Although the official start to spring is still over a month away, the captains and mates of the Beach Haven Charter Fishing Association are already preparing for the upcoming fishing season.
As part of the BHCFA’s ongoing efforts to replenish and rehabilitate area artificial reefs, former BHCFA President Captain John Lewis announced a delivery of 36 reef balls is to take place at the state dock in Forked River. These reef balls are a joint project between the BHCFA and the Sportfishing Fund.
These balls will later be transported to area reefs and sunk to provide habitat for marine life. Recent placements of reef balls have been successful in improving area fishing. Two of these reef balls will be placed on temporary display for public inspection. One will be at Fisherman’s Headquarters Bait and Tackle in Ship Bottom and the other at Cape Horn Marina in Tuckerton.
BHCFA president Captain Nick Perello notes that association representatives will attend two area fishing and boating shows. A group of mates and captains will be on hand this Friday, February 17, through Sunday, the 19th, at the Philadelphia Fishing Show in Oaks, PA.
The following weekend the association will be represented at the Atlantic City Boat Show. This event runs from March 1 through March 5. Captain Nick urges attendees at these shows to stop by the BHCFA booth and learn more about the BHCFA, its reef efforts, and just talk fishing.
Although New Jersey saltwater fishing regulations have not yet been finalized, it appears there will be no change in the state’s summer flounder allocation. There will be a meeting of the New Jersey Marine Fisheries Council on March 2 in Stafford Township to iron out the details. Last year’s regulations called for a season from May 2 through September 27 with two fish 17- just under 18-inches and one fish 18 inches and larger.
Anglers interested in providing input to the 2023 regulations should attend the meeting to see what tweaks could be made. Initial indications are that there may be a minor reduction in the black sea bass rules from 2022 while the striped bass regulations will remain the same.