Point Pleasant Fishing Charter

For anglers that are looking for a great central point of departure for both inshore and offshore Fishing Charters, Point Pleasant and the surrounding area around Manasquan Inlet is the one and only choice to make when choosing a Fishing Charter.  Boasting a river full of fish and fishable water in the Manasquan River, and an ocean that just to the east which boasts even more endless angling opportunities, any saltwater angler can cash in on the bounty that can be had in this area.

Inshore Fishing
The Point Pleasant area boasts several world-class fisheries that any angler worth his or her weight in salt would want to cash in on. 

First and foremost, our spring and fall striped bass runs are phenomenal.  In the spring, striper fishing usually starts in April, with the early bite being red-hot on whole clam baits in our area, and to our north and south.  What follows in May, prior to the bunker run is a light tackle angler’s dream.  As herring, mackerel, rainfish, and the first adult bunker show up, an often wild jig fishery develops off our beaches as the bass re-invade our waters along with hordes of hungry bluefish.  Although the jig fishery in May and early June can be dominated by countless bluefish, quality stripers in the 15-40 pound (and sometimes even bigger) range hammer jigs and spoons with regularity.   If you want to catch a big striper on a jig, May is the month to do it!

Once June rolls around and the miles upon miles of adult menhaden (known locally as bunker) arrive, big stripers are right on their tails.  These fish typically average twenty five pounds, with fish over forty pounds taken with some regularity, and fish over fifty pounds show up on occasion as well.  Typically when the bunker are around, we fish live adult bunker on stout conventional gear, enough to handle a big fish.  However, if the fish are up on top, blasting the bunker, we break out the spinning gear and throw large surface plugs at the bass.  These surface plugs also take plenty of large, husky cow stripers!  If you want the striper of a lifetime – this is the fishery that will accomplish that feat.  Once August rolls around though, this fishery is over, and the bass summer “up north” before returning in late September.

In the fall, the fish return with the return of the baitfish and cooling autumn temperatures.  Sandeels, spearing, rainfish, peanut bunker, and mullet are all on the fall palate for bass, and once the water cools and the fish start moving, we get an incredible light tackle fishery from October to sometimes January.  As these fall bass filter through our area on their way south gorging on the miles of baitfish that make our area home during the fall, anglers cash in on mixed size bass and bluefish during this time period.  “Blitz” type fishing is common with miles of gamefish crashing on baitfish under working birds.  Bass typically top out in the twenty pound rage, with thirty pound fish occasionally showing up.   Big bluefish, up to fifteen pounds or more, show up as well.  The incredible thing about the fall is an angler can have fifty to one hundred fish days on a good day in the fall, which is different than the spring where you catch more quality than quantity.  Fly fishermen, jig fishermen, plug fishermen, you name it, can cash in on this fall bonanza!

Another fishery worth mentioning is our summer flounder fishery.  Still one of the best on the east coast, our seasonal summer flounder fishery from roughly late May until September is a summer long period of good action, and excellent eating.  Fluke in the ten pound range are usually the true trophies of the summer, but fish in the 5-8 pound rage are taken with regularity.  Bucktailing and baitfishing are the methods of choice on the outside, and if there’s a day where the river and/or bay is the way to go due to weather concerns, ultra light tackle and soft plastics are the go-to baits.  We typically fish rocks, wrecks, and reefs where anglers have a better shot at taking larger fish, and these areas don’t disappoint!

Aside from the fluke and stripers, we also have bluefish in residence from April through December.  Always a crowd pleaser, these vicious, toothy denizens of our area are almost always available.  Typically these fish are taken, jigging, plugging, trolling, chumming, or chunking, and are an incredible adversary on any tackle matched to them.  For those that doubt the eating quality of bluefish - they are truly not everyone’s favorite but when prepared correctly, these fish can highlight a spring, summer, or early fall barbecue!

Our inshore tuna fishery is also an incredible fishery.  Skipjacks, bonito, false albacore, bluefin, and the occasional yellowfin tuna can be taken within the 45 mile line, and in recent years, this “midshore” tuna fishery has exploded.  Throw in mahi-mahi (also known as dolphin or dorado), and you have a legitimate “offshore” fishery pretty close to home!

Bottom fishing is also tops in the Point Pleasant area.  Our black seabass fishery is also one of the best on the east coast.  With more strict seasonal regulations on these fish coming for 2010, it will indeed be in an angler’s best interest to get out and target these incredibly tasty, gourmet-pleasing treats of our rocks, wrecks, and reefs.  To go along with the seabass, tautog and porgies (scup) are also readily available, as well as cod and red hake.  Speaking of red hake, AKA ling, they are one of the best eating fish you will ever put your fork into, and are around in great numbers in the spring and early summer.  Even better, there are no limits or regulations on these tasty cousins of King Cod (for now). 

The Manasquan river and Barnegat Bay is also alive with panfish from May until October.   Early on, taylor bluefish show up first, followed in the warmer months by blowfish, weakfish, spot, kingfish, croakers, as well as loads of fluke. 

In April, May, September and October, our river and bay are loaded with schoolie stripers as well.  Also, in areas of structure, tautog are also take up residence.  Also, when in season, even though the bag limit per angler is now down to just two fish per person, winter flounder are very common and are still caught with regularity.  These fish were a historic seasonal starter for many anglers, and still can be!

So there ya have it, a good synopsis of fishing in the area of Point Pleasant, NJ.  This area boasts a  multitude of opportunities for any saltwater angler, so come on down and cash in on one of these great fisheries!