What's Going On With The Fluke?

[njcoastalfisherman]

I heard some great reports this fluke season of 6+ pounders. At the same time, I hear very poor reports of NOT even a short. So how has fluke been going for you? Vote in the poll.

[njcoastalfisherman]

Remember, this is up to this point for last year and this year. I have to say, personally, so far this fluke season is much better than the last. :D

[Jay]

Really? I think this year has been hit or miss. Thanks to the beautiful weather pattern.

[Cuz]

The ocean is still a little cold. The back of the bay is dirty from all the rain. This weeks SE wind isn't helping the water temperature. We caught 50 fluke, three man limits last Wednesday tight to the beach off Long Branch area. When we handled the fish, they were cold. We need three days of NW or North winds to bring the water temperature up. It's not in this weeks forecast either.

[BWhaler23]

Made several trips so far and no skunks, and limits twice. Best was last wednesday, with three man limits many shorts and throwbacks. I've fished the same areas in years past and seems to be off to a better start.
So we'll see.

Capt. Pat

[shrimpman steve]

I must say, my season is off to a rocky start.

[Reel Class]

We've fluke fished a grand total of 4 times so far this season, results:

trip 1 (the opener) Larry's charter: 3 keepers

trip 2 (open boat bailout): 6 keepers

trip 3 (FTYP #1): 20 keepers

trip 4 (FTYP #2 - fished in river b/c of nasty ocean): 12 keepers

Last year we already limited the boat out by 7/2 about 4 times. Yes it has been slower but we haven't put the time in also b/c seabass fishing has been so good.

[fin_s_guy]

At least yer getting out there! :-)

From when I've been able to go, water is way too cold for July and where's the bait? Limited rainfish, killies, peanut bunker, snappers? A lot of fish have been skinny and feeding on small crabs.

This F*@king South wind lets up, we might actually get a bite going!

Ranting with a 7 month old battling a double ear infection in my lap...on my week off.

[pulltaug]

I've been out 4 times for fluke -
1 trip limited out.
the other 3 trips I managed a totl of 15 shorts

This year has sucked. period.

I also haven't seen blues in the bay

Gonna try this Sunday and see what happens

[Ahab123]

....................SOUTH WINDS SUCK.................:mad:

[Gerry Zagorski]

Only been out a handful of times compared to last year and it's been a lot slower. As mentioned above I think all the run off in the Raritan and Sandy Hook bays has played a part and the honking South winds on the ocean side.

We need a break from this weather :mad:

[jmurr711]

Only been out a handful of times compared to last year and it's been a lot slower. As mentioned above I think all the run off in the Raritan and Sandy Hook bays has played a part and the honking South winds on the ocean side.

We need a break from this weather :mad:

what he said!

[Jim C]

Hello to all,

Fishing been off this year for me from last year, I have fished over 25 days for fluke from the opening day and we can't seem to get a bite going for us who bucktail most days. Some of this in the early part of the season is understandable with the colder water early in season. I have 2 good days with 5 fish, one with 4 fish two days with 2 or 3 fish, and lot one or none :eek:

I kept a log on my fluke fishing from last year and fishing is off a lot this season for fluke for me. I fish only on party boats and have done great over the years and know its not the boats or me its just that fish is off this season. Why?

I think a big part is this weather with all the rain and south and southeast wind and cold water that just turns the bigger fluke fish off from feeding. The other is Sandy, I think a lot of the bottom has changed and this may have had some effect on the fluke. What we need is a west or north winds and no more rain

Good luck to all Jim C

[bunker dunker]

Wishing And Fishing!!!!!! South Wind,11 Inches Of Rain In June,ocean Still Recovering From Sandy.there Are Many Reasons But The Truth Of The Matter Is It Just Fishing.

[GDubya07]

Between the south wind - rain - and water tempurature it hasnt been like the past 2 years . No limits yet but only fished from a party boat for fluke - 2 skunks - with only shorts and jmurr eats - the uglier the better and 2 decsent trips . Only seen extreme sharpies catching limits/fish on bucktails and boat bait is out fishing bucktails in general . I am a hack and googan

As far as bait - here is my theroy - Fins-s is correct - no regular little guys - rain fish - killies - or peanuts - ( I have seen them in full bellies of ling-and sea bass off-shore though ) and the flukies are spitting up teenie weenie crabbies in-shore/ within 3 miles approx.- RRRRR.

My theroy and just IMHO - we have a different body of little guys which I am going to try and match tomorrow - still a couple of days left for the summer of "George" . More little sea bass, blackfish , Spot , Kingfish, minnie flukies and sundials around , Why - no bluefish to devour everything in-site . I have noticed red/white , green/white , pink/white teasers and darker colors are working better . Also the pink, chartruese, nuclear anything , white and glow gulp working better as of now.

Boat bait of spearing and squid ( which you should bring if you can ) on a rental rod with just 1 hook and 3 ft leader is doing well . Hey guys its fishing and I will not give up just yet .

Good Luck - Be well - Be safe out there this crazy time of bumper boats out there - RRRRRRRRRR - hook em and cook em

GDubs-:cool:

[Skolmann]

Have done 2 pure fluke trips aboard party boats;

Trip #1: 3/4 day trip 0 keepers & 6 shorts

Trip #2: Magic hour trip 1 keeper and 4 shorts

Did 1 trip on a private boat 3 keepers & 7 shorts

Also fluke fished some on a bluefish trip since bluefishing was horrible; 1 keeper and 2 shorts.

Also caught 6 short fluke fishing the wall at Manasquan Inlet.

So overall I'd have to say the season is off to a poor start for me. I agree with what's already been said re; south wind, fresh water run-off etc. Two observations I have made are #1-I haven't caught anything (let alone have a bite) on GULP shrimp or Ghost Shrimp and at least for me they were almost automatic the first 2 months of last season. #2-All but 1 of my keepers (1 of my keepers came on a white bucktail with a salmon belly strip) came on a white Spro tipped with a 4" pink GULP swimming minnow. In years past the chartreuse was the good to color, with pink a far second choice

[frugalfisherman]

3,3,1,5 and 4 keepers on 5 trips on the Angler in June but all 18-20 inches. Hit or miss out of Manasquan but bigger fish if you fish hard. The south wind is cooling the water down big time. Hammered them off Long Branch one day then dead the next. When the water warms again look out!

[jmurr711]

3,3,1,5 and 4 keepers on 5 trips on the Angler in June but all 18-20 inches. Hit or miss out of Manasquan but bigger fish if you fish hard. The south wind is cooling the water down big time. Hammered them off Long Branch one day then dead the next. When the water warms again look out!
exactly! those fish gonna be hungry!

[torchee]

Strange in the bay no fluke

but many croakers??

[Reelron]

Checked log book for last 3 years, start of season to 6/30

2011 6 trips 24 keepers

2012 9 trips 26 Keepers

2013 3 trips 7 keepers.

I hope we get the full 11 days added on to the end of the season!

[njcoastalfisherman]

Unless you are in the bays, northern and southern winds are NOT good for fluke. However, I am fishing in the bays. Some of the storms has helped and hurt this season. The storms provide wind which we hardly got last season in the Raritan Bay. The Southwestern flow is NOT at all for the ocean by great for the Western Sandy Hook bay when there is an outgoing tide. Ocean would be better for West and East winds off the NJ coast. Rain is getting annoying and hope August it will not rain. STOP THE RAIN and we would be better as long as there is wind. :)

[Pete]

Maybe the billions of gallons of raw sewerage dumped into the estuaries post Sandy? A cooler than normal spring? A wetter than normal June? And, all these variations of a south wind.

In the end, it seems to boil down to time spent on the water, blind squirrel theory. If you happened to be there on the right day, you were successful. Wrong day; well you know. Some long awaited west wind next week week should get things back to normal. That is, if there will be a normal. Time will tell.

Keep your fingers crossed boys! And, keep digging. Still a whole lot of time left in the season. I hope we can all make it out on one of them there RIGHT days.

[AndyS]

It's only July 2nd, you know the best fluking is in August, go back and read the reports from last year. Ask this question again in September.

Keep a log book :)

[makosnax]

Ive been out maybe ten times this year and only really had one bad day(sunday that just past). The other trips were either boatlimits or damn close to it, but it progressively got more difficult to pull that off with the weather lately. Winds are supposed to turn west Friday into Saturday and stay that way for a week or so, glad im off next week i think its gonna get good again.

[Katie'sKatch]

7 trips out this year total of 24 keepers all in the bay
The keepers are slowing down for us since the start of the season I was just thinking we were in a slump but it seems to be slow for everyone so far this year and we have fished every were in the bay and tried every trick to get more keepers in the boat we just can't get it going for us
Good luck to everyone hope the season gets better for us

[Katie'sKatch]

7 trips out this year total of 24 keepers all in the bay
The keepers are slowing down for us since the start of the season I was just thinking we were in a slump but it seems to be slow for everyone so far this year and we have fished every were in the bay and tried every trick to get more keepers in the boat we just can't get it going for us
Good luck to everyone hope the season gets better for us

[Irish Jigger]

Our early season has sucked as well. All my normal numbers around the bay and channels have been non productive. We even thought our containers of gulp went bad lol but when its a Saturday in late June and there are a dozen party boats fishing 12 feet of water on the knoll something isn't right. Water is cold and dirty so it can only improve!

[njcoastalfisherman]

Our early season has sucked as well. All my normal numbers around the bay and channels have been non productive. We even thought our containers of gulp went bad lol but when its a Saturday in late June and there are a dozen party boats fishing 12 feet of water on the knoll something isn't right. Water is cold and dirty so it can only improve!

Don't worry. We still have the rest of July, August, and some of September. I did bad last season (except when I went up to Rhode Island). That is not like last season when more of the action was earlier in the season. I think the weather conditions will be drier in August. We just have to see. I went out for 5 days and caught 5 keepers so I do not see this season as "bad". We just have to see. Apart of fishing. :)