1) Long Beach Island/Great Bay
A few kingfish are showing up in the surf on the southern end of Long Beach Island. Snapper bluefish are making it fun for kids fishing from the docks along the back bays of Beach Haven. Small weakfish have shown up in the back bays, too. White perch and crabs are a nice combination in Mullica River and surrounding streams. Some small weakfish and croaker appeared in the mouth of the Mullica. Kingfish are in the middle of Great Bay. Maryanne Schutz reported from Chestnut Neck Boat Yard in Port Republic that anglers should anchor up and chum with clam and use bloodworm as bait to catch kingfish.
2) Atlantic County
Flounder fishing continues to be good throughout the area. Keepers are still in the back bays, but anglers are fishing more and more in the channels of Absecon and Great Egg inlets. A couple of keeper striped bass were caught recently in Absecon Inlet, one on a live eel at night and the other with a live spot during the day. The bays of Margate have a lot of different species: keeper flounder, keeper sea bass, sea robin, croaker, triggerfish, bluefish and at least one keeper striper - plus an amberjack added to the mixture. The Ventnor Pier crew has had some real decent kingfish days plus, at times, small weakfish and spot. The Brigantine surf has kingfish.
3) Cape May County
Snapper bluefish cruise the back bays. Youngsters fishing Hereford Inlet have had a great time catching small blues. Inside Hereford at Grassy Sound, the blues were a little bigger at 1 1/2 pounds. Plenty of keeper flounder remain in the back bays of Grassy and inside Townsend Inlet. Small blues are in the surf at Cape May Point and the Cape May Lighthouse cove. Kingfish and spot are mixed with them. Kingfish and croaker are hanging together at Higbee Beach. Kingfish are picking up along the beach at Sea Isle City and Strathmere. Crabbing is excellent in the back bays throughout the area.
4) Delaware Bay
Reef Site 11 and Old Grounds off Delaware and Cape May Reef continue to improve, with bigger flounder consistently moving in.
5) Offshore
John Platt of Sea Isle City hauled up a tautog that went 12 pounds, 13 ounces at Sea Isle City Bait and Tackle. He was using salted clam. Flounder fishing on the wrecks, reefs and ridges is getting better and better. And, every once in a while, a mahi will take the minnows and squid intended for flounder. Inshore trolling is exceptional. Mahi, bonito, Spanish mackerel and bluefish top the catches at Five-Fathom Bank, Sea Isle Ridge, Avalon Shoals and elsewhere. Offshore, wahoo, white marlin, mahi and tuna are spread out. An 85.75-pound wahoo and a 248-pound bigeye headed the canyon catches. There are lots of reports of sharks inshore and offshore. Black-tip sharks are one of the species cruising Avalon Shoal.
