Get Ready For Speedsters
First, shop news:
We received a restock of Van Staal reels. Multiple sizes and colors. All of our stock is listed on the website and also available in-store. Come and get the toughest surf reel ever built.
We also received a load of Tranx 150 and 151 reels from Shimano. These low profile baitcasters are the perfect reel for fluke fishing, and aren’t too shabby for some sea bass and tautog fishing either. Check them out.
The local fishing remains the same. Fluke on bucktails and Gulp! and bluefish on mullet and small metals in the surf. The Spanish mackerel are making sporadic showings and the false albacore are teasing the surfcasters by making their presence known just out of casting range. They will pop into casting range any day now (as soon as the bait they are chasing gets closer). Get your epoxy jigs ready, and if you need to, restock now before the fish show up.
We have heard the bluefin are back at the “secret squid spot” and taking livelined squid again. We have squid jigs available, including some new and very nice squid leaders from MaiTai.
This past weekend the weather made it tough for boats fishing the nearshore reefs and wrecks. Those are just out far enough that the strong west winds made it pretty rough there. Still, boats that went reported putting together good catches, even if the rough seas beat them up a bit.
As for the “exotic” southern species, we have been hearing of pigfish being caught in the back bays and a few houndfish have taken lures meant for bluefish or Spanish mackerel. As far as we an tell, the bonefish have not made an appearance on the flats behind Barnegat Inlet yet. We are also waiting for our first report of a lionfish.
Here are some notable catches…
The northern stargazer really is a beautiful fish. Just don’t get so enthralled with them that you kiss them on the forehead, as you will get an electric shock you will regret. @twieks caught this fella on the beach and decided to cuddle it before he let it go.
Our own Scott with his personal best surf caught fluke. Actually, we believe it is his personal best anywhere-caught fluke. Good job buddy, we have been rooting for ya!
Scott also makes our report in another way. There was a fluke tournament on Saturday, and our own Frankie Z took Jenni and Scott out as his crew. It seems the rough conditions once you got a mile or so offshore were not to Scott’s liking, as reports from both people on that boat, plus boats that this boat was fishing next to, report Scott spent the whole day, ummmm, how to say this nicely……chumming.
Wait, what do I hear? It was a different Scott on Frank’s boat? Well, I am not going to let the truth get in the way of a good story…