Dec.3: The Fishing Line, December is still good fishing

Here comes December and I know most of you will be hanging up the gear any minute now, but there are a few of you still out there and this column will run all winter long, so keep the information and the pictures coming.
Ron from Cape May Bait & Tackle reports that another week of way too much wind didn’t keep all the fisherman home, and some of those who got out got beat up, but caught fish.
Tim Donnelly did it again in the Cape May Rips, catching five bass to 27-pounds using goldfish from his pond. He said the bite was on, but conditions became ‘unfishable’ fast with the unforgiving winds, and he had to cut the trip short.
Even the surf fisherman got wind-whipped, but managed to find big blues and stripers from Poverty Beach to Lighthouse Park in Cape May. Clams, bunker, and 4-inch to 6-inch swim shads took the fish.
There was still some bird play above bunker schools along the beach, but most were just out of reach. If the winds ever let up, fishing should get back to where it was.
Captain Ray agrees with Ron that weather has been the biggest factor the last couple of weeks. Fishing in an open boat and using a fly rod when it is below freezing and a good wind makes for tough fishing at best.
Ray had to cancel most trips due to weather, but when it was decent stripers were still taking flies and plugs. Most of the action has been during daylight hours as the bio-luminance is still effecting catch stripers on artificial flies and plugs after dark.
Sinking lines with buck tail deceivers in almost any color seems to keep fooling the fish with the best fishing being around the inlet rocks and beach front.
Captain Ray will be running trips till about Dec. 7.
The Miss Chris, Cape May, continues to report good striper fishing with fish to 25-pounds. George Williams, Philadelphia brought in two at 24.5 and 18-pounds; Pete Krintion, Cherry Hill, also had two at 23 and 21-pounds; and another two brought in by Sammy Maslow, Philadelphia, at 19 and 20-pounds.
NJ DEP Division of Fish and Wildlife would like teachers to be aware that the Physical Education Grants Initiative application deadline has been announced. These grants provide up to $2,500 to certified teachers to help establish a fishing and/or boating education program in their school.
The Future Fisherman Foundation and The Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation are partnering to sponsor the Physical Education Grants Initiative. The application deadline is Jan. 19.
Information is available on the Future Fisherman Foundation’s Website at futurefisherman.org/programs/physh_ed/ or njfishandwildlife.com/pegrant.htm
Winter Trout Stocking Program: A total of 23 lakes throughout the state are stocked with more than 5000 giant (14 to 17-inch) rainbow trout enabling anglers to enjoy quality trout fishing all year.
NJ lawmakers from the First District have advanced a bill in Trenton that would establish a salt-water fishing registry as proposed by NOAA. (Coastal Broadcasting News)
CORRECTION: One of the photos in last week’s column had the wrong caption. It was not Bucktail Willie with a nice striper but rather a client from the Royal Flush with a good-size bluefish.
Check out SeeMyBigFish.com and be sure to send your fish stories and pictures to Be My Guest reporter. Send info to cmiller@cmcherald.com.