7/15 Manasquan River Fluke & Spanish Mackerel Report

[Skolmann]

Jason & I did a late afternoon trip to the Pt. Pleasant side of Manasquan Inlet. We arrived with the tide still incoming at decent rate. Initially we tried for fluke. I hooked up within a few casts and quickly called over a young boy to reel it in. I missed another bite on my next cast and then nothing on the next few casts. Then while reeling in, I assumed I had a bite by a small bluefish as I had a good tug and saw a flash of silver (I’m now convinced it was a spanish mackerel). With the fluke bite slow, Jason decided to throw a hammered A17 in hopes of catching a small bluefish. Well on his second cast he proceeded to hook up and to both our surprise it was a spanish mackerel. He caught another a few casts later. I then switched over but after a hour of casting, I had one bump but failed to hook up. Jason in the meantime caught another while also losing one (both of these on a 7/8 ounce Epoxy jig. Saw 3 others caught (1 was eventually given to us). As the tide slacked the bite stopped. I went back to fluking and on my first cast I felt a nice thump and upon settting the hook, I knew it was a nice one. Jason ran to borrow a net and scooped up a solid 22.5” #4 fluke for me. Several casts later I added another keeper fluke of 18.25”s. Both came on a single killie fished on a light leader. So all in all a productive few hours with a few meals to take home.