The Fishing Line: Flounder Time

These are the days that try the hearts of fishers. Stripers are supposed to be plentiful, but the reports just don’t back that up. There are plenty of other reasons to get that boat in shape, though, including blues, drum, and crabs.
Captain Chuck, Sea Star III, didn’t find stripers; however, he did locate a few very nice tautog. Captain is sailing daily 6 hour trips targeting whatever he can since the stripers are not cooperating. Drumfish were reported on the Delaware side of the Bay and Sea Star III will run drumfish special trips 4-10 p.m. Saturdays beginning May 5. Reservations required.
Captain Ray says it was a tough week for fishing. Strong winds kept him at the dock most days and on the couple of days that he did get out it was tough to find any stripers. With good weather and perfect tides, the few that he caught on the fly were small.
Chartreuse deceiver flies caught when Ray did find some, but overall, it was slow. Captain is hopeful that fishing will get better each week as the water warms and more bait fish move in. He’s going out to find blues and with flounder season starting on May 5, it should get exciting.
The Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) announced that extensive mats of the aquatic alga Didymosphenia geminata (aka Didymo or “Rock Snot”), an invasive species, were found in the Delaware River.
“We knew Didymo occurred in the river,” Dr. Silldorff said, “but the spatial extent and intensity of this bloom is alarming given its potentially detrimental effect on ecosystems and the ease in which it can be spread to nearby tributaries.” Findings indicate that the blooms of Didymo now extend across more than 100 miles of river.
While Didymo is not a public health hazard, there is great ecological concern with discovering the invasive alga to this extent and in these concentrations. Thick mats of Didymo can crowd out or smother valuable algae growing on the riverbed, thereby significantly altering the physical and biological conditions within a stream.
Anglers are encouraged to vigilantly clean equipment to prevent the spread of this invader. For details on Didymo and how to prevent its spread by properly cleaning equipment before entering another stream or river, visit http://www.nj.gov/drbc/basin/river/ or www.drbc.net
Sea Tow has two great services available for all boaters whether or not you are a member. Boaters can use channel 26 for free automated radio checks. By using Ch 26, the load on Ch 16 will be lessened.
Be sure to download Sea Tow’s free app to your Smart Phone and/or IPad. With this service you can check tides, weather, and contact the Coast Guard or Sea Tow when needed. It will automatically hone in on your GPS co-ordinates. Go to the App Store on your device and search Sea Tow.
The NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife 2012 Marine Digest is available online in PDF format. The print version will arrive the first week of May in bait and tackle shops, marinas, sporting good stores, and marine supply stores. Visit http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/digmar.htm
Calendar: South Jersey Marina hosts Strictly Boaters Boat Show, May 4, 5, & 6. The Strictly Boaters Boat Show is a true in-water boat show designed for two primary groups of people: boat buyers and boat sellers. Contact Mark Allen at 884-2400 or email mallen@StrictlyBoaters.com
Send your reports and pictures to cmiller@cmcherald.com. All pictures submitted are posted online at www.capemaycountyherald.com.