Fluke fishing fires at Jones Inlet as bay water warms and bait moves thick

The fluke bite has absolutely exploded across Jones Inlet this week, and I'm seeing the kind of consistent action that makes you forget about the gas money. Bay water has climbed into the mid-60s, a solid jump from where we were two weeks ago, and that thermal push is stacking bait thick from the Meadowbrook Bridge all the way out to the inlet mouth.

I've been working the southeast side of the Meadowbrook Bridge where the charter fleet has been setting up shop, and for good reason. The drift here is perfect on the incoming tide, carrying you right through the channel where fluke are ambushing everything from peanut bunker to the sand eels that have been thick in the water column. White bucktails with chartreuse teasers are the go-to rig, but here's the kicker — fresh smelt has been absolutely deadly when you can get your hands on it. Hook them behind the head and let them work naturally on the drift.

The Wantagh area has been producing solid numbers too, especially around the second and third bridges where the current creates those perfect feeding lanes. I'm seeing mostly 15 to 17-inch fish with enough keepers mixed in to make it worthwhile. The key is reading the tide — you want that last three hours of incoming when the water is really moving and pushing bait through the system.

Out at the inlet mouth, the action has been more sporadic but the quality is there. Boats working the edges of the channel near the Coast Guard station are picking at keeper fluke, and I've heard reports of some real doormats coming from the deeper water off Cedar Beach. The trick out there is staying mobile — these fish are following the bait schools, and when you find them stacked up, you can fill the cooler fast.

What's really got me excited is the weakfish showing up in the mix. I've been hearing whispers from the dock about fish in the 14 to 16-inch range coming from the back bay areas, especially around the Freeport channels where the water stays a degree or two warmer. They're hitting the same bucktail rigs that are working for fluke, but you need to fish them higher in the water column.

The bait situation is looking strong heading into the weekend. Peanut bunker are thick throughout the system, and the sand eel schools have been massive — I watched birds working non-stop over bait balls from Point Lookout all the way back to the bridges. When you see that kind of forage base, you know the gamefish aren't far behind.

Tide-wise, we're coming off the new moon, so the water movement is still strong but starting to moderate. That's actually perfect for fluke fishing — you get enough current to position the fish but not so much that you're fighting the drift all day. The incoming tides have been the most productive, especially that sweet spot from two hours before high through the peak.

Looking ahead, this pattern should hold through the weekend. Water temps are stable in that perfect fluke zone, bait is abundant, and the fish have settled into their summer feeding routine. I'd focus on the Meadowbrook area early in the morning, then work your way out toward the inlet as the day progresses. Keep those bucktails moving, stay alert for the subtle fluke bite, and don't be surprised if you hook into something with a little more attitude — the blues are starting to show up in the deeper water, and they're not shy about letting you know they're there.