash fish being caught ( if you catch anything)

Speak for yourself! Plenty of fish in the bay.YOU HAVE TO KNOW HOW TO CATCH THEM??????

[EddieG]

Speak for yourself! Plenty of fish in the bay.YOU HAVE TO KNOW HOW TO CATCH THEM??????

Good for you capt... I’m sure you do well... something about fishing In chocolate milk never did it for me.... catch em up... I’ll stay in the ocean .. less likely to catch a fluke with used toilet paper hanging out of its mouth..

[Blind Archer]

Read 80 degrees in the bay today.The only bait I read today, other than bunker, was clouds of grass shrimp. Shorts and sharks dominated. Been boat fishing the bay for more than 45 years. Sand eels used to keep the bigger fish inside.

[Gfedor]

Good for you capt... I’m sure you do well... something about fishing In chocolate milk never did it for me.... catch em up... I’ll stay in the ocean .. less likely to catch a fluke with used toilet paper hanging out of its mouth..

Dude thats pretty funny.

[Skolmann]

Hey to each their own... once the quality of my toilet water after my
Morning glory was better then the back bay water I was out years ago.... but please keep fishing there... just a matter of time till you become famous for catching a fish with a added dorsal fin or extra eye.. clearly I’m the only one that thinks that tho so don’t let me discourage you...

👌 Karen.

[NoLimit]

Some years the bay is hot, some years it’s outside. Bay fisherman have the option to do either so it’s ideal

[Capt Sal]

Good for you capt... I’m sure you do well... something about fishing In chocolate milk never did it for me.... catch em up... I’ll stay in the ocean .. less likely to catch a fluke with used toilet paper hanging out of its mouth..

STUPID STATEMENT. Raritan Bay is one of the best places to fish in the US.

[EddieG]

STUPID STATEMENT. Raritan Bay is one of the best places to fish in the US.
Best places to fish in the US ??and my statement was stupid?? Thanks man needed that laugh today...

[EddieG]

Dude thats pretty funny.

Thanks man I try 😂.

[bulletbob]

Best places to fish in the US ??and my statement was stupid?? Thanks man needed that laugh today...

It is at times, and yes its always been very highly regarded by
experts, authors etc... I have seen it called a "fish bowl", by nationally recognized outdoor writers

The variety of species and relative abundance compares favorably to many other highly regarded fishing areas in the USA.

The main problem in the modern age with the Raritan/Sandy Hook bay system is sheer pressure.. Raritan Bay is within a couple hours of 35 million people , and within 1 hour of 25 million...The bottom structure, bottom contours, and proliferation of huge deepwater channels that extend far into the open ocean are very unique, and provide wonderful access and easy migration routes for many bait and predator species...

This has been a HOT summer, and yes fish get turned off to the heat, just like us... Fish will leave the bay for better temp and feed.

If you don't think the fishing in Raritan Bay is all that good, fine, leave it alone, and I hope a few hundred thousand salt water sports feel the same...

I doubt that will happen..

. I was around before the massive fishing pressure became an every day spectacle.. I KNOW what that system is capable of then, and still today,,, bob

[Capt Sal]

It is at times, and yes its always been very highly regarded by
experts, authors etc... I have seen it called a "fish bowl", by nationally recognized outdoor writers

The variety of species and relative abundance compares favorably to many other highly regarded fishing areas in the USA.

The main problem in the modern age with the Raritan/Sandy Hook bay system is sheer pressure.. Raritan Bay is within a couple hours of 35 million people , and within 1 hour of 25 million...The bottom structure, bottom contours, and proliferation of huge deepwater channels that extend far into the open ocean are very unique, and provide wonderful access and easy migration routes for many bait and predator species...

This has been a HOT summer, and yes fish get turned off to the heat, just like us... Fish will leave the bay for better temp and feed.

If you don't think the fishing in Raritan Bay is all that good, fine, leave it alone, and I hope a few hundred thousand salt water sports feel the same...

I doubt that will happen..

. I was around before the massive fishing pressure became an every day spectacle.. I KNOW what that system is capable of then, and still today,,, bob
Well said.I was there then and now. The bay is great for family fishing and it holds a bunch of fish.At this time the PB guys are oceanside because there are bigger fluke out there.When we were young and caught tons of fluke in Raritan Bay the "LIMIT WAS DIFFERENT BY FAR".As far as the water being brown well that was also stupid.The Hudson,Shrewsbury,Raritan and Arthur kill empty into the Raritan Bay.They have run off muddy waters that change in a few tides.IT IS NOT POLUTION!! THIS GUY HAS A LOT TO LEARN ?????

[Jigman13]

I often catch keeper fluke in the bay from SHORE with fish up to 24" the last three seasons. While most are 18s and 19s, it's not uncommon to bring 2 to 3 fish home. They're clean, thick fish loaded with crabs, shrimp, spearing, croaker, peanuts, mullet, killies and more. The variety of forage speaks volumes for the back bay ecosystem. I rarely fish brown water. Mostly green water especially around the channels and drops I fish.

Theres fish in the bay. Big ones too. Just gotta know where to look. Party boats cant fish where I'm fishing. Most personal crafts cant either as they'd likely run aground.

[EddieG]

Well said.I was there then and now. The bay is great for family fishing and it holds a bunch of fish.At this time the PB guys are oceanside because there are bigger fluke out there.When we were young and caught tons of fluke in Raritan Bay the "LIMIT WAS DIFFERENT BY FAR".As far as the water being brown well that was also stupid.The Hudson,Shrewsbury,Raritan and Arthur kill empty into the Raritan Bay.They have run off muddy waters that change in a few tides.IT IS NOT POLUTION!! THIS GUY HAS A LOT TO LEARN ?????

Thanks Capt just proved my point...

[EddieG]

It is at times, and yes its always been very highly regarded by
experts, authors etc... I have seen it called a "fish bowl", by nationally recognized outdoor writers

The variety of species and relative abundance compares favorably to many other highly regarded fishing areas in the USA.

The main problem in the modern age with the Raritan/Sandy Hook bay system is sheer pressure.. Raritan Bay is within a couple hours of 35 million people , and within 1 hour of 25 million...The bottom structure, bottom contours, and proliferation of huge deepwater channels that extend far into the open ocean are very unique, and provide wonderful access and easy migration routes for many bait and predator species...

This has been a HOT summer, and yes fish get turned off to the heat, just like us... Fish will leave the bay for better temp and feed.

If you don't think the fishing in Raritan Bay is all that good, fine, leave it alone, and I hope a few hundred thousand salt water sports feel the same...

I doubt that will happen..

. I was around before the massive fishing pressure became an every day spectacle.. I KNOW what that system is capable of then, and still today,,, bob

Well said and I agree with the pressure but didn’t no these bay guys took such an easy butt hurt and got offended... this wasn’t even my thread so obviously other people feel the same way about the overall poor fishing..Everyone has their spots they like to fish and believe in their spots no matter what anyone else says ... also people are entitled to their own opinions weather we like them or not... can the bay be hot at times ?? Sure but day in and out that’s def not the case if so the majority of head boats and charters will be out of the bay not belmar and south... I’ll leave it at that... Best wishes and tight lines ..

[Irish Jigger]

No fish in the Bay leave it alone lol.