We are Running Out of Titles that Say Bass, Bluefish, and Fluke Fishing is Good
But first, shop news…
We just received a big shipment from Yo-Zuri, and in that shipment was some new stuff.
First up is the 3D Inshore Pencil Popper. This is the perfect size and weight pencil popper for the bluefish we have cruising around in Barnegat Bay right now. At 5 3/8 inches long and 1 ounce, they will cast nicely but are not so heavy that their landing in the water spooks fish in the shallows. Give them a try.
While on the subject of pencils, we also added three new colors of the Yo-Zuri 3D Inshore Topknock Pencil. Black, Pearl Candy (or Wonderbread as most northeast anglers call this color) and Yellow Mullet.
Saving what might be the best Yo-Zuri for last, we added a new size of the hot new Yo-Zuri Mag Dive. The new 8 inch 3 ¾ oz model is going to be a staple for the offshore tuna guys, but these are also going to be coveted by the striped bass fishermen, as they have “50 pounder” written all over them.
With summer almost upon us, we understand that sun protection is an important part of fishing that we all overlook. Admit it, you know you have gone out without sunscreen and paid for it later with a bad sunburn. That bad sunburn could turn worse, and we have lost enough friends/anglers to skin cancer in recent years, so we brought in something to “Cover Your Bum”. Sun Bum Sun Care Products has a whole line up of sunscreen lotions, spray on sunscreens, mineral sunscreens (think zinc oxide), SPF Lip Balms, and even after sun care products like After Sun Cool Down Gel and Shampoo and Conditioner. Please use sunscreen.
We also received our big clothing order, so Grumpy Logo T-Shirts and other items are now restocked.
The fishing remains pretty status quo in the surf. Striped bass are still the name of the game, and clams are still the bait to have. Lures are also producing, for those who prefer to shun the snots…
Bluefish have been cooperating for anglers fishing Barnegat Bay. The main body of bigger fish seems to have moved south in the bay, but smaller sized blues in the 2 to 4 pound range have replaced them. These are the better eating size anyway if you wanted to take one home. Hopefully the boat traffic from the holiday weekend doesn’t put the fish down.
The fluke fishing is getting better, with the back bay channels and inlets giving up the most and the best fish. We haven’t heard much from boats fishing the ocean for fluke yet, but someone has to be the first to get one from out there. Why not you?
Here are some notable catches:
Lot of bass being reported from the surf lately, both on bait and artificials. Here’s John with a nice one on Clams.
@wefish138 with fluke up to 4.1 lbs caught on Berkley Gulp! He reported lots of throwbacks as well. I’m not saying his hat had anything to do with it, but he does catch more fish when he wears that one.
Barnegat Bay is producing some monster size bluefish recently. Here’s @shell_e._caris with some brutes on the new Hogy Charter Grade Dog Walker XL. (See both the photo above and our cover photo)
Jackson came into the shop and purchased a 7’10” Grumpy Sandstorm rod and paired it with a Daiwa BG spinning reel. He went out immediately and put it to good use, catching this fluke within an hour of leaving the shop.
Our online sales manager shirked his duties Thursday evening and went fishing with his brother. They got into the bluefish on the flats behind IBSP by boat and had breaking fish all to themselves. The blues fell for Game On X-Walks and Z-Man DieZel MinnowZ on Redfish Eye jig heads. The Z-Mans were perfect for this because, unlike other soft plastics, they held up to bluefish teeth. The one pictured above not only survived a dozen bluefish this trip, but also 5 or 6 fluke (another toothy predator) the trip before this one.
Blackcloud Bob has returned from his trip south. He had a good vacation, but brought home a little souvenir, a pretty bad sunburn. He looks like his head was literally on fire. Too bad he didn’t have any Sun Bum with him…
