Fishing Line: December 18

It seems hard to believe, but there’s only one week until Christmas. I know the cliché saying is time is flying by, but it’s true.
With that in mind, many anglers are still waiting for the full-on arrival of striped bass. Let’s hope it happens, and soon. Some are being caught, but it’s not in the amount that everyone is wishing for.
Tog is the big draw right now, and excellent fish are being caught. None are hitting double digits, but they’re quality fish. Let’s check out the action.
The Sea Start III, with Capt. Chuck, sailed its final trip for the year. They finished by pursuing blackfish and ended on a high note. Their final pool-winners for the year were Mike Glitz, with a 3.25-pound blackfish, and George Snyder, who staked his claim by landing a 4.75-pound blackfish.
I thank Capt. Chuck, and his crew, for faithfully sending in a weekly report and pictures. Their consistent contributions help give us a view of what has been happening. Enjoy your time off everyone, and I’ll see you in spring.
Another boat that finished their season is the Miss Avalon, who concluded its 2019 run with a final blackfish trip. They had a great crowd Saturday, which improved as the day progressed and the wind laid down.
An angler, Fran, won his second consecutive pool, with a 5.5-pound fish. He also won the Togzilla title and jackpot, given to the angler who catches the largest fish of the fall blackfish season. From one Togzilla winner, mine in spring 2017, to another, congratulations Fran.
Thank you to Capt. Irv, Capt. Brandon and their crew for their reports, updates and pictures throughout the year. Enjoy your break, and I’ll see you at the Wildwood Fishing Expo.
The Starfish, like most boats, was targeting blackfish Friday and Saturday, and like the other boats, they also tasted success. They had multiple nice sized keepers, plus a few larger fish.
They changed tactics Sunday, and went after sea bass. As is often the case, when focusing on sea bass, you get them and other fish that inhabit the structure you’re fishing. Their mixed bag, in addition to sea bass, included porgies, ling, and a monkfish.
The variety of your catch is half the fun of a trip like this.
The Porgy IV put together three nice trips over the weekend before the weather went south Monday. First came the Friday trip, which saw Bob Key double-up with a limit that included a pool-winner. Other nice keepers were caught by Shawn Pottichen and Lew Meryl. Other limits were caught by Mike Jung, from Peace Token Fishing Tackle, Trevino Borum and Joe Stibone.
Joe Landis won the pool Saturday, with a 6.5-pounder. It was a part of his blackfish limit. Other limits went to Jay Gode and Joe Stibone.
Alan Feng had a great day, as he totaled four keepers. A nice Sunday led to a large crowd looking to fish. The wealth of fish wasn’t scattered around the boat, as some anglers were challenged more than others.
Sam Oh landed three keepers, one being a 6.5-pound tog that won the daily pool. Mike Youcis caught his limit, while three other anglers had four keepers each. For the day, 42 keepers were caught, which meant some anglers went home empty-handed.
The Cape Queen had groups out Dec. 6-7. The Frett party was out Dec. 6, chasing striped bass. They managed to land 5 stripers, but only one was a keeper. The Sturgis group was out Dec. 7, and for their efforts, they caught 8 stripers, 3 of which were keepers.
It’s great to see keepers are being caught. Anglers looking for stripers just need to keep on staying the course, as they are being caught in dribs and drabs.
The Cape May Lady fished the Tog Trifecta over the weekend. The Friday and Sunday bookends provided better results than the Saturday trip, but all put fish in the cooler.
Friday was highlighted by a blackfish just under 10 pounds. The total for the day finished a few fish under the boat limit. The Sunday trip had a slow but steady pick, which resulted in a solid overall catch.
Several anglers got their limit, while keepers were spread around the boat. The big fish of the day weighed in at 8 pounds.
Mike Jung, from Peace Token Fishing Tackle, was on an 18-hour offshore sea bass trip, on the Atlantic Star.
Per the report, a nice variety of species, over 12, were caught. That included a Red Snapper. Many large sea bass, in the 5 to 6-pound range, were caught, with several anglers reaching their limit.
First Fish Adventures reported that Mike Rogers and local guys, Tim and Fran, were out catching striped bass Friday. They fished inshore, and reported that most of the fish were short, but of bonus-tag size. With that in mind, each angler was able to go home with a tagged fish.
Sea Isle Bait and Tackle reported that Vince stopped in to weigh a recent catch, which was a 21-pound striper. It was one of two keepers out of the dozen that they caught during a recent short morning trip. They made the most of their time on the water.
Boulevard Bait and Tackle wants to thank everyone for another successful season. Cameron, and his staff, recently closed for the season. They plan to re-open April 1, and I’m not fooling.
They are finishing repairs to rods and reels, and will call you when they are done. If you would like to purchase a gift certificate, email Cameron at blvdbait@gmail.com.
I thank Cameron and Randy for the photos and reports they provided throughout the season. Enjoy your time off, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you, and your families.
Don’t forget to check out the Kayak Fishing Store if someone you know has a kayak or kayak supplies on their wish list. You can also get kayak-themed gifts, fishing items and apparel. Stop in, and see what Chris and his family have to offer.
Gift certificates are a great way to take care of an angler on your list. Grab them from a boat of your choice, either a six pack or an open boat, or from any bait and tackle.
Avalon Hodge Podge, Peace Token Fishing Tackle and Jim’s Bait and Tackle are still open and are ready to help you. Any shop, or boat, would be more than willing to help you out. Shops that already closed may be able to help, too, if you reach out to them. Try to support your local boats and shops if possible.
As I try not to leave anyone out, I wanted to thank all the boats, shops and individual anglers who contributed to our weekly column. Some are closed or going to dry-dock for winter, while some are still operating.
Either way, thanks for all your contributions and assistance throughout the year.
Don’t forget that fishing still rolls on. If you get out, as always, let me know how you did.
Submit your fishing news and photos to mrobbins@cmcherald.com.