Beach Haven has long been a retreat for visitors seeking relief from hot summer temperatures as they head east looking for cool ocean breezes. Late summer weather also brings with it an amazing assortment of different varieties of fish that normally inhabit warm waters. The captains of the Beach Haven Charter Fishing Association especially look forward to these fishing opportunities.
When you think of tropical type fish, the thought is you must travel far offshore to the canyon waters where the Gulf Stream influences are felt. What makes the arrival of these different fish exciting is that some of them are being caught not that far off the beaches of Long Beach Island.
Naturally, most of these fish are being caught on the troll, but a goodly number are being caught by boats anchored up or drifting either casting metal lures or using fresh bait. Catches of mahi-mahi up to 20 pounds are being reported as close as 15 miles off with smaller mahi being caught around the artificial reef sites just a few miles from shore.
Other pelagic fish such as bonita, Spanish mackerel, and albacore are similarly close by. There are reports of big triggerfish and sheepshead on the bottom around structure both at the reefs and jetties and even in some of the deeper holes of the bay waters. Chum slicks along with large fresh baits are magnets for a variety of sharks.
This is not to say that the native species are still not around in good numbers. Captain John Lewis of the “Insatiable” reports a busy week of trips with lots of fish coming over the rail. Most days had double digit counts with several days with more than 30 fish on 4-hour trips. The best news is that the fluke numbers are increasing and so is the size. Captain John notes that he picked up his first kingfish and blowfish of the season to add to the variety of fish being caught.
Complete information on the boats and captains of the Beach Haven Charter Fishing Association can be found at www.BHCFA.net
