Long Beach Island Fishing Information

New Jersey's Long Beach Island offers world class fishing! The 18 miles of shifting sand bars, inlets and bayside docks and sod banks produce year-round. There are lots of fishing spots to access Long Beach Island's resources. We are here to help anglers catch fish. When in the area stop into Fisherman's Headquarters and browse our selection of fishing tackle. While here ask the staff about the local happenings. Chances are they are into fish and can help you join the fun.

Check Out LBI's Best Fishing Report Blog!... FishingLBI.com

Please RESPECT all locations:

▪ Carry out what you carry in!!!

▪ Use common courtesy when driving in and out of residential areas!!!

▪ If an area is busy with anglers it might be best to go back another time.

▪ Pay attention to other anglers and give them space!!!

▪ A polite attitude goes a long way.

Please know there are lots of hidden treasures nestled in and around Long Beach Island. Various street ends that some will never know about offer phenomenal fishing and crabbing. Fortunately some local towns have built bayside crabbing/fishing piers and public access bulkheads. As far as the surf fishing goes the best areas/spots change frequently as sand bars move and holes fill in. It is best to scout spots at a low tide when the bottom structure is easily seen. Then fish a spot when more water is present at a higher tide. Certain spots hold fish and some do not. Try a spot at different tides to see when fish cruise through or if they hold there. Do your homework and you'll be rewarded.

Check Out LBI's Best Fishing Report Blog!... FishingLBI.com 

Fishing Spots on Long Beach Island

The following Long Beach Island fishing spots are listed from north to south.

Barnegat Lighthouse State Park

Old Barny Light House, Barnegat Light (N39.764352, W74.106227)

Located at the northern tip of Long Beach Island, Barnegat Light offers a variety of fishing opportunities. The bayside, the Inlet and the surf (front beach) are all fishy areas.

Barnegat Inlet's Jetty (aka South Jetty) is a very productive area to fish any time of year for a variety of species. The most popular species are striped bass and bluefish as well as tog, sea bass and fluke. Anglers fish the rips near the lighthouse and along the concrete walk way. Some love to explore and creep the jetty further out. Depending on the day and conditions fishing can be great anywhere along the Jetty. Please use extreme caution when fishing the wet rocks. Be safe and wear the appropriate gear like Korkers to ensure footing.

Barnegat Light's Town Beaches (surf) are known for holding big trophy striped bass in the prime time season. Keep in mind the further north you go (lower the street number) the longer the hike over the dunes to reach the water's edge.

Barnegat Light's Bayside has a large length of public bulkhead. This begins behind the Condos (4th and 5th Street) and continues to the area at the "end of the road" that is right outside the entrance to the park. This entire area can be very good and a great place with protection when the wind and swell have the Inlet churned up. In season tog fishing here is very good. Also some late nights the lights draw in bait and feeding predators. Another area to fish the North End's bayside is the High Bar Harbor Dike.

The Dike - High Bar Harbor

The Dike at High Bar Harbor, Barnegat Light (N39.758111, W74.119707)

The Dike is a peninsula of land that extends out into the bay offering anglers a variety of options. Fly fisherman love the diversity of the water from shallow rolling flats to deep fast moving water. Barnegat Bay's main thoroughfares Double Creek Channel and Oyster Creek Channel merge at its tip producing beautiful rippy water that is great for targeting striped bass as well as fluke, bluefish and weakfish. The Dike's close proximity to Barnegat Inlet is one of its key features. Any fish that moves in or out of Barnegat Bay by way of Barnegat Inlet has to move past the Dike. Fishing can be great both on both the east and west side. Do not hike through the over grown trees. It is infested with poison ivy and ticks. CAUTION!!!

Directions to the Dike at High Bar Harbor: Once on LBI, take Long Beach Blvd north to Barnegat Light. Turn left on 20th street and continue straight through the next intersection. Then as the road bends (to the left) make your first right and then another quick right onto Sunset Blvd. Park at the end of the road and walk the sandy trail.

Harvey Cedars Bayside Pier

Sunset Park, Harvey Cedars (N39.693943, W74.143886)

Harvey Cedars Sunset Park has a pier for crabbing and fishing. It is located near the Harvey Cedars Water tower. The entrance to the park is at West Salem Ave.
 

Surf City Bayside

Surf City has a number of street end bulkheads. Two of the best: the 24th Street end and the south end of Shore Ave at the west end of North 1st Street.

Ship Bottom Bayside

Our home town at the heart of Long Beach Island!!! Ship Bottom offers opportunity for vacationers and day trippers to take advantage of what Long Beach Island has to offer without traveling all the way to one end or the other. Ship Bottom's Causeway Route 72 Bridge offers some of Long Beach Island's best fishing and crabbing. Ship Bottom also has a public bulkhead between 3rd and 4th Street on the bay which is a good spot.

Robert Nissen Park (Ship Bottom Boat Ramp)is located on the bayside in Ship Bottom (10th - 12th Street) on the south side of the Causeway entering Long Beach Island. There is a large gravel lot for parking. The crabbing/fishing pier is located right next to the boat ramp. Depending on the season a variety of species are present. Anglers can fish with light tackle in the summer and target snapper bluefish, weakfish, fluke, blowfish, kingfish and spot. Also in the warmer month it is a great place to night fishing for sharks and rays (sand bar sharks aka brown sharks, dogfish aka sand sharks). In the fall and spring striped bass, bluefish and drum are frequently caught. The Ship Bottom Boat Ramp Crabbing and Fishing Pier is also a great winter flounder spot in season.

Beach Arlington Park (aka Sunset Park, Ship Bottom Bay Beach) is located between 13th-16th on the bay in Ship Bottom. It is a summer time bathing area that is very popular among families, but in the offseason it can be a very good area to fish the bayside. It is best fished wading because it is shallow in close. There is a channel within casting distance. Certain times of year striped bass, bluefish, weakfish, fluke blowfish and drum are present cruising the channel. It is a great place to launch a kayak.

Ship Bottom Crab Cove Pier is located on the bayside on Central Ave between 25th and 26th Street in Ship Bottom. It is a great place to crab in the summer time. It can also be a good spot to catch snapper bluefish. Get there early because it can be crazy mid day and especially on the weekends.

Beach Haven - Public Docks
The Queen City of LBI, Beach Haven has a large Public Dock area with phenomenal fishing. It is located at the west end of 2nd Street. The bulkhead/boardwalk area has plenty of parking. The area offer some of the Island's best bayside fishing. Depending on the season a variety of species are present. In the summer time it is a great place to target weakfish as well as sharks at night. In the spring and fall stripers love to cruise the lights at night looking for small bait.

Holgate - Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge

Edwin B. Forsythe Holgate Unit, Long Beach Township (N39.531009, W74.263405)

Located at the southern tip of Long Beach Island, the Holgate Unit of the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge is part of Forsythe’s designated Wilderness Area. It consists of more than 400 acres of barrier beaches, dunes and tidal salt marsh. One of New Jersey’s last remaining undeveloped barrier islands, this Natural Heritage Priority Site is an important and productive area for beach nesting birds. This site has also been designated a globally significant IBA by National Audubon for supporting breeding Piping Plovers.

Access to Holgate is subject to special regulations. Pedestrians are allowed only on the beach and must stay out of the dunes to protect this fragile habitat. Vehicles are not permitted above the high tide line and a permit must be obtained from Long Beach Township for access to the site. The Holgate Unit is usually open to beach buggies September 1 through March 31 or as posted. Information on current status of vehicle access and beach buggy permits can be obtained from Long Beach Township at (609) 361-1000 or the Long Beach Township Police department at (609) 494-3322.

Holgate is a beautiful stretch of beach to fish during the day or night. It offers phenomenal fishing in the early fall during the mullet run (September) when bass, blues and fluke go crazy over mullet that are pouring out of the bay. The back side offers great clamming. Take note of daily tides and wind/swell forecast. Sometime around the moons the extreme tides can steal beach fast, cutting off the driving path at certain spots. Some times angler are trapped and have to stay until the next tide. Use extreme caution and always make sure you have enough gas.

Holgate is best fished via 4x4 (need permit) but there are opportunities for anglers with out a beach buggy too. Take Long Beach Blvd south all the way to the parking lot at the end of the road. This lot is a good place to park for those looking to fish the front beach at spots like the Wooden Jetty and Beach One. Both are good fishing spots; however, during the daytime hours they are ruled by surfers. Beach One Jetty is straight off of Washington Ave and the Wooden Jetty is next groin south. There is also a rock pile further south of the Wooden Jetty which was named by surfers, the Suicide Jetty.

Fishing Spots on the Mainland

The following are fishing spots on the mainland not far from Long Beach Island. The spots are listed from north to south.

Oyster Creek Outflow

Oyster Creek Rt. 9 Bridge - Lacey Township, NJ (N39.811231, W74.199641)

The Oyster Creek Power Generating Station's warm water discharge attracts and holds bait and fish year-round. Although limited access, Oyster creek is loved by stripers, weakfish, bluefish, winter flounder and anglers. Even in the cold of winter Oyster Creek hold hungry striped bass. The hot bait is usually bloodworm and the hot lures are small bucktails and soft plastics as well as small swimming plugs. Fishing is very productive from the top of the east side of the bridge, but there isn't much room so it can be busy and at times crazy. Do not fish the west side! And do not wonder around on the west side of Rt.9! The power plant has extra high security. It is best to cross the bridge and walk the Creek's north side bank. Fish anywhere along the bank. Fishing is also very good at the mouth of the creek however, access is difficult. Do not trespass on private property!

Directions to Oyster Creek: From LBI Take Rt.9 north past Waretown towards Forked River. You're getting close once the Power Plants smoke stacks are visible. Park on the south side of the bridge and on the east side of the street. Park on the side of the street or in the small dirt lot.

Barnegat Public Docks

Barnegat, NJ (N39.749315, W74.192656)

The Barnegat Township Public Docks and Municipal Boat Ramp has a large gravel public parking lot with a long stretch of boardwalk bulkheaded bay front dock. The area is well know for crabbing but it is also a great area to catch snapper during the day and weakfish at night when in season. When the bluefish invade Barnegat Bay another spot which is right around the corner is the Barnegat Public Bay Beach. It offers great fishing but you must wade out and use a longer rod like a 8 or 9' light action plugging rod for more distance. Spring time bluefish action can be phenomenal where on poppers.

Directions to the Barnegat Public Docks: From the LBI area, take Rt.9 North. Once in Barnegat make right onto East Bay Ave. Continue over a small bridge and finally to the big gravel parking lot on the right side of the road with two story gazebo.

Bridge to No Where

Bridge to No Where, Stafford Township, NJ (N39.683927, W74.207613)

The Bridge to No Where is a very popular crabbing location that is located at the end of Stafford Ave. The Bridge was constructed in the 60-70's by NJ Bell Telephone to run telephone poles and lines across the marshes. Since then it has been rundown and vandalized. Great crabbing! Look out for green heads!

Directions to the Bridge to No Where: From LBI take 72 west over all of the Causeway Bridges. Make right at first light, Marsha Drive then Left onto East Bay Ave. You will pass a gas station and marina on the right side. Then make a right on to Hilliard Blvd. Continue past the Manahawkin Elks Lodge and then make a right onto Stafford Ave. The pot hole filled paved road will turn into gravel. Continue to the end of the road.

Graveling Point
Graveling Point, Osborn Island, Little Egg Harbor Township, NJ (N39.538612, W74.393345)

Graveling Point is a public fishing area that is part of the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge Brigantine Division. It is a great early season hot spot for striped bass. Graveling Point is located near the mouth of the Mullica River where the sun warms the river's outflow over the shallow water flats of Great Bay. Every year the seasons first striped bass are caught here. Fishing is best on the outgoing tide when the warmest water turns on the bite. It is very productive in March and April. Best bait is bloodworms. Graveling Point is mostly sod bank with some small sections of sand. We suggest wearing waders because in order to get out to the Point, one must cross a small creek.

Directions to Graveling Point: In the town of Tuckerton near the lake make a left on to Great Bay Blvd. Then in about a half mile make a right on Radio Rd. Continue over the small bridge to the end approximately 4 miles. Graveling Point is a few hundred yards to the right. Walk the sand beach heading west. Cross the small creek and then continue on along the sod bank. Fishing is great anywhere along the sod bank.

Seven Bridges Road

Great Bay Blvd., Little Egg Harbor Township, NJ (N39.509196, W74.320043)

Great Bay Blvd also known as Seven Bridges Road is a great area to fish and crab with a great view of the Atlantic City skyline! Although there are not seven bridges, the five offer great opportunities with the first and last two being the most popular. Fish the bridges and their surrounding areas or if they are busy with people drive all the way to the end and walk the trail to fish the bank. The first bridge crosses Big Thorofare, the second crosses Little Thorofare, the third crosses Jimmies Creek, the fourth crosses Big Sheepshead Creek and the fifth crosses Little Sheepshead Creek. At the end of the road is the Old Coast Guard Station which is now RUMFS, Rutgers University Marine Field Station. It's a working lab with ongoing research year round.

Collins Cove

Collins Cove, Port Republic, NJ (N39.548247, W74.473983)

Collins Cove is located on the Mullica River just west of the Parkway Bridge, about 2 miles west of Port Republic. Collins Cove was created when fill was removed to construct the Parkway Bridge over the Mullica River. Hence it's massive hole which has some what filled in over time but still present. Collins Cove is know for its excellent white perch fishing in the winter and early spring. Depending on the year it can have great ice fishing in the dead of winter, January and February

Directions to Collins Cove: Take Parkway exit 48 which places you on route 9 South, about a half mile make a right-turn onto Rt 575 Chestnut Neck Road. About two miles, make a right-turn onto Rt 624 Clark's Landing Road. You'll pass underneath the Parkway south-bound and then north-bound. Then take the first right-hand turn onto a dirt road and drive parallel to the Parkway going North as far as possible into the Port Republic Wildlife Management Area until you arrive at a parking lot. At this point you will need to park your vehicle and hike (yes, walk) less than 1 mile along a path NNE to Collin's Cove.