Re: What is wrong???
 

Allow me to clarify my previous post.....first off, are there fluke way back in Raritan Bay? Yes. Sandy Hook Bay?....yes a few. All of Raritan Bay...yes, if you can find some very small pods of barely legal fish.

Question then.....what the hell happened to the lights out "Raritan Reach" fishing of last year? Gone.

From what I'm reading and hearing, some boats are finding fish ocean side somewhat offshore (ling and black sea bass in their catches) speaks volumes. That's a hell of a ride in a small boat for 3 fish per man.

Good for them, but for the small boat owner, the rivers, bays and near shore fishing is what most can accomplish safely and good fluke fishing in those areas is just not happening this year "with any consistency"....remember those last three words please.

I got an email a few days ago from one of the best tournament winning fluke anglers I know and he's echoed the same evaluation as I....tough, tough fluke fishing and nothing to scream about with the spring Striper fishing either, so I'm not alone on this.

Something is wrong here. I can accept a drop off to a degree, but what I've seen has been a 360 degree turnaround from last year in our rivers, bays and the NY Bight area in general. I hate to use extreme adjectives, but collapse is not too far away for our area......very sad.

Remember the word "consistency".....sorry not this year.

As I stated in my previous post, my friends who drove "north" for a two day fluke fishing trip absolutely HAMMERED big fish. 9's, 10's and a 12 in the cooler and throwbacks were 5's and 6's....unreal fishing. Where the hell is that for our NJ fisherman?

Re: What is wrong???
 

It could be the constant rain storms we have been getting has affected the salinity and water quality and this is keeping the Fluke out. I really doubt that there is a shortage or over fished. Or maybe it's just a bad year! It does happen.

Re: What is wrong???
 

My biggest fluke this year was hooked at the mud hole!

Re: What is wrong???
 

Well considering Mass NY and now NJ commercial fluke fishing is closed because of already reaching their quota I can't say there's a shortage off fish. Perhaps just their location has changed

Re: What is wrong???
 

Capt. John,

Your friend that fished up in MA last week is also my friend. I saw their pics and heard the same report as you. Insane fishing! One of the biggest reasons for the difference in the size of fluke between MA and NJ is the sheer numbers of boats/anglers out everyday in Raritan Bay versus Hyannis/Marshfield, MA.

I fished the PP Elks tournament last weekend in a NS boat out of the Neptune area. We had 13 keepers up to 5.7 lbs--not good enough for any money but still a "banner day" in 2017 for fluke fishing in NJ.

Bill

Re: What is wrong???
 

aa) comms got to em before we did, fish stayed deep, bc of cold water inshore, sponsors boat went deep had a couple good days for jersey.
bb) Majority of Biomass landed up north, my buddy and his 2 sons marthas vineyard, yes read the reports from up there.
cc) LOL yea fishery is in trouble, for us not the comms, they cleaned up huh on 14" fish eff.

Re: What is wrong???
 

cc) LOL yea fishery is in trouble, for us not the comms, they cleaned up huh on 14" fish eff.[/QUOTE]

Check their offloads, they aren't made up of 14" fish. The 14" fish were tossed back....DEAD. The size fish being brought to market are primarily all large females. Fish staged because of the cold water this year, highly concentrated and easy target for commercials.

Commercials are closed until September when their season reopens, just when fluke are once again highly concentrated migrating off shore and in the prime of their spawn. And fisheries management stands by and allows it to happen while the stock by their own admission is in trouble and recruitment tanking. Absolute absurdity.

Re: What is wrong???
 

Exactly.If there are grass shrimp in Raritan the fluke will come in.When the Reach is hot the fluke spit up balls of grass shrimp when they hit the deck.spearing are also a major part of a flukes diet. No bait no fish along with other things.When the commercials are shut down for reaqching there quota i have seen the fluking turn around big time in the bay.

Re: What is wrong???
 

https://www.oceanexplorerbelmar.com/july-2017.html


really?

Re: What is wrong???
 

Fished last Thursday and Friday for a total of about 10 hours at Axel Carlson. Caught plenty of sea robins, dogfish and skates. Moved around a number of times and could only manage two short fluke.