Typical fall fishing is finally settling in with a couple of species making their presence known to anglers now that the flounder and black sea bass seasons have recently ended.
Brennan Marine Supply in Somers Point is reporting that tautog fishing has picked up dramatically around the bridges and sod banks. The season for tautog continues with the limit of one fish caught per day per angler at a minimum of 14 inches. Beginning Nov. 16 the limit goes to six fish.
Right now this fish is prevailing among the local anglers. Green crab has been the bait of choice, although clam has been known to catch a few when the crab was hard to come by.
Another active fish are the stripers. Brennan Marine also reported that bridge fishermen are catching them mostly at night on clams. The beach anglers are still catching kingfish in the surf on bloodworms, with a few stripers in the mix.
Dolfin Dock in Somers Point is also seeing its share of tautog being caught. The place to be is the Ninth Street bridge in Ocean City. Ryan Barrett of Somers Point caught a 7-pounder from the bridge, and Gene Dobley of Somers Point and Barry Jacobsen of Egg Harbor Township each caught a 5-pounder there. Mark Tietjen of Ocean City landed a 5 1/2-pound fish from the bridge, and Dave Weaks of Tuckahoe caught a 6-pound tautog behind Margate around Tog Island.
Tammy Carbohn of Avalon Hodge Podge said the mullet run has begun and there are plenty of bluefish chasing them; however, the blues are not that big just yet. There have been reports by those willing to get out there after midnight of bigger 4 to 5-pound blues being caught, she said. Fresh mullet is the bait of choice, but the frozen variety will also do the trick.
The water temperature is around the 70-degree mark, and the kingfish and croakers are still in the surf along the Avalon and Stone Harbor beaches. Tautog are also hitting the lines in good numbers at the inlet bridges and the Eighth Street jetty.
Debbie Mooers of Grassy Sound Marina in North Wildwood reported unusual catches of blowfish off the fishing pier at the marina. The spiny fish make good eating, and they are being caught on clams during the incoming tide.
Snapper blues and sea bass are being caught in abundance around Grassy Sound Marina, and stripers are also being caught during the incoming tide on cut mullet off the pier. Tautog in the North Wildwood area are being caught near the sod banks. Trigger fish is another species being caught in the Grassy Sound area. Mullet and spearing are plentiful in the Wildwoods’ back bay. A couple of notable catches this past week include a bucketfull of snapper blues caught during the incoming tide off the fishing pier by Eric Delellis of Aston, Pa. Greg White of Cape May Court House caught stripers near the marina late in the night and in the early morning.
Captain Skip Jastremski of Stalker Fishing Charters out of Cape May recently began his striper charter season. He said the stripers are biting, and some boats are doing well with them – with as many as 100 stripers up to 35 inches.
Offshore fishing is beginning to wind down, but fish are still being caught. One would think most anglers are heading further south to hook up to a fish, but some headed north. Brennan Marine reported that they heard tuna was caught north of here in the Hudson, Toms and Cartaret canyons.
Captain Mark Holtzapfel on his boat Fish Nailer and friends traveled south to the Norfolk and caught and released two white marlin last weekend. Captain Jerry String of Undercover Charters out of Strathmere traveled to the Lindenkohl last week and found some action. He said there was a temperature break in the 50 fathoms from 71 to 77 degrees. They found a weed line and pulled out their spinning rods and landed 36 mahi-mahi from 10 to 35 pounds. They also lost a large wahoo. On the charter with String were anglers Jason Hearon, Mark Salvadore and John Lewis.
Fishing News Notes:
- When heading out to fish, don’t forget to inquire about a saltwater fishing registration. See www.countmyfish.noaa.gov or call (888) 674-7411 for details. Local bait and tackle stores can also provide detailed license information.
- The Royal Flush is sailing three trips a day: 8 a.m.-noon, 1-5 p.m. and 7-11 p.m. For information call (609) 522-1395.
- There are many fish in Cape County waters with a yellow tag from the American Littoral Society on their tail. The society asks anglers to take the time to record data and turn the information in to the address on the tag.
- Sterling Harbor Bait and Tackle outside of Wildwood on Route 47 is now an official state licensing station for fishing, hunting and shellfish licenses.
Fishing reports and photos can be emailed to Heather Holtzapfel James at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or faxed to (609) 465-9155. Reports need to be in by Sunday evening of each week.
Tides > Week of Sept. 30
Wildwood
AM Low AM High PM Low PM High
Friday 4:56 11:04 5:43 11:27
Saturday 5:48 11:58 6:41 none
Sunday 6:44 12:24 7:43 12:57
Monday 7:46 1:28 8:48 2:01
Tuesday 8:54 2:39 9:54 3:09
Wednesday 10:02 3:51 10:56 4:15
Thursday 11:07 4:56 11:51 5:15
Ocean City (Ludlam Bay area)
AM Low AM High PM Low PM High
Friday 4:58 11:03 5:45 11:26
Saturday 5:50 11:57 6:43 none
Sunday 6:46 12:23 7:45 12:56
Monday 7:48 1:27 8:50 2:00
Tuesday 8:56 2:38 9:56 3:08
Wednesday 10:04 3:50 10:58 4:14
Thursday 11:09 4:55 11:53 5:14
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