Pat Damiani had two words for weakfish and flounder in a Monday report: "Marker 109." Then he repeated it: "Marker 109".
That is a stretch of water in the Intracoastal Waterway back bays off Mordecai Island on the southern end of of Long Beach Island. Damiani runs Polly's Dock in Beach Haven and he said ICW 109 is where weakfish measuring 18-22 inches were found Monday on the incoming tide. He said weakfish have been caught by anglers drifting and jigging hammered Hopkins with white tails more than by the traditional shedder crab bottom fishing or chumming with grass shrimp.
He said crabbing is good with "nice-size" crabs on the west side of Little Egg Harbor Bay.
Flounder are in the back bays there, but Damiani said there have not been as many blowfish this year as they had last year. Flounder are also "around the corner," Damiani said, meaning over off old fish factory in Great Bay. Flounder are reported to be very decent in the back bays from the osprey nest out to Beach Haven Inlet. Minnows, squid and Gulp are good baits. Little Egg Harbor Inlet also has flounder moving through.
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Mike Shepherd is the retired sports editor of The Press. His Shep on Fishing column and Shep's Hot Spot appear Tuesdays and Saturdays in the sports section and daily online. Call 609-350-0388 or email sheponfishing@yahoo.com.
You can also hear Shep's on-air fishing reports Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at 6:05 a.m., 9:45 a.m. and 7:05 p.m. on WOND 1400 AM and on our website: PressofAtlanticCity.com
