Going out Sunday, any tips ?

[Fish on]

Me and the boys are going out of Keyport Sunday on my new boat. We love to catch Bluefish, catch and release. However, if there are no Blues we can switch to Fluking. Any tips on where and what to use would be helpful.

[jh2214]

Boat size? I think the blues are off to spawning grounds now. They've done a great vanishing act like they do every June. Fluking is still pretty slow up in the RB. You might want to try around the channels by Earle and all the way out to the hook. The best thing you could probably do is make the run out front to the rocks and seabass, weather permitting.

[Fish on]

Thanks for the info, My boat is a 22' Mako center console with a 225 outboard. Do you know if any cocktail blues are around so we can bring our lite tackle.

[Fish on]

We never went for sea bass before. What beach are the rocks off of and what to use ?

[Hunter 2]

Soon as you past the sailboats in Keyport toss some topwater plugs and small diamond jigs for cocktail blues. They like to hang in the area beween the 1 and 3 buoy. If no takers another area is just past Keansberg pier.

[jh2214]

Clams on hi lo rig, 2/0-4/0 hooks, bring sinkers from 6-8 oz. Google "Sandy Hook Reef" and "Shrewsbury Rocks". Rocky bottom from 1.5 mile out in front of Sea Bright all the way down to Long Branch. If the c bass are thick you can read them. You can drift fish if the conditions are conducive to it. They live in rough bottom so bring plenty of rigs. Keep your baits near the bottom.

I haven't heard of many cocktail blues yet, in a couple weeks theyll be around and the fluking will get better as the water warms up.

[Fish on]

Thanks so much, your a true gentleman. The boys don`t care what they catch as long as their catching.