Got Mullet (Or Bunker Or Mackerel)? Get Bluefish
First, some local news:
The 33rd Annual NJ Governor’s Surf Fishing Tournament will be held this Sunday, May 19th at Island Beach State Park. We will be open and will be loaded with bait, assuming our bait boats can get out on the water (lets hope for some nice weather leading into the weekend). Enjoy a great day of surf fishing with family and friends at the Governor’s Surf Fishing Tournament. Its purpose is to bring awareness of the importance of saltwater recreational fishing and marine resources in New Jersey to the Governor, State Legislators and New Jersey residents. Sign up here: https://dep.nj.gov/njfw/fishing/marine/governors-surf-fishing-tournament/
How is the fishing? If the fishing we have had the past couple of days continues, the judges at the Governor’s Surf Fishing Tournament are going to be busy. Last report, striped bass were dominating the surf (hence the title of the report). Now, bluefish have taken the top spot. The big blues have invaded the surf and are hitting just about everything. Bait is doing the best and of all the baits, mullet seems to be the preferred bait. However, vac-sealed bunker, mackerel and even clams are taking bluefish in the surf. Pencil poppers, metals and bucktails are taking blues in the surf also. And fluke are in the surf, hitting clams meant for bass or the more proper bucktails and Gulp!
The bluefish are still in the bay too. Poppers are doing the best here, through mullet, mackerel and vac-sealed bunker are working here too.
Some notable recent catches:
Our cover photo is @lizzyribas showing the boys how its done (as she usually does.). She was also nice enough to catch a couple that she let @david_eurell and our own Scott hold for pictures (the two pictures above). She really is too nice to them.
Chris with his first ever bass caught on a Grumpys clam. Congratulations Chris.
Mike and his daughter got into them Saturday. A good mix of Bass and Blues.
@lugo_matt and @cranmer_shane had some bass and blues today off clams.
There are some drum around out front it looks like. Jaxon Adams found this one using a clam.
@kevin_sevillaa “All on lures for about 2 hours left them biting most of them upwards of 9lbs”
@gino.benevento “Crushing them in the park”
@josephpetro_ and @stvenpetro with a nice bass and more blues that they could count on SP minnows
“Striper on sp minnow, black drum on clams, bluefish on mullet 😀” @_yuriy_
The bluefish are in and Ray is doing his happy dance.
