The Fishing LIne

Rough weather interrupted what started out to be a great transition time for fishing. Now all that is past (I hope), I recommend fall fishing to anyone who has been hesitating about going out. At the end of this report I have dates for upcoming tournaments and some Fall Fishing Schedules from local captains. Yes, indeed, there are plenty of captains waiting to take you fishing. Stripers, here we come.
Captain Ray on Tide Runner out of Cape May told me fishing was starting to pick up around the inlet with mullet and some baitfish showing up with schoolie stripers before the bad spell of weather.
On a middle of the night trip, 10:30 p.m. to 3 a.m. 10 schoolie stripers where taken on the fly rod. Black silicone mullet and popping flies produced best results using floating and intermediate line. After the heavy blow the water along the beachfront and inlet was very brown and only a few stripers were around. As the water clears up the fishing should improve. The back-bay is still very slow.
What started out as a great week of fishing, was quickly shut down by the storm. Pre-storm produced kingfish up to 1 pound along most of the Point jetties, with bloodworms and cut fresh mullet for bait. Weakfish up to 26 inches have been caught on live and cut mullet, from the lighthouse park beach front to Higbee Beach, and all points in between, with croakers and small blues mixed in
Ron Flemming, Cape May Bait & Tackle, report still had the bay dirty. Only one kingfish reported from the Alexander Avenue jetty and a few small bluefish at Higbee Beach. But that was last week and so hopes are high that things will get to ‘fall’ normal.
Captain Jim McClintock, Fins & Grins, Wildwood finds that fishing has been good. Each trip has produced croakers, bluefish, seabass, porgies and weakfish. Quite the mixed bag for this time of year.
Bucktail Willie fishing out of Whale Creek Marina is beginning to find a few stripers, mostly small fish following the storms but a sign of things to come.
Bluefish are roaming around in the 15-17 inch range on top of the tide and there still are fluke around, last of outgoing tide in mouths of small creeks seems to be the best spots, of course all fluke must be put back.
Hooked Up II, Caveman Charters, South Jersey Marina reports a tough time as they wait for the yellowfins and longfins to show up in the local canyons. Captain John is afraid that the weeds will be horrible after a prolonged NE blow. The sargassum weeds show up thick and make it almost difficult to troll effectively.
Captain John reminds us that Octobers in the past have seen a decent chunk on yellowfins with lots of mahi-mahi around the lobster pots and this time of year usually sees lots of big concentrations of Arctic krill show up along the 100 fathom line and inshore to about the 70 fathom line and with these scrimp-like creatures come large concentrations of yellowfins and longfin tuna.
If they show up there should be excellent fishing well into November if the weather allows boats to get offshore.
Captain John would like to do some combo Mako and bluefin tuna 12-hour day trips in October as the bigger mako sharks migrate south inshore. He has plenty of open dates in October if the bite turns on either day trolling or for overnight canyon trips including some small party and single make-up trips for up to six anglers.
He will also be doing bunker chunk only trips on the Delaware Bay starting in early November targeting the bigger stripers that usually go between 20-50 pounds plus.
For those who read last week’s column, best guess as to Captain Mark’s strange fish is that it is a hound fish usually found farther south of us. My source tells me they can be pretty nasty to deal with.
News Item: The NJ DEP Division of Fish and Wildlife reminds anglers that fishing in New Jersey continues to get better and better, and summer 2008 was no exception. During the warmer months anglers set three new state records in the carp, grass carp and black drum categories. Visit njfishandwildlife.com/news/2008/recordfish08.htm on the division’s website.
Tournaments:
Oct. 11, Great Fall Classic Surf Fishing Tournament, beach at 15th Avenue, North Wildwood, 5:30 a.m.- 5 p.m., daily, fee for participants, 758-1213 or njbba.org.
Oct. 18, WSFC Tournament, Sea Isle City, teams and individuals, 264-7754 or fshrwmn2505@netzero.net
Oct. 19, Fishing Flea Market, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Cape May City Elementary School, 884-9565.
Oct. 25, Anglesea Surf Anglers Tournament, Wildwoods Beaches, register, Firehouse, Second and New Jersey avenues, North Wildwood, 6:30 a.m.-7:30 a.m., fishing 7:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., fee for participants, 856.786.0070 or asaconline.org.
Oct. 31-Nov. 1, South Jersey Big Bass Open, South Jersey Marina, Cape May and the American Striper Association, 884-1600.
Nov. 8, Carpenters Local 1743 Striped Bass Tournament, benefits Brendan Borek Memorial Fund, Hinch Marina, 989 Ocean Drive, Cape May, scales open 3-5 p.m. Captain’s meeting Nov. 7, 7 p.m., Hinch Marina, 729-0399.
Fall Fishing Schedules:
Fins & Grins, Wildwood, Captain Jim McClintock, is available for 4-6-8 hour charters. On days not booked they will run open boat and put small groups together, 425-3021.
Captain Dick Herb, Escapade Charters out of Avalon, will be fishing until Dec. 15, 967-0779.
Captain John Wilson, Olivia Grace, South Jersey Marina will be finishing out October in South Jersey then moving to Morehead City, N.C. for the winter months, 267-767-9124.
Hooked Up II, South Jersey Marina, Captains John and Diane Sowerby will continue to run offshore canyon trips until early November. Last year their best overnight trip was on Halloween. They will be offering early season discounted chunking only trips on the Delaware Bay for trophy stripers starting around the first week of November through at least Thanksgiving.
Capt John Peterson from the UnReel in Cape May will be sailing daily through the New Year, offering open boat trips as well as private charters, 408-4089 or fishtheunreel.com for availability.
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.