The Fishing Line: December’s Presents

The stripers continue to play hide and seek but that doesn’t mean they can’t be found. Tog are still around and blues have been on the hooks, too.
Captain Chuck, Sea Star III tells me that while the Bay is full of small bass with an occasional keeper, there have been some real nice fish coming down the beach front, and finally the RIPS have produced some great fish. “Better late than never.”
From Sterling Harbor comes word that tog fishing remains excellent around the rock piles and inshore wrecks. When the weather allows, sea bassing is good at the 20-30 mile wrecks. Striped bass fishing remains spotty with the bulk of the fish still to our north. Some stripers were caught in the Avalon Shoal area while trolling umbrella rigs with tubes or shad bodies. A few fish moved into the Delaware Bay late in the week and there were some good catches, but again the fishing was spotty.
Captain Ray is finally seeing a little better striper action. Reasonable numbers of stripers showed up around the inlet and beach front. Not red hot action but enough to provide decent action for fly anglers. Chartreuse/white clousers fished close to the bottom on sinking line produced best in water 4 to 12 feet. The fish were all nice migratory fish and seemed to be chunky with nice fat bellies and a better size than seen all fall. Some keeper size fish are mixed in.
The weather may be cold but super-sized winter trout season is heating up. NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife stocked more than 5,000 “super-sized” rainbow trout as part of its winter trout stocking program, and what the season lacks in numbers it more than makes up for in size of fish that can be hooked during the fall and winter fishing season.
Trout anglers age 16-69 and older are reminded to buy a NJ fishing license and trout stamp. Both can be purchased online and printed at home, or from license agents throughout the state. Trout fishing is free for children under 16 and NJ residents age 70 and older. A discounted senior fishing license is available for residents 65-69. License buyers should know that 100 percent of their money goes toward improving fishing opportunities and protecting the quality of New Jersey’s waters. To purchase online and for information on trout stocking, visit: www.njfishandwildlife.com or Trout Stocking Hotline, 633-6765.
NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife will host another training for adult staff and volunteers of youth-centered community and/or faith-based organizations looking to offer an ongoing or year-round youth fishing, conservation and aquatic education program. Hooked on Fishing-Not on Drugs (HOFNOD) is a statewide youth fishing education program which introduces youth to fishing.
The workshop will be held Dec. 13-15, Girl Scout Camp Sacajawea South, Newfield. Participants will be responsible for delivering the program to youth from beginning to end. Registration Friday, Dec. 6. There is a non-refundable fee of $40. Visit www.njfishandwildlife.com/news/2013/hofnod_train12-13.htm
The Fishing Line runs year round (short hiatus in January) so keep sending your reports and pictures to cmiller@cmcherald.com. Column and pictures are posted online at www.capemaycountyherald.com and on Facebook. Keep them coming.