Fishing is lit up right now. Saturday and Sunday we had 30 to 40 pound stripers on the snag and drop in tight to the beach….really tight. Most are bigger than the slot but we are also catching 8 to 20 lb bass close to home for the cooler. Some 2 to 5 lb blues in the mix on light spinning tackle, as well. On Monday we ran Mid Range Tuna and we went 9 for 9 on 20 to 35 pound bluefins plus a big false albacore. We had them all on the troll but we scaled down to 20 class outfits to enjoy the ride. On Tuesday Capt Nick DeGennaro ran the boat to the tuna grounds and after a hitless morning from 7AM to 11AM, they bagged a pair of 44 inch 50 pounders. His first time running the boat solo for tuna and he stayed in the same area we had them the day before, resisting the urge to jump around to greener pastures and it paid off. The tuna are just 20 to 30 miles from our inlet right now. It’s so awesome when that happens. They are feeding on sandeels and squid. The Chatter Side Tracker Bars are dominating the spread but we also caught on cedar plugs, small feathers, and traditional spreader bars. We will be sailing Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, June 13, 14, and 15 for Tuna and Stripers. Call for details.
We have been running charters nearly everyday and have been using our shallow water vessel to hit the extreme backwaters to find keeper Fluke to 6 pounds. 4hr trips have been averaging 4 to 10 keepers and our last 3 trips had 10, 9, and 9. So the Fluke fishing has been off the charts. The key has been finding the right water temperature for keepers to bite. This week we will start running 2 trips a day until September 6th, when school is back in session and we go back to afternoons and weekends.
We will start hitting some of these same areas for schoolie Stripers in the evening / twilight as this is when they come alive. I have to do some more scouting before we roll these trips out – these will be perfect for light-tackle / fly fishing. More on that in the future!!
If interested in booking a charter, book through our site (reelreactioncharters.com) or call/text 609-290-7709. As always, we use the highest quality gear and everything is included: gear, bait, tackle, fish-cleaning, and ICE! It’s “no worries” fishing. Just come aboard and FISH.
Here on the downside of the early June moon approaching the last quarter, the Long Beach Island area has a lot to offer. There’s something for everyone; enjoying the beaches fishing with toes in the sand, drifting the waters of Barnegat Bay, big game fishing the midshore / offshore waters.
The recent stretch of good weather allowed everyone to get out and wet a line. Nearly all feedback had a similar good theme. Everyone stretched out their fishing lines tight with fish. At the time of this post the wind is blowing out of the south. A cold front will cross our are tonight and another on Friday. Then high pressure takes over for the weekends. We are looking forward to a great weekend of saltwater fishing the LBI region.
Here’s the Long Beach Island Fishing Report Update for Thursday June 11, 2020.
LBI Surf Fishing
Right now anglers enjoy the beaches of LBI soaking bait and casting lures with a target of bluefish, striped bass, fluke and kingfish. This past week could have been the apex of the Long Beach Island striped bass fishing for the 2020 spring run. With that said there’s still lots more action to be had however we expect a trend down. It’s safe to say at this point the spring run was one of the best if not the best spring run in the past five years, possible the past decade. If you still want a piece of the action fish bunker chunks off the surf.
The bluefish action continues in the Inlet and on the beaches. Yesterday Jim Crane fished with his nephew Miles Nippes and they caught some fish.
Here’s Miles with a pair of good size blues he caught off of the LBI surf. Two blues, a 28″ and a 25.5″.
Fluke fishing on the surf is strong and reports of quality catches are common. Store staffer Jared got a 20″ fluke off the surf a day or two ago. He reported, “Sloane’s fish made mine look small.”
Steve George caught a nice limit of fluke earlier this week.
Kingfish are becoming more abundant on the surf. Live bloodworms are best for them but the artificial offering can get the job done.
Jamie Gramley reported catching from the beach. “I caught a 21″ fluke, 37” black drum and some blues as well as some sharks.
Midshore/Offshore Fishing
It’s great to all the positive reports from the inshore, midshore and offshore waters. Big game anglers gear up and prepare all year for the action to heat up. Well… it’s game time! It you are looking to get out and have yet to check off your list we are here to help.
This past week the bluefin tuna fishing exploded with an abundance of fish and a great stretch of weather. Everyone got out even the small boats and had a blast. Great reports from the Resor to the AP to the Glory Hole with anglers catching on the troll and jig. It shouldn’t be a surprise once again Nomad and Chatter are the key products putting fish on the deck. We currently have a selection in stock (there’s holes) and anticipate more arriving next week.
Further offshore fishing some good reports came in from local anglers. Shop regular Dan Latoof fished out in the deep and caught a blue marlin on a big bally. Fish was 112″ about 500 lbs.
The crew aboard the Reel Innovation went to the edge and caught some good ones. Jeff reported, “We had some bigeyes eating right off the transom.” The crew went 3-5 on eyeballs and also had a handful of bluefin tuna.
Here’s Dan from Reel Innovation with one of the big eye tuna.
After a great day on Monday catching a bunch of bluefin tuna Jeff Thummel fished again for a second strike mission with the Kulinki bros. They ran out for a two hour tuna trip and had a great quick morning session.
Not only is the tuna fishing good… there’s big tilefish coming up. Some anglers got into big tilefish on recent trips. Here’s Ryan Schramm with a big golden tilefish. He reported a good tilefish trip aboard the Mud Duck.
Store staffer Willie caught a monster blueline (grey tilefish). This could have been a contender for Mark Milici’s 23-lb 4-oz NJ State Record which was weighed in at Fish Heads back in 2015.
Saturday 6/6 we had new clients Matt, Joe, and Sean from Pemberton, who are also fellow firefighters, out for a 6hr sea bass trip. Our first spot started out great but died fast. The fish were very finicky due to the full moon. They were all full of eggs and spawning. We jumped around a little bit and got them feeding good. They easily boxed their limit along with a nice ling as a bonus. Great job fishing hard today guys and we look forward to striped bass fishing with you in the fall!
Sunday 6/7 we had our friends and return clients Mike and Jay along with Suzy and Troy out for what was supposed to be a sea bass trip. We had a late start and didn’t leave the dock until after 10 to let the wind calm down a bit. Thanks to a phone call from our good friend, we made a last minute decision to change it up and look for bluefin that were within a couple miles of where we have been wreck fishing. We were the furthest thing from being prepared, but we set out a few rods and had a knockdown within 15 minutes. We circled back around and were able to catch 3 nice bluefin as fast as the guys could reel them in and set the rods back out. We boxed our limit of unders and went on the hunt for an over but the bite shut down quick. It was a very exciting day as everyone was able to get their first tuna, and very close to home as well!
We are booked through the closing of sea bass season (June 22), but could fit some afternoon trips in if anyone is looking to fill their freezers with these tasty fish. We have some weekend dates available throughout the summer as well as weekday afternoons available. There are many options of species to fish for right now including fluke, sea bass, bluefish, and blowfish. Also if the bluefin stay close we will try and make some trips out there if the weather and availability allows us to. If you are interested in getting out please contact us to book your trip. Call or text Captain Mike to get out on the water or send us a message through our website! (609)-709-7264
Early June is a great time for inshore, offshore and land based fishing in the Long Beach Island area. There’s so much going on it’s hard to choose which species to target. The abundance of life in the local waters is great to see. Here’s the Long Beach Island Fishing Report Update For Sunday June 7, 2020.
This last week was a good one. In hind sight, things really got going on and after the late May moon (new moon on 5/22). The late May north east blow fired things up and it kept going right into June. The early June moon did not disappoint. Now on the downside of the moon it wanes but the fishing remains strong. If you are looking for a classy fish do not waste any time! They are here but will not stick around forever. Go Fish!
LBI Surf Fishing Report
The surf fishing on LBI really kicked into high gear after the late May blow and kept up right into now. The reports continue to flow in strong. Al of them solidify this spring season as one of the best in the last decade. And it’s not over!
Here’s a look at the mid-Island surf this afternoon at low tide.
Now let’s dive into some fishing reports from the Long Beach Island surf…
Sloane Endick puts in time and it shows with her rewards. Like always she was dialed on Saturday and got a double. First she shared a photo of a nice surf side striped bass and reported, “The bass were more hungry than the fluke today.” She then went back out and an afternoon fluke session and caught a good one. A four pounder to be exact. She stopped by the shop to get an official weight and it broke four pounds by a couple hundredths o a pound on our digital. A four pound fluke off the surf is a very impressive fish!
Andrea Morris of Lancaster PA is enjoying her time on LBI fishing with her dad. While in the shop Saturday evening gearing up for a night chunking session she shared, “Got a big bluefish on the bayside a couple days ago.”
Saturday morning John Bonner got this striped bass on the LBI surf.
Dog Fish King Rick Hyers stopped in for a bag of fresh bunker and a new bunker chunking rod Saturday evening. While in the shop he shared, “Friday night I caught a 28″ and a 32″ striped bass on the beach.”
Brandon P. reported good fishing on the mid Island surf this week with bunker, “Got three fish over 36″ and one at 41″.”
Andreas & Chris LaRosa shared a night shift bass photo from Saturday night.
Kyle Quillen tagged us in a photo post, “Bunker pods everywhere with an active whale. I caught three blues.”
All week large schools of bunker were found along the entire stretch of LBI. While they were not all actively boiling with striped bass, some were.
Bluefish action continued this weekend again off the surf, inlet and bay.
Barnegat Bay Fishing Report
The bay offers good fluke fishing, blowfish, bluefish, crabbing and clamming. The deep “back bay” is productive. Store staffer Steve reports the fishing fishing is good. He has been fishing the same area for a couple weeks and routinely pulling nice keepers. On his last trip he got a 24″ fluke. Another angler fishing in the same general area (Southern Barnegat Bay) got a 23″ on Saturday.
Good Eats Straight From Barnegat Bay – Blueclaw crabs and clam. harvest by @hovan22
Striped Bass Fishing Out Of BI
The striped bass fishing out of Barnegat Inlet is good and has been for a couple weeks. This should not be a surprise because late May and early June is the very best time for striped bass fishing in the area each and every season. Get out and get into the action now while the fishing is hot.
Here’s Fisher Coulston with a monster that he caught on Thursday.
Here a great recent catch… Fisher Coulston (12 years old) caught and released this 53 pound striped bass on Thursday. All on his own and all on gear/tackle from Fishermans Headquarters. “It was an epic day with no other boats around. Just bunker and a big bass.” ~ Frank Coulson aboard the Hard Four
Other anglers are catching live lining as well as trolling
Offshore Fishing
This month will be full of good shark fishing and tuna fishing. Gear up and get out there on the weather windows for big game fishing. Reports from the 30-40 line are good.
Recent bluefin tuna chewing on the troll and jig. Here’s one good one from the mid-shore grounds today by “Flagpole” Jim Kuhl. Inshore slobs!
A few reports of blue sharks from anglers looking for makos. A number of thresher sharks reported from right along the beach out 30 miles.
By: Steve George / Nightstrikes Surfcasting Guide Service
The late May into mid-June period has to be one of my favorite times to fish for Big Striped Bass. It is also the time that I do not get a lot of sleep and my days and nights get mixed up. Don’t ask me what day is because I will most likely get it wrong.
Homework
My late spring reading consist of tide charts, moon phases and wind forecast all for good reason. As these major factors go into my planning to target these post spawn migratory striped bass heading northward up the NJ coastline.
The personal log books that I have kept for as long as I can remember are my starting point. But Mother Nature has a way to make my work even harder when it comes to finding the feeding patterns that can change from year to year. I know where to be on certain dates and it always seems to fall under the full and new moons consistently but the weather can really make such a difference as to how to target these fish.
I love to make reports. They say you shouldn’t follow reports but to tell you the truth I don’t know one fishermen that doesn’t check the fishing reports on a daily basis. This is very vital information knowing what is happening and where. With today’s technology it doesn’t get any easier! For example right here at FishingLBI.com. Don’t leave home without checking it out.
The Equipment
You want to handle and turn that 30/40lb+ Big Striped Bass in the surf and heavy current? You better have a fishing rod and solid fishing reel to get the job done. Personally I use nothing under 11’ in length with a moderate/fast action and a 2-5oz lure rating. There are so many great options available today for surfcasters as today’s rods are made lighter and stronger than ever. Lamiglas, ODM, Tsunami among others offer great options in a variety of price points to fit any surfcaster’s needs.
Reels also are lighter and strong. A powerful drag is a must! They don’t necessarily have to be waterproof but it does help under some conditions. The Penn SSVI is a great reel that is affordable and durable. For those who demand the best, Van Staal!
One of my best investments made was a very good pair of pliers. Van Staal Pliers and Danco Premio Pliers are two great options. When you are talking about Big Striped Bass, trying to get hooks out of a fish in a timely manner is a must. Gotta have a quality pair of pliers on your surf belt.
The Tackle
Your hook is the first thing between you and the fish. Whether on your lures/plugs or your bait rigs. Buy the best ones available and keep them sharp! Mustad and VMC offer great treble hooks. Gamakatsu offers some of the best chunking and live bait hooks.
This brings us to your main line. Braided fishing line is the way to go for both casting distance and rock solid hook sets on the slightest hit you feel. It’s a must have when fishing lures but there are still some occasions where monofilament line comes into play. Some still use it for bait fishing.
The Lures
I am a big fan of fishing darters and bottle plugs especially Super Strike Lures. I have confidence in them for big bass which feed under the cover of darkness. Their action is irresistible when worked the right way in the right conditions. Moving water is preferred during moderate and calm seas as long as you can stay in contact with the lure. Swimming stick bait plugs also have their moments and I never head out on a trip without a Daiwa SP Minnow or Yo-Zuri Mag Darter as they flat out catch.
This night a big hungry striped bass went for a Yo-Zuri Mag Darter.
The Catch
So you made you plan of action by studying your tides. The weather is favorable and you are all set to go. Gear is ready and you made your way to the water’s edge. It’s time to make that first cast. Confidence in yourself to get the job done is the number one thing is you need. This comes from everything you did up to this point. On each and every cast stay focused on your retrieving and presentation… Then BAM!!!
Do not hesitate to set the hook hard and be sure to never let a big bass get the upper hand. Your gear will do the work – keep that rod tip high and your line tight the entire fight. Allow the fish to run if it wants to. If the fish is taking too much line tighten the reel drag a little but this should have been set before hand. Eventually the fish will tire and turn. Keep the momentum to bring it in.
Keep in mind and be ready for that one last gasp power run. Allow it but don’t let up. Stay in control. At this point, start to back up and use the waves coming into the beach as leverage to ride the fish in. Don’t ever horse it. Keep the line as tight as possible until it’s on the beach and close enough to grab the leader. From there using the leader or lip the fish to officially land it. Now’s the time to rejoice but also act fast with a photo and release.
There is no better feeling of accomplishment at this point as you put in the work and conquered. Now it’s time to do it all over again!
NightStrikes Surfcasting Guide Service LLC Steve George – Call: 609-276-6983
Any anglers looking to advance their fishing and learn from an experienced and accomplished saltwater guide is encouraged to contact Steve at Night Strikes Surfcasting Guide Service to set up a guided fishing trip.
I have this Saturday morning available for light tackle enthusiast looking to test their skills or learn some techniques targeting stripers, blues and fluke plying our safe , protected and very productive back waters employing various techniques with light spinning tackle zzzzzzzz!! Private or open boat is presently available , call only for details or visit us at www.reelfantaseafishing.com for customizing your preferred fishing experience .
First, I want to thank all of my return and new clients for waiting for the state to allow us to run trips and our phone has been ringing off the hook as we have been running everyday.. The fishing has been excellent as most of our charters are picking 30 to 45 Fluke with keepers numbers ranging from 2 to 6 keepers per trip. With certain tides on the skiff, we have been adding in some Striped Bass action and filling our Striped Bass bonus tags (24-27.99 inches). The new skiff has performed amazing allowing us to hit areas that do not get pressured.
On the ocean front, the Sea Bass fishing has been excellent as reported from local captains. Our Parker Sport Cabin is back up and running as we had a slight issue which was delayed our Sea Bassing – due to the slow COVID shipping of the engine part. We will continue to run everyday (2 trips per day on weekends) and starting June 15th will begin running 2 trips per day through September. With two vessels, we can target inshore to 30 miles, backwaters to 1 foot depths, and everything in between.
If interested in booking a charter, book through our site (reelreactioncharters.com) or call/text 609-290-7709. As always, we use the highest quality gear and everything is included: gear, bait, tackle, fish-cleaning, and ICE! It’s “no worries” fishing. Just come aboard and FISH.
We have been in the water for a few weeks now. Slow start for us but things are getting interesting now. We are catching stripers from 20 inches to 20 pounds on bait and lures. Some 2 to 4 lb bluefish mixed in and we are also catching some fluke with a few keepers making it into the cooler. There are some bigger bass being trolled on bunker spoons and mojos.
We are available this Sunday, June 7 and Monday, June 8.
We are always watching the forecast for the perfect weather window to head offshore but the early look at this weekend does not look favorable for us to run to the bluewater. As soon as we get that perfect forecast, we are throwing the ropes.
Pic: Griffin Chrostowski of Moorestown, NJ with his first striper, a 44 inch, 26 lber taken right outside the inlet with Capt Nick DeGennaro at the helm. That fish was released. They also had a 30 incher and a 25 incher that were legal to keep with our bonus tags.
June is here and there’s no gloom. Fishing on all fronts is strong. From striped bass, blues and fluke to sea bass and sheepshead there’s a good offering for coastal anglers in the Long Beach Island area and surrounding waters. Here’s the Long Beach Island Fishing Report Update for June 2, 2020.
LBI Surf Fishing Report
Hike the LBI dunes in early June for great striped bass fishing. The past couple of weeks were good to surf anglers fishing the beach of LBI. So far June is off to a great start. Would have to say it’s one of the better springs runs we have seen in a few years. Anglers chunking bunker, fishing clam and also working lures are catching fish.
Here’s the June 2, 2020 LBI Surf Fishing Beach Check
Josh Basket hit the surf early Monday morning and was rewarded. He shared, “Good quality fish to start out the morning. The bass can’t resist Fish Head Bunker”
Early bird gets the worm! Surfcaster Josh Basket fished the pre dawn hours with fresh bunker chunks and caught this striped bass off the LBI surf on June 1, 2020.
Solid report from customers Dan, Jim and Thomas. They fished the night tide on Sunday and caught. Dan reported, “A night I’ll never forget! We went three for three… Three buddies, Three rods, Three bass! They went 33, 35, 36″ all chunking bunker on the mid-island surf.”
Can’t beat a three fish night with three friends!
Another good Long Beach Island surf fishing report came in from Mike Villez. He’s getting into them the last couple of nights on plugs on the south end o LBI. Some good ones too. He also caught. 19″ fluke on an SP Minnow. More on fluke further below.
Todd Luyber fished the Sunday evening sunset session and got a nice striped bass off the surf on wood. Todd reported, “Not just on bunker. Went for the ghost mackerel pencil popper.”
Striped bass love wood too!
Whether fishing here on LBI or down in the Caribbean fishing the waters of Puerto Rico Jonathan Price always gears up right at Fish Heads. Recently he stopped in and got set up for bass fishing the surf. It didn’t take long and he reported back… “Three great days out back on the beach!” Each trip out he’s catching good size fish off the surf. This evening we got a 50″ beast! “The boys at Fishermans Headquarters did the right thing once again. Give the guys a shout… they are on point.”
Jon Price is catching a quality striped bass every day. One a day for the past three days in a row! He’s dialed in!
Striped Bass
Striped bass reports from the boat anglers are not been epic but there’s fish to be caught. Most boats are getting out and finding fish. Some days they’re taken on live baits and others on the troll. Mike O’Grady released a 48″ bass on the troll Sunday. “Went for a Tony Maja green bunker spoon off Seaside late in the day. A lot of whales and dolphin in the areas.” Acers of bunker schools were stretched out along the beaches of LBI the past few days. Monday and Tuesday large schools were found off the south end and mid island beaches. There were also pods on the north end too.
Bluefish
Right now bluefish of all size ranges are here. Bluefish from 1-3 pounds can be found just about anywhere. They are common catches in locations like the Island’s surf, inlet and bayside channels and docks. Some area have an abundance of snapper and other areas have a few larger bluefish.
Here’s Jerry Zumpetta with a nice size bluefish he recently caught fishing bunker at a public Long Beach Island bayside dock.
Small bluefish make for great fishing fun… especially for kids. Now’s a great time to get outdoors and leave the crazy world behind fro a few hours while on the water fishing. Keep America Fishing by introducing new anglers to the sport. By sharing your love for fishing with a child, friend, neighbor you might gain a new fishing buddy and possibly spark a new life long passion for someone.
Kids love catching bluefish! Photo: Craig Hotter
Fluke
Fluke fishing is strong and by all accounts we anticipate it to keep cranking the whole month of June. Lukey got a nice the flukey! Luke McCann caught this 24″ fishing Barnegat Bay on Monday.
24″ summer flounder caught by Luke McCann fishing Barnegat Bay on Monday June 1, 2020Tanner Johnson caught this fluke fishing the bay on Monday.
With striped bass, bluefish and fluke all chewing now is a great time for a Barnegat Bay Slam! Better yet… Try your luck at a Barnegat Bay Grand Slam! The weakfish are here.
Sea Bass Fishing
Sea bass fishing is strong with boats catching limits on a consistent basis. Fishing 7-20+ miles offshore. Grey Colston went sea bass fishing and loaded up. Shop Ambassador Swagmattic was out on Sunday and said they hammers ’em, but due to weather conditions they couldn’t get out as far offshore as they would have like to in search of the big knuckle heads.
Offshore Fishing
This is the time where the mid-shore and offshore waters heat up. Right now there’s cold water stretched over the grounds but that should change soon. Be ready for sharks and also the tuna action should break open again.
609-494-5739
