Late Summer Doldrums? No Way!
With water temperatures heating to about 80 degrees this week and air temps getting higher, some of us thought that the fishing would slow down. It hasn’t happened. Instead, the fishing has actually gotten better.
Fish of the week was a 36″ striped bass caught by Capt. Ray of the Tiderunner. And, he caught it on a fly. Capt. Ray reports consistent small striper action on flies, popping plugs, swimming plugs and Hopkins. The bite is only when the sun isn’t high in the sky. Bass are working the sod banks and some of the jetties, with fish regularly to 22-24 inches being caught. The reason fishing has been good is the plethora of baitfish. Almost anywhere in the back bays and inlets, silverside, bay anchovy and small bunker can be seen on the surface. Fares aboard the Tiderunner have consistently caught blues with catches of more than 40 fish on some days (on light spinning and flyrod).
These small schools of bluefish are feeding up and down the beaches, in the inlets, as well as the back bays. These mini-blitzes consist mostly of smaller fish in the 1-3 pound range, but a few 4 pound fish have been landed. I also heard of one larger bluefish caught on light tackle aboard Capt. Ken Kelly’s Irish Fly.
Fluke fishing continues to be good, although the larger fish continue to move out of the back bays. Small flounder are still being caught in the channels and guts, but the larger fish are being caught in Delaware Bay, the Rips, and in the ocean.
Croakers are being caught in both the ocean and Delaware Bay, with a few being caught from shore. The Starlight Fleet out of Wildwood Crest reports good croaker action, along with some bluefish and decent fluke catches. Several fluke in the 3-5 pound class were caught this week.
Weakfish are making a better showing after a very slow spring and early spring season. Occasional weakies are being caught in the back, from the jetties and from party boats. They aren’t large, but at least they are here.