The good fishing, and heat and humidity, continues while some trips were lost, or altered, due to the recent morning storm. That’s to be expected but it still hurts when opportunities, in any endeavor, are lost.
Let’s check out what results we had when local anglers were able to get out on the water.
Capt. Chuck, from the Sea Star III, reported that his patrons had another nice week with “good” fluke action. Plenty of shorts and keepers kept the anglers busy. A few were able to catch their three-fish limit, while some came up a slot-fish short.
Chuck also reported another “progressive pool” winner. Any angler who catches a fluke over 6 pounds can win that pool if they’ve entered. Sea bass and triggerfish also found their way into the coolers of those aboard.
Daily pool winners (all with fluke) for the week were Joe Errico, with a 3.6-pounder, Dave Cox (4.55), Bob Malone (5.5), Chris Gardner (5.9), and Mike Maziarczyk, with the big fluke of the week, a 6.65-pound fish, that was also the progressive pool winner.
Capt. Mike reported that his patrons, fishing on the Miss Chris, had plenty of action with sea bass and flounder. The throwbacks and keepers of both sea bass and fluke kept all aboard busy when the weather cooperated, and fishing could occur.
Pool winners for the week were split, as sea bass won for Tommy Fitzpatrick (15 inches) and Ryan McCartney (also 15), while a flounder won it for Ruthanne Morley (20 inches).
Full Ahead Sport Fishing, with Capt. Bob, reported steady results on his fluke fishing charters. They have been catching plenty of “over” fish while finding that it’s the “slot” fish that are the most challenging to find. This has resulted in plenty of large fish being released for another day. That’s not such a bad problem to have.
Cape May Bait and Tackle reported that flounder, kingfish, and croakers are being caught from the Cape May beaches. Bloodworms and Fish Bites work best for the croakers and kings, while a bucktail with either a minnow, or tipped with Gulp, works well for the flounder.
Out at the reef, keeper-size flounder, as well as sea bass, are enjoying squid, mackerel strips, or a nice Gulp swim bait.
Jim’s Bait and Tackle reported on a big flounder, one weighing 8.1 pounds, that was weighed in by Roy Trainor.
The Miss Avalon is catching flounder, sea bass, croakers, and triggerfish during their daily excursions to the local reefs.
A recent Saturday trip saw them return with 12 keeper flounder, sea bass, and triggerfish. The reefs are providing plenty of action and some nice fish for the dinner table.
The Avalon Lady is still catching some flounder from the back with some keepers mixed in. Croakers are also present and provide plenty of action for those aboard.
The Starfish has been doing well on their twice-daily trips to the local reefs, as they have been catching triggerfish, flounder, sea bass, and Scup. One angler, Jerry Rau, a regular in our reports, caught a nice fluke during a recent morning trip.
Boulevard Bait and Tackle reported a good morning trip, and bite, for the “Parker Boys.” The four anglers caught 11 keeper flounder and one sea bass. Oh, and they were back at the dock by 8 a.m.
Joe G. caught a nice flounder on Saturday morning that weighed in at 4.7 pounds and stretched to 24.5 inches. Joe G. also got out on Monday, fishing this time with Jay, and this time both returned with one keeper.
The Sailor’s Delight, with Capts. Andrew and Stan, have kept their patrons busy. That means they have been catching plenty of fluke, with some keepers mixed in, croakers, weakfish, sharks, and crabs. They’ve been working through a slow bite, due to boat traffic and weather, but nonetheless have fulfilled their mission of providing good times, as well as passing on some fishing knowledge and instruction.
Capt. Stan was in charge recently, as he and Mate Dave recorded an unusual catch. They identified a Feather Blenny that was a by-catch. This is a small (4 inches in total length) species of combtooth blenny, which lives in oyster beds, rocky shores, or abandoned shells.
The Starlight is heading to the local reefs to search for flounder, sea bass, and triggerfish. Capt. Ernie has been finding the fluke and putting his patrons in a position to put some filets in their coolers.
Sean, a mate who was fishing on a recent day off, had a good outing as he caught a nice-sized fluke, then added his two slot fish and finished off with his limit of three.
No Bones Bait and Tackle offers skiffs for rent, so you can go fishing or crabbing. Reservations must be made in advance of the day you want to go out. They also have bait for your trip, so go ahead and set up a morning or afternoon outing.
Congratulations go out to Lucas Seitz, who caught a 19.5-inch, 10-pound, 2-ounce Sheepshead. After weighing, measuring, and some photos, the fish was safely released. Nice gesture, Lucas.
Well, the fishing wasn’t bad, but it just seemed slower than it should be. Maybe it’s the heat and humidity causing less anglers to fish or the storms and resulting rough water making fishing tougher.
Hopefully, the air temperatures cool, the water settles, and fishing kicks back in. Either way, good luck if you get out, take care, and I’ll see you around.
Submit fishing news and photos to mrobbins@cmcherald.com.
