The Fishing Line: April 17

Well, it would appear that spring fishing is picking up steam. Yes, some days the weather wins and the boats remained tied up, but other days provide the local anglers with a chance at redemption. The fish still need to cooperate and for the most part they have. This recent Thursday and Sunday were productive days on the wrecks for those targeting blackfish. Friday was windy and rainy and on Saturday the ocean had the lingering effects from the previous day. Most took advantage of the opportunity and showed up at the Wildwood Fishing and Boating Expo. Let’s check out what happened over the recent week.
The Cape May Lady got their second trip in before the weekend and reported tougher conditions than their season opening trip. Anchoring was tougher than expected and the fishing was slower than desired. They still managed to pull in an 11.5 pound pool-winner in, plus a few others around 8 pounds. Other keepers were also caught, “but not enough to go around”. With a “gorgeous day” that was “super glassy calm,” and that was better than being at work, no one was complaining.
The Sunday trip saw a return to nice weather as well as a return to some blackfish that were described as “beasts.” Fishing was still a little slower than hoped for, but when your pool-fish is “just shy” of 18-pounds, you don’t complain. There were also other nice fish caught, just not as big, so a lot of anglers went home happy.
The mid-week trip started off with a 14-pounder being landed. Then the current took over and things slowed. They ended their day “catching a fair amount of fish with a few nice ones” included. The high-hooks had limits” while “a couple guys had three.”
Scheduling notice: The Cape May Lady will be running an Easter Sunday Blackfish trip from 6 a.m. till 2 p.m. You will be able to satisfy your fishing desire, and then get home in time for a nice holiday dinner. And who knows, maybe your dinner can include some fresh blackfish.
The Sea Star III had a “successful” opening weekend. A large swell on Saturday resulted in a slow day that provided “only a handful of shorts”. But as with the other boats that hit the water Sunday they rebounded nicely. “Several dozen” blackfish were caught which resulted in “double-digit” keepers when the days final numbers were totaled. Captain Chuck is looking to see everyone again. His Prime-Time Drum Fish trips are filling up fast so don’t wait to call and make your reservations. Call 609-884-3421 to grab a seat, or two, for you and a friend.
Captain Tom had the Fishin’ Fever on the blackfish grounds on Sunday after experiencing successive days of weather-related issues. When Sunday dawned with favorable conditions, away they did motor. They were rewarded with fish to seven pounds. He concluded by saying that the “blackfish are starting to wake up here in Cape May.” We look forward to more reports of good catches.
Captain Bob had the Full Ahead Sport Fishing boat out also. He had a charter that landed some nice fish, including a double-digit fish for Rob Wodarski. Congratulations on joining the double-digit club, Rob.
One Stop Bait and Tackle in Atlantic City reports lots of nice blackfish being caught off the rock piles around the city. One angler, Bo, limited out with four blackfish caught on a crab and clam combo. He also reported that there are “schoolie” stripers in the area. This seems to be a good area to try for those who want to take a little ride north.
Congratulations go out to Paul Tomaski, a blackfish angler I know, who won a recent pool on the Osprey out of Atlantic City. He caught a couple of nice fish, including a 7.5-pound blackfish which allowed him to take home a very nice pool. Good job Paul, and well done.
The Porgy IV was scheduled to start sailing this past weekend so we look forward to seeing, and reporting on, how they did. Welcome back Captain Paul and crew.       
Boulevard Bait and Tackle reported something a little different. Cameron called them stripers. Alright, we all know what they are. We just haven’t seen any in a while. They are reported to be showing up on local beaches around the area. They are small, but they are here. Now we just need the big ones to follow. Bloodworms or soft plastics have been the ticket to success.
I saw Captain Fred over at the boat show in Wildwood. He wanted everyone to know that No Bones Bait and Tackle is now up and running for the season. He’ll have whatever you need, so stop by and say hi.
Captain Andrew, who was also at the show representing Sailor’s Delight Back Bay Fishing, wanted to get word out that this season he will be offering something new, drum fish trips. He ran some test-trips last year and the results warranted him expanding his offerings this season. So this year you’ll have another reason to hop on the “orange” boat. As more information becomes available, I will pass it on.
For those who like to go after drum fish, you don’t want to forget the Annual Doughty Cup Drum Fish Tournament. It will be held on May 17, 18, and 19. Call 609-465-8722 for additional information.
With all these nice blackfish being caught it made me think of the gear that I and my son use. We have been getting prepared for the last month so everything would be ready. We both have similar poles and reels as our main set-up. Our back-up sets are different, but we use the same shock-leader material and our rigs are personally hand-tied from the same spool of fluorocarbon.  The final matching component, and the one I want to let you know about, is our hooks.
Last fall I was in Peace Token Fishing Tackle, and needing some hooks for blackfish rigs, I was drawn to the usual choices of Owner or Gamakatsu. A surprise third choice was presented to me. It was PBL Hooks, which is Peace Tokens very own in house brand. They are made of high carbon steel and have a black nickel finish. They come in Octopus (my choice for blackfish), Baitholder, and Circle styles. They are made in all sizes and for all species of fish. Another good point is the prices are right for fisherman on a budget. A box goes for $9.99 and the quantity in the box varies due to the size of the hook. For example, my box of 4/0 Octopus hooks contained 62 hooks while a box of size 2 hooks contains 90 hooks. And that is for the same $9.99. These hooks will be on any additional rigs I’ll make for the spring season, plus other rigs for other species that I’ll target, such as sea bass or flounder. These hooks held up well through the fall, and are still sharp and ready to go this spring. They helped my son and I land a nice amount of blackfish during the fall and winter season including an 8.2 pound pool-winner for my son. I obviously suggest you give them a try. They are sold at Peace Token, either at the store or online. Stop by the store, located at 1301 Route 9 South which is at the corner of Indian Trail Road and Route 9, and check them out.
Take care, get fishing, and I’ll see you around.
Submit your fishing news and photos to mrobbins@cmcherald.com.