The sudden spell of warm weather last weekend not only made fishing comfortable for the captains of the Beach Haven Charter Fishing Association, it also produced some nice catches.
The "Miss Beach Haven" with Captain Frank Camarda did some wreck and bottom fishing last Saturday, and all anglers caught multiple blackfish along with some porgies and one triggerfish. "Bam-Bam" from Philadelphia was the pool winner with a 4-pound blackfish. Sunday's bite was a little slower but hard work by Captain Frank put a keeper blackfish in everybody's cooler. The pool winner Sunday was 5.5-pounds.
Captain Fran Verdi of the "Dropoff" reports good striper fishing even though he usually has to make a few moves every day based on the tide and winds. One day he had Mitch and Bruce out for limit catches by both anglers. The fish ranged from 34 to 38-inches.
Another day Captain Fran had the Jeff Austin party out, and they started in the inlet and moved to the bay waters. The group ended with four keepers to 18-pounds. A check of the fish bellies showed the ocean fish were eating clam chunks and crabs while the bay fish had clam, sand eels, and a small flounder in them.
On Sunday Captain Fran had the Matt King party out, and he started fishing in the bay first. With a lack of action there he moved to the ocean. Although they lost a couple of big fish close to the boat, they ended up with several bass to 20-pounds.
Captain Carl Sheppard on the "Star Fish" found big striped bass both Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday he fished the white water of the inlet with a bushel of clams for chum and bait, eels, and fresh bunker. The clams and bunker both produced fish including David Oppenheim's first ever bass.
Captain Carl reports Sunday was more of the same except the fish were larger and some big bluefish showed up. The blues favored the fresh bunker chunks.
For addition information about the Beach Haven Charter Fishing Association, visit the group's website at www.fishbeachhaven.com
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