The Headboats on the Jersey Shore bring out the big game fisherman in all of us.

The Headboats on the Jersey Shore Bring Out the Big Game Fisherman in All of Us

Take one of the big Headboats out of one of the Jersey Shore inlets such as Belmar or Point Pleasant, and you can be anything you want to be. "King of the World" on the bow, a pirate with your group of maties, (most guys' fantasy) the big deep sea bill fisherman on the verge of the catch of his life.

No matter how you see yourself on board one of the great charter fishing boats that ply the waters along the Jersey Shore, you are guaranteed to have a great day of sun, sea and, yes of course, fish!

Some people call them the party boats, but whatever you call them, these headboats are the big boys out there, and unless you've taken your own sports fisherman out through the inlet to chase the big one, you cannot beat the feeling of power of anticipation that being on one of these great party boats can bring.

Most headboats take out between 10 to 100 people, depending on the size of the boat. Half day trips are the norm, but sometimes trips are booked in advance for a few days trip. If you like to fish, but the cost of a boat of your own is out of your budget, taking a headboat trip is a great alternative.

These trips can be a real bargain when you consider the price of boat fuel today, and how much it costs to own, dock and maintain a boat. All the same excitement and results at a fraction of the price. In addition, most of these boats have hands on board who are real pros. This means they know where the fish are, they know what bait to use for the fish that are out there and if you have a good one one the hook, you can be sure they will guide you on the intracies of hauling it in.

Try to get a position on the stern of the boat, where there is less chance of tangling with other fishermen's lines. This may not be that easy unless you get there early. Smaller boats are more fun and give you a better sense of what's happening with the fish, but a bigger boat has a further range to go find the fish. Half day fishing also limits the range the boat can cover in its search for the big ones.

If you are taking a week or two vacation on the shore, check out the boats in the basin and plan a day on one of them. Try to get to the docks when the boats are coming in and you can see which boats have the most success!

Some of the best shore towns for headboats are Belmar, Point Pleasant, Atlantic Highlands, Ocean City, Cape May and Brielle, but even if you are staying at another charming shore town, one of these big head boat capitals will be a few minutes drive away.