609-494-5739 The fishing on and around Long Beach Island is moving forward. As we enter the final weekend of April there’s a smorgasbord on the menu. The variety ranges from striped bass and drum to perch and tog. Add tuna to the list and any day some bluefish could show. How strong the showing is anybody’s guess. We have out fingers crossed for an invasion of epic proportions but we’ll have to wait and see.
Striped Bass & Black Drum
Bayside docks and bulkheads are productive areas to target striped bass. Reports from both day and night anglers are good. Anglers also find bass along the sod banks and flats. These areas also have drum.
Chris Rudick stopped in Wednesday and got a bushell of live clams. He reported catching both bass and black drum. We got word of some anglers are catching drum on Kettle Creek Swim baits.
Striped Bass reports are becoming more common off of the LBI Surf. It’s right in time as Saturday is the start to the Spring Surf Fishing Derby.
Tog Fishing Report
It’s the final stretch of blackfishing this spring season. It closes at the end of the month. Tuesday April 30th is the last day to get out. Recent reports from days when weather allows were good. This weekend things did not co operate.
The Ultimate Angler Experience (Tog Fishing Trip) is cancelled due to weather (rough seas and high winds). Unfortunately we can’t reschedule as the season ends Tuesday. Keep an eye out as we are looking to host a fluke event this summer followed by a second attempt at a blackfish event in the fall.
Fluke Fishing Report
Fluke fishing season is quickly approaching and they are already here. So far this spring we’ve heard about a number of fluke that were caught from anglers targeting striped bass with bucktails and rubber swim shads.
Here’s a photo of store staffer Willie with a nice fluke he caught and released just a few days ago. The fluke had a tag on it that was pulled and reported.
Early season fluke fishing offers some of the best quality fish of the season. Now’s the time to prepare.
The NJ Summer Flounder aka Fluke Regulations are final.
Please remember, “If you can’t keep it, save it!” Take proactive measure to reduce discard mortality. It’s crucial to our fishery.
Offshore Fishing Report
Not many boats are getting offshore yet but the season is here! Two local boats got out Thursday and came back with good news.
Nick Perello stopped in, shared a bluefin tuna stake and reported, “We got one! I was out aboard the “Fun For One”. We trolled up a bite at about 11am Thursday and angler “Big Fish” Marty Mannion did work on the rod. It was a fifty pound bluefin, the first bluefin of 2019 for the Beach Haven Marlin Tuna Club.
Another report came in from our boy Flag Pole (Jim Kuhl)… “We took a shot on some water offshore and it paid off big time! Absolutely epic top water feeds all day. April tuna, it’s water’s for dinner!”
Check out our Instagram post for a short video clip of the topwater action.
