Nave reports?

[zaknorman75]

Anyone been fishing the Navesink recently? I'm bringing my dad out this weekend and I'm curious how the action has been on the river. About a month ago we hammered short fluke and had a couple keepers. With the warmer weather I've heard mixed reports about the fluke moving out of the rivers. I'm fine with short action, just interested in putting my dad on some fish.

Also, are bluefish in the river in any numbers?


And this report is about 4 weeks late.. but I hooked a ray around buoy 11 on a ultra light fluke set-up. Dragged us with the current half way tot he bridge until the loop knot on the bucktail gave. Did get it to the surface once, huge. Never know when your going hook into a monster lol

Thanks all!
Zak

[Gerry Zagorski]

Water temps are on the warmer side as they usually are this time of year. You might find some stragglers but I wouldn't be fishing the river right now. Fluke are starting to show in the deeper late season ocean spots over the last few weeks which is a pretty good indication they have moved out of the rivers.

[zaknorman75]

Thanks Gerry,

Unfortunately the rivers are our only option this weekend, and we have limited opptontuties to get out together for the rest of the summer so this weekend on the nave is it. I'll fish my usual spots and give it a shot, but if you had to fish the nave this weekend would you have any input as to how to have some success? Does the warm water really impact the fishing on the nave that significantly this time of year (still learning the river)

[teddysclaw]

I recommend bringing some real small porgy hooks and a fresh bag of FishBites Bag o worms bloodworm flavor. Like others have said, fluking will be difficult in mid August. If you bring the porgyhooks and fishbites, at least this way you will be covered to try catching blowfish, spot, croaker, snappers, or eels. Or you can bring some handlines and try crabbing. I heard the crabbing has been much better this year than in year's past.

Good luck

[NoLimit]

crabbing is pretty good - handlines and chicken

[Gerry Zagorski]

Thanks Gerry,

Unfortunately the rivers are our only option this weekend, and we have limited opptontuties to get out together for the rest of the summer so this weekend on the nave is it. I'll fish my usual spots and give it a shot, but if you had to fish the nave this weekend would you have any input as to how to have some success? Does the warm water really impact the fishing on the nave that significantly this time of year (still learning the river)

I don't fish the river, only crabbing and it's been great this year so as mentioned above, you might consider doing that.

And yes, water temps definitely have an impact on the river. Late spring to early summer is good because the water is warmer compared to the bay and the ocean. Once the summer wears on and the temps get too hot the Fluke usually move out of the river and take up residence in the bay and then move out into the ocean.

If I were going to fish it for Fluke, I'd be drifting the deeper sections of the channel and if I happened upon a Fluke or 2, I'd be doing short drifts in that specific area.

Used to be a good weakfish bite late in the late summer by the Oceanic bridge so you might give that a try too. Probably best to do that in early AM or late PM when the boat traffic is not as much of a factor since the Weakfish are usually skittish.

2 people on the site here that fish the river a lot Arbutis and riverbassfishing you might want to PM them to see if they can offer some suggestions.

Good luck.

[Riverbassfishing]

Navesink has been quiet. Caught some fish out in highlands where the bay meets the river. Had 2 keepers some short action and saw some blues chasing bunker. There is plenty of bunker in the river but didn't see any blues on them.