Long Beach Island - Beach Haven Area

[No Fluken Luck]

I am heading to LBI on next thursday, the 1st of September and would love to get some surf casting in.  Any tips, comments, or even some surf casting hits would be greatly appreciated.  I am new to the sport and welcome any advice.  Also will do some boat fishing.

Thanks all and happy fishing.

Jim

[Hotrod]

Hi Jim.. Welcome to the site..  Let me bump this for you. I'm sure the guys missed it.  or their just getting "lazy"

[PastorAarn]

Hope you have fun!  I don't know much about surf casting as I usually just surf but I keep my eye on (Link Removed) for the weather and surf conditions and just get out there and do it!

[Hotrod]

   Slick...   Maybe if I see our link pop up on that site. I won't delete this post and Ban you...

Looks like a lot of Money went into that site. maybe you should dump some into advertising..

Sorry Jim for Turning this post..

[Hotrod]

Ahh..  your an SEO Company.. 

Wow   CheesY!!   and they pay you for this 

[No Fluken Luck]

Sorry, new to blogging as well, what does "bump" mean?

thanks

[Hotrod]

Bump.  is posting in a topic so it shows up in peoples "Unread Posts since last visit"  if you click that up top left.. it will list them for you

[rugman]

Maybe you all need to chill  Be like me

[paul-e]

Hey Jim,
Hope you have a nice trip to the beach.
From my experience with surf-fishing if you want to relax and do some fishing on the beach it can be a real hump to carry out your gear over the dunes, try and keep sand out of your gear, and the birds off your bait and catch if your walking.
If you don't have a surf rod then any light 7' rod with bait casting or spinning reel will do just fine to have some light action in the surf. Pyramid sinkers 3,4,6 oz with small 3/0 to 5/0 hooks with pieces of bunker, clams, bloodworms, or artificial blood worm bits should yield you some small blues, croakers and maybe some kingfish if they are around.
Need a sand spike, chair, bucket to carry gear, and of course lots of cold beer.
Don't be shy to ask questions at the local bait shop and ask for some tips.
If you have surf rods then you could always try a long haul cast with bait for bigger blues and bass. And even work some plugs. Evening and dawn hours should be more productive(oh yea will need a flash light)
I know some of the other guys on this site are avid surf fisherman so they can give you better advise but thats my $0.02
Also working jigs through the surf can yield some hits.
Have fun.
   

[No Fluken Luck]

Hey Paul-e,

thanks for the insight!  Can I bring plenty of cold beer at dawn?!! 
 

Jim

[paul-e]

Cold beers at dawn work for me.
Like the song goes:
"God is great, beer is good, and people are crazy!"

[Jeffish]

I stay at a beach house in LBI beach haven area. Maybe I'll see you.

My advice is Thursday starts the "holiday" weekend, and it will be crowded more then usual, and over populated come Friday-Sunday. On my street, there is a large sandbar, so I bring my casting rod, and a 2-3oz bucktail tipped with 4"yellow gulp and jig it on in. I can only do this near the jetty though as there are way too many children in the water. Only problem with standing near the jetty is the crabs that decide to pick at your feet. Keep an eye on the drift, and which way it is taking you, and pick a side of the jetty. If the drift is taking you north, be on the left side of the jetty, and vise versa. I don't recommend using live bait, unless you'll be casting it out and retrieving it immediately. Way too many children running around on their skim boards to realize that there is a line in the water. Use small bait fish with a 2-3oz sinker, cast and retrieve. Stop at Fisherman's HQ on your way in. It's right  before you turn onto the boulevard. That is by far the best tackle shop the island has. If you fish near a sand bar, try wading out about up to your thighs, and cast off the bar. That's what I do, and it produces fluke most of the time.

Good luck, and maybe I'll see you out there.

[No Fluken Luck]

Jeffish,

I will be down near Leeward/Merrivale.  I may even head down to Holgate and the refuge but I am sure it will be as crowded down there.

I know fisherman's headquarters.  I have heard a lot of good things about that place. 

One thing though, in your post you said you dont recommend using live bait, then you said use small bait fish.  Did I read that correctly?

Do you get involved in the tournament?

Jim

[Jeffish]

I meant to say, don't use bunker chunks, or a rig that sits in the water. I see plenty of fisherman casting and retrieving small baitfish + sinker. But once again this is near the jetty. If you go early enough in the morning, I'm sure you can get away with some bunker chunks/clams or whatever else you'd like to toss out, but not during the day.

[Hotrod]

But good to use during Striper Season

[No Fluken Luck]

Is there an ACTUAL Striper season or does it all depend on weather and tide?  I alwasy thought it was just a generic "fall" time period.

I know, I am so un-educated about this stuff. 

[Hotrod]

Basically the Spring and fall run

You'll see those topics heat up when the time is right

[ped579]

 

But if you want to catch and don't care what it is I would recommended using Hi-Lo rigs with smaller hooks like a croaker rig.  Many of the shops stock them or you could make them your self.

The bait of choice around this time would be mullet.  You could try using a mullet rig or cut small strips and put them on the smaller hooks.  They tend to fall apart pretty quickly so pick up a couple a dozen.

Light equipment is the key here.  7 or 8' rod with 15 to 20# test line is good enough.  If you don't get a bite with in a few minutes check your bait.  Crabs are in numbers now so that is the main reason for the HI-LO rig or mullet rig (that has a small float to keep the bait up).

Keep it close to the shore line and you should have fun.  By this I mean you don't have to cast out and give your self a hernia.

Happy Catching

Paul