Persistent winds making nice days not so great for anglers
The persistent wind here along the coasts of New Jersey and the Delmarva really is getting tiresome.
It sometimes is hard to watch when the Philly television stations talk about how great the weather is up that way and what a great day it is at the shore. However, many times they fail to note the wind on the barrier islands is blowing anywhere from 20 to 30 miles per hour.
Obviously, this situation has not been kind to the anglers. The bright note in all this is when you can find a weather window, the fishing is well above average everywhere from the back bays to the canyons.
It appears the summer flounder have begun their migration out to the inshore lumps and reefs. Certainly there are some flatties in the back, but to chalk up the numbers, your best bet is to head to those lumps and reefs. I can’t guarantee you will bring home a huge catch, but you will have plenty of action. My guess is the throwbackto-keeper ratio could be as high as 15-to-1.
At least you won’t be bored.
Research indicates many of the undersized flounder do not survive being caught and thrown back. Please be very careful handling them and place them back in the water gently. We’ve all seen people simply flip the poor fish high into the air, which cannot be good.
If flounder are not your thing when you get to your favorite inshore spot, look for black sea bass and ling. Both these tasty fish seem quite abundant.
Returning to the back waters, some sheepshead have started showing up. As I recall, last summer provided some excellent sheepshead fishing so hopefully that will carry over this season. While targeting sheepshead you quite possibly can hook into a tautog. But the popular slippery bass, as it is known by locals, currently is out of season and must be released.
Hit the beaches and dig up some sand fleas, if you want the best sheepshead action. Another small fish showing up is the blowfish. When they are around, they are more than easy to catch, but difficult to clean. Have an old-timer show you the technique if you never have done it before. You then will have a super good fish fry waiting when you get home.
For many years, the weakfish ruled Delaware Bay until modern commercial techniques all but eliminated them from the big bay. The weakies are beginning to show some small signs of returning there. The best area is not out in the middle of the bay, but rather around the rocks at Cape May Point.
Out in the deep, all the canyons are alive with gamefish. All the tuna family members are out there, as are some mahi, Spanish macks and wahoo. We know the fish are there, but the fishing days have been few.
A week ago yesterday, there was a devastating fire along Sea Isle City’s famed Fish Alley. Firefighters managed to keep the blaze from destroying the popular Two Chums Bait, Tackle and Boat Rental.
Shop employee Jim Lane told me the place is fully open for business, and none of its rental fleet was damaged. Even though the fire started in a storage shed adjacent to Two Chums, a commercial fishing boat moored in front of the shop was badly damaged. Jim also added crabbing this year has been phenomenal, something he attributes to the relatively mild winter. Flounder action in the Sea Isle area also is red hot, but don’t expect many keepers.
Finally, a salute to the Coast Guard from Station Great Egg in Ocean City and Air Station Atlantic City. They spent this past Tuesday night in the rain searching the marshes for two missing personal watercraft riders. They quickly found one, but the second decided to walk through the marshes in the dark in an attempt to reach dry land. That probably was a bad mistake, but after an hour of intense searching by air and water, the walker was found and rescued. Both persons were unharmed.
ACROSS THE BAY >> Black drum are tapering off. There are some remaining at the Coral Beds, but Broadkill Beach drum have disappeared. Speaking of Broadkill, some weakfish, or trout, have shown up; but the vast majority are undersized. That minimum size is 13 inches. Use circle hooks to minimize harming these little spikes.
One of the best flounder areas on the east coast is coming to life. That is the Old Grounds. Many of the boats hitting the wind windows have been limiting out.
The Indian River rock jetties and the beaches around the inlet have been a good spot for striped bass. Most of this action has been at night using live eels.
One long-time striper veteran let me in on an eel secret some time ago. His recommendation is when fishing from the beach cast out as usual but rather than simply wait for something to happen, gently retrieve the bait. It makes it even more attractive to any bass in the area and it also helps prevent those slithery critters from rolling up in a messy ball.
Also on the beaches, you can expect to find pretty good kingfish activity. As usual, bloodworms will do the trick.
In case you haven’t heard, one of Rehoboth’s most popular bait and tackle shops has closed its doors. Bill’s Sport Shop on the Coastal Highway always was a must stop place whenever I crossed the bay. I know that Bill had been battling health issues for some time, so I guess I really was not surprised by the announcement. Best wishes to Bill for a healthy and long retirement.