The Fall season is beginning and Bill, bucktail willie, Shillingford fishing out of Whale Creek Marina, found numerous bluefish up to 22 inches. Short fluke were thick but be prepared to go through a bunch before getting one legal sized. Short stripers could be had on surface poppers and trolling bucktails early morning. Say good-bye to flounder. Season ends Saturday, Sept. 27.
Grassy Sound Marina reports loads of bait fish in the water; large pods of mullet and peanut bunker, spearing and minnows. Stripers, snapper blues, sea bass, flounder, blues, and kings are being caught off the fishing pier with mackerel and clams doing well; peanut bunker for flounder. Weakfish are being caught in the back during the evening hours.
E.J. Pellecchia, Hatboro, Pa., was fishing for stripers and catching flounder instead. He could see them coming up behind the stripers. He managed three keeper fluke on peanut bunker near the marina. Corona Joe, Atco, caught his share of snappers, sea bass and king fish fishing from the pier with clam, top of the outgoing tide. Greg Berry, Philadelphia, caught a keeper flounder and some snapper blues fishing off the pier with minnows and squid for the fluke.
Striper fishing has been tough for Captain Ray and fly fishers. The super high tides and strong northeast winds meant he had to work a little harder as the water was a bit dirty and the fish were more spread out. Ray says that as the water starts to cool down, schoolie striper action should increase as the fish feel the need to feed and time of day will not matter as much.
Fishing reports from Sterling Harbor Marina show activity slowing since Labor Day weekend, however flounder fishing remains excellent at the Cape May Reef, Reef Site 11 and the Old Grounds when weather permits anglers to get out. The fall migration has started with mullet and peanut bunker pouring out of the back bays and small bluefish chasing them everywhere along the beachfront. Striper action remains strong in the back bays with fish being caught while chunking sardines or on surface poppers along the sod banks.
Offshore at the canyons, some nice yellowfin are being caught on overnight chunking trips or daytime trolling. There are also some marlin, mahi-mahi and an occasional wahoo in the mix. Crabby Jack gives the crabbing 4 Claws this week.
The Starlight has been producing good mixed catches of blues, triggerfish, and flounder. Most of the pools were taken with flounder to four pounds. Lucky anglers included Mike Brady, Philadelphia, with his four pound fluke and Jen McGowan, Drexel Hill, who had a nice fluke that weighed in at three pounds, nine ounces. Alex Johnson, Woodbury, took the pool with a three and a half pound blue and Tom Richards, Sea Isle City, won on another day with a three point two pound flounder.
There will be two public hearings this month on the management of summer flounder. There will also be a webinar in October. For more information on the meeting topics, dates and locations, and how to submit written comment, visit http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/news/2014/summerflounder_hearings14.htm
CALENDAR: The Casting for Recovery retreat is this weekend, Sept. 26, 27, 28, in Sea Isle City. Call Dee at 917-796-8930
Atlantic City In-Water Boat Show is also this weekend at the Farley State Marina. Details at www.acinwaterboatshow.com
Oct. 11, NJ Beach Buggy Assn., Great Fall Classic, North Wildwood, e-mail lgreaves68@comcast.net
Oct. 14, PennsaukenSurf Fishing Club Tourney, North Wildwood, e-mail drapple1@msn.com
Families and beginners can learn the art of fly tying and fly casting at a workshop Oct. 25, Pequest Trout Hatchery in Warren County. Co-sponsored by White Water Flies and there is a small fee. Visit www.njfishandwildlife.com/budding.htm
The Fishing Line runs year round so keep sending your reports and pictures to cmiller@cmcherald.com. Column and pictures (including some that didn’t appear in print) are posted online at www.capemaycountyherald.com and on Facebook. Check out Miller’s new children’s book “Counting the Fish in the Sea: The Story of the NEAMAP Trawls” on www.epektales.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?
