The Fishing Line Dec. 28

Well, this is my 100th column written for the Fishing Line. It’s kind of hard to fathom that I’ve made it to that number. It’s something that slowly, but steadily, accumulates and then all of the sudden you’re there. I just want to thank all the people who have provided information and pictures to help me get through each column throughout those weeks. Without your contributions there can be no column, so I want to thank you all again. Please remember to send in your ideas also because the long, cold winter is on the horizon, and I’m always open to different things to discuss. Here’s to the next 100.
This week’s offering will open with some bad news for the local fishing community. We face serious reductions in the harvest of a local fishing staple, the summer flounder. The news came out after last week’s Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council meetings in Baltimore. Some local people from the fishing community, including Bill Shillingford, attended the hearings. I corresponded with Bill over the weekend and he mentioned letters he has, and will, write to our elected officials in an effort to correct the recommendations of the National Marine Fisheries Service.
Those recommendations? A 30 percent reduction in the 2017 flounder harvest. This was to be accomplished by a plan that was recommended and approved by the Council. It calls for a bag limit of three fish at 19 inches and over, and a 104-day season. A plan like this could be disastrous for the local tackle shops, whether they have rental boats or not, plus the marinas in the area.
Bill said that there will be a 30-day public comment session that will begin sometime in January. He will let everyone know when it does. He had just written to our congressman and may also write to our senators. He mentions starting with your local congressman, so if you choose to write, that is where to start.
He concludes by saying, “We will only get a short period to have any chance of changing the decision, so timing is critical.”
Now let’s discuss something more enjoyable. The catching of fish continued, but it was slow as wind and weather played a major role as usual. Comfortable temperatures, then very cold, followed by a warm Saturday and Sunday accompanied by wind, made things tough. But anglers still made it out.
Captain Chuck and the Sea Star III battled the conditions and the results bared out the situations they faced. The pool winner this week was Frank Servocky who caught a 20-pound striper. That was basically it for the week, but Chuck will continue to battle for fish as Christmas approaches. It appears that this will be the Sea Star’s last week for the year. Let’s hope all the conditions improve, and they can finish strongly. That goes for all the boats that venture out this week.
Captain Fred from Utsch’s Marina is up next. He starts with mentioning that recent striped bass fishing excursions for boats from the marina have been slow. Unfortunately, that symptom is spreading around and effecting many local anglers. Still, some boats caught fish, but it was only one fish per boat. Some got none. On Wednesday, the Gone Fishin’ IV trolled up a “great day” of striped bass action. They did pretty good on the trips previous to that also. Pictures I saw showed some nice stripers that their customers caught.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, the boats Fishin’ Fever and Full Ahead changed their tactics and went after tog. Per Fred, “two great days” of fishing was the result. On another trip later in the reporting period, the Fishin’ Fever again found the blackfish as they experienced a boat limit that included three fish over 10 pounds. As has happened a lot recently with the larger fish, they were released back to the structure they call home. Good job to allow them to breed again.
Fred said the only boats fishing from the marina through the rest of the year will be their charter boats. If you want to get some fishing in, check with the marina to see who is sailing when, and for what.
Captain Al was out recently on the Bayhound and put his fares on the tog and stripers. The three man charter had four nice stripers and 15 tog, with a couple of nice big ones. It’s good to see results like that.
Local angler Adam Sneathen and his mom, Ginna, were out on the Osprey V out of Atlantic City on a tog trip. Adam has actually been out a few times, but on this particular trip he won the pool with an eight pounder. Mom wasn’t far behind as she pulled in a very respectable six pounder. Hopefully, my son and I will be able to get out during the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day and catch some specimens like that, or some that are even bigger.
Cape Queen Sportfishing Charters went out on a deep-sea jumbo sea bass trip and had success as 106 fish were caught. Some of those fish were up to seven pounds. This was a 17-hour trip, so getting some nice big sea bass was a great return on investment.
On Wednesday, Chris Boyd was out striper fishing and caught a nice fat fish. He also posted a video of birds working over a school of bunker, which is enough to get any angler pumped to toss his bait into. Find the birds, work them, and the results could follow.
As this column concludes, I want to wish everyone a safe and happy New Year, as this is the final report for 2016. With the weather predicted, as of now, to be warmer than normal between Christmas and the New Year, it could be an opportunity to get out, catch something and help get 2017’s reports off to a great start. It could also be your first chance to use any new gear you receive at Christmas. Good luck.
Submit your fishing news and photos to mrobbins@cmcherald.com.