609-494-5739 Happy Mother’s Day! This day like all holidays are milestones which help gauge the season’s progress. Over the years Mother’s Day is a mark when a larger class of fish show in the local Long Beach Island waters. This year they are right on time possibly a little bit early.
Right now striped bass and bluefish are here and anglers are enjoying good fishing on the surf, bay and inlet. If you have the time get out and FISH!!!
Jacob Bowles reports, “Fishing is lights out right now! These bluefish are all over plugs and the striped bass just keep demolishing soft plastics. I has a lot more keepers in the mix this weekend too!”
The Barnegat Inlet was on fire yesterday with bluefish.. Store staffers Pat and Frezza were in on the action. Pat said, “It was good from 4:30 to 7:30 with just about non-stop bite on anything from bucktails to SP minnows. Most of the fish were about five pounds, though I saw a couple 10-12+ pounders caught. There were also striped bass in with the blues.” Frezza shared, “Everyone on the jetty was catching but they were mostly smaller size fish. My biggest was only about six pounds but it was a good time for sure.”
Yesterday evening, store staffer Max got into a roast session with gators fishing the flats.
Out front anglers are catching both bass and blues in the boats. We heard of boats catching along Island Beach State Park and along Long Beach Island. Some solid reports from Beach Haven to Harvey Cedars. One angler reported catching a large bass (possibly 50#) trolling a green bunker spoon.
Dan Rosetto is stoked on his new Sea Hunt Gamefish boat. “Fueled up Friday night and had eyes set on a good section of water moving in. But the weather was marginal. Decided to stay in and fish for bass along the beach, IBSP. Ended up getting out late but found fish right away. Stopped the boat in 40′ of water and marked fish right away. Dropped the gear and got a bite on a mojo. Shortly after a bite on a bunker spoon. Then the bite went dead. I head of a other fish caught. My buddy had a 40# class bass. They are here!”
Offshore Fishing Report
Look what’s swimming around in the local waters! Captain RJ on the Jersey Nuts made it out yesterday putting three fish in the boat, the biggest was a 70″ bluefin! Let the games begin!!
LBI Surf Fishing Report
Lots of action! The Long Beach Island surf is producing striped bass and bluefish.
John Parzych stopped in the shop yesterday (Saturday) afternoon and geared up before hitting the beach. He reported having a great time on the beach. “I did good last night fishing until 12:30am. Couldn’t keep bait in the water. I actually had to switch to one rod because I was running back and forth. Two bass one short and one 25# (photo below) that I released, about a dozen blues also sand sharks. All on bunker, mid-island surf.”
Fred Soper weighed in a 17 pound striped bass that he caught this morning off the surf on bunker.
Ken Perry took the three hour drive down from his home in the Pocono Mountains this weekend to fish Long Beach Island. He reported, “Thank you all at Headquarters for all the help and support over the years. I am 61 years old and have been fishing almost my entire life. This was my very first “keeper” striped bass! Many schoolies including two, over the years, that measured in at 27.5″. It’s a long drive, so I only get a few opportunities a year.” On Saturday Ken weighed in a 38″ 22.12 pound bass. It was caught off the mid-island surf not far from the shop on Fish Heads Bunker. Ken said, “The tide was incoming, about three hours in. Also got a 30″ bluefish about a half hour earlier.”
Congrats Pocono angler, just read the fine point about flounder limits leading to killing all female brood stock,,,, could it ever be as sad as the striper situation,,, all those chunk bunker fish in various bays, or clams spring fall, everyone wants to hang a fifty lbs dead take a picture ,than what feed dogs homeless, meanwhile hang a light on any cock in any nook or cranny and you have a dozen fish per light from 14 to 22 plus inch bass,, millions of cookie cutter perfect portioned sized not polluted perfect for quick dinner… Yet for a stripper to get old enough to be 40 plus inches lbs, has great survival genetics and whole bunch of eggs, of the right stock,,, wasted for crap picture of dead fish that is worth so much more than one photo,,, anyhow hope my point was made despite ,lack of punctuation