Fresh Mercer County Fishing Reports

Thanks to Jose A. and his family for joining us on their fishing charter on Labor Day 2025. They decided to fish the 5 Hour NJ Private Group Fishing Charter. With 5’ heavy seas from it blowing 10 knots to 20 knots Northeast and East Northeast winds from Sunday to Monday, limited us to fishing inside today in Barnegat Inlet and along Oyster Creek and Double Creek in the Barnegat Bay. Fishing was steady throughout the 5 hour fishing charter, even though we were constantly jockeying for position with all the other boats. Everyone was very close to each other in the inlet along the deep drop off point alongside of the Barnegat Light House on Long Beach Island. On most drifts, because of the wind and the incoming tide, we were able to start our drifts at Island Beach State Park red can and drift passed the lighthouse to the United States Coast Guard Station at Barnegat Light. This allowed us to fish the entire structures and depths along the lighthouse. They landed 19 Flukes which were caught and released; all (4) black seabass were also caught and released. They ended up with (2) keepers to go home with, a very nice 22 ½” Summer Flounder doormat, and one at 18+”. Top angler on this Fishing Charter was using Green Buck Tails, with spinner, along with sand eels to catch her 22” Summer Flounder. Second place angler was using white and pink squid skirt with a spinning orange and yellow float, along with spearing. Third place angler was using a 4” squid body with spinner along with Baby Shads. With Labor Day being on Monday September 1, 2025, Black Sea Bass Season closed this past weekend on Sunday August 31, 2025, and will not reopen until October 01, 2025.

Water was really rough. Got a couple small Fluke came in the river. Got a nice big stripper.

Fantastic day today targeted mahi got 12 in the boat. We also got a couple on the troll using the old cedar plug. Great time for all. Even got to go back to the inside. Reef and catch some Fluke in a sea robin

Grad a fish and buy a hat.

Slow start to fishing this trip, after being held in by the weather all week from the effects of Hurricane Erin out in the Atlantic Ocean. Thanks to our good friend Bill S and the rest of his crew. This week they decided to fish the 5 Hour NJ Private Group Fishing Charter on 08/24/2025. The fishing was slow to start, after a week of brutal conditions from Hurricane Erin churning and being offshore in the Atlantic. Heavy surf, rip currents and winds were the theme last week. After a slow start and trying to find some clean water, they landed 23 Fluke, 3 seabass and 2 Keepers. We ended up using our Sea Anchor to control the speed of our drift, because the tides were ripping 2 miles off the beach in 50’ of water outside Barnegat Light on Long Beach Island. Top angler on this Fishing Charter was using Green bucktails and spearing to catch his Summer Flounder. With Labor Day coming next Monday September 1, 2025, we have 2 openings for fishing charters this coming week. Also, Black Sea Bass Season will close this weekend on August 31, 2025, and will not reopen until October 01, 2025.

Storm pushed stripwr into the river.