sports

outdoors «vtth Lou Ro dta Mackerel Should Show by End of March

As httle as a month from nam 'he first signs of real salt water fishing may be at hand Same time around the latter part of March, mackerel will be within sinking range of the Cape May < mind v party charter and private boat fleet Some inland waterway action may also accrue to those hardy- souls who start looking for winter flounders In the past several year*, few winter flounders have been reported and as a result, fewer and fewer anglers are. making the effort We keep looking for sign* that the fishery is bouncing hark, hut as of this moment we hove nothing favorable to report , WITH MM KKKKI thr situation is markedly dif fcrent There is a good sign of mackerel l^ile fall

early winter mackerel showings north of here and commercial landing reports indicate a good spread of macks A good shot of weather will provide an ideal setting for the mackerel fans Over the years, we have observed a growing tenden cy for mackerel anglers to fish only until they have ex ha us ted the immediate need for fish Some fish for a supply of mackerel to smoke A few still salt mackerel Others freeze thHn for future table use and for bait for later on in the season But once the needs are filled, the desire to catch more wanes We have had all kinds of reports on just how palatable mackerel really are SOW* PREFER them broiled fresh Others prefer

them smoked Salt mackerel was at one time a staple for many families Freezing facilities were non-existent and canneries did not process mackerel If you do freeze mackerel for food we'd suggest a couple of things First, make sure the mackerel you are going to put away in the freezer are kept in good condition after they are caught The best way to keep fish fresh is to ice them down as soon as they are caught Use a cooler with a drain so that the fish do not lie in bloody slimy ice water While fish will last a long tune on ice. they do not hold up well in fresh water, even if it is cold One of the worse ways to keep mackerel is in a burlap bag Equally as bad is a trash bag made of plastic

, STEREO 94 WEATHER CENTER Stereo 94 Weatherman Bruce Hughes is always on the mark when it comes to Cape May County's Weather, All kidding aside, Bruce provides YOU with Cape May County's ONLY weather forecast* 24 hours a day* Listen In, and Weather The Winter With Us." IN CAPE MAY COUNTY tid UlllHIP Also HEARD ON WaWWUm N*— CABLE CH 5 STEREO 94 THIS WEEK'S SPECIAL I * OLD-FASHIONED §qq m ROCKERS "*• am mm wuchmum Mmnur, n*n r |

The sun beating down on a dark bag adds to the heat generated by stuffing a quantity of fish into any container without ice EQUALLY AS bod is a trash can into which is placed a couple of bags of ice or a block or two of ice It is a shame to see trash barrels filled with mackerel sit around on the deck all day until the boat docks That 's one of the reasons mackerel have a strong, gamy taste when they are cooked The same applies for all of the fish we catch, fresh and salt water Care when they are caught will improve the flavor If you plan to freeze mackerel, filet them or gut, behead and clean them as quick as you can after cat ching them Make sure the blood is washed out or from the fish Rinse the fish in salt water or in a bnne made up of Kosher salt and fresh water Iodized salt darkens the fish ON< K THE FISH are rinsed thoroughly lay them out on flat trays (cookie sheets) and freeze them As soon as they are frozen, dip the fish into cold water and refreeze them The water glazes the surface of the fish and seals the meat from any air When the fish are glazed, wrap them in Saran wrap or plastic hags Date the packages Plan to use the mackerel as soon as possible Two or three months in the freezer is about all mackerel can take Another way to freeze filets, he they for table or for bait, is to submerge the fish in a mild brine made from Kosher salt and fresh water Use plastic con tamers which hold enough for a meal or a day of fishing WAXED IMPFR milk cartons make good con tamers for freezing mackerel Quart pint and half gallon containers give you three choices of qiian titles of fish All of this assumes you are going to catch mackerel And should you get a chance to go. it is a good possibility that you will Mackerel are easy to catch at times ^nd con trary at fit her* They bite well one day and are spotty the next And the season can he a short dramatic one or a long spotty one or either season can he good or had The first boats m the t ape May Wildwood fleet plan to start looking for macks around March 24 Talk to your favorite skip per and get Hh sailing schedule MACK EWE 1 A ft E caught with a variety of hires Best choices are Dia mond Jigs or Hopkins lures fished at the bottom end of a " mackerel tree which hi made up of two three or four Norwegian tube lures tied one above the other Amre one might catch three, four or five mackerel at one time on surh a rig. it takes a fairlystout rod and Vt to lb line to winch m surh a catch There is tittle finesse m this kind of fishing ft it a matter of getting the rig overboard and down to the level indicated hy the Usually he will deter

mine where the mackerel are feeding He will iik struct the anglers as to how many turns from the hot torn they will find fish Once the lures are at that level, the angler proceeds to 'jig*' while waiting for a strike IF YOU RESTRICT the number of worms and lures to a couple, you can fish mackerel with a lighter outfit We'd suggest taking two outfits with you If the boat is crowded, use the heavier one On slow passenger days, the lighter rig will be a lot more fun And. if you fish your own boat or are part of a four to six man charter which has its own boat for the day. you can even fish mackerel on very light tackle Keep the ultra-lights and the fly rods for only such use. as they create problems when used on party boats There are some light tackle clubs which do charter bigger boats, but all of the members unders land the nature of the fish and all fish alike COITiRS MAY or may not make a difference Some days, one color will work best, and on others it seems to matter little what color you use It pays to have an assortment of colors and a choice of weights and sizes in Hopkins Lures and Diamond Jigs If you have neither, you can attach a plain sinker to the bottom of the mackerel tree It works as well, but you reduce the possibility of catching fish at the end of the terminal rig

If you have a chance to fish mackerel on very light tackle, they then become much more of a sporting fish Mackerel can be drawn up on the surface at times, or they can be turned on to feed with the use of chum MAKE PLANS well ahead of your first mackerel trip as to what you plan to do with the fish you catch so that none are wasted We forgot to mention that the Cape May County Public Affairs Department has a col lee tion of recipes for smoking and/or salting fish that might help you If you have a smoker, make sure to lay in a supply of wood chips Write for the brochure to the Public Affairs Department. Box 365. Cape May Court House. N.J 08210 There is no charge Chip Supply: If you do venture forth to cut firewood and come across a wild cherry, apple, or any other fruit tree that has to he cut. save some of the wood chips that are thrcfon by the chain saw Let them dry out an a flat pan with plenty of air before storing them Charter info Make sure you call in plenty of time to secure a boat for your group if you plan to charter We ve spoken to a number of skipper* who tell us that they are filling a lot of the choice dates, so get your requests and/or deposits in early

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