Sandy Hook NJ Fishing Reports and Videos-Reel Fun Sportfishing

Sandy Hook NJ Fishing Reports (2012)
"Capt. John's Fishing Reports" gives you the latest information about our fishing charters as they occurred.
You'll read when we do good and when we don't, what baits we used, rigs, water and tide conditions.
So bookmark this page and check back with us regularly.

For archived 2011 Fishing Reports and Videos......click here.

Friday February 10, 2012

Fellow Anglers,

I am proud to announce that on Saturday, March 10, 2012 I have been retained by Efinger Sporting Goods, 513 W. Union Ave., Bound Brook, NJ to give a 90 minute Fluke seminar on fishing the NY Bight area which includes Raritan and Sandy Hook bays as well as inshore ocean locations. Techniques that I use to successfully put my charters onto some very impressive flatties for the cooler.

Some topics of discussion will be choice of baits (cut big and catch big), bucktailing versus drifting baits, preferred choice of rods and reels, tides to fish, areas to fish at what time of the season, outgoing versus incoming water, drift speeds, chart reading, understanding your GPS and many other topics of great interest during this cram-packed seminar of information now that we are starting to zero in on the upcoming 2012 fishing season.

I haven't received all the final details from Efinger's, but I do know that the seminar will commence promptly at 1:00 and finish at around 2:30 and will coincide with their spring blowout of fishing gear and that I heard they will have some sort of door prizes to give out. Sounds like this could be an interesting day!

Efinger's will be updating their web site shortly and their phone number is 732-356-0604 if you have any questions. Mark your calendar for March 10th and hopefully I'll see you there.

Don't forget to bring your paper, pencil and questions as I'm there to help you. Let's make this a killer Fluke season.

Tight Lines,
Capt. John

Monday January 30, 2012

Fellow Anglers,

This past Friday, I received my monthly JCAA newsletter in the mail and was shocked to read the 2012 New Jersey Blackfish (Tautog) regulations. Boy, talk about getting the masses confused and upset.....It's really amazing what the beaurocrats in Washington and New Jersey can do when given a little power.

The reason are many and I refuse to make this reports section political, so I'll just say it's a damn mess.

Here, my fellow anglers, are the official 2012 Tautog (Blackfish) regulations. These are the daily bag limits.

Legal size keeper fish: 15"

1/1-2/28 = 4 fish/man
3/1-3/31 = CLOSED
4/1-4/30=4 fish/man
5/1 - 7/26 = CLOSED
7/27 - 8/30 = 1 fish/man
9/1 - 10/17 = CLOSED
10/18 - 11/15 = 1 fish/man
11/16 - 12/31 = 4 fish/man

So there you have it. Mark you calendars as I have if you're interested in doing some bottom fishing with me.

Tight Lines,
Capt. John

Friday January 20, 2012

Fellow Anglers,

Just a few lines to keep you informed as to what's going on here at Reel Fun Sportfishing.

As we settle into the heart of winter, you have to admit it's not been too bad so far. Let's keep our fingers crossed it stays this way for awhile longer.

I've been very busy getting ready for the upcoming fishing shows by revising and printing brochures, business cards and postcards. Anyone attending the shows will get a look at a new feature that you'll find on our Reel Fun postcards with the addition of the QR code. If you have a smartphone, just scan the QR code on the postcard and you'll be directed right to the Reel Fun Sportfishing web site....very cool! (Advantage Promotions in Boonton, NJ handles all my PR materials in case you're interested in top quality service)

I've talked to the show organizers and they are very excited about the seminars that will be featured this year and the addition of some new vendors to both the Suffern, NY as well as the Somerset, NJ shows. Word has it that the outdoor show last week in Edison, NJ was very well attended, which means that cabin fever has really set in and the hunters and fisherman are eager to get the 2012 season underway.

Personally, I've been busy tying rigs for clamming and bunker chunking Stripers as well as making rigs for bucktailing this upcoming Fluke season. We're going to be introducing many of you to the art of "bucktailing" if you've never tried this very productive method before. Bucktailing around submerged objects can be very challenging at times, so a good understanding of this method is critical. You'll loose a ton of very expensive bucktails if you're not attentive in what you're doing. So be forewarned.....we'll start you off with a few bucktails, but I strongly advise you to purchase some bucktails from your favorite bait and tackle store in advance of your charter.

Spro's are what we use most often in sizes 2, 4, 6 and 8 ounces in chartreuse/white and my favorite...glow. Tsunami also makes a glow "ball" type bucktail with white feathers that works very well too! My biggest Fluke last year was on a 6 ounce Tsunami Glow w/ white feathers and a strip of Sea Robin....a killer on Fluke.

Sometime around mid March, and weather permitting, I'll be painting the bottom of the boat, and we'll be ready to go around April 1st. Hopefully the Raritan Bay Stripers will start to arrive around the 15th of April which is right on schedule for them. My mates and I will be doing some exploratory trips to locate these early season fish so we don't have to spend a lot of your time searching for them on the day of your charter.

Stay warm and mark your calendars for the upcoming shows.

Tight Lines,
Capt. John

Tuesday January 10, 2012

Fellow Anglers,

Happy New Year and welcome to 2012. Ahhhh, I like even numbered years.

Just wanted to touch base with you as I have been busy getting ready for the upcoming shows in March. I've received word that the Suffern, NY show is going along well with every booth rented out by vendors and once again this show promises to be be the granddaddy of them all. Hunting and fishing displays from all over the Northeast with an enormous amount of interesting things to see and do. I've been on a waiting list for a number of years to do this show and I can't wait to meet with all the great anglers interested in spring Striper fishing with me.

Believe it or not, I've gotten reports of pods of Striped Bass still swimming along our coast just off the inlet of Manaquan River on down to Barnegat. A few charter and party boats still running out of those ports have been hitting these fish, so it still ain't over yet! I'm wondering if the usual spring Striper fishing (around April 15th) will start on time or will they be arriving late this year.

It seems obvious to me now that the late arrival of the fall Stripers for 2011 was based more upon water temps and absence of bait than what I had originally thought was poor water quality in the Raritan Bay area in October and November. The water temp theory was relayed to me by Dave Lilly a few months back and he seems to be right on. Good call Dave, I stand corrected.

Tight Lines.
Capt. John

arters Sandy Hook, NJ