Fluke Fishing Continues Despite A Minor Upwelling & A New Swell Arrives That Will Linger
Today Sunday July 16th was a wash out for the majority of the day with heavy rains in the afternoon. But the weekend for the most part was fishy for anglers fishing the beaches of LBI as well as the bay. Fluke (summer flounder) are the mainstay, offering good action in the surf. Many of the pockets and sloughs up and down LBI have fluke. Finding fish should not be too hard if geared up right, but finding keeper size fish might be more challenging. That said there has been beautiful size fluke taken in recent days. Reports from the south end, mid-island and north end are all promising. Don’t overlook the pools in tight to the beach. Fish those right up to the lip of the beach! Areas in the bay continue to produce too, from the wide open bay to the main thoroughfares. In the area we also have great clamming and crabbing to spice up a family day with fun in the sun. Stop by Fisherman’s Headquarters in Ship Bottom if looking for more information and we’ll help you enjoy the best of Long Beach Island.
We start off the new week with 3-4′ swell that will linger 2-4′ all week long and possibly longer. Be in the know with Don (storm) out there and other activity in the central Atlantic ocean. Watch the tides, especially if transiting the inlets. Monday in the time frame of 12-4pm could be hairy with the max ebb tide at 1:45pm. Also the New Moon will make for more extreme tidal flow. Outgoing tide and a powerful swell make for a washing machine.
Anglers fishing inshore, offshore and from shore are catching a variety of species in and around Long Beach Island. Here’s the Fishing LBI report update for Wednesday 12, 2023 with fishing information on bluefish, striped bass and fluke as well as an inshore bluefin tuna fishing report, wreck fishing, cobia, mahi and more. For a more detailed text report check out the last report posted on Monday July 10th.
At 8 minutes in, Greg shares details on a few lures that he like and fishes commonly. Here’s some links to them
Hot and humid with chance of thunderstorms – What else would describe Jersey in July? Well, good fun fishing inshore, offshore and from shore! If you haven’t been out and are looking to beat the heat, I got news for you… it’s cooler than inland but it’s still HOT! Be prepared with sun protection and stay hydrated!
Local Water Temperatures
LBI Surf – Harvey Cedars 71º, Ship Bottom 71º
Barnegat Inlet – 70-80º range depending on tide
Barnegat Bay (Waretown) – Low to mid 80’s
Barnegat Ocean Buoy – Mid to upper 70’s
Recently we’ve had a nice run of fair sea conditions although some foggy mornings. Some days the marine layer was dense and stuck around more than we would have liked. If heading out and it’s pea soup fog be sure to have your radar on and keep your speed slow. If you don’t have radar you shouldn’t go out until it clears. Being caught out is one thing but leaving the dock is responsible and puts others at risk.
Barnegat Bay Fishing
The streets are busy and so are the main thoroughfares. Boat traffic especially on the weekends make bay fishing challenging, some areas more than others, but there is great fishing to be had all this month in the bay. Fluke fishing remains strong. At times cocktail blues offer light tackle fun. There’s good action with the summertime striped bass either early or late in the day. Houndfish are around in the bay. Blowfish don’t seem to be here in great numbers like last year. But I know there are some because I get plenty of the unmistakable buckteeth bits out of my Gulp while fluke fishing many different areas on the bay. Let’s hope this great fun summertime fishery pops up as summer progresses.
Dan D has used his light tackle approach and caught some striped bass in the backwaters. Also Captain Zach Fly Away Charters is getting bass on the fly. We shared on last report post.
Inshore Fishing
This is the time of year that I enjoy getting out into the ocean and fishing the wrecks and reef sites. For one it’s a great way to beat the heat and the gnats, a much needed relief. I’ve been out a few times and had inconsistent results. One trip was active with both shorts and keepers, no garbage fish. The next trip had a keeper on the first drop but then went dead and had a slow pick of only shorts. As long as the waters stay warm and don’t upwell, expect good fishing at the reef sites to fire back up and rock all July and August. While there are sea bass on tap (present inshore), remember it’s only one per person right now at 12.5″.
A few cobia were been caught locally. Jake Adair released a nice one. “Talked about this one for years. Let him go for karma.” Triggerfish and sheepshead are also around and being caught at inshore snags.
Surf & Jetty Fishing LBI
Fluke is the dependable mainstay on the Island’s beaches the past couple weeks. With the consistently warm surf temps it has been steady for the whole stretch of the island. Some years the surf fluke bite can be hot and cold following the fluctuations in the water temperatures. Not this year, so long as the south wind upwelling stays away.
Other species cruising the sand bars; cow nose rays, assorted shark (know the laws – if you don’t know let it go), occasion bluefish, kingfish few and far between.
Weakfish are hanging around. Some days a couple are picked off the surf, inlet and bayside waters. The next 4-6 weeks should (if they stack up like the last two years for me) offer a fun summertime fishery. Please understand these guys need all the help they can get. Please practice catch and release!
“Cocktail” (2-4# range +/-) bluefish are scattered around in many different areas; bay, beach, inlet. With the warm water Spanish mackerel and bonito should make a showing any day (if not already). It’s common to find them this time of year under one or more common terns. These same birds can tip off where blues are chasing bait. Recently we have had a good amount of small sandeels hanging around. A few days they have been in the inlet and I know they hit the beaches in different areas recently too.
Mid-Shore & Offshore Fishing
The offshore fishing has been good to both anglers fishing the mid-shore waters as well off at the edge. The Fishers, father and son team just took delivery of their new Freeman, an epic fishing machine and already put tuna and a nice swordfish on the deck.
Sloane was out fishing offshore and reported, “Back from the deep! Loaded up with tilefish and then not two minutes into the troll hooked a real one. My first big eye! A few yellowfin in the box too. Nothing better than being offshore… Sushi Time!”
There are bluefin tuna on the mid range grounds now. We only need to run 25 to 35 miles. My favorite kind of fishing: daytime tuna on bait and jigs! No need for the big gold reels. We use light 30 class conventionals and spinners. We will have the trolling gear on board, but hope not to use it.
Marine forecast looks good for the next few days. Sailing Open Boat or Charter Mon July 10, Tues July 11, and Wed July 12. 4AM to 2PM. $350 person. 4 people max. All fish are shared. Everything is provided: rods, bait, jigs, fish cleaning. Just bring whatever you like to eat and drink.
We are also available on these dates or any day for your private charter, inshore or offshore. Inshore we are targeting bluefish and fluke, with a few stripers mixed in at the inlet jetty.
Give me a call to reserve a spot. Hope to see you on board!
Dave DeGennaro Hi Flier Sportfishing 732.330.5674 cell hiflier.com
There’s no better way to beat the heat than fishing the waters of Long Beach Island. The bluefish and fluke action continues and there’s resident summertime stripers, some weakfish and other warm water critters (blowfish, triggers, sheepshead, sharks). Also we expect kingfish action to fire up soon on the surf. Get out and enjoy summertime fishing LBI.
The yellowfin are now in our range. 40 to 60 lb fish on the jig and troll. 60 plus miles each way. Friday and Saturday both look like good weather days to get offshore. Low velocity winds. We will be trolling, jigging, and bait fishing, whichever gives us the best chance.
Sailing Open Boat Tuna Fri July 7 and Sat July 8, 3AM to 3PM, $450 person, 4 people max, all fish are shared.
Call me on my cell below to reserve a spot.
These dates and any dates are also available for your private charter, as well. Inshore or offshore. We are currently catching blues with a few stripers mixed in at the inlet jetty along with fluke in the back bay.
Hope to see you on board!
Dave
Dave DeGennaro Hi Flier Sportfishing 732.330.5674 cell hiflier.com
The weather looks good for Monday July 3 and Tuesday July 4 so we will be running Open Boat trips on these dates. Headed to Barnegat Ridge to try for bluefin tuna, albacore, sharks, or any species that is willing to cooperate with us. We will be primarily trolling as this is our best shot at a tuna, but I always have bait and jigs on board, as well.
5AM to 1PM each day. $300 person. 4 people max. All fish are shared. These dates, or any dates, are also available for your private charter to fish in the bay, inlet, or ocean, as well. We are currently catching blues and fluke in the bay and inlet.
Hope everyone has a safe and fun holiday weekend!
Dave DeGennaro Hi Flier Sportfishing 732.330.5674 cell hiflier.com
Thursday and Friday look good for venturing offshore in search of tuna. The wind is under 10 knots each day. That should make for a very comfortable ocean. The life we are looking for is in the 50 to 60 mile range from our inlet. Whales, porpoise, and birds. We will be primarily trolling. If conditions dictate throwing poppers or jigging, we have that arsenal on board, as well. The Hi Flier is equipped with a Garmin Sirius/XM weather station so we can see any storm cells as they are born. This gives us the ability to run around them instead of through them. We have a 6 man Viking survival raft and an EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) that alerts all search and rescue aircraft and vessels. These are all things we carry and hope to never use. We have bean bag chairs to crash out in for the rides out and back.
Sailing Open Boat or Charter Thursday June 29 and Friday June 30. 4AM to 4PM. $450 person. 4 people max. All fish are shared. The best way to contact me about reserving a spot is to call me on my cell below. We are also targeting stripers, blues, and fluke in the inlet and bay if you would like to book a charter for these dates or any day.
Hope to see you on board!
Dave DeGennaro Hi Flier Sportfishing 732.330.5674 cell hiflier.com
Summer is here and fluke fishing on and around Long Beach Island is good. After the recent rain and wind fishing has picked up right where it left off with hungry fluke in the surf, inlet, bay and ocean. With warm ocean water the local reefs and wrecks are producing. There’s blues ranging from 1-6#+ and still a few striped bass hook ups too. Check out the fishing report update and be sure to catch the info later in the video on this week’s long period swell. A solid word of caution for now and the entire summer – tropic storm season.
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