Finally the weather has cleared and fishing is back to where it was. The water clarity and salinity was upside down but is settling. The bluefish bite turned back on and the yellow eyes are thick in the bay. The inlet has been on the slow side but we expect it to tee off soon. If heading up to the rocks we suggest bringing crabs to target blackfish if the blues aren’t cracking.
Crabbing is good! Got two positive reports.
Perch Fishing – The white perch fishing season got off to a early start and has been going strong ever since. It has been on fire in the tidal creeks and lagoons. The bite seems to only get better. Both the size and the quality have been great. Perfect timing for this weekend’s tournament, the 10th Annual Spring Perch Derby hosted by the Red Man Lodge #61. With fishing good, there will be a good turn out. There’s still time, if you want to join in on the fun. The Captain’s Meeting is tonight April 28th at 7:30pm at the Red Man Lodge. Location: 143 W. Main Street, Tuckerton, NJ 08087. The fishing tournament day will be Saturday April 29, 2017.
Striped Bass Fishing – Small fat stripers are in the surf and bay. Clam, small bunker chunks as well as lures are producing. Erik Oerther sent us in a photo of a small bass he caught on the mid-island bayside. First word of the local arrival of a bigger class of bass… Yesterday a customer stop in the shop reported his buddy caught a 20+ pound striped bass off of the surf on bait. Usually around this time the boat anglers trolling start picking good size fish. Now’s a good time to start working the 30-60′ along the beaches.
The 16th Annual Long Beach Island Surf Bass Tournament “Simply Bassing” kicks off tomorrow April 29th. Register now! For more details… www.LBIFT.com
Preparations for this Fall’s Surf Fishing Classic have begun. It will be the best one yet!
Here is an excerpt from The SandPaper’s “The Fish Story” by Jay Mann…
CLASSIC GROWTH: The Long Beach Island Surf Fishing Classic Committee is thinking bigger and better this year … and I’m lovin’ it.
This fall, the famed surfcasting event will be extended to nine weeks, broken into three, three-week segments. But no entry fee increase.
Dates have been set: Oct. 7 through Dec. 10.
This timeframe boost widens the window of weigh-in opportunity, meaning more time/chances to win a daily, weekly, segment or grand prize.
Weigh-in times are based on open hours of participating shops. More on those inner details as the big event approaches.
As noted, I’m highly in favor of this extension. It’s ideal to maintain fun competitive surf fishing for as much of fall time as possible – before the big winter chill sets in.
This nine-week format also adds an extra weekend for those who can only fish days starting with “S.” To be sure, weekenders are a major part of the contest. In fact, when the Classic began in 1954, as the Striped Bass Derby, it was almost exclusively for visitors. I kid you not. In fact, locals couldn’t win the grand prizes. Outsiders only.
Per usual, the 2017 Classic will be all but weighed down with cash and prizes. Anyone can win something at any time. It’s an equal-opportunity affair.
Special effort is going into the 2017 Classic T-shirt, likely in Kelly green, admittedly a good bit Eagles-like. There might even be some special T-shirt prizes and giveaways. Stay tuned for that angle.
I’m bringing up this fall event now because there will be a push to get entrants to register early – and, hopefully, often, i.e. with spouses, kids, buddies … the whole gang shebang.