July saltwater

[Mason5419]

I have fly fished for trout for about 30 years, but I am new to salt water. Based on my few experiences over the last couple years...I am hooked! However, I lack the knowledge to know he best places to go within a days drive from central PA. I'm not looking for a spot burning thread, but rather generalities...primarily shore fishing locals. Can anyone point me in the right direction during mid-july PMs welcome)? Thanks in advance.

 

[Fishidiot]

Mid July isn't the best time for saltwater FFing along the northeast coast. The beaches are crowded and expensive and many of the gamefish have migrated northward. With that said, there are fish to be caught - fluke and weakies are around and stripers can be caugh too although this is mainly a night game during summer for the shore bound angler. I like Island Beach State Park for FFing. There are many threads on IBSP here on PAFF if you do a search. If you're willing to drive 4-6 hours and can buck NYC traffic, the best surf fishing would be Montauk (east end of Long Island) but even Montauk is much better in Sept.

Unless you've got to combine FFing with a summer vacation....if you're serious about fishing, wait till Oct-Nov

 

[1wt]

Mid July isn't the best time for saltwater FFing along the northeast coast. I like Island Beach State Park for FFing.

I agree! I also love IBSP, but it stinks in the summer time. I've caught a few at night, with my 8wt close to the shore. But I usually just cast and swat mosquitoes!! There is a wild fox there at night, maybe a werewolf? ....... so pack your pistol!

My bro has a new 28.5' GW, two 250's and has been catchin' Yellowtails pretty good. He docks in Wildwood, NJ.
I'm heading down in a couple days and will be after tuna and dolphins (not the kind you see on the beach, the GREEN kind)
Only problem is: it's all trolling gear..... no fly rods allowed on his boat! LOL

My bro's son has a neat "summer house" in Wildwood Crest and I can stay there for a while.

I'll take lots of pix, but photobucket is wacked out for me now, and this is tuna on heavy tackle, so no fly pix for this site.

Later,
1wt

 

[SurfCowboyXX]

Night time is the right time. Fish jetty country, from Asbury north. Fish the jetties THOROUGHLY. All levels of the water column, especially tight to the rocks. Use a circle hook fly and you won't hang the rocks. Make sure you spend time working the 70' of water off the tip of each jetty, down to the bottom. There are lots of rocks down there, too. Use big flies that push a lot of water in white, yellow, black, and purple. It should take you twenty minutes to fish a groin (small jetty), and an hour to fish a big jetty. You can pick some very decent fish this way.

If you can only get out during the day, fish from Point Pleasant south, sight fishing the beach in the high sun. Use nose-weighted sandeel flies and calico crab or mole crab patterns in size 1 or so. Fish cruise the trough between sand bars looking for whatever is available.

If you can only fish in south Jersey, do it at night, in the back. Good luck.

 

[Fishidiot]

I love jetties but it should be emphasisized to salt newbies - never walk a jetty with wet rocks without cleated soles.

 

[sandfly]

I agree! I also love IBSP, but it stinks in the summer time. I've caught a few at night, with my 8wt close to the shore. But I usually just cast and swat mosquitoes!! There is a wild fox there at night, maybe a werewolf? ....... so pack your pistol!

i have fished and lived on I.B.S.P. for over 40 years and catch fish all summer, just have to know the tides, moon, and pressure..if they are not out front then they are in the back areas..I do really good first light there. yeah mid day slows but you can still find something to cast to. Its helps to be able to read the water well. and don't get caught with a fire arm out of hunting season, they frown on that big time.. there are a lot of fox there some years they have to trap them there's so many..

 

[marcq]

Like said early jetties at night now for bass. You can get in the bay and find some blues and weakies. Fluke is going to be your best bet now. I was out last week didn't fly fish but caught about 20 or so fluke in a short time. I also can point you to a guide in jersey that will hook you into bass now as well. It all on top water. Sept, oct, and nov are the best time to fish in jersey. Get an 8 wt with sinking and some clousers drag the fly slowly along the bottom and you should get some fluke. They are moving into the surf now so anywhere is game.

Marc

 

[wgmiller]

I know FI will back me up on this, but take along a spinning rod just in case conditions aren't "ideal" for fly fishing. I love fly fishing, but am not above using the spinning rod for saltwater species as sometimes, it is just so much more productive. Using some fresh bait (shrimp, bloodworms, squid, etc.) can really turn a lousy day into a good day.

That being said, good luck!

 

[afishinado]

SurfCowboyXX wrote:
Night time is the right time. Fish jetty country, from Asbury north. Fish the jetties THOROUGHLY. All levels of the water column, especially tight to the rocks. Use a circle hook fly and you won't hang the rocks. Make sure you spend time working the 70' of water off the tip of each jetty, down to the bottom. There are lots of rocks down there, too. Use big flies that push a lot of water in white, yellow, black, and purple. It should take you twenty minutes to fish a groin (small jetty), and an hour to fish a big jetty. You can pick some very decent fish this way.

If you can only get out during the day, fish from Point Pleasant south, sight fishing the beach in the high sun. Use nose-weighted sandeel flies and calico crab or mole crab patterns in size 1 or so. Fish cruise the trough between sand bars looking for whatever is available.

If you can only fish in south Jersey, do it at night, in the back. Good luck.

Surf taught me about sight-fishing the surf....cool stuff!

 

[SurfCowboyXX]

The fish in that pic is starving for a calico crab-if you look closely, you can see the bib it's wearing...

 

[pwk5017]

That pic is sweet. Looks like a nice size fish, what species? I have only spin fished the surf on vacation, but it can be pretty awesome fishing at times. Last year I did pretty well on bluefish 14-18". I would catch like 30 in 2 hours ripping grub tails and crank baits as the high tide was coming in. I can only imagine the excitement of casting to some nice salt fish, like 10-15lb blues and the like.

 

[marcq]

I agree with that bring a spinning rod. Last nov I went to IBSP fully intending to use the long rod and the conditions were good to but there was about 15 feet between me and the guys around me. I did get some fly action in but it was a little to late. The bass moved off the beach.