October is here and we are kicking off the month with beautiful weather and great fishing conditions! The first weekend of October looks perfect with sunny skies, light winds and plenty of fishing options. Get out and make the most of this early October window. Gear up at Fisherman’s Headquarters on your way out.
Ocean Conditions & Weather
October started windy with big swell from offshore hurricanes Imelda and Humberto. Thankfully, both systems stayed out to sea and only delivered rough surf and minor beach erosion. They’ve also given us a prolonged groundswell which is finally starting to settle.
Right now, the surf is running 2–3′ by powerful. Yesterday there was a bit of eelgrass and cabbage weed mixed into the wash. The weekend forecast looks excellent, with the swell dropping, lots of sun and light winds.
LBI Fishing Report
September’s solid fishing rolled right into October with a variety of options both inshore, offshore and from shore.
Sea Bass Season just opened with a 10-fish bag limit at 12.5 inches, and there’s plenty of life on local reefs and wrecks in 50–60+ feet of water. Expect great action as the ocean calms down. Many of these areas are also still holding triggerfish left over from the late summer bite. Today we received two good sea bass reports from anglers who fished yesterday. John Rhodes said yesterday was drop and reel fishing in 80′ with sea bass big triggerfish were chewing too. He said the wind was light but there was a lot of swell. A similar report was shared by Captain Greg Carr aboard LBI Charters, “I wasn’t sure what to expect given the crap weather. Lots of nibbles. The guys had a boat limit of sea bass and a trigger.”
Along the surf, anglers are finding small bluefish (mostly snappers and cocktail size fish) and some out-of-season fluke still tucked tight to the wash. The blues can be targeting and caught on mullet or small lures. The kingfish bite continues, not red hot but it has been steady and dependable. With surf temps still hovering around 70°F, there’s still a shot at seeing a pompano or two mixed in. The bigger kings are coming on small mullet strips, while bloodworms and Fishbites are also producing.
Tautog (blackfish) are a great option right now and should remain prime through October. Reports have been mixed, with some better bites at the inlet rocks more so than the bayside area but that can change day to day. Fishing green crabs and sand fleas. in or near riprap will get the job done. This morning Wayne Smith was out fishing and reported catching a bunch of tog at the rocks and he also saw some keepers caught. He said inside it was ok but not as good.
As for summer species, blowfish are tapering off, and spot are likely exiting soon. We’re shifting quickly into full-on fall fishing mode as October progresses.
Bait & Fall Migration
The fall transition is in motion. Thanks to shorter days and cool nights, the bay is cooling faster than the ocean, now sitting in the low to mid-60s. The surf remains near 70°F.
Resident striped bass are still around, feeding on mullet and peanut bunker in the bay and inlet. Few to no striped bass are on the surf but we expect that to change very soon. Some mullet have made the move out front, are scattered along the surf zone. This past week when surfing I had mullet in the waves and on the bar but I did not see them in the trough or tight to the beach lip. That tells me that at that time they were moving and comfortable. Usually when predators show they stress and move in tight to the beach for added protection.
You’ll also find rain bait, bay anchovies and spearing which can spark feeding frenzies when bluefish find ’em. Also it could draw false albacore on their trip south. Albies were active a few weeks ago and we have a good chance at seeing another shot of them before Halloween… so keep epoxy jigs and small metals ready just in case they pop up frothing.
LBI Surf Fishing Classic Update
The 71st Annual LBI Surf Fishing Classic is rolling strong! This year’s earlier September start was a great call. There’s already a full month of catches on the board with anglers weighing in striped bass, bluefish, kingfish, tautog and before the 9/25 end of season closure fluke.
Entry is $40, and there are LOTS OF PRIZES TO WIN throughout the event.
Visit www.LBIFT.com to see the live weigh-in results, leaderboards and much more info.
LBI 4×4 Beach Access
All LBI beach towns are now open for 4×4 vehicle access as of October. Each township issues its own permit, so be sure to check requirements before driving on. You can find details and links for each town’s permits here:
