1) Long Beach Island/Great Bay
Surfcasters were waiting for Margaret O'Brien to open Jingle's Bait and Tackle in North Beach Haven on Tuesday morning. They picked up bunker and headed down the beach. A little while later, she weighed three bass. O'Brien said some of the surfcasters could not stand the gnats and left the beach, but the wind picked up out of the north northeast and blew them away. She said for some reason bunker works in the morning and clam in the afternoon. Fishing is great in Great Bay and Mullica River. Linda Miller of Somers Point caught her first-ever bass. It weighed 38.9 pounds and was caught in Great Bay on eels, according to a report from Chestnut Neck Boat Yard in Port Republic. A couple of weakfish showed up in the mouth of the Mullica. Shedder crab is the bait.
2) Atlantic County
Summer flounder reside in back bays of Longport, Margate and Ventnor and off Kennedy Park in Somers Point, and inside Absecon Inlet. Take bug spray because gnats are fierce. Bill Weeks of Egg Harbor Township got a 7-pound flounder behind Ventnor, according to a report from Capt. Andy's Marina in Margate. Flounder fans use 4-inch Gulp chartreuse swimming mullet or minnows, squid and mackerel on bucktails, shad darts or top and bottom rigs. Mostly short striped bass chase plugs and poppers along sod banks. Stripers can be caught with clam or bunker as bait around rocks and in the surf. Kingfish went big-time off Atlantic City Boardwalk and Absecon Inlet rocks, including T-Jetty, and oceanfront rocks of A.C.
3) Cape May County
Striped bass continue to be taken in the surf around Cape May. Action has slowed somewhat along some beaches, mainly because black drumfish are fewer. High water is the best time at the cove of Cape May Point and at Poverty Beach in Cape May. Bass in the 30-pound plus range, including one 40-pounder, show up on scales at Jim's Bait and Tackle in Cape May. Bass are in Townsend Inlet from the seawall and 8th Street Jetty, reports Jim Moran at Moran's Dockside in Avalon. John Baker of Cape May Court House caught a 34-pound bass in the North Wildwood surf with clam, reports Sterling Harbor Marina B&T. Flounder are thick in back bays of Cape May, Wildwood, Avalon and Sea Isle-Strathmere. Gulp, minnows, squid and mackerel work here, too. Kingfish are in the surf of Avalon and Sea Isle City.
4) Delaware Bay
Drum are at Tussey Slough, Brandywine and Pin Top. Some nice fish have been caught but it has slowed down after a good start a week or so back. Flounder are hugging the sides of the shipping channel from Brandywine to 14-Foot Light.
5) Offshore
Sea bass season opened Saturday and reports are mixed. The Jessie O partyboat out of Margate reported they had dozens of keepers to 24 inches. One of the spots they caught was Atlantic City Reef. Carolyn Ann III is running six-hour trips starting 8 a.m. from Barnegat Light. Cold water slowed black sea bass opening weekend. Jule Majerski of Hamilton Township got a 3.9-pound pool winner Saturday. Codfish and ling took other pots. Bluefish, some 10-15 pounds, showed at Atlantic City Ridge and 28-Mile Wreck. Blue sharks are there, too. Several mako sharks were recorded, one inside Wilmington Canyon and another 50 miles off Cape May. Bluefin tuna are reported at Lobster Claw by Captain Andy's and South Jersey Marina put yellowfin tuna well south near Washington Canyon.
