“The stripers are coming! The stripers are coming!” Not to be confused with the Revolutionary refrain of “The Redcoats are coming,” this is the statement of the captains of the Beach Haven Charter Fishing Association.
With cool nights dropping the water temperatures, and schools of bunker just to the north of Long Beach Island, the striped bass action off the coast should be hopping in no time.
There has been some striped bass action in the Beach Haven area during the past couple of weeks, but this has been mostly on native fish in the bay waters. While this is fun action using lighter tackle and artificial offerings, a high number of these fish are under the legal keeping size of 28-31 inches.
It is when the migrating schools of bigger fish start to arrive from the north that the real excitement explodes. These fish will follow the bait, so the captains have their fingers crossed that the bunker arrive soon and stay around for an extended period.
At this time of the year, various striped bass fishing tournaments take place. Anglers without a boat in the water who would like to participate in one can utilize a boat and captain from the Beach Haven Charter Fishing Association. The captains will supply the boat, gear, and expertise while the anglers supply the fish catching.
The first of these tournaments is coming up on Friday, October 25, when the 27th annual Sea Shell Club Striped Bass Derby takes place. The three-day event is one of the premier tournaments on the northeast coast with proceeds going to a worthy cause. Contact one of the BHCFA captains to check availability for the weekend.
Besides the upcoming striper action, Captain Brett Taylor of “Reel Reaction Sportfishing” reports he is still finding sea bass in the ocean as well as outstanding blackfish action around Barnegat Inlet.