LBI NJ Fishing Report

LBI Fishing Report 4/23/24 – Bluefish Arrived!

Since the last LBI Fishing Report update, we have had some new arrivals that make for a good spread of target species right now. Yesterday a couple bluefish were weighed in that were both caught off the LBI surf. We are stoked to share there are here!

Also present in the local waters of Long Beach Island; striped bass, black drum, tautog, kingfish, weakfish, blowfish and white perch. Offshore there were a couple giant bluefin caught too! Check out the latest fishing report video update from this morning to get some info on fishing, the beach, ocean weather and little more.

Bluefish & Bass Report

We weighed in two gator bluefish yesterday. Al Parente caught a 8.25# bluefish mid-island on bunker (photo shown in the video thumbnail above). Brandy Hillegass weighed in a 11.5# gator blue which was also caught mid-island on bunker. Photo below.

On the striped bass side of things we have both good bass fishing in the bay and surf as well as inlet. Anglers are targeting and catching on both lures and bait. Off the surf, the clam bite has been good. Anglers are also catching fishing bunker, worms and sand fleas. So far this season bunker has been extremely hard for us to get as out bait guys can’t find any. This might seem like a bad thing however the way I see it, this could very well help surf anglers. When the bunker is abundant most of the time striped bass moving through the area stag up on the bunker schools and feed off of the beach. With no bunker these striped bass move into the surf zone and roam the cuts and search for a mean in the wash. This is why clam and sand fleas were two hot baits last spring and it might repeat this year.

On the surf some larger class of striped bass arrived this past week – weekend. We previously heard news from further south (South Jersey, Atlantic and Cape May County) so it’s good to see them sliding up the coast. Right now it is awesome to see the bass on the beach in all size classes from shorts, slots, overs and trophies size too. Below is two photos of Gary Grippaldi’s monster he caught a couple days ago as well as another good size striped bass. Gary reported catching a bunch of other bass over the past few days fishing the surf.

Be on the look out for some swell on the beaches midweek.

Black Drum

Black drum report are still pinging but not as crazy as it once was the past two weeks. Maybe the full moon has them shifting gears and the activity will throttle up later this week??? Most years they show up in April and stick around for most of May and sometimes most of the summer.

If you are fishing for striped bass or black drum with clam and getting nibbles it is most likely blowfish or kingfish. These two notorious nibblers are here and only becoming more abundant as summer nears. Store staffer Frankie caught this blowfish on clam as well as stripers in the surf.

Tautog Fishing

Tog fishing is great both in the boat and on land. The boat anglers are catching some classy fish on the snags with crab. Below is a big tog caught by Tony Pacitti. Now’s the time to get out there. Only a few days left in the season as it closes in one week, next Tuesday April 30, 2024.

Tog Fishing Aboard LBI Charters

Anyone looking to get out blackfishing before the end of the season? Captain Greg Carr of LBI Charters is running open boat trips this Friday, Saturday & Sunday. $150PP Text 8562640318 or visit www.LBICharters.com to reserve a spot today.

For 2024 Captain Greg is running a new sled, the Kev N Ash III… a 28′ Crowley Beal Downeast battlewagon. This bottom fishing machine comfortable accommodates up to 6 anglers and eats up the sea. There’s decent weather through the weekend so it’s a good time to jump aboard and enjoy some time on the water fishing with one of the top captains in the area.

Ashley Carr caught this tog aboard LBI Charters fishing with father Capt Greg Carr on a recent trip.

Captain Greg fished Sunday and Monday for blackfish and has had some good fishing. He reports that fishing has improved as the water cleaned up and warmed up. Earlier in the season the cold bottom temps and swell were not helping.6# and Monday 12 keepers to 8#.

LBI Fishing Report 4/16/24

The sunny warm weather is raising the local water temperatures and with it a positive progression in the spring fisheries. Since the past report update we have seen a surge of black drum to the area as well as a number of kingfish. The spring striped bass bite in the bay continues on and the tog fishing is great. The local fishing has been good and there’s no signs it is stopping. It’s only getting better! Get out fishing and enjoy!

The drum are being caught in Barnegat Bay, Manahawkin Bay and Great Bay on clam. Kingfish were caught on clam and worm in recent days. If you are getting frustrater by mysterious bait stealers, try tossing another rod out with small hooks. Anglers fishing clam, worm and lures are catching striped bass all around the local bays. The early season spots are still pumping. Thanks to warming waters, bass are also stretching out into other areas now too. Since the last report there were a handful of surf side striped bass catches. It’s not a bad bet to try however your best fishing IMO is the bayside BUT that may transition very soon. Now is also a great time to get out tog fishing and soak some crabs as the spring season is only one month long (open only for the one month of April). Reports from both the jetty and the reefs and wrecks have been great.

Here’s my last fishing report update video which is from yesterday Monday April 15, 2024.

NJ’s Offshore Wind Fiasco P3

April 11, 2024 at about 7am, I got a call from a friend, “There’s a dead whale washed up on the beach in front of my house.” I had to check it out. I took some photos and videos and stuck around for about two hours to soak in the scene. While on the beach, I saw another whale (possibly more than one) breach four times out in the distance. I pointed it out to three ladies standing near me and they managed to see one of the blows, their first ever. It was exciting for them. However these very distinct and pronounced blows sent an eerie chill down my spine. The hair on my arms stood up like a porcupine. Was that the mother?

This wasn’t my first stranding event. For me it all started on December 24, 2020 when a dead humpback washed ashore in Barnegat Light. I made a short video to document the event, view it here. Being a saltwater angler, I frequently fish alongside whales both inshore and offshore. But this event really got me thinking, reading and researching. Since then, I went out of my way to witness first hand as many local strandings as possible. Little did I know at the time that there were a lot of events coming!

In the Northeast United States, developers have spent billions of dollars on offshore wind projects to tap into the lucrative energy markets and access state-level subsidies for carbon-free electricity. However, the Bureau Of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the National Marine Fisheries Services (NMFS once known as NOAA Fisheries) have failed to properly assess the offshore wind industry’s impacts on endangered and threatened marine wildlife as well as the fisheries in the western Atlantic. And, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) has failed to monitor and enforce. Still today, they fail to recognize the cumulative impacts which ongoing geophysical and geotechnical survey operations have on cetaceans and other marine life.

Offshore Wind & Whales

The string of marine mammal mortality events that escalated in the winter of 2022/2023 was alarming. During the early stages of these events I closely followed these events and attended local strandings; Atlantic City 12/23/22, Atlantic City 1/7/23, Brigantine 1/12/23, Manasquan 2/13/23, Seaside Park 3/2/23. I also closely followed the activities of the many survey ships in the region. I found it disturbing and strange that the many NGO (non governmental organization) pro-wind groups were NOT hot on the topic. They were strangely quiet for a long while. It took trending social media and eventually mainstream media to get them to even speak on the topic.

When Clean Ocean Action issued a press release on Jan 9th and called for an investigation, I was taken back by the many NGO’s responses which did not concur. What’s to hide? New Jersey’s Governor Phil Murphy (a big league offshore wind advocate) quickly said, “There’s no evidence at all that these are related to the offshore wind activities.” Well at that time and still today there is no evidence they were not related. Fortunately congressman Chris Smith took action and called for “an immediate, comprehensive investigation into the environmental approval process for offshore wind projects” by BOEM & NMFS. As time went on a large movement has formed demanding an investigation and a “Pause Until We Find The Cause.”

But, neither took place. And the whale death toll rose. So… Do the many whale deaths have any relationship to the large-scale offshore wind survey activity in the region?

Let me be clear. I’m not a whale expert. I'm not a scientist. I am a recreational fishing stakeholder that has dedicated far too much of my life monitoring the offshore wind developments, reading all of BOEM's offshore wind documents as well as many peer reviewed documents on the vast topics. I have attended far too many offshore wind meetings (both public and private). And I’ve read far too many news articles with regurgitated verbiage from state, fed and pro-wind NGO press releases. I wrote this, Part 3 of NJ’s Offshore Wind Fiasco - Offshore Wind & Whales, to share my deep concerns with others. I DO NOT support the industrialization of the oceans. I DO NOT support the fast tracking of offshore wind. Offshore Wind is not solving any existential threats which proponents claim. It is only creating a multitude of major problems in the marine ecosystem and these are only the early stages.

What’s going on with the whales?

In 2017, NOAA declared an active unusual mortality event for Humpback whales along the East Coast. Experts say they don’t totally know why whales are dying at higher than normal rates. Some seem scared to speak up and go against their own environmental community, most of which wholeheartedly support offshore wind.

Humpback whale strandings, Maine to Floirda 2011-2023 (‘23 through August).

Red bars show years of the declared UME.

NOAA’s Chief of Endangered Species Dr. Sean Hayes surprised many with his warning letter to BOEM that offshore wind projects posed existential threats to marine life not only during construction but throughout normal operations. As Hayes writes in his letter:

“risks occur at varying stages, including construction and development, and include increased noise, vessel traffic, habitat modifications, water withdrawals associated with certain sub-stations and resultant impingement/entrainment of zooplankton, changes in fishing effort and related potential increased entanglement risk, and oceanographic changes that may disrupt the distribution, abundance, and availability of typical right whale food (e.g. Dorrell et al 2022).”
“However, unlike vessel traffic and noise, which can be mitigated to some extent, oceanographic impacts from installed and operating turbines cannot be mitigated for the 30-year lifespan of the project, unless they are decommissioned.”
Dr. Sean Hayes

That is some really serious verbiage! Nonetheless, in this Jan 18, 2023 NOAA press conference on East Coast whale stranding (which I attended), Lauren Gaches (NOAA Fisheries Public Affairs Director) stated “to date, no whale mortality has been attributed to offshore wind activities.” But the entire presentation FAILED to clearly state that without a doubt offshore wind survey activities have absolutely NO direct or NO indirect association to any of the whale deaths. She basically spoonfed the national press who are not well versed on the topic and not willing to take a deep dive.

At the time Murphy, who has aggressively raised state OSW generation targets (the direct cause of the fast tracking) said, “They (NOAA) have said it’s been happening (whale stranding aka deaths) at an increased rate since 2016, and that was long before there was any offshore wind activity.” Well, that is not true. In 2015 there was construction activity at the Block Island Wind Farm. Here’s a Newport Rhode Island news article from 2017 possibly one of the earliest in the states to question the link between whale strandings and offshore wind. Here’s a document dated Aug 30, 2017 to Ocean Wind, LLC on Project Name: Denmark Oil & Natural Gas Energy (DONG energy is now Orsted), in regards to 2 geotechnical test cores at 39 separate sites in the Atlantic Ocean approximately 11 miles due east of Ocean City, NJ. And the Bay State Wind (DONG/Orsted) five year site assessment term started on June 29, 2017. To the best of my knowledge Bay State Wind did not have IHA permits and at that time there was not an IHA mandate. There’s also possible links questioned by marine environmental experts in Europe as well as an environmental blogger.

Two Unprecedented Occurrences

The waters from Cape May to Montauk have NEVER seen this many cetacean deaths (whales and dolphins) in such a condensed time frame. EVER!!! These same waters have NEVER EVER had this extent and duration of geophysical and geotechnical survey activities. EVER! There is a suspicious correlation with the surge in whale deaths with the increase in offshore wind survey activity.

Noise Pollution – Whales Are Sensitive to Sound

As I published (August 23, 2022) NJ Offshore Wind Fiasco P2, there are concerns with regards to offshore wind noise pollution. Sound is critical for marine mammals to navigate, communicate, feed, reproduce and much more. Whales are acoustically sensitive and evidence shows sound affects their behaviors. Humpback whales are disrupted by survey activity, and thus merits further attention and study, and potentially conservation action. (Cerchio Et al., 2014) But studies on large whales have not been done because few members of these species occur in the wind energy areas in European waters. (Kraus Et al., 2019)

Whales are vulnerable to harm from offshore wind energy, especially Baleen whales which use low-frequency sounds. According to San Diego State University biologist, because of their bone conduction, baleen whales (14 species including humpback, rite, fin, sei, minke) are particularly susceptible (4-10X more sensitive) to negative effects from noise pollution. The majority of local strandings have been humpbacks.

As per Sea World’s All About Baleen Whale Communication, “The repertoire of baleen whale sounds includes very low-frequency (20–200 Hz) moans, grunts, thumps and knocks; and higher-frequency (above 1000 Hz) chirps, cries, whistles, and songs. Humpback whales also produce a series of repeating units of sounds (up to 8,000 Hz) that are classified as “songs”.

Several studies on the effects of noise on marine mammals have documented a broad range of negative effects, from masking of signals and avoidance behavior, physical injury, cessation of feeding, and increased stress (Richardson et al., 1995; Hildebrand, 2005; Weilgart, 2007; Rolland et al., 2012; DeRuiter et al., 2013; Dunlop et al., 2018; Bröker, 2019). There’s possibilities of both temporary threshold shift (noise-induced hearing loss in marine mammals) and permanent hearing damage, loss of communication and navigation as well as displacement from habitats and migration routes. (National Academies, 2017). Section 1.1 gives an example of potential stressors associated with offshore wind being “animals could be displaced away from a wind installation into nearby shipping lanes”. This sheds a little light on the problem.

A deaf whale is a dead whale!

While baleen whales do not possess the advanced echolocation abilities of toothed whales, they still use echolocation to some extent. Baleen whales emit sounds and listen for the echoes in their environment for communicating.

This study (BOEM Report No. 5586) states avoidance behavior of grey whales (a Baleen whale) began at sound exposure levels of around 110dB and levels of 180db produced nearly complete avoidance of the area. The study found whales changed course to avoid noise in their migratory path. Will other Baleen whales react in a similar way? In the case of NY Bight geotechnical and geophysical survey operations, emissions levels were/are at or in excess of 140-150dB.

In regards to the NY Bight, so far only pre-construction surveys have taken place. But if the irresponsible fast tracking of development is left unchecked, one day in the not so distant future pile driving noise could be a new major stressor for whales in the region. University of Rhode Island’s (URI) Dr. James Miller shares that construction is VERY loud, “sound is detectable 50+ miles from the site.”

This noise pollution even with sound mitigation techniques called bubble curtains can displace marine mammals 10km+ range from the construction site. The idea is for the bubbles to absorb and reflect the sound energy. But as per James Miller (bioacoustics export at URI) it only reduces the sound energy by about 10dB. Because developers know this isn’t enough and there is still a huge risk to marine life, a hydro-sound damper system was developed (shown). This is a photo I got from Vineyard Wind, but I could not find any details about them, their use or their sound reduction capabilities.

There are major concerns with regards to pile driving. And just like the survey stage, as construction sites expand and fill out the region, there is an IMMENSE CUMULATIVE IMPACT!

“It is absolutely ridiculous allowing international companies to blast our coastline, with no benefit for local communities or regard for marine life. The onus should be on the proponent to prove no harm, and the precautionary principle should be implemented until that is the case.”
Ally King, Surfrider Tasmania

This is a great quote from Surfrider Tasmania President Ally King but in this case King was talking about survey activity for oil. Surfrider whole heartily supports Offshore Wind in NJ/NY Bight with none of these “precautionary principles” of concern.

What Survey Work For Offshore Wind Was Done?

Survey work (off NY/NJ) for engineering and environmental purposes is characterizing the sea floor and the immediate sub-bottom profile. The exact work that each vessel was and is conducting and the exact equipment being used is somewhat unknown (to me, but must be documented somewhere) but this document details Geophysical & Geotechnical (G&G) Investigation Methods.

Geophysical Operations

These surveys use sensors that are mounted under and/or towed by a vessel to map the seafloor, identify physical objects and characterize bottom habitats. This equipment also collects information of soil type on and below the seafloor. Equipment used ranges from multibeam depth sounders, gradiometers (magnetic intensity measurement), side scan sonar (seafloor imaging), pinger/chirp (shallow penetration sub-bottom profiler, 0-5m below seabed), and chirps/ parametric profilers/sparkers (medium penetration sub-bottom profiler, down to 100m below seabed). “Geophysical surveys are expected to use several equipment types concurrently in order to collect multiple aspects of data along one transect.” The document goes on to spell out, the High-Resolution Geophysical “survey equipment produces sound that has the potential to result in harassment of maine mammals.” As per Table 2 (found in the document linked to above as well as included below; yellow highlight risk, orange highlights higher risk) Sparkers (0.25-5kHz) and Boomers (0.1-20kHz) operate within the frequency range which Sea World lists are within the vocalization frequency range of baleen whales.

Geotechnical Operations

These surveys collect soil samples from the seafloor and seabed to analyze and determine the composition of sediments in specific locations. This work, which is and has been active, includes seabed CPT (cone penetrometer testing) and types of drilling – boring work which requires equipment that is affixed to the seabed which captures samples.

While there was chatter on social media about seismic blasting and more extreme testing, these methods are not listed as being used. A double-plate boomer was used to survey the Virginia Wind Energy Area (Fugro, 2013) and recorded over 400ms (two-way travel time) of data which corresponds to approximately 350 meters below the seafloor. Another method, the Sparkers (Dura Spark 240 UHD Unit) puts out 200dB+ and penetrates deep (100m-1km) into the bottom.

Get Out Of Jail Free Card?

When an activity may reasonably anticipate an incidental take of marine mammals, an Incidental Harassment/Take Authorization (IHA/ ITA) under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) is applied for. And that is what the developers have done. For these ITA’s level B harassment (behavioral disturbance) is anticipated and authorized; however, no (level A harassment) injury and no mortality is permitted.

Incidental Take Authorization for Atlantic Shores – As per the application, “Because Atlantic Shores proposes to use survey equipment that will operate below 180 kilohertz (kHz) we are requesting an Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) for the taking of marine mammals by Level B acoustic harassment as defined by the MMPA”
Incidental Take Authorization for Ocean Wind – As per the application, “Both NOAA and BOEM have advised that the deployment of HRG survey equipment including the use of sound-producing equipment operating below 200 kHz (e.g., sub-bottom profilers) has the potential to cause acoustic harassment to marine species, in particular marine mammals.

“Installing piles using impact and vibratory pile driving and site characterization surveys may result in the incidental take, by Level A harassment and/or Level B harassment, of marine mammals. Therefore, Atlantic Shores requests authorization to incidentally take marine mammals.“

In Conclusion

If you have made it this far along, it’s safe to say you are interested in the topic. I assume you too agree… We have a problem! The details are damning and offshore wind survey activity must be scrutinized and investigated.

I again commend Clean Ocean Action for standing up and raising awareness to the topic early on and staying on top of it. Too many well funded NGO’s continue to boast their blanket statement in an attempt to sweep it under the rug. They proclaim “No Link, No Evidence, No Connection” putting the blame on climate change, vessel strikes/shipping, plastics and entanglement (commercial fishing gear), all known causes of whale deaths. But they will never consider survey operations as a potential contributing factor of one or more of the events. If they aren’t a factor why request for IHA’s?

When evidence of a ship strike (blunt force trauma) is present, they want everyone to believe that is the definite sole cause of death. Failing to consider the other factors which very well may be the root cause of many mortality events is irresponsible.

The circumstantial evidence is alarming, BUT without ear bone samples/biopsies to determine auditory damage to the ears, the necropsies may never directly link. So yes the claim is true, “NOAA Fisheries has stated no whale deaths have been attributed to offshore wind activities.” But the absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.

What a radical environmental narrative to take over the oceans by way of offshore wind and soon… The New Blue Economy! Yes, massive scale aquaculture is in their plans and it is quickly coming down the pike. It’s not a conspiracy. It’s no longer secret and they are rewriting the laws to support the scheme.

Also coming at us point blank…

NOAA Fisheries is proposing limiting speeds for all vessels 35 feet or longer to 10kts off the Atlantic Coast from Massachusetts to Northern Florida. The speed limit would last up to seven months in some parts of the Atlantic coast and would extend up to 90 miles offshore. It’s terrible news for offshore anglers, but fortunately the American Sportfishing Association and NMMA is active on the topic. We commonly run to the canyons and fish with whales frequently. Healthy whale strikes are exceptionally rare. Also NOAA is pushing hard on a new proposal called the Hudson Canyon National Marine Sanctuary which is part of the bigger push, 30×30. An effort to conserve and possibly close 30% of America’s land and water by the year 2030. While it sounds like there are good intentions, misguided groups are calling for anglers to be denied access. To learn more here’s 10 30×30 Sportfishing Articles.

This all seems like a bad dream but it’s the new reality!

NJ's Offshore Wind Fiasco Part 1.

NJ's Offshore Wind Fiasco Part 2 which touched on the ocean, environment and more specifically the fisheries.

This was Part 3 in all about OffShore Wind & Whales.

Part 4 will outline topics concerning everyone; energy policy, economics and feasibility.

Fishing Report 4/9/24 – Striped Bass & Tog On Tap

We finally catch a break and real Spring weather comes to town. The days of torrential rain and lots of wind were really getting old and depressing. In recent days a lot of anglers have shook off the winter dust and got fresh air and into some active fishing here in and around Long Beach Island. Here’s the Fishing LBI Report Update for April 9, 2024.

What Fish Are Biting Around LBI?

The primary target species right now are striped bass and blackfish also known as tautog or tog for short. Both of these are on great targets for land based and boat anglers. Also on tap in the April brine are species such as white perch, winter flounder, black drum, bluefish, cod, weakfish and kingfish. Now’s the time to go fishing!

Here is my latest fishing report video from Monday morning.

The chart above showing the Barnegat Bay water temperature off of Waretown shows the recent sunny warm days have the waters warming. The afternoon outgoing tides peaked at 53º 4PM Sunday and then 57.5º yesterday around the same time. It’s all about the sun! There’s no better time to fish the early spring then sunny afternoons as the warming gets the fish fired up and active. It’s very common to have a spring bite shut down like a flip of a switch with a tide/current change with the introduction of colder water. Look out for this and prepare accordingly to maximize your potential time on the water.

Early April Striped Bass Fishing Report

The surf has been quite with only a couple surf side catch reports. One catch recently and the other we shared about a month ago during that first warm break from winter. The area’s best striped bass fishing is in the bay. The bass are being caught with live bloodworm which we have in stock right now. Also some anglers are fishing salted clam as fresh have not been available to us just yet. We will have them as soon as possible. We know anglers are looking for them and the black drum are looking for them too!

Emmit from Top Notch Tackle Rigs was out this past weekend and got into some bass (photo above, right side). [We are fully stocked on his locally tied, fish catching rigs that are great for a variety of species. Be sure to check them out.] Emmit and Bobby Capri got into some good fishing catching both striped bass and black drum.

When not at the shop, store staffer Paul has been on the water picking at bass. He had a couple guides and put his clients on fish fishing worms and lures. Fish Heads Alumni Eddy (photo above, middle) has been catching too. We have had numerous other catch reports from the bay in the shop daily.

Usually we see a run of black drum and blues in April as well as surf side striped bass. This can pop off any day!

Simply Bassin’ – LBI’s Spring Fishing Derby / Tournament kicked April 6th. Sign up now for this spring fishing event. Also be sure to participate in the catch and release Spring Surf Master Division.

Early April Tautog Fishing Report

Tog season is open the whole month of April and anglers are catching. Land based anglers are catching tog on the Northend of LBI at the Barnegat Lighthouse State Park. There tog are eating crabs fished on a rig or jig. For more details stop in the shop. On the bait side of things, at the time of this post we have both greens crabs and white crabs in stock.

Finally the ocean has settled enough (still a 2-3’+ ground swell today but light winds) to let anglers get offshore and hunt the snags. Tony Butch was out fishing with Fish Head Alumni Bill Bassant and another friend yesterday and they reported a fun day on the water. Tony shared this report…

Bite wasn’t on fire, but we managed to put together a 3 man limit picking of keeper sized fish. There was spurts of good life, followed by lulls. Maybe it was due to the water being in it’s early season cold state or maybe things haven’t settled enough after the recent storms. Moving around on the structure was the ticket for us. Biggest one I ended up catching the biggest one of the day, just over 8lbs (photo above, left side) and released it to swim another day. Hopefully that will bring some good karma for the 2024 fishing season!

Reel Fantasea Fishing Charts

Captain Steve Purul has been in the shop a lot over the past couple weeks gearing up for the spring fishing season. He is in the water, fishing and catching like he always does. He shared this report…

I got our first scouting trip of the year and though it was a bit more scouting than catching we did manage to avoid the shutout with a nice scrappy 26” striper. It clobbered a Tsunami Split-Tail on a well appointed Fish Head’s light spinning tackle. We did have a few other hits that we missed. The sonar indicating a few more tight lipped spectators below. With the weather improving with both temperatures and less precipitation as well as the return of recent seasonal visitors (dolphins, laughing gulls and ospreys) I think this week will translate into a much better jump in local action! I have this weekend available for private or open boat fishing opportunities if you find yourself needing to get back out on the brine!
Captain Steve 609-290-1217 – Reel Fantasea Fishing Charters

March “Striper” Madness

Striped Bass Season was pretty much in gear since Day 1, very productive fishing and action each trip out with good quality Bayside Schoolie Stripers from 25”-30” attacking artificial presentations.
Mother Nature provided good weather conditions around the Moon and it was Fish’On.

Pictured Here: is a good fish that just recently smacked a Yo-Zuri Twitch Bait that I bought at Fishermans Headquarters LBI NJ

So the NJ Striped Bass season is off to a great start and will only get better as we now head into April.

“ April Showers brings Big May Stripers”

Nightstrikes Surfcasting Guide Service LLC 609-276-6983 / Email: Nightstrikes@comcast.net / For More Info

Easter Fishing Report

From all of us at Fish Heads… Happy Easter!

The striped bass remain active, a little less active than earlier in the month, but both bait and lures are catching day and night. The early season areas remain the epicenter, back bays, rivers and tributaries. Here on Long Beach Island there has been good fishing the entire month of March on the Ship Bottom bayside as well as the Causeway Bridge access points. We expect this to continue for all of April. A bigger class of striped bass have moved into the greater region with classy fish recently in the Delaware River and Raritan Bay. April is always a great month and we are looking forward to it.

Monday April 1st is opening day of New Jersey’s blackfishing season opens. Right now we have both green crabs and white crabs as well as all top tog tackles. Stop in and gear up today for this short but awesome one month season!

Just a heads up we are closing early today but will be back on Monday.

Wahoo & Tuna Fishing Seminar 4/6/24

For the most part targeting wahoo in the region has been an underground thing. In the past couple years wahoo have become a more popular target species and the demand for info and specific tackle has increased significantly. Captain Dave Adams (from Tormenter Tackle, base out of West Palm Beach Florida) shared his plan for a couple fishing seminars in the north east and asked me to help.

Save The Date! This Saturday April 6th we are having a Wahoo & Tuna Fishing Seminar at the Beach Haven Marlin & Tuna Club House. Bring a friend, enjoy the seminar, ask questions, network with other anglers and talk fishing with an ice cold beverage.

This event is free and open to the public. Cash Bar. There will be door prizes, tackle raffle, giveaways and special sales. Also Tormenter is offering an opportunity to participate in a chance to Win A Trip To Cabo.

When: Saturday, April 6th from 5:30PM to 7:30PM
Where: BHMTC – 420 N. Pennsylvania Ave., Beach Haven, NJ 08008

LBI Fishing Report – March 25, 2024

Even with the recent chill, heavy rain and windy conditions, striped bass fishing continues to be good in the back bays and rivers. Today, Monday March 25th is the full moon of March which was named by the Native Americans, the Worm Moon. So far the early spring fishing has been good and things look promising as we approach Easter. We are looking forward to more fun striped bass fishing as well as perch, winter flounder, black drum and in the not too distant future… weakfish and blues! {Fingers Crossed}

Right now we have a beautiful batch of live bloodworms available at the shop, both regulars and jumbos. These are the best baits option to catch both striped bass and perch. We also have small jars of preserved grass shrimp which are fantastic for white perch too.

If you are looking to fish artificials… 3 and 5″ NLBN and Kettle Creeks are my go to producers. Also minnow swimming plugs such as the Guides Secret Slim Twitchy (formerly called the Skinny Minnie), Daiwa SP Minnows (size 13/15), Yozuri Mag Darters (in the smaller sizes) and Rapala X-Rap Jerk Baits (in the smaller sizes) are great option.

Spring Tog Fishing!

The one month long spring tog fishing season is almost here! On April 1, the nj recreational blackfish – tautog – tog season opens. For more info on the NJ Fishing Limits, Seasons & Regulations check out this detailed post.

We have all the tog jigs and tog rigs ready to pick up.

Also if you are looking for a new rod or reel for this season we are stocked up with great options in a variety of price points all at competitive prices. Stop in at Fisherman’s Headquarters to get geared up.

LBI Fishing Report 3/14/24

Beautiful weather has really turned on the early spring fishing here in the Long Beach Island area. Recent days have offered good fishing for striped bass in the bay with bloodworms. Some days bait was hard to get but, this afternoon we got a nice delivery of bloods and we expect more tomorrow so we should be stocked up for the weekend.

Be sure to check out the Saltwater Fishing Expo this weekend… Friday, Saturday, Sunday! We will be at booth 401. Stop by and say hi. Click here for more info on the show.

By now we hope you have seen either the gannets in person or the videos we have been sharing on social. For a number of days, we have had a lot of gannets hammering on bait. This afternoon we got our first striped bass report from the LBI surf… here is a link to a short video.

Long Beach Island Fishing Spots

Here’s a list of Long Beach Island fishing spots to enjoy fishing and crabbing on the Island. The spots are listed from north to south. Please have fun, be safe, treat these areas as if they were your precious secret spot and always be respectful to the area and others. Carry out what your carry in! Leave the place cleaner than you found it!

North End Fishing

Barnegat Lighthouse State Park

Old Barny Light House, Barnegat Light (N39.764352, W74.106227)

Located at the northern tip of Long Beach Island, Barnegat Light offers a variety of fishing opportunities. The bayside, the Inlet and the surf (front beach) are all fishy areas for many different species during the year.

Barnegat Light’s Inlet Jetty (aka South Jetty)

Barnegat Inlet’s Jetty (aka South Jetty) is a very productive area to fish any time of year for a variety of species. The most popular species are striped bass and bluefish as well as tog and fluke. Anglers fish the rips near the lighthouse and along the concrete walk way. Some explore and creep the jetty further out. Depending on the day, conditions and tide fishing can be great anywhere along the Jetty. Please use extreme caution when fishing the rocks especially when wet. Be safe and wear the appropriate footwear like Korkers jetty cleats to ensure footing.

Barnegat Light’s Town Beaches

Barnegat Light’s Town Beaches (surf) are known for holding big trophy striped bass in the prime time season. These beaches are also great for fluke. Keep in mind some areas have very long dune paths to reach the water’s edge.

Barnegat Light’s Bayside

Barnegat Light’s Bayside has a large length of public bulkhead. This begins behind the Condos (4th and 5th Street) and continues to the area at the “end of the road” that is right outside the entrance to the park. This entire area can be very good and a great place with protection when the wind and swell have the Inlet churned up. In season tog fishing as well as fluke fishing here is very good. There are some snags in areas. This area can be great at night when the street lights draw in bait and feeding predators. Another area to fish the North End’s bayside is the open area south of the Barnegat Light Bay Beach (light tackle fluke or top water bass) and High Bar Harbor Dike.

The Dike – High Bar Harbor

The Dike at High Bar Harbor, Barnegat Light (N39.758111, W74.119707)

The Dike is a peninsula of land that extends out into the bay offering anglers a variety of options. Fly fisherman love the diversity of the water from shallow rolling flats to deep fast moving water. Barnegat Bay’s main thoroughfares Double Creek Channel and Oyster Creek Channel merge at its tip producing beautiful rippy water that is great for targeting striped bass as well as fluke, bluefish and weakfish. The Dike’s close proximity to Barnegat Inlet is one of its key features. Any fish that moves in or out of Barnegat Bay by way of Barnegat Inlet has to move past the Dike. Fishing can be great on both the east and west side. Do not hike through the over grown trees. It is infested with poison ivy and ticks. CAUTION!!!

Directions to the Dike at High Bar Harbor:
Once on LBI, take Long Beach Blvd north to Barnegat Light. Turn left on 20th street and continue straight through the next intersection. Then as the road bends (to the left) make your first right and then another quick right onto Sunset Blvd. At the end of the road, the sandy trail is the entrance.

Harvey Cedars Bayside Pier

Sunset Park, Harvey Cedars (N39.693943, W74.143886)

Harvey Cedars Sunset Park has a pier for crabbing and fishing. It is located near the Harvey Cedars Water tower. The entrance to the park is at West Salem Ave.

Harvey Cedars has a few public street ends that are great to explore for fishing and crabbing. The surf fishing here can be very productive just like the town to the north Loveladies and to the south North Beach. Harvey Cedars used to have many large jetties however numerous rounds of beach replenishment have buried them. When there is swell in the water, Cedars is well know for having the largest surf on LBI as well as a break that is closer to shore. It is also know for beach erosion too so the beaches can be short and steep.

Mid-Island Fishing

Surf City Bayside

Surf City has many public street end bulkheads that can be fished and crabbed. Some are better and have more space than others; 24th, 13th, 3rd, North 1st and Shore Ave, South 2nd.

The Surf City Public Boat Ramp on the bayside of Division Ave has a small area on both sides of the ramp that can be utilized for fishing and crabbing.

Surf City Surf Fishing

The beaches of Surf City are great for surf fishing spring, summer and fall. However in the summer months they have been historically closed to fishing during the daytime lifeguard hours. For more specifics consult with the Surf City Beach Patrol. During this peak summer season, fish early or fish late in the day.

Ship Bottom Bayside

Our home town at the heart of Long Beach Island, Ship Bottom offers opportunity for vacationers and day trippers to fish and crab without traveling too far. The Rt 72 Causeway Bridges offers some of Long Beach Island’s best and easiest fishing and crabbing access. There are numerous areas around and under all four bridges. Between 3rd and 4th street on the bay there is small yet spacious “Remembrance Park” with public parking with a dock/bulkhead. It is an area dedicated to the victims of 9/11. The 6th street bay area used to be an awesome fishing spot with a large and open sand lot. But LBI has experiences a lot of development over the decades. However there is a little spot that remains at the west end of 6th street. There is also an area on 5th with a Gazebo and benches but here is for sunset than fishing.

Robert Nissen Park (Ship Bottom Boat Ramp, Bayside)

Robert Nissen Park (Ship Bottom Boat Ramp) is located on the bayside in Ship Bottom (10th – 12th Street) on the south side of the Causeway entering Long Beach Island. There is a large gravel lot for parking and there is a four plus block water front that can be fished. The Ship Bottom Fishing & Crabbing Pier is located net to the boat ramp. Depending on the season a variety of species are on tap. Anglers can fish with light tackle in the summer and target snapper bluefish, weakfish, fluke, blowfish, kingfish and spot. Also in the warmer month it is a great place to night fishing for sharks and rays. In the fall and spring striped bass, bluefish and drum are frequently caught. The area is also a good winter flounder spot in season.

Beach Arlington Park (aka Sunset Park, Ship Bottom Bay Beach)

Beach Arlington Park (aka Sunset Park, Ship Bottom Bay Beach) is located between 13th-16th on the bay in Ship Bottom. It is a summer time bathing “bay beach” area that is very popular among families, but in the offseason it can be a very good area to fish the bayside. It is best fished wading because it is shallow in close. There is a channel within casting distance. Certain times of year striped bass, bluefish, weakfish, fluke, blowfish and black drum are cruising the channel. It is a great place to launch a kayak to fish the eastern bridges and Ship Bottom’s bayside islands.

Ship Bottom Crab Cove Pier

Ship Bottom Crab Cove Pier is located on the on Central Ave between 25th and 26th Street in Ship Bottom. It is a great place to crab in the summer time. It usually isn’t much of a fishing spot but at times in the summer it can have a few snappers. Get there early because it can be crazy mid day and especially on the weekends.

Ship Bottom Surf Fishing

The beaches of Ship Bottom offer easy access with great opportunities for surf fishing. Usually Ship Bottom is know for having an outer bar which is out of casting range. Here angler focus their attention on the long shore sloughs and the “cuts” flowing through the bar. In the various season, these areas hold striped bass, bluefish, fluke, kingfish among other species.

Long Beach Township

Long Beach Township makes up a long stretch of the Island between Ship Bottom and Beach Haven. This open stretch of beach is great for surf fishing but like all of LBI, there’s shifting sandbars so the cuts and hole change frequently. Scout around and you’ll find some great water for surf fishing. This section of Long Beach Township also has many public street ends that can be good for fishing an crabbing; 53rd, 59th Kimberly, 67th Pier at Bayview Park, Harrington, Jeanette, Bayberry, Jerome, Alabama, California, Hideaway Bay/Cove bulkhead and kayak launch, Colorado, Utah, Mac Evoy, Ramapo, Ohio, Indiana, 32-29, 15-13.

From Brant Beach’s 31st street (bordering Ship Bottom’s south side) to 13th Street in North Beach Haven (bordering Beach Haven’s north side) the mid-Island stretch of Long Beach Township is 5.3 miles of open public beaches. Here surf anglers will find similar beach set ups to Ship Bottom and Surf City with variety. Some areas are wide while and other areas short. Some have sandbars in close and others are further out. Like all of LBI the beaches change often.

South End Fishing

Beach Haven

Home to one of LBI’s largest surf side rock jetties, Holyoak Avenue, Beach Haven has great surf fishing for a variety of species in the spring, summer and fall. In the summer, fishing is allowed outside of the lifeguard flag designated bathing and surfing area of the beach.

Beach Haven Public Docks

The Queen City of LBI, Beach Haven has a large Public Dock area with phenomenal fishing. It is located at the west end of 2nd Street Dock Road. The bulkhead/boardwalk area has plenty of parking. The area offers some of the Island’s best bayside fishing. Depending on the season, a variety of species are on tap. In the summertime it is a great place to target weakfish, striped bass, fluke as well as sharks at night. In the spring and fall stripers love to cruise the lights at night looking for small bait.

There is also a public bay front area at west end of 9th and also Taylor ave however it isn’t great for fishing or crabbing. If trying here, it is better to use the northern end of the property just don’t restrict access to the boat launch. Other spots to explore include Center, Engleside, Amber, Coral as well as numerous street ends along West Ave. Technically it’s the town of Holgate, Rosemma Ave has a skinny access trail to the marshland – sod bank which is a historic fishing spot adjacent to the Clam Cove Reserve. Do not trespass on private property.

Holgate – Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge

Edwin B. Forsythe Holgate Unit, Long Beach Township (N39.531009, W74.263405)

Located at the southern tip of Long Beach Island, the Holgate Unit of the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge is part of Forsythe’s designated Wilderness Area. It consists of more than 400 acres of barrier beaches, dunes and tidal salt marsh. One of New Jersey’s last remaining undeveloped barrier islands.

Holgate is a beautiful stretch of beach to fish during the day or night. It offers phenomenal fishing in the early fall during the mullet run (September) when bass, blues and fluke go crazy over mullet that are pouring out of the bay. The back side offers great clamming. Take note of daily tides and wind/swell forecast. Sometime around the moons the extreme tides can steal beach fast, cutting off the driving path at certain spots. Some times anglers are trapped and have to stay until the next tide. Use extreme caution and always make sure you have enough gas.

Holgate is best fished via 4×4 (need Long Beach Township permit) but there are opportunities for anglers with out a beach buggy too. Take Long Beach Blvd south all the way to the parking lot at the end of the road. This lot is a good place to park for those without 4×4, looking to fish the front beach via walk on access. HOWEVER!!!! This area, better known as Beach One and the Wooden Jetty, is one of the most popular surfing beaches on the Island, state and even region. If looking to fish this area do so at night or when when flat clam. We do not advise fishing here during sunlight hours as it is ruled with surfers.

Beach One Jetty is straight off of Washington Ave and the Wooden Jetty is the groin to the south. In Feb 2019 a metal “terminal groin” was sistered along side of the Wooden Jetty to help hold sand on Beach One and arguably protect the dunes and parking lot. It arguably created significantly more erosion to its south which in time very well may cut off access to the Refuge and become Beach Haven Inlet again.

**Access to Holgate is subject to special regulations. Pedestrians are allowed only on the beach and must stay out of the dunes to protect this fragile habitat. Vehicles are not permitted above the high tide line and a permit must be obtained from Long Beach Township for access to the site. The Holgate Unit is usually open to beach buggies September 1 through March 31 or as posted. Information on current status of vehicle access and beach buggy permits can be obtained from Long Beach Township at (609) 361-1000 or the Long Beach Township Police department at (609) 494-3322.

Fishing Spots on the Mainland

The following are fishing spots on the mainland not far from Long Beach Island. The spots are listed from north around Cedar Creek in Bayville down to south areas of the Mullica River.

John C Bartlett County Park

Bayville, NJ (N39.8229550, W74.1607102)

The Berkeley Island Park is a great to enjoy the Barnegat Bay with lots of area for both fishing and crabbing. There’s ample parking, a lot of dock space and a T-pier.

Laurel Boulevard Bay Front

Lanoka Harbor, NJ (N39.8229550, W74.1607102)

Along Laurel Blvd there are a couple public areas to fish. One, at the sand beach by the Gazebo. Two, to the south of there by the bend in the road.

Forked River Bay Front Park

Forked River, NJ (N39.8229550, W74.1607102)

This open area with public parking and some area to fish. It is the area just to the south side of the Forked River. It has a playground so it’s good for kids.

Oyster Creek Outflow

Oyster Creek Rt. 9 Bridge – Lacey Township, NJ (N39.811231, W74.199641)

The Oyster Creek Power Generating Station’s warm water discharge offered decades of awesome fishing as the hot spot held great year round fishing. It was shut down in 2018 Oyster Creek and subsequently the warm water outflow slowed and is nearly the same temperature as the bay. It was loved by stripers, weakfish, bluefish, winter flounder and anglers. Even in the cold of winter Oyster Creek would hungry striped bass. The hot bait was on bloodworm and the hot lures were small bucktails and soft plastics as well as small swimming plugs. Today fishing can be done at the Creek but it is not nearly as productive as it once was. Areas to fish are from the top of the east side of the Rt9 bridge. Do not fish the west side! And do not wonder around on the west side of Rt.9! The power plant has extra high security. It is best to cross the bridge and walk the Creek’s north side bank. Fish anywhere along the bank. Fishing can be good at the mouth of the creek however, access is difficult. Do not trespass on private property!

Directions to Oyster Creek: From LBI Take Rt.9 north past Waretown towards Forked River. You’re getting close once the Power Plants smoke stacks are visible. Park on the south side of the bridge and on the east side of the street. Park on the side of the street or in the small dirt lot.

Waretown Public Docks

Waretown, NJ (N39.7914992, W74.1826289)

At the end of Bryant Road, this location has a nice long dock or T-pier for fishing and crabbing.

Barnegat Public Docks

Barnegat, NJ (N39.749315, W74.192656)

The Barnegat Township Public Docks and Municipal Boat Ramp has a large gravel public parking lot with a long stretch of boardwalk bulkheaded bay front dock. The area is well know for crabbing but it is also a great area to catch snapper during the day and weakfish at night when in season. When the bluefish invade Barnegat Bay another spot which is right around the corner is the Barnegat Public Bay Beach. It offers great fishing but you must wade out and use a longer rod like a 8 or 9′ light action plugging rod for more distance. Spring time bluefish action can be phenomenal where on poppers.

Directions to the Barnegat Public Docks: From the LBI area, take Rt.9 North. Once in Barnegat make right onto East Bay Ave. Continue over a small bridge and finally to the big gravel parking lot on the right side of the road with two story gazebo.

Bridge to No Where

Bridge to No Where, Stafford Township, NJ (N39.683927, W74.207613)

The Bridge to No Where is a very popular crabbing location that is located at the end of Stafford Ave. The Bridge was constructed in the 60-70’s by NJ Bell Telephone to run telephone poles and lines across the marshes. Since then it has been rundown and vandalized. Great crabbing! Look out for green heads!

Directions to the Bridge to No Where: From LBI take 72 west over all of the Causeway Bridges. Make right at first light, Marsha Drive then Left onto East Bay Ave. You will pass a gas station and marina on the right side. Then make a right on to Hilliard Blvd. Continue past the Manahawkin Elks Lodge Make a right onto Stafford Ave. The pot hole filled paved road will turn into gravel. Continue to the end of the road.

Cedar Run Dock Road

Dock Road Boat Ramp, Cedar Run, Stafford Township, NJ (N39.6437157, W74.2457654)

At the end of Dock Road there is a small boat ramp and bulkhead area which offers easy access for fishing and crabbing.

West Creek Dock Road

West Creek, NJ (N39.6142205, W74.2628564)

At the end of Dock Road there is a bulkheaded area which offers easy access for fishing and crabbing.

South Green Street Park

Tuckerton, NJ (N39.5766676, W74.3308008)

At the end of Green Street there is park, bulkheaded area and a T-Dock which is a great family spot with kids to fish and crab.

Graveling Point

Graveling Point, Osborn Island, Little Egg Harbor Township, NJ (N39.538612, W74.393345)

Graveling Point is a public fishing area that is part of the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge Brigantine Division. It is a great early season hot spot for striped bass. Graveling Point is located near the mouth of the Mullica River where the sun warms the river’s outflow over the shallow water flats of Great Bay. Every year the seasons first striped bass are caught here. Fishing is best on the outgoing tide when the warmest water turns on the bite. It is very productive in March and April. Best bait is bloodworms. Graveling Point is mostly sod bank with some small sections of sand. We suggest wearing waders because in order to get out to the Point, one must cross a small creek.

Directions to Graveling Point: In the town of Tuckerton near the lake make a left on to Great Bay Blvd. Then in about a half mile make a right on Radio Rd. Continue over the small bridge to the end approximately 4 miles. Graveling Point is a few hundred yards to the right. Walk the sand beach heading west. Cross the small creek and then continue on along the sod bank. Fishing is great anywhere along the sod bank.

Seven Bridges Road

Great Bay Blvd., Little Egg Harbor Township, NJ (N39.509196, W74.320043)

Great Bay Blvd also known as Seven Bridges Road is a great area to fish and crab with a great view of the Atlantic City skyline! Although there are not seven bridges, the five offer great opportunities with the first and last two being the most popular. Fish the bridges and their surrounding areas or if they are busy with people drive all the way to the end and walk the trail to fish the bank. The first bridge crosses Big Thorofare, the second crosses Little Thorofare, the third crosses Jimmies Creek, the fourth crosses Big Sheepshead Creek and the fifth crosses Little Sheepshead Creek. At the end of the road is the Old Coast Guard Station which is now RUMFS, Rutgers University Marine Field Station. It’s a working lab with ongoing research year round.

Collins Cove

Collins Cove, Port Republic, NJ (N39.548247, W74.473983)

Collins Cove is located on the Mullica River just west of the Parkway Bridge, about 2 miles west of Port Republic. Collins Cove was created when fill was removed to construct the Parkway Bridge over the Mullica River. Hence it’s massive hole which has some what filled in over time but still present. Collins Cove is know for its excellent white perch fishing in the winter and early spring. Depending on the year it can have great ice fishing in the dead of winter, January and February

Directions to Collins Cove: Take Parkway exit 48 which places you on route 9 South, about a half mile make a right-turn onto Rt 575 Chestnut Neck Road.
About two miles, make a right-turn onto Rt 624 Clark’s Landing Road. Right after you pass underneath the Parkway make the first right-hand turn onto the dirt road and drive parallel to the Parkway going North as far as possible into the Port Republic Wildlife Management Area. There is a small parking area at the end. At this point you will need to park and hike (yes, walk) less than 1 mile along a path NNE to Collin’s Cove.

There are many fishing spots along the banks of the Mullica River. Here are two of the more well known and easy access spots.

Hay Road Beach

Egg Harbor City, NJ (N39.5733920, W74.5395095)

Hay Road is a great fishing access point to the Mullica River at Hog Island about 4 miles west of the Parkway Bridge. This an area that can be fished from the bank or a perfect areas to launch a kayak. It’s a prime early season spot for white perch and striped bass.

Lower Bank

Egg Harbor City, NJ (N39.5945439, W74.5497723)

There are a couple areas to fish the Mullica River off of River Road; near the small River Road Boat Ramp and the Lower Bank Bridge.