609-494-5739 Fall is here and the Mullet Run is on. Right now there is good fishing for a variety of species such as blues, kingfish, weakfish, blowfish, tog and striped bass. Here’s the LBI Fishing Report for Sunday September 25, 2021.
Things got going last week and really ramped up around this week’s moon (Monday night was the full moon). The Mullet Run here on Long Beach ISland is firing on all cylinders with both bluefish, striped bass and weakfish gorging on finger mullets all throughout the bays and inlets. Sunrise and sunset are undoubtedly the best times to fish during the Mullet Run. However some days you can catch ’em good at high noon.
When casting artificials this time of year it is a must to match the hatch. Fish are keyed in on mullet so topwater poppers, small pencils and spooks will work like magic. Also small swimming plugs in the 3-5” range can be very effective. Our favorite mullet run lures are the three classics: Stillwater Smack-It, Bomber Windcheater and the Cordell Red Fin. A couple new baits that are consistently raising fish are the Yo-Zuri 3D Inshore Top Knock Pencil and the Yo-Zuri 3D Twitch Bait.
Barnegat Inlet Fishing Report
At this point of the year there isn’t a better area to fish than inlets. The summertime species exit and the fall species arrive. Add in baits flushing in and out with the tide and we get some great fishing.
Case and point is the bluefish action the past couple of weeks and this morning’s weakfish blitz. We received a handful of reports all themed around active weakfish crashing bait during the morning hours.
Tog fishing is and has been phenomenal with anglers catching 20-30-50+++ fish a day. Good numbers BUT keepers are hard to find. A couple anglers caught keeper tog today but it requires dedication, skill and some luck.
The triggerfish are also chewing and a few sheepshead. Sand Fleas have been more productive with the triggers and sheeps although they will almost always eat any type of crab offering.
Aaron Parker stopped in mid-day looking for bait. He wanted live green crab but we were sold out. We have sand fleas so he got them and hit the jetty with friend Ashley Webb. They reported back, “Caught a bunch of short tog and sea bass. Ashley caught a big triggerfish on a flea.”
LBI Surf Fishing Report
The Long Beach Island surf temperature continues to hang around in the low 70’s. For the most part it’s the same surf story…
Anglers fishing live bloodworms and Fish Bites are catching kingfish on the beaches of LBI. From time to time, there’s also small bluefish present on some beaches. Using mullet or bunker will get these hungry and aggressive blues to bite.
If there’s visual bird and fish activity… throw jigs like a Hogy Epoxy Jig, Diamond Jig, Hopkins, Acme Kastmaster or Deadly Dick Lures. All of these are great fall fishing lures that cast great and resemble the various baits that are present right now.
74th Annual World Series of Surf Fishing
Today was the 74th Annual World Series of Surf Fishing hosted by the LBI Fishing Club. This one day ASAC event had a strong showing with 36 teams and a total of 206 anglers. All together there were 374 total scorable fish caught; 140 bluefish and 182 kingfish.
Current Surf Conditions & Outlook
Today’s conditions… South east swell continues on the beach of LBI today. Expect reinforcing swell tomorrow (Sunday) from TS Teresa which is developing near/above Bermuda. Everyone should also keep an eye out for Hurricane Sam which is a small but powerful story that is tacking in our direction. So it should send us swell later this month and then additional, more powerful swell the first week of October.
Barnegat Bay Fishing Report
In the bay there’s a lot of life! From game fish to bait, the variety of species is amazing. It’s crazy to think we’ve seen sardines, cigar minnows and goggle eyes mixed in with the peanut bunker.
The two most abundant game species are blowfish and weakfish but blues make their presence known. Blowfish continue to be caught in good number by anglers anchoring, chumming and fishing small baited (clam, squid, worm) hooks.
So far this year the weakfish are plentiful, possibly the best we’ve seen in quite some time. A lot of weaks in the 12-20″ range with a few quality ones up to 26″. These are mainly being caught on small jigs and soft plastics, with a few being caught on peanut bunker and mullet. Also shrimping for weakfish has been great!
A healthy showing of resident striped bass in the smaller size ranges (20-26″) continue to offer light tackle fun. There are a few keeper size in the mix. Slowly (but surly) bigger striped bass are showing.
Big Game Fishing
The big game fishing has been phenomenal all summer and it has transitioned right into fall. The past couple of weeks have been crazy with monster bluefin tuna in the Bight very close to the shores of northern Jersey and Western Long Island. Anglers are also still picking away at yellowfin a couple big eyes, a few wahoo and really good catches of mahi.
