UTERSummer flounder fishing in New Jersey saltwater fishing
In New Jersey saltwater fishing, summer flounder peak June–September and are around May–October, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. August: Doormats on the ocean reefs and wrecks — Manasquan Ridge, the Barnegat Ridges — bucktail and squid strip.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Summer flounder in New Jersey saltwater fishing, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilNot here
- MayArrivingBack-bay fluke in Barnegat, Great Bay and the Cape May channels — New Jersey sets its own season dates, check NJDEP.
- JunePeakFluke, sea bass and the first tuna and makos. Bucktails on the ocean reefs and ridges for fluke; chunk butterfish for school bluefin on the Mud Hole and the Texas Tower; chum for makos (release) and threshers.
- JulyPeakCanyons and the ocean reefs. Overnight canyon trips to the Hudson and Toms for yellowfin on the chunk; doormat fluke on the Barnegat and Manasquan ridges; kingfish in the surf on bloodworms.
- AugustPeakDoormats on the ocean reefs and wrecks — Manasquan Ridge, the Barnegat Ridges — bucktail and squid strip.
- SeptemberPeakAlbies off the inlets; the fall bite stirs. Epoxy jigs for false albacore off Barnegat and Sandy Hook; last fluke week on the reefs; snapper blues everywhere.
- OctoberLeaving
- NovemberNot here
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish summer flounder near Cape May, Atlantic City, Barnegat Light
A 130-mile barrier-island coast of surf beaches and rock jetties, cut by inlets (Cape May, Townsends, Absecon, Barnegat, Manasquan, Shark River) into shallow back bays — Barnegat Bay, Great Bay, the Cape May wetlands — with Raritan Bay at the north end; offshore, a field of artificial reefs, ridges and wrecks out to the Hudson, Toms, Wilmington and Spencer canyons.
Fish Scouter charts 868 artificial reef, 470 wreck spots in the The Jersey Shore map area — the kinds summer flounder hold on.
What to use for summer flounder
- Mud minnows (killifish)Lip-hooked on a jig head or a 1/0 hook dragged along the bottom — the flounder bait.
- SquidStrips on a bottom rig for snapper, grunts and porgies; whole on a deep-drop rig.
- Menhaden (pogies)Nose-hooked on a circle hook and free-lined or slow-trolled; cut in chunks for the bottom.
- Sand eelsFree-lined or on a light jig head for stripers, fluke and bluefish; strips teased on a fluke rig.
- Leader20–40 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook#1–4/0
- Jig head1/8–1/2 oz
- Braid10–30 lb
Feeds in 56–80°F water, best at 62–74°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch summer flounder in New Jersey saltwater fishing?
Peak season is June–September. Summer flounder are in New Jersey saltwater fishing May–October. August: Doormats on the ocean reefs and wrecks — Manasquan Ridge, the Barnegat Ridges — bucktail and squid strip.
Where do summer flounder hold in New Jersey saltwater fishing?
Look on channel edge, pass / inlet, beach / surf, artificial reef, wreck, bridge, fishing pier, grass flat — around Cape May, Atlantic City, Barnegat Light, Point Pleasant, Belmar, Sandy Hook.
What is the best bait for summer flounder in New Jersey saltwater fishing?
Live bait: mud minnows (killifish), squid, menhaden (pogies), sand eels. Mud minnows (killifish): Lip-hooked on a jig head or a 1/0 hook dragged along the bottom — the flounder bait. Tackle: leader 20–40 lb fluorocarbon, hook #1–4/0, jig head 1/8–1/2 oz, braid 10–30 lb.
What are the rules for summer flounder in New Jersey saltwater fishing?
Size and bag limits and closed seasons are set by the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife (NJ Fish and Wildlife) and change — read the current rule at https://dep.nj.gov/njfw/fishing/marine/ before you keep a fish. A licence is sold at https://dep.nj.gov/njfw/licenses-and-permits/.
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