Fish Report 9-1-14
Well Labor Day is here and with it the unofficial end of
summer. The kids go back to school and the shoobies go home. But, let’s not
forget September is a great month for fishing in south Jersey. Flounder fishing
has been very good and the season does not end until September 27th. So, if you have the chance, enjoy the reduced
traffic and get out there and catch some fluke.
The white marlin fishing has been off the hook this week and
September is usually the best time of year to get your chance at double digit
catches of white marlin. Keep an eye out for temperature breaks and offshore
eddies along the continental shelf. This past week we had a very nice break in
the Baltimore canyon and many boats had a chance at some amazing fishing! A
great resource for sea surface temps is available thru Rutgers Marine science
website. http://rucool.marine.rutgers.edu/
CAPE MAY
Off The Hook Tackle
Rusty Zeigler, “Overall it was a good holiday weekend here
at the Cape. Anglers were able to enjoy some decent Fluke fishing at the Old
Grounds and the Cape May reef. The conditions weren't perfect but they were fishable.
The Niedoba family fished Saturday and had a handful of keepers topping the
scales at 7.60 lbs. for Sharon DeFulio, and they did it again on Sunday at the
Cape May Reef ending with another handful of keepers to 6.24 lbs. for Mike
Niedoba.
Capt. Jason Olson took out the Clean Sweep for a fluke trip
on Saturday filling the cooler with 15 keepers to 6 lbs. and a handful of
Bluefish and Sea Bass.
The offshore bite was good in our southern canyons like the Poorman’s
and the Washington.
Boats trolling out there had to fight off the weed lines but
there was plenty of life around them.
Bull Dolphin to 40+ lbs. were reported, also yellowfin to
70+ lbs. and Big eyes topping the scales at 200+ lbs. were reported. The White
Marlin bite was epic numbers with a number of boats with double digit releases. Some boats out of Canyon Club had great trips
this weekend. Krazy Salts had 22 white marlin releases and Fishaholic had 15.
Jim’s Bait and Tackle
Matt Slobodjian, “Big Croakers have started to move into
some areas of Cape May Reef. There are still plenty of Fluke on the Reef as
well, still a lot of shorts but enough keeper sized fish to make a trip worthwhile.
Del. Reef Site #11 and the Old Grounds are still giving up some pretty good
catches of Fluke and a few nice Seabass. The Backwaters have slowed up a lot
mostly small Fluke, little Seabass, and small Blues are what’s biting along
with some Croakers in the Canal.
There are still small Blues at the Five Fathom Bank on the
troll along with a few Bonita and an occasional Mahi. Didn't hear much on the
East Lump, or Sea Isle Ridge this week. We are still getting good reports on
the troll from the Lumps inside the Elephant Trunk. There are a lot of False
Albacore but a few Yellowfin and more than a few Wahoo are being caught in this
area. The Wahoo seem to be traveling in packs so you can usually pick up more
than one. There is also some nice Dolphin hanging around the pots on the 20-30
fathom lines.
Offshore the White Marlin bite is starting to heat in the
southern Canyons. Reports of double digit catches were coming in all week from
the Washington and South Poormans Canyons. We also got reports of 5+ shots on
Whites from the Wilmington as well. The day chunk was on again in the Lindy
early in the week, but went to a night bite later on. A few Bigeyes were caught
in the Wilmington at night again this week but there wasn't a great
concentration of fish.
The surf is slow in Cape May, small Blues, Croakers, and a
few small Fluke are being caught at the Point but not much else. There are
still some nice Croakers coming from under the Canal bridge and the West Cape
May Bridge on Clams or Shrimp. North Wildwood beaches are still the best bet
for Kingfish.”
Utsch’s Bait and Tackle
Fred Klug, “hi everyone fishing has been real good this week
when the boats could get out. Tuesday and Wednesday the charter boat Fishin Fever
had his limit of flounder up to seven pounds. The charter boat the Full Ahead
on Wednesday had 28 flounder up to 6lb. on Thursday both charters fished and
came back with less keeper flounder and Capt. Bob stated it was very rough sea conditions
all day. the cape may reef is holding some nice size flounder which some of our
slip holders reported this past Saturday and Sunday and also the old grounds
which has been holding flounder and a few nice size sea bass. i have not had a
good off shore report since last week. I posted our yard sale date which is the
20th of September and our striper tournament which is November the 7th-8th on
our face book page which is utschbaitntackle@comcast.net thank you Capt. Fred.”
WILDWOOD
Sterling Harbor Bait and Tackle
Cathy Algard, “Flounder fishing leads the action again this
past week, but that even slowed up as Hurricane Cristobal passed by. However by
the weekend, the water began to clear and fluke catches were improving. Scott
Wheeler of Wenonah, NJ and crew had eleven keeper flounder up to 8 pounds while
fishing the Cape May Reef on Scott’s boat “Big Bone” out of Wildwood. Other
anglers also reported excellent flounder action at the Cape May Reef with a lot
of throwbacks mixed in with the keepers. Offshore, it seems like the tuna are
north of us right now in the Lindenkohl Canyon and white marlin are scattered
from the Wilmington Canyon south. Wahoo and nice mahi-mahi have been reported
from the East Lump out to and along the 20 Fathom Line. Along the beachfront
kingfish are taking bloodworms and Fishbites (I Can’t Believe It’s Not
Bloodworms!) with a few croakers mixed in. Back bay striper fishing is red hot
with sardine chunks being the bait of choice. Crabby Jack gives the crabbing 4
Claws this week and said the crabbing picked up and crabbing is good right now
and should be good right through September!”
Grassy Sound Marina
Debbie Mooers, “Larger stripers are being caught off the
pier and in the back at different tides.
Hereford Inlet, outgoing tide is where they’re finding the fluke.
FIRST FISH
Liam Casey Hawk, Willow Grove, Pa. caught his first
flounder, a hair away from a keeper. He
was also having fun catching snapper blues near Hereford Inlet, top of the
outgoing.
Catherine Binowski, Cherry Hill, NJ caught a 24”, 5 lb.
flounder near the toll bridge at Hereford Inlet, outgoing tide.
Patrick O’Drain & Crew, Phila. caught 6 nice keeper
fluke despite the conditions at the Cape May Reef, the largest at 23”, 4
lb. They were using drift rigs with
squid & minnows.
PIER
A 31 ½” striper for Carmen Zaccaro, a pier member, on bunker
from the pier, slack tide.
Mike Kiska, Cheltenham, Pa. 35”, 20 lb. striper on bunker,
top of the incoming and a 22” weakie on spot, incoming tide.
Jim Mooers, Grassy Sound caught two stripers to 32” &
28” on a rubber lure and a jighead, outgoing tide.
Eric DeLellis, Aston, Pa. caught a 23”, 4.6 lb fluke, the
mouth of Hereford Inlet on minnows, outgoing tide.
RENTAL BOAT
Nicole Decker, Smyrna, Del. caught 2 keepers to 21” on
minnows, outgoing tide. She out fished
the men having the only keepers on the boat.”
AVALON
Avalon Hodge Podge bait and tackle
Tammy Carbohn, “Today and yesterday finally anglers were
able to get off shore to the TI Reef and found keeper fluke as well as
bluefish, sea bass and banded Rudderfish while bottom fishing with squid and
minnows. Also the tuna guys headed south to Poormans and found yellowfin there.
These tuna were caught both on the troll with ballyhoo and on the chunk. The
beach action never really slowed down with lots of smaller fish being caught
using bloodworms or clam for the most part. This week we FINALLY started seeing
more spot showing up.”
OCEAN CITY
Ocean City Fishing center
Mary, “half day deep sea fishing, action has varied with
various weather patterns passing the jersey shore this week. Some good fluke
fishing yielded keeper flounder up to 7.4lbs, along with a mixed bag of black
sea bass, some dinner plate size porgy’s and triggers! Bob Kerball from Pennsauken had a 7.4lb fluke
and limit bass, and a porgy. Dan Coyle, limit to 5.1lb fluke and 2 triggers.
As for bay trips, action has slowed as expected for late
summer however some decent fluke are still being landed in between anglers
being occupied by other species which at most points have provided a nearly nonstop
action trip.
Check the fishing calendar for schedule updates for the fall
and winter schedule at fishocnj.com or call 609-391-8300!”
MARGATE
Ray Scott’s Dock
Robin Scott, “Justin Foreman, a student at Margate's Tighe
School, waited all summer to get his keeper flounder. His Dad Jerry bought a
boat this summer and has given his boys multiple cracks at the feat. In the
nick of time before returning to school Justin proudly brought in a twenty-two
incher. He already has his "What I did this summer report written."
Likewise, Dan Klein took his two boys Ryan and Cole and their buddies out for a
last fishing trip before school. They caught their record in snapper blues,
seventy-three, along with huge blue claws. No offshore angler with a large tuna
has been more excited, or bounced higher coming up the dock. Dad Dan dutifully
filleted all the fish and cleaned the crabs. 'Cause Cole says, "They are
delicious!" Michael Mosca of Ventnor held true to his Labor Day record of
catching keeper flounder in the Margate Bay through September with his three
and a half pound flattie. A couple of bucks for fuel, in and out of the dock
and dinner! Michael does it every time. The Morgenstern family of Margate
caught a twenty-three inch flounder, while the Baldwin's of Ocean City nabbed a
keeper flounder and a well over 12 and a half inch sea bass in the bay. While
Kevin Golden Sr. and Jr. were driving to Margate from Delaware, the
Cunningham's were on the way here from Philadelphia. They were rewarded with
flounder and croaker. Meanwhile, Steve London and pals headed to the inshore
reefs to clean up with large flounder. The Labor Day holiday has offered
anglers spectacular weather and Jersey Shore dinners for all.”
