CHUMMING INSHORE SPEEDSTERS

When summer speedsters enter Jersey waters, its game on for lightning quick action on light tackle. Bonito, false albacore, Spanish mackerel and even skipjack tuna will patrol the inshore grounds, zipping from area to area in the bluewater anywhere from 3 to 15 miles out. Chumming and chunking for the speed demons can be a […]

When summer speedsters enter Jersey waters, its game on for lightning quick action on light tackle.Bonito, false albacore, Spanish mackerel and even skipjack tuna will patrol the inshore grounds, zipping from area to area in the bluewater anywhere from 3 to 15 miles out. Chumming and chunking for the speed demons can be a blast.Start by finding a ridge, anchor up and begin to carpetbomb the area with a handful of fresh spearing, live peanut bunker or killies. As the chum flitters about and sinks, the oily slick and lively baitfish begins to form and establish itself, and its time to send out baits. Fluorocarbon leader is a must with the line-shy speed demons. Start with a Spro 50-pound barrel swivel, then 30-inch section of 20-pound SeaGuar or Yo-Zuri TopKnot fluorocarbon leader and a No. 1 Gamakatsu live-bait hook.Hiding the hook is of paramount importance and on dead spearing the hook can be poked into the mouth of a spearing, pushed out the gills and hooked back in right behind the gill plate or just underneath the backbone, almost like a butterfish is hooked when chunking for tuna. Drop the bait in the water, open the bail and pull off two pulls of line off the reel so there is no tension on the bait in the water, keeping it flowing down the water column freely and without friction. Keep ahead of the current by continually pulling line off the reel before it catches up to you. Once a pickup occurs, flip the bail and engage the reel, and lift back on the rod fairly gently as the speed of the takeoff will usually set the hook.Live baits like peanut bunker and killies really incite the fish and pitching live baits to the speed demons can be the most fun and rewarding on light tackle, with wild visual strikes, sometime only yards from the stern of the boat. Light tackle set ups consist of 7-foot medium to fast action spinning rods such as Shimano Terramar or St. Croix Tidemaster series rods matched with reels with smooth drag systems like a Shimano Stradic 4000 or Okuma Azores Z-40 spooled with 12-pound monofilament line.[vc_row][vc_column][vc_media_grid element_width='6' grid_id='vc_gid:1504013297079-e601e075233b1827190413658ebc95e2-8' include='4698,4699'][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][block_title style='column_title' inner_style='inline_border' title='Suggested Gear'][/block_title][vc_row_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width='1/4'][vc_column_text]
Shimano
ST4000XGFK Stradic FK Spinning Reel
The Shimano Stradic FK Spinning Reels are designed for anglers who demand toughness and durability in their tackle. Shimano's Hagane reel design allows for these reels to be long lasting through your many fishing trips.View[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width='1/4'][vc_column_text]
St. Croix
Tidemaster Inshore Spinning Rods
Tidemaster Inshore Spinning Rods are handcrafted with St. Croix's exclusive SC graphite for strength and durability. St. Croix Tidemaster rods are fitted with premium saltwater-grade hardware including Batson Forecast hard aluminum-oxide guides featuring new 316 stainless steel frames for dramatically improved corrosion resistance.View[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width='1/4'][vc_column_text]
Seaguar
20FP25 Fluoro Premier Fluorocarbon Leader
Virtually invisible. Smaller Diameters. Incredible knot and tensile strength. Perfect shock leader. Extremely soft, with low memory. Seaguar Fluoro Premier and Seaguar Fluoro Premier Big Game. We took fluorocarbon to the next level.View[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width='1/4'][vc_column_text]
Ande
Premium Mono 1/4 Lb. Spool 12 Lb
ANDE Premium is our production monofilament for the vast majority of anglers. It is the same high quality as our Tournament grade monofilament. All the products within the Premium grade have excellent tensile and knot strength and are all very abrasion resistant.View[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] [instagram-feed id='3945030428'][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row full_width='stretch_row_content_no_spaces' type='full_width_content'][/vc_row][vc_column css='.vc_custom_1459892926495{padding-bottom: 10px !important;}'][/vc_column][vc_text_separator title='']" target="_blank">

FAST DRIFT FLUKING

While bucktailing has risen to the top as the preferred fluke fishing tactic lately, there is a time when bucktailing won’t be effective, mainly when the winds start blowing, the drift picks up big time, and you cannot hold bottom anymore. That’s the time to switch up your fluke tactics to adapt to the swift […]

While bucktailing has risen to the top as the preferred fluke fishing tactic lately, there is a time when bucktailing won’t be effective, mainly when the winds start blowing, the drift picks up big time, and you cannot hold bottom anymore.That’s the time to switch up your fluke tactics to adapt to the swift fishing conditions. First off, if the drift is over a knot, you may want to deploy a wind sock to slow up the speed. Next, its time to employ swift drift rigs that are designed to hold bottom and flutter effectively even when moving at a fast pace. My main fluke drift rig consists of a braid friendly fishfinder slide clip on the running line, then a small red bead slid on, to which as 130-pound Spro barrel swivel is tied on, then a 24 to 30-inch piece of 30-pound Seaguar or Yo-Zuri TopKnot fluorocarbon leader to which a tandem two hook sliding snell rig is tied with size 3/0 Gamakatsu Octopus hooks.This rig is designed to fish long strip baits. Fluke belly works great here for a strip bait, but go big with a 7 to 10-inch slice of the white side or ribbon alone, or put a white strip on first, then sandwich it, topping it with an equal size brown strip to present a realistic image of a small fluke or fluttering baitfish. Bluefish, sea robin and mackerel strips will also work for long baits. When drifting, allow the sinker to always maintain touch with the bottom, letting out line as you drift to insure you are on bottom. Doormats will hang on the bait many times, and when you feel the first strike, put the reel in freespool and feed it back to him so he completely engulfs the strip bait.Strip baits will only work properly if you make the proper cut. Any bait you put down must be hydrodynamic and flow through the water, undulating and fluttering as if to mimic a swimming baitfish. Cuts should have a tapered end on both the top and bottom, cut like a long diamond shape. Do not chop off the top part on a straight cut as the edges of the corners will catch the water and make the strip spin. Test the waters by dipping the strip in at boatside figure 8 ing the bait and see if it curls up on you or spins, trim off the problem parts until you get a streamlined offering.Conventional set ups work best here as they allow you to thumb the spool to let line out and drop back to a fish seamlessly. A Shimano Terez 6-6 rated for 20 to 40-pound matched with a Shimano Torium 16, spooled with 50-pound Power Pro braid is my huckleberry when it comes to fast drift fluking.[vc_row][vc_column][vc_media_grid element_width='6' grid_id='vc_gid:1503493703370-17f2385ec30f33734cce640fd81528d2-9' include='4688,4687'][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][block_title style='column_title' inner_style='inline_border' title='Suggested Gear'][/block_title][vc_row_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width='1/4'][vc_column_text]
Shimano
TOR16HGA Torium Reel
The Shimano Torium Star Drag Reels are new to Shimano's Torium series reels. They are compact, rigid, and powerful saltwater conventional reels with excellent castability and durability expected by saltwater anglers.View[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width='1/4'][vc_column_text]
Spro
130lb Power Swivel
These amazing swivels are made of high-grade stainless steel with a gunmetal black finish. They offer super smooth rotation and unbelievable strength and durability. SPRO Power Swivels are 1.5 times stronger than standard barrel swivels despite their tiny appearance.View[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width='1/4'][vc_column_text]
Seaguar
30FC25 Fluorocarbon Leader
Incredible impact and abrasion resistance. Fast sinking. Superior tensile and knot strength. The original FC (Blue Lable) Seaguar 100% fluorocarbon leader material allows you to use a smaller test leader than comparable nylons or fluorocarbons for unmatched bait presentations.View[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width='1/4'][vc_column_text]
Gamakatsu
209413 3/0 Octopus Hook
The offset point makes it a good choice for many chunk bait situations.View[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] [instagram-feed id='3945030428'][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row full_width='stretch_row_content_no_spaces' type='full_width_content'][/vc_row][vc_column css='.vc_custom_1459892926495{padding-bottom: 10px !important;}'][/vc_column][vc_text_separator title='']" target="_blank">

SNAPPER ZAPPIN

Jersey’s bays and surf are loaded with baby bluefish right now, more commonly known as snapper blues. While these snapper blues range from 3 to 6 inches long, they are an absolutely blast to catch to introduce somebody new to the sport of fishing, to get a kids juices flowing or to gather as prime […]

Jersey’s bays and surf are loaded with baby bluefish right now, more commonly known as snapper blues.While these snapper blues range from 3 to 6 inches long, they are an absolutely blast to catch to introduce somebody new to the sport of fishing, to get a kids juices flowing or to gather as prime fluke baits. All along the docks, bayside parks, bulkheads and piers of the back bays anglers are zappin’ snapper blues for maximum fun.When the little 3 to 6-inch snappers roll through, a simple ¼-ounce Acme Kastmaster or Hopkins NoEQL will hang the diminutive demons, as will a Snapper Zapper float rig with a long whole spearing threaded on the long shanked hook. Simply cast out and pop the float back by twitching it. Snappers will strike the flailing spearing underneath. You’ll also find a lot of snake-like needlefish attracted to the surface activity, which really put a smile on a kid’s face when you hook up with one. For rod and reel, an ultralight to light set up is sufficient for dockside casting, such as a 5 to 6-foot spinning rod like a Shimano Stimula or old school Shakespeare Ugly Stik, matched with a 1500 to 2500 class reel like an Okuma Nitrix 25. Spool with 8-pound Trilene XL monofilament line. Some great snapper spots in Jersey to fish are Brick’s Bayside Park, Huddy Park in Toms River, The Longport and Ocean City Piers, Keansburg Pier, and any local gas or marina dock.Fluke hounds know that live snapper blues are hands down one of the best baits to tempt doormat fluke. When you acquire a few, put them in a bubbling livewell bucket to bring to the boat. Rig a snapper blue on a fishfinder slide rig comprised of a 1-ounce egg sinker, 75-pound Spro barrel swivel, a 24-inch section of 25-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon leader to a size 3/0 Gamakatsu Octopus Hook. Hook the snapper through the lips or on larger snappers, through the nostrils.Remember, Jersey law dictates that while there is no size limit for bluefish, you still have to abide by the 15 fish bag limit, even with snapper blues.[vc_row][vc_column][vc_media_grid element_width='6' grid_id='vc_gid:1502811912137-f03c8ada47681463c478768988c43771-9' include='4668,4667'][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][block_title style='column_title' inner_style='inline_border' title='Suggested Gear'][/block_title][vc_row_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width='1/4'][vc_column_text]
Acme
Kastmaster SW10 1/4oz Fishing Lure
Kastmaster's balance produces wild action without line twist! Because of its aerodynamic design, it's the master distance caster, and catches fish from pan-sized trout to bragging-size stripers - in fresh and salt water. The Kastmaster is machined from solid brass.View[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width='1/4'][vc_column_text]
Hopkins
No=Eql Plain
Hopkins NO=EQLLures are the original HOPKINS Lures. They resemble mullet, sardines, herring or any silver baitfish. NO=EQL Lures have relatively thick bodies. They are heavier then conventional spoons of the same length and can be cast much farther.View[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width='1/4'][vc_column_text]
Eagle Claw
Lazer Sharp L927 Saltwater Snapper Popper 2' Tube
Eagle Claw Lazer Sharp Saltwater Snapper Rigs were designed with beginner, intermediate, and expert fishermen in mind. Perfect for saltwater snapper bluefish.View[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width='1/4'][vc_column_text]
Berkley
Trilene XL
The monofilament Trilene XL line by Berkley is perfectly designed for smooth casting. This line resists twists and kinks and provides sensitive to feel structure and strikes. This Berkley line also has incredible strength for confidence and control.View[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] [instagram-feed id='3945030428'][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row full_width='stretch_row_content_no_spaces' type='full_width_content'][/vc_row][vc_column css='.vc_custom_1459892926495{padding-bottom: 10px !important;}'][/vc_column][vc_text_separator title='']" target="_blank">

SURF SHARKING

No doubt, its shark time in Jersey. The first two weeks of August always usher in all sorts of beasties to the surf line. Not only are big game sharks around, such as blacktips, spinners, browns, sand tigers, and even a hammerhead or two, but some behemoth rays such as butterfly rays, roughtail stingrays and […]

No doubt, its shark time in Jersey. The first two weeks of August always usher in all sorts of beasties to the surf line.Not only are big game sharks around, such as blacktips, spinners, browns, sand tigers, and even a hammerhead or two, but some behemoth rays such as butterfly rays, roughtail stingrays and cow nosed rays will also test the strength and stamina of surf anglers.Rods need to be heavy duty and able to handle fish up to a 200-pound class adversary. 11 to 12-foot rods are commonplace such as a Shimano Tiralejo TRS120MHA a Tsunami TSAWESS1142XH or a Lamiglas XS 11MHC. Reels need to be brawny and sturdy enough to handle the stress of the beast as well as engage a smooth drag system during ripping runs. Shimano Ultegra 14000 XTD, the old school Penn Spinfisher 9500 or Abu Garcia 6000CTI. Spool up with 65-pound Power Pro green braid as the main running line.Anglers use various types of rigs for surf beasts. It’s come down to a pretty simple rig to start. Tie a Palomar knot onto a Spro 2/0 130-pound test three-way swivel with sinker clip. On the second eye of the three-way is crimped a 40-inch section of 130-pound monofilament leader, crimped to American Fishing Wire 210-pound Surflon wire leader C210B-0 then crimped to a 10/0 Gamakatsu Octopus or Big River hook. You can also purchase a pre-tied BlacktipH shark rig. Usually a 3 to 5-ounce Pyramid sinker is used for weight.When fishing the dark hours, don’t forget to clip on Cyalume night light sticks to the rod tips and be sure your sand spike is planted like concrete super securely into the sand, otherwise an unrooted rod will be pulled out of the spike and dragged into the ocean, lost forever. Fresh bunker are the prime baits for sharks but you can also opt to use chunks of bluefish, mackerel or kingfish heads.Fighting sharks from the surf is no joke as drag systems will be tested with scorching runs, while every fiber of the rod will be stretched to its maximum capacity and bend. Keep your drags moderately set and adjust with little tick twists to tighten down accordingly as the fight drags on. It’s not uncommon to battle a big fish for a half hour or more, so be prepared for the long haul when that rod goes down. In Jersey, it is illegal to possess brown, sand tiger or dusky sharks so if you do happen to hook one by chance, it must be released immediately in the washline. Check your state’s regulations for updated land-based shark rules. All sharks should be released quickly after the hook is taken out, and no shark should be out of the water for over a minute.[vc_row][vc_column][vc_media_grid element_width='6' grid_id='vc_gid:1502205539239-14766f46205330e4cb8fee18d9fe538e-0' include='4659,4657'][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][block_title style='column_title' inner_style='inline_border' title='Suggested Gear'][/block_title][vc_row_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width='1/4'][vc_column_text]
Shimano
TRS120MHA Tiralejo Surf Spinning Rod
The new Shimano Tiralejo Surf Spinning Rods are made with the all new Shimano C4S blank construction which utilizes high modulus blank and wraps 4 outer layers of 90 degree graphite. The C4S construction is a unique design that uses Carbon 'C' a 4 layer process '4' and slit carbon tape 'S' while using high modulus carbon 'HM'.View[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width='1/4'][vc_column_text]
Penn
Spinfisher V SSV9500 Spinning Reel
The Spinfisher V Series reels have many improved features such as the rubber gasket that keeps superline from slipping. Another great feature is the line capacity rings, so you will always know how much line is left during a tough angling fight.View[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width='1/4'][vc_column_text]
Power Pro
65lb 500yds Braided Spectra Fishing Line Moss Green
PowerPro braided Spectra fiber with Enhanced Body Technology (EBT) gives you awesome handling performance on any reel. Unlike the older style braided lines, fishing with PowerPro is as easy as fishing with monofilament. An incredibly round, smooth, and sensitive line.View[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width='1/4'][vc_column_text]
Tackle Crafters
BTHSR Blacktiph Shark Rig
Want to use the same shark rig as Josh from BlacktipH? Well now you can using the BlacktipH surf fishing shark rig made in the USA by Tackle Crafters. This rig is comprised of super strong 350lb swivels, #15 single strand stainless steel wire, 400lb monofilament, and a 12/0 circle hook on the business end.View[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] [instagram-feed id='3945030428'][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row full_width='stretch_row_content_no_spaces' type='full_width_content'][/vc_row][vc_column css='.vc_custom_1459892926495{padding-bottom: 10px !important;}'][/vc_column][vc_text_separator title='']" target="_blank">

CHUMMING INSHORE SPEEDSTERS

Shimano

ST4000XGFK Stradic FK Spinning Reel

St. Croix

Tidemaster Inshore Spinning Rods

Seaguar

20FP25 Fluoro Premier Fluorocarbon Leader

Ande

Premium Mono 1/4 Lb. Spool 12 Lb

FAST DRIFT FLUKING

Shimano

TOR16HGA Torium Reel

Spro

130lb Power Swivel

Seaguar

30FC25 Fluorocarbon Leader

Gamakatsu

209413 3/0 Octopus Hook

SNAPPER ZAPPIN

Acme

Kastmaster SW10 1/4oz Fishing Lure

Hopkins

No=Eql Plain

Eagle Claw

Lazer Sharp L927 Saltwater Snapper Popper 2' Tube

Berkley

Trilene XL

SURF SHARKING

Shimano

TRS120MHA Tiralejo Surf Spinning Rod

Penn

Spinfisher V SSV9500 Spinning Reel

Power Pro

65lb 500yds Braided Spectra Fishing Line Moss Green

Tackle Crafters

BTHSR Blacktiph Shark Rig