609-494-5739 July has come to an end. Let’s look forward to August ahead! Now’s the time to enjoy summer time fishing the waters of Long Beach Island.
The bay, inlet and ocean are all productive places to fish. The main target species are fluke, bluefish and striped bass with a few others in the line up. We now have tog…
August 1st means Black Fish (Tog aka Tautog) is open. The current recreational fishing regulation is one fish a 15″ minimum size length; August 1 to November 15. We have live green crabs as well as tog rigs and jig in stock.
Fishing The Bay
Barnegat Bay fishing is in full summer mode. There’s loads of bait (small spearing and peanut bunker) and small game fish like resident striped bass and small bluefish are having a field day. These fish offer light tackle fishing fun with small lures. Most are some but we’ve seen occasional mid 20″ range to almost legal keeper sized striped bass. Also a few bluefish nearing the five pound mark popped up.
The bay is stacked with snapper blues. These little ferocious feeders are just about everywhere from the docks and bulkheads as well as the bridges. They are even along the sod banks, inlet and surf.
The traditional summer time “day on the bay” shellfish activities are strong. Clamming and crabbing are all great choices. Stop by for assistance in learning how to get out and enjoy the area’s awesome activities. Anyone looking to get out clamming but doesn’t have a boat? Give Captain Greg a call at Fish Head Charter, 609-389-9963. $50 per person for two hour clamming trips. $300 four hour up to four people. Quality clam rake provided. Must purchase NJ Shellfish License separately.
Crabbing seems to be at it’s best right now with lots of customers reporting solid catches of nice size blue claw crabs. Most positive reports are coming from the west side of the bay. This should not be a surprise. It’s always far better than the Island’s east side. Island side we have heard good trapping in the less frequented. Steve Taylor of Delran stopped in the shop today and reported having a lot of fun with the crabs. “It was good crabbing with some big ones!” His largest was a monster 7.25″ blue claw! Get out to your honey hole and soak some bait!
Fluke are plentiful but most catches are on the short side. Don’t give up! Work through them and adapt to find the keepers. August is the month where they look to exit the bay and stage up in the ocean.
Fishing The Inlet
David Ho (@symplexfishing) with multi species angler Leo Sheng (@extremephillyfishing) and friends had a good day on the Jetty Sunday yesterday. “We caught 40 fluke today! Some sea bass and bluefish too.”
Grey Colston was on the Jetty today fluke fishing and limited out! “The inlet has been good. I got two 20″ and one 22″ fish among a lot of shorts.” Grey was recently on the surf hunting fluke. There too he also found some keeper size fish using Gulp! softbaits.
Fishing The Surf
On the surf fluke fishing continues strong as the main stay fishery. Anglers share positive surf fishing fluke reports on a daily basis coming from just about every town on LBI. Work the suds using jigs tipped with Gulp! or a love minnow.
Steve George recently weighed in a 20.75″ 3.56 pound fluke that he caught on the mid-Island surf. Steve got it on Gulp! and mentioned he’s also catching kingfish on the baits intended for fluke.
We suggest for those looking to target kingfish… gear up with small hooks and Dyna Bait Bloodworms, BonaFide Bloodworms or Fish Bites. They are all working great and half the price and hassle of live bloods. For live blood worm lovers we are trying to keep them in stock .
Did You Get Your Shark Fill?
Discovery’s Shark Week is over but it’s still shark time here. Did you get your fill? Get off couch and get in on the real action! It’s summertime and sharks are here in our waters. Some much larger than most want to admit. Surf shark fishing is very good in the bay, on the surf and in the inshore waters. Gear up and get out there.
Michael DeFrance recently sent in this message… “I’ve been in for bait, tackle and advise everyday this week. Finally got what i was after! Thanks guys for a nice big brown shark!”
Offshore Fishing
BHMTC’s 49th White Marlin Invitational
