As a New Jersey based angler, any time I would travel south to Florida or North Carolina, I would always be intrigued by the allure of sheepshead. It wasn’t hot and heavy action, but word would get out that the “exotic” sheepshead were being hooked, and they were not small - averaging 8 to 12 pounds. Fast forward to present day, and Jersey is putting up some of the most notable IGFA line class records when it comes to sheepshead.

I never thought I would state these word but let’s call it like it is – Spanish Mackerel are now a staple species providing a reliable fishery in New Jersey. That statement is pretty incredible as I cannot remember a time in the past when Spanish were thick enough to make daily trips targeting them.

The Jersey surf always offers up some summertime surprises. This was my log entry for October 12, 2016 - “Unbelievable! Lavallette. High at 4:50 PM, seas 4 to 5 foot heavy water solid, greenish blue. Fished at 2 PM with clams, light east 5 knots, at 3:15 bagged clammed 28-inch striper and then, rod tip was freaking out with something small on it - POMPANO!”