The Fishing Line: Flounder: Lost and Found

Fishing continues to be a great adventure for tourists and locals alike. With tog back in the mix (one fish at 15 inches), there’s even more reason to try your luck with a day on the water.
21st Annual Duke of Fluke Tournament results are in: Single Heaviest Fluke, First Place, Capt. Jonny Thomsen, Jr. 10.61 pound flounder; second place, Capt. Sean Gallagher, 7.31 pounds; third place, Capt. Mike Cannon, 5.75 pounder. Five Heaviest Fluke
First place, Capt. Joseph Musso, 32.20 pounds; Kayak Division, Jim Dickinson, 4.45 pound flounder; Junior Angler , Ethan Smith 4.51 pound flunder; Duchess Award, Sharon DeFulio, 7.24 pound flounder. Heaviest Sea Bass, Capt. Ted Savidge, 2.48 pounder; Heaviest Bluefish, Capt. John Fergone, 2.11 pounds. Congratulations one and all.
It was another good fishing week for Captain Ray, TideRunner, Cape May, even with the water temperatures going up and down depending on which way the wind blows. Some days better than others, with stripers his main target. Evenings provided the best fishing with the incoming tides around sunset. Popping flies and clouser flies fished on floating and intermediate line did well for the fly anglers and popping plugs produced best for the spin anglers. Ray cautions that he is seeing more greenhead flies so long pants and bug spray are needed so you do not give them your pound of flesh.
A number of 4-6 pound flounder have been caught in Grassy Sound, outgoing tide being most productive on live bait and some Gulp. Resident stripers just about keeper size are being caught regularly off the pier plus another phenomenal crabbing week.
Joe Marinan, McConnellsburg, Pa., caught a 25 inch, 4 pound flounder on minnows & squid near the N. Wildwood bridge at outgoing tide. It was first flounder for four-year-old Tommy Griffin, Springfield, Pa. with a 24 inch fluke on a minnows, outgoing tide, off the Grassy Sound Fishing Pier..
Stray Cat Charters found fluke fishing slow but then the water rolled over and got really nice. Tuna fishing on the 30 line was hot with blue fin and yellow fin on the Cigar and up on the Lobster Claw area. With the water change sea bass returned to inshore wrecks. Ryan Damm from Belmar, caught a 3 .82 pounder to win the pool. There were several fish over the 2 pounds.
Beach N Boat annual tournament and challenges has become the fastest growing, highest paying inshore fishing event in the world. Over $1,000,000 in cash and prizes. Register on their web site: www.beachnboat.com
The Wildwoods Beach N Boat Fishing Challenge over Father’s Day weekend provided fun and excitement for 200+ fishermen, fisherwomen and fisherkids who joined in the competition. Money winners included the first place fluke at 3.9 pounds caught from a kayak by Joe Muravsky of Westmont, and Bill Collins from Glendora, weighed in a 5.7 pound weakfish. Each took home $1,000.
The NJ DEP is again warning anglers and the public not to harvest or consume blue claw crabs from the Lower Passaic River, Newark Bay and surrounding waters this summer and to observe consumption limits in place for fish species in those areas.
For more information on the consumption advisory, visit www.state.nj.us/dep/newsrel/2014/14_0075.htm
The Fishing Line runs year round so keep sending your reports and pictures to cmiller@cmcherald.com. Column and pictures (many which do not make it into the print edition) are posted online at www.capemaycountyherald.com and on Facebook. Check out epektales.com for info on Miller’s book, “Counting the Fish in the Sea: the Story of the NEAMAP Trawls.”