609-494-5739 The 9th Annual Battle on the Beach Surf Fishing competition occurred on Wednesday, May 31st on the Barnegat Light surf. Barnegat H.S., Lacey H.S., MATES, and Southern Regional H.S. competed for the coveted Surf Fishing Trophy in the annual event. All four teams did a great job fishing the 9th through 12th street stretches of beach for a solid 3 hours. Teams rotated four sections of beach every 45 minutes from their lottery drawn pick. In the end, Barnegat H.S. won its third title with a total score of 69 points, which came from two Bluefish and a small Striped Bass. Southern Regional was a close second with 44.5 points tallied from two Bluefish, followed by Lacey and MATES with 0 points. Although several other species were caught (Stargazer, Skate, Dogfish) by the four teams, only gamefish count towards points. In addition to the victory and trophy, Barnegat High School Fishing Club was awarded a $500 scholarship to graduating seniors for the 2017 school year. The scholarship was donated by the LBI Surf Fishing Classic Committee. All four teams would like to thank some of the area’s business for donating and helping out with bait, tackle, and gear. Fisherman’s Headquarters in Ship Bottom and Tony’s Bait & Tackle in Manahawkin have supported this high school tournament from the 1st year. Also special thanks to Village Harbor Fishing Club, LBI Surf Fishing Classic committee, and the Barnegat Heavers for their help in running the event. Again, great job by the kids and fishing club advisors.
