With the new moon of June upon us and recent hot weather, the spring to summer transition is underway. Long Beach Island has a variety of fishing opportunities for both beach and boat anglers to enjoy. Water temperatures have climbed into the low-to-mid 60s and fishing remains productive across a variety of species. While beach crowds are beginning to grow as schools let out and summer visitors arrive, the fishing has remained surprisingly consistent. The key now is adjusting your approach and focusing on the prime windows.
Check out the latest Fishing LBI fishing report video below for details on what’s happening right now and what to expect in the weeks ahead.
Long Beach Island Surf Fishing Report
This spring the LBI surf was blessed with 8 great weeks of solid surf fishing for striped bass and black drum. It all started up mid-April and has rocked strong since. It’s still going now! Today (Sunday June 14) “Bayside” Dave and Glen from the Village Harbor Fishing Club has a great morning soaking clams and catching striped bass and large black drum.
How much is left in the tank? Only time will tell. If you haven’t got into the action or didn’t get your fill yet don’t wait… go now!
Utilize these strategies to help during the transition to summer.
- Soak Clams – A 5/0-6/0 hi/lo rig or single drop rig is simple and effective for tangel free surf fishing and long casting (not always needed). Bring elastic bait thread “clam tie” to help hold the clam on when casting. This is essential when fishing soft clam. At times due to weather and clam boat/delivery schedules it’s not possible to have live especially in the heat. Clams die quick. There’s nothing wrong with a sweet smelling clam, striped bass love them just the same if not more! Thread isn’t needed when the clams are live as they tighten up when hooked. Salted is also a great alternative and convenient too. Anglers can choose to fish a whole clam or half clam depending on clam size and hook size and rig.
- Chunk Bunker – Chunking bunker is a classic approach to spring surf fishing for striped bass on the Jersey beaches. But this year there isn’t much bunker if in the local waters. Fortunately our bait guys are doing the hard work and scratching together small batch catches. Fish bunker heads to stay away from pesky skates and smooth dogs. This can be helpful if the bunker are big and the doggies are small but if the bunker are small and the doggies are big it doesn’t pan out as well.
- Use Live Sand Fleas – An overlooked surf fishing bait that is super effective on a variety of species on the surf. Striped bass, fluke and kingfish love them (obviously tog too). Fish them on a 1/0-2/0 hook tied up with a 20-36″ long leader 30-40# with a 1/2 – 1.5oz egg sinker. Cast and slowly retrieve working the lip of the beach as well as the bowls and gutters.
- Use Live Eels – When the waters get warm in the late spring there is no better time to target striped bass than at night with eels! It’s usually best on the flood tide for the cooler stage of the current. Ebb can turn into an armed robbery when bluefish slice and dice every bait. Ebb can also be weedy so plan according.
- Choose lures to stray away from junk fish like skates and dogfish. Surf caster’s can’t go wrong with Daiwa SP Minnow and/or Yozuri LC Minnow lures. A metal lip is always a good call and pencil popper should be in every surf bag too. Walk the beach at night and slow crawl a metal lip or darter in the cuts to score nice late spring striped bass.
As mentioned striped bass and black drum continue to be caught off the LBI surf with fluke and bluefish occasionally joining the cast on the surf and jetty. Some years we have striped bass and drum on the beach right into July.
Other Action – Fluke, Sea Bass and Bay Action
Fluke fishing so far this season has not offered up much. The first part of the season was plagued with chilly water temperatures and weedy conditions. It seems this weekend’s warm up improved things a little. We expect it will get better over the next couple weeks as more fish arrive into the bays and call Barnegat Bay home for the summer.
I haven’t got out as much as I would have liked but I did put some time in this morning (Sunday) fishing slack and outgoing tide for fluke. Just like last spring the fluke were hammering the Gulp Turbo Shrimp, most likely because the fluke and feeding and focused on grass shrimp. In the two hour window we had one keeper just over 18, one close one that was a hair under as well as 15 other shorts.
Based on some others anglers I talk to it seems that the south end is doing better than the north end. Live minnow and spearing remain the go-to baits, with Gulp Grubs, Swimming Mullets and Jerk Shads proving year in and year out they are very effective.
Sea bass fishing is also an option. too. Captain Kevin Schmidt fro Olde Barney Charters put his crew on fun sea bass fishing and they also caught 4 fluke up to 21″. Some wrecks have ling and a few porgies too.
Many days schools of bluefish can be found chasing bait in the inlet and bay with a few popping up for sand beach anglers too. Small sand eels (3″ and thin) are abundant in the north end area and schools of blues were feeding on them. My charter had fun with bluefish ranging from 1-3# range up to larger “gators” pushing the 30-inch mark.
In the bays, anglers are seeing the arrival of classic summer species including spot, pufferfish and houndfish.
From Surf To Supper – Seafood Cook Book
Local angler and certified master Chef Tom’s new seafood cook book is sure to teach even the savvy catch and cook anglers a few things. Whether buying for dad, a grad, your fishing buddy, or yourself… Seafood to Supper is one’s for the people who love the whole story, from the first cast to the last bite. This Father’s Day, download it for just $9.95, that’s half off the regular price of $19.95. Instant download, keep it forever, cook from it all summer. Link to e-cookbook 👇 https://bit.ly/4e8fY7n
Summer Fishing Season Is Here
Summer is almost officially here!!! Are you geared up and ready for fishing this season? Stop by Fisherman’s Headquarters for all of your bait and tackle needs as well as many specialty fishing items. We’ll help you gear up and make the most out of it.
If planning a fishing trip to LBI this report will get you up to speed Gear Up Today for your next fishing trip at Fisherman’s Headquarters for bait, tackle and much more!!!
