Cape May Rips on the Sea Star III

I decide to take off Sunday and go Striper fishing for the first time this fall.  The Sea Star III out of Cape May with Capt Bob Schumann and First Mate Chuck left the dock at 9AM.  We ran out of the Cold Springs Inlet about 3 miles and drifted.  We picked up a couple of good size Blues and decided to run the line down the beach.  After a few long drifts through the rips the Captainheaded across the bay toward Delaware.   We picked up a short and after no action headed back toward Cape May.   Made our last drift off the Cape May Lighthouse and 15 min before we pulled lines to come it I landed my first Striper of the season.  It was a great day to be fishing.

Landis Ave in front of NJ Realty looking North

1204 Landis Avenue survived the coastal storm

Some of the worst erosion on the Island

Landis Avenue at JFK Boulevard looking North

JFK Boulevard looking South on Central Avenue

JFK Boulevard looking South on Central Avenue

Landis Avenue at JFK Boulevard looking North

Bay Side of Townsend Inlet looking west

Bay Side of Townsend Inlet looking East at base on TI Bridge

Bay Side of Townsend Inlet looking East at barge wedged under TI Bridge

Ocean Side of Townsend Inlet looking West at barge wedged under TI Bridge

When an opportunity opens up between weather fronts, local anglers show that there is still some action left in the fishing season.Ed Bronstein, Mike Dechert and Tom Adams hooked up 77 striped bass Wednesday morning while fishing close to the Strathmere beach. Dan Sheeler at Fin-Atics in Ocean City said they were fishing about 200 feet off the beach. They were casting swimming shad toward the beach, where peanut bunker were schooled up.Dave Showell made a quick run from his Absecon Bay Sportsmen Center to Absecon Inlet on Friday morning and picked one 34-inch keeper from a catch of three fish. Showell dragged an eel, but all three fish were caught by slowly bouncing a jig with a Gulp across the shoals across from the Atlantic City Coast Guard Station. He said he saw a couple of other fish caught in the hour or so he was out there.Norm Wagenheim of Brigantine trolled off Brigantine with a Stretch 30 and had 12 stripers, six of them keepers, according to Andy Grossman at RipTide Bait and Tackle in Brigantine. Grossman verified that Absecon Inlet is still giving up good striped bass catches.A huge school of bass gathered off Harvey Cedars Lump, which is about one mile off Long Beach Island. Josh Falcone at Barnegat Light Bait and Tackle said bass in the 15- to 30-pound class are taking bunker spoons. Falcone reported jigging also works. Small bass are in the LBI surf. Clam takes them.

There are a lot of small bass with some keepers mixed in around Cape May, which is pretty much the way it’s been for awhile, according to Bob Lubberman at the Miss Chris Marina. Lubberman said the tautog fishing is pretty good out on the reefs.Charley Zaimes died at age 87 on Wednesday in Lackawaxen, Pa. He operated Angler’s Roost on Amherst Avenue in Margate from 1971-81. I believe he started what has become a tradition in this area: back-bay pontoon fishing partyboats with the Duke of Fluke. When he left Margate for Lackawaxen, he opened Angler’s Roost and Hunter’s Rest with son Dimitri. His life was colorful and varied. He was one of my memorable mentors. Check out The Press’ Web site at:www.PressofAtlanticCity.com
and go to the Shep on Fishing blog for a detailed story from his son Jon.A group of local people in the fishing industry attended a meeting Thursday night of an organization forming to fight future cuts in flounder. It was at the Absecon United Methodist Church.They are trying to build support from tackle shop and marina operators, boat captains, etc. The organization is called Save The Summer Flounder Fishery Fund. A meeting for the public is set for 7 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 21 at the Manasquan Elks Lodge 2534, 17 Stockton Lake Blvd. in Manasquan. That’s where anglers and concerned citizens can get involved.

There is the possibility that the summer flounder season could be closed completely in 2009, according to members of the panel. For more information on how to join the fight against severe recreational restrictions on summer flounder, go to the group’s Web site:

www.ssfff.net.
The Press Fishing Contest puts a wrap on the 2007 season today. Contestants have a week to get any last-minute entries submitted. The winner’s list and a season-ending story will appear Jan. 15.

An updated list of all of the season’s entries appears on The Press’ Web site:

www.PressofAtlanticCity.com.

Michael Shepherd is sports editor of The Press. His Shep on Fishing column appears Thursday of next week. Call 609-272-7180, fax 609-272-7191 or e-mail mshepherd@pressofac.com