Fishing report for 06/16/25

Welcome back to our fishing report, finally have something decent and a change in report. Fishing has been very cold as of late with some ups to that, but i think we are finally turning that around.

Starting with back bay report. Gotten some incredible fluke reports over the past week and a half. Fluke have been heavy over Kennedy park area, ships channel & rainbow channel. The best fishing is with 5 inch gulp (pink or white), Mackerel filets stripped out and spearing. Minnows have been non existent at just about every shop from New Jersey through Maryland. Shops have been getting minnows pints at a time. With these big fish the minnows are the lowest on the pole of what you want to use. Corson's inlet finally started with fluke but it is VERY SLOW. Surfside there has been some especially around the jetties on 4 inch gulp swim mullets in white. Started receiving some reports of fluke showing up on the wrecks and reefs, so get out and hammer these big fish that are still flooding the bay.  

Bluefish have seemingly been just about anywhere. Corson's has been the hotspot, but they have been making a hard push into the bay and in the surf. Not a ton of size in the fish but they have been 2lbs -10lbs off and on. Mackerel or mullet is the bait of choice with lures as a great backup. Just about any softplastic has hit when they are in or a hardbait like SP Minnows is always a safe bet. 

Croaker have absolutely flooded the bay. They aren't picky but they are extremely aggressive. Clams, squid, mackerel, bloods and fishbites will all work. That being said spot have pushed far into the bay, personally i am catching them way up the Tuckahoe river, bloods and fishbites are best. With those fish being in the back and farther the surf should be flooded with them but nobody has been trying. 

Seabass has been hot and cold as well out on the wrecks and reefs. When its on its on, when its off there is nothing. Clams and squid have been best. Some reports have boats landing hundreds of fish and limiting out, with others getting 2 keepers if they are lucky.

Striper have pushed on it seems. Small ones are in the surf on bloods and clams. Still our normal local fish around the bridges at night especially on soft plastics. Some are still very active up the river on bait and plastics as well.

Tuna has been tough, weather has been so up and down as well as the water temp. Sea isle ridge had some bluefin a couple weeks ago on the troll but that seems to have shut down. People are still marking fish but will not bite, tells me it maybe time to chunk. Yellow fin have showed up pretty heavily south of the poormans but in the 20lb class.

Shout out to Emmett Thornton for bringing in his pile of seabass and a ling that he caught with his grandfather and mom out on the reef. They had hundreds of fish and limited out quickly. Of course Emmett had the biggest fish in the bunch!