The captains of the Beach Haven Charter Fishing Association are finding that the fishing action is changing into a summer mode. The hot striped bass action just off the beaches and the cod and ling action on the wrecks and reefs are being replaced by a nice fluke bite and some hot action offshore for tuna and sharks.
The fluke and sea bass bites on the inshore wrecks and reefs have yet to get into high gear.
Captain John Koegler of the "Pop's Pride" reports he had a good day last Saturday drifting along the Intercoastal Waterway from Beach Haven south to the inlet. Although he had to wade his way through quite a few throwbacks, his anglers managed 3 very nice fluke ranging from 18-21 inches.
Captain John said that he experimented with a variety of baits and rigs to find the right combination. He explained that he was catching fish better on hi/lo rigs rather than the tradition fluke rigs. He managed to catch some fish on live minnows, but all of the keepers were caught on Gulp.
On another recent trolling trip he managed to pick up some bluefin tuna about 45-inches in length. He also heard about some decent shark fishing in the same area.
Captain John added that the reef and wreck fishing has been slow because of the cooler water temperatures on the bottom despite some warm water on the surface. He says a storm is needed to churn up the water and mix the water up to a uniform temperature.
Additional information on the association can be found at www.BHCFA.com or by calling 1-877-LBI-BHCFA (1-877-524-2423).