New Jersey · Jersey Shore
FLUKE FISHING
IN ATLANTIC CITY
Atlantic City is an excellent destination for fluke fishing, with peak season in June, July, August and good catches in May, September. Book a charter and target fluke with local experts.
About Fluke Fishing in Atlantic City
Also called Summer Flounder, fluke are prized flatfish found from the Carolinas to Massachusetts. Distinguished from Gulf flounder by their larger size and left-facing orientation, fluke are ambush predators that lie camouflaged on sandy bottoms near structure.
Fluke — properly called Summer Flounder — are the premier flatfish of the mid-Atlantic and Northeast. Distinguished from Gulf/Southern Flounder by their larger size, left-facing orientation (both eyes on the left side), and distinct spot patterns with 5 large ocelli (eye spots) on the upper body. Fluke are ambush predators that lie buried in sand with only their eyes exposed, launching upward to grab prey. Their camouflage ability is remarkable — they can change color to match the bottom within minutes. Excellent table fare with sweet, firm white flesh.
Scientific name: Paralichthys dentatus
Fluke Seasonal Calendar — Atlantic City
Month-by-month availability for fluke in Atlantic City, NJ.
How to Catch Fluke in Atlantic City
Techniques & Bait
Drifting with bucktails (white, chartreuse, or pink) tipped with a strip of squid, fluke belly, or Gulp! Swimming Mullet along sandy bottom in 20-80 feet of water is the standard technique. "Fluke rigs" (a sliding sinker rig with a long fluorocarbon leader and wide-gap hook) baited with a live minnow and strip bait combination is deadly. Drifting over structure transitions — where sand meets rocks, mud, or wrecks — concentrates fish. Slow your drift with a drift sock for better bottom contact.
Recommended Tackle
Medium spinning rod (6'6"-7 ft), 3000-4000 reel, 15-20 lb braid, 20-30 lb fluorocarbon leader, bucktail jigs (1/2-2 oz depending on depth/current), wide-gap hooks (3/0-5/0).
Best Inshore Fishing Spots in Atlantic City
Top spots where local captains target fluke and other inshore species.
Absecon Inlet
Absecon Inlet is the primary ocean passage for Atlantic City, connecting the back bays to the Atlantic with strong tidal currents that funnel baitfish and gamefish through the channel. Striped bass, fluke, bluefish, and weakfish stack up along the inlet's rock jetties and channel edges on every tide change. The inlet's deep channel and adjacent sand bars create diverse habitat that holds fish from early spring through late fall.
Great Egg Harbor Bay
Great Egg Harbor Bay lies south of Atlantic City and provides an expansive estuary system of tidal creeks, grass flats, and marsh islands rich with summer flounder, weakfish, and striped bass. The bay's shallow waters warm quickly in spring, attracting the first migrating fluke and weakfish of the season to the area. Drifting live killies and squid strips across the bay's sandy channels is the time-tested technique for consistent fluke fishing.
Beach Thorofare
Beach Thorofare is a tidal waterway running behind the Atlantic City barrier island, connecting the back bay system with channels that hold fluke, striped bass, and weakfish around dock pilings and bulkheads. The channel's deeper sections provide reliable inshore fishing in a sheltered environment accessible from numerous marinas along the waterway. Night fishing along Beach Thorofare during summer produces good catches of weakfish and striped bass feeding under dock lights.
Lakes Bay
Lakes Bay sits directly behind Atlantic City between the mainland and the barrier island, its shallow grass flats and deeper channels holding summer flounder, weakfish, and striped bass. The bay's Route 30 bridge pilings create fish-holding structure that attracts sheepshead, tautog, and striped bass year-round. Kayak anglers working the marsh edges and creek mouths find excellent light-tackle action in this urban back-bay fishery.
Other Species in Atlantic City
More fish you can target while visiting Atlantic City.
Fluke Fishing in Atlantic City — FAQ
The peak months for Fluke fishing in Atlantic City are June, July, August. During these months, Fluke are most active and abundant in the Atlantic City area.
Fluke fishing charters in Atlantic City are typically inshore trips. Prices vary by trip duration and group size. Most charters include all gear, bait, licenses, and fish cleaning.
Drifting with bucktails (white, chartreuse, or pink) tipped with a strip of squid, fluke belly, or Gulp! Swimming Mullet along sandy bottom in 20-80 feet of water is the standard technique. "Fluke rigs" (a sliding sinker rig with a long fluorocarbon leader and wide-gap hook) baited with a live minnow and strip bait combination is deadly. Drifting over structure transitions — where sand meets rocks, mud, or wrecks — concentrates fish. Slow your drift with a drift sock for better bottom contact.
No — when you book a charter in Atlantic City, your captain provides all required New Jersey fishing licenses as part of the trip.
Fluke regulations in New Jersey include minimum size limits and bag limits that vary by season. Your captain will know the current regulations and ensure compliance.
While targeting Fluke in Atlantic City, you may also catch Striped Bass, Tautog, Bluefish, Black Sea Bass, Porgy. Many charter trips target multiple species for the best action.
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