The Fishing Line: Tournament Time

September fishing in Cape May County holds great promise. The flounder season has been extended to Sept. 24 and then sea bass season re-opens on Sept. 27. And the calendar is full of tournaments and special events. If you are looking to go out on a party boat or charter, please call ahead to check their schedule. Some captains are on reduced sailings.
Sterling Harbor reports that flounder fishing remains good at the Reefs but you’ll have to work a little harder for keepers. The Delaware Bay off Cape May Point is loaded with croakers and plenty of snapper blues can be found in the Rips. Offshore, white marlin have shown up and reports were good from the Baltimore Canyon. Mike Frank of Mullica Hill had a 41 pound tilefish from the Wilmington Canyon while fishing on Frank Hennigan’s boat Avalanche out of Wildwood.
The back bays are holding good amounts of schoolie size stripers especially around the bridges and dock lights at night. Flounder fishing has been slow in the back bays; the best has been around the Inlets. In the surf there are still spot, some croakers and a few kingfish. Fishbites has been the bait of choice.
Bill (Bucktail Willie) Shillingford fishing out of Whale Creek Marina had the best week with weakfish in three years. While nothing like the old days, Willie says it clearly is an indication they may be coming back. He found 2-4 weakfish from 16-22 inches each morning on bottom of the tide. Trolling rattletraps and white bucktails with purple twister tail worm worked best. In addition bluefish from 15-22 inches were mixed in. Water temps are still little high but striped bass should turn on once temperature starts dropping.
Grassy Sound Marina is still reporting plenty of flounder being caught in the back, 20-23 inch range on live bait, and weakfish galore at night. Schools of peanut bunker have shown up in Great Flat Thorofare; expect stripers to show up soon. Anchoring up and chunking for short stripers on plugs right now, a few nice keepers in the mix. Fishers are catching kings, bluefish, flounder and schoolie stripers off the pier.
Jim and Debbie Mooers, Grassy Sound Marina, have prepared a flounder contest making the most of the eight day extension to flounder season. Weigh in your flounder Sept. 17 to 24. No fee to enter. Largest flounder wins a $100 gas gift certificate for the marina plus more marina specials.
Dave Chanda, Director of the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife, will address members of the Ocean City Fishing Club at their Centennial Banquet at the Flanders Hotel in Ocean City on Sept. 28. The dinner is one of a year-long series of events, including a three-day surf fishing tournament Oct. 17-19, highlighting the 100th anniversary of the oldest, continuously operating fishing club in America. The Board of Chosen Freeholders, Cape May County has issued a special resolution marking this prestigious 100th anniversary.
Mark Your Calendars: Sept. 21, Women’s Surf Fishing Club of NJ Tournament, teams and individuals, 264-7754 or e-mail fshrwmn701@gmail.com; Sept. 22, heroes on the Water, North Wildwood, www.heroesonthewater.org; Sept. 26-29, Atlantic City Boat Show, Farley State Marina, www.acinwaterboatshow.com; Youth Fishing Tournament, Northfield, ages 5-17, 267-716-0970 or e-mail georgeforeman53@comcast.net; Oct. 5, Pennsauken Surf Fishing Club Tournament, North Wildwood, teams and individuals, 856-231-9110 or e-mail drapple1@msn.com; Oct. 12 NJ Beach Buggy Association, Fall Tournament, North Wildwood, 856-457-5532 or e-mail bucket1740@comcast.net; Governor’s Surf Fishing Tournament, Oct. 6, Island Beach State Park, awards to winners with the largest fish of species and age group categories, www.njfishandwildlife.com/gsft.htm. Tournament anglers may be asked to verify their compliance with the NJ Saltwater Recreational Registry Program. Registration is quick, easy and free, www.nj.gov/dep/saltwaterregistry
Send your reports and pictures to cmiller@cmcherald.com. Column and pictures are posted online at www.capemaycountyherald.com and on Facebook. Keep them coming.