The Fishing Line: Inshore, Offshore, Any Shore

Comfortable temperatures are luring anglers for another day of fishing. Don’t let the Back-to School ads fool you, there’s plenty of fishing time left.
Captain Zig of First Fish Adventures out of Pier 88 in Sea Isle City got to see some dolphins and a large loggerhead turtle on a couple of his charters. Four-year-old Katie Molnoski of Belleville and Vincent Cianfichi, 11, and Alex Cianfichi, 8, of Moscow, Pa., caught sea bass, jacks and triggerfish along with a few porgys. Four-year-old Lenny Paolillo, III,of Basking Ridge, fished hard with clams and caught plenty of triggers and some bluefish. Tyler, 12, and Emily, 9, Gallo of Hockessin, Del. Along with Owen, 11, and Andrew, 7, Ebersole of King of Prussia, Pa., also fished for triggers. Captain Zig had a hard time keeping bait on their hooks because the action was non-stop.
Bill (bucktail willie)Shillingford fishing out of Whale Creek Marina had a decent week with August striped bass between 26-30 inches. Best bite regardless of time of day has been very top of the tide with live spots. Legal size fluke were also caught on live spots which are plentiful all over and easy to catch for bait with small hooks and fish bites.
Grassy Sound Marina has seen flounder turn on again in the back-bay. Pink Gulp, the bait of choice for the larger flounder being caught in the grass at the sod banks at the top of the tide. Loads of spot being caught on Sabiki rigs and Fish bites. Crabbing remains hot.
Frank Bolger, Wildwood, caught a 21 inch flounder and 10 shorts fishing the top of the tide near the N. Wildwood Bridge with minnows and Andy Chernyk, Plumsteadville, Pa. caught a 19 ½ inch flounder and sea bass near marker 420. He was fishing the incoming tide with minnows.
George Jones, Souderton, Pa. caught 4 keepers near Jenkins Sound fishing the incoming tide with white Gulp and Mark Linder, Bensalem, Pa. caught three keeper flounder to 21 ½ inches and some sea bass. He also reports catching 35 crabs in 45 minutes in Turtle Creek. The flounder were caught near the North Wildwood Bridge, outgoing tide on minnows.
Joe Hoefler, Bensalem, Pa. caught 7 keepers with the largest at 24 inches. His crew was fishing near the Stone Harbor toll bridge with minnows, both tides. The 24 incher was caught on pink Gulp.
Tom Pizzollo, Philadelphia, caught a 20” flounder in Hereford Inlet, incoming tide on pink Gulp.
Insomnia Guide Service with Captain Dan Schafer reports the biggest bass of the year showing up in August. And this year again, the big fish didn’t fail him. The group light poled the flats finding schools of peanut bunker and mullet at every turn of the marsh.
They found a hard fighting 24 inch bass before they got hammered by a huge fish on the green water that made an insane run before heading toward deeper water. The bass swirled on the surface heading toward the back of the boat as it slid right into the net. Captain grabbed her by the mouth and realized just how big this fish was; the largest ever boated on the skiff. The Boga Grip confirmed it as it went just past 22 pounds. They returned her to the water, moving the boat along with the trolling motor full speed until her energy returned.
The morning was not done yet as the next bass hooked was even more determined as it made an initial run that surpassed even the largest fish. This one, too, ran off. They finished up the morning with a nice fish in the 28 inch range before heading back to the dock and cementing another August trip in the back water that will not soon be forgotten.
The past couple of weeks have been very busy for the Cape Queen out of South Jersey Marina with Captain Mike and Captain Andy. Martin Boutet and family had a great day with the kids catching about 37 bluefish and some throwback fluke and sea bass. The Ricci party managed about 30 blues.
Joyce Hirshberg booked a trip with family and friends and brought in 8 keeper fluke out of about 50 or so fish, along with15 keeper sea bass. The family fishing pool was won by youngster Robbie with a 22 inch fluke. The Rich Kersting party on a 4 hour trip had lots of action with 41 bluefish brought to the boat, 7 sea bass and 1 keeper fluke. John Taus and party had a similar catch. James Hegeman’s large party had 36 sea bass up to 3.5 pounds, an 8-pound tog, and 2 Ling cod.
Over at Frank’s Boats keeper flounder were coming in up to 22 inches. Most are being caught drifting between the Strathmere toll bridge and the boat ramp at the end of Strathmere Bay. The water cooled into the mid-70s and that improved fishing. Small weakfish, bluefish and kingfish have also been caught. Sea Bass are getting bigger and the kids are having a lot of fun with them. Frank says if your kids have never caught a fish, now is the time to take them.
The crabs are getting larger and more plentiful. Frank knows where to send you and recommends hand lines with bunker for bait. It will help draw the crabs to your location and then they will take any bait you use.
Brynnie B ran a night back-bay trip and fished a variety of structures using light jig heads and various plastics. Captain Frank says there is a load of peanut bunker and spearing in the back-bays, as well as spot, pinfish and mullet.
On a trip with Gary Twiggs of Dennis Twp. and friend Tom, they drifted for flounder over structure using bluefish strips, squid, and robin for bait. The drift was great early on and they nailed 10 nice keepers to 24 inches as well as a keeper sea bass. They report lots of throw backs, too.
Ocean City’s Fishing Club Boys and Girls Tournament Results: 73 youngsters met on north-end beach of Ocean City Aug. 11. The weather cooperated, giving contestants all the time they needed to reel in a total of 113 fish, including flounder, sea bass, kingfish, weakfish, spot, sand sharks, and oyster catchers.
Top prizes: Most fish caught by a girl, Alexis Erazmus, 8, of Yardley, Pa.; most fish caught by a boy, Hunter Leeds, 12, Ocean City ; largest fish caught by a girl, Maddi Koury, 10, Birchrunville, Pa., 17-inch flounder; Largest fish caught by a boy: Joseph Mellace, 11, Audubon, 13.75-inch flounder.
For more information on the Ocean City Fishing Club and its tournaments contact George Ingram
609-398-0534 or ingramg@aol.com
Volunteers needed for Project PORTS oyster restoration activities, Friday, Aug. 24, 7 a.m-11 a.m., Green Creek. Children must be 10 years old and accompanied by an adult. Contact Jessica Daher at 856-825-2174 or jessica@littoralsociety.org for details.
Hope to hear your fish story soon. Send reports and pictures to cmiller@cmcherald.com. There are terrific pictures coming in but not room in print for all of them. All pictures submitted are posted online at www.capemaycountyherald.com.