Author: FishHead.Greg

A Long Beach Island native with life long experience fishing and navigating the local waters, Greg is a distinguished Master Captain (the highest qualified operator license), holding a US Coast Guard Masters 50T Near Coastal License with Towing Endorsement. Raised in and now managing his family's bait and tackle business, Fishermans Headquarters (Since 1962, The Saltwater Fishing Bait & Tackle Experts) Greg is daily immersed in fishing. He is the Chief Contributor of FishingLBI.com (Long Beach Island's best fishing report blog) as well as the Admin for the shop's social media pages (on Instagram and Facebook). Be sure to follow!

Fishing Report Update – March 25, 2018

What a great weekend! So many of us have waited for the dewinterization process to begin! Turning on the water and opening seasonal homes as well as pulling the shrink wrap or boat cover, the Island was lively and the shop was buzzing. After a snowy, cold, windy winter, it was great to see all the familiar faces.

Some anglers got out and fished. A couple guys hit the surf, but no report rebound. One can only assume, no report is bad news. For the most part local fishing is still concentrated to the winter hold over locations. Soon the early season hot spots will kick into gear.

In terms of one hold over location, Oyster Creek, there’s been lots of action but with that comes lots of fishing pressure. The traffic can be tough but fun fishing is there to be had.

Striped bass and winter flounder are the two main target species. Some small blues(hold overs or new arrivals?) were recently caught and bunker have been in there too. Guys catching bass are fishing with small bucktails, jigs and soft plastics. Baits like live blood worms and clam are also getting bites for the crew posted up on the bridge. Winter flounder are also chewing live bloods there too.

One customer reported, “Caught a handful of fishing today (Saturday). Yesterday was was much better!” Another report came from Finn Krokus of Little Egg. He fished this weekend and caught both bass and winter flounder. Here’s a photo of one winter flounder.

Here’s Finn Krokus with a winter flounder that he caught on March 24th fishing Oyster Creek.

Just a heads up… For the time being we are still on winter hours (7am to 6pm). Soon we’ll extend. It all dependent on the weather, fishing and in store traffic.

Upcoming Fishing Tournaments

— Save The Dates —

The 15th Annual 2018 Berkeley Striper Club Spring Striped Bass Catch & Release Tournament starts May 24th. For More Info

The 17th Annual LBI Spring Surf Fishing Tournament starts April 21st. This year a bluefish division was added. For More Info

NJBBA Holgate Beach Clean Up 3/24/18

NJBBA Holgate Beach Clean Up

The New Jersey Beach Buggy Association needs your help this weekend. Please share and spread the word. The more hands the better!

On Saturday, March 24th the NJBBA will have their annual Holgate Beach Clean Up. At 8am meet at the buggy entrance, the very south end of Long Beach Island (LBI). Dress accordingly to the weather, bring a 5 gallon bucket and gloves. Coffee and donuts will be served. Hope to see lots of surf anglers there.

Instagram Daiwa Lure Giveaway

Thanks to all of our followers and customers on Instagram. We are stoked to have hit the 10k milestone yesterday. What started out in September of 2013 as a suggestion from South Philly Fred (“Hey Fish Heads, Get On Ig!”) as a way to share store news has turned into a vital information stream. It’s amazing to see how the platform has grown into what it is today.

If you aren’t on Instagram… you should be! There’s just too much to miss.

Check out our Daiwa Lure Giveaway ASAP. We have three separate photos each showing a separate lot (two lures and a hat or visor). Three winners will be chosen on 3/22 by the end of the day.

NJ Fisheries Reg News Update – Blackfish, Porgy, Fluke, Sea Bass

On March 18, 2018 the NJ Marine Fisheries Council met in Manahawkin. Here’s some great information provided by Paul Haertel at the Jersey Coast Anglers Association. Anyone looking to join and/or support a great group should take a look at the JCAA.

The Jersey Coast Anglers Association is a non-profit charitable 501(3)c organization that works on behalf of the saltwater recreational fishermen of New Jersey. Since 1981 the JCAA protects the rights of New Jersey’s recreational fishermen by seeking fair and equitable fisheries management.

More info at www.JCAA.org

NJ Fisheries Regulatory News Update – Blackfish, Porgy, Fluke, Sea Bass

By Paul Haertel, JCAA Board Member/Past President

At the New Jersey Marine Fisheries Council (NJMFC) meeting on 3/15/18, regulations for blackfish and porgies were set. For blackfish, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) required our state to reduce our harvest by 2%. Our council accomplished this by shortening our one day season by two weeks and reducing our bag limit from six fish to five fish for our late fall/early winter season. The adopted regulations set the minimum size at 15”, with a four fish bag limit from 1/1 – 2/28 and from 4/1-4/30. There will be a one fish bag limit from 8/1-11/15 and then a five fish bag limit from 11/16-12/31. Some people questioned why we did not just eliminate the one day season but the reason is the NJFMC wanted to keep it open for divers and shore based fishermen at a time when the water is warm and the fish are still inshore.

There was better news on porgies as the ASMFC allowed us to increase our harvest by 59%. This will result in New Jersey having a year-round season. Previously our season was closed from March 1st to June 30th. The bag and size limits will remain the same, 50 fish at 9”. The council voted in favor of this new regulation but it will not become effective until DEP Commissioner Catherine McCabe signs off on it.

The regulations for fluke and sea bass will not be set until a special council meeting on 4/5 that will be held at 5PM at the Bay Avenue Community Center located at 775 E. Bay Av. in Manahawkin. The delay is due to decisions made at the recent Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) meeting regarding Addendum XXX for sea bass. Several positive changes in the way sea bass are managed were made at that meeting. One is that New Jersey will be its own region. Another is that a smoothing over approach can be used to adjust MRIP numbers that appear to be way out of line. For example, the MRIP numbers for Wave 3 (May-June) in 2017 showed that New Jersey harvested an extraordinarily high number of sea bass. We will now be able to smooth over that number based on what was harvested during that period in prior years. This is a good thing as it should allow us to significantly liberalize our regulations this year. Our Bureau of Marine Fisheries worked diligently on this issue but must first have their methodology approved by the ASMFC management board when it meets via conference call on Tuesday, March 20th at 11 AM. The board will consider approving the proposals of all three regions at that time. The three management regions are: (1) Massachusetts through New York, (2) New Jersey, and (3) Delaware through North Carolina. The public is welcome to listen to the discussion by phone (866.214.0726, followed by pass code: 993961) and view the webinar using the following link register.gotowebinar.com/regist…/6931931919817605123. The meeting agenda can be found at www.asmfc.org/…/SFlounderScupBSB_BoardAgenda_3_20_18…; meeting materials will be available March 15 at www.asmfc.org/home/meeting-archive. Time permitting; there will be a limited opportunity for the public to provide comments. The Board Chair will outline the procedures for accepting public comment at the beginning of the conference call. The public and other nonparticipating attendees are requested to mute their phones in order to minimize distractions to the Board’s deliberations. For more information, please contact Caitlin Starks, FMP Coordinator, at cstarks@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.

Regarding fluke, our council is seeking to close or eliminate the gap from when fluke season closes until when sea bass season opens so they have elected to wait until the special meeting in April to set the regulations for both species. The options for fluke are expected to all have an 18” size limit and a bag limit of 3 fish. The seasons could either be from 5/15-9/16, 5/22-9/20 or 5/25-9/22. It is possible that these options could be tweaked a little or other new ones developed but that is unlikely. (The special regulations of 3 fish at 17” for Delaware Bay and 2 fish at 16” for Island Beach are expected to remain the same)

JCAA will keep you posted as to specific options as they become available via our newsletter and on our Facebook page. Please “like” our page when you visit it.

2018 LBI Spring Surf Fishing Tournament

We are excited to announce Simply Bassing is now the Spring Derby!
For 16 years “Simply Bassing” the LBI Spring Surf Fishing Tournament was a great competitive way for anglers to enjoy surf fishing the beaches of Long Beach Island. With the awesome spring bluefish action lots of anglers asked (many demanded) a bluefish division. Finally it’s added!

Now more than ever, the Long Beach Island Spring Surf Fishing Tournament continues to offer Jersey Shore anglers the State’s best surf fishing tournament. Sticking to its roots, it’s a family fun surf fishing tournament with a simple format. Most importantly it’s a low kill contest that awards only the top fish/anglers by weight. Daily, weekly or segment prizes do not exist. If your fish can not beat the three top leaders, please release your fish to swim another day or responsibly harvest for a delicious dinner.

The LBI Spring Derby will start on April 21st and end on June 24, 2018.
It’s $20 to register for the 9 week striped bass and bluefish surf fishing tournament. Top Three Striped Bass and Top Three Bluefish Win Cash! Based on 100 registered anglers: First Place Bass and First Place Bluefish get $500 each (25% Payout), Second Place Bass and Second Place Bluefish get $300 each (15% Payout), Third Place Bass and Third Place Bluefish get $200 each (10% Payout).

With spring surf fishing right around the corner, it’s time to Save The Dates Now! Registration will begin in the near future (about a week or so). Sign Up Soon and get ready to fish your favorite LBI beach!

For more details… www.LBIFT.com

LBI Fishing Report – March 6, 2018

We are happy to share our first winter flounder report…

Lots of calls asking, “How’s the winter flounder fishing?” Unfortunately we did not have information to share until now. Today we got our first…

Dustin Sherman stopped by the shop this afternoon to grab some chum logs. While here he gave us a little info. “I enjoyed the morning fishing the bay. Lots of sun and no wind made for a good session. Best of all some winter flounder are biting!”

Dustin reported catching some flatties fishing the the mid-island bay. He chummed ’em up with a clam log and soak some baits. He mentioned, “The action died at the top of the flood. The morning’s incoming flow was best.”

LBI Surf Fishing News:

Lots of people asking but right now this is all we can share.

The Long Beach Island Spring Surf Fishing Tournament will be from April 21st to June 24, 2018. This year will be the 17th Annual Spring Tournament, but will not be called “Simply Bassin'”. For 2018 it’s The Spring Derby! Similar format but due to popular demand we’ve added the Bluefish Division. Top Three Striped Bass and Top Three Bluefish Win Cash! Registration is still $20.

Stay tuned for more details. The information will be shared once all is finalized.

Time For A New Fishing Reel?

Looking for a great quality reel that is water resistant, has a powerful drag and solid gearing? Take a look at the Tsunami Sheild Fishing Reel Series! They are a great affordable ($99-119.99) saltwater spinning reel with sizes ranging from 3000-8000. Check out our recent post on Instagram (@fishermansheadquarters). The 8000 shown was recently a new size that was released and already a great seller. Holding almost 400yds of 50# braid it is a perfect match on a Tsunami Airwave Elite 10’6″ or 11′ Surfcasting Rod. Any one who questions the new series… You can rest assured these reels are a great buy. The crew here at Fish Heads fished a couple last summer and this past fall. In the summer we had the drags screaming on fat brown sharks. We also continued as the year progressed catching quality striped bass and big bluefish. We have nothing but great things to say! Best of all these reels are some of the few that have the option to fish bail-less. We have the Tsunami Shield Bailless Conversion Kits here.

Stop by and check ’em out!

Dream About Spring ’18 & Reflect On Fall ’17

At this time of the year we all can’t help but dream about the upcoming season and also reflect on the past. The 2017 Fall Run didn’t shine here on the beaches of LBI but the local inshore fishing on the boats was off the charts (in my opinion). I recently posted a couple photos on Instagram.

“A rainy day to remember… November 13, 2017 – Quality Central Jersey striped bass fishing at its best. Fish from 15-45 pounds gorging on bunker and plugs in the pouring rain. For hours on end the action just kept getting better. We almost didn’t push off the dock. So happy we did because there were only a handful of boats in on the action.”

A comment came in and it got me thinking. I had to go back in my log and also review my phone’s photos. For me our fall fishing kicked into high gear right on time in mid November. For me the run’s biggest fish were here during the stretch of Nov 12-20th. I would have to say the 12th and 13th were the Fall’s best surface feeds. Seemed like hours on end with classy bass slapping on top… What Dreams Are Made Of!!! Lots of fish over thirty. Numerous over forty, but didn’t find a fifty this past fall. The only other day that I experiences close was the 17th night into the 18th but WOW did it get snotty fast! Anyone who fished the Stafford PBA must recall. It got extreme by 1pm. The next day had brutal westerly winds and to the best of my knowledge only one boat went out. The The 90′ catamaran, the Miss Barnegat Light, went and struggled all morning. After a long fish-less trip way up the beach and then back down again they found the mother load late in the day. Reports of epic fishing, quality fish and happy anglers. Those who went and stuck out the sporty conditions got the reward.

23rd Annual Berkeley Striper Club Fishing Flea Market

The Berkeley Striper Club’s 23rd Annual Fishermen’s Flea Market is this Sunday, March 4th. Doors open at 9AM. The location is at the Toms River Intermediate North School which is located at 150 Intermediate North Way, Toms River, NJ 08753. Be sure to stop by and be early. It is always a great show that has some of the best plug builders present. We’ll be there with an assortment of tackle. Stop by and say hi!

Large Storm Brewing

Can’t help but mention a big Nor’Easter is brewing. This morning the bay was a sheet of glass depicting the classic saying, the clam before the storm. The large low pressure system kicks off the month of March with a bang. From the look of things the ocean will be angry for a good stretch of time. Rain (tonight & Friday), LARGE swell (7-10′ on the beaches of LBI Sunday and Monday, 10-15′ once it hits the beaches of Puerto Rico) and some heavy winds (brunt of it will be Friday). Flooding more than likely will be a problem this weekend. Right now Saturday looks to be the worst with the morning’s high tide at 11:24 AM (the Causeway’s tide).

We are currently under a Storm Warning, High Wind Watch and Flood.

What else do you expect for March? Kinda happy this isn’t another blizzard.

Sorry to all of the anglers looking to get bait for opening day of striped bass and winter flounder. Due to the storm we have decided to not bring in live bait. Once things settle down we’ll stock up.

Fishing Report Update 2/22/18

Nice record breaking warmth as of late got the island buzzing. But today we snapped back to reality with a wet chill. While it was nice, we had anglers buying bait and heading out to go fish. No reports back. Most were hitting the fresh water haunts at the local lakes. Right now that’s one of the best bets… But soon things will kick off! Let’s hope this warming trend continues.

With only one week away everyone is itching! March 1st is the official opening of striped bass in the rivers and backwaters. Winter flounder also opens 3/1. Keep in mind tog season closes Feb 28th!

Right now we have no plans of stocking live bloodworms. Once demand calls for it we’ll bring them in. Until then we’ve got a solid supply of Dyna Bait Bloodworms. For those who are not aware, Dyna Bait offers anglers quality freeze dried sea worms which are convenient and super effective. Over the past couple of years they have account for quality bass. They are a great substitute when live worms are too expensive or hard to find. All bloodworm lovers gobble these up; striped bass, winter flounder, perch, spot, weakfish, etc. Try them out! Dyan Bait Freeze Dried Bloodworms

It has been a long winter and lots of local anglers have been picking (catch and release) at the linesiders all winter long. The winter hold over spots occasionally producing some nice. Like this one from local angler Ryan Degraw. He caught this bass the other night.

March Madness Is Almost Here!!!

Every year March means one thing to big game anglers… Big bluefin tuna fishing down off the Outer Banks (and college basketball of course). Captain Pat Butera of Forever Two Worlds has been down in OBX and put a lot of time in. He’s reaping the rewards. When the weather has allowed the boys to fish they’ve got meat. Word is Valentines Day was a massacre with the crew putting their new personal best 109″ on the deck. A couple days later they get this fatty! In the photo below rocking their Bomber Eye Wear Tyron Sperling (left) and Captain Pat(right)! Anyone looking for top quality sun glasses with modern style at a great price should check out these… Bomber Eye Wear At Fisherman’s Headquarters Best of all they float!

Fish Head Alumni Jonni Weidenhof was recently down in Florida enjoying some vacation time on the Florida waters. Here’s a photo of his buddy and local LBI angler Ryan Fredrickson with a golden tilefish. Not sure what looks better the golden or the Fish Heads performance long sleeve. You be the judge.

Surf Day 2018 Will Be One You Don’t Want To Miss

Beautiful unseasonably warm weather has got all thinking spring!!! That darn ground hog must be wrong? With that said there’s snow in the forecast so we can’t put the cart before the horse. Anyhow winter will inevitably fade.

Our sights are set on spring and preparation! It is time to clean up and organize all tackle because rods and reels need love too! Our factory trained service techs are busy but ready for your fishing rods and reels. Now’s the time to fix the broken line guide on your levelwind as well as the cracked guide on your rod.

Surf Day 2018 – Sat. Feb. 17, 2018

Surf Day 2018 is this Saturday February 17, 2018 from 8:30-4:30pm at Brookdale Community College located at 765 Newman Springs Rd, Lincroft, NJ 07738

Anyone who has attended any of past Surf Day shows knows this is the BEST one day show out there. With pin point focus on surf fishing, it’s the surf rats show! Attracting surfcaster’s from far and wide. If you are a surf angler this show is a must! The seminars are top notch!!!

So… What’s going on at the Fish Head’s Booth at Surf Day? Stop by to check out all of our show special promotions and say hi to the crew. Fred and Pete from Comanche Surfcasting will be on hand spilling the beans, talking about their top tackle and how/why they fish what they do.

While we can’t give it all away, we have to share this… We will have lots of surf fishing rods, reels, tackle and apparel on sale. For their first time to the public, the New Lamiglas GSB Series Rods , the Guy Cotten’s New High Efficient Surf Top ,the Tsunami Airwave Elite 12′ 8+Bait Rod and the Van Staal VF Fly Reel will be on display and available for sale. Don’t miss out on this industry first. Also the new hot selling Van Staal VR50 will be on display. Fish Head’s shop branded apparel (hats, beanies and sweatshirts) will also be there. We’ll have lures, lures and more lures BUT only our top selling ones and our staff’s top producers. We got shorted two tables this year so ten pounds of tackle will be packed into a one pound bag!!! Be sure to stop by and say hi!

Souther Regional FFM

For those that want to get out this weekend but can’t make the drive up to Surf Day… The Southern Regional Fishing Flea Market is also Saturday Feb 17th. For the second time in two consecutive years, these two event coincide. Being a Ram’s alumni it is sad to miss out another year. Hopefully next year the two shows can iron out their schedules.

More details on the SRFFM… The event will be held in the Southern Regional Middle School cafeteria in Manahawkin from 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. New and used fishing gear and services will be available at 100 vendor tables. Food and beverages will be on site for purchase. There will be hourly door prizes. Admission is $4. Children under 12 are free when accompanied by an adult. All proceeds benefit the Southern Regional High School Fishing Club. Southern Fishing Show Morning Seminars: 1) Bob Massa “Spring Run Early Season Striped Bass” 9:00 a.m. 2) Josh McGilly “Trolling Mojos”
9:45 a.m. 3) Alex Majewski “Doormat Strategies for Back Bay and Inlet” 10:30 a.m.

Fly Eagles Fly

The readers of this blog are more than likely not all Eagles fans but I’m willing to bet a large percentage are. The Giants got their win over the Pats ten years ago. Now it was Philly’s turn!

From Under Dog to Top Dog! The Eagles faced all sorts of adversities, took on tough competition and conquered. Rocky lost his first fight against Apollo Creed but won in the end. Ironically the rematch with the “Brady Bunch” played out the same way. The Birds didn’t go out to Minnesota for an ice fishing trip! They went to close the deal and brought home the trophy! Thank you to the entire Philadelphia Eagles for making it happen!!!

It was a great season, a great Super Bowl and a well deserved win for the players, fans and city!

Late last night (about midnight) I layered up with warm clothes, packed a back pack with essentials and headed towards Philadelphia (picking up Dan D. in route). First stop, the Camden Water Front for a quick night time Center City Skyline photo. Then straight to get some steaks! Who do you pick, Pat’s or Geno’s? See our poll…

After fueling up with a “provie with” the thermos was topped off with hot coffee and the hunt was on for the best Super Bowl Parade vantage point. At 2am everywhere was fair game. We picked the Art Museum’s front row barricade which turned out to be the best mud trench in the house. We hunkered in and held our ground all day as the crowds packed in. Maybe you were on social media and followed along with our live feed. We tossed up various posts from the mud pit front row.

We all witness history! The first of its kind with unknown expectations, the magnitude was off the charts. More than anyone’s wildest dreams could have imagined. The city and fans waited a very long time. It’s no wonder that 3-4 million fans came out to party.

The parade, fighter jet fly over, fireworks, music/dancing, speeches were all really special. But what was most memorable to me was the stoke of Brotherly Love in the crowd. It was on another level. It’s miraculous how sports bring together so many walks of life no matter gender, race, income or who they wanted for President. The Eagles brought the entire City of Philadelphia and all of the fans together, unified as one Proud Eagles Nation.

I’m so happy I got to enjoy this celebration and can’t wait for the next one!