The Fishing Line: Summer is officially here

You can be sure the fishing is really good when I can hardly catch up on all your reports and photos. Don’t be left out of the action. Come and fish.
Sterling Harbor reports big bluefin tuna at the Cigar, 19 Fathom Lump and Massey Canyon areas. Mike Sorgentoni of Cherry Hill, had two while trolling the Cigar area on the C-Jam.
Flounder fishing is good at the Old Grounds, Reef Site 11 and some are at the Cape May Reef.
Drumfish reports have slowed, but some are still in the Delaware Bay in the Tussey Slough and Pin Top areas.
In the back-bays, keeper flounder came mostly from deeper water in the back and schoolie stripers are still patrolling there.
Justin Fesler of Court House, had two keeper flounder while jigging Gulp! behind Wildwood Crest on his Hobie Mirage Pro Angler Kayak. Justin reported that stripers were busting the water but were reluctant to take any of the top water lures. He suggests using smaller poppers or plugs for success.
A few stripers are still being taken from the North Wildwood and Wildwood Crest surf, with clam the bait of choice.
Crabby Jack reports the best crabbing he has seen in two years. He says the crabs are big and plentiful.
Sterling Harbor’s Duke of Fluke Tournament is scheduled for July 10. Stop by the store or call for details.
Schmedley Charters fished the South Jersey Shark Tournament and were able to boat four Makos and two blues. The biggest tipping the scales at a whopping 155-pounds. On Saturday three Makos were caught and released. With warmer water moving in Captain John expects to see more tuna along with some Mahi Mahi along with them. (www.biggamejp.com)
At Grassy Sound Pier, Werner Sharp, Edgewater Park, caught two keeper flounder to 20-inches at the top of the tide using Gulp pearl white swim mullet and a minnow on the same hook for both fish.
Steve Garsey, Swainton, caught three keeper flounder with the largest at 7.13-pounds. He used a bucktail and minnow near Paddy’s Hole, outgoing tide.
Captain Ray, Tide Runner, Cape May had a great week of fishing. Stripers and bluefish provided action in the back-bay areas with the new moon extra high tides. Creeks, creek mouths, rip lines and shallow sod bank grass areas all produced.
No big stripers, most were 22 to 25-inches and whether caught on a fly or light spin rod they provide good action. Clousers, deceivers, popping flies and gurglers all worked well in the shallow back waters using either intermediate or floating line. Some of the best fishing was close to dark in three feet of water at high tide.
For the spin anglers Smack-it-jr popping plugs provided great surface action, with the best 4-hour two man trip landing 10 stripers and seven bluefish.
Bill (bucktail willie) Shillingford fishing out of Whale Creek Marina had a good week on striped bass behind the barrier islands. Most of the bass were shorts in the 25-27-inch range but two at 29-inches. Drifting eels did the trick; smaller bass were caught on surface poppers
Tri-State Anglers held their second tourney of the year: first place-Dan Konzak; second place- Leon Kordowski and in third place-Bucktail Willie.
HANDS ACROSS THE SAND, Wildwood, June 26. The Littoral Society has been working in support of partners in the Gulf and here locally to respond to the oil calamity. For details, go to HandsAcrosstheSand.org.
Send your fish stories and photos to cmiller@cmcherald.com. All photos submitted appear online at SeeMyBigFish.com.