The youngin’ striped bass continue to cruise the surf biting baits along the Island’s beaches. These bass are providing action, holding over those surf anglers itching for the classy bass to show. Don’t fret they’ll be here soon. Until then we’ve got blues and drum as the largest line pulling species to test your tackle.

Bothers John and Greg hit the mid-island surf at about 1pm today. They started getting bites right away on bunker and ran short on bait. A quick run back to our shop to re-up and they were back in ’em. John said, “The conditions were prime with onshore breeze and clean water. All fish on bunker. Not a bite on clam. All bass, six total, one keeper.”
Here’s a photo of Dom C who found his first 2017 spring season striper. He caught this one a few days ago on a rubber shad. Take note of the beautiful clean ocean water. 

Hutch Jr. (Jim) from the Fisherman Magazine was out on the bay today fishing the south end of the Island. While he set out in search of black drum, he caught a hand full of short bass and a few big blues. No drum.

The early week “Spring break special” were anything but special with the big bluefish seemingly elusive. Although Schoolie stripers continue o provide light tackle action when targeted. This time of year things progress literally in a tide change !!

I have a few spots open for tomorrow afternoon 2pm -7pm , we will be targeting stripers, blues, tog [weather permitting] ….. while utilizing various techniques and locations. All bait, tackle ,rods, …….. included $125.00pp.

My new location for the 2017 fishing season is even closer to the action, located now in historic Barnegat Light 18th street aka Viking Village .  This new location inevitably translates into more fishing time for anglers aboard the Reel Fantasea!!

C’mon jump aboard and join other light tackle enthusiast!

Captain Steve Purul

Reel Fantasea Fishing Charters

609-290-1217

With a little more than 10 days left in the season, now is go time for tog! It has been good. There’s very productive inshore fishing at the near shore wrecks and reefs sites. It’s also good for land based anglers fishing the rocks.

After a solid few days over the Holiday weekend the bluefish action at the Barnegat Inlet became very spotty, which should be expected with early season fishing. The abundance and location of bait is most important but also controlling their every move… the water temperature. The spring’s large swings from chilly (high forties along the surf) to warm (high sixties select areas in the bay) have the arriving fish confused and looking for comfort. The past couple days, the blues found comfort and food in the mid-island bay.

Yesterday we had a couple bluefish weigh ins. Bill K. of the Village Harbour Fishing Club checked in a 15.10 pound bluefish. He it as well as well as many others fishing the mid-Island bay. Dave Spendiff has been out the past couple days and found good action too. Dave report, “I found a very large pod of 12-14lb fish in the bay. After boating 25+ fish, I simply got tired!” Monday his largest was 14.5 pound. Another report came from Stephen Amoriello…”Got the bluefish good thanks to the Yo-Zuri Mag Darter compliments of Fisherman’s Headquarters.” His photo is below.

Prime perch fishing… Pete recently took his kids Mia and Peter (1 & 3 years old) to catch their first perch. They did good. Another solid perch report came from the DiPasquale brothers. Store staffer Dan and his brother Patrick had a fun evening yesterday. “30+ in under and hour!” Patrick said, “Perch sure don’t tug as hard as blackfish, but they are really fun on light tackle especially when you’re catching one after the other.” The brothers gave thanks to Austin Pounds for putting them on the meat!

A nice box from Super Strike came in today. They are up on the wall but will not last long. Here’s our current selection.

Hit the local lagoons the last two evenings and caught a bunch of white perch. Some of which I invited home to dinner. Monday night’s bite started a few hours before sun down and stayed strong until dark.  Tonight was a little bit slower and a lot more smaller fish.I was using a shad dart with a piece of sandworm. Yes, you can catch white perch without grass shrimp.  On the nature side of things: lets talk sustainability.  Sustainability’s definition is “the ability to be maintained at a certain rate or level.” or “avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance”  It is kind of like investing in the future.  The locale I was fishing the last two evenings was a mob scene. Even with the crowds everyone got along and even offered to give bait to others.  I like when I see such goodness in outdoors people. And what most importantly I observed was that even though there no limits on white perch everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, was harvesting only what they needed.  Lots of fish were being released which is important at this time of year since they are looking to spawn. Can anyone tell me where I can catch white perch in July or August around Barnegat Bay??? Like where do they go?

Screaming Drags,

Capt Alex 609548-2511

Steve Burin hit the mid-island surf early this morning. He said the tide was out so reading the beach was easy. He staked up and soaked bait for the flood. He caught one small bass on clam.  Steve stopped by the shop to get more bunker and clams for the top of the tide. “I had to get out of the waders. It warmed up quick! Heading back now to fish the drop.”

I headed up the Inlet rocks this morning and put a couple hours in. Bluefish wise it was dead but the tog fishing was good. 

Hope everyone had an awesome Easter Celebration. That must have been one of the most beautiful Easters on record. Lots of sun, very warm summer like temps and fish on the chew! Vinny Iosso tagged us in a photo, “Can’t beat a weekend of family, friends and fishing fun.”
 

Three to four days in a row now the bluefish have produced line screaming fun. Dew and Lucy got into the fun! Lucy said, “My wrist is sore from Saturday.” Dew said, “Bluefish bonanza for an hour! Good times. ”

Store staffer Luke fished this morning and got a nice bass. Photo below.

The tog bite has been good both land based and in the boat. Darren Hutchinson got ‘em on the rocks. “Found some black Easter eggs!”

Bill Bassant reported, “First time tog fishing since I was a yougin’. Had a good day Friday. Can’t wait to get back out there and land the ones that came off.”

Jack Wolfburg weighed in a 10.68 pound black fish today. He reported very good fishing about 10 miles off. They caught 60 and were in by 11.

Patrick DiPasquale was on the water today and also did very good.

The bay is full of life. The flats and docks are loaded with schoolies eating softies, jigs and poppers. There’s fluke coming up on them too. Store staffer Willie got this one over the weekend. Slowly better sized bass should show soon. The blues came in and are adding to the action. The weakies are in too but it’s going to be interesting to see what happens with the gators in town. The deep bay was 59.9 yesterday, closer to the ends it is cooler. The warm water outflow was hitting 70. Michael Dringus sent in a report, “Big blues in the bay. Shallow water is best. Some bass mixed in.”

Water temps in the surf are in the upper 40’s right about to break the cusp. Here is another recent catch from the Island’s surf.

Jim Crane sent in this report, “Happy Easter!! Fish are here. No touches on plugs. But I caught my first of the year. It’s the earliest I’ve ever got one. It was a 26″ bass on a bunker chunk around 10am this morning in Brant Beach. A friend caught a 10.5 blue and a short bass on clam in pretty much the same spot yesterday. Conditions were great today. What a gorgeous day on the island. I’m fired up!!”
It’s time to go fishing! Tight Linezzzzzzz

Exactly 10 days [ April 5th] after the first laughing gull sighting [ prior prediction was 10-14 days ] we are thick into big burly blues that just swam into town looking for fight!!

This Week some anglers aboard the Reel Fantasea scored this years first Barnegat Bay Slam which include any 3 of the above species in one trip! With one skillful angler scoring 2 slams in one trip!!

Not only have more big weakfish showed up this week but big gator blues have added even more rod bending , drag burning excitement to the already robust light tackle schoolie striper action!!

If you haven’t experienced the visual excitement of big slammers on light tackle while employing light tackle surface poppers the time is now!! This fish get right to business crushing and attacking anything that looks like prey!

I do have a couple of “Spring Break Specials” available this week [ 5pm- 8pm] which aligns  up perfectly with the tide this week for any body looking to jump aboard the Reel Fantasea for rod bending , drag burning , visual excitement.

Wishing everyone fair winds and calm seas,

Captain Steve Purul

Reel Fantasea Fishing Charters

609-290-1217

The blue dogs have moved in!!! The weather’s good with plentiful sunshine and warming temps. It’s only getting better from here… Let’s get in the game!

Numerous reports from both Inlet and surf… The yellow eyed demons are hitting bait, metals and bucktails. One angler reported they were destroying poppers on top water, “Blasting Out!”
Matt Pratt and Victoria Bates struck out with tog but got into the blues. After fishing the North End’s rocks, they stopped in the shop for a new rod. While here they quickly grabbed some tackle, showed some picture proof and headed back to the scene of the crime.” Here’s a photo of Matt with one of the racer blues.

One caller said, “The BL Inlet is going ape $hit!”

Dylan Fisher and Austin Pounds got out on the CA3 today. Austin Pounds reported, “Hell of a bite today on the CA3. Wreck fishing is on fire! We got our limit with bigger fish mixed in. Stepped off the boat and right onto the rocks. Blood in my eyes, on my face, on my clothes… Gators on every cast. Slaying the blues!” Dylan got into the action on the rocks too. He reported, “Epicness! Go get some wire leader It’s game time.” Here’s a photo of Dylan with a bluefish from today.

Jim Crane stopped in this afternoon for some goods. While here he shared some recent intel off the surf. He said, “There’s bass and blues off the mid-island surf. Both today and yesterday they were there. My buddy got one bass and one blue and also lost a bluefish.” The bass are small but the blues are good fighting size!

Dave Hershberger posted a photo of a mini bass off the surf. He got it off the mid island surf on a Daiwa SP Minnow. Dave reported, “This is one ambitious striper. His eyes are bigger than his belly.” There’s other small line siders cruising the suds.

Earlier today Sam got this a four pound tog on clam fishing the north end of the island. Anglers are also finding white chins on crabs.

Easter Sunday Hours – 7am to 4pm

Current bait selection as of 4-15-17 at 6:30pm… Fresh Bunker, Live Blood Worms, Salted Clam, and we are running low on live surf clams.

Splashed the yak during the predawn hours today.  I fished waaaay south of the power plant and had excellent light tackle action with schoolie bass to 15″.  Once again scaled down white BKD or a small 4″ white Fin-S. Released over 20 fish in under an hour. Lots of fun. Man I love my 7′ St Croix Mojo Surf rod.  It is a little to much rod for these fish but I you never know when the big one might show up

Screaming drags, Capt. Alex 609-548-2511

The recent plentiful sun warmed things up and has fish on the move. As the water temps creep up, prime time only gets closer. Before it busts open we’ve got good early spring fishing.
The white perch fishing continues strong! Most angler are scraping the bayside bulkheads scratching up live grass shrimp, the ultimate perch bait. Other are fishing small pieces of worm as well as mini grub jigs. Traditionally late in the day is best. This fishing is awesome fun for kids and adults alike.

Jacques Michot caught this nice size black drum this morning fishing a local sod bank. This is the second black drum report we’ve got this spring. Expect more to show. Usually it happens mid April on the moon and goes into May. This can last a month or more. Now’s the time to target these large creatures. Use clam!

School bass are roaming the bay. Soon we’ll see a better class. Until then the small ones are here for fun. Local Ship Bottom resident Paulie stopped in yesterday evening and geared up for a night bass session. He swung back in today to share a positive report. Paulie said, “It started slow. We stuck it out and eventually got dialed in. The bass were on the chew but they were very particular. These picky critters wouldn’t touch a four inch plastic. However, when we scaled down to the shad darts you suggested, it was on. Thanks for the tips!” You got to give them what they want. We suggest fishing small jigs (1/4 to 5/8oz – bucktails, darts, softbaits) slow and low. Let them fall and sweep though the zone. For more on the bass front see below… The Berkeley Striper Club’s Steve George has some promising words.

Currently at closing time on Thursday we’ve got live bloodworms and salted clam. Tomorrow late morning – afternoon we expect live surf clams, live green crabs and more bloods. We got our fingers crossed some fresh bunker might show up too.

To all of our blog readers… Happy Easter! PS: Easter Sunday’s hours will be cut short. We’ll be closing at 4pm.

“My spring tagging season is off to a good start and hopefully this will result in some very important information. Based on the size this year, most I caught are too small to tag. I managed to tag a few larger ones. The future sure looks bright! There is a massive amount of very young striped bass both in the surf and back bay along the Jersey coast. Right now you can find 100’s maybe 1000’s of ~12-15″ size fish schoolied up and feeding. I estimate these bass are 1-2 years old from the 2014/15 YOY Index. Things could get really good in about 10 years. Are these Striped bass are born locally? If and when they leave, will they return to our waters in the future?” ~ Steve George

News on the Hudson Canyon National Marine Sanctuary which threatens fisherman’s access to one of the best offshore fishing areas… Be sure to read Hutch Jr’s article about the situation… Fortunately for fisherman the Mid Atlantic Fishery Management Council voted down the proposal 15-4.