Croakers

[june181901]

For the last two afternoons have gotten into more croakers than I ever thought there was in NJ. We fished around the confluence of the Navesink/Shrewsbury Rivers using white 4 inch Gulp and 3 inch Pogy Gulp with the new penny color.
Nice fighters, hard strikers and decent eating.
Number 2 circle hooks seem best. We were out there hoping for fluke but any port in a storm as has been said.

[tautog]

Any size?

[wrktoomuch]

I know what you mean. They are all over. They are scrappy. The biggest I caught was about a foot.

[jmurr711]

[if your getting em on that try some clam or bloodworm and you'll fill a cooler. always get em down south but seems this year they came norf again hopefully the cadillacs show up in august

[torchee]

Took a dozen clams to sandy hook and fished by the highlands bridge and caught 12 croakers and 6 spot

All big

Then tried from the surf yesterday but t was dead

I hope they run down the beach and not east

[Jay]

I know at Keansburg Pier, their catching them up like crazy along with spots.

[jmurr711]

Took a dozen clams to sandy hook and fished by the highlands bridge and caught 12 croakers and 6 spot

All big

Then tried from the surf yesterday but t was dead

I hope they run down the beach and not east

I would think they would come rright into the surf in August /september thats when we always caught em in the surf in Brigantine & even out front we would get the big cadilaac croakers 14-17inchers fight like lil trains!

[joerosa1]

Croaker: Are they good for the table, if so what do they taste like?

[jmurr711]

Croaker: Are they good for the table, if so what do they taste like?

I love em & they are very popular in philly. scale em pop off the head & pan fry, very bony but meats excellent just keep em cold

[pulcinim]

Fished the rivers yesterday and kept 32 croakers 14 to 16 in. Also caught 11 fluke,but NO keepers

[FireChicken]

Had one on the Sea Horse that was the biggest I have ever seen. Had to be 20-21 inches. There was a picture of it in the report from that day. We also had 15-20 smaller ones that day. Good little fighter and good to eat. Spices up the fluke catch

[Flukinator]

Croaker: Are they good for the table, if so what do they taste like?

Very similar to weakfish, if my memory serves me correct.

[WIDOWER]

Earle Pier is loaded with them and porgies...saw a guy next to me catch over 40 croakers and 20 porgies with a two hook rig and sand worm pieces in about two hours!

[jmurr711]

Very similar to weakfish, if my memory serves me correct.

& much like trout gotta keep em super iced or they gut "mushy" also the mea yield sucks if ya fillet em but headed & grilled or pan fried wit some mac n cheese & stewed toatoes yum