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outdoors ^with^LouJiodu^ It's Transition Time for Cape Anglers

This is attime of anticipation. It is also a time of uncertainty for anglers The weather can be nice, or it can be miserable Dressing for fishing can be a question mark. Should you wear heavy clothes, raid gear, or light apparel? Should you go or stay home? And, to compound matters. there is a good question that on the day to day

basis you might not even know what you will be fishing for next. It is transition time here on the Jersey Cape. As of this writing, mackerel are still around. They may well be here when you read this. Or. they may be gone. Bluefish might have arrived on the local scene. Weakfish could be in the bay and on the Lower Cape jetties. There

could be flufca>in the back bays. HISTORY TELLS us that any or all of these things could happen this week, next week or the week after. Any day now can be the day when things turn around and we can look for a little more stability in our fishing. We all like to look into our crystal ball and make educated, but qualified guesses We were asked to predict the date of the first rod and reel black drum catch in the Delaware Bay. We picked April 27. Why that date? We could tell you about the moon being in the right '"phase, the water temperature coming closer to the black drum comfort and feeding range. We could tell you that the big schools of drum which leave the ocean and head for Delaware and Chesapeake Bay are already close to both destinations. ANY OF THE above or ail are truisms which apply to some extent most years. No drum have been reported in the nets. We remember rod and reel drum as early as April 20. So. putting together all of the above, why wouldn't April 27 be as good a day as any to pick for the first drum? Since fishermen are eternal optimists anyway, it has to sound a lot better that July 24. I'd hate to have to wait that long for someone to catch a drum. For all of you who are sharpening your hooks and getting the gear out for an April 27th drumfish blitz, be aware that we picked that date only because it was the first one that came to mind. Our crystal ball is no better than yours. If there are drum around and if there are anglers fishing for them, and if the weather holds, there can be drum, in the bay any day now. It is that time of year on the calendar It is. up to the weather and the fish. THERE ARE more uncertainties. When will the first weakfish hit the

jetties at Higbee's Beach and Cape May Point? When will the first bluefish be caught? When will the first fluke show up in the back bays? Even the experts waffle a little when you try to pin them down. As has been true for years, a few diehards will brave the weather and make early efforts to catch fish. And as soon as they do, the rank and file fishermen will jump on the band wagon. We keep looking for signs. For years, it was believed that crabbing was a summer sport and that crabs moved into the back bays in late June for the season. We have been experiencing an early run of big, fat blueclaws and it is only April. One year, we were pilloried by a nowdeceased Philadelphia outdoor writer because we said there were crabs to be caught in late May and early June. t SEVERAL WINTER flounder fans (who are not catching any fish this season, by the way), have • reported blueclaw crabs hanging onto their baits while they are trying to fish. We also have reports of a successful commercial crabbing activity in northern county waters and in Ocean and Atlantic Counties. One crabber reported a half bushel of crabs which he said were nice and fat and filled with meat. He caught them somewhere between Atlantic City and Great Bay but wouldn't say ^here. We saw crabbers on the old railroad bridge on the railroad bed which at one time brought trains into Anglesea. Considering the weather at the moment, there had to be crabs around. No casual crabber would have been there in the cold Northeast wind and the rain. FROM HERE on in. someone will catch the first rod and reel fluke, weakfish and bluefish. After that, it will be off and running for Fishing Season 1986. We have some fishing reports. They can only reflect what was. When we got them and wrote them, they presented a picture of what the fishing was then. Mackerel were thick and big schools of mackerel appeared to be following up the ones which were already on the Jersey Cape coast. You will have to follow up on your own since these are the days of unsettled uncertainty on the Jersey Cape coast. Here are the reports: OCEAN CITY: The Challenger is sailing daily from the new Ocean City Fishing Center and Marina at Third Street and Bay Aves.. formerly Boyer's Marina. Over the past weekend. Challenger fares hit lots of mackerel six miles off the beach. The Ocean City Fishing Club caught enough mackerel to load up its freezer WILDWOOD Capt. Jay "Beecroft of the Sea Raider , reported excellent mackerel action over the weekend. Wildwood businessman Ralph Schaffer and family and friends boated over 700 mackerel. Sunday, a group from Tony's Cafe in North

Wildwood. headed by Jim Zuwaski, loaded coolers and cans with mackerel. For information on the Sea Raider sailing schedule, call 522-1032. WILDWOOD CREST: The Jerry Williamson party from Westmont had a bonanza mackerel catch Saturday on Capt. Lou Haubois' charter boat Dotti-Lin II using ultralight spinning tackle. Sunday, George Egrie of Ventnor. brought his 14-year-old daughter, Margie, for her first mackerel outing. They. Uncle George and son George, and senior angler Charles Portner, loaded up with mackerel. The Dotti-Lin II has some choice dates open for weakfish. Call Capt. Lou at 522-3636. The Starlight and the Twilight, at Blake's Dock, are sailing daily for mackerel. Catches have ranged from 15 mackerel to 200 mackerel per angler. The Starlight is sailing all day. The Twilight is open for charters. Call 884-2477 ' for information. CAPE MAY: The Joe Moran group from the Charles Malthis Cabinet Co. of Ml. Laurel, caught 800 pounds of mackerel 2"* miles off the beach with Capt. Dan Guss on the Huntress. They were back early. Sunday, Bill Bilson and the Wrecking Crew from Audubon, caught 700 pounds of mackerel SMi miles from the beach and were back by noon. The Huntress will continue running his mackerel specials. Capt. Bob Schumann of the Sea Star II said his sixhour trips have been producing the best mackerel catches in several years. Fish have been concentrated Pi miles to five miles off the beach. The Sea Star II came in early three days this week . Capt. Jim Sullivan of the 74-ft Fiesta is sailing allday trips for mackerel by 8 a m Fares are returning with filled coolers. AT THE Miss Chris docks, the fleet is reporting excellent fishing for mackerel. The Miss Chris is sailing all day. The Nada Jane is sailing on six-hour trips. For information on mackerel or charters for large or small groups, call 884-4554 or 886-8164. Capt Jim Solley of the Happy Days also reports lots of mackerel. High hooks included Ray and Pat Nolle of Woodstown. and Kevin Kenney of Woodbury Heights Saturday's charter for the Hanna group of Philadelphia reported lots of big mackerel. There are a few openings for the 12-hour offshore shark trips for Makos and blue sharks. Call Capt. Jim for information at 886-7725. Capt. Paul Thompson of the Porgy III also reported

plenty of mackerel for his all-day patrons. Angler requested early returns to the dock several days last week. Joe and Helen Dowhy of Mt. Holly were among the high hooks. Mackerel were close to the beach but may have moved offshore 10 or 12 miles to cooler water. Call Capt. Paul^Jor information at 465-3840. At South Jersey Marina, Paul Hoffman said mackerel fishing couldn't be better with boats coming back to port early many days. Hoffman said there were lots of mackerel south of Cape May and the fish should provide action for a while. JETTY ACTION: With rapidly rising water temperatures and weakfish arriving on the scene, jetty jockeys can start looking for weakfish on the lower Cape May County jetties. The first weaks are usually caught at Higbee's Beach. Jetty anglers using a float rig and cut bait usually score first. Best baits are cut mackerel or fresh herring. bloodworms or squid. A good rig is a 1/4 to 3/8 oz bucktail tied to the end of the line and fished about six feet under a float. The bai> should be drifted around the rocks. Later when the water tops 55 degrees, weaks will start hitting bucktails fished with plastic worms, pork rind or strips of cut bait.' FLOUNDERS: Early * season summer flounders make their first appearance in Ludlam's Bay behind Sea Isle City. Live minnows and cut fresh herring are the two best baits for early season fluke. AF Medal For Hughes WOODBINE - Air Force ^Senior Master Sgl Cecil R. Hughes. Millville. has been decorated with (he third award of (he Meritorious Service Medal at Minot Air Force Base. .YD. The medal is awarded for outstanding non-combat meritorious achievement or service to the United Stalest , Hughes is a personnel superintendent with the 91st Combat Support Group His wife. Shirleen, is the daughter of Doris M. Dixon of 723 Lincoln Ave., this community Combat Course Marine Pvt. Anthony J. Schwartz, a 1965 graduate of Lower Cape May Regional High School. Erma. has completed the Infantry Combat Training Course at Marine Corps Base. Camp Lejeune. NC. He joined the Marine Corps in September 1985.

Cape May Coi/ntv ALMANAC APRIL. 19X6 MOOS PHASES/POSITIONS CORRECTION TIMES The Moon % effect on the Tide 11 Compute approximate timet greatett when clotett to Earth „/ g. iow walrr jor (in perigee I and when in direct arra (,y oddin« or lubtraeting alignment with Sun * Earth , he following number of I full S new moon phases i On minutes /or rack tidr phair in and about th*»r datet, low (*,«. Tide Table pre Iiurr system* and/or ttrong wind. ( depending upon direc lion I "lav result in flooding and /or extremely low tides Win in |'ha%«-» t-OW HIC.H ijiMMiuitii I. J" Great Eg* Harbor Inlet \rw Mi-mi i p)uj ,2 piuilO ,""ar,rr i: Ocean City 1 9th St Bridge • * 011 plus IS plus 22 Corson Inlet I bridge 1 I'rttRrr 23 P<U* « P'"*' Sea Isle City i Lmtlam Thoro Bridge • TIDE TABLE plus 66 plus 43 Computed for Cape Ma\ City Sea tste City Beach beachfront for other areas tee minus2 mtnus21 "*f"on """ law plus 21 plis 4 »"•» '»* Seven MUe Beach am pm em p m ^ |$ # I Tut I.' .12 t iM ft VI 7 ■>'• Stone Harbor Wi-il i 17 2 IK Kii'i a 21 i Great Channel Bridge i Hiii -• p. ; tn 4 ■« i m piu* 43 plus 40 i Kri • I w In 07 I" 2K Hereford Inlet i Anglesea i *,! ,in u » p,usi9 ° 7 Mini i. tt i. 33 i: la ij 27 Wildwood Beach m Tim- 7 14 : it 12 37 l ii7 Minus 2 minus 17 •I Wml 7 m M II I i w I 1 1 West Wildwood in Thu it ji. k ti 2 ii. 2.hi i Grassy Channel bridge i It Km i«i '112 2 ".4 2 -M plus 46 plus 43 12 s..t •! 17 •• 47 i 24 t 22 Cape May Harbor II Sun In |.i in 24 4 iH -I -VI , . II II Ill ,a . . ""nu" 13 Tih- II 14 II m .21' 3 ,»i Fi»e Fathom II. Will 12 01 h 21 ft II! plus 11 " plus I I : Tlni 12 43 I w 7 »| 7 27 Cape May Point IK Kri 1 43 2 4! K .i! n 41 plus 46 plus 34 I', s.,1 2 '»'• ! 4H u 23. 1 II McCne Shoal .11 Sun 4 112 4 44 III ».» III tt II Mm, I- IT r1™* 22 Tin- .41 >.2ii 1 1 4M Delaware Bay Si W«m| i. W 7 ic 12 II 12 13 Bajshore Channel 24 Thii 7 24 7 47 I in i 2n <Bay Canal Junction i 23 Fri hiii k .11 I :e 2 "7 plus 47 plus 36 £. Sal k .34 4 24 2 44 2 34 Miami Beach 1 Mint V! 34 3 « Vol P»«6' — * Si} , U1. ,H | , Vi 4, fi Vl Dennis Creek Entrance 01 Wml I 14 I 3d 7 :G 7 31 P1® "4 plus 97 Brandy* ine Shoal Ugh! plus 77 plusS? V '

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