Join us this Saturday (March 14th) from 11am-3pm at Fisherman’s Headquarters on Long Beach Island. The Saltwater Soirée will be small laid back gathering with saltwater fishing conversation and some music to boot!
Get in on the “SHOW” specials… 15% Off Shop Wide! *Sorry some exclusions apply. There will also be select deeper discounts on “Sidewalk Sale” closeout items… rods, reels, line, lures and apparel.
Meet with some top tackle reps from Nomad, Dexter, Stormr, Magictail, Reel Innovation Outrodders, Bomber Eyewear and Rhodan Marine Trolling Motors.
The day will include interactive saltwater fishing technique talk with top anglers and captains. These Fish Head Ambassadors will be on site for most of the day. If you have questions come prepared! Why ask Facebook and get 30 answers that will spin you in circles when you can ask a top rate source?
Short Seminar Schedule…
11:30 – Fluke Fishing Tactics with Matt “Swagmattic” Sorrentino
11:45 – Fluke Panel Q&A w/ Matt & Garrett
12:30 – Swordfishing with Capt. Jeff “Sword Lord” Warford
12:45 – Big Game Panel Q&A w/ Jeff, Pat “Forever Two Worlds”
1:30 – Rigging Up Right For Tuna On “Light Tackle” with Captain Adam Sherer
1:45 – Tuna Q&A w/ Adam
**Special Guest Garrett Weir, the 2019 Fisherman Dream Boat Challenge Winner & 2018 Dream Boat Challenge Runner Up. This top multi-species angler will be answering questions.
It’s not a Soirée without some music… so we have Benton and friends who will be jamming some live reggae tunes!
Come out and enjoy a great Saturday at the Fish Heads Saltwater Soirée!!!
For those that can’t make it to the shop this weekend but would still like to take advantage of the “show” specials… We have a limited time web promo code 15OFF that is live. Shop Now!
Nice sized pickerel chewing in the pines. Spinners or live minnows are working well. You can see “how to catch them” in my video. Please subscribe to my channel if you like my videos.
Here’s the LBI Fishing Report for the week ending Sunday March 8, 2020.
A good presence of striped bass showed this week. The abundance at night was impressive and some quality ones hinted at good fishing ahead. Now with daylight saving we are on the fast track to spring fishing!
The night shift is the best times to work the shadow lines with small jigs and plastics. The Kettle Creek Paddle Tails are a standout choice! A few days back store staffers Jordan and Dan both had productive outings. They fished separate areas at different times and both has a blast reporting numerous striped bass.
Here’s one Barnegat Bay mutant striped bass Dan caught on a pink Kettle Creek. What do you think attacked it… maybe a bluefish or a shark? Seems like it has healed and is growing up just fine. Dan released the mutant to swim another day and grow up. Here’s one of many night time linesiders Jordan caught on jigs this past week. No hungry bass will turn down a properly presented bucktail!
A shop regular stop in Wednesday purchasing a new pair of waders for spring fishing. While in he show a photo but wouldn’t allow us to share. It was a picture from a recent fishing trip and the biggest bass we saw to date this year… A nice high teen, possibly hitting the 20 pound mark bass.
Saturday midday Hunter Dargay stopped in and got some live bloodworms. Within minutes he tagged us in this photo… They are chewing!
NJ Saltwater Expo
The NJ Saltwater Expo is almost here! There’s a terrific line-up of seminars presented by top-names in the areas fishing front. Also take advantage of special offers and promotions the crew at Fish Heads will have on display. Stop by Booth 445 and say hi!
Save The Dates: March 13, 14, 15 at the NJ Convention & Expo Center in (97 Sunfield Ave, Edison, NJ 08837) the https://saltwater.sportshows.com/
Long Beach Island Party Boat Fishing News
Fishing The Miss Barnegat Light
The Miss Barnegat Light posted an update… Here’s our 2020 schedule!
We start Memorial Day weekend with fluke and sea bass, sailing Friday, Saturday and Sunday. June 19th we’ll start sailing daily. Canyon overnight trips start September 19th fishing every weekend through October. Starting November 6th we’ll be fishing every Friday, Saturday and Sunday for striped bass.
Fishing The Carolyn Ann III
The Carolyn Ann III posted an update. They are preparing for the season and will start fishing mid-May for sea bass. “We’ll be sailing everyday; however, no blackfish this spring.” Stay tuned for a new schedule set for the upcoming summer. The boat will be sailing one five hour trip (8am to 1pm) daily.
This time of year when we are all itching to bend a rod, you can do that if you go hit some local ponds. Remember to get your NJ FW Fishing Licence before you go. Most of the tax money collected by NJ gets put into the “general fund”, however, the money from freshwater license purchase goes directly to operations of Fish & Wildlife which includes the operation of two fish hatcheries and associated stocking programs, a pheasant farm, enforcement of fish and wildlife regulations, habitat protection, fish and wildlife research, wildlife management area maintenance and improvement, education and other programs and activities.
To see my video click here Pond Pickerel
Remember to subcribe if you like my videos.
2020 NJ Striped Bass & Bluefish Regulations for recreational anglers has changed from past years. Here’s what you need to know!
The 2020 Striped Bass & Bluefish regulations for recreational anglers fishing New Jersey take effect on April 1, 2020.
NJ Striped Bass Fishing Regs
1 Fish 28″ to less than 38″
Yes, All fish smaller than 28″ must be released and all fish 38″ or larger must be released.
Here’s a beautiful striped bass that Chris Colesante caught fishing aboard Fish Head Charters in the late fall of 2018. This striped bass went for a 2oz bucktail. It was quickly photographed and carefully released to hopefully spawn and recruit more health striped bass.
NJ Striped Bass Bonus Program
The 2020 Striped Bass Bonus Program (SBBP) runs from May 15 to December 31st. With the SBBP, an angler is allowed one fish at 24″ to less than 28″ per permit. SBBP Applications will be accepted April 1st. SBBP harvest reporting is mandatory within 24 hours.
Striped bass have a special gamefish status in New Jersey. Meaning there is no striped bass commercial fishing season. In 1990, the commercial quota was transferred to the recreational anglers and NJ’s Striped Bass Bonus Program (SBBP) was started. The quota is distributed between individual anglers and party/charter boats. The program has successfully allowed anglers to participate in providing valuable data on striped bass to the state’s fisheries management.
2021 Striped Bass Circle Hook Mandate
Coming down the pike next year in 2021, there will be a Striped Bass Circle Hook Mandate. The use of circle hooks will be mandatory when using natural bait. This means all anglers fishing baits (live or dead) from the beach or boat must use circle hooks. The traditional “J-Hook” style fishing hooks such as the Octopus, O’Shaughnessy, Bait Holder, Siwash, Wide Gap, Live Bait as well as weighed trebles hook snags will be prohibited.
Ron Archerr caught and released this linesider along with many other bass this fishing trip. He reported, “Got into nice fish every morning for three straight days. I lost a lot of sleep but was lucky enough to get in some good tides with friends and fish.”
NJ Bluefish Fishing Regs
New Jersey’s new 2020 Bluefish Regulations divided the recreational sector into two categories; Private and For-Hire. Private includes all land based recreational anglers as well as all anglers who fish from private boats. All anglers fishing aboard a For-Hire vessel with a licensed captain such as charter boats and party boats fall under the For-Hire category.
Private – 3 Fish Bag Limit
For-Hire – 5 Fish Bag Limit
With no closed season anglers are allowed to fish and harvest bluefish all year.
There is NO minimum size limit on bluefish. Therefore snapper blues, cocktails and tailor blues all have the same bag limit based on the category (private or for-hire).
This feisty bluefish crash a small topwater spook while fishing the flats of Barnegat Bay aboard Fish Head Charters. The yellow eye gave Brandon Carter an exciting surface feed and then an awesome fight on light tackle.Bluefish are one of the funnest fish to catch from the surf. These strong toothy tackle busters pull like mad dogs!
Winter for the most part was mild. It’s not by any means over, but it’s close! Spring is 23 Days Away! Better than that, March first is this Sunday and that means the backwaters will be fair game!
With the unseasonably mild weather, there’s anglers getting out and enjoying the outdoors. We’ve got a couple reports from anglers catching perch in the rivers and creeks. Some anglers fishing the state’s fresh waters are having a blast. Some good fun clamming going down too. No positive reports from the surf, but there is guys trying. There’s a bunch of catch and release guys who just couldn’t wait for March 1st on the back waters. Can you blame them?
We were going to report it previously but thought it was a bit too early. Now that “Opening Day” is technically less than a week away… Let’s let the cat out of the bag. The bass are snapping! The reports are too good to actually believe so we’ll just say the back water fishing is very good. Sorry no spot burns here. Look towards the early season spots which produce year in and year out. You’ll find them!
Yes, 38″ and larger must be released. Please respect the fish and get them back in the water fast. Try to hold your breath *Note: Not Yet Set In Stone… however will be anyday.
Winter Fishing Shows
Surf Day was awesome! Thanks to all who came out and stopped by the booth last weekend. Hope you all enjoyed the show just as much as we did. We are already looking forward to next year!
So what’s on the Fish Head’s schedule the next couple weeks? There’s alot going on at the shop with rod and reel repair. We already have our spring orders arriving so we’ll be stocked up!
Berkeley Striper Club’s 25th Fishermen’s Market
This Sunday March 1st is the Berkeley Striper Club’s 25th Annual Fishermen’s Flea Market. We’ll be there with a couple tables of essentials offering some steals and deals. This is one of the can’t miss shows packed with some of the North East’s best plug builders. It’s at the Toms River Intermediate North School, 150 Intermediate North Way, Toms River, NJ 08753. Be there when the doors open 9am.
The Saltwater Expo – Booth 445
Then March 13-15 we’ll be at the Saltwater Expo. Check us out at Booth 445. Be sure to attend this great three day show that is jam packed with a long list of seminars each and every day. You don’t want to miss out on the info that will be shared! The Saltwater Expo is at the NJ Convention & Expo Center, 97 Sunfield Ave Edison, NJ 08837. The show hours are Friday 12:00 PM – 8:00 PM, Saturday 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM and Sunday 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Surf Day 2020 is this Saturday. Save the date! You don’t miss out on the year’s best fishing show.
Who: The Jersey Shore Surfcasters
What: Surf Day 2020
When: Saturday Feb 22, 2020 from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
Where: Brookdale Community College at 765 Newman Springs Rd, Lincroft, NJ 07738
This pure surf fishing show run by JSS (the Jersey Shore Surfcasters) is well known as the best surf fishing show of the year. Many have tried to copy the format and ideas; however none come close. This long standing show is a must attend show for surfcasters of all ages and abilities.
The seminar schedule looks great this year with top speakers lined up. Dr. Doug Zemeckis from Rutgers will share “What We Know About Striped Bass” discussing striped bass biology, migrations patterns and status of population. Tom Kosinski will details information on “Fly Fishing The Spring Estuaries” and DJ Muller with “Four Keys To Surfcasting Kick Butt”.
Two that no one should miss are Bill Wetzel’s “Plug Selection” and Alberto Knie’s “Connection Trophy Catches” with hints about big fish habits. These are just some of the top seminars. There will be others too.
While the seminars are the backbone of the show, the special part is seeing the surf fishing community all under one roof. The networking and knowledge shared is second to none. Whether a rookie, novice or veteran Surf Day is for you.
The crew here at Fisherman’s Headquarters is looking forward to the show. We’ll have a full spread of surf fishing tackle, equipment and supplies from A to Z… all at Show Special Pricing. For those that have attended in the past, we will be at our same location. Upon entering walk through the cafeteria and into the main room. As you enter we are on the left side. Stop by and say hello!
Beach Haven Charter Fishing Association Mid-Winter Happenings
by Jim Hutchinson Sr.
Contrary to what many might imagine, the captains of the Beach Haven Charter Fishing Association have not gone into hibernation. Rather they are up and about spreading the word about Beach Haven fishing at area fishing flea markets and fishing shows.
This Saturday, there will be BHCFA captains and junior mates at the Southern Regional High School Fishing Club’s annual fishing flea market. This very popular event is considered one of the best of its kind with many great bargains, and proceeds benefit the high school anglers. The event is at the Southern Regional Middle School in Manahawkin on Cedar Bridge Road and runs from 8am to 2pm.
The following week is the Philadelphia Fishing Show that runs for three days, Friday, February 21-23. It is held at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center at 100 Station Avenue in Oaks, Pennsylvania. In addition to manning the BHCFA’s booth, captains will also be attending some of the fishing seminars to hone their skills.
The following week BHCFA captains and junior mates will be on hand at the nationally famous Atlantic City Boat Show. This event runs from Wednesday, February 26 and ends on Sunday, March 1. It takes place at the Atlantic City Convention Center in Atlantic City.
The captains of the BHCFA urging anglers to shake the effects of cabin fever and come out to any or all of these events and check out what the captains and young mates have to say. Additional information on the BHCFA and its many activities can be obtained at www.BHCFA.net.
It’s been an extremely mild winter, but I still can’t wait for Spring. I did have the opportunity to use the kayak and hit some of our southern backwaters for White Perch. Grass Shrimp has been the key for strictly White Perch – Bloodworms producing less Perch, but more Striped Bass. Areas in Beach Haven West might start producing with warmer winter waters.
WINTER Maintenance: For most anglers, this is the time of the year to do REEL MAINTENANCE and I have personally used FHQ for some of my reels as they offer great workmanship and ultra-fast turnarounds for reel servicing.
WINTER HAPPENINGS – Fishing Shows and Scheduling 2020 trips.
There are some potential new happenings for 2020: We are about to pull the trigger on a 19ft Flats/Skiff boat as part of our shallow water fishing fleet and mobile charters; AND we are in the process of adding another USCG licensed captain with a center console, among other things.
If our new skinny water boat is ready, we can hit the shallows for fly-fishing and light-tackle action on Striped Bass as we will be able to run in little as 7 inches of water
2020 SPLASH DATE
Our tentative splash date will be April 1st and we will be targeting Striped Bass, Winter Flounder, Bluefish, and Blackfish (State & Federel regulations dependent).
Booking note – Early July may be a little challenging as my son has a 5-day baseball tournament, but we will roll with the tide for that. Other than that – we are running 7 days a week from June through September.
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.
Van Staal Reels are built tough to give saltwater anglers the ability to fish with No Limitations. However like all fishing reels routine maintenance is required. This article details Van Staal Reel service information and highlights proper maintenance.
If you have questions or concerns about your Van Staal Reel contact us. Here at Fisherman’s Headquarters we are New Jersey’s Exclusive Factory Authorized Service & Warranty Center. It’s our goal to ensure your Van Staal Reels are running in tip top shape. Include this for when sending in a reel for service, repair or warranty…Van Staal Product Return Form
Saltwater fishing day in and day out takes a toll on fishing reels, but Van Staal Reels are made for it! With a little love they will last a lifetime. Photo: @bbvrke
Maintenance Matters – Care For & Protect Your Van Staal Reels
What can I do to keep my Van Staal fishing reel in best shape?
Van Staal fishing reels are built strong but that doesn’t mean they should be misused or neglected. There are a few key areas to check up on. Here are a few simple tips to help protect your investment.
First & Foremost Keep It Clean
A light fresh water wash after each fishing trip goes a long way! It’s good practice to look over reels regularly and lookout for any signs of salt, rust or oxidation. We suggest frequently (every trip or every other if fishing consecutive days) washing the reel with mild soap (not a degreaser) and a rag to remove salt deposits and grim. Be sure to remove the spool to wash the rotor cup where salt and sand commonly hide. Go the extra step, dry the reel and whip down with some WD40 on a rag. A little goes a long way to polish and protect.
Remove The Handle
Periodically remove the reel’s handle by holding rotor and turning the handle arm backwards. Once off, clean the male (stainless steel threaded gear stud) and female (aluminum handle hub). This connection need to be clean and lubricated with grease.
Inspect & Keep All Seals Wet
Inspect all seals to be sure they are clean and wet with Van Staal Reel Oil. Dry seals will make the reel feel tight and lead to premature failure.
Quad Seal At Main Shaft: Always keep the spool shaft clean and lubricated. The quad seal is one of the most important seals because it seals the main shaft and keep water out of the internal gear case. When the quad seal is dry, the reel becomes hard to turn.
How To Lubricate The Quad Seal? First, Remove the drag cap and then the spool from the main shaft. Second, Clean the shaft with an oil moisten lint free rag. Also clean the center of the rotor, the area around the shaft where the four screw heads are. Next, turn the rotor to fully extend the shaft. Then apply oil at the base of the shaft (point where it enters the body cavity) and rotate the rotor. The shaft will oscillate down and wet the quad seal inside the body cavity. Wipe off excess oil overflow and repeat a couple more times.
Spool Seal At Drag: The main spool seal found on the top of the spool should be kept clean and wet with oil. It’s good practice to inspect for rust. Rust will be present if the steel clad is exposed. This is a tell tale sign the seal needs to be replaced.
Gear Stud Seal At Handle: This area is addressed in the previous part listed above, “Remove The Handle”.
Clean Drag Cap
The drag knob is a well know area where sand and salt can hide. It’s best to clean the female portion of the knob with a q-tip. Then lubricate with a small amount of grease. Grease grabs and holds sand so use a minimal amount.
This spool and drag knob as it came off of the same reel photo listed below. Even though they aren’t really dirty it is easy to see the sand on the spool and by the drag seal. If the drag knob was over greased you can guarantee this drag knob would of been all caked up with sand.
Inspect Line Roller
Line rollers take a ton of abuse! They are always wet with saltwater and sandy when on the beach. They also get beat on jetties and in boulder fields. On top of that, braided line is very abrasive and can groove a line roller. It’s very important to check the line roller often and oil.
Is the line roller turning free and smooth? Sometimes all that is needed is some oil; however in some cases, the seal could have failed and the bearing could be compromised.
Is the line roller showing any signs of wear? If grooved, replace the line roller assembly in order to prevent damage to the fishing line.
Van Staal Lubricants
As per Van Staal factory specifications, Use Only 85w-90 hypoid gear oil (Buy Van Staal Reel Oil Here) and Nye Rheolube Grease (Buy Van Staal Reel Grease Here) for lubrication purposes. Rheolube is the right viscosity and also has anti-wear, anti-oxidation and anti-corrosion additives. In a pinch a good quality marine grease such as Penn Reel’s Blue Marine Reel Grease is a ok substitute.
As per the Van Staal factory specifications, Do Not Use synthetic lubricants such as Royal Purple or Super Lube PTFE Oil. It’s not necessary and can cause problems because the butyl seals on Van Staal reels are not compatible with teflon and synthetic based lubricants.
Van Staal Complete Service Maintenance Schedule
Everyone’s maintenance schedule can be different. Depending on the number of hours fish and the style of fishing we recommended the following Complete Service Maintenance Schedule….
Hard Use – Fished hard (more than 30 days a season) and/or submerged frequently, regularly splashed during the season. An Annual Complete Service By A Van Staal Service Center Is A Must!
Common Use: Fished Occasionally (10-30 days a season) and/or commonly splashed but rarely submerged. A Complete Service Should Be Done Once A Year Or Every Other Year.
Lightly Used Reels: Fished infrequently (<12 trips a season) a few times a year. Rarely splashed. A Complete Service Should Be Done Every Other Year.
In certain cases the complete service intervals can be stretched out however it is very important to promptly address any water intrusion. The worst thing an owner can do is put a reel away for storage with saltwater inside. For this reason it is suggested to service reels at the end of the season.
This Van Staal Reel was fished hard and put away wet. The next season it wasn’t working right so it was sent in for service. It was definitely due for some TLC. Dirty Reel? Clean It Up!
Van Staal Service & Repair Center
To ensure a complete and proper job, Van Staal suggests reel owners use only factory authorized service locations. Fisherman’s Headquarters is NJ’s Exclusive Factory Authorized Service & Warranty Center serving all Van Staal reel owners worldwide with VS, VSX, VM and VR reels as well as VS Pliers.
A Van Staal Reel Complete Service is $49.95 plus the price of required parts. The Van Staal technician carefully inspects and reviews the reel, completely disassembles, degreases, cleans, internal inspection, lubrication and reassembles. All seals are replaced. Wear items (such as bushings, drag washers, line roller, among others) are replaced if worn. All reels pass a multi point check list before completion.
Reels can be shipped in or dropped off. On the spot service is by appointment only. To send in your Van Staal Reel for service… First, the Van Staal Product Return Form and be sure to include with your reel. Be sure to pack your reel appropriately to ensure safe transit. Also ship using a service with tracking and insurance via UPS or FedEx.
609-494-5739
