The Fishing Line—stay informed about fishing issues

The Fourth of July weekend seems like a good time to ask fishers to become active in organizations that support the pastime and industry. With so much going on as far as legislation, regulations, size limits and quotas are concerned, everyone who loves a good day on the water, needs to become better informed and active.
Recent legislation has brought about a heated debate between fishers and environmentalists about how best to protect fish species and the fishing industry for both recreational and commercial interests.
Locally we have to deal with some pretty tough restrictions and regulations. So it is up to everyone of us, to pay attention to what’s happening on the legislative front; It’s not enough to complain to the charter boat captain or marina attendant.
Questions need to be asked and answered about how data is collected and at what time of year it is gathered for each species. Other important issues to watch are: saltwater fishing licenses, reef regulations, and species-specific limits.
Please see accompanying article on some recent information important to fishers.
Now the fishing report:
“The fishing isn’t red hot, but there’s action in the right places when conditions allow,” reports Captain Brook Koeneke, Duke O’ Fluke, Somers Point. Koeneke says wind in the afternoons was a problem for drifts, but his anglers still took home up to three keepers per day while throwing back lots of under-sized flounder.
Among the successful fishermen were Terry O’Connell, Audubon Park, Pa., with a 19.4-pounder and Duke regular, Joe Murphy, Ocean City, fishing with his son, Joe Jr. from Colorado. The senior member of the duo picked up a 2.9-pound fluke during a drift in Beach Thorofare.
Cut mackerel and squid work well for fluke but not for the bluefish, which were scarce this week.
Captain Ray with Tide Runner, Cape May, reports another week of mixed action for fly rod anglers. The striper bite was a bit slower with the best action after sunset, in shallow flats in the back- bay with black gurgler and popping flies after dark. Sea herring with weakfish mixed in underneath provided good action along the beach-front.
Small jiggy and clouser flies would catch both with yellow/white and pink/white working best. A few blues were taken along the inlet rocks up to 4 pounds but with the cooler water temperatures they where spotty at best.
Bucktail Willie found stripers biting early in the week but then they dropped off. A block of cold water slowed down flounder fishing. Once the tide started out the flounder turned on with water into mid 60’s. Quite a few legal fish this week up to 23 inches. They appear to be heading to the ocean
The Hooked Up II fished in Jim Bait and Tackle and Hinch’s Marina Off the Hook Shark Tournaments but only managed two small Makos. They did find all the bluefish you could want in the 10-pound range 60 miles southeast of Cape May in the area of the Hot Dog along the 30 fathom line.
Captain John reports that the big news is the awesome day troll bite on yellowfin tuna happening right now. The best bite has been late in the afternoon and early morning and some boats have caught up 30 or more tuna trolling the past few days.
They found tons of sand eels on one of the local bluefin hot spots so they except to see the bigger bluefin show up any day now.
Sterling Harbor reports excellent flounder fishing in the back-bays and they have started to show up at the Old Grounds and the Cape May Reef. Lots of shorts but some nice keepers in the mix.
Some small sea bass are starting to show at the Cape May Reef. At the Canyons, there are reports of yellowfin tuna, blue marlin, white marlin and dolphin.
Frank Hennigan of Downingtown, Pa. had 12 yellowfin to 60 pounds at the Wilmington Canyon. Boats are reporting bluefin tuna while trolling at the 19 Fathom Lump and the Hambone.
In the surf, nice fish are being caught along the beaches in North Wildwood and Wildwood Crest. Ray Pashuk of Wildwood, weighed in a 21 pound striped bass from the North Wildwood suds.
On the Kayak Fishing scene, Chris Parson, the Fish Whisperer, Green Creek, reported small weakfish and stripers in the early mornings outside of Cold Spring Inlet. Big Frank Scirrotto, Cherry Hill, had a nice catch of flounder fishing dock lights at night from his Hobie Outback.
Billy Bittman, South Dennis, has been catching small stripers along the Sod Banks, mainly in the evenings. Crabby Jack gives the crabbing 4 Claws this week.
Another entry in the Cape May County 2008 Fishing Tournament: Kacie Houlroyd, 8, Court House, striped bass, 12 pounds, 6 ounces, May 26, back-bay, Cape May Inlet, on the Complete Addition with Captain Ed Houlroyd.
Tournaments:
July 9 – 13, 19th Annual “War at the Shore” Sportfishing Competition, South Jersey Marina, 884-2400, 884-1600.
July 12, Duke of Fluke Tournament, Sterling Harbor, 729-1425. They have added a Kayak Fishing Division as a separate tournament and all proceeds will benefit the SSFFF.
July 12, Grassy Sound Marina, Flounder Tournament, boats up to 25 feet, Corsons Inlet to Cold Spring Inlet, register by July 4, $125, after that $150, four anglers per boat, food, beverages, entertainment and prizes. Optional Calcutta $25, each flounder, weakfish, bluefish, striper. Debbie@grassysoundmarina.com
July 12-13, If you are fishing for fluke this weekend, stop by noreast.com and sign up for the Noreast.com Fluke Mania Smackdown. The Heaviest Fluke weighed will be awarded the $10,000 first prize, $25 to register and you can fish from private boat, party boat, charter boat, surf, or pier. Weigh- in at Avalon Hodge Podge, Riptide B&T, Brigantine.
July 16 -19, Mid-Atlantic Tuna Tournament, South Jersey Marina, Cape May, 884-2400, 884-1600.
Annual Pequest Trout Hatchery Teen Angler Youth Day, Saturday, July 26, 8:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Sign-up at teenanglers.org/ Those 12-19 year-olds can bring their own fishing equipment (barbless hooks only) to fish for rainbow trout in the Fishing Education Pond. Bring a cooler with ice to take your catch home.
Check out www.SeeMyBigFish.com for more fishing pictures and be sure to send your fish stories and pictures to Be My Guest reporter. Send info to cmiller@cmcherald.com.