LBI Fishing Report Update – December 6, 2018

So far this December things are not stacking up like last year. We had a rock solid striped bass bite for the first part of December 2017. Take a look at our report archive. I experienced awesome fishing between the 2nd through the 8th. Then the 11th and the 17 were stellar! My last trip out was December 21, 2017 and it was a fishy one.

It feels like this December we’ve had much more wind and a smaller class of fish. Whatever the case, we didn’t see these large bass this year in the first week of December. My fingers are crossed that we’ll see another few medium sized one but with the abundance of small bass.

Here’s my report… Yesterday I woke up to a blown forecast. Stronger northerly wind than anticipated made the decision to bail out an easy one. Since fishing was on the brain I hit the surf. I was greeted with active birds but couldn’t reach out far enough. One angler close by got two small bass in a half hour time frame but I couldn’t make it happen. After putting in some time I made a move to another spot. First cast I was tight with a light drag puller. Only a second or two later it was on top in the face of a wave and shook off. I got one other short strike and that was it for me as the wind started to gust and the snow was falling.

Yesterday a couple other surf reports came in with a similar theme… some small bass (15-22″) on the surf biting on teasers fished with a bucktail, diamond jig or soft bait.

Last night Pete Kelly caught a 28-7/8″ 8.64 pound striped bass fishing the night shift. He got it on bunker fishing the town of Loveladies

Another striped bass fishing report came in from Steve Cammann. Tuesday afternoon after leaving the shop he got into some schoolies fishing at the Causeway bridge. He released four.

Jersey Ghosts – Inshore Mid Shore Tuna

Late November and December are prime time Ghost Hunting on the Jersey Coast. For a couple weeks now hunters are finding 50-100lb class tuna ranging from 12-30 miles off. They are in similar ares which held the summer’s smaller class of fish. Right now finding them is one thing but getting hooked up is another story.

Eight years back… this is how we rolled! Ghost busting with Captain Adam Sherer.

Tog Fishing

What we currently lack in size class from striped bass is made up ten fold by blackfish. The tog fishing reports are solid. Yesterday anglers that braved the rough conditions got into good fish. Again today reports are strong. The blackfish are hammering Magictail Game Changer Tog Jigs baited with live crab.

Store staffer Blake was out with Dante from Magictails. They reported, “Sporty conditions and good fishing.”

Today Swagmatic (Matt S.) was on the water. He got 6 keepers up to 8lb 10oz and was the high hook aboard the Osprey. He just missed pool with another angler getting a bigger fish late in the day. He said it was a good day, “My MVP was the 2oz Magictail Game Changer Tog Jigs. I fished the same jig all day and didn’t snag once.”

When the weather gets cold, tog fishing heats up! Now’s the time to get out there. Anyone going should try out Magictail Game Changer Tog Jigs!!!

Jigs Catch Fish!!!

Here’s guest blog about Catching Blackfish With Jigs from local tog fishing sharpie Matt S aka Swagmattic. He spills the beans and shares information about tog fishing with jigs.