Life along the New Jersey barrier island known as Long Beach Island is so distant from the pace of New York City and Philadelphia that it feels like another planet. The 18 miles of beach, dunes and breaking waves moves to the rhythms of tides, storms, surf and fish migrations. Once the summer tourists disappear, the off-season is like loosening the drag on life. Yet fishing continues to shape the island, as it has for generations.
“The community embraces fishing,” says Steve Palmer, who with his wife, Carole Ann, bought Jingles Bait and Tackle in North Beach Haven five years ago to live the fishing life and keep open a neighborhood mainstay of almost 50 years. “The last few years, we’ve had kingfish in the surf all summer. That’s great for families because it’s instant gratification for the kids.”
“Penn Reels was founded right there in Philly, and they would test their gear off LBI,” says Capt. Karl Anderson, who is 60 and a native of Beach Haven on LBI. “The Penn Long Beach is one of the most iconic reels ever made.”
One can hear the excitement in Anderson’s voice as he talks about his early fishing grounds and the mark this area made on sport fishing. “It’s so historically significant,” says Anderson, who now lives in Florida
