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LBI Fishing Report Update June 22nd

Here coming off the late June new moon, the LBI waters are full of opportunity for anglers. Everything from fun fishing with toes in the sand to inshore light tackle fishing and even offshore big game fishing mid-shore and offshore. It’s a great time to be fishing Long Beach Island!

Here’s the LBI Fishing Repoirt Update for June 22, 2020

LBI Surf Fishing Report

Blues – Fluke – Kingfish – Striped Bass

Off the surf bluefish rule the roost. The reports flooding into the shop all have a similar theme. Bunker and mullet are producing bluefish from small size, through cocktails (1-4 pounds) and occasionally medium sized ones. These blues are a ton of fun on light tackle!

Kingfish and fluke are also present in good number. For kingfish you’ll want to rig up with small hooks and bait up with live bloodworms. A convenient and effective alternative is Fish Bites Bag O Worms. For fluke you can’t go wrong with a bucktail and Gulp!

Jim Crane caught this 19.5" fluke off of LBI's mid-Island surf on Gulp.
Here’s a recent LBI surf fishing photo sent in by Jim Crane. He reported catching this 19.5″ fluke off of LBI’s mid-Island surf on Gulp.

There’s still striped bass cruising the LBI surf too. This one was reported on Sunday by Ryan Blemings, “I got this 24″ striped bass off of the LBI surf with Fish Heads fresh bunker.”

Here's Ryan Blemings Sunday surf catch... a 24" striped bass!
Here’s Ryan Blemings Sunday surf catch… a 24″ striped bass!

Barnegat Bay Fluke Fishing

Now’s a great time to target summer flounder in the Barnegat Bay and the thoroughfares. Today we got a nice photo from Rich Labor. He got a 6-lb 10-oz fluke today in the bay. Rich reported, “My buddy Sam and I caught 25 fluke with three keepers. Last fish of the day on the bucktail tipped with Gulp!

Here's Rich Labor with a beautiful Barnegat Bay Fluke!
Here’s Rich with a beautiful Barnegat Bay Fluke!

Inshore Fishing

Black Sea Bass fishing was the name of the game at the inshore structure as well as deeper waters. It was very god fishing for the past number of weeks. However today June 22 was the last day of the “Spring” Sea Bass Season. It is now closed until July 1st when it opens, 2 fish at 12.5″.

We expect the inshore/near shore fluke fishing to kick into high gear soon. It’s still slow with the cooler ocean water temperatures (61 degrees today). So far this season some fluke have been caught in the ocean but most all of the action is in the shallow water along the surf and in the bay.

Some big thresher sharks along the beaches and inshore waters. These whip tails are nothing new as these guys have made their precent know for a number of weeks now. They are active on the bunker pods just about daily.

Midshore/Offshore Fishing

The big game blue water fishing offshore has been on a solid run as of late! Thanks to Lake Atlantic like conditions, the mid-shore grounds 30-50 miles are producing for small boat anglers. Even areas as close in as the Barnegat Ridge and the AC Reef have had bluefin tuna. The primary areas such as the AP, Glory Hole, Chicken Canyon, Triple Wrecks, Resor as well as areas further south like the E. Cole and Lemkies all had fish in recent days. Some better than others. Gotta find the bait and the life!

Further offshore at the edge anglers are filling boxes with yellowfin and bigeye tuna. Closer to home the Spencer and Wilmy are holding a lot of fish and life! Reports from the Poorman’s was great with tons of Bigeyes and good size yellowfin. We got one report of some blue marlin, “Had 10 yellowfin hooked up and a 500lb blue ate 6 of them off!”

Mark Haley reported going 12 for 13 on bluefin.

Mike Schermerhorn reported, “First time on the tuna grounds! Thank you to Capt Jef Warford for all of the help and support!”

Sunday report from Jacob Bowles, “Absolutely lights out fishing today out east! Doubles and triple headers all morning long. Finished the day going 15/17 heading home with sore arms.”

The tuna fishing is the only thing going down out in the deep… “Just because the gyms are still closed doesn’t mean you cant curl 40’s and 50’s. Here Rob Pompilio with a pair of big golden tilefish.”

Rob Pompili caught these monsters golden tilefish bottom fishing the deep.
Rob Pompili caught these monsters golden tilefish bottom fishing the deep.

Report from Paul Haertel “Left at the crack of non and plowed through confused sea for 2.5 hours before arriving to the fishing groups. The seas eventually calmed down and we had another great mixed bag including two bluefin tuna, a false albacore, a cod, two blues, and a bunch of ling and sea bass.”

Fish Head Charters

It’s been a crazy year so far to say the least… super busy with great fishing! All spring was solid and now summer is off to a great start. Sorry I haven’t had the time to detail out specific charter trip reports. It surly wasn’t or the lack of catching.

Here’s one of many quality striped bass that were caught and released aboard Fish Head Charters this spring. This one checked in over 40 pounds on the boga grip (40-42# range).

Return client Levi Bonnice shared a report after our trip today. He’s on a 40 For 40 quest this year. Forty different species for his fortieth birthday year.

“What an awesome day on the water! Added two more species to the list and had some repeats. But not before catching my first ever saltwater fish on tje fly. Best part was watching a youngster get his first saltwater fish from the boat. Thanks Fish Heads!” Striped Bass, Bluefish and Fluke. We were just missing weakfish for the grand slam!

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Author: FishHead.Greg

A Long Beach Island native with life long experience fishing and navigating the local waters, Greg is a distinguished Master Captain (the highest qualified operator license), holding a US Coast Guard Masters 50T Near Coastal License with Towing Endorsement. Raised in and now managing his family's bait and tackle business, Fishermans Headquarters (Since 1962, The Saltwater Fishing Bait & Tackle Experts) Greg is daily immersed in fishing. He is the Chief Contributor of FishingLBI.com (Long Beach Island's best fishing report blog) as well as the Admin for the shop's social media pages (on Instagram and Facebook). Be sure to follow!

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