The Fishing Line Aug. 2

The summer is rolling along, but the flounder are still hanging in the back. Maybe not in the numbers of the early season, but still respectable. A couple over five pounds were caught, sheepshead are showing up, triggerfish are around and even some cobia are being reported at the local reefs. Crabs are also plentiful and can be caught from piers or boats. There’s plenty happening, so let’s get started. 
As the “flounder are moving out into the ocean,” the Miss Avalon, with Captain Irv at the wheel, has been bringing them in. She has also been bringing in some sea bass, a lot of triggerfish and kingfish as well. The variety of fish is great, the action is increasing and the warming water off the coast should only be an added benefit.    
The Avalon Lady is still picking flounder from the back. Another local favorite her anglers are targeting is blue claw crabs. Catch some fish one day, get some crabs in the traps another, then sit down to a couple good meals.
Tammie at Avalon Hodge Podge notes that even with warmer water in the back, some keeper-sized fluke are being pulled. The “old stand-by, live minnows and squid” have been attractive to the flounder population. The warm water has driven most of the fluke to the reefs and out front, so now may be your last, best chance to hit the back water to find your flounder, if you so choose.
“A few nice triggerfish and sheepshead” were “around” the 8th Street Jetty. William Maier from Clarksville, Tenn. was spearfishing in the surf and got an 8.8-pound, 22-inch sheepshead. Michelle from Lansdale, Pa. caught a triggerfish on a crab line, baited with bunker.
The word from offshore has tuna, mahi and marlin in several canyons, including the Carteret. Chunking butterfish and sardines has been the tactic most anglers are using.
Final word is that cobia are showing up at some of the inshore reef systems. Eel jigs, or long nine- to 10-inch plastic eels fished on a four- to six-ounce bucktail, are the “best baits.”
Boulevard Bait and Tackle is celebrating Shark Week with reports of morning and evening catches of brown sharks from the Sea Isle beaches. Young anglers Andrew and Teddy brought in a couple. Flounder also made the report, from the ocean where Doug and Frank caught their limit, and the back where Kacy grabbed a 5.77 pounder. Another angler, Dan, who was looking for triggerfish, found them while totaling eight off a local rock pile.  
Captain Ray from the Tide Runner reports that the hot, sunny weather has made him focus on the early day and late evening prime tides for his fly and light-action anglers. Popping style flys and plugs have proved to be the best source of exciting top-water action. Ray is hoping that the water temperature doesn’t increase much more, as he wants the striper bite to continue since bluefish have been a little harder to find.
Matt down at Jim’s Bait and Tackle reports good fluke are still in the back. Charlie Danowski caught a 7.35 pounder. The boat had a four man limit “and they never left the harbor.” Fluke are also on the Cape May Reef, in the bay near the Shad Stakes and around Miah Maull Shoal Light. The northeast corner of the Cape May Reef where the bridge rubble is has been holding sea bass.
The tuna bite was good, but on the move. It shifted between Massey’s Canyon, the Hot Dog and 19 Fathom Lump, being good one day at one spot but better at another the next. Bluefin and yellowfin were reported at Lemke’s Canyon and the Lobster Claw. Dolphin are at the “pots inshore,” while some were taken at the Cape May Reef.
White marlin are starting to show in the “spreads” at some canyons along with some dolphin and tuna, but again, the inshore area “is definitely better.”
The surf and rocks are providing some excitement. The rocks have been giving up triggerfish, blackfish and some nice sheepshead. In the surf you can expect to see some kingfish, spike weakfish and a few small fluke. The shark fishing “is still good,” but most of the sharks this week were smaller.
The Royal Flush “saw improved action” as the water temperature rose. Where the boat fishes out front in the ocean, anglers saw mostly kingfish and weakfish, while snapper blues, sea bass, porgies and flounder made an appearance. Kingfish went to Melissa Cleary and Ava Nansteel, Mark Brenner caught a bluefish, and Linda Grant nailed a weakfish.
The Sailor’s Delight Back Bay Fishing crew has been busy. They rushed past the 700 plateau of flounder caught, while the meter still runs. Sea bass have also been around, and they are catching some crabs, releasing some and saving others for a tasty meal.     
Sterling Harbor checks in as Cathy mentions that the flounder are moving from the back out to the ocean. The inlets are a good place to hit now. Brian Harbaugh Jr., 7, caught a 19-inch, 2.56-pound flounder, while Ben Hyner, 9, caught a 21-inch, 4.16-pound flounder. They fished with their “Pop-Pop” Randy Harbaugh. Bob Fritz landed a 4.5-pound flounder at the Cape May Reef.
Offshore, the tuna bite “is on.” Fifty- to 60-pound tuna are being caught at the various lumps, along with some mahi-mahi. Massey’s Canyon, the Hot Dog and 19 Fathom Lump have been the places to go. Bob McCormick and crew had seven yellowfin to 57 pounds while chunking butterfish. The Baltimore Canyon also had nice catches of yellowfin tuna, white marlin and mahi.
Charles Breon was fishing the back waters and hooked up with an 8.32-pound sheepshead while using crab.
16-year-old Danny Miller caught and released a “large” sand tiger shark back into the Cape May surf. Brown and dusky sharks are also being caught from the beachfront at Sunset Beach, and from other Cape May Point spots.
Crabby Jack gives crabbing 4 Claws this week, with plenty of nice sized crabs to go around.
The Summer Kayak Sale is now going on, so stop in soon for the best selection.
Grassy Sound Marina is seeing catches of flounder and crabs being made from boats, and from their pier. Wayne Petersen, reigning 2017 Grassy Sound Tournament Champion, had two nice keepers on a recent outing. Kathryn Cromer won $5 from her grandfather in their “First Catch of the Day” contest. Employees Hunter Tomlin and Steve, no last name, went kayak fishing on their day off. A picture showed Steve with a nice flounder, but the day belonged to Hunter. He came back with a nice weakfish plus a 27-inch, 6-pound, 12-ounce flounder. It is the largest flounder weighed at the marina this season. The Kieff family had a very productive day of crabbing from the pier on the Tuesday after the recent heatwave lessened. 
Thanks to the Shaner and Armstrong families for sending word and pictures of their fishing trip behind Stone Harbor. Keeper flounders went to Nick Armstrong (23 inches) and Riley Shaner (18 inches). Brennan Shaner caught a short flounder while Tim Shaner boated a short striper.   
Submit your fishing news and photos to mrobbins@cmcherald.com.