Jan. 28: The Fishing Line, Plenty to do onshore

On days when you can’t get out fishing, there’s plenty to do to keep us in the spirit.
Tackle that tackle box, tie some new flies, read some fishing magazines and go to boating, fishing, sports shows.
This time of year with the ice on the bay and back creeks, fishing is out of the question but Captain Ray Szulczewski, is managing to keep busy.
“Now is when most anglers should be going over their fishing gear so that they will be already for the spring fishing season. It is the perfect time to be checking out rods, lubricating reels and making sure spools are filled with fishing line.
“You should take a look at all lures making sure they are sharp. Take this opportunity to replace hooks that are no longer usable. Putting in the time now will insure that you are ready on the first few warm days, when you get the urge to fish this spring.
“We fly anglers do the same thing, plus we use the time to tie new fly patterns, making sure we have a complete arsenal of deadly presentations to last all season long.
Captain Ray says belonging to a group like the South Jersey Coastal Fly Anglers makes the winter go a bit faster. With monthly meetings and designated fly tying days on weekends, it provides opportunities to meet with fellow fly fishermen talk about techniques and learn tying skills or how to tie productive fly patterns.
Ray goes on to say, “Another fun thing that a lot of fly tiers do is get into a fly swap. Each person ties 12 to 15 identical flies and then you swap with different tiers and end up with 12 to 15 different types of flies tied by the others who participated. Lots of fun and you get some different flies to give you more variety during the season.
Check out the photos and Southjerseycoastalflyanglers.com.
Attending fly shows and sports shows is a great way to see what is new, get good deals on equipment and get psyched up for the coming season. Check out the Atlantic City Power Boat Show. They usually have a great fishing market section. It’s Feb. 5-8.
There are a few other items you should replace in your tackle box: basic first-aid items, flashlight batteries, sharp knife, new bug repellant, and an emergency blanket. and perhaps some extra cordage.
And please, If you use inflatable life jackets, test and replace re-arm kits. There are some new styles on the market, you may want to check out, too.
Here’s the Offshore Fishing Report for the Starlight Fleet, Wildwood Crest.
John Riccardi, Williamstown; Michael Chen, Philadelphia; Had Birchmire, Cherry Hill; and Mike Murray, Philadelphia; all caught their limit of sea bass up to 6.5-pounds. John Gregg, Springfield, Pa., had a pool winner at 7.2-pounds.
Tony White, Cape May, did pretty well, too, with 23 sea bass up to 6.5-pounds.
On the next trip, Charlie Coffie, Queens, NY; Patrick Taylor, Queens, NY; Brian Gindheart, Chestnut Hill, Pa.; Woodrow Wilson, Philadelphia; and Joe Blustein, Vineland; all caught the limit on sea bass. Larry Rossi, Malvern, Pa., had the pool winner at 6.5-pounds.
Captain Jim Mc Clintock is still willing to take those suffering fishing withdrawal out to look for black fish, sea bass or fish on the wrecks. Fins and Grins, No Bones Marina, Wildwood, 425-3021, 522-2770 or Finsandgrins@verizon.net.
NEWS: Saltwater anglers spent more than $31 billion in 2006, with spending in Florida accounting for more than half of that. (Forbes, Associated Press)
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.