On my way home from the Ling trip on Wed. got call from my son-in-law inviting me out for a trip on his boat Thurs. AM. What the heck, work can wait.
Launched the boat at Laurel Hill Park on the Hackensack River in Secaucus and of we went down the Hackensack River into Newark Bay, down the Arthur Kill, and rounded Staten Island to go under the Verrazano. Very cool to see all of the old factories and bridges along the way as well as the shipping terminals.
Plan A was to check out a spot he worked earlier this season with success for some stripers. Found no bunker so we worked the spot with some soft lures and plugs.
No bass at home and got bit off by a huge bluefish at the boat. No more action after that so we decided to try for some fluke in Ambrose channel just east of the VN bridge in NY waters.
Nasty current and could have used some heavier jigs. Worked one dead stick with squid and gulp and the jig rods with jigs dressed with gulp and a teaser above with whole squid with an extra stinger hook.
Managed to catch 8 shorts. The three largest at 20.5” and 18.5 “
How do these fish know to stay out of NJ
Fun day out.
