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About the fish we catch...
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Here's a brief description of the great inshore fishing that's available around Sandy Hook, NJ,
Striped
Bass. . . . .
2024 Season:
New Jersey.....
March 1 to Dec 31 (Rivers, Bays and 0-3 miles offshore)
Legal size keeper fish per angler per day: one (1) fish 28" to 31.
New
York (marine waters south of GW Bridge).....April 15 thru Dec. 31
Legal size keeper fish per angler per day: one (1) fish 28" to 31".
Baits of choice:
Chunking (Bunker heads and bunker chunks), clamming, eels or sandworms.
Fishing method:
Drifting with Sandworms or Eels, chunking with Bunker heads, clamming, Trolling
Stretch 25's and the HOT new steup....MOJO rigs as well as jigging/ and/or casting
with bucktails, shads, spoons and other various artificials. We do whatever
it takes to catch fish for you.
The
most sought after inshore gamefish in New Jersey. "Stripers" are one
of the ultimate gamefish that inshore anglers spend numerous hours seeking.
From April through December, Stripers can be found throughout the New York Bight
area. Stripers can range anywhere from "schoolies" to "cows"
in the 50 lb. range. We use only the finest rods and reels drifting sandworms
or eels or at anchor chunking bunker or clamming. We also employ the trolling
of Stretch 25's and MOJO rigs, shad rigs and tube and worm on braid line outfits.
Please be aware that we make every effort to return to the water large female
Striped Bass especially if the fish has not yet spawned. We all would like to
have the "braggin" fish in the 40-50 lb. range, but let's make an
effort to preserve the species for future generations. Science has shown that
Bass in the 34" and larger size range are mostly female's, so please take
your legal limit but also let's not waste a valuable resource.
New Jersey State Record Striped Bass: 1982 by Al McReynolds 78 lbs., 8 oz.
Fluke
(Summer Flounder). . . . . .
2024 Season: May 2nd through September 27th
One fish 18”
or greater AND 2 fish from 17-17.99”.
Baits
of choice:
Squid, spearing, sandeels, live snappers, peanut bunker, bluefish or bunker
ribbons.
Fishing method:
Drifting bait or jigging and casting Bucktail lures.
One
of, if not, THE most delicious eating fish in the New Jersey waters. Fluke is
one of New Jersey's highly sought after fun fish to catch during the summer
and fall months. Drifting baits such as Squid strips, Spearing, Sand Eels, Bunker
strips, Bluefish strips, Sea Robin belly, peanut bunker and live snapper are
some of the most productive ways to catch Fluke. Once again using light tackle
gives you the ultimate opportunity to try to land the biggest of Fluke "the
Doormat". Fluke usually range in size from 2 lb up to 5,6 & 7 lb'ers
commonly found in New Jersey waters. "Doormat Fluke" of 10 lbs or
greater are quite common.
New Jersey State Record Fluke: 1953 by Walter Lubin 19 lbs., 12 oz. @ Cape May
Bluefish...
2024 Season:
Jan 1 thru Dec 31
Legal size keeper fish per angler per day: 5 fish for charters only (no size
limit).
Baits
of choice: Chumming bunker, casting & jigging metals.
Fishing method: Chumming, jigging/casting metal lures or trolling.
Pound
for pound, the nastiest fighting fish in the water.......hands-down winner!
Bluefish on light tackle is a fishermens dream come true. Fishing for Bluefish
can be done by chumming with bunkers or other types of bait, casting jigs and
other artificials or trolling shad lures and deep diving plugs. Small Bluefish
in the 2-3 lb. range are great eating, as Bluefish can also come into the 12-14
lb. range.
Weakfish
(Sea
Trout). ....
2024 Season: Jan 1 thru
Dec 31
Legal size keeper fish per angler per day:
1 fish @ 13" per angler/day
Baits of choice: Sandworms or Peanut Bunker
Fishing method: Drifting Sandworms or Peanut Bunker or jigging
& casting lures.
Sleek
and beautiful, the weakfish (named so because his jaw is quite soft) is probably
one of the most beautiful fish in the Northeast. Weakfish have a purple-hued
back, bronze and deep green coloring around the head, silvery sides and the
unmistakable yellow fins. Weakfish range in size from 2 lb'ers found in the
back bays to 12 lb'ers found along the coast, with an occasional 14 lb'er thrown
in for good luck. Drifting with Sandworms is my method of choice, although casting
and retrieving soft-tail lures such as the Fin-S in bubblegum catches fish too.
New Jersey State Record Weakfish: 1986 by Karl Jones 18 lbs., 8 oz.
Winter
Flounder...
2024 Season:
March 1 thru Dec31
Legal size keeper fish per angler per day: 2 fish @ 12"
Bait
of choice: Sandworms, squid and clams
Fishing method: Chum logs and/or a mixture of corn, rice and rabbit
food.
One
of the most delicious fish you can eat from the New Jersey waters. Typically
the first
fish of the spring fishing season found in the rivers of the Navesink and the
Shrewsbury. Fish with an anchored boat along the edges of the channels and use
chum logs/chum pots on the bottom. We also use a mixture of rice, corn and rabbit
food tossed overboard to attract the flounder. Biat your hook with small pieces
of sandworms and a flounder rig with small bank or dipsy type sinker. KEEP BOUNCING
THOSE ROD TIPS TO ENTICE A STRIKE!!!!
Black
Sea Bass...
2024 Season:
Unknown at this time
Bait
of choice: Clams and small cut squid
Fishing method: Bottom fishing at its best from an anchored boat.
Found
around underwater rocks and structure (ex: Sandy Hook Reef, Shrewsbury Rocks,
etc) Will be found along with the Tautog and you'll be fishing the same rigs.
Not a tough a fighter as the Tog below, but still stubborn non the less.
Blackfish
(Tautog)...
2024 Season:
Unknown at this time
Bait
of choice: Clams, green crabs or white legger crabs
Fishing method: Bottom fishing at its best from an anchored boat.
One
of New Jersey's greatest eating fish. Found around underwater rocks and structure
(ex: Sandy Hook Reef) Break out your stout and sturdy equipment as these fish
are real brutes to bring to the surface. Fish around rocky underwater structure
such as the Sandy Hook Reef, the Shrewsbury Rocks as well as numerous wrecks
and reefs along the coast of New Jersey.
To
reserve your date call...
Capt. John
at: 908- 421- 4761
©
2005 Reel Fun Sportfishing, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Web site designed and published by Capt. John
ng Charters Sandy Hook, NJ