As the captains of the Beach Haven Charter Fishing Association look at the weather forecasts for the final weekend of the 2023 summer flounder fishing season, things do not look promising.
A storm coming up the eastern seaboard is bringing strong winds, high seas, and above average tides. With the season officially ending on Wednesday, September 27, hopes are high for some fluke action once the storm passes by.
A report from the “Star Fish” with Captain Carl Sheppard notes that there was some good ocean bottom fishing action on structure in recent days. In addition to fluke, there has been some very good rod bending action on black sea bass although the season is still closed, and they must be released. The anglers have also been finding a variety of fish normally caught in southern waters including some triggerfish.
There are also good stories about panfish action in the bay waters including some very good catches of blowfish. These fish are not considered great action, but they cook up very nicely. It is no accident that they have been dubbed “sea squab.” Other fish showing up in the bay include kingfish, weakfish, and others. If the ocean waters remain stirred up, this type of fishing might be an option for anglers.
Also popping up in bay and inlet waters have been some decent numbers of bluefish. These fish are often found under feeding birds and are in the 1–3-pound class, perfect for eating.
There has also been a surprising bite of mahi-mahi in the waters off Beach Haven. Although these fish have been on the small side, their appearance close to shore is unusual.
Additional information on the Beach Haven Charter Fishing Association can be found at www.BHCFA.org