I 52 sports Herald & Lantern 6 June '84

outdoors with Lou Rodia Weather Holds Down Catches at Cape

Given half a chance, Jersey Cape anglers should be producing good catches of all kinds of fish. However, the weather has at best been a major deterrent and unless something unusual happens, top-notch fishing is ahead of us as soon as the weJPiher decides to give us a'chAnce to fish. Maybe by the time tfti$ hits the streets, the sun will be shining and the wind will have Sufficient rain has fallen to move the salt water line down into the bay. In between rain , storms and windy days, black drum moved well up the bay as far as Miah Maul Shoal last week, giving hope that the" drum have started biting a little later and should stay in the bay a little longer. THE 64 BOATS fishing the South Jersey Fishing and Hunting Center black drum tournament over the

Memorial Day weekend I caught 35 black drum despite less than excellent weather. Chris Fell, skipper of the Pulled the Hook. produced a banner catch for his party. They boated 13 drum. Susan Suchocki of Moorestown won the tournament first prize with her 77-lb. fish. Second place went to Ed Solomon of Green Creek. He caught a 75-lb. fish on the String Along with"Capt. Fran Ascoli. Co-skippers Tom and Jim Krill of Westchester, Pa. led Frank Burnitskie of Philadelphia \to a 74-lb. third place winnW black drum on their tbat Misty Dawn. JF^urth place went to Capt. Kurtz N. Rambo Ill's Kurtz's Toy. A 73-lb. drum went to Kurtz Rambo Jr. of Norristown Pa. A 5 1/4 lb. sea bass was boated by Barry Lang of Vineland. He was fishing in the tournament on the Kim Bar. A

few weakfish were also caught, according to tournament director A.J. Bozzelli of South Jersey Fishing and Hunting Center. AT FRANK'S Boats, in Strathmere, Frank Newton reports improved fluke action and some tautog which were caught at Corson's Inlet. Dave Smith of Allentown, Pa., boated 11 tautog and eight keeper fluke on fiddler crabs. Charles Stabolepszy of Reading, Pa., caught 26 fluke on minnow bait near the Corson's Inlet Bridge. Sam Ramagosa of Hatfield, Pa., landed 20 fluke. Crabbing has also improved behind Strathmere. Contest Winner: James McKeown of Hainesport, Pa., was the winner of the $300 prize in the annual Lower Cape Optimists Club weakfish tournament. His fish was weighed in at Jim's Bait and Tackle in Cape May. Bay Catch: John Chain of Ardmore, Pa., and Charles Chain and Dennis Key boated 15 fluke, three to six pounds, and seven weakfish from 11 to 12 1/2 lb. They were tysing bucktails and black worms at Brandywine Light. New Addition: The Wildwood III has been added to the party boat fleet at Wildwood Crest. It is being skippered by Ed Olsen, who worked on the Wildwood II with Capt. Jack Blake. Ed has been producing some good fluke catches in Delaware Bay. He is fishing southwest of Brandywine at the end of the shoal. The end of the ebb tide has been best. A recent big fluke was the 5 lb. 10 oz. doormat landed by Danny Santos of The Bronx, N.Y. Danny is 11 years old. He also won the pool with an 8 1/2-lb. weakfish. Danny had not previously caught a fish. Capt. Ed said he has had a good number of fluke between three and four pounds. DRUM HOOKUP. Capt Lou Haubois had a party on his charter boat Dotti Lin II on a trip to Delaware Bay.

a George Egrie of Ventnor headed the group The skipper spotted a school of fish / on the surface and directed I his fares to cast to the school with their 12 lb. l testing spinning outfits and i bucktails. All five hooked up to ) black drum. Egrie landed his — a 45- pounder The group cast again and hook5 ed five more surfacei feeding drum which all proi mptly broke off before the school disappeared. Several other schools of i surface-feeding drum were i reported by other boats fishing Delaware Bay. ; Bluefish Chumming: I Boats from Wildwood, Cape May and Ocean City have reported successes in night bluefish chumming. Capt. Joe Zaborowski said his fares found fish on their first night offshore trips on the Challenger out of Ocean City. Capt. Jim Cicchitti of the Starlight said Joe Russo of Wildwood was high hook with 16 blues on a trip offshore for night blues. The fish ranged from five to eight pounds. Night Skipper Mike Weigle of the Royal Flush also reported good bluefish action. After a slow first night, the next trip produced 85 blues at the East Lump despite rough seas. The fish weighed three to 11 lb. The next night 11 anglers shared 135 blues. High hook was Jim Batts of Sugarloaf, Fla., with 19 blues. CAPE MAY Skipper Paul Thompson said his fares have been producing

increasing numbers of weakfish on small bucktails fished closdr to the surface. Al Bednarek-of Philadelphia caught seven on one trip. A recent pool winner was 10-year-old Robert McLaughlin of Vineland with an 11 lb. 14 oz. weakie. Paul also said night- drum action had improved. Dennis Zotter of Center Valley, Pa., caught one 75 pounds on a recent trip to the bay. Two1! other drum were caught/ along with 11 trout and eight or nine blues. Sea Isle Report: Capt. Neill Robbins of the Capt. Robbins said the sea bass ratio to ling has increased to where the catches are about 50-50 on the two species with some blackfish also being reported. Charles Johnson and Lewis Fooas of Philadelphia combined for 119 sea bass and ling on one wreck trip. Best Bets: Assuming a change in the weather (it can't get much worse) the bay should pick up for weaks and blues. Fluke fishing started early in the bay, the back flSys and even along the beachfront and should get even better. Look for a dramatic increase in drum catches. When the drum seem to have moved from their usual grounds around Brandywine and Bug Light in a couple of weeks, try drum below the canal for a few days. There is a big spread of bluefish. Some are being caught close to the beach in places such as the Flanders off Ocean City. Pony tails and spoons are the best lures at the moment. The inshore fish are three to five pounds. Look for improved trolling action in the ocean. Crabbing is alap earlier than usual. Lots of big blueclaws are ' being caught ( I \

DRUM BEATER — Scott Porter of Clifton shows off 51-pound black drum he weighed in at Capt. Frank Speigel's marina, North Cape May.

Academy a For Soccer July 9-13' CAPE MAY — Sponsored by the city, Star Soccer Academy, formerly Fever Soccer Camps, will conduct its fourth consecutive day soccer gamp at Lower Cape May Regional High School, Route 9, Erma, July 9-13.

Star Soccer Academy will include five days of instruction, Monday through Friday 9a.m. to 3 p.m. for 6 to 17-year-old coeds. The soccer academy is under the direction of U.S.S.F. "A" license and staff coach Skip Roderick and captain of the Baltimore Blast, Dave MacWilliams. Skip, a former professional soccer player in the A.S.L., N.A.S.L. and M.I.S.L., is curn»-tly the head soccer coach a' Elizabethtown College. In addition to the instruc\Uon, the tuition will include soccer ball, Patrick soccer jersey, camper insurance, special camp awards, soccer films, camp posters, Gator gum, U.S.S.F. soccer patch, the Coca-Cola cup and Parent's night. As an added bonus all campers will be eligible for a chance at a free trip to Ireland. All campers will be grouped according to size, age and skill level. Those interested can contact the Cape May Department of Civic Affairs (609) 884-8411, ext. 20 or 27 or Star Soccer Academy, 6803 Hilltop Road, Brookhaven, Pa. 19015.

I B©AT SHS6PS^i J • DISCOUNT MARINE STORES • ! \ I I A % 'All anti-fouling bottom paint - ) ** " OFF (Pettit. • Gloucester • Interlux) • : ; 4 up to J j fiO O" marine electronics (Ray i I OFF Jeff • Si-Tex • Icom -King * , Regency • Til.) | ~SUPER SPECIALS~ \ TEMPO jdK , J 6 Gallon Outboard -1 I 1 RAY JEFF "5000VHFFM4 50 Channel radio telephone ^ ; LIST 528.00 SIOOOO LIST ' \ t SI A 88 lOO 449 95 ] ! J | I ( | Mention this ad when* ordering ! f ; • THE BOAT SHOPS • • Soipers Point Branch Store— 507 New Rd. (Rt. 9) 1 ^ (609) 927-599 2 • Manahawkin Store & Warehouse— 756 US Rt 80 1 (609) 597-1 2711 j 1 Vtw.«wwti iMwmiwmt

* CAPE MAY LUMBERl NOW HAS IN STOCK, NATURAL CEDAR LatticeCraft I PRE-ASSEMBLED ==- LATTACE FOR INDOORS & OUT! . M 4' x 8' and 2' x 8' v PANEL SECTIONS ■ I P| IMP? I ^^ SHOPISIVE £ I ' Monday - Friday y 8 to 12 & lto 5 m Saturday 8 to 1 QUALITY CONSTRUCTION aaa jaoa Elf

Winner! IN THE CAPE MAY COUNTY, N.J. YEAR ROUND FISHING Tournament Enjoy some'of the finest fishing on the East Coast along with great accommodations and FAMILY FUN Write for Fishing Kit ANTHONY T CATANOSO Director Bo i 345. Capo May Caort Hoot# N.J. 01210 *

E%T\ZERO SURF SHOP 301 DR. CAPE MAY IKN NOW OPEN 7 DAYS NEW SUMMER ARRIVALS .. SHIP'S STORE For a Great Selection of FATHER'S DAY GIFTS! Clocks & Barometers Nautical Lamps VHF & CB Radios Gott Coolers New: Stainless Steel Vacuum Bottles - Unbreakable! Sea Tracs Deck Shoes Hooded Sweatshirts Nautical Belts & Caps Foul Weather Gear Special Pricing on Many Clothing Items: _ _ _ ^^jJ^k^^S^eaters, J<ntt Shirts, T-shirts Coupon Special Free Tow Line with any Water Ski Purchase I Coupon Must Be Presented I ' J ? _ Open Dally 8-4:30 STVfcNE HARBOR MARINA, INC. I 1 Stone Harbor Boulevard I .. . • ] J 368-1141 |— »«cw|