OLD GROUNDS (GPS 38’34.40/ 74’47.72)
Sitting roughly 18 miles south off Cape May, the Old Grounds lies in a shipping channel from the Atlantic Ocean into Delaware Bay. The bottom structure here is very rocky, since in past centuries, ships would spill stone ballasts here to lighten their loads so as to safely enter the shallower waters of Delaware Bay. Over decades, that has built up a jumbled underwater terrain of rockpiles that fluke hang around, in order to ambush unsuspecting baitfish in the current of the channel.

Depths in this area range from 63 to 100 feet. One easy way to tell you’re in the right spot is to stay near the yellow Delaware Bay (DB) buoy, where the fishing fleet tends to congregate anyway. The area around the buoy will range from 65 to 75 feet, but north and a tiny bit east of the area, the depth will sound to 90 feet and more.

The implementation of braided line is paramount to upping the odds in your favor, as the ultra-sensitivity and ability to cut through water will aid you in the deep-water conditions. And you better bring a healthy bunch of bank sinkers from 4 to 16 ounces, because it can get sticky with all the rocky structure you’ll be drifting over.

MANASQUAN RIDGE (GPS 40’01.74 / 73’56.01)
The Manasquan Ridge is a solid mid- to late-summer staging spot for large fluke, as it lies roughly 6.3 miles from Manasquan Inlet and provides an interim point for migrating late-summer flounder. In essence, the spot resembles a tabletop, with water depth ranging from 48 on the top to 75 feet around the sides.

In the middle of the day, flatties will most often stick on top of the plateau. Then by afternoon, they will locate themselves on the downtide sides of the hills.

The wind-with-tide scenario is best here. You’ll definitely want your drift baits to be flowing with the tide for maximum exposure to waiting flatfish. Many people will fish the ridge with large, undulating strip baits. These baits will be part of a fish-finder slide rig, baited with a whole 10-inch squid or strip bait on a sliding tandem hook rig. Trophy fluke will hang themselves on it.

The ridge not only serves up the quality doormats you’re searching for, but it’s also a fantastic spot to fill your cooler with 17- to 19-inch fish. Standard killie and squid-strip combo baits will help you put numbers of fish into the boat.

GREAT EGG REEF (GPS 39’14.50 / 74’21.50)
The Great Egg Reef, 7.2 miles off the shores of Atlantic City, is a fantastic southern Jersey summer flounder hotspot. The reef encompasses about a one-mile square area of bottom. It is a bottom-fishing haven brimming with structure that lies between 42 and 75 feet deep. On the reef site, the most manifest debris is the conspicuous presence of large clusters of army tanks on the west and south sides. Plenty of tire piles, reef balls, and pipe sections also hug the bottom here.