Striped bass continue to provide fun and busy light tackle action while utilizing both artificial and natural baits with tidal stages seemingly dictating which to employ.

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It’s that time again. What time do you ask? Time to go fishing. With the Debbie M still under wraps I jettisoned out in stealth mode aboard the MOS (my kayak). With some worms and plastics, I was well prepared for my pre-Easter big breakfast assault on the local schoolies. For the most part, it was slow but I did manage a few feisty bass to about 22”. All on sandworms. One thing that always blows me away when catching fish from a yak is how strong fish really are. One schoolie bass I was fighting actually was strong enough to pull my grapple style anchor out of the mud and set me adrift. No joke.

On the nature side of things: While kayaking I witnessed two environmental success stories in one fell swoop, literally. I watched an adult Bald Eagle swoop down to the water’s edge and pick out an adult bunker to bring to the breakfast table. The first  story is the eagle which was brought back from the edge of extinction in the lower 48 states. I’ll make the story quick. Industrial revolution spawns DDT. DDT gets into our environment and is nothing but bad news to every living thing. In 1962, Racheal Carson publishes Silent Spring telling of the dangers of DDT which starts the environmental movement. Now 1970, the Feds create the Environmental Protection Agency and NJ has one known nesting pair of eagles. In 1972 the US bans the use of DDT. Ten years later NJ still has only one pair of eagles nesting, and the egg shells are still thin and have to be removed so the parents do not break them. The DDT ban, combined with restoration and management efforts by NJ’s Endangered and Nongame Species Program, brings the number of nesting pairs to 23 in 2000. Flash forward to the end of 2017 and there are 178 nests being monitored by the State.

Now onto the bunker, the most important fish in the sea. Have you read Franklin’s book The Most Important Fish in the Sea? If you care one iota about how the ocean’s ecosystems are balanced off our coast you must read this book. We completely decimated the bunker stocks decades ago. Native Americans showed us how to use bunker as fertilizer. Then during the industrial revolution, bunker oil was used for grease, replacing whales as the source for of industrial lubricant. Now bunker is used for bait, fish oil, fish meal, omega 3 fatty acids. Now get this, one company, one company, did I say one company?, Omega Protein (BTW: it was purchased last year by Cooke company.) gets 90% of the annual allowable harvest of the bunker in the US. Now for even more news, Omega Protein, employees only around 1,100 employees. So do the math, Omega with a little over 1,000 employees gets 90% of the most important fish in the sea. So for 1,000 US jobs, we disrupt marine ecosystems from Maine to Texas that could be giving tens of thousands of jobs to the to the US. Another example of how the rich get richer……Now on to the somewhat success story, in my close to 40 years on Barnegat Bay I have seen the bay go from no bunker anywhere through the eighties and nineties, to some fall peanut bunker, to now adult bunker in late winter / early spring and peanuts showing up earlier and in greater numbers than ever. Mother nature is resilient and will bounce back, she just needs some time and a little help from you.

Screaming drags,

Capt. Alex 609-548-2511
Lighthouse Sportfishing
https://www.youtube.com/user/LHSportfishing

Spring Has Sprung!

The early season action has been good. About one month into the “season” it’s safe to say it’s going good. Early season bass, winter flounder, perch and a couple bluefish. Soon we’ll see real fish migrating move into our waters.

Reports from the river rats are good! Bass are chewing live bloods. Further up shad fishing is in full swing.

Anyone looking to get their rods and reels serviced for the spring run should bring them in ASAP. We were caught up; however, recently lots of tackle in need of service has flooded in. First in first out so if you want your gear repaired in time for the first showing of real deal fishing now is the time!!!

Happy Easter!!!! 🐣

Here’s a photo from this morning’s sunrise vigil.

Today’s open boat witnessed the season continued progression with slightly larger striped bass , bald eagles, ospreys, and even the first laughing gulls!! Presently our bay is also full of adult bunker that will soon be welcoming our newly arriving game fish into our home waters. The abundant bait that we have on hand could possibly be a real game changer for our Spring run!!

Although we are only 2 days earlier than last year with the arriving laughing gulls it’s still the earliest that I have ever seen them. Over the years I have always looked forward to their arrival as they usually will herald the migration of soon to be arriving stripers and blues within 10-14 days, they have yet to fail me in their prognostication .

Today 3/30 was an on boat with regulars who were joined by The Fishermen Magazine’s Jim Hutchinson Jr.  hoping to tag some bass for research purposes . Not only did we succeed in our goal in tagging striped bass but we used up all the tags that were brought aboard!  Regular Jay Simmons once again earned Bass Master honors scoring 15 striped bass before trips end.  Hutch not to be out done scored the biggest bass of the day at the buzzer.

Wishing everyone fair winds and calm seas,

Captain Steve Purul

Reel Fantasea Fishing Charters

609-290-1217

Hi Folks,

Here’s a quick update on the early season fishing.

Yesterday (Tuesday) store staffer Dan D reported that fishing was good. “Almost every worm got a bass. They were on the chew.” A couple bluefish were caught too. But the winter flounder fishing was slow. Maybe the cloudy day had something to do with it?

Today (Wednesday) Dylan Fisher stopped in the shop before heading over to the warm fishy water. He just shared this report and photo. “Fishing is good. At times it’s every cast.” He’s catching on top water, pencil popping them up. Dylan also put some bucktails to work and they did the trick too.

Another report today came from Vince (@invinceable-vr) “Nice action at the Plant! Plenty of small schoolies and some fat flatties!”

Today’s open boat proved challenging with wind chills into the twenties [ dock departure air temp 30 degrees] . Although we read fish through out the morning the bass seemed to be off the bite that I was expecting [ I hate when they don’t follow my plan or expectations ]. We did  managed to boat 2 striped bass [ along with some random snagged bunker] along with a flurry of short strikes through out the morning before calling it early quits .

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With heavy snow fall and NE winds tipping 40mph I wasn’t sure how the stripers would react afterwards but apparently it hasn’t effected them at all!

These are resident fish that have wintered up in our home waters and generally are running from 10-24″ but utilizing light spinning tackle maximizes the sport and fun for these feisty bass.

I have this Sunday 8am-12pm  for any looking to have some fun on with catch and release bass for either open or private charter.

Although these bass are on the smaller side they are tons of fun!

Wishing everyone fair winds and calm seas,

Captain Steve Purul

Reel Fantasea Fishing Charters

609-290-1217