Month: June 2026

Summer has officially arrived this week and Long Beach Island is jumping! Summer means busy beaches, lifeguards and beach badges. This week’s fishing report covers the transition from the outstanding spring run into the new summer fishing pattern. Check out the latest fishing report video now!

Summer Is Here!

Summer has officially arrived on Long Beach Island and with it comes (as shared on previous reports and videos) the the seasonal transition that local fishing experiences and what anglers should expect. The LBI surf is currently hoving around the 60º mark and it’s safe to expect the waters to be in the upper 50’s to low and mid 60’s the next couple of days and possibly creep up as we get into July

While the incredible spring striped bass and black drum run has petered out, there’s a shot at surf side striped bass and drum all summer long. There’s also plenty of other opportunities for anglers willing to adjust their approach as the summer pattern takes hold.

Rick the fishing musician caught this 30″ 7# striped bass off the mid-Island surf on Wednesday late morning at dead low tide with old stinky salted clam.

Summertime Surf Fishing Tips

Soak clam in confidence for a late inning win! The Phillies got it done two games in a row working through the final out… you can too! In the summer heat fresh clams are hard to get because they are hard to keep alive this time of year. There’s nothing wrong with fishing salted clam.

Fish sand fleas on a simple Carolina Rig for stripers! Use the MaiTai Striped Bass Sand Flea Rig and work the pockets and gutters along the suds to find summertime striped bass. We have live sand fleas in stock daily and also carry beach rakes making bait DIY. The rakes are great for shelling at the water’s edge too.

Light tackle plugging early, late or at night to score a summertime linesider. Best times are going to be grey light, golden light or night… all times when striped bass commonly cruise the suds and beach goers are at a minimum. Fish an 3-5″ minnow style jerk bait. Top staff picks are… the Daiwa 13F SP Minnow and the Yozuri 3DB 110 Suspending Jerkbait. The 3DB is also a great options for surf plugging fluke!

Scale down with small hooks for kingfish and croakers. You might have a shot at spot, blowfish and/or bluefish this time of year fishing Fish Bites. Fish bites are an artificial bait that is super convenient and effective.

Target fluke! Rig up with a simple single jig and tip with Gulp Grub, Swimming Mullet or Jerk Shad. You can’t go wrong with white or pink shine but other colors and styles have their stand out days. Most calm days all that is needed is a 1/4-1/2 oz lead head fished on 15-20# line. Scale down with finesse and you might be surprised at the increase in catch rate. There are times when an ulta-light set up with a 1/16-1/8oz lead head will light ’em up! There’s also times when the wind is blowing, current is pulling and waves are rolling… these conditions commonly call for a heavier jig (add a teaser!), single drop rig or a classic hi/lo rig.

Barnegat Bay Fishing

Inside there’s a wide variety of fishing opportintues thanks to Barnegat Bay’s bounty. This past week the bay and inlet remained consistent for striped bass and blues as well as a little better on what has been a slow go for fluke.

Captains Dan DiPasquale of Hog Moon Fishing Charters and Captain Steve Purel of Reel Fantasea Fishing Charters are on the bite all season long and right now is no different. They are both reporting fun fishing for striped bass, bluefish and a few fluke. Live bait fishing with spot has been a sure thing as it’s the best summer time striped bass bait when fishing the area’s main thoroughfares. Captain day has been crushing bass and blues fishing pink softbait Zoom Flukes on a lead head.

Soon we may see blowfish show up to join the croakers, spot, kingfish and weakfish that are here. Our fingers are crossed they show up in good numbers this year because they offer a good eating fun summer fishery!

Crabbing and clammer are two other great options right now too

This week gave us improving fluke action. As mentioned earlier it has been slow going. It seems to be gaining traction especially for anglers moving out to the ocean. Numerous positive reports came in from the inshore wrecks and reef sites. With July just around the corner, those offshore structures should produce all summer long so long as the water temperatures remain stable and warm.

If fishing out there be sure to know that Black Sea Bass is still open (12.5″ minimum size) however the bag limit was reduced on June 22 and is now a 1 FISH BAG all summer (until Sept.22).

Summer also means sharks and rays. The brown sharks (sand bar sharks) as well as sand tiger sharks (not to be confused with sand sharks aka dogfish which are also here) arrived in good number over the past couple weeks. They are here for their summer residence and can be a nuisance bycatch when targeting other species. But they can also be fun game if approached properly with knowledge of the laws. Both sand tiger and sand bar sharks are federally protected species and possession is prohibited. Catch and release fishing for line pulling cow nose rays is allowed. If you catch a protected shark species, be prepared with the proper dehooking tool (these 12-18″ stainless dehookers work great!) and do not remove them from the water! There is an upcoming NJ Fisheries meeting July 9th where Jersey shore based shark fishing will be discussed. If you partake in this fishery you should attend!

Long Beach Island Beach Badges

Beach badges might be the worst part of summer! Yes they are required during daytime beach operations throughout Long Beach Island, every town and there are six different municipalities. There is NOT a single universal LBI beach badge that covers the entire Island. Visitors must have a valid beach badge for the municipality where they plan to access the beach.

For more information on LBI summertime surf fishing and beach access be sure to check out our complete guide – LBI Summer Surf Fishing Visitors Guide

For anglers it is best to fish before the lifeguards come on duty or after they leave for the day. Everyday lifeguards start at 10am Island wide. All towns run until 5pm except Ship Bottom who has guards until 6pm. When the guards are on so are the beach badge checkers who post up at most of the street access points and at times get active roaming their territory checking for badges. This is a loaded topic and can vary town to town (especially through out the state) however most of the time anglers who get out fishing before the guards and badge checkers post up are free to fish below the tide line and well outside (and down current) of the lifeguard designated swimming areas. But you can’t have a beach chair, cart, cooler, equipment on the sand or that’s calling out, “Come check my badge!” If fishing the water’s edge you can friendly explain accessing earlier and currently fishing tidal waters. Ask for allowance per the Public Trust Doctrine the public has a right to access up to and including the high water line. Ask nicely and share the common law that dates back to Roman law. But don’t be the entitled irate loud mouth or you are just asking to escalate the situation and soon to be trouble with the police.

Offshore Tuna Fishing

Things really popped off last week for the Tuna Open hosted by Beach Haven Marlin & Tuna Club. Since then reports are rolling both mid-shore and offshore at Canyons… bluefin, yellowfin and big eyes. If heading out we have all the essentials and more. We are fully stocked up on Magictail Hoo Magic and Joe Shute Trolling Heads as well as Tormenter and Chatter Offshore trolling chains and bars. We also got a monster delivery a couple weeks back of premium offshore baits from Baitmaster so we have the best quality ballyhoo and squid in the area sitting at 15º below zero waiting for you.

As always, stop by Fisherman’s Headquarters for the latest bait, tackle and local fishing information. We’ll help you make the most of the summer fishing season.

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!!!

We are catching blues and fluke in the bay and inlet along with some stripers in the mix. We are available every day for these trips, even the days I have announced as Open Boat Tuna Trips below. 

The bluefin tuna have moved in to our area hot on the heels of the massive squid invasion that is happening off the Jersey coast right now. These fish are in striking distance. 20 to 30 mile runs to the grounds. Drifting with bait will be the primary tactic, though we always have the jigging arsenal on board, for those that want to try while we are bait fishing. Expect to be jigging squid for a good part of the trip as these are the live hookbaits we want out, and it’s a lot of fun while waiting for the violent strike on the tuna rod. We only troll if we are in search mode or it is productive.

The bluefin tuna regs came out last week and as a charter boat we can keep three fish between 27 and 47 inches, one of which can be 47 to 73 inches, or all three can be between 27 and 47 inches. 

Sailing Open Boat or Charter for Bluefin Tuna:

Sunday June 7, Monday June 8, Tuesday June 9 and Wednesday June 10

5AM to 3PM $450 person, 4 people max, all fished are shared.

Looking forward to seeing everyone on board!

Thank you,

Dave

Dave DeGennaro

Hi Flier Sportfishing

732.330.5674 cellhiflier.com

June is finally here and the Long Beach Island surf side spring striper fishing remains strong. With the full moon yesterday (Sunday) we are now in the final chapter of the 2026 spring, but don’t overlook it! It can be one of the best periods for quality size bass. Historically speaking we see a large body of striped bass the first and second week of June. We’ll see how to plays out. There’s other opportunities on tap too… Let’s dive in! Here’s the Long Beach Island Fishing Report Update for Monday June 1, 2026.

This spring has been a good one to surf anglers fishing the beaches of LBI. It’s a steady run of action since mid April and it just might keep on going. We had a beautiful weekend here on Long Beach Island with lots of sun, some swell and stripers (among other catches too). Anglers continue to find striped bass in the suds soaking clams and bunker. There’s dogfish around so switching over to lures is a great alternative to bypass the junk. Weedy conditions have been frustrating some days and some locations but nothing like it was a few weeks back.

As seen on the report video, yesterday’s groundswell lingers on while fading but what not seen on the video is the current winds. At the time of the video it was light but now in the afternoon stiff 15-20mph east north east winds are blowing. Anglers fishing bait will need extra lead.

Striped bass remain the main attraction on the beach BUT black drum still here and more bluefish have arrived this past week. Also there’s a few nice fluke in the mix. Photo above is Mark Roczey with a black drum from the Beach Haven surf. Below, Andrew LeFante holds a 35.5″ bluefish he caught off the mid-Island surf. His dad Ray reported, “Had to weed through a bunch of big nasty dogfish and a few skates but Andrew landed a big blue on a bunker chunk. We weighed it in at Fish Heads, 11.9#. All of our action came on either bunker chunks or heads. We also had quite a few runoffs and bite offs.”

Water temperatures are running in the mid-to-upper 50s along the LBI beaches.

On the bay side, fluke fishing has been a little slower, but there are fish being caught. The bay is also holding striped bass, black drum, bluefish, some weakfish. Some warmer water – summertime species are starting to appear with the first signs of blowfish, spot and some rays. As the water continues warming, we expect better fluke fishing to materialize.

Stop by Fisherman’s Headquarters in Ship Bottom for fresh bait, tackle, local intel as well as everything you need to get dialed in. We’re open daily, loaded up for the season and ready to help you catch more fish!

Tightline Charter’s Captain Jeff Warford had Frank and Paul aboard fishing this past weekend. They both scored fun striped bass fishing live baiting with spot in the Barnegat Bay. A big surprise came when a monster 55# black drum took a spot!