# LBI info???



## waterweasle (Jul 30, 2003)

I have family going to LBI for the next two weeks starting saturday 7-24-04, anyone have any good reports of whats going on there??? 
thanks
waterweasle


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## GotchaMack (Jun 16, 2004)

Buddy of mine just took a headboat for blues out of LBI last night. Don't know if you're into that type of fishing but he slayed the chopper blues out there about 30 miles on the Miss LBI, think he said it was $25 for an adult ticket. He was really satisfied with the capt. and the mates and the way the whole outfit was run. The headboat wound up with 175+ blues fishing from 6:30-9:30pm with 40 anglers on board, the fish were slammers and weighed an average of 10lbs. with a couple of fish upwards of 15lbs., if they don't wear your arms out nothin' will! Good Luck to ya whatever you decide to do, as far as inshore or pier/surf haven't heard much from that area?


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## dickyboy77 (Dec 30, 2002)

*no place like home*

WW
lived on the island almost all my life. Striper are still running on the beach. No special hot spots. usually brant beach, ship botttom or harvey cedars by the rock at the fishing lodge. it is about 5 miles north after you get off the causeway. Blues are on the head boats. miss barngeat light and all the fleet up north in barnegat light produce good stuff. weakies have been pretty good in the bay and so have the fluke. gotta work for them. this time of year it's the big blues so pay the loot and get some. fisherman's headquaters in ship bottom has fresh bait and really good info. don't tell them that you are a tourist, they might give you bad guage!! j/k.
good group of guys


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## Manayunk Jake (Oct 3, 2001)

Greetings waterweasle!

As everyone has mentioned, blues are the norm for summer fishing out of Barnegat Light. This fishing is great (especially at night) but can draw a rowdy drunken crowd on weekends.

I highly recommend the Carolyn Ann III out of Barnegat for fluke. This is a four hour boat sailing three times most days. It's alot more family oriented although some of the hardcore flukers towards the stern take the sport real serious.

You can stop by Fisherman's Headquarters to find out what's going on beachwise. Kingfish (sand mullet down south) should be in the wash, and schoolie stripers will be hanging around the jetties at the inlet. Backbay fishing for weaks is a specialized game involving chumming with live grass shrimp. 

All the oldtime striper fishermen have a favored hole on the beach that they fish under cover of darkness and would die before giving up the location. If your family member(s) are R-E-A-L good at reading beaches at low tide, they might nail a keeper striper on live surf clam or fresh bunker. This is real specialist fishing and tough to pick up while vacationing.

There are still a few boat rentals on the mainland side of the bay. Most are used for crabbing, but setting up a drift in the ICW might yield some nice fluke or weakies, depending on boat traffic. They have two weeks to find a pattern that works, so they should get into some fish.

Last but not least, the water is warm enough that the big sharks will be moving in at night to feed. A four foot gray or brown can keep you busy for an hour....


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## mako993 (Aug 14, 2004)

Hello everyone, new member here. I live outside of Washington DC in Northern Virginia, but grew up in the Pine Barrens not far from LBI. I'll be heading up that way next weekend, and will be trying my luck in the surf on the Island there. I'll have an 8 wt fly rod, maybe a casting or bait rod and hope to go for blues. It's been quite a few years since I've been fishing on the Island, but I'm really looking forward to getting back into it. I know the Fisherman's Headquarters very well, and used to stop in there quite often before I cast into the surf in the past. 

On that note - Would anyone have any info on where a good spot to surf cast from along Ship Bottom or the Light area? Even Harvey Cedars, which I hear is pretty good, too. 

Any info is much appreciated, and good to be onboard here!


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## Manayunk Jake (Oct 3, 2001)

Greetings mako993!

Welcome aboard! Most of the great holes on LBI are closely guarded secrets, but if you're half decent at reading a beach, you can find good water at low tide during the day and return in the wee hours to fish. Possible fly fishing hotspots include the sod banks of the back bay, and the jetty at the light. Both give up stripers and weaks in addition to blues. You also have a shot at hooking a false albecore on the fly, but they tend to frequent the North Jetty.

Good luck whatever you decide, and please post your report -- good, bad, or downright ugly! You never know what might prove useful to the next fisherman....


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## mako993 (Aug 14, 2004)

Thanks for the welcome and the info, Jake...I'll do what I can to find what I can and score on the fly and otherwise, and post my report after next weekend. 

Keep up the good work and tight lines!


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## dickyboy77 (Dec 30, 2002)

*i'll be there too*

Mako,
brant beach usually by Widas the irish pub on the left going to beach haven or a few streets past that. They have a good jetty line and the fluke and the striper hang out there. With all the rain it might be hard to find some fish, but anything can happen. I would still try the party boats because they will put you on the fish.
john


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## mako993 (Aug 14, 2004)

Thanks for the info, John. I'll check out that area, and also the party boat option, which is good if you just want to show up and get fish on. I'll have limited time that day, so that may be the way to go after all.


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## dickyboy77 (Dec 30, 2002)

*head boats*

mako
the boats will put you on the fish if you have limited time. runs about 25-35 for 1/d day. not to shabby. I fished miss barnegat light alot about 10 years ago. I think (my opinion) the boats out of the north do better for the fish. I think there are more reefs and deeper water right outside of seaside heights and where the north fleet goes. look on fisherman's headquaters web page for numbers.


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## mako993 (Aug 14, 2004)

Thanks for the info. I had planned to check into Fisherman's HQ, regardless, after I hit the Island. I may get on Miss Barnegat Light if it's the right deal. It's been a long time, but, are you allowed to take your own rod, or do they supply them on the boat?


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## riptidebnt (Aug 12, 2004)

*miss barnegat light*

the boat supplies rental rods for $ 4.00 i think 
they are a good boat and good crew. Check out Barnegat light bait & tackle their just up the road north of the boat--great guy and good info
If you want fluke the Doris Mae and Carolyn ann are the only game in town--doris mae is bigger and faster---gets you to the grounds qiuck.


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## mako993 (Aug 14, 2004)

Cool. I have an 8 wt fly rod, but I doubt I'll bring it on the boat, because if I do go on the boat, I'll be going for a couple of blues for the table, hopefully.


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## riptidebnt (Aug 12, 2004)

quickest way to have a bunch of guys threaten to murder you is to bring that fly rod on a head boat---the captain and especially the mates will give you a hard time--leave the fly rod at home


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## mako993 (Aug 14, 2004)

I'll do that :]


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## Manayunk Jake (Oct 3, 2001)

Greetings All!

Saw a guy bring an ultralight freshwater spinning rig onboard the Big Jamaica. The mate kindly offered to "put it in a safe place" for him....

A partyboat - and especially a night blue trip - is not the place to be experimenting with light tackle....


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## dickyboy77 (Dec 30, 2002)

*right said*

bring your tackle anyway. sometimes the boat is not full and they will let you use it. do not bring a fly rod. it is a cardinal sin on a head boat. try to stay away from the powerpro too. mono and light tackle is good for the blues/fluke. seabass use the boat rigs. saves you money on tackle and line.


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## Manayunk Jake (Oct 3, 2001)

Greetings dickyboy77!

Good point about braids -- most mates refuse to deal with braided line. If the boat is crowded, you can normally expect to tangle with two or three lines when landing a blue (they love to make that last run along the side of the boat!)

I normally cut out of tangles and retie -- most times you'll be back in the water while everyone is deciding who's sinker is who's....


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## mako993 (Aug 14, 2004)

Since we're on the topic of boats out of LBI and such, I was wondering if any of you knew if there was anyone running private charter boats, runs a good 1/2 of blues action, and doesn't charge an outrageous amount of money, for 2 or 3 people. My brother and I, and maybe a friend.

If anyone has any personal recommendations or referrals, it would be greatly appreciated!


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