One of the big events of the year for the Beach Haven Charter Fishing Association will begin on Thursday, June 20. On that night the annual Junior Mates Program will begin. The 9 week program is designed to teach the skills a young man or woman needs to be a mate on a charter boat.
Every year an eager group of youngsters ages 13 and above goes through the detailed course learning about fishing. Most of the activities are hands-on. Each class is 2 hours long and takes place at the Maritime Museum in Beach Haven. There are currently openings for this year's course and information can be found at the BHCFAS's website at www.fishbeachhaven.com Information on signing up can also be obtained by calling Captain John Koegler at 609-290-3349.
Captain John Lewis of the "Insatiable" reports that his boat is booked for Father's Day with his son and granddaughters for a day of fishing to celebrate the big day. After that trip Captain John plans to investigate the good reports he has heard on canyon fishing, sea bass and fluke on the wrecks, mako sharks along the 20-30 fathom lines, and loads of blowfish in the bay. Blowfish are a great way to introduce youngsters to fishing. Captain Carl Sheppard reports he has been finding some black sea bass on the offshore wrecks. He is optimistic that the dogfish shark numbers seem to be decreasing. He says there are still some large blackfish on the wrecks but that season is currently closed. He has been getting his anglers some hectic action on 1-3 pound bluefish around the inlet and Grassy Channel.
Captain Bob Gerkens reports he has returned the "Hot Tuna" to Beach Haven after its winter sojourn in North Carolina. The trip north along the continental shelf was turned into a 48 hour tune-up fishing trip for Capt. Bob, Benjamin Peterson of Jacksonville, NC, Wayne Smith, and Captain John Lewis of the "Insatiable." The meat catch included 12 blackfin tuna, 6 mahi-mahi, a yellowfin tuna and one amberjack. A black tip shark and additional blackfin tuna were released.
Additional information on the Beach Haven Charter Fishing Association can be found at www.BHCFA.com.
