It’s late August. Do you know where your keeper flounder is? Well, you better get out quick as the season is getting short. Sept. 5 is too close. The MidAtlantic Tournament is also underway this week. Another cobia was caught, and lots of flounder, sea bass and even some kingfish are being taken, so it’s time to get out there. Let’s get started.
The Royal Flush is reporting “good action out in the ocean this week.” The flounder and sea bass fishing “is the best it has been this year.” The evening trips are producing triggerfish, kingfish, weakfish and even a few croakers. Highlighted flounder catches went to Lisa Sherman, Jasmine Killingbeck, Bette Dructor and John Bonelli. Joe Lancellotti had a nice sea bass and Mark Farr caught a triggerfish.
Sterling Bait and Harbor is where Cathy is checking in from. She says that “once again flounder fishing dominates the fishing scene this week.” The reefs were giving up limits, plus fluke that went to five pounds. George Danley came home with a seven-pound, four-ounce fluke after visiting the Cape May Reef.
The offshore regions have scattered yellowfin tuna, mahi-mahi and white marlin, which sets up an interesting week and potential for the MidAtlantic Tournament that will be occurring as this column is being written.
The beach front, plus the bayside, have kingfish, croakers and some spike weakfish. By showing up now, it will only help to increase opportunities for fishing as the flounder season’s official end rapidly approaches.
Crabby Jack rates crabbing at 3.5 claws with “a lot smaller crabs” showing up and mixing in with the nice number ones that are still around.
The Sailor’s Delight Back Bay Fishing vessel is still picking up some keeper flounder from the back waters. A thick 24-inch keeper was caught on Monday by a young angler. Other keepers are still finding their way into a net. The fact that the back water is not overly warm, as can happen at this time of year, is a main reason that good fish are still in the back.
Grassy Sound Marina had more flounder and crabs brought in, but the big news was made when “the boss,” Jim Mooers, took a day off, went to the Baltimore Canyon, and then came home with a 318-pound blue marlin. Not a bad way to spend your off day.
Captain Chuck from the Sea Star III mention trips with lots of shorts providing action, plus some fine keepers on each trip. The biggest fluke honors went to Joe Torres. He caught an 8.06 pounder on the Saturday trip. Other pool-winners with weights in pounds went to Chris Gardner (4.25), Brian Robson (4.60), Doug Stemple (3.75), Kathy Mulvehill (3.5) and Michael Albright (5).
Matt at Jim’s Bait and Tackle says that fluke fishing is “very good” at all the reefs and the Old Grounds. Fluke to nine pounds were weighed in, plus many boats reported limits. Also reported at the Old Grounds and Reef Site #11 were some “nice” sea bass.
Spanish mackerel slowed some, but small bluefish are plentiful on the troll at South Shoal and 5 Fathom Bank. The inshore tuna bite was slow, but a few fish came from the 19 Fathom Lump as well as Lemke’s Canyon.
Offshore, the marlin bite is beginning to pick up, but tuna and dolphin are still pretty thin. They have “only seen a few small fish” being caught at the canyons.
Most of the surf action consists of kingfish, croakers, small weakfish and bluefish. There are “still good numbers” of flounder at the point jetties, with more keeper fish reported this week. In Wildwood Crest some small spot are starting to show up.
The Miss Chris is bringing in some flounder, triggerfish and bluefish. Congratulations to Jess Nealis on winning a recent pool, while another day had John from Rio Grande landing a 21-inch flounder.
The Fishing Fever has been getting out to the “fluke grounds” and returning with catches of fluke and sea bass. They changed it up recently and went for, and caught, a nice load of tilefish with some going to 12 pounds.
Tammie from Avalon Hodge Podge says that the action at the different wrecks, Townsends Inlet and Ocean City Reef was “better” this week compared to last. Bigger fluke and sea bass were prevalent, and were taken “mostly on squid and minnows.” “Larger five- to six-inch gulp on a four- to six-ounce bucktail rig” was a hot combination as well. The crew of the Nev-R-Enuf with Captain Mike Smith had nice catches whenever the weather allowed them to get out. A 5.32-pound, 24-inch fluke was weighed in for Nick Gligor, Jr. that he caught at the Townsends Inlet Reef on minnows.
The back bays also continue to give up keepers. 12-year-old Dane Leopold caught a 22-inch, 4.16-pound fluke from the 23rd Street Dock while using minnows.
Offshore, the Endorfin with Captain Len Warren and crew boated a mako that topped out at 146 pounds and 74 inches. Dan Embon caught it at the Wilmington Canyon while using mackerel as bait.
The Miss Avalon remains on the flounder and sea bass as a recent report showed. Respectable keepers were seen all over, as everyone looked happy with their effort. Many calls of “fish on” kept Captain Irv happy.
The Avalon Lady pontoon fishing boat is still catching keeper flounder plus some sea bass. For good measure, they are also bringing in some nice blue claw crabs. The back is still active, so get out and enjoy it.
Boulevard Bait and Tackle weighed in a 35-pound cobia for Steve and Beau. They also managed four keeper fluke. A 26-inch, 7.78-pound fluke moved Connor Lewis into third place in the yearly flounder tournament. Many other fluke, including more from the back bays, crossed the scale. Other flounder, plus sea bass and kingfish also made the roll call. Young angler named Anthony caught two big kingies that were good enough for second place in the Ocean City Kids Fishing Tournament.
Thanks to Robert Bransfield for sending in a picture and story of the big flounder, just short of seven pounds, caught by Grace Walunas at a “secret spot.”
The MidAtlantic is under way in Cape May and Ocean City, Md. Here are the highlights as of the time this column was written. A 126-pound bigeye tuna went to angler Tim Tedesco, and is the heaviest fish in that category.
Mike Chase continues to have the heaviest wahoo at 67 pounds, while Phillip Blevins vaulted to the top of the dolphin category with a 23 pounder.
Wednesday was a “lay day,” or basically a non-fishing day. With unfavorable sea conditions, only seven boats ventured out. Those that remained were prepping for the remaining days of the tournament. With a record cash purse of $3.24 million available, all boats want to be prepared for the final two days.
No qualifying white marlin or blue marlin have been weighed in as of this time, but Jaime Diller of Stone Harbor did catch the second heaviest white marlin that weighed 65 pounds.
Submit your fishing news and photos to mrobbins@cmcherald.com.
