April 16 Update
It is starting to look like “spring has sprung” in the Long Beach Island area, and the captains of the Beach Haven Charter Fishing Association are excited as the 2024 fishing season arrives.
There have been some serious catches of striped bass in the local inshore waters, and in the past few days black drum have made their presence known. The blackfish season has already been an active one. Another season on everyone’s mind is the upcoming summer flounder season.
There have been a couple of changes in the regulations for 2024. This year the season will run from Saturday, May 4, through Wednesday, September 25. This will provide fishing days early in the season for the inshore waters while opening days late in the season for the doormats in the ocean. The daily bag limit will be three with a minimum size of 18-inches.
The BHCFA captains are in various stages of preparation. Captain Gary Dugan has the “Irish Jig” ready to go and reports he will be targeting striped bass and drumfish right away along with blackfish at some of the local wreck sites. He adds that he is “looking forward to another great season of fishing and cruising.”
Captain John Lewis of “Insatiable” sportfishing has been spending the past two months delivering boats up and down the Atlantic coast and even in the Gulf of Mexico. He is looking forward to staying in Beach Haven and putting anglers on fish.
Captain Dave Wittenborn has been working feverishly readying the “Benita J” for action and plans a launch in early May for the heart of the striper season. All of the Association’s captains are booking dates for the season, and the prime ones are filling up fast.