New Jersey: Angler’s Paradise in the Garden State

New Jersey boasts a long, influential position in the history of sportfishing.  In addition to the many captains and crews who earned their stripes fishing the Garden State, New Jersey is home to historic fishing clubs, big money tournaments, and die hard fisheries conservation groups as well.  All of this fishing activity and culture is rooted in some incredible inshore and offshore sportfishing opportunities. Justin Lerner, native son of New Jersey, pens a rousing endorsement for the notion that fishermen from far and wide should try their hand at fishing the Garden State. Here is just enough to make you want to read the rest….

The boat rocked gently under the starry night sky as I lowered a live squid 25 feet below the surface. The drone of the generator was quickly overtaken by the screaming drag from the 30 Wide: fish on! After a short but spirited fight, a beautiful 50-pound class yellowfin slid over the gunwales and into the fishbox. The fishfinder lit up like Clark Griswold house on Christmas Eve”this fish was not alone. Over the course of the next several hours, we caught countless yellowfin tuna from 50 to 90 pounds, keeping a few for the table and releasing the rest. They ate every bait that hit the water in a ravenous frenzy termed a mad-dog bite. The fishing was so hot, we ended up only fishing one rod for most of the night. As the sun gradually illuminated the eastern sky, we pointed the bow shoreward and started the journey home. And while most fishing stories conjure images of distant and exotic destinations, the truth is that occurred off New Jersey, a place more commonly associated with reality TV than bluewater fishing. New Jersey is home to some of the best offshore pelagic fishing on the East Coast. ………….(To continue reading this article click here) You can also subscribe to InTheBite The Magazine to enjoy more industry leading editorial.