Diehard anglers are working hard to find those elusive stripers. The teasing is over; the stripers are here.
Reports from Sterling Harbor Marina have stripers in the Cape May Rips and the Delaware Bay and while there weren’t a lot of fish, Cathy says the fish caught were beauties. The Cape May Rips and the lower Delaware Bay gave up nice size fish, and the upper bay held mostly schoolie size. Mike “Bird” Frank of Mullica Hill, checked in with a whopper striped bass tipping the scale at 53 pounds and measuring 47 inches. The fish was caught while chunking bunker in the Delaware Bay.
Sea bassing was excellent at the Cape May Reef and out to the 30 mile wrecks. The larger fish were caught on the 25-30 mile wrecks, and most anglers had their limit. Togging remains excellent along the jetties and inshore wrecks. Bob Fritz of Philadelphia had his limit of sea bass at the Cape May Reef and finished up the day with a tog limit at an inshore wreck. On the kayak fishing scene, Mike Brier of North Cape May, Charles Parker of Wildwood, and Justin Fesler of Court House had an excellent day togging along the jetties using green crab for bait.
Bill (bucktail willie )Shillingford fishing out of Whale Creek Marina had some difficulty finding bass. Early in week there was a slow pick but water temps dropped into the 40s and the combination of cold water and little bait slowed the bite down. Willie says that unless there is a rise in water temps, the bass will be going right down the coast and not moving inside. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen.
Captain Ray is working hard to catch stripers on flies and plugs. The best fishing has been in the back bay around creek mouths and small rip lines where there is some bait fish. Chartreuse/white clousers, deceivers and popping flies are still taking fish, mostly small migratory ones. Some have sea lice on them. Ray echoed what Willie said that the striper migration south has sort of stalled out and the fish don’t seem to want to move down south. Ray is hoping for them to show up soon as the season is going by fast and as the weather gets colder the it gets tougher to fish in an open boat.
CALENDAR: Fight Leukemia Fishing Tournament, Nov. 23, $30 includes awards party. Pre-Register at Tackle Direct by Nov. 22 or call 602-8957. Late registrations at the Anchorage Tavern, Somers Point, 6-8pm, Nov. 22. Fishing is open to back bays, surf, and boats to 3 miles out, 7am-4pm and in the waters off Absecon Inlet to Hereford Inlet. www.artshed.com/fight
NEWS: Richard Eglesbe, Lakewood, made his way onto the state record fish list by landing a new state record Gray Tilefish at 18 pound, 14 ounce fish. For more info including a photo, www.njfishandwildlife.com/news/2013/recgraytile13.htm
NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife’s Landscape Project, training and information session, Rutgers University, Cook Campus, New Brunswick, Dec. 3, 9:30 a.m -12:30 p.m. Visit www.njfishandwildlife.com/ensp/landscape_train.htm or e-mail patrick.woerner@dep.state.nj.us .
The Jersey Shore Beach N Boat Fishing Tournament is proud to support the Fisheries Conservation Trust (FCT), a non-profit, 501(c) (3) organization involved with critical fisheries-related science and research within the state of New Jersey. The funds provided to the FCT are specifically earmarked to go directly to a project and not get lost in the administration. There are still three weeks of fishing left before Nov. 30, and prizes in all categories are obtainable. beachnboat.com/sign-up-now
The Fishing Line runs year round (short hiatus in January) so keep sending your reports and pictures to cmiller@cmcherald.com. Column and pictures are posted online at www.capemaycountyherald.com and on Facebook. Keep them coming.
Cape May – Governor Murphy says he doesn't know anything about the drones and doesn't know what they are doing but he does know that they are not dangerous. Does anyone feel better now?
