sports

outdoors with Lou Rodia

Bushel Baskets Recall Start on Crabbing

A real study in contradictions would be my father and my two brothers and myself. He was city-born and bred and could Ret lost going from the living room to the kitchen He hunted „ not at all and his fishing was limited to trying to take us on occasion to one of the lakes around the house We gave up on getting much help from Dad when I was fi and took by two brothers lages 4 and 2> and went fishing alone at 5 a.m. before the family woke up l»\|) TH1KD. But the knowledge he needed to keep up with us was too vast and his lime eon strahits from work, made it impossible for him to learn Since we had seven days a week to fish and hunt

around school, farm and home chores and less than the normal amounts of sleep, we just couldn't wait Most of the time, when he went with us. we taught him. Father's Day has come and gone Kids with living parents eulogize their dads with presents, cards, dinners and many other kinds of thank yous For the dads who have departed, each, hopefully leaves some kind of a legacy Kl'SHKI. BASKETS with a lid somehow create a nostalgia for me. I hated the darn things when we had to fill them with pro duce around the farm But when they were on the luggage rack of the old 1929 Buick. filled with hand lines and assorted bait to

go crabbing, something to drink and our lunches, bushel baskets conjured up all kinds of images to adventure. Dad got exposed to crabbing through the uncles on my mother's side. They were basically farm people who loved the soil, the out of doors, and their attachment to nature led them into hunting and fishing as a natural matter of course. IIE FOUND out that crabbing was fairly simple, not much complicated equipment was needed and that we liked to go as often as he'd take us. Dad became our crabbing guide. Since we lived so far away (Stratford N.J . via the White House Pike and Moss MilP Road to Oceanville. N.J.i he became our chauffeur as well Once a crabbing trip was announced, (usually on a Monday or Tuesday* we had a lot of pre-trip preparations. All of the hand lines had to be relied and made ready We had to scout out some discarded bushel baskets and lids from the farm They had to be assembled inside the garage in one place WE WENT on Saturdays, so early Friday morning we trekked off to the butcher shop and got some meat trimmings What is now flank steak was usually tossed away and it made great crabbing bait when it was left outsidejor a day to two Crab nets were draped over the headlights of the old Buick Our departures were usually at daybreak so we could get to crabbing early The crabbing was always fun. and we caught a lot of crabs in those pre World War II days. We didn't think about it then, but Dad spent a lot of time warning us about falling in to the creeks The irony was that he couldn't swim and we all could crabbing season is on us I saw a couple of old bushel baskets at a roadside market, and Father's day gifts and cards from my own kids triggered a lot of thoughts Crabbing is a great family past time There is lots for kids to do so they do not get bored It is a relatively inexpensive sport, since a lot of sophisticated equipment is not needed And. a hunch of blueclaws steamed and served or made into a rich Marinara sauce over linquini makes the rewards even greater The post-crabbing trip parties where the aunts, uncles and cousins were invited to outside picnics at our house in Stratford pro bably were much more fiin than the crabbing itself HERE IS al.l. you need to go crabbing: Some handlines. These are made from block line which is heavy enough to allow pur-

chase when you have to raise and lower the weights and the baits. Some tackle shops sell what are called furnished lines with a weight, line and a pin to hold the bait. Ohters sell the components. If you have to make your own. buy some string, some two-ounce sinkers and a crab net or two. Or buy a couple of crab traps. Some fold for easy storage. Others once assembled are a cube about a foot square and are a little harder to store. If you buy or make handlines. remember that you also need a dip net to catch the crabs. Bait is also available at local tackle shops. Buy mossbunker or mackerel. You can also use bluefish carcasses or flounder frames, usually available around any fish cleaning rack. But, mossbunkers have lots of oil in them and work best. GET A FEW simple instructions from the tackle shop as to how to use the equipment, and a few directions as to where to go. Then crab up a storm. Best places to seek are bulkheads and docks which are close to the water so you can scoop up your crabs. Ride around and look for places where others are already crabbing They are usually good spots, easy to get to and level with or near the water. Or rent a boat from, anyone of the many boat liveries around the back bays and waterways behind the barrier islands They, incidentally, rent or provide equipment for first time crabbers TIIE LIVERY operators can also direct you to where you can do well Ixxik for four to six feet of water Try to stay away from heavily travelled channels. Get off around some of the small islands and back creeks. Keep your crabs in that bushel basket we mention ed Grabs kept in water die quickly If no bushel is available, get a cooler with a drain (a must* and put your catch on ice Watch the crab pincers. Crab claws can give a nasty bite, and once they grab you they hang on Get a pair of crab tongs at the tackle shop They help Dne day we'll pass on some of our favorite crab recipes This week, be aware that crabbing is get ting better each day and you should be out after some blueclaws. FISHING REPORTS: Rluefish and sharks took over the top spot this week in the fishing reports. There is a tremendous spread of blue fish ranging from close to the beach to well offshore. Lots of big slammer blues as big as 18 lb. have been reported.

Lots of bonanza catches of blues have been reported on the private and charter trolling fleet boats, as well as on night chumming trips. Many of the charter boats report early return to dockside when the parties get their fill of big blues. Fluke, too, showed a big jump in size as well as in numbers. Back bay fluke fishermen are catching some weakfish mixed in with the fluke. At Frank's Boats at Strathmere. Candy Jankowski reported excellent catches of fluke, George Litton and sons George Jr.. Eddie and Jimmie were typical. George Jr. led the party with two fluke and two weaks. The fluke weighed 54 and four lb. and the weaks weighed 44 and four lb. They were caught in the hole left by the dredge at the Inlet. Travis Hawk of Bridgeton caught 17 fluke. Jeff Stabolepszy, his mother and Lisa Yale of Reading. Pa. boated 34 keepers to 44 lb. AT DAD'S PLACE in Grassy Sound, George Dunham is making plans for a grand re-opening of the newly rebuilt facilities this Saturday. There will be a fishing contest for all anglers who use the pier. A contest will also be held for

all anglers who rent boats for the day. The new facilities bring back into full operation one of the * oldest and best known liveries in the area. Storms built up sand in front of the marina and storms have taken it away. The pier has been rebult so anglers can enjoy fishing. The pier offers a place to crab without going on a boat. The tackle shop and bait house and the boat sales and Service facility are newly refurbished, and there are new boats and motors. The fishing has been good in Grassy Sound and around the bend toward North Wildwood as well as toward Stone Harbor. GEORGE REPORTED that Ace Hopkins of Kensington in Philadelphia boated 15 fluke with one weighing 64 pounds. Crabbing is also picking up. Party boats are reporting lots of spike weakfish and an increase in the numbers of fluke along the oceanfront. Some sea bass, blackfish and bluefish are mixed in the party boat catches. Charter boats are also reporting excellent catches of bluefish and night chumming^Jbcats ar^ also scpring heayily on bigf\ blues. \ ~~f

MOSSBROOKS RSI §fire$tone mm HEADQUARTERS 28% Vis. of Serving Satisfied Customers. Al Automotive Repairs — State hspectton. Most Crw* Carts Accepted Cafl For AppoM merit 466-4553 EXPERT MECHANICS - ALL WORK GUARANTEED RL 9 & Stone Hartxx Blvd.. C.M.C.H. 7 AM to 6 PM MonrFri.. Sat. 7-5 © NO PAYMENT OR FINANCE CHARGE BEFORE OCTOBER, 1985 L-:A ?*:■ y* k-s?a Model TBF 14SG

LOW COST. NO FROST BIG INSIDE. SMALL OUTSIDE ." cu It capacity 4 69 cu II Ireezer Two Ice n Easy trays on sus pended shell Energy save switch Dual temperature controls Equipped ID' optional automatic ice maker Only 28 wide

*529

GE. We bring good things to lite. 9 COME & SEE OUR SATELLITE DISH DEMONSTRATION FRIDAY NIGHT 6-9 P.M. ON PERFORMANCE TELEVISION SET.

J.J. hhne 26th & N.Y. Ave., : North Wildwood 522-1421

• FREE DELIVERY • • FREE NORMAL INSTALLATION • REVOLVING CHARGE ACCOUNTS AVAILABLE • REMOVE 0L0 APPLIANCE AT NO CHARGE • OPEN FRIOAY UNTIL 9PM • PLENTY Of FREE PARKING • ASK FOR DETAILS

'j: .^.oooooooooooooooooo^ j CYCUNG CENTER f I Sales ft Repairs 4400 Park Blvd. Wildwood. N.J.] j I I 522-0900 1 1 -JUNE SPECIAL- !! j | Nishiki Sport 12 spd. 1 | j reg. 214.95 NOW 199.95 ! I | FREE lock with purchase of a new t>ke Thru June 30 - i . with this ad foooooooooooooooooooooooooi1

Cape May County — ALMANAC ^ JULY 1985

MOON PHASES/POSITIONS The Moon's affect on the Tide is greatest when closest to Earth alignment with Sun ft earth ( full A new moon phases I On and about these dates, low pressure svitrms ond'or strong winds (depending upon direction I mar rrsull in flooding, and extremely low tides Moon Phasn Pall Moon 2.31 l.o*l Quarter » N>* Moon |j F irst Quarter 24 Apogee || Perigee S/29.T/25 TIDE TABLE Computed for Cape May Cilv beachfront. for other areas, see Correction Times DATE HIGH LOW am put. a.m. p.m 26 Wed 2 24 3 14 R 44- 9 24 . 27 Thu 3 27 4 16 9 42 10 27 28 Fri 4 35 5 18 10 38 II 26 29 Sal S 39 6 13 II 31 30 Sun 6 4ft 7 06 12 22 12 27 1 Mon 7 34 7 57 I 19- I 21 2 Tim 8 26- 8 44 2 17 - 2 14 3 Wrd 9 IS- 9 31 3 04- 3 05 4 Thu 10 03 10 20 3. SI 3 56 5 Fn 10 53 II 08 4 35 4 42 6 Sal II 45- II 54 5 19- 5 29 7 Sun -12 31 6 01 6 18 8 Mon 12:42 I 19 6:47- 7 11 9 Tue 1 28 2 03 7 32- 8 10 10 Wrd 2:14- 2 50 8 23- 9:07 11 Thu 3 05- 3 40 9 13- 10:04 12 Fri 4-01- 4 33 10:01- 10 54 13 Sal S 00- 5 26 10:49-11 43 14 Sun 5 55- 6 16 II 3515 Mon 6 46 7:01 12 32-12:21 16 TUT 7 33 - 7 46 1:22- 1 09 17 Wrd 8 :16- 8 26 2 06- I 58 IB Thu 9:00- 9 06 2:51- 2 44 19 Fh 9 42- 9 50 3:34- 3 30 20 Sat 10:28-1035 4 13-4:13 21 Sun 11 16-11 25 4:55- 5 01 22 Mon -12 07 5:35- 5:51 23 Tue 12:15- I 00 6:23- 6:49 24 Wrd 1:10- 1:53 7:15- 7:56 25 Thu 2:06- 2:51 8:15- 9:06

CORRECTION TIM Eft Compute approximate times of hi|h A low water for your area by adding or subtracting the following number of minulra for each tide phase In the Tide Table LOW HIGH Great Egg Harbor Inlet Pius 12 plusiO Ocean City <9th St Bridge) plus 35 phis 22 Corson Inlet t bridge) plus 21 plus 7 Sea Isle City i Ludlam Thoro Bridge > plus 66 plus 43 Sea Isle City Beach minus 2 minus 21 Townsend Inlet plus 21 plus 4 Seven Mile Beach plus 15 0 Stone Harbor < Great Channel Bridge) plus 43 plus 40 Hereford Inlet t Anglesea I plus 19 0 Wildwood Beach Minus 2 minus 17 West Wildwood (Grassy Channel bridge) plus 46 plus 43 Cape May Harbor plus I minus 4 Five Fathom Bank plus 11 plus t Cape May Point plus 46 plus 34 McCrie Shoal phis 28 plus 22 Delaware Bay , Bay shore Channel (Bay-Canal Junction) plus <7 plus 36 Miami Beach plus 75 plus 61 Dennis Creek Entrance plus 114 plus 97 Brandywtne Shoal Light plus 77 plus 52

[?]