This fishing report video update was taken and posted yesterday but uploaded by accident as private. We just changed the setting so it’s available for your viewing pleasure. A day late but still spot on! Good luck fishing.

There’s striped bass, fluke, bluefish, a couple black drum and weakfish being caught here on Long Beach Island. It sounds like a broken record but the same great fishing continues when weather allows. The current north east blow which has made conditions challenging the past 48 hours will fade out later today. Now is a great time to enjoy some time on the water fishing LBI.

Capt Zach from Flyway Charters reported, “Conditions couldn’t be better and the flats came alive. All the way from Texas Mason saw a side of NJ that many doesn’t know exists.” Gotta love the Barnegat Bay flats in the spring and summer. This year has been a banner one with great light tackle and fly fishing for striped bass and bluefish in the skinny.

On The Surf

Chris Eckardt reported catching a 42″ striped bass Saturday about an hour before high tide fishing salted clam. Tony Viscardi caught a 36″ on salted clam too. Many other striped bass reports are and have come in from the surf side on clam as well as bunker.

Carl Hartmann caught this keeper fluke on LBI surf Friday.

Saturday morning Fish Head staffer Paul reported catching a bunch of bluefish, “The bluefish took over! They were chomping so hard, just about every cast. I couldn’t get a bass.

It’s a great time for a slam or even a grand slam. And we aren’t talking baseball! Striped bass, bluefish, fluke and weakfish among other species here and hitting. Right now anglers of Long Beach Island have the year’s most broad angling opportunities for many different species on the surf, inlet, bay and even offshore too! We are also in a portion of the spring when historically the area gets the largest striped bass, bluefish and weakfish of the year. Whether approaching via beach or boat there’s a shot at good, fun fishing. Here’s the Long Beach Island Fishing Report for Sunday May 28, 2023.

Fluke Fishing 

The fluke fishing season is going strong with catches just about everywhere in and around Long Beach Island. From the surf, inlet and back bay to the bridges, sod banks and main channels (ICW) and secondary thoroughfares there’s fluke. Fish the holes and drops with a light tackle approach and you’ll find them. The three primary bait for success are Gulp, spearing and live minnows. Light tackle fishing small jigs tipped with Gulp is one of the most effective methods to target and catch fluke in good numbers, for that matter good size too.

The best land based fluke fishing reports are coming in from anglers fishing the surf and inlet. Tanner Sharp (below) caught this nice fluke off the Barnegat Inlet Jetty this weekend.

Striped Bass Fishing Continues On The LBI Surf

Quality striped bass fishing continues in the waters of LBI. The surf, inlet and bay all have good fishing.

Anglers fishing bunker and clams on the surf are catching striped bass in all size ranges with a good number of slot size striped bass as well as overs. I’ve said it many times this year and will repeat it again. Due to the lack of bunker schools in our near shore waters, the migrating striped bass are hanging around tight to the beach. There they find sand fleas, calico crabs as well as baited rigs from awaiting surf anglers. Both day and night are producing, but it’s my expectation that with the warmer water temperatures the night bite could be best.

Kevin Laverty (Photo 1) released a 41” striped bass off the surf this weekend. Patrick Socaciu (Photo 2) caught multiple fish off the mid-island surf Saturday and Sunday. He reported, “One almost spooled him before it spit the hook.” Kristi Cooper (Photo 3) caught a 33” bass fishing clam around high tide on the south end. It was her third over 28” this season. This particular fish spit out a few sand crabs when she had the fish on the beach. Then when filleting, it had a freshly eaten calico crab.

Thiago Araujo (Photo 4) caught this 35” Friday night. Ryan Harkins (Photo 5) sent in a photo and said, “Thanks for the clams! I released this 38” bass off the surf.” We also received a lot of other catch reports too. Thanks for sharing! Sorry we couldn’t include them all.

Bluefish Action On & Around LBI

Their presence was known for a number of weeks now but never more apparent than right now. The blues this weekend were most active in this order; inlet, bay, surf. 

The Barnegat Inlet had a strong showing of blues this weekend with both boat and jetty anglers catching mostly cocktails size (1-3, 2-4#) but there’s larger ones too occasionally. Most of the bigger bluefish are hanging around the shallows of Barnegat Bay and Manahawkin Bay. The surf has offered up blues on bait and lures too.

Other Fishing Opportunities

Jamie Gramley, a mainstay in our spring reports continues to have a hot hand and a high hook! He caught and released this 34” black drum off of the surf this weekend. Photo can be seen above in the Youtube video thumbnail graphic.

Blowfish and weakfish are two other species to target. Dan McTigue caught this 24’ weakfish recently.

With the warm water temperatures other species like triggerfish and sheepshead have arrived for their summertime stay. Below shows the local water temperature warming trend over the last 7 days.

Offshore Fishing Report

Black Sea Bass fishing is strong on the reef sites and wrecks. Fishing clam baited rigs and jigs yield limit catches. Some of the deeper water areas have ling and cod too. Just about any structure 60′ and deeper should be loaded at this point in the season. Eli Haegele got out and reported great fishing!

The offshore tuna fishing popped off this weekend for some boats taking their season opening trip out to the edge. Those that went got into good yellowfin fishing. It’s time to get out there!!!

Captain Jeff Warford from Wolfpack reported 21 yellowfin tuna in the 25-50# class, one mahi and a bunch of sea bass. It was a great first trip to the edge for the crew! Jeff said that Wolfpack Ahi Tails out-fished ballyhoo 4 to 1 and mentioned that the jet heads were awesome too. Anyone looking to check out the full line up of Wolfpack Tackle’s offshore lures stop in today.

The wind has been tough but anglers fishing round it or through it have had productive fishing for striped bass, bluefish, fluke and weakfish. Whenever this fan turns off the sea bass fishing will tee off. Here’s a quick fishing report update for the Long Beach Island area to help you catch more fish this Memorial Day weekend!

May has treated us well with good fishing! Waxing out of Friday’s New Moon, we would expect the spring’s best action to fire up now or in the coming days. Usually late May and early June offer the best of spring fishing for the area. However this year got off to a very early start and has been very good. It’s hard for me to imagine an uptick from here but anything is possible. Whatever case plays out, I have no doubt that the next couple weeks will offer fun fishing here on and around Long Beach Island. Here’s the Long Beach Island Fishing Report Update for Sunday May 21, 2023.

Bluefish and striped bass here are biting regularly in the bay, inlet and surf. The surf side consistency is something we have not seen in years, making this spring’s beach bite one to remember with slot and over slot striped bass day and night. These fish are holding in cuts, rips, and holes from Barnegat Light to Beach Haven. Most of this action is on bait with clam and bunker; however there are lure anglers plugging up good catches. Productive plugs on the surf include, Daiwa SP Minnows, Super Strikes, Gibbs Metal Lip Swimmer, Yo-Zuri Hydro Minnow, Tsunami Shad and jigs live an AVA (diamond jig) or bucktails. 

Jamie Gramley is dialed in, having himself one hell of a spring! This morning he struck into a couple more striped bass fishing clam on the surf, “45” released and a 33″ for dinner.”

Rob Murray reported his best nigh fishing LBI in many years, “What a great night tonight (Friday Night). Fished mid-island surf on the incoming tide. Four striped bass up to 40″ and eight bluefish up to 30″. All four striped bass were on bunker heads and all the bluefish we on chunks. Tried salted clam when I ran out of bunker bit nothing touched it.”

Chris sent in the report, “CJ reeled in his first striped bass Saturday morning fishing the Beach Haven surf.” Huge congrats CJ!

LBI Surf temperature is in the mid-fifties (54-57º), the Barnegat Bay ranges from 60º to almost 70º in areas all depending on the distance from the inlet, the tide and the time of day.

Bluefish in a wide size range from cocktails to gators are here and pushing through the bay, inlet and in the surf. A good number were reported this weekend. SP minnows, hydro minnows, pencil poppers, smack-it poppers and AVA jigs are standard lures for the yellow eyed demons. Sunrise and sunset are the best for the topwater action.

Fluke fishing has been ok with Barnegat Bay and Inlet producing. Store Staffer Grey and his friend Ryan had a double limit of fluke up at the rocks on Friday. Pink Shine grubs in 4” and 5” were producing best, also the 3” New Penny Shrimp did damage as well. At times the main thoroughfares (Double Creek and Oyster Creek Channels) have had good fishing. Down on the south end and Great Bay area store staffer Frez has been picked keeper fluke fishing 5” Gulp swimming mullets and jerk shads. He said, “Shallow water in the 4-9’ range has been most productive.”

It’s prime time spring fishing here on LBI with big striped bass here now. This past weekend was full of the same great reports that flooded in all work week. A lot of anglers are doing great bait fishing the surf. There’s also good fishing on the jetty and in the bay with fluke, bluefish, drum, weakfish and blowfish all present.

Are you enjoying this awesome spring weather and amazing spring fishing? If not, now’s the time to regroup and go fish! Here’s the LBI Fishing Report Update for Monday May 15, 2023.

Striped bass fishing continues and bluefish have come on strong. May is off to a good start and our expectations are for a great month ahead with bass, blues and fluke! Here’s a quick May 1st Fishing Report update for the Long Beach Island area. Remember NJ Tog fishing season closed at the end of April BUT NJ Fluke season open tomorrow May 2nd! Not only are the big three (striped bass, bluefish, summer flounder) here right now, but also weakfish and black drum. Anglers have recently caught all five of these species in the surf, inlet and bay. Now’s a great time to get out fishing!

Anglers fishing the LBI region have a lot of fishing opportunities right now with a mix of action. The surf, inlet and bay all have produced this past week and weekend. Now’s the time to get out and enjoy great spring fishing!