This is the best time of the year. Full of anticipation and enough fishing success to get us really in the spirit. Happy Easter, Happy Spring, Happy Fishing.
On March 24, South Jersey Marina Charter fleet came alive. Mark Adams on the Noreaster II had his first charter of the year. Early fog delayed the trip by two hours and heavy rain during the trip made it uncomfortable to fish, but they pressed on and were rewarded with three nice striped bass, the heaviest at 28 pounds
The fleet at South Jersey stands ready to take customers for trips like this and remember drum fish will not be far behind.
The Stray Cat fished with Matt Cordes and Rick Dougherty. Fishing started out slow with no sign of fish, so they ran out to the reef for some catch and release First fish was a 4-pound tog on clam. No sea bass on the wrecks. After picking some more tog, all short, they ran back inshore to try some trolling when the mate spotted the birds two miles off the bell. Game on. They had 11 stripers in an hour, most of the fish had herring or butter fish in their gut. The largest fish weight in at 26-pounds and not a short in the pile.Water temp was 54. That’s a good start to the season.
Captain Ray’s been busy getting the boat ready for the season and will in for the season this week. Ray continues to take advantage of the good freshwater fishing late afternoons on the nice days. Pickerel, largemouth bass, crappie and sunfish are all hitting flies.
It seems the warmer the day the better the fishing with low light early morning or low light late afternoon being prime times. Almost any fly that looked like a baitfish worked and a variety of colors caught. For the sunfish most small insect pattern will catch and again color hasn’t mattered.
Captain Chuck from the Sea Star III, Cape May, is back in action sailing daily, 884-3421.
The NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife needs volunteers to teach children about fishing at the Pequest Trout Hatchery and Natural Resource Education Center. Experience is helpful but not required. Enthusiasm, energy and the desire to teach children proper fishing techniques and ethics are a must.
Download a WCC application at www.njfishandwildlife.com/wcchome.htm A training session for will be held at the Pequest Trout Hatchery on April 11, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Contact Jessica at 908-637-4125 or Jessica.Griglak@dep.state.nj.us
With the return of the spring fishing season, the Department of Environmental Protection is reminding all saltwater anglers and owners of for-hire vessels in New Jersey to register or re-register online with the state’s free saltwater fishing registry. The state’s free saltwater fishing registry complies with federal requirements, yet avoids a $15 saltwater registration fee imposed by the federal government on Jan. 1, 2011. There is an easy web-based registration system at www.saltwaterregistry.nj.gov and click the box to “Renew Any Registration.”
Send your reports and pictures to cmiller@cmcherald.com. All pictures submitted are posted online at www.capemaycountyherald.com.
Cape May – Governor Murphy says he doesn't know anything about the drones and doesn't know what they are doing but he does know that they are not dangerous. Does anyone feel better now?
