July 31, 2011

3:00 PM

Billy Taddeo and Gage Chulsky went out fluke fishing at the Barnegat Light Reef. They got a 7-lb 11-oz fluke on a Gulp! 6" Chartreuse Swimming Mullet. They caught three fluke and lots of sea bass. Lots of seabass! Two days in a rows at the reef with beautiful conditions.

12:00 PM - Last Day for the Garbage Fish Classic

Rob Vallone fished the afternoon aboard the Doris Mae IV (Party Boat out of Barnegat Light). He caught 7 fluke with 3 being keepers. His biggest won the pool. Rob said, "the Gulp! 6-inch Grub was the one!"

Jay Salmon of Voorhees stopped by the shop yesterday evening and reported that the Garden State South (Artificial Reef) as well as the Barnegat Light Reef (aka Fish Haven) were both very productive. In the morning he hit the Garden State South Reef and in the afternoon he hit the Barnegat Light Reef. He had fluke up to 6.5-lbs as well as two 5+ pound flatties. He also mentioned that there was a great sea bass bite (got 5 of 'em up to 3-lbs). Most of the action was on squid and minnow.

Sharks off the beach! The nice warm surf temperatures have turned the bite back on the last couple of days. Chunk bunker like you would for bass just make sure you have a wire leader and you are in!

Received: Jul 31, 2011 9:14 PM Subject: Surf Fishing Report Overnight 7/29-7/31

Last night we fished from 8 PM - 3 AM for sharks. Boy was the it a good night. We positioned ourselves right to the left of the 13th St. beach access in North Beach Haven and we were throwing chunked bunker all night. We pulled out 3 Large browns with many more broken leaders and spit hooks. If anyone is looking for some fun the brown sharks down there are worth a try. The largest topped our scale at 65-lbs.

~ Ryan

Received: Jul 31, 2011 3:35 PM Subject: Fwd: Reel Fantasea Fishing Report

The light tackle opportunities continue to abound in Barnegat Bay for anglers aboard the Reel Fantasea this week with many different species moving about the bay you never know what lurks down below! This week saw good to excellent cooperation from fluke, bluefish, blowfish, kingfish, schoolie stripers, blackfish, houndfish, threadfin herring, burr fish [porcupine puffer] and even the first weakfish of the year! Along with a few other species showing up in our Seine net such as small pompano and Northern Sennets [ small cousin of barracuda]. With all the different species presently available we have been able to catch a variety of species to make it a lot of fun for the kids and also keep the adults entertained with sportier game fish such as schoolie stripers, bluefish, fluke and now a few weakfish!

I have a few spots available for an open boat for this Thursday August 4th [join other anglers].

~ Capt. Steve Purul, Reel Fantasea Fishing Charters 609.290.1217

Received: Jul 31, 2011 3:09 PM Subject: Lighthouse Sportfishing Report

This past week I left the rods in the racks and vacationed with my family in the Berkshire Mountains. We spent quality time together: hiking; biking; and in the trees negotiating wires, hanging 4x4s, cargo nets, ropes and the like while dangling from safety harness at an aerial park. That was almost as much fun as fishing

On the local scene, fluke are still around in good numbers. We are starting the see them migrate the bay towards the ocean. Even with that, there are plenty of fish in the usual western haunts. Enough keepers are mixed in with the almost seemingly endless number of shorts. On LBI yesterday evening there were cow nose rays literally everywhere. When the swimmers started to vacate the ocean at dusk the rays came into the wash. Sight casting Gulp! to them I was able to hook and land one that went around 10-15 pounds. A surf fishing first for me.

Although I still have days open for August, with summer half over I am gearing up for the fall run. I am starting to schedule fall run bass and bluefish trips. If false albacore make a showing inshore I will surely go after them as they are one of NJ's hardest fighting fish. My specialty, live bait fishing, is my preferred fall method in the bay and I am always ready with plenty of live ones in the well. I will also be spending time outside intercepting migrating fish. Give me a shout to secure your date.

Catch em up!

~ Capt. Alex, Lighthouse Sportfishing Barnegat, NJ 609-548-2511

Received: Jul 31, 2011 9:29 AM Subject: Barnegat Bay Fishing Report

Hello All, Bay fluke fishing bounced back quite nicely this week despite the heat. We mixed it up a bit on our three trips, working the shallow water flats early then shifting to the inlet channels as the water warmed up. There still seemed to be plenty of fish in both places, so it would appear our ultralight fluke fishing will continue for at least another couple of weeks.

On Mondays trip, Chip Harter and Paul Buchanan had a slow pick in the inlet area through most of the morning before we decided to give the skinny water a try and surprisingly found a good bite (and fish for dinner) in the 4-6' depths in back.

Wednesday I went right back there with a vacationing Mike Hoffman and his brothers (Steve and Butch), and never left as the guys bailed well over 50 fluke including Steve's 26" beauty taken in less than 4' of water.

Thursday, Mike DiPasquale brought out sons Daniel (12) and Patrick (10) to give fluke fishing a try, and again the fish cooperated with over three dozen coming over the side. This time the shallows produced mostly small fish, but the inlet provided plenty of prime dinner filets for the family.

We'll be continuing to target fluke in the bay and inshore for the next month, and still have dates available for anyone looking for a relaxing day on the water and some fine ultralight fishing action. Until next week.

~ Capt. Jack Shea, "Rambunctious", Barnegat Bay Fishing Charters 609.698.3632

Received: Jul 31, 2011 8:21 AM Subject: 7/30 Report

Yesterday, Barnegat Light reef was on fire! Seemed like over 50 boats were there, everyone was catching something. There was a fish on by the time the bait hit the bottom almost every time. We went out around 10 am and came back around 12:30 and had about 47 catches. Mostly throw backs, except 2 keeper fluke (19") and 2 sea bass. The bite slowed down just after lunch. Chartreuse Gulp 3-6" is the bait of choice. Kids had a blast and were exhausted in 2 hours. (Lots of fun, until we went to the beach in the afternoon and had to fight off the dragonfly's and grasshoppers - what's up with that? It was like a Hitchcock movie!) ~ Mike Hovsepian, North Beach

Received: Jul 31, 2011 5:23 AM Subject: Fishing Report Saturday July 30

Left marina about 7:00 am Saturday morning, with the Wade and Gaunt parties aboard. Started fishing Double Creek Channel on the incoming tide. Caught a few fluke all shorts. With a change in water temperature and out going tide fluke fishing increased. last drift of the day took us all the way through the inlet and south of the lighthouse, continued to catch fluke constantly along the way. At least there were fish to be caught where there are shorts, there are keepers. Highlight of the day was Angie Wade catching her first Fluke 17-1/2 inch. I think she is now hooked on fluke fishing. ~ Captain George Meredith, Pocket Lint

Received: Jul 30, 2011 6:46 PM Subject: 7-30-11 Report

Fished just north of the dike this AM at the high tide. Used squid strips and minnows. Lots of shorts, no keepers.
Moved to Myers Hole- one sea robin. Moved about one mile north of the inlet off IBSP in about 35 feet of water. Lots of porpoise and schools of fish. Caught about 10 more-- but all shorts from 12 to 17. Ran out of minnows but still caught on squid alone. Disappointing but at least there was entry of fish. ~Dave Adams. and Mike Kingfish

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