The Fourth of July has passed in Beach Haven, and the captains of the Beach Haven Charter Fishing Association are operating on full speed ahead with trips both inshore and offshore.
On the Fourth, the "Reel Determined" with Captains Jimmy Zavacky and Ray Lopez headed out to Little Egg Reef with two fathers and sons. They found good action on the reef and the inlet where they caught two keeper fluke in addition to over 20 shorts. The next day the "Reel Determined" fished a wreck 8 miles out where they picked up some keeper fluke and sea bass.
Captain Ray Lopez had his boat the "Miss Liane" out with model Ashley Hass and her father Bob for his birthday. There was non-stop action on fluke and a big sand shark.
Captain Fran Verdi also did some fluke fishing on the "Francesca Marie." He found lots of short fluke in addition to a couple for the box each trip. Most of the keepers were in the 18-19 inch Captain Fran is expecting an uptick in the fluke action on the inshore reefs in the near future.
Captain Gary Dugan of "Irish Jig Sportfishing" reports finding big, out of season, blackfish on the wrecks in addition to some nice sea bass. He has been fishing in Great Bay and the Garden State South and Little Egg Reefs. One trip in Great Bay resulted in five keeper fluke and one bluefish.
Captain Carl Sheppard has been running up to two trips a day to the inshore reefs and finding a wide variety of fish. Besides the expected fluke and black sea bass, he has been finding a good number of triggerfish and even a 17-inch porgy. He reports seeing many signs of life including porpoises and sharks. One giant thresher leaped next to the boat with a sea bass in its mouth with a sinker hanging from it. Captain Carl had a shark fishing trip where they caught some good sized brown sharks. After catching the sharks the anglers picked up some keeper sea bass.
Captain George Finck of "Sparetime Charters" has been reef fishing for fluke and sea bass. One day his trip with the Clearwater party was driven back into the inlet by some strong winds where they had a nice catch of fluke.
The "Hot Tuna" with Captain Bob Gerkens did a tuna run to a southern canyon where there had been a good bite of big eye tuna. Despite all signs of life, the tuna bite had slowed with over 60 boats fishing the area. Chris Martin of Trenton brought a white marlin to the boat and Scott Damiano picked up a mahi-mahi.
Additional information on the Beach Haven Charter Fishing Association can be found at www.BHCFA.net
