Well, the word right now is “officially.” The summer flounder season is officially over, while the newest portion of sea bass season has officially opened. The local captains are eager to sail daily, but we need the weather to cooperate. As this time of year arrives and we move later into the calendar, local fishing becomes more challenging, as the conditions can deteriorate quickly, or at times seem almost perfect. Only time will tell what we’ll get. Let’s check out what occurred recently.
Captains Andrew and Stan, from Sailor’s Delight Back Bay Fishing, concluded their summer flounder season by putting their patrons on flounder till the final day. That final trip also saw bluefish and weakfish being caught.
As this column is being written, Captain Andrew was watching the weather while setting up his schedule for fall blackfishing. He doesn’t dock that far from the local rock piles, so his trips allow for plenty of fishing time.
The Starlight Fleet will be sailing for sea bass through the fall season. They have plenty of 10-hour trips planned and should also be fishing for blackfish when that bag limit increases. Check them out online to see their schedule and book your trip.
The Atlantic Adventure finished up flounder season and had some time to kill before the sea bass season started. They found two ways to do so.
First, they ran some dive trips with Atlantic Divers that took them to some areas that they will soon be fishing for sea bass, then blackfish. Videos made during the dive showed areas of the Cape May Reef and some specifically designed “tire units” that were covered in growth and ready to offer a habitat to the local fish.
The second adventure, no pun intended, took the crew north up to Eastman’s Fleet, where they fished for, and caught, cod, hake and pollock. After their successful trip, they turned south and returned to Cape May to prepare for the sea bass season. They have charters lined up, but are looking to set up a trip for you. Also, Captain Adam will be running some open-boat trips for the first 12 anglers to sign up.
Captain Chuck, on the Sea Star III, reported that the end of the flounder season wasn’t up to desired levels. That meant that even though flounder were caught, they were mostly shorts. Weather, as it often does, factored into making the conditions a challenge.
Chuck took his patrons to the Delaware Bay, where they caught weakfish, croakers and bluefish. They fished there till the beginning of sea bass season on Oct. 1.
The fall plans for the Sea Star III have them sailing daily for sea bass until mid-November, when they will switch over and fish for blackfish. All trips leave at 9 a.m. and return at 3 p.m. Also, all trips are weather-permitting.
Pool winners for the week were Frank Servocky with a 1.35-pound weakfish, Eric Zetterstrand with a 1.25-pound bluefish and, with the last pool-winning flounder of the season, Jim Delotto, who claimed his prize with a 3.25-pounder.
Captain Skip, from Stalker Fishing Charters, wanted to thank those who fished for fluke with him this summer. He is now accepting reservations for next summer. He is also accepting reservations for the fall striper season. He’ll start those trips the week of Thanksgiving and plans to fish into January as conditions allow.
Hands Too Bait and Tackle reported that two anglers, Vince and Steve, stopped in to weigh and show off their matching 6-pound sheepshead. They were fishing in the inlet, and their fish brought a ray of sun to an otherwise dreary day.
The Miss Avalon, with Captains Irv and Brandon, is fishing for sea bass. They will be sailing an assortment of 6-, 8-, and 10-hour trips. The 10-hour hour trips will target the Deepwater Reef, as well as different wrecks that lie in deeper waters. Their full schedule is available and trips can also be booked online at www.missavalon.com.
The Starfish, like most local boats, moved their opening trip. A late change in the forecast resulted in their moving their opener up to Oct. 3. We’ll have word of their opening trips, but they won’t have a report for this week. But you need to be ready to fish when the conditions allow. Trips can be booked online at www.starfishboats.com.
Mike, at Sea Isle Bait and Tackle, reported that Brice and Nick stopped by to weigh in the sheepshead they caught. Brice’s fish weighed in at 5.55 pounds, while Nick’s moved the scale to 4.54 pounds.
The weather made it tough to get any information about the opening of sea bass season since cancellations – more accurately adjustments to the local boat schedules – were all over the board. It’s unfortunate that days were lost between flounder season ending and sea bass beginning, then having the weather add more missed days to the total. But it goes with the territory, and we’ll all have to adjust.
Submit fishing news and photos to mrobbins@cmcherald.com.
