LBI NJ Fishing Report – LBI Surf Fishing, Barnegat Bay & Inlet

We had some good striper fishing the last couple of days, both in the inlet and behind the sod banks. Not big fish, anywhere from 16 to 26 inches. These fish are super agressive right now and are great sport on the light tackle spinning rods. 

Now it’s time to put something of value in my report instead of just shameless self promotion of our charters and Open Boats. We caught them all on sandworms. The bulk of them we caught floating a whole sandworm under a bobber right in the inlet jetty. About 12 feet of line under the float, 30 inches of 20 lb flourocarbon leader, and a #1 bronze baitholder hook. Use a small splitshot over your leader to help keep it down. Let it float right over the rocks, most of the hits come right before it hits the first rock. Caught more than a few nice tog, also, but it’s not open season, so they were released. 
On the bay side we use the same worms to tip our 3/8 to 1/2 oz jigheads for the half pint stripers behind the sod banks. Just drop them to the bottom and vertical jig them with a short, sharp sweep. 
This bait will catch everything that swims in Barnegat Bay and the inlet. We use it from the inlet all the way back to the west side of the bay, what I like to call the “West Side Highway”, between the 42 Buoy and the BB Buoy, they are actually mid channel towers. 
Sailing Open Boat or Charter this Thursday June 24 and Friday June 25, 11AM to 4PM, and also Saturday June 26 and Monday June 28 7AM to Noon. $150 person, 4 people max, all fish are shared. We will likely mix in some fluke fishing, too. 
Here’s Chris Hartman from PA with one of his bass from yesterday (Monday): https://youtu.be/hR1djChCJic

Dave DeGennaro

Hi Flier Sportfishing

732.330.5674 cell

hiflier.com 

Its the last weekend of Spring 2021 and the Surf Fluke Fishing has been great at times since Opening Day last month.

When Mother Nature cooperates I’ve been finding a consistent bite fishing off the beach using a variety of different GULP! baits with keepers in the 18”-22” range and plenty of just shorts to keep your fishing rod bent in between.
Currently I am booking trips for the month of July daily during the best tides and offer both morning and afternoon sessions.

So if you would like to experience some great surf fishing on the beaches of beautiful LBI this summer just contact me via email at [email protected] of call me at 609-276-6983 to get more information and discuss a trip.
Thank You,

Steve George

Nightstrikes Surfcasting Guide Service LLC

Fishing has been pretty good. We are catching a mixed bag of 18 to 26 inch stripers at the inlet and on the sod banks. Casting and jigging. There are also 2 to 5 pound bluefish mixed in at the inlet. Fluking is producing both shorts and a few keepers in the bay. If we do it all in the same trip it works out to be some good action. 

Running Open Boat or Charter Friday June 18, Saturday June 19, and Monday June 21. 7AM to 1PM. $175 person. 4 people max. All fish are shared.

Waiting patiently for a weather window to get offshore for some tuna fishing. I don’t see that perfection weather I am looking for this weekend but we are constantly watching the marine forecast for that opportunity. There has been a decent bluefin bite at the 35 to 45 mile range from our inlet. 

Dave DeGennaro

Hi Flier Sportfishing

732.330.5674 cell

hiflier.com

Beach Haven Charter Fishing Association Fishing Report
by Jim Hutchinson Sr.

Summer-like weather has arrived in the Beach Haven area, and along with some strong fishing usually associated.

Besides pockets of striped bass in the area, the inshore reefs are holding large numbers of black sea bass and other bottom fish. The summer flounder bite is hot in the bay waters, and there are early signs of tuna fish offshore.

Captain Gary Dugan had a group out fishing on the “Irish Jig” that he termed a “great bunch of guys.” They experienced drop and reel action with a lot of nice fish for the cooler working inshore structure. Captain Gary gave special recognition to one of the anglers who leaves shortly for basic training in the Air Force. The future serviceman took top honors with a beautiful blackfish which had to be released as it was out of season. 

Captain Dave Kreines reports he finally got the “Byte Me” into the water, making his first trip of the season. He had Rick K. out for a few hours of fluke fishing in Great Bay. They reeled in several short fish and a nice keeper before they were chased in by thunderstorms. 

Captain Carl Sheppard and First Mate Max Goldman had the Pickup family out bottom fishing on the “Star Fish.”. The crew fished multiple wrecks catching black sea bass and tog. Several nice sea bass made it into the cooler for a fish dinner. Also getting into the action with Captain Carl was the Nobles family who caught countless sea bass keeping several up to 15-inches.

Captain Brett Taylor of Reel Reaction Sportfishing reports averaging 2-8 keeper fluke per trip along with 25-50 throwbacks. He attributes the differences to water temperature and clarity. He had two half-day charters recently with three keepers to 22-inches in the morning for Jesse Sipe and his son Ryan. In the afternoon he had Dan Dwyer fishing the incoming tide, and “the guys did a great job catching close to 40 with 7 keepers to 21-inches.”

BHCFA President Captain John Lewis is reminding all local youngsters who would like to become members of the Association’s Junior Mate program that the initial meeting will be held Thursday, June 24, at the lower level of the Beach Haven Marlin and Tuna Club. Start Time is 7pm.

The Junior Mates Program is open to youngster who will reach the age of 12 by August 1, 2021. Information on the program can be found at the online link below or calling Lewis at 609-670-5980 or Captain Jimmy Zavacky at 609-915-2498.

Additional information on the Beach Haven Charter Fishing Association can be found at  www.BHCFA.org .

Been waiting for this to happen….the inlet was on fire yesterday (Wed). Bass and blues on soft plastics, swimming plugs, and bunker that we found a little off the beach. Hookups on every drift. 3 to 7 lb blues, 24 to 30 inch stripers. 
Headed out every day, Open Boat and Charter. Call for details. 
That’s it, short and sweet, headed out right now for some more!

Dave DeGennaro

Hi Flier Sportfishing

732.330.5674 cell

hiflier.com

Beach Haven Charter Fishing Association Fishing Report
by Jim Hutchinson Sr.

Last weekend’s northeast storm pretty much put a stop to Memorial Day fishing efforts for the captains of the Beach Haven Charter Fishing Association. The ocean was completely unfishable for a few days while the bay waters were rough, and the bottom churned up.

Some of the captains managed to make some fishing trips once conditions settled down and found the fish were still around.

The “Star Fish” with Captain Carl Sheppard and mates Jon and Max had a local family out for a day of active bottom fishing. According to Max the crew caught many fish, filling the boat with good times and smiles. 

Captain Gary Dugan of the “Irish Jig” made a quick scouting trip with his wife Tracy. Tracy saved the day boating a nice fluke for a fresh fish dinner.

Captain Brett Taylor of Reel Reaction Sportfishing managed a couple of trips while fighting some strong winds. Mike Pikulin and family worked hard in bay waters to put some 35 fluke over the rail and boxed 4 for the table to 22.5-inches. Paul Kaufman and crew working a variety of bay areas on their 4-hour charter with Captain Brett. The guys did a great job boxing 6 keepers while releasing many more. Finally, Bob Dodds and “Boston Bob” fished some new areas. Not only did they boat 30 fluke, they also caught their limit of 9 fish. 

With some calmer ocean waters in the forecast, the black sea bass action will be picking up, and there are reports of some big stripers still being trolled up in the ocean on spoons.

Additional information on the Beach Haven Charter Fishing Association can be found at  www.BHCFA.org.

We are running Open Boat or Charter this Sat-Sun-Mon June 5-6-7, 6AM to Noon. $175 person, 4 people max, all fish are shared.The marine forecast looks good for each of these days in the morning and then it blows up in the afternoon, when we’re already back. 

The target? We have some options. If the ocean is calm, we could try the reef for sea bass. That’s not our expertise, but we’ve been doing pretty good there lately. We could drift for fluke in the bay, that’s been pretty good on either moving tide. I would say we could cast the jetty, but I prefer the incoming tide for that, and with the weekend boat traffic as another factor, I’m not optimistic about how that may go. If I’m wrong and we catch it with light traffic and birds working, we always have those rods rigged and ready. Lastly, we are trolling some small blues on the west side of the bay with light rods and swimming plugs.
We are also sailing Open Boat, Wed, June 9, 11AM to 5PM $175 person, room for two more people, only 3 anglers on this one. 

Dave DeGennaro

Hi Flier Sportfishing

732.330.5674

hiflier.com

Happy Memorial Day – Thank you for all that have served and all of those who have given the ultimate sacrifice to allow for our freedom and the beauty we call America.

Here’s the Memorial Day Fishing Report For The Long Beach Island Area on Monday May 31, 2021

The weather wasn’t the best this weekend but things are now settled down and the week ahead looks fair. The easterly swell on the beach right now is in the 2-3′ range and it has a light westerly wind grooming it out. The ocean water is tinted but not dirty and in the mid to upper 50 degree range.

I do not have a detailed fishing report to share since the recent days were a washout but I can point out a couple things for an update.

We received one report of a bayside striped bass on the north end yesterday. The only other report came in this morning from Chris Moffitt.

Chris caught a 39″ bluefish off the mid -island surf on bunker.

Flounder will be a good target this week as well as striped bass and bluefish. Striped bass fishing is prime for a couple more weeks and then it will be the summer residences. Bluefish are a good look in the month of June for a feisty drag pull. Weakfish, blowfish and kingfish are also options for lighter tackle fishing. On the big game side of things shark and tuna reports are popping up and that will only get better the next few weeks and months.

LBI Lost & Found

Wes Darcy asked for help… let’s see what we can do! “I fished the Barnegat Light bay side May 23. I dropped my 20 year old Buck knife out of my waders in the parking area. If any one finds it and turns it in I will reward them. Thanks!”

Right now there’s cranking NE wind and the ocean is angry. Things kicked up yesterday and the wind machine will be ON until Monday morning when things taper off. The combination of a slow moving double barrel low with a high pressure over the far north east has set up a tight pressure gradient over a large area. This will produce a solid ENE fetch pumping easterly swell our way.

We would all like fair weather but we have to play the cards you are dealt.

Recent fishing in and around the Long Beach Island area is and has been good. The entire month of May has been good to anglers for that matter. Once the weather clears we hope to be back on track right where we left off. Get out and enjoy spring fishing on Long Beach Island!

Here’s a quick video report from Friday May 28, 2021.