The weather has not been the best but fishing is surprisingly very good! Anglers are catching on the beach and in the boat. Here’s a short fishing report update for Friday the 13th, December 2019.
Juvenile striped bass continue in good numbers. Local anglers are catching matching the hatch…. think slender sand eels. Here a photo from Joe Medica “Epic night on the beach with bass and a crazy full moon!” Photo of Tyler Medica above.
It’s prime time tog fishing here! Store staffer Frezza was out Wednesday aboard the No Moores and got his personal best, 10.54# and fellow angler Johnny O got a 12.46#. Both were caught on Magcitail Tog Jigs baited with live crab. Here’s a photo of Dante from Magictails with a fat female that he caught and released this week.
Outstanding striped bass fishing this past weekend!
Wednesday 12/4 – We had a slow start with a very strong finish in OT. We had return client Chris along with his nephew Colin, as well as Rob and Rick out for a 6hr striped bass trip. Chris had high expectations after his outstanding trip last week, but what a crazy difference a couple days off made! We started in the same area we’ve been fishing. We had whales putting on a show, bait everywhere, and marked tons of fish that didn’t want to bite. After hours of only managing one 22” fish and not much time left, we picked up and made a move. We caught 3 fish right away, tagging one for a slot fish. In overtime mode, we put the boat on drift and instantly caught 15 bass on jigs, tagging one more for the table. The slow start turned into ending the day with 20 bass. Great job champing out the cold and fishing guys! Sorry we didn’t get more pictures because the ending was a blitz with everyone catching fish!
Saturday 12/7 – We had James, John, and Scott out for a striped bass charter. James won one of our giveaways for a free trip and after cancelling for weather, we were finally able to get him out today. We started where we jigged them a couple days ago but the weather was not in our favor and the fish were scattered. We set up on the troll to look for fish and instantly hooked up with a double header. The guys put a beating on the bass today catching 32, keeping our 5 slot fish up to 27” and releasing the rest. Great job in the cold weather and sloppy seas today guys!
Sunday 12/8 – Outstanding bass fishing with doubles and triples all day! We had Jim and his son James from Moorestown, NJ out for a 6hr striped bass trip. We started the morning off with a double header right away and got James his first ever striped bass! Within the first 30 minutes we had our limit of slot fish in the box. We played catch and release with many more. We made a moved to hunt for bigger fish and were rewarded with a 29” fish after weaving through some more slot fish. We ended the trip with an insane drop and reel jig bite. The father son team did awesome today, catching almost 40 bass. We sent them home with smiles and sore arms! Great job today guys!
Availability
We will be continuing to fish for striped bass as long as the bite remains good. We will also be throwing in a few blackfish trips as well up until the New Year, or as long as the weather will allow us to keep fishing. The upcoming weather forecast does not look promising this week but we will be back out whenever the weather allows. We have this coming Saturday 12/14 available, weather permitting. Now is the time to get in on the action while the bass are here in full force!
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
It has been another good couple of weeks of fishing out of Barnegat Light. We have been doing well on Striped Bass and Tog when we can get out due to the winds/weather. This weekend looks a little tough, but hopefully it changes. There was a very good Striped Bass bite this past weekend with both of my charters limiting on their slot tags and each trip averaging 30 to 45 Striped Bass. The sizes of the Stripers have ranged from 20 to 29 inches and almost all of action has been on metal jigs or plastic shads. I have a few “Tog only” trips coming up, so we are planning to hit some of my choice snags and will be using both white and green crabs. Our facebook page always has the most recent fishing reports…
If the Striped Bass are still around, we will continue to target them as our NJ issued slot tags expire 12/31/2019. Tog fishing is also an option and we have Green crabs and White Leggars (when available) are included on all Tog trips. Our Tog setups feature G.Loomis rods, Lamiglas, and St.Croix with fantastic feel and excellent backbone for muscling the big boys out of the wrecks.
If the temperatures stay above freezing, we are planning to run into the New Year and having the heated cabin makes a world of difference. I have the following dates available: 12/21, 12/22, 12/23, 12/26, 12/29, 12/30, 1/4/2020, 1/5/2020 – only if the temperatures stay above freezing.
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.
Another good weekend of fishing the waters of Long Beach Island. Saturday started off sporty with stiff northerly blow but things settled down mid day and the second half was beautiful. Sunday followed it up being a flawless day. Those that got out and fished were rewarded. Small fish but don’t complain. It’s December… enjoy it while it lasts! Here’s the Long Beach Island Fishing Report Update.
On The Surf
The small bass action continues on the LBI surf offering great catch and release fun on light tackle. Finding a keeper size fish or better is a long shot but the consistent of action is awesome. Anglers fishing the same tackle as previously reported numerous time are getting it done.
Chris Masino post this photo and reported “Another Fun Night” fishing Sunday.
Sarge tagged us on a video releasing a bass on the surf Saturday. He said catch and release fishing has been fun.
Steve George shared a report on his Facebook page, “It’s been a great couple of weeks (day and night) tagging all these juvenile striped bass that have invaded the surf line. Hope they get a chance to double in size and return some migration data research to better understand these very important inshore fish. If they do the fishing can be very good again. We will See.”
LBI Surf Fishing Classic
This weekend concludes the LBI Surf Fishing Classic. Administration wise it will be wrapped up soon.
Looking back it was a slow year for quality size striped bass and there was a missing species. Not one bluefish! We know a good mass of striped bass hung around the three mile line and the deeper waters all fall. But where were the bluefish? This was not the year for bunker chunkers! The spiny dog fish ruled the suds and wreaked havoc on those soaking baits. It really shows with the top six biggest fish, none on bunker. Surfcasters shuffling their lures worked some magic and the night shift crew put together some good nights eeling. The North End of the Island was most productive early, mid and late season. As expected the largest and best fishing was late October and early November. In the end there was an influx of bass but nothing that would show for the tournament record purposes.
On The Boat
Last run of the year for Brendan Craig today. He reported, “We had doubles at sunrise. It was a good day.” Dave Werner was also out with a couple friends. He reported an “Epic December Bite” on lures.
Friday morning Tyler Wilk reported, “Fished out of BI this morning. Went north and caught shorts. Headed back south to Harvey Cedars Lump and trolled up several 25-29″ fish on umbrella rigs. Swell picked up and the bite died. ON the way in we hit a massive bird play and jigged up another keeper.”
The Miss Barnegat Light did good over the weekend but Sunday was their last trip of the year. “Lots of action! Fish lighter tackle and have a ball!”
The Ultimate Angler Experience
The First Ultimate Angler Experience went down on Saturday (12/7/19) and was a huge success. What a great group of guys! The conditions were sporty in the morning but as the day went on things settled down. For the intents and purposes, the fishing was good. Every stop/spot the tog were hungry and the first 20 minutes or so would be good. But it just wouldn’t last much longer. Fortunately the Captain kept moving and adjusting to keep us active with fish all day.
A couple anglers limited out with Crazy Fast Eddy being the high hook. Congrats to Johnny O, the big winner of the day! Not only did his big fish (right about 10 pounds) take home the pool, but he was one of the anglers who won 1 of the 7 rods and reels that were raffled off. Our wonderful and generous sponsors made it possible for everyone to win something; rods, reels, gift cards, fishing line, apparel, tackle. There were loads of giveaways!
Thanks to everyone who attended. We hope you enjoyed the whole experience. We already got some great feedback from anglers who loved the trip. We are already looking forward to the next Ultimate Angler Experience.
Huge Thanks to Swag (Matt Sorrentino) for coming up with the idea and making the event happen. Also a big thanks to Magictail’s Dante Soriente and Frank Mihalic for sharing some of the their knowledge accumulated over the years. All three of the short seminar talks (Matt, Dante, Frank) were great!
Thanks to the Captain and Crew of the Osprey NJ for hosting us. Also a special thank you to Daiwa’s Chris Shoplock and Jigging World’s Mike Kim for providing an incredible amount of products for everyone to demo on the boat. It was great sharing the rail and fishing with you guys! Also thanks to Cortland Line Co and The Fishermans Magazine!
Keep your eyes out on or social media page for some photos and video from the trip. We’ll be sharing periodically over the winter.
We hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! Striped bass fishing has been outstanding for us this past week.
Fishing Report
Monday 11/25, We found an epic bite as I had new clients Chris and his 11 yr old son Ryan from Pequannock, NJ along with their friend Bryan out for a 6hr striped bass trip. The first couple of hours started off as we did not mark any bait or fish and were worried about yesterday’s wind messing things up. We made a small move close to where we’ve had good fishing and before we knew it, it was game on with doubles and even a triple! It became very hard to keep the rods in the water. The crew ended up going 14/14 on striped bass from 24”-39”, keeping our 5 man limit of slot fish as well as fish from 28-39”. The rest of the fish were released safely. Everyone caught their first striped bass today too! Great job today guys we look forward to fishing with you again next year!
Tuesday 11/26, The epic bite continued for us! We had Mike, his son Justin, Chris, and Frank out for a 6hr striped bass trip. The bait, whales, and fish were right where we left them yesterday and we had our first bites within minutes. We had a couple double headers as well as a quadruple header today! We ended the day going 16/18 on nice healthy fish from 24”-36”. We kept our 6 man limit of slot fish and unders from 28-36”, releasing the rest for another day.
Wednesday 11/27, And just when we thought the fishing could not get any better, this morning proved us wrong yet again. With a small weather window before the blow, I had Rick from Philadelphia, PA along with his father Rick and brother Alex visiting from Galveston, TX for the holidays out on a striped bass trip. The ocean was flat calm but we knew we didn’t have much time to fish before the weather would change. Within seconds of fishing, we had our first keeper in the box. After that, it was an outstanding bite with double headers almost every time and even a triple header! In just over 2 hours of fishing, the crew went 22/24, keeping our 5 man limit of slot fish and unders to 34” and releasing the rest to fight another day. With a box full of fish we ended the trip early and headed home to beat the weather. Great job today guys, we look forward to fishing with you again!
Saturday 11/30, We ended the last day of November with another outstanding trip. I had Mike, Jay, and Kevin from Forked River, NJ out for a 6hr striped bass trip as well as fishing the 3rd Annual Drumstick Cup Tournament. The forecast was way off and the conditions were very sporty with 4-6’ seas at 5 seconds. We toughed out the weather and made it to where we have had great fishing. The morning started off slow, but after some looking around we boxed our first slot fish. Shortly after, we doubled up on 25lb class fish 38-40”. From there on, we had a steady pick of nice bigger fish in the 34-40” range. We ended the trip with our limit, going 10/13 on bass from 26-40”. We also released fish up to 33”. The body of fish that we found today were much bigger than previous trips with not as many small fish mixed in. We also ended up taking 1st place in the Drumstick Cup with a 40” 25lb fish! Great job today guys!
Cyber Monday/Holiday Shopping Sale!
For Cyber Monday and Tackle Tuesday we are offering 10% off of all charters booked for 2020! Also, if you are looking for the perfect holiday gift, we have gift certificates available for any amount! Contact Captain Mike at 609-709-7264 or message us through our website to take advantage of these great deals!
Availability
We have 2 spots available for this coming Wednesday 12/4. We also have Sunday 12/8 available. Now is the time to get in on the action while the bass are here in full force!
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
Great action packed weekend on the waters of Long Beach Island. The striped bass are here in full force and on the chew ahead of Sunday’s storm. Here’s the Fishing LBI Fishing Report for Sunday December 1, 2019.
Tackle Sale Alert!!! No one does a holiday shopping tackle sale like us! The season’s best discounts are here now. What kicked off Thanksgiving is going strong until Cyber Monday and limited sales will be included on Tackle Tuesday. Looking for the perfect gift? Need something for yourself? Rods to reels, lures, line, terminal tackle, sunglasses, apparel, boots and much more… Everything is on sale now!
LBI Surf Fishing Report
Every year the beaches of LBI light up around the late November early December time frame. This year is no different. The past week has been the best run of fish all fall, quantity wise. Reports from the entire Island are decent however the North End’s beaches (North Beach to Barnegat Light) have been best. When all else fails… pull out a green tail AVA jig and cast it as fas as you can! It best be rigged with a teaser!!!
Here’s a couple reports from the fun action Saturday and Sunday morning before the weather.
“The school bite remans hot on the Central Jersey beaches. This morning (Sunday) stiff east winds to the face made the surf conditions ideal. There was a good early morning bite.” Dillon (@dillonl.fishing) stopped in the shop for a handful of AVA Jigs then reported back, “I caught several bass this morning on a diamond jig teaser combo.”
Shop regular Bill Heade stopped in for some teasers and chose the EZ Body Fish Head Sand Eel teasers. He reported, “Five on the teaser. Caught 15 all together. Today they were way way out! I needed to blast a 4oz AVA as hard and far as I could. It was hard to reach them.”
Blake Scholey enjoyed a “Saturday Sunset Rope Session” with bass on the beach. Blake said, “Everything was on metal. The best action was after the sun went down. All fish were in the 28″ range.”
Dogfish King Rick H. caught some bass last night on the bayside fishing soft plastics.
In The Boat
While most are pulling out or already wrapped up for the winter, there’s a select few that knows late season fishing can be the best! Whether it’s tog fishing or striped bass there’s a lot more left in the tank. We are looking forward to December fishing because there’s a lot more to go before the fat lady sings.
Congrats to Fish Head’s Ambassador Swagmattic… Saturday was the day he finally broke the ice and landed his first double digit tog. It was a long road with lots of fish just shy but he finally hung a true double digit back fish.
Are you looking to get out and fish for blackfish? Looking to learn some tog tactics from top tog anglers in a fun interactive setting? Now’s the time to jump aboard the Osprey (sails out of Atlantic City) and enjoy a day on the water fishing the Ultimate Angler Experience, learning and winning some great prizes. Ensure your spot on the trip next Saturday December 7th today… Sign Up Now!
We saw a push of slightly larger bass the past few days. Not saying a large class, just a bump up from the cookie cutter schoolies of what has been the recent run as of late.
Andrew Millz reported, “Insane fishing! Two and three on at a time on the troll. Some nicer fish on the jig too. Over 40 fish in two hours with fish up to 35 inches. All released.”
Ronnie Karchik posted had a great time. They found some bigger class of fish. Here’s a photo of his kid with one.
Here’s some reports from the Miss Barnegat Light
Sunday – “It was a little wet today but we had a good day early on with everyone getting bonus tag fish. We only had two fish over 28 inches. Lots of action with lots of fish released.”
Saturday – “Caught some today, but not what we’ve been catching. Still seeing plenty of fish on the sonar and rolling on the surface, but they weren’t easy to catch. However the fish caught today were bigger. Jig caught most of the fish today, with no color better than the next. We did have a few fish on Ron Z sand eels too.”
Friday – “Another god day of fishing. Read more than we caught but almost everyone had a fish to take home. A few late day drifts yielded some nice fish to 39 inches.
The waters of Long Beach Island are full of great fishing. From striped bass to tautog there’s spectacular fishing going down! Here’s LBI’s Thanksgiving Fishing Report for the evening of Wednesday, November 27, 2019.
Striped Bass Fishing
Recent days were lights out fishing for most! Great reports from both boat and land based angler show there’s a large body of striped bass parked in our local waters. With the abundance of bait and water in the range of 48-50 degrees we expect good fishing right into December.
It’s been a top water spectacular with light winds the past few days. Anglers fishing sand eel imitations are fooling linesiders most productively.
LBI surf anglers are having a blast doing the same. Sunrise and sunset are best times to target; however some good late morning and afternoon bites went down. At times distance very important so metals are standouts. Be sure to fish a teaser!
Tautog Fishing
The bottom fish bulldogs continue to chew! Theses thick, muscular bruisers are a ton of fun and the big ones will test your tackle.
All reports from customer are very good with regards to quantity and quality. Lots of boat limit reports. We hope everyone gets in on the great fishing before it’s brutally cold. But also!!!! Please fish responsibly as tog are slow growing and we can not let our recreation pressures gash the stock like we did the striped bass. This is too good to screw up. Do your part! Have fun catching. Keep a couple when the time is right and safely release the others.
Fish Head Charters
Tuesday – I fished with Fish Head Ambassador Swagmattic and store staffer Max. We got out early to hunt down tog. Our first stop produced a good consistent bite with a nice size range but nothing big. The largest was 5-6 pound range, but there was a number of them. After putting in a few hours then moved around. We found another good bite where some health fish were hiding. We caught some and lost one big one that was in a class al of it’s own. They don’t get that big for a reason!
Wednesday – I was up early and figured I had to go take advantage of the tranquil morning before the southerly blow. I’m so happy I did! I headed out solo for a dawn patrol with just a couple fly rods in hand. It turns out to be a day among days. Definitely by best fly fishing bite of the fall (since albies were all that this year this day really stands out). Lots of schoolie bass rolling on sand eels. I managed to push away from the fleet and found single bunker being played on by bigger bass in the 20-30# class range however I couldn’t get them to take even my biggest bunker flied. I must have had 10 follows right to the boat but none committed. I would of been much earlier to have an extra hand but it added to the mayhem and fun.
Give Thanks!
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! I’d like to take this time to thank all of our readers. Thank you for following our blog posts. We hope you enjoy and find the information valuable.
Holiday Shopping Sales
It’s that time of year and we’ve got the year’s best pricing, promotions and sales going on now! If you are in the area stop in. If not please shop online. Be sure to Subscribe To The Fish Heads Newletter for exclusive sale (as well as new product information and other tackle news). Be sure Fish Head On Instagram as this is where you’ll find the most up to date flash sales and break new directly from the shop.
If you are in need of some tackle? Give us a look. We fish what we sell so our information and guidance is from first hand experience. Know a friend of family member shopping for others? Drop us a line and support a local small business. We appreciate it!
This weekend was full of great fishing! Did you get out and enjoy?
Anglers working the water of Long Beach Island were rewarded with great catches. Both boat and land based anglers are consistently finding fish and having a fun time doing so. The abundance of striped bass in the local waters is promising that fishing will roll right into December.
Here’s The Fish Heads LBI Fishing Report Weekend Recap Tor Sunday November 24, 2019.
LBI Surf Fishing Report
The past few days have been good to the surf anglers fishing the beaches of LBI. Currently the LBI surf temperatures is in the 49-51 degree range.
“During the typical sand eel bite like we are seeing here in NJ you need to key in on the short limited times they are feeding to get in on the action (sunrise and sunset mostly).” Veteran surfcaster Steve George shares, “My favorite presentation fishing overnight in the dark are needlefish lures. But as you can see they are also very effective during the day.” Here’s a photo Steve tagged us in… small bass on slender lures, in this case a Super Strike Needle Fish Lure.
Tom Smith was on the beach with his son Tommy for an evening session. They landed four schoolies in less than an hour this evening on the North End surf. Tommy was stoked! Teaser and Daiwa SP Minnow was the ticket.
Here’s five year old Tommy with one of many striped bass he caught with his father Sunday.
Miss Barnegat Light Fishing Info
Anglers aboard Saturday and Sunday were into fish. Here’s the report from the Miss BL, “Good days of fishing! On Saturday we picked at a mix of slots, shorts and a few over 28 inches. Sunday we had an awesome day. First picking then finding hungry ones. We had action for hours. There’s a good amount of fish within a short ride of the Inlet. Fishing looks goof for the foreseeable future.
Get To The Boat Early & Jump Aboard: Thanksgiving 6am-12noon, Black Friday, Saturday, Sunday 7am departures. If it’s blowing we are going because the fish are here.
Tautog Fishing LBI
Tog Fishing has been very good. Now with the regulations opened up to five fish per anglers there’s much more participation and pressure. What was easy pickings has turned back a couple clicks but still great fishing none the less. At the right pieces, at the right times, it’s fast and furious. Expect great tog fishing into the Holidays and beyond.
If you are looking to get in. on the action and need to gear up stop in. We are fully stocked up on rigs, jigs and all sorts of tog tackles. We also have top rods and reels ready to rock. Also we’ve got all of the cold weather fish essentials from boots, gloves and waterproof fishing apparel from Grundens and Guy Cotten the two best names in the game.
Jersey Ghost Hunting
What was once known as ghost hunting has turned into near shore bluefin fishing. You can’t call it ghost hunting if they are consistently seen and caught.
Below is a photo of Chris Degennaro with his son Ryan and an inshore bluefin tuna. Chris reported, “Well today was the cherry on top of what was a great season of fishing with family and friends. After several trips one of which we lost a heart breaker, finally landed the elusive fall bluefin. Just me and Ryan today. He helped clear lines, drove the boat while I was fighting the fish and helping me finish it off. While I was mentally prepared, I will say I got very lucky!”
With a little luck on their side, Father and son team made it happen!
Here’s another inshore bluefin photo from this weekend… “Red Man” Mark Haley.
Offshore Fishing Report
The offshore season is just about over but some anglers can’t quit. Nick Perello gave it go and shared this report, “We ran out of BI to the southern canyons for some daytime sword fishing. It was a very slow day but had a great time with friends. Two bites and caught one small but legal swordfish. We were pretty sure we were the only boat to run offshore from NJ.”
Fish Head Charters Update
The fishing continues on very good with lots of bass, lots of bait and lots of birds. Most days the screen is lit up with striped bass (and spiny dog fish) stacked like cord wood. They are feasting on sand eels making for prime time light tackle fishing. Some days the bass fishing has been silly good. Anyone looking to get in on fly fishing striped bass… Now is the time! You actually have the advantage being able to fish small presentations wth light line. There’s no better way to fool these sometimes spooky fish. Also the follows, eat and fight it just so much more fun.
Here’s Jared And Torr with two health tog they doubled up with fishing live crabs on Magictail Tog Jigs.
My recent trips were focused on tog fishing. The bite has been very good and steady with limit catches on almost all trips. While we haven’t caught the large double digit fish that some are tugging up I know we soon will. Utilizing the Rhodan GPS Anchor we’ve been working prime structure and knocking on their doors.
Are you looking to get out and fish? Jump aboard Fish Head Charters and get in on the fun. The weather is getting cold but the fishing is red hot. Now’s the time to get in on the fun before the wicked winter kicks in. Whether it’s striped bass or tog (or a combo of both) there’s lots of light tackle fun to be had.
Serving One or Two Angler Trips Only $200 Per Angler 4-5 Hour Trips Contact Captain Greg via Call/Text 6097139299
Linda Lee Sportfishing Report
Saturday we had out the Drew crew and it was nothing short of epic striped bass fishing. We headed north 2 miles out of Barnegat Inlet and it was on birds working and plenty of boats. We caught 9 fish with 2 keepers there. The guys were looking for the meat. We got word of some bigger fish north of the wheel so we took the run. Once we got up there it was slow for an hour but then the tide turned we started getting double headers. With 4 whales working the bunker pods and bird action all afternoon it was prime time fall fishing. We managed to get 7 keepers and caught 16 fish. The guys were all stoked on a great day of fishing. Magictail mojo’s and the 9er Shad Umbrella Rigs did the trick all day.
I have November 30th and December 1st available if you’re looking to get out a fish. Give Captain Ryan a Call 609-276-8032
We had a couple of good bass trips within these past few days when weather permitted!
Thursday 11/21 I had new client Bob, along with his two sons Nick and Matt from Galloway, NJ out for a 6hr striped bass charter. The trip started off very slow, but once we figured out the right recipe to “match the hatch” we ended up going 7 for 8. We ended the trip with 7 fish, 1 being a short, 2 being released for good karma, and 4 being kept for the dinner table. The weather was very sporty in the morning but it laid down and turned out to be a beautiful day with plenty of fish around. Great job today guys, we look forward to fishing with you in the future!
Saturday 11/23 we had an EPIC bass bite! I had return clients Andrew and his 12 year old son Aidan from Chester, NJ out for a 6hr striped bass charter. We started in the same area as Thursday and had our first 2 fish on the boat within minutes. Not only were they the first 2 fish of the day, but they were Andrew and Aidan’s first ever striped bass! All morning was a steady pick with all of the slot fish and 28”-41” fish that you could want. We ended the trip going 13/13 on bass up to 30lbs. We could have caught many more but the pace slowed down as the day went on since Andrew and Aidan both had very sore arms. Fishing was so good that they kept on insisting each other reel the next fish in because they were both tired and sore. We kept our 4 man limit of unders as well as 3 slot fish that we tagged. We could have tagged our limit, but Aidan is all about conservation and only wanted to keep enough to feed their family. Kids like him are what’s going to keep fish populations going for generations to come!
I have this Tuesday, 11/26 available for private charter or open boat. The weather looks absolutely beautiful and the fish are here! This is my only date available for the week, as the rest are booked. We have some wind coming around Thanksgiving, so I expect the fish to bite before this next blow.
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
Start Catching Blackfish On Jigs! Here are some tips on how to make the transition super successful.
Catching blackfish on jigs is an absolute game changer when fishing for tautog. The lighter tackle used for this type of fishing drastically contrasts more standard methods of catching these fish. Experienced anglers who attempt catching blackfish on jigs will find there is quite the learning curve. Often, I see guys who’ve been catching blackfish for years, but on heavier equipment, finding a great deal of trouble trying to make the switch. So this often leads to folks quitting before they can master the new technique. Start catching blackfish on jigs with these helpful tips!
Here’s a few tips I’ve gathered over the years. I’m sharing because I’d like to help you catch blackfish on jigs. However first read my comprehensive fishing article, Catching Black Fish With Jigs.
Author Matt Sorrentino with a nice early fall blackfish. Matt caught this white chin on a 1.5 oz Magictail Game Changer Tog Jig.
Start with a heavier jig and work down from there.
If you’ve been blackfishing for a while, you’re most likely using at least an 8 ounce weight regularly. It’s very easy to feel the bottom because these heavier weights add more tension to your line. It is easier to decipher what type of structure you’re on because of this and easier to find the holes you want to be fishing. When you attempt to throw a 1-2 oz jig down for the first time, everything is going to feel extremely off because of the weight difference. Start with a heavier weighted jig, get used to the feel and work your way down. The ideal weight is the lightest possible which will still get down and hold bottom.
Light Braided Line Is A Must
You’re fishing a light jig and anything that helps the jig get to the bottom faster and stay there is going to maximize your opportunities. Do you know the difference in abrasion resistance between 50# braid and 40# braid? How about 30-20 or 15-10#? Me neither! But I can promise you it’s insignificant. What is significant is the ability of the thinner lines to through providing the least water resistance. I use 15# Cortland Master Braid on my tog jigging fishing reels. The line is super strong and allows me to fish a locked up drag which is needed to hoist out and up double digit blackfish.
Please understand, my abrasion concern is countered by fishing extra long fluorocarbon leaders (commonly 5-8′ of 30/40/50# either Seaguar Blue Label Fluoro or Ande Leader). Using an FG Knot the line to line connection is super strong and the knot has a very thing profile. This system is proven and I highly suggest you rig up this way too.
Don’t Swing!
Here’s where it’s going to get tough for seasoned vets. You’ve been dialed in for years. You know what the right bite feels like and you know when to swing. Well, now that you have a jig on, you’re wrong. Fishing tog jigs is a different game than rigs. You’ll need to re-learn the feel, the best advice I can give you is to let your first few baits get completely stolen. Let them eat it, just try to dial in the feel for the different type of bites. Everything is more sensitive now. This is the reason catching blackfish on jigs is so effective!
In the end, rely on what you know.
It’s still important when catching blackfish on jigs to fish in a similar fashion. You want the bait on the bottom. Don’t jig it! Ideally you’ll find piece of hard structure, ledges, caves, rock/concrete piles, wooden debris and obviously shipwrecks. Keep the bait still. When you get the right bite, or when your line goes slack (sometimes the fish will just pick up your jig and swim away) swing for the fences! Cross his eyes, reel quickly and get that fish up and away from that structure. It is crucial you react quickly here. If you fail to move the fish quickly I can assure you a broken heart and a few minutes in the penalty box retying.
If you’d like to learn more and Start Catching Blackfish on Jigs…
I invite you to join me on a fishing trip. I frequently set up charters on New Jersey’s top boats at the season’s best dates. On the trips you will learn from myself and other experts in the field, the different tactics employed to catch blackfish on jigs. The all inclusive trip includes your fare and gratuity and some even have a rod and reel demos as well as free gifts and giveaways. For more info stay tuned to my Instagram Page better yet give me a follow and send a direct message introducing yourself.
