It was another week of steady fishing as we had a slight change in our hot-weather pattern. Anglers enjoyed their favorite activity in favorable temperatures and conditions. It was a welcomed change to what we’d been experiencing recently. Some nice keeper-size flounder are still in the backwater which gives hope to those that are fishing that area. Let’s see what happened over the last week.
Captain Chuck from the Sea Star III reported another week of status quo. They caught fluke and sea bass on each trip which kept their patrons busy, as well as happy. The captain and crew will be working to keep their fares on the fish each day. They sail daily at 9 a.m. and return at 3 p.m.
Daily pool winners all won with fluke this week. Kris Lindholm won with a 2-pounder and was joined by Olivia Walker (2.1), Rick Mroczek (3.0), Mike Banney (3.5), Bob Monroe (2.75) and Kirsten Johansen who won twice during the week with a 2-pounder and a 3.8-pounder.
During the Wednesday trip, angler Butch made the “best of a poor weather day”. How? By catching a drum fish that “stole the show”. Needless to say that the catch was a little different than what they usually catch this time of year.
The Sailor’s Delight had a good weekend of action as plenty of flounder were caught. Some keepers were amongst the many throwbacks. It’s nice that some keeper fish are still hanging out in the back because it allows an angler to go home with something for the dinner table. The cool 61 degree air temperature on Saturday got the crews attention but it didn’t prevent Captain Stan and Mate Dave from helping their patrons bring some “flatties” over the rail.
Trips later in the week produced more “mud marlins”, or flounder, as well as some kingfish.
Don’t forget that you can also charter a 3-hour fishing or crabbing charter or jump on an “open boat” opportunity for either of those activities.
The Cape May Lady is heading out each morning and afternoon. They have been catching a good mix of sea bass, flounder, kingfish and weakfish.
Grassy Sound Marina reported that Eric DeLellis and his father, Eric DeLellis Sr., had a nice outing that resulted in a 4.6-pound, 23-inch flounder being caught. They were fishing behind Stone Harbor on the outgoing tide.
Declan McGeever was fishing with his family when he caught his first keeper flounder which weighed 3-pounds and was 22.5-inches long. It hit a minnow on the incoming tide behind Stone Harbor.
The pier was the site of the 23rd Annual Fishing Tournament that honors the memory of Big Jim Adair. Eight participants were at the first outing in 1999 while this year’s version hosted fifty people. Flounder, bluefish, Spot, sea bass and even an oyster cracker were part of the mixed bag caught this year.
The pier also allowed Greg Schumack the chance to catch his 4.2-pound, 21.5-inch fluke. He caught it at the top of the outgoing tide while using a minnow as bait.
The Miss Avalon has been busy with fluke, sea bass and triggerfish as they fish their two daily trips. They leave the dock each day at 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. There is one trip on Saturday and Sunday. The Sunday trip is a 5-hour special that returns at 1 p.m. but sails for the cost of a 4-hour trip providing you with an extra hour of free fishing.
A nice catch to highlight went to Colin Russell who landed a nice sea bass, amongst some flounder, during a recent trip. It was the perfect size to gut, scale and roast whole.
The Avalon Lady is taking advantage of the amount of flounder still in the backwaters. On recent trips they had five keepers plus a nice kingfish, and on the next morning they landed three more keepers and a couple more kingfish. One of those mornings also provided over one-hundred short flounders.
First Fish Adventures took the Tom Barns crew out for their annual day of fishing which resulted in four keeper flounder and plenty of action with a bunch of throwbacks.
The Starfish is back on the scene as the new boat has arrived and fishing has begun. They sailed their first trip, a four-hour trip that saw plenty of sea bass being caught. The first group to fish on the new boat was very excited.
Boulevard Bait and Tackle had Bob and Caden stop in after a recent trip to a local reef. They reported plenty of action on the short flounders while they weighed in two nice keepers that weighed 3.8 and 4.6-pounds.
The Ocean City Fishing Clubs annual Boys and Girls Surf Fishing Tournament resumed after a two-year hiatus on Saturday, August 13th, as 110 boys and girls participated. They fished from the north end beach near the Ocean City-Longport Bridge.
After the two hours of allotted fishing concluded, 61 fish, including fluke, sea bass, Spot, kingfish, sea robins, sand sharks and skate, were caught.
The high-hook for girls was Katie Smiley, 16, with eight fish while the boys high-hook winner was Hunter Erazmus, 15, who caught five fish. Each winner claimed a $300.00 certificate from Century Rods. Katie also won for largest fish in the girls division (a 16-inch flounder) while George Shimp (17-inch flounder) won the boys division. Each won a Penn rod and reel outfit from Fin-Atics Fishing Store of Ocean City.
Other age-group winners were James D’Agostino, 8, and Dalto Heisley, 10, who won in the 8 to 10 age group while the winners in the 11 to 13 age group were Anthony Cerne (13) and Nicholas Seeds (12). Each won a Penn rod and reel combo from Fin-Atics.
Two regular contributors to the column checked in with news of their recent accomplishments.
First, Jerry Rau won a daily pool with a nice keeper during a recent outing. Then, Nick Rambo checked in about another good “after work trip” to a local reef while fishing from the All Hanked Up II. Rome Ricciardi caught his first ever keeper fluke, actually two of them, that measured 17.5 and 17.75-inches. Dillon Vanaman contributed “a nice thick” 20-incher while Captain Nick had two keepers with the largest measuring 18.75-inches.
It wasn’t a bad week but we did lose a couple of days of good ocean fishing to the windy conditions. The back bays are still producing so a day in the back offers the promise of a fresh flounder dinner. Good luck if you get out, take care and I’ll see you around.
