The Fishing Line: Fluke, blues, fireworks and BBQ

Fishing is in full swing. There are tuna, croakers, flounder, Mahi-Mahi, and more. Spend a beautiful day on the water. It’ll make your vacation something to remember.
Croakers were in Grassy Sound with weakfish and kings also showing up at the docks. They report a nice flounder bite at the top of the tide.
John Romain, Vineland, caught a 20 ½-inch flounder off the fishing pier using chicken soaked in shedder oil. Carol and Jim Boyle, National Park, caught two flounder to 19-inches during incoming tide on minnows near the Stone Harbor toll bridge.
Tom McCullough, Southampton, Pa. caught a 2.11-pound flounder near the Greek Church, Anglesea, on squid, minnow & a Bomber marsh crab, outgoing tide and Ken Hornback Sr., Atco, caught a 3.14-pound flounder behind N. Wildwood on squid and minnow at the top of the tide.
Sterling Harbor marina is also reporting that flounder fishing is getting better every day with more keepers coming form the Back-Bay and offshore from the Old Grounds, Reef Site 11 and the Cape May Reef. It seems that things are heating up just in time for the 18th Annual Duke of Fluke Tournament to be held on July 16 at Sterling Harbor.
The yellowfin tuna bite remains strong offshore with plenty of fish being caught between the Wilmington and Baltimore Canyons with some dolphin and white marlin caught as well. Bluefin tuna have been caught at the Hambone and Massey’s Canyon while trolling, jigging and chunking with butterfish and sardines.
Kingfish are showing up in the surf along the Wildwoods and small stripers are being caught in the Back-Bays at dawn and dusk while using surface poppers such as Smack-it Lures or Storm Chug Bugs and the like.
Captain Ray had a good and bad week. (That’s fishing, isn’t it?) He had a good trip with Mr. and Mrs. Smith catching 17 stripers during their 4-hour evening fishing trip. During that trip they had one double hook up on a plug and teaser and missing a second double hook up when larger fish broke off the plug. Captain says the fluke action was fairly good but catching anything of keeper size is tough with many just under the 18-inch limit.
Ray is still catching stripers on the fly with the steroid gurgler being the top producer but he has to work harder than normal. Any blues caught have been decent size but they are harder to find than stripers. He thinks it may be that the water is extremely warm for this time of the year with some days hitting 72 degrees in the ocean; along the beach and the back by waters in the high 70s Normally these high temps are later in July or August. Ray’s keeping an eye out for a possible algae bloom much earlier than we have ever seen due to the warmer conditions.
At Pier 88 in Sea Isle City, they have seen a lot of nice keeper flounder mixed in with a lot of good sized throw backs. Incoming tide seems to be better and the pearl white swimming mullet Gulp on bucktail is the hot ticket along with minis. Seems like the keepers are caught in the TI Inlet (bayside) and around Paddy’s Hole. They are not always in the deep water. Sea Isle Lump had 11 nice croakers and a weakfish caught on fresh clam. Stripers still here and there. Justin had a slammer on bunker head, 34-inches, 15-pounds. Kingfish are in the surf. Try fresh bloodworms or fish bites, one-hour before low tide and one-hour during the incoming tide seems to have the most action. Fifteen hit the fillet table one day.
First Fish Adventures: Specializes in teaching kids (and their parents) to fish. They run a 19-foot boat in the back bays and take 4-5 people at a time so the personal instruction is great for the kids. Charter’s length depends on age. They supply everything you’ll need including fun. Captain Zig has been fishing the Sea Isle area for over 40 years and has a lot of experience with kids on his boat. He teaches kids about the boat, rods, fish and any birds seen on the charter. Licensed and insured, 602-9004.
Send your fishing reports and pictures to cmiller@cmcherald.com