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.

[ALS Mako]

Sweet. Gotta love the summer fishing.

[Salty Dog]

Great report .Thanks .

[Duffman]

Very cool Doc!

What are you guys using to throw those epoxies? Rod/reel/line? What kinda distance you getting?

The light spin setup I used last year wasnt cutting it for me when trying for albies. Need an upgrade.

[OH HENRY II]

Originally Posted by 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.

My boat is being repowered and I would like to try Manasquan inlet. Any recommendations?

[Skolmann]

Originally Posted by OH HENRY II

My boat is being repowered and I would like to try Manasquan inlet. Any recommendations?

Ideally I try to time my arrival 1.5-2 hours before the high water slack and fish through the first 2 hours of the out going tide.

Fluke will bite at anytime even at slack. Bluefish, spanish mackerel, bonito, and false albacore (caught both those species inside the inlet from land last summer) prefer moving water.

[Skolmann]

Originally Posted by Duffman

Very cool Doc!

What are you guys using to throw those epoxies? Rod/reel/line? What kinda distance you getting?

The light spin setup I used last year wasnt cutting it for me when trying for albies. Need an upgrade.

I was using a 7’ Chaos rod with an older Daiwa BG 15 and Jason was using a 6’6” Tsunami Airwave with Daiwa BG 3000. Both reels spooled with #15 braid and a top shot of either #15 or 20 mono. We were both getting good casting distance.

The setup I was using, I used last year on party boats for bonito & false albacore when I was throwing a 4 inch tsunami split tail...I just used a flurocarbon leader instead of mono. Set-up handled then fish with ease. It was also the set up that I used to catch bonito from the wall at the inlet last summer.

[OH HENRY II]

Originally Posted by Skolmann

Ideally I try to time my arrival 1.5-2 hours before the high water slack and fish through the first 2 hours of the out going tide.

Fluke will bite at anytime even at slack. Bluefish, spanish mackerel, bonito, and false albacore (caught both those species inside the inlet from land last summer) prefer moving water.

Thanks for the info. I am somewhat handicapped do I need go to the end or is anywhere along there ok?

[Duffman]

Know off hand line rating of the Chaos and Tsunami? 12-20? 15-30? or lighter?

[Skolmann]

Originally Posted by OH HENRY II

Thanks for the info. I am somewhat handicapped do I need go to the end or is anywhere along there ok?

I’ve been fishing the west end of the inlet by the playground/monument.