The Fishing Line: Sweet September

Don’t pull that boat just yet. Fall fishing in Cape May County is fabulous.
Multiple boats out of South Jersey Marina have reported fantastic hookups. Over the Top went six for 13 on whites caught around the Baltimore area; Super Crew also released six whites in the same area.
A little closer to home near the 30 Fathom Lump and the Elephant Trunk, the Nor’easter II was on the fish bringing in six yellow fin and one wahoo, Jen and Tonic had another awesome day of fishing, reeling in a dolphin, wahoo and a yellow fin. The Slammer was offshore near the 19 Fathom Lump bringing in wahoo, dolphin and tuna.
Inshore, boats such as the Common Sense, Cape Queen, Big Game, Slammer, Cape May Lady and the Porgy IV have all been bringing in the fish. The flounder are in the peak of their season, they might not all be keepers but they’re defiantly out there. Black sea bass are still in abundance around the reefs and wrecks. The tautog have made an early appearance and the ever present bluefish, has made the fishing even more enjoyable for people trying to get their last outings.
Grassy Sound Marina reports a mixed bag with weakies, trigger fish, blues, sea bass, stripers, kings, sheepshead, and flounder all caught in Grassy Sound. Crabs are still plentiful in the shallow creeks. They weighed in a very nice 4.6-pound trigger fish caught near the marina, outgoing tide and 3-year-old Brendan O’Rourke, Yardley, Pa., caught his first fish !! A very nice kingfish off the pier using squid, incoming tide.
The Sandefur crew, Phila., Pa. caught a 20-inch weakfish, a sheepshead, and two stripers off the pier. All caught on clams while fishing for stripers during incoming tide. Danielle D’Adamo, Villas, 8, caught four blues and two short flounder during a recent trip to the pier. She was using mackerel during outgoing tide. Mike Kush, Phila., Pa. had six sea bass, lots of snapper blues, and some short flounder using spearing off the pier during outgoing tide and Anthony D’Adamo, Villas, caught two kingfish and lots of sea bass using mackerel, incoming & outgoing tides off the pier.
Sterling Harbor Bait & Tackle reports some kingfish and small bluefish are being caught in the Wildwood surf and iIn the back-bays, there are still plenty of short flounder with an occasional keeper. Baby sea bass have invaded the back waters and if you want to keep the kids busy set them up with sabiki rigs and “Fishbites Bag ‘O Worms” for non stop catch and release action.
A few schoolie stripers are patrolling the back waters and can be caught on top water plugs or clam mainly in the early mornings and evenings. The Delaware Bay is producing some croakers and small flounder.
Flounder fishing was decent at the Cape May Reef and the Old Grounds when the conditions are right, but that was tough to come by.
There is still a good white marlin bite at the Canyons and the tuna are scattered from the 30 Fathom line out.
Ocean City will become a magnet for several hundred anglers from the tri-state region on Saturday, Sept. 18, when the Ocean City Fishing Club and the city’s Department of Recreation hold the 43rd annual Invitational Surf Fishing Tournament.
This competition, under the aegis of the Association of Surf Angling Clubs, begins with registration 5:30 to 6:30 am at the Primary School, Fifth Street and West Avenue. (Note: this is a new location) Teams of six persons and individuals will get beach locations chosen at random and fish between 6:30 am and 12:30 pm. The school is also the site for an awards ceremony, a light lunch, and prize drawings. The fee for teams is $50 and $10 for individuals. Vehicles with four-wheel drive will be allowed on the beach by special police permit available at registration.
During the tournament, members of the Ocean City Fishing Club will be on the beach to measure and record each catch. Three Ocean City tackle shops plan to open early to accommodate anglers who need bait and other last-minute supplies: Fin-Atics Marine Supply, 1325 West Avenue, and Pappy’s Fish n Stuff, 621 Bay Avenue, will open their doors at 5 am; the Sea Gull Shop, 309 55th Street, will open at 6 am. For more information contact Bill Daley 609-398-5625.
Bucktail Willie Schillingford sent in results for the Tri-State Anglers Open Fluke Tourney held Aug. 21: first place Leon Godowsky, 7.1-pounds; second place Joe Sears, 6.19-pounds; third place Frank Reed, 5.62-pounds.
Did you know that all of the trout New Jersey stocks during fall and winter measure 14 inches to 24 inches and weigh one and a half pounds to eight pounds? NJ trout anglers who know about the fall and winter big trout bonanza couldn’t be happier. A growing number of them now eagerly await the big fish, cool water, great weather and spectacular scenery of fall trout fishing season. And it doesn’t end with fall; hot trout fishing action extends through the winter months until spring stocking begins again in April.
From Oct. 5 through Nov. 24, more than 26,000 super-sized trout will be stocked in 16 streams and 40 ponds and lakes throughout the state. If you haven’t gone trout fishing yet this year, simply buy and print your fishing license and trout stamp online at http://www.wildlifelicense.com/nj/. For information on the fall and winter stocking program and places to fish for trout visit http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/trtinfo.htm . Stocking information is also available on the Trout Hotline at (609) 633-6765.
Send your fish stories and photos to cmiller@cmcherald.com. .