The Fishing Line: June ends on a Weak(ie) note

It’s summer and they’re all here: Tuna, fluke, sea bass, triggers, stripers, drum and blues. Whether you call yourself a local or a tourist, it is time to go fishing.
Grassy Sound Marina reports stripers and flounder off the pier, with the incoming and top of the tide most productive overall. There are also reports of some nice trigger fish being caught in Hereford Inlet.
Marc Fineberg, Jenkintown, Pa. caught a 19 inch flounder near the N. Wildwood bridge on a Kyleigh’s Special and pink Gulp, top of the tide and Peter Jargowski, S. Dennis, caught a keeper flounder on minnows along the south bank at the Stone Harbor free bridge with a west wind. John Sleusser, Landisburg, Pa. caught 2 keeper flounder to 24 inches and a weakie near the Stone Harbor toll bridge. Thirteen year olds, Mark Mastolone and Shane Black, Bayville, caught 20 and 21inch flounder fishing Jenkins Channel with spearing and squid and also near the marina, incoming tide.
There’s been plenty of action off the Grassy Sound Fishing Pier, too. Sonny Carlberg, Green Creek, 31 inch striper, Ken Kang, Cape May, 20 inch flounder, Warner Sharp, Edgewater Park, 18 inch flounder, and Raymond Pekala, Philadelphia, 28 inch striper. Make plans for the seventh annual Grassy Sound Marina Flounder Tournament, July 13, back bay tournament. Prizes, live music, barbeque, and cold beverages. Register at www.grassysoundmarina.com
Sterling Harbor Marina reports flounder fishing has turned on at the Old Grounds and Reef Site 11 with some reports of limits at the Old Grounds. Ken and Suzanne Smith of Philadelphia, and Scott Pierce of Drexel Hill, Pa., had nine keeper flounder to 7.15 pounds at Reef Site 11. Flounder fishing at the Cape May Reef and in the back bays is reported as fair.
Weakfish continue to be caught around the jetties in North Wildwood and Cape May, and there are still a few striped bass along the beachfront and inlets. Darrion Heffner of Warminster, Pa., had a 34 inch striper from Cape May Point that hit a Yozuri Crystal Minnow.
Out at the canyons quality yellow fin tuna were caught while trolling. Scott Wheeler reported a 100 pounder and some gaffer dolphin from the Baltimore Canyon while fishing on Mike Gardner’s boat Maika out of Wildwood. Captain John Sowerby, Caveman Sportfishing Charters, down at South Jersey Marina, had a nice catch of yellowfins up to around 80 pounds on an overnight trip fishing a local southern canyon.
Bill (bucktail willie) Shillingford, fishing out of Whale Creek Marina, found bass most early mornings up to 34 inches but is finding the fluke bite a little slow. Captain Chuck, Sea Star III, says the Bay is alive with a variety of fish including fFluke, weakfish, croakers, kingfish, spot, blues, and blowfish.
Fishing remains good for both fly and spin anglers, according to Captain Ray, Tide Runner. Weakfish again made up the biggest part of the catch. Ray is seeing better numbers of fish but the size was smaller, still most were well above keeper size. Clouser flies worked well for the fly anglers and gulp on a jig head worked best for the spin anglers. They are catching a number of fluke, most were small, and he did get a sheephead and a few sea bass. To keep him on his toes, he had a few large cow nose rays on light tackle that gave long powerful runs and a nice battle. With seemingly lack of baitfish around the inlet and back bay areas, the striper and bluefishing has been slow for this time of year.
NEWS: The Commerce Department announced the appointment of 20 new and returning members to the eight regional fishery management councils that partner with NOAA Fisheries to manage ocean fish stocks. Mid-Atlantic Council appointees for 2013 fill an obligatory seat for Delaware and three at-large seats. Obligatory seat: Lee G. Anderson (Delaware); At-large seats: Richard “Rick” B. Robins, Jr. (Virginia), Stephen E. Linhard (Maryland), Jeffery “Jeff” H. Kaelin (New Jersey).
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council released a draft of its 5-year strategic plan for public comment. The draft plan outlines the Council’s vision, mission, and strategic goals for 2014-2018. Comments from the public will be accepted through July 19, and reviewed by the Council at its August 13-15 meeting in Wilmington, Del. The Draft 2014-2018 Strategic Plan is available with instructions for submitting comments, at http://www.mafmc.org/strategic-plan. Direct questions to Mary Clark, mclark@mafmc.org or 302-526-5261.
CALENDAR: June 22 South Jersey Carpenters Flounder Pounder Tournament, Chestnut Neck, 653-8995.
Send your reports and pictures to cmiller@cmcherald.com. Column and pictures are posted online at www.capemaycountyherald.com. Let’s go fishing!