sports

QUtdQQrs with Lou Rodia

Influx of Blues Tops Fish Bonanza

It is that time of year. Fishing activity has broken open. Lots of variety and lots of ways to fish plus ideal water temperatures and good weather (most of the time) make for exciting fishing on the Jersey Cape. There is lots of good news. Delaware Bay weakfish bounced back and are still producing lots of fishing excitement. Still shy of the mid- '70's peak, the 1985 season was infinitely better than last year. What is helping make up the difference is the fantastic numbers of bluefish which invaded the bay early. Added to this is the early showing of fluke. While blues dominated the catches lots of days there were lots of weaks mixed in and occasional doormat fluke came aboard to add to the excitement. OCEAN FISHING (all but neglected in the

southern ports of Cape May and Wildwood) has produced good catches of sea bass, blacRflsh and some porgies for the wreck and rough bottom sinker bouncers. But the ocean, too, has been loadkl with blues. Small blues in the two to four-pound range are plentiful in the inlets and just off shore. But bigger blues made their presence felt early and trolling boats and n^w the night chumming fle^t are finding plenty of actimT Drum were disappointing. Some were caught in an early flurry. Then they tapered off and only occasional fish were reported. A few were caught in the daylight hours, and some were hooked by accident on light tackle by anglers looking for blues and weakfish. But it has not been a successful drum year. So far, there is little

to indicate that it will turn around. There is still hope. THERE I&'ONE sour note on the 1985 season. With all that has been written and said about the killing of thousands of small fluke, the practice still goes on. Fortunately, lots of anglers have received the message and are returning to the water fluke that are too small to keep and clean. Some are as big as one's hand. New regulations coming down from the state call for a 12-inch minimum in 1985. It jumps to 13 inches next year and 14 inches in 1987. So far most we talk to agree it is a good thing once it is explained. Simply, fluke smaller than 14 inches are usually juvenile fish which have not had a chance to spawn even once. BY LIMITING the catch to fish over 12 (or 14) inches, it allows at least one season to spawn for lots of those juveniles. In the long run, the regulations should help keep a steadier supply of fluke. Even if it does not, it seems pointless to keep thousands of fish which end up wasted. Check dumpsters and fish barrels around cleaning racks and you'll see where they end up if the angler gets tired of cleaning the little ones. Waste is criminal. Killing fluke to run up impressive numbers or to show off at the dock is now outlawed if the numbers game is going to be played with little fish that should not have been kept. IF YOU BRING in those small fish, be advised that sooner or later, the hand of the law will fall on your shoulder and you might be making a contribution to the state of New Jersey in form of a fine for keeping undersize fish. There are ample warnings around There is no excuse for not knowing unless you live in a coccoon, read nothing and talk to no one. And then, the excuse may be heard but you'll still be fined. Several groups can help. Party and charter boat skippers can explain the need for the

n regulations. Boat livery i. operators can pass on the r message of conservation of i. this important species. :- The enforcement ofI- ficials can make the effort 11 to stop the slaughter at s both the sports fishing and f commercial levels. The in- ? dividual angler can stop ; killing undersized fish. The fishing clubs can spread the doctrine. There is hope that by educating, the regulations will need little enforcement. KEEP IN MIND that we have a plentiful supply of 1 small fluke. Left to grow a year or two they will > magnify in size and come ; back to us in form of bigger filets AFTER they have had a chance to spawn and t leave more fluke in the i distribution range. AND, IT IS infinitely beti ter to live with a size restriction than it ever would be if we were limited to size as well as numbers. If the size regulation does not work, you can be sure that a limit on HOW MANY one can catch will be next. REPORTS: Vincent Shettsline of Roslyn, Pa., leads in the Miss Cape May party boat Weakfish tournament at this writing. That may change. Vince landed a weakfish which weighed 11.7 lb. and has a shot at winning the $300 boat prize. Bay action remains good for blues, weaks and fluke. Capt. Chris Kenya of the Twilight out of Wildwood Crest, reports a 15-lb. 5-oz. weakfish for Benny Ratay of Philadelphia. Tom Whalen of Philadelphia was a recent high hook with 15 blues and eight weakfish. Capt. Charley Selby of the Rainbow at Wildwood Yacht Basin reports pools on weakfish going to fish up to 13V!| lb. Walter Frank, outdoor writer for the Home News in his home city, bested a 13*4 lb weakfish Doug Shepherd of Painted Post. N.Y., caught a 10-lb. 14-oz. weakfish. The Rainbow has started night chumming trips, leaving the dock 7 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in addition to regular day trips at 8 a m ADVENTURER skipper Joe McTommoney said Harold Ferrell of Gloucester, N.J. caught a 15-lb pool winning weakfish while Richard and Randy Boston teamed for 42 blues from two to four pounds and six weakfish. Four hour trip pool winner Carla Dowling of Belle Harbor. N.Y., caught a 44-lb. tautog. Day four-hour trips produce good sea bass, along with some porgies and tautog. Capt. Jay Beecroft of the Sea Raider reports good - weakfish and bluefish catches in the bay. The Philadelphia police charter headed by Bob Dukes produced lots of blues and weaks plus a 144 lb. pool winning weakfish for John Read of Springfield, Pa. Night skipper Bill Hellmig reported a 15-lb. weakfish for Bob McCloskey of Fishtown, Philadelphia. The Perry Barr group boated over 200 blues and 15 trout. AT CAPE MAY. Capt. Paul Thompson of the Porgy III reported good weakfish catches in

f Delaware Bay. Wayne » Phillips of Warminister, f Pa. caught a pool winning 13 3/4-lb. weakfish. Harry Wagner of Dunedin, Fla., t caught a 14-lb: weakfish. t Capt. Dan Guss of the I Huntress, reported plenty of weaks, blues and some > fluke mixed in. Capt. Dan ; reported a good catch (129 I blues) off the Wildwood Amusement pier in the ocean about two miles off the beach. For the Jim Carroll group of Lawrenceville, N.J. The Brown Shoal area has been the most productive for Huntress fares. On the String Along with Capt. Frank Ascoli, a charter boat out of Utsch's Marina, a good catch of blues was recorded for the Herman Tillett party of Bronx, N.Y. The String Along is available for Aerobicise Classes Set CAPE MAY - The city will have aerobic classes as part of its summer recreation schedule. Intermediate Aerobicise, an aerobic class designed for the intermediate student, will take place Monday and Wednesday 8:30-9:30 a.m. at the Franklin Street Civic Center. Coed Aerobicise is an aerobic class designed for men and women to be held on Fridays from 7-8 p.m., also at the Franklin Street Civic Center. Both classes are taught , by Jeanne Monge, who is a certified instructor. Call the Department of Civic Af- i fairs at 884-8411, ext. 20 or 27 for further information. «

charter by calling 609-729-0183. Happy Days Skipper Jim Solley reports continued good weakfish action along with blue catches in Delaware Bay. John Morgan leads the boat weakfish contest with a 13-lb. weakfish. Ed Kalinowski of Rohm and Haas of Doylestown, Pa., caught a pool winning 13-pound weakfish. Mike Moidovan of Williamstown won Saturday night's pool with an 114-lb. weak. BACK BAY NEWS: Dad's place at Grassy Sound reports improved fluke fishing with weaks also being caught. Mike Miklo of Chester, Pa. r caught 12 fluke to three pounds. Len G. Guthrie of North Wildwood filled a cooler with weakfish. The first kings of the season were caught off the rocks of North Wildwood. Dad's has instituted a weekday short trip for rental fares who do not want to fish all day. They have created a 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. rental special for $20 on weekdays only. Ask about it. At Frank's Boats in Strathmere, Candy Jankowski reported improved catches of fluke, weakfish, tog and blues. Bob Deal, son Chad, and daughter, Trish, had 10 fluke. Joe Ambrose from Milmay, N.J., boated a 6 3/4-lb. fluke. Eleanor Parichuk of Philadelphia caught a 13-lb. weakfish off Corson's Inlet in the ocean. At Vitiello's Dock, Sea Isle City, fluke fishing has picked up for boats in Ludlam's Bay. Doug Robinson of Oceanville caught seven fluke to 54-lb. on minnows. Dan Labiah, Bill Tomlin and Henderson of Millville, boated 74 fluke on strips of herring.

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