That noise you may have heard was the thud of the weak opening to the start of the spring blackfish season. The first few days of the season were tough, basically nonexistent, but then the first sparks revealed what we have to look forward to if the weather ever settles and allows for a steady stretch of fishing. It’s a start, albeit a slow one, so let’s check it out.
The Fishin’ Fever, with Capt. Tom, gets the first ink of the season. They had a good trip that they were able to squeeze in before the mid-week deluge. They caught plenty of quality fish but no big double-digit fish that Capt. Tom’s trips are known for.
As you may or may not know, the state record blackfish, a 25-pound, 8-ounce specimen, was caught by Chris Sullivan during a trip on Tom’s boat in December 2020.
Other boats were still waiting to start. Some targeted a midweek date, like the Miss Avalon, but the rain arrived and forced her to move that trip back a couple of days. Capt. Irv will now sail a schedule that focuses on weekend trips. Other days, especially during the middle of the week, may be added, but after speaking to Irv, the best advice would be to call ahead, especially if traveling a distance.
Trips this time of year are heavily influenced by the weather and the number of anglers who have indicated a desire to go on a particular day. The idea of calling ahead is good for whatever boat you plan to sail on.
The Sea Star III sailed through their Coast Guard inspection recently and Capt. Chuck set this past Saturday, April 9, as their opening day. With the weather looking iffy for the following day, and an early-season week following, Chuck set this Friday, April 15 as the next day to sail. From then on, he plans to sail daily at 9 a.m.
Capt. Al on the Bayhound is set for another season on the water. He’ll be casting off soon while targeting blackfish and other bottom dwellers that inhabit the local wrecks, reefs, and rocks. In addition to those, he’ll also fish the back for stripers, weakfish, and bluefish. When the time is right, he will turn his focus to flounder and other summer fish that live in our area.
Capt. Andrew, from Sailor’s Delight Back Bay Fishing, announced that he has some “exploratory” trips planned for April 14, 15, and 16. Each day will have two trips, with the morning trip starting at 8 a.m. followed by an afternoon outing starting at 12:30 p.m. More dates will be added soon. You must make a reservation for these trips, and you can do that by calling609-827-8309.
Cape May Bait and Tackle reported that stripers are moving into the Chesapeake Bay and in the approaching weeks, will start their move to the Delaware Bay and then onto the Delaware River where they will spawn. They report the back bays and beachfront are your best choices right now, with bloodworms being the bait of choice. Schoolies are also along the beaches.
As the month progresses, you should look for stripers along the Delaware Bay beaches. At that point, bloodworms, plus bunker chunks and clams, are good baits. Artificials such as Swim Shads, Bombers and Mag Darters are good for some night fishing for bigger fish.
In May, the bigger fish will make the turn around Cape May Point and head north.
They also mentioned that blackfish season recently opened. With that in mind, or if you want to start searching for striped bass, they are ready with green crabs, bloodworms, and clams to help get you started.
Cameron, from Boulevard Bait and Tackle, reported that “Tom” is catching some small stripers from the “ocean side.” He was using light tackle and having some “fun.” It just took someone to put in the time and check it out.
A few anglers mentioned here in previous columns, and whom I have shared fishing trips with, warrant mention, as they were able to do a little blackfishing recently.
One, Christian Maldonado, got a trip in on the Big Mohawk that sails from Belmar. He caught a nice keeper for his efforts. The others were Brandon Overstreet and his son Ayden. They chose to target blackfish from a local rock pile. Together, they were able to land a few keepers for the dinner table. Nice job to all.
Well, some fish are being caught. Granted, it’s slow, the water is cold, and the air temperature isn’t much higher. But, if you get the chance, bundle up and get out on the water. You won’t catch them sitting on your couch. Good luck if you get out and I’ll see you around.
Submit fishing news and photos to mrobbins@cmcherald.com.
