The Fishing Line June 15

Busy, busy. Lots of things to cover this week as the warm weather got the fish moving some more. Flounder are slow still but some are being taken; the blue fish are still around, stripers continue to come in, the sea bass are being reported en masse, and we even received reports of some mako being taken. Let’s get to the reports.
Captain Mark from the Gone Fishin’ IV starts us off with word of a recent successful drum fish charter for the crew from Garden State Dredging. Leroy Sneathen, Wayne Rambo and the others caught 6 drum fish going up to 60 pounds. The good weather and even better results made for a memorable time.
Captain Mike from the Lady Chris checked in saying they have been fishing the Cape May Reef this past week. They have been catching sea bass with an occasional fluke. A couple of nice fluke won pools during the week.
Captain Ray from Tide Runner Charters had a good week for his fly-fishing charters. They caught fish from the ocean and the back bay, and they ranged from blues (17 to 24 inches), stripers (teens to 27 inches) and weakfish that averaged 18 to 22 inches. Ray mentioned seeing some spearing for the first time this season in the back which is a good sign, but also said that if you go in the back, take your bug spray as the gnats “will eat you alive” if you don’t have it.
Fred from No Bones Bait and Tackle checks in for the first time this year. He reports a “decent week” from the back bays. He said to avoid the weeds and you could experience some good flounder fishing.
As proof, he offers up Frank Walsh who got an 8 pound, 7 ounce fluke from his own boat, as well as Jim Pondo, and Michael and Pat Bryan, who took out a rental Saturday and returned with four keepers.
Rich Ryan checked in with news of his 38 inch striper caught from the beach along the Delaware Bay. He caught it over Memorial Day weekend while using a bunker head.
Cameron from Boulevard Bait and Tackle sent photos of some nice fluke with a few larger ones going 4.27, 5.62 and 4.13 pounds. There were a number of other nice keepers, too.
Some nice stripers also came through the door. A 39 inch, 19.3 pounder, a 42 inch, 23 pounder and a 38 pounder were amongst them. Todd brought in a 45 inch, 35 pounder on Tuesday. One angler had a “banner morning” recently. He kept a 40 inch, 17.5 pounder, while letting a 38, 30 and 25 incher go. He also caught four kingfish for good measure.
On Sunday morning, a nice size blue was reported. It was caught by an angler who has been on the blue fish for the last few weeks.
Matt from Jim’s Bait and Tackle starts off with the results of the recent shark tournament. A large number of sharks were caught and released, and the weather was excellent. First place with a 194 pound mako went to the “Fully Loaded.” Second place with a 178 pound mako was captured by the “Let’s Go.” Third place with a 290 pound thresher went to the “Whiskey Girl.”
The drum fish seemed to have moved into the middle of the bay. The Pin Top and the inside and outside edges of Tussy’s Slough are producing. Merle Mansen of Chicago weighed in his first drum fish. It was caught at Pin Top and weighed 64.5 pounds.
Stripers are being caught in the shallows by boat fishermen near the beaches. Some are also being taken directly from the beach. Both of these sources should slow down as the water temperature rises.
Weakfish in the 6-8 pound range were being taken along the rocks at Hereford Inlet. A lot of anglers are practicing catch-and-release according to Matt. Higbee’s Beach and The Point are also good areas to float some bloodworms. Use circle hooks if you intend to release your fish to avoid a gut hook.
A few fluke were caught out front of Cape May, but the most productive areas are the back bays north of Cape May, near the Wildwoods and beyond.
Finally, sea bass fishing is good if you can find a less pressured wreck. Those in 80 to 120 feet of water have been the “best” recently.
The Royal Flush is fishing out front and reporting sea bass, flounder and the first of the year kingfish. A number of 2 pound flounder included those caught by Donald Murphy and Cindy White, and 2 pound sea bass caught by Mary Mossbrook and Matt Hammer highlighted the week.
Grassy Sound Marina reported some nice flounder being caught recently. Turtle Creek was the hotbed for the Casey’s who returned with three keepers for their efforts.
Captain Fred from Utsch’s reports limits of sea bass from the Full Ahead and the Fishin’ Fever. Prior to the sea bass charters, the Full Ahead had a good trip by catching 11 drum fish and getting back to the dock by 6:30 p.m. Also, the day before a local shark tournament resulted in an estimated 400 pound thresher being caught and released by a slip holder at the marina.
Sterling Harbor checks in next. Cathy reports a “Jersey Cape smorgasbord.”  Stripers from the bay and beachfront are taking bunker or clam. Weakfish are around the bridges and jetties. Drum fishing is at “its peak” in the bay, blue fish are still cruising around, and flounder are in the back bays and at the local reefs. Sea bass are in the mix while some makos are being weighed in, and even yellow fin tuna and mahi-mahi are on the scene. Whoa! That’s enough to get any angler pumped up.
A young angler, Brandon Olewiler from York, Pa. caught his first ever black drum which weighed 49 pounds. It was caught from his dad’s boat, the “S.S. Scrappy.”
Bill Nolan weighed in a 110 pound mako from the 30 Fathom Line, caught from Scott Wheeler’s boat the “Big Bone.”
Crabbing was better than last week yet still slow, but that should improve as the water warms.
As the water warms, and if the weather cooperates, we should see even more action. More people coming down will equal more lines in the water, and more for our report. Hope to see you out and about.
Submit your fishing news and photos to mrobbins@cmcherald.com.