The Fishing Line
By CAROLYN MILLER
The flounder season may be over but there’s plenty of other fish to catch your attention, and hopefully your hook.
The flounder said good-bye with plenty of action being reported by Sterling Harbor. There was great fishing at the Cape May Reef, the Old Grounds, and Reef Site 11 with lots of fish in the five to eight pound range.
The inshore tuna bite slowed this past week, however the offshore overnight bite has turned on with numerous yellowfin tuna caught while chunking at the canyons. Some wahoo were taken on the troll near the 19 Fathom Lump and the Cigar areas.
In the surf, bluefish action has been great while casting metal. A few stripers were caught in the surf as well, on plugs.
Ray Pashick of Wildwood, reported a 36 inch striper he took off the beach near Hereford Inlet on a Mirro-lure.
South Jersey Marina charters have found the yellowfin tuna. A trip on the Slammer reported eleven of them caught outside the Wilmington Canyon. The Catch of Week has to go to the “Hooked Up.” On an overnight trip they caught four Albacore Longfin (heaviest one 69 pounds), eight yellowfin, nine dolphin and two wahoo. The “Hooked Up” also had a nice catch of eight yellowfin the next night.
An inshore report from Top Shelf boasted a catch of 25 croaker and 35 triggerfish. Must be the warm water temperature in close.
Captain Ray, Tide Runner, Cape May, has seen bluefish all over the place, along the beachfront, inlet and back bay. He tells me they have been easy to catch as they are feeding on bay anchovies. With the warm water, small stripers are still hitting but you have to work a little harder and the night action has been the best time.
Captain Ray’s new boat is in operation now and he’s looking forward to great fall fishing as the bait fish start leaving the back bays and the fish get the urge to fatten up for their fall migrations.
If the weather cooperates, he’ll be looking to get some false albacore on fly around some of the inshore lumps.
Captain Fred at Harbor View reports bluefin still at Massey’s and 19 Fathom with a good number of wahoo caught between 19 Fathom and Elephant’s Trunk. The Lindenkol and Wilmington Canyon are producing yellowfin and longfin. He’s finding stripers in the back bay but most are short but the croakers remain a good catch off the Ferris Wheel, Cape May Reef, and McCries.
Don’t forget to register for NJ Outdoors for Women Surf Fishing Workshop, Oct. 6, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Island Beach State Park, Seaside Park. Participants (18 and older) will learn about 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. Mail a check for $15 NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife. This fee will be refunded to you at the class. Participants will also be able to register for the Governor’s Surf Fishing Tournament held the following day. The cost for the tournament is $10 for adults; equipment will be supplied to those who participate in the workshop, but participants will have to supply their own bait. Registration deadline Sept. 21.
40th Annual Ocean City Surf Fishing Tournament, Saturday, Sept. 22, registration 5:30 – 6:30 a.m. at the O.C. Intermediate School, 18th Street and Bay Avenue. The fee for teams of up to six anglers is $50; individuals may sign up for $10. Fishing from 6:30 to 9:30 a.m. and 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Beach locations for teams are chosen by a drawing at registration. Contact Bill Daley at 398-5625.
72nd Cape May County Fishing Tournament as reported by Pat Robbins, Dept. of Tourism 463-6415:
Chuck Ramierez, flounder, 10 pounds 7 oz, Aug. 30, on the Foray, Capt. John Ackley; Ken Raker, summer flounder, 10.92 pounds, Aug. 29, CapeMay Reef; George Barnard, wahoo, 61 pounds, Aug. 31, Olivia Grace, Capt. John Wilson;
Jim Sullivan, flounder, 5.75 pounds, Sept. 4, Cape May Reef, Bad Money; George Barnard, swordfish, 175 pounds, Olivia Grace, Capt. John Wilson; Jim Bartleson, fluke, 8.37 pounds, July 3, back bay.
Be sure to send your fish stories and pictures and Be My Guest reporter. Send info to cmiller@cmcherald.com. Pictures submitted that do not appear in print can be found at www.CapeMayCountyHerald.com.
Paula DiVincenzo of Sewell, had a nice surprise while crabbing. She pulled up a 1.5 pound lobster. Earlier in the day, she pulled up a 17.5 inch flounder. (Sterling Harbor)
1. Brendan Kelly, 10, of Drexel Hill, Pa. with his 3 pound 9 ounce flounder caught at Reef Site 11. (Sterling Harbor)
2. Joe Finn and Joe Finn Jr., from Hudson NY, had a great day on a special fishing trip for Joe Jr., who has cystic fibrosis. He caught seven fluke all over 4 pounds. For the Make a Wish Foundation he wished he could go to Rome and be blessed by the pope, hoping for a miracle. (Fins&Grins)
3. The Clean Earth group from New Castle, Del. led by Carl Elliot with guest Jim Cawthern had five true albacore, seven yellowfin, two wahoo, nine dolphin and released a small sword fish plus they lost a much bigger one. (Hooked Up)
4. Margie, James and Connor Pierce of Wilmington, Del. with a nice catch of flatties from Reef Site 11. (Sterling Harbor)
5. Joey Longo III weighed in a 6 pound and a 5 pound flounder he caught while fishing on his Dad’s “Jody Joe” at the Cape May Reef. (Sterling Harbor)
6. Larry McGill of Gibbstown, with his 28 pound wahoo caught at the Cigar area on Dave Stetser’s Mojito. (Sterling Harbor)
7. Ed Ruthenbeck and Rick Cammarano of Erma, with flounder they caught at the Cape May Reef. (Sterling Harbor)
8. The crew of the Next Generation with a nice catch of fluke from Reef Site 11.
9. Jim Willier is a regular on the Gone Fishin’, out of Utsch’s Marina, most Wednesday’s in the summer and fall, as well as a few drum and striper trips. He had a great time with Capt. Mark Elliott and first mate Markie catching all these weakfish.
10. Jim Sullivan of Wildwood, with a nice pair of 5 pound 12 ounce flounder he caught at the Cape May Reef on his boat Mad Money. (Sterling Harbor)
11. Freddy Vesper of Moorestown, with a 47-pound wahoo he caught trolling at 19 Fathom Lump on his boat Diamond Girl.
12. The new Tide Runner is put to work in the back bay behind Cape May with a charter plugging up blues. (Capt. Ken Kelly)
