When swordfish are around Beach Haven
Swordfish fishing out of Beach Haven runs from late summer into early fall for daytime deep-drop swords. Night work depends on the season, using chunk bait or lines, and the approach shifts as the season turns.
Beach Haven sits on southern Long Beach Island, and boats head offshore through Little Egg Inlet. For the wider timing picture, see our Atlantic Northeast swordfish guide (see also the wider Atlantic Northeast guide).
| Window | Method |
|---|---|
| Late summer into early fall | Daytime deep-drop rigs |
| Depends on season | Night sets with chunk bait or lines |
The run to Hudson Canyon
Beach Haven boats run to Hudson Canyon and fish its edges and walls. If you already run tuna trips to the canyons, swordfish fit the same destination.
Check the NWS coastal waters forecast for the Little Egg Inlet zone before you leave the dock. Wind, wave height, and wave period are the numbers to decide from.
Edges and walls
Local boats target the canyon edges and walls. You can read the contours on Chart Contours in the Breakpoint app, though chart layers are not for navigation.
- Canyon edges
- Canyon walls
- Hudson Canyon as the single named destination
How Beach Haven boats fish swordfish
Local boats split swordfish work by time of day, using deep-drop rigs for daytime fish and night sets with chunk bait or lines. Both methods come from Captain Dave’s trip descriptions. For species behavior and general rigging, see our swordfish guide.
| Daytime | Night | |
|---|---|---|
| Method | Deep-drop rigs | Chunk bait or lines |
| Timing | Late summer into early fall | Depends on season |
| Ground | Hudson Canyon edges and walls | Per Captain Dave’s descriptions |
Daytime deep-drop
Local boats use deep-drop rigs for daytime swords. The window is late summer into early fall, and the ground is the Hudson Canyon edges and walls.
Night chunk and line sets
Night sets use chunk bait or lines, depending on season, per Captain Dave’s descriptions. The night approach varies as the season changes.
Named structure off Little Egg Inlet
These reefs and wrecks sit off Little Egg Inlet and on the way out. They serve as chart landmarks near port.
| Structure | Depth (ft) | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Little Egg Inlet Reef (Little Egg Reef) | 50 | Off Little Egg Inlet |
| Jessie C (crew boat) | Within Little Egg Reef | |
| Garden State South Reef | 55 to 65 | 5.1 nautical miles off Spray Beach |
| Rhino (crew boat) | 65 | Within Garden State South Reef |
| Ocean Wreck Divers I (USCG 44-foot patrol boat) | 60 | Within Garden State South Reef |
| VHFC patrol boat | 80 | Within Garden State South Reef |
| Triple Wrecks | ||
| Mud Hole |
Little Egg Reef and the Jessie C
Little Egg Reef sits at 50 ft off the inlet. The Jessie C crew boat lies within it.
Garden State South Reef wrecks
Garden State South Reef is 5.1 nautical miles off Spray Beach, at a depth of 55 to 65 ft. Three wrecks lie within it:
- Rhino (crew boat), 65 ft
- Ocean Wreck Divers I (USCG 44-foot patrol boat), 60 ft
- VHFC patrol boat, 80 ft
Triple Wrecks and Mud Hole
Triple Wrecks and Mud Hole are two more named structures near port.
Who fishes swordfish out of Beach Haven
If you’d rather fish swordfish out of Beach Haven on someone else’s boat, these local charters list swordfish:
- Beach Haven Charter Fishing Association
- Benita J, Capt. Dave Wittenborn
- Miss Beach Haven, Capt. Steve Palmer
Beach Haven Charter Fishing Association
The BHCFA, the local association, lists swordfish among its charter targets. See the BHCFA charter fleet listing.
Benita J, Capt. Dave Wittenborn
The Benita J is a BHCFA boat captained by Dave Wittenborn. It is the same operation as Captain Dave’s Beach Haven – LBI Fishing Charters, and the source of the day and night method descriptions above.
Miss Beach Haven, Capt. Steve Palmer
Miss Beach Haven is a BHCFA-listed charter captained by Steve Palmer, and it lists swordfish.
FAQ: swordfish fishing out of Beach Haven
When is swordfish season out of Beach Haven?
Late summer into early fall for daytime deep-drop swords. Night chunk or line sets depend on the season.
Do Beach Haven boats deep-drop during the day?
Yes. Per Captain Dave’s trip descriptions, deep-drop rigs are used for daytime swords at the Hudson Canyon edges and walls.
Which Beach Haven charters run swordfish trips?
The BHCFA lists swordfish. Its boats include the Benita J (Capt. Dave Wittenborn, which is Captain Dave’s charters) and Miss Beach Haven (Capt. Steve Palmer).
Do the reefs off Little Egg Inlet hold swordfish?
Local boats target swordfish at the Hudson Canyon edges and walls. Little Egg Reef (50 ft) and Garden State South Reef (55 to 65 ft) are named inshore structure on the run out.
What other billfish do Beach Haven canyon trips encounter?
The same canyon trips target other billfish, which are covered in our billfish guides.
