Manasquan Inlet Report - August 7, 2007

[Capt. Ed]

Hi All,

Beautiful day on the water. Hazy skies kept the temperature down despite NO WIND.

I needed to go catch a limit for a charter I have on Friday with the good folks from Lockheed! If the weather stinks, we will have a nice party and the folks can still bring home some Fluke.

Broke the Manasquan Inlet at 6:00AM and went to the shallow water off Bayhead. There was NO WIND; water temperature was 78 degress F; the water was crystal clear (actually could see to the bottom in 40 ft.); a slight swell from the south; and hazy skies.

I had a "Skate Fest." Me and my long tailed friends played for about a 1/2 hr. and I called "uncle!"

Moved to the Sea Girt Reef. Worked some sticky areas and caught a few Sea Bass and short Fluke. Returned for the future. This area is picked out!!! Amazing ...

Actually trolled (NOT POWER DRIFTED) for Fluke at 1.8 mph with 50 yds. of line out and 10 ozs. of weight. Connected with 6 Fluke of which three (3) went in the box!

Moved to Lavallette in 50-60 ft. of water and finished my limit. The fish were all in the 20 inch range. Largest was 23 inches. Still a bit big to eat ... but they will do.

Bait for the day was .... Pell's Peruvian Smelt and Pro Cut squid (white). Also, some sand eels came along for the ride.

To recap:

1. The Lockheed folks are hooked up for Friday!

2. I love to fish with no one around.

3. There are a lot of sharks (browns and Threshers) as well as Bluefish on Bunker schools between the Sea Girt and Axel Carleson Reef about 3 miles from the Manasquan Inlet. No time to play with them. Not interested today either ...

4. Rod helps me try to understand people every day. Thanks friend! I choose being a Gentlemen (LOL)!

5. I love this site ...

6. The weather is looking better for this weekend. I like to fish North winds. A lot of good drift possibilities ...

7. Despite little or no wind, I was able to find a drift. Sometimes, you have to move around to find a location where the current is a bit different.

8. Try trolling for Fluke ... it Works! Why troll instead of Power Drift? I could not get the Fluke to bite by bouncing anything (even a weight or bucktail). Letting a lot of line out and maintaining a steady speed kept the bait in the kill zone. Go figure ...

Off to Grand Jury Duty tomorrow ... prep. boat for Friday charter; and prep. equipment for JCSA 2-day Fluke tournament this weekend.

Report to you on the weekend!

Capt. Ed

[MS22]

nice job ed...every trip is different with new obstacles to overcome

[Capt. Ed]

Hi MS22,

Thanks and I believe I owe you a bunch of congratulations for all the big Fluke you have caught recently.

You had some week or so!

Congratulations and best wishes,

Ed

[IrishAyes]

Good report Capt Ed.  Great info as usual.  Good to see you found a way to catch em with no drift.

Joe

[Hotrod]

  You are the man ED!!

[Capt. Mike]

Great report Capt. way tough it out.  

[ped579]

Thanks for a good report as usual Capt.Ed.

I think I am going to try one of my locations in the morning.  Will be going to the Mantaloking Bridge and see what I can catch up.

To hot to search for more spots down south. but I will be targeting Tuckerton and Little Egg maybe Friday.

Happy Catching

Paul

[Flukedood]

Trolling for fluke, you learn something everyday.. Nice report captain Ed.. You always have great info..Thanks

[Capt. Ed]

Hi Fluedood,

I don't know how to describte it any other way but it was not bumping the engine in and out of gear. I ran at the slowest rpm in forward for a Yamaha (700 rpm) and everything worked out.

Why not, I have read that folks catch them on drifts up to 3 KNOTS. That is why I gave it a try. Next time, I will use a heavier weight.

To me, this has a great application. Fluke have been real bunched up this year and you have to sort of "wait to find the." Now I can cut that time down ... if it works again and wasn't a fluke (ha, ha). I have down this before in shallow water. This time in 60 ft.

Have a good one folks,

Ed

[Pops Soul]

Great Report Capt Ed. One of the biggest obstacles for fisherman is learning to adapt to different fishing situations!

[Reel Class]

We do that quite frequently in on the beach later in the season when we get days like yesterday.  It typically produces better after you get in a line of them like you did and you can just pick away.

I typically have the anglers get it on the stern, and bump it in and out and if possible run it at idle, creating a .5-1.0 "drift" with the boat.  Just ask MS22 about his first trip on Reel Class a few years ago and how we did that 

If you can figure out which way the current is running (if any) you can run right with it and work the line.  Lots of days you're catching fish and guys around you are getting sunstroke and catching gazillions of skates. 

Sometimes you have to become creative to put a catch together, but you gotta do what you gotta do 

[MS22]

I remember that day Allen.  A couple guys on another charter boat were busting our balls asking why we were "trollin" for fluke.  Well we didnt say a thing and just kept bringing in keepers.  When there isnt a drift you either have to move and find one or make one urself.