fbpx

LBI Fishing Report April 11, 2020

So far April has offered great fishing both locally in the Ocean County, Long Beach Island area as well as else where around the state. Early season spots are firing on all cylinders and other areas are picking up. Here’s the fishing report update for Monday April 11, 2022.

The two primary species right now are striped bass and tautog. Some other to target and catch are white perch, black drum, bluefish, winter flounder and trout.

Striped bass on the feed.

After the cold winter, striped bass are on the feed. As the waters warm the action is only getting better. Anglers are and have been catching consistently for a number of weeks here in bay’s of Long Beach Island. Both day and night are offering a bite with anglers fishing both lures and bait.

Here’s the Barnegat Bay water temperature from the USGC Station Barnegat Light. This past weekend the outgoing bay water temperature hit and broke above 52º twice. Looking at the chart it’s also shown that the ocean temperature is about 45-46º.

On the bait side of things bloodworms are hands down the best spring time bait for linesiders. Clam is also an options and especially a good choice if looking to find a black drum. More on that below.

On the lure game, fish 3-5″ size baits locally here in the LBI area. Our top picks are Kettle Creek Paddle Tails and Tsunami molded soft baits like the Tsunami Split Tails & Tsunami Swim Shads or on the hard bait side the Yozuri Mag Minnow or Yozuri Darter and the Rapala X-Rap.

With a better class of fish arriving the Raritan Bay has been hopping. If venturing to the state’s spring striper mecca (and joining half the world’s anglers) be sure to bring some bigger presentations. Land based anglers are catching on Super Strike Darter and the 5-1/4″ Yozuri 3D Twitchbait. Boat side fishing has been great with anglers catching on Flutter Spoons, swimbaits like the Tsunami Swim Shads and No Live Bait Needed. The Nomad Vertrex has also been a standout. Remember you can’t leave home without a Doc Top Water Spook!

Store staffer Willie has been doing a number on the striped bass fishing the new Vertrex from Nomad. This lure has been good to him fishing all over this spring from the back bay of LBI before and after work, to his current area of Manasquan and his home town stomping grounds of Raritan Bay. Be sure to check these lures out this spring!

Black Drum & Bluefish?

Yup they are both here and should be making their presence more know this month. The cover photo of the latest video report below, is angler Mike Green with a big black drum he recently caught fishing the bayside. He was fishing a land based spot on the bayside with bloodworms hunting for striped bass. Needless to say it took him for a ride! The background was photoshopped to protect the land based area he was fishing. On the bluefish topic, we heard of “two very small larger than snapper” size bluefish caught down in Great Bay. Our fingers are crossed the gators show this spring and put on a show.

Tog is open all of April.

April a great month to catch good size fish on the wrecks and reef sites. There’s also opportunity for land based anglers to get in on the action too, fishing the state’s inlet jetties. Barnegat Light in particular can produce some nice fish but no where near the hot drop and reel action it’s known for in the fall.

Traditionally softer baits like clam and shrimp are very effective during the spring time, but never head out tog fishing without some crabs! As with other species cold water means fish are in a lethargic state; slow to move and slow to digest. Soft baits are easy for fish to digest.

If fishing the wrecks cod and ling are common catches right now bottom fishing with clam baited rigs.

White Perch

Heard one reports this past week from Dave Spendif. He reported catching a couple of small jigs in his lagoon.

NJ’s 2022 Black Sea Bass Regs

NJ Black Sea Bass Regulations

  • May 17 – June 19: 10 Fish At 13″
  • July 1 – August 31: 2 Fish At 13″
  • October 7 – Oct 26: 10 Fish At 13″
  • November 1 – Dec 31: 15 Fish at 13″

2022 Black Sea Bass Recreational Fishing Regulations Explained

Even though the coast wide black sea bass stock is strong and abundant (2021 stock assessment states the Mid-Atlantic Black Sea Bass stock is NOT overfished and is NOT subject to overfishing) New Jersey was forced to take a hit. Why? Well that is a much bigger issue.

Our Dealt Hand

Like with all fishing regulations it boils down to the cards we are dealt. This year NJ was required to reduce harvest by 20.7%. Why?…

Recreational anglers (as per MRIP data) have exceeded the black sea bass harvest allocation three out of the last 4 years. Also the spawning stock biomass (SSB) is and has been in decline. Also a good recruitment (R) year has not stepped up to offer support.

This chart below details some key data on black sea bass, recruitment (R) and spawning stock biomass (SSB). It shows a phenomenal 2012 recruitment, then a SSB peak in 2012/2015, followed by a progressive decline. The SSB is closing in on the horizontal dotted line is the biomass target.

The Process

The NJ Black Sea Bass Advisors met on March 29th to discuss, debate and hash out the options to best work around the 20% reduction. It started off with 7 options and at one point was more than double that. Most advisors wanted the two fish summer time option. Also the late fall season is important to keep boats fishing and pressure off of just tautog. Anything less than 8 fish bag was not supported. Concern about raising the minimum size up a 1/2″ to 13″ was discuss.

Some advisors requested consideration of splitting management options between sectors where private anglers and vessels would have different measures than for-hire vessels, just like bluefish right now. The for-hire sector is responsible for only a small portion of the seasonal harvest and they provide very detailed data through eVTR (electronic vessel trip reporting).

After several hours of deliberation the committee moved forward with four options and their preferred, Option One.

The Meeting & Public Comment

At the April 7, 2022 NJ Marine Fisheries Council meeting the same topics were mentioned that the advisors debated. Many wanted the most days possible because many days aren’t fishable due to weather.

Option One was not popular because it had an 8 fish bag limits in Wave 3 & 5 and also didn’t offer days in the first half of July.

Public comment for the most part was themed around preference for Option Three because it offered the most days, included Memorial Day, Father’s Day, 10 Fish Bag in Wave 3 & 5, 15 Fish Bag in Wave 6, 2 Fish Bag all Summer (July and August) and that 13″ fish were very common and obtainable.

One comment was, “Most sea bass anglers are already self regulating and only keeping 13″ fish.” But another comment warned, “Going up in size can be dangerous. We don’t want to make the mistake NY did. They went up and paid for it. It was a four year period of pain due to high dead discards.”

Some stated the late season fishing must remain open since November and December offer good bottom fishing when historically sea bass fishing has been good. By closing this time, bottom fishing would switch over to tautog and that additional target would be a lot of pressure on this species which will soon be in the management spotlight (it’s coming).

A great public comment came in from Captain Eddy Yates from the Susan Hudson (formerly owner/operator of the Hunter), a proactive best in class saltwater captain. He respectfully supported Option Three and asked for the dates within Wave 5 to be altered in order to capitalize on the Columbus Day weekend. They accommodated the request and shifted the 20 days of WAVE 5 a handful of days earlier, 10/7 – 10/26.

The Decision

Shortly there after a motion was made to vote to replace option three as the preferred passed unanimously. And then another unanimous vote to finalize it as the 2022 regulation.

Once again (just like the summer flounder slot limit, but much faster) the NJMF Council listened and gave the public what they asked for. As anglers it doesn’t get any better than that! What we all must focus on now is the part of management that is broken… Support For Recreational Reform Today! For more information on Recreational Reform Please Read This!

The Biology & Other Info On Black Sea Bass

Black sea bass are slow growers and reach maturity in 1-3 years of age. Females can live up to 8 years while males live up to 12. Did you know? Black sea bass are protogynous hermaphrodites? They start life as a female and when they reach 9-13″ (2-5 years old) they change sex and become males.

This chart shows the change over.

Females can live up to 8 years and depending on their size can produce 30,000-500,000 eggs in a spawning season. Males live up to 12 years old and during spawning, the dominant males turn bright blue and have a hump on their heads.

The fishery is predominantly recreational harvest. Another factor that is coming into play with sea bass and many other species is the distribution shift north. We don’t have the fall sea bass fishing we once had due to environmental factors (climate change) the sea bass biomass shift northward. This trend is happening with summer flounder, winter flounder and many other species.

NJ’s New Fluke Slot Limit

NJ Marine Fisheries Council April 2022 Meeting Outcome, 4/7/22

2022 NJ Summer Flounder Fishing Regulations

  • Season: May 2nd to September 27, 2022
  • Bag Limit & Sizes: 2 Fish at 17-17.99″ and 1 Fish 18″
  • Special regulations for Delaware Bay (3 fish at 17″) and Island Beach State Park (2 fish at 16″) were left status quo.

How did we get here? Like with all fishing regulations it boils down to the cards we are dealt and how the state can shuffle those cards to give the recreational anglers the best hand via combination of season dates, size restrictions and bag limits.

In the case of fluke those cards come from the ASMFC and they gave NJ the opportunity to liberalize fluke by 16.5%. Sounds pretty good right?

Paul Sundstrom and party from Illinois caught this as well as a few other beautiful fluke fishing the Barnegat Bay aboard Fish Head Charters.
Paul Sundstrom and party from Illinois caught this as well as a few other beautiful fluke fishing the Barnegat Bay aboard Fish Head Charters last summer in the month of June. The bays of NJ’s offer great fluke fishing for just about the entire season. The smaller class of fluke are most abundant but at the right places and times and with the right technique doormats are possible even in relatively shallow water.

Before I dive into specifics so anglers know how the regulations came to fruition, I must first preface this by stating whenever there is a fisheries meeting and it ends with all parties not totally happy, it’s a sign of success because one interest group didn’t take over another. Usually that means the fish won. I believe that is the case with New Jersey’s 2022 Fluke Fishing Regulations. If anyone got the short end of the stick it is the doormat hunters. But read on and I will explain why this cut while not mandatory very well could help the fluke fishery in the years to come.

Preferred Option 1 was determined before the meeting by the Fluke Advisory Board and presented with their top five options (see below) which were cut and created out of originally 19 options. These 19 options are listed at the bottom of this post.

Here’s the Fluke Advisory Board Top 5 Options

But Preferred Option 1 did not fit what the majority of the public preferred. Through public comment there was strong support for Option 2. The extended 149 days season gave both early season and late season fishing to fill the demands of both North Jersey and South Jersey interests. In years past this was always a point of contention.

Just like in striped bass and maybe even more so with summer flounder, sound biological analysis has raised awareness for a slot limit. Let’s take a look.

The Biology Of Fluke

Summer flounder are fast growing and most are mature by the age of two. A two year old summer flounder is approximately 15-16″. As they age male fluke top out at about 20″ (~6 years old) and can get as large as 24″ in their relatively short 12-14 year life span. Female fluke grow much larger, 36″. A four year old female is about 20″ and by six years old is pushing 23-24″. A ten year old female is a 27-30″ doormat. Depending on their size females have between 450,000 and 4 million eggs.

Data Chart by Morson et al. 2017

Management’s reliance on increased minimum size limits as a strategy has resulted in approximately 90% of the recent recreational landings being large female fish. And a large portion of the stock (both male and female) is hammered through catch and release mortality all season long. See the chart above for details.

2019 data detailing recreational dead discard and harvest by length for summer flounder

Anglers can fish big hooks, big baits and use best handling practices but still it can be tough to reduce mortality on smaller fluke, < 16″. Between 2011-2020 approximately 89% of summer flounder caught recreationally were estimated to be released, with a 10% assumed discard mortality rate applied. But, there is a way to take advantage of those fluke that fall in the dead discard column (and go against us). Why not use it if we are going to loose it anyway? Rather than putting those 17″ fish in the dead discard, give the general anglers the ability to retain for the table.

And that is exactly what the overwhelming majority of public comment spoke in favor of… A Slot Limit.

Recap

Tonight’s (4/7/22) NJ Marine Fisheries Council April 2022 Meeting was a very cooperative state fisheries meeting. Starting at 5pm and ending at 9pm, it was a long one but packed with public comment and most importantly board members with open ears. Due to tech issues Chairmen Herb was lost but the meeting went on strong. I can’t recall another meeting where the public comment re-shaped the preferred options and final regulations. It was a special time and a true testament to the current board members of the NJ Marine Fisheries Council. They dedicated time and listened to each and every public comment. And more over took action. I commend the board, the advisors and the public who attended on a job well done!

Levi Bonnice and son with a pair of ice fluke caught fishing aboard Fish Head Charters in the summer of 2021.

The 19 Original Options…

These were the 19 original options that were given to the NJ Summer Flounder Advisory Committee. With lots of discussion and debate they whittled it down, modified and settled on five which were shown above.

Beach Haven CFA April Update

Beach Haven Charter Fishing Association Update

Spring has arrived in Beach Haven although low temperatures and gusty winds might suggest otherwise. The captains of the Beach Haven Charter Fishing Association are putting the finishing touches on their boats and fishing gear for the upcoming fishing season.

Captain Dave Wittenborn has already splashed the “Benita J,” and additional BHCFA captains have their boats mere days away from the water.

There is much to be done for a charter captain in preparation for a busy season on the water. Besides readying the vessel, fishing gear must be examined and upgraded where needed. Licenses and inspections are always front and center chores. Safety equipment and accommodations for angler comfort are regular concerns.

Lining up mates for the year can be a daunting task at times, but the development of the BHCFA Junior Mates Program has been a tremendous help in producing competent mates.

Bookings have already been made although final regulations for species such as summer flounder and black sea bass are not set. The rules concerning season dates, minimum sizes, and daily bag limits will be finalized soon. 

The early fishing story has been a positive one as the first month of the inshore striped bass fishery has been a good one. More fish have been taken already than in previous recent years including a surprising number of keeper fish. As water temperatures continue to rise, this fishery will only get better.

April and May have been good months in recent years to fish for stripers and black drum in the bay waters near Long Beach Island. As summer nears, many of these fish will move into the ocean to join up with migrating striped bass for some strong late spring action.

Anglers looking to get in on some of this early action as well as preferred fishing dates later in the season are advised to reserve slots now. Many of the prime fishing opportunities fill up quickly as warm weather arrives.

Complete information on the Beach Haven Charter Fishing Association and its member boats and captains can be found on the internet at www.BHCFA.org 

Village Harbour Fishing Club

Attention Saltwater Anglers! Now’s the time to join the Village Harbour Fishing Club. This month’s meeting is Friday April 8th at the Bay Ave Community Center (775 E Bay Ave, Stafford Township, NJ 08050). Doors open at 7:30pm.

Prospective new members should attend.

Captain Steve Purul of Reel Fantasea Fishing Charters is the guest speaker.

If that wasn’t enough it’s Pizza Night! Hope to see you there.

Attached is the VHFC’s April 2022 Newsletter with lots of information regarding the upcoming year. Check out the archive of monthly newsletters.

Captain Steve Purul of Reel Fantasea Fishing Charters is already into productive spring fishing in the first days of April. Attend the VHFC’s Meeting April 8th to learn from this great Barnegat Bay based captain.

About The VHFC

The Village Harbour Fishing Club, Inc. (VHFC) was started in 1989 as a non-profit organization to bring together those anglers wishing to further their knowledge of sportfishing in our area of the New Jersey shore. Whether it is bay or ocean fishing that boils your blood, the VHFC has members that will share your enthusiasm!

The VHFC supports the conservation of our precious fishing resources and the NJ Artificial Reef Program. VHFS strives to promote the best interests of recreational angling, and to establish sportsmanship and fellowship.

For more information about the VHFC attend the meeting and check out their website… vhfishingclub.com/