The Fishing Line: The Shoulder Season

Ocean City’s 44th Invitational Surf Fishing Tournament had another very successful tourney with 171 men, women, and youngsters competing. They couldn’t find any big ones out there; mostly small bluefish, kingfish, and sharks dominated the catches.
In the women’s division, Sharon Otto, Southampton, took home a trophy after reeling in a 13 1/4-inch blue. She was fishing with the Women’s Surf Angling Club. Her counterpart was Ralph DiLucca, of Philadelphia, who won with a 15.25-inch bluefish. He was a member of a team from the New Jersey Beach Buggy Association.
Di Lucca’s catch also earned him the second annual Tom Hayes Memorial Trophy for the largest fish. The six-member team that placed first in the tournament, based on the total number of points they received was Surf N Land’s “B” group (Browns Mills, NJ.) with a score of 181.
Other top winners were Lynda Greaves, Upper Township, most points for a woman, and Gary Born, Brigantine, most points in the men’s division. Greaves fishes with the New Jersey Beach Buggy Association and Born is a member of the Surf N Land “B” team. Winning an award for the most points scored by an individual was J.C. Hinkle, of Philadelphia.
In the youth category, Josh Biondi, 14, of Brigantine, won a trophy and a fishing rod for the most points after catching three blues and four sharks.
Sponsored by the Ocean City Fishing Club and the city’s Department of Recreation, the tournament is under the aegis of the Association of Surf Angling Clubs (ASAC).
Grassy Sound Marina reports stripers are being caught incoming tide off the pier and before sun up on the beach on bucktails and metal. The stripers being caught off the beach are reportedly “bay stripers” by the color of them. The big push hasn’t come down from up north yet. These are resident bass. Sea bass, bluefish, flounder and crabs on the pier and weakies in the back bay.
Larry Marshall, Philadelphia, caught a 20 ½-inch flounder at the top of the tide on minnows off the fishing pier. Kathy Sandefur, Philadelphia, caught some short stripers during incoming tide on clams. She also had some sea bass.
Tom McCullough, Stone Harbor caught a 17-inch weakie, sea bass and some bluefish at the top of the tide in Great Flat Thorofare. Matt Bruns, Langhorne, Pa. reports 4 keeper stripers to 30-inches caught on the beach in Stone Harbor. He was using a bucktail with a white twister and metal.
Eleven-year-old Dylan Sangmeister and Nick Martino, Glenolden, Pa. were having fun catching sea bass off the pier all day for Dylan’s birthday.
Stray Cat Charters reports pretty good fishing out in 80 feet of water. The news is that the water has cleaned up and the temperature dropped to 68 degrees. Big croakers, some sea bass, and the bluefish have returned. Charters managed some weakfish to 15-inches and a few nice porgies and sea bass. Gary Barrette Group from Schwenksville Pa. pulled a box full of 4-pound sea bass. Stray Cat will be running open trips all winter long. Pool winner: Pete Costello, Collegeville, Pa , with a 6-pound bluefish.
NEWS: The NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife is offering a one-day women’s surf fishing clinic on Oct. 1 from 9 am – 3 pm at Island Beach State Park, Seaside Park. No prior surf fishing experience is needed. Registration is open to women at least 18 years old. Learn the basics of surf fishing: rods, reels, weights, line, tackle, knots, bait, fish identification, casting, reading the surf, and caring for your catch.
The afternoon will be spent on the beach using techniques learned to fish the surf. Rain or shine, warm or cold. Participants should wear appropriate clothing, sun screen, sunglasses, hat, and foul weather gear.
Call Karen Leskie 609-748-4347. A check for $15 made out to the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife will be requested to reserve a spot. This fee will be refunded to you at the class. Participants will be able to register for the Governor’s Surf Fishing Tournament ( http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/gsft.htm ) held the following day. $10 for adults; equipment will be supplied to those who participate in the workshop, but you will have to supply bait.
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council launched its much-anticipated initiative to develop a strategic plan for the region’s managed fisheries. The Council has effectively rebuilt its managed fisheries over the last 35 years, but faces long-term challenges, The Council is seeking the public’s input. A survey is available at Council’s website (http://www.mafmc.org/vision/) for the public to begin providing their thoughts, ideas, and comments on fisheries management policies and processes. The survey, will be available until Jan. 31, 2012.
Over the next several months Council staff will be visiting coastal communities to hear from constituents and those most affected by the Council’s decisions. A list of these locations and events will be posted and updated on the Council’s website. For more information visit http://www.mafmc.org/vision/ or contact Mary Clark at mclark@mafmc.org or (302) 526-5261.
Send your fishing reports and pictures to cmiller@cmcherald.com. All pictures submitted, if they don’t make it in the print version, can be seen on the Herald’s Web site www.cmcherald.com, click on community, then fishing and boating.