I am calling this report Barnegat Bay Watershed Report for two reasons.  First, I fished a Ocean County Pine Barrens Lake this afternoon, which is part of the Barnegat Bay Watershed.  Second to highlight importance of the Barnegat Bay Watershed  A watershed is a region or area bounded peripherally by a divide and draining ultimately to a particular watercourse or body of water. Barnegat Bay’s watershed is eminence.  It is fed by the Pines in areas like Warren Grove, Manchester, New Egypt and Jackson. So what happens in Jackson does not stay in Jackson. It can trickle down all the way to Barnegat  Bay and ultimately the ocean. Now on to the report.  I fished both live minnows and artificials. Landed four nice pickerel a decent bucket-mouth.  Water was clear and I estimate in the mid 50’s  The Debbie M should be splashed this week and it will be game on!  Drop me a line  (heehe) if you want to experience what the Barnegat Bay Watershed has to offer.

Screaming Drags, Capt Alex 609-548-2511

On February 2, 2017, the Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Board, part of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC), approved changes to this coming year’s summer flounder quota for New Jersey.
It mandated a one-inch size increase to New Jersey’s current recreational summer flounder minimum size limit (raising it from 18-inches to 19-inches) and decreased the possession limit from 5 fish to 3 fish.  New Jersey is appealing this change.

In reaching its decision the Board did not determine or consider the potential economic impact of the new quota on the summer flounder industry in New Jersey.  This survey is designed to help estimate the extent of the economic impact of these recently approved summer flounder management regulations on recreational fishing.  Your responses about recent trends in harvest size, abundance, and throwback mortality will help inform future decisions that promote conservation while minimizing adverse economic impacts.

We strongly urge you to complete the survey as thoroughly and accurately as possible within the next 5 days.  The survey should only take about 15 minutes to complete.  Your participation in this survey is voluntary and your identity throughout remains anonymous.  Nowhere is your name or email requested or captured.  Your cooperation, however, is much-needed to ensure the completeness and accuracy of the results.  Please know that your answers will be kept confidential.

The link to the survey is:

www.surveymonkey.com/r/FNP5L3C

Thank you,

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

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LBI Fishing Report April 23, 2017

I fished the Inlet late morning (9am to 11-ish). Bluefish wise it was quiet. On the tog side, anglers were picking. The tog are there and some keepers are in the mix.

We got word that there was a quick short lived bluefish bite in the Inlet at the bottom of the tide.

Store staffer Max fished the bay this morning and found the blues.

Jeff also was on the bay and found them biting.

Some guys off the surf today found fish. Store staffer Rob mentioned he found action on the front beach on bait.

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Sent In: Saturday, April 22, 2017 4:26 PM
Subject: Beach Haven Charter Fishing Association

As the weather cooperates. the fishing action in the Beach Haven area continues to improve. The captains of the Beach Haven Charter Fishing Association are ready to take advantage of some of this action. For the past couple of weeks the bay waters have been full of small striped bass. While keeper bas are still difficult to come by, these smaller fish are great fun on light action gear. In the past week large bluefish have been racing around the bay waters and inlet and providing a real challenge for anglers targeting them or as a bycatch. A recent addition is the arrival of table sized black drumfish.

Captain Gary Dugan of “Irish Jig Sportfishing” had a group out recently who managed 14 stripers up to 26-inches. Another trip did not have the action of the first trip, but Captain Gary’s crew managed two keeper bass of 28-inches.

Captain Matt Curtis of “Get Reel Sportfishing” reports his 24 and 26 foot center consoles are in the water and ready for some linesiders and drum to hit the deck. Captain Matt has installed new underwater LED lights on his 37-foot Sportfish which will be in the water very soon for some offshore adventures.

Captain Carl Sheppard reports the “Star Fish” is in the water with newly overhauled engines. The boat passed its annual US Coast Guard exam with flying colors and as an inspected vessel can carry up to 19 passengers. Captain Carl is accepting charters for the bass in the bay and the offshore wreck fishing.

Like the other captains, Captain Fran Verdi has been spending time scouting some of his local hot spots with the “Francesca Marie” in anticipation of some upcoming trips.

Captain Bob Gerkens reports the “Hot Tuna” is still fishing down in Morehead City, NC and will be making the trip north to Beach Haven in a few weeks. He plans on fishing all of the local canyons in early June.

Additional information on the Beach Haven Charter Fishing Association can be found at www.BHCFA.net. ~ Jim Hutchinson Sr.

Little out of local but thought I would share. Kicked it real old school yesterday and met my oldest son Damian and his friend Amanda @ Stockton University.  They did some yaking on Lake Fred, I fished. But time well spent together.  Having Graduated from Stockton in 1985 and fished Lake Fred my entire career it was nostalgic to be on it again. This is the first time since 85 that I wet a line there.  I saw three Ospreys, the school mascot, hunting over the Lake. Cool beans. During my Stockton Days it was something special to see an Osprey there due to the devastating effects of DDT. Those were were likely migrants.  But then again, it was something special to be able to see anything during my Stockton Days. LOL For what its worth I landed two respectful pickerel and lost a BIG one due to a lack of respect (its teeth cut my through my line).  I tried to soak in the fact that most of the trees on campus are the same ones from over 30 years ago. They now have 60 more rings then when I graduated. You see trees in temperature climate show two rings a year. Spring wood grows fast and is lighter because it consists of large cells. During the summer, growth slows down and smaller darker cells are laid down.

Enjoying kayaking fishing and kayaking sooooooo much I am thinking about offering kayaking in addition to my boat charters.  If i do it, I would offer guided fishing, clamming, nature, what ever you want type of trip around the backwaters of Barnegat Bay. Let me know if you are interested so I can figure out if I have enough clients interested. If the interest is there I’m game, are you?

Screaming drags, Capt. Alex 609-548-2511

The youngin’ striped bass continue to cruise the surf biting baits along the Island’s beaches. These bass are providing action, holding over those surf anglers itching for the classy bass to show. Don’t fret they’ll be here soon. Until then we’ve got blues and drum as the largest line pulling species to test your tackle.

Bothers John and Greg hit the mid-island surf at about 1pm today. They started getting bites right away on bunker and ran short on bait. A quick run back to our shop to re-up and they were back in ’em. John said, “The conditions were prime with onshore breeze and clean water. All fish on bunker. Not a bite on clam. All bass, six total, one keeper.”
Here’s a photo of Dom C who found his first 2017 spring season striper. He caught this one a few days ago on a rubber shad. Take note of the beautiful clean ocean water. 

Hutch Jr. (Jim) from the Fisherman Magazine was out on the bay today fishing the south end of the Island. While he set out in search of black drum, he caught a hand full of short bass and a few big blues. No drum.

The early week “Spring break special” were anything but special with the big bluefish seemingly elusive. Although Schoolie stripers continue o provide light tackle action when targeted. This time of year things progress literally in a tide change !!

I have a few spots open for tomorrow afternoon 2pm -7pm , we will be targeting stripers, blues, tog [weather permitting] ….. while utilizing various techniques and locations. All bait, tackle ,rods, …….. included $125.00pp.

My new location for the 2017 fishing season is even closer to the action, located now in historic Barnegat Light 18th street aka Viking Village .  This new location inevitably translates into more fishing time for anglers aboard the Reel Fantasea!!

C’mon jump aboard and join other light tackle enthusiast!

Captain Steve Purul

Reel Fantasea Fishing Charters

609-290-1217

With a little more than 10 days left in the season, now is go time for tog! It has been good. There’s very productive inshore fishing at the near shore wrecks and reefs sites. It’s also good for land based anglers fishing the rocks.

After a solid few days over the Holiday weekend the bluefish action at the Barnegat Inlet became very spotty, which should be expected with early season fishing. The abundance and location of bait is most important but also controlling their every move… the water temperature. The spring’s large swings from chilly (high forties along the surf) to warm (high sixties select areas in the bay) have the arriving fish confused and looking for comfort. The past couple days, the blues found comfort and food in the mid-island bay.

Yesterday we had a couple bluefish weigh ins. Bill K. of the Village Harbour Fishing Club checked in a 15.10 pound bluefish. He it as well as well as many others fishing the mid-Island bay. Dave Spendiff has been out the past couple days and found good action too. Dave report, “I found a very large pod of 12-14lb fish in the bay. After boating 25+ fish, I simply got tired!” Monday his largest was 14.5 pound. Another report came from Stephen Amoriello…”Got the bluefish good thanks to the Yo-Zuri Mag Darter compliments of Fisherman’s Headquarters.” His photo is below.

Prime perch fishing… Pete recently took his kids Mia and Peter (1 & 3 years old) to catch their first perch. They did good. Another solid perch report came from the DiPasquale brothers. Store staffer Dan and his brother Patrick had a fun evening yesterday. “30+ in under and hour!” Patrick said, “Perch sure don’t tug as hard as blackfish, but they are really fun on light tackle especially when you’re catching one after the other.” The brothers gave thanks to Austin Pounds for putting them on the meat!

A nice box from Super Strike came in today. They are up on the wall but will not last long. Here’s our current selection.

Hit the local lagoons the last two evenings and caught a bunch of white perch. Some of which I invited home to dinner. Monday night’s bite started a few hours before sun down and stayed strong until dark.  Tonight was a little bit slower and a lot more smaller fish.I was using a shad dart with a piece of sandworm. Yes, you can catch white perch without grass shrimp.  On the nature side of things: lets talk sustainability.  Sustainability’s definition is “the ability to be maintained at a certain rate or level.” or “avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance”  It is kind of like investing in the future.  The locale I was fishing the last two evenings was a mob scene. Even with the crowds everyone got along and even offered to give bait to others.  I like when I see such goodness in outdoors people. And what most importantly I observed was that even though there no limits on white perch everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, was harvesting only what they needed.  Lots of fish were being released which is important at this time of year since they are looking to spawn. Can anyone tell me where I can catch white perch in July or August around Barnegat Bay??? Like where do they go?

Screaming Drags,

Capt Alex 609548-2511