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outdoors with Lou Rodia

Back Bay Fluke Season May Be E&rly

Summer fluke have arrived in Cape May County waters. Not many, yet. but they are here. Fluke usually show up some time between mid-April and early May. Once they arrive in the back bays, anglers usually get a good month to six weeks of fluke fishing in the inland waterway before the fluke start to show in

Delaware Bay and along the oceanfront. While a handful of anglers spend time looking for back bay fluke, party and charter boat anglers are in an in-be-tween state. Mackerel have left. Bluefish arrived. Weak fish are in the area. The key for these popular fish is water temperature. A fewwarm days will have them hitting lures for the rod and reel anglers.

SOME PARTY boats shifted from mackerel to wreck fishing. Others started exploratory trips to the bay. It is the time for change on the Jersey Cape. And any day may be the day ^ when it all happens. Fishing has always gone through change here on the Jersey Cape. Some species are less plentiful while others are more plentiful. Seasons are longer. Fish are caught in places where no one fished before and places which at one time held lots of fish are not even fished by anyone today. Boats have changed. They are bigger and faster. Motors are more powerful and much more reliable Plastic has all but replaced wood. That boats and motors are more expensive is moot. People have more money to spend these days. FISHING TACKLE is better. Fiberglas, graphite and boron rods have taken over for wood of one kind or another. When did you last see a bamboo rod in use on a party boat? Plastics and aluminum have invaded the reel market as well. Spaceage material goes into lures, guides on rods, finishes on equipment and clothing for the fisherman. A lot has changed. Even the seasons have changed radically. Fishing for some species is longer. Weakfish used to be a summer fish caught mostly in the bay on bait Now we have a spring bucktail season on weakfish and after a summer of bay fishing, there is a fall fishery for weaks along the oceanfront. Bluefish action starts in May and runs through late fall. Blues are the number one fish in terms of angler popularity. There are lots of blues. The major change is that the Jersey Cape finally developed a night fishery for bUies. CHUMMING HAS become a popular activity on the Jersey Cape for lots of anglers. Chumming provides lots of fish, hectic action and plenty of boats to take the anglers to the fish. Black drum action has also changed. At one time, the majority of the drum were caught from small rowboats along the edges of the inshore slough. That's

because drum were a lot more numerous, perhaps. But more realistically, the boats could not go too far. Back a generation ago. it was a big adventure to get to Bug Light. In those small boats of the day. Brandywine. Brown Shal. the Pin Top and 14 Ft. Light were impossible. THE PARTY BOATS of a few years back spent the early months of the season — March. April, and even May — in the boatyard getting painted and ready. The season never started for most boats until Memorial Day. And, when the season started, the first targets were sea bass and porgies on the wrecks. Few of the Cape May-Wildwood boats bothered with spring and summer weakfish in Delaware Bay. By August, the sea bass and porgy populations on the wrecks were somewhat depleted. The boats then turned to fluke fishing for the month. August turned into the fluke month on the Jersey Cape. Few fluke were caught on party boats before August because not too many people were fishing ^ for them. THINGS HAVE changed The party boat season is considerably longer these days. More private boats can make it out of the inlets to fish the oceanfront. Mackerel start off the season. Weakfish were "discovered'' in Delaware Bay in the spring. The end of the mackerel season often overlaps with the start of bluefish and weakfish season. Weakfish precede drum by a few days, but Bay anglers have discovered that there are also fluke to be caught in Delaware Bay even in June. When the mackerel play cat and mouse with the early season- party boat anglers, the boats look at the wrecks for sea bass, tog and ling. Or. they make exploratory runs to the bay THERE HAS also been a transition in boats, motors and trailers. A general agp, a three to six -horse outboard motor was a major acquisition. Anglers rented row boats and putt-putted to the inshore edge of the inshore slough and thought they really had gone somewhere. Some of the bay boat liveries even offered towing services. They towed out the rowboats and left the anglers anchored up to fish. Whejv the anglers got ready tocom? home, they held up an oar and the tow boat came out to get them. And, while all of this has been taking place over the years, more and more anglers deserted the back bays and headed out into the I ocean or the Delaware Bay. Fluke were not in the game plan. Many of the anglers who used to own small motors and who used to rent back bay rowboats are now trailering rigs that may even be too big for back bay fluke. FOR SOME, however, the back bays still hold a fascination all their own. Fluke offer a unique challenge. Even when they are plentiful, they are not always easy to catch. They test angler skill, as well as tackle. And, of ail of the fish caught in the salt waters of the Jersey Cape, none are better eating than fluke. Filets can be broiled, stuffed, baked or fried. Fluke can be stuffed and

broiled. They make an excellent cold salad if poached and chilled. Add some celery, mayonnaise, onion, chopped eggs and a little seasoning and you have a snack spread for crackers. Or served on a bed of lettuce. the fluke salad can make a good lunch or dinner entree. So, fluke, caught wherever you get them — ocean, back bay or Delaware Bay. make for fine eating as well as outstanding pleasure for the fisherman. IF YOU HAVE any doubts as to how valuable they can be as sport and table fare, check the prices right now in the local supermarket. Last night we sawsome at $6.95. Before you delude yourself into thinking that it is cheaper to catch your own; remember the price of boat, motor, fuel, rod, reel. bait, slip rental, ramp fees, licenses, insurance, filet knives, and dozens of incidentals. But it certainly is a lot more rewarding to catch a few pounds of filets and put them on the table or in the freezer than it is to pick up a packet or two of the store bought kind and serve them for dinner. ALL OF THIS points in just one direction. We, and hopefully, you. would want to know where these fluke were caught to open the 1966 season. As has been the case for a number of years, the first fluke again came out of Ludlam's Bay. We can't say that this is the only place in v t|ie county where fluke

might be caught each year. It may well be that we have a dedicated bunch of fluke anglers who try that area first. Whatever the reason. Wilmington, Del. angler John Papili and Bov McGuire. from Glen Mills. Pa. caught six fiuke in Ludlam's Bay last week. They threw three back because the throw-backs were less than the state minimum 13-inch length. The three they kept were led by a 2 1/2 lb. fluke. The two anglers were successful on strips of herring and strips of squid. THERE WILL NOT be any mad rush to get out to pound the channel edges all along the inlaqd waterway for a while. Ramps are open and boat liveries are starting to put boats into the water for the upcoming season. Before the water gets too warm and the fluke action dies down for the summer, you might consider making an effort to hook a few fluke. Make sure you throw back any under 13 inches long.. For 1966. the minimum legal' length is 13 inches. Next year (1987) the minimum jumps to 14 inches. The fluke regulation is going to be enforced. Don't get caught with short fluke The fine is $25 per fish under size AND possible confiscation of all fishing gear. That could include your boat, by the way. Get a good filet knife and make some freezer room. And, get out into the back bays early. It looks like an . early fluke season in the inland waterway.

Cape May Count ALMANAC MAY

MCK)\ PHASES/POSITIONS The Moon \ effect on the Tide it greatest when closest to Earth tin perigee I and when in direct alignment with Sun a Earth I full tr new moon phases i On and about these dates, low pressure svstemsand'or strong winds i depending upon direc tsont may result in flooding - and/or extremely low tidrs Moon Phasro Last Quartrr .30 Nrw Moon * First Ouartrr l< Full Moon 3 ( Apo*rr 10 Prrigrr 3 TIDE TABLE I Computed for Cape Mav City brarh/ront. for other areas, see | Correction Times DATE HltiH LOW ' Pm 'm PM I 1 Thu 2.20— 3:05 8:43- 9 07 2 Fn 3:25- 4:11 9:45-10:12 •3 Sll 4:30-5:10 10:38-11:10 , 4 Sun 5:20- 6:03 11:24-11:57 5 Mon 6 21— 6 48 -12:10 .6 Tor 7:06- 7:25 12:45-12:51 1 7 W>d 7 45- 8:01 1:30- I 31 ' 8 Thu 8:22- 8:34 2:12- 2:10 1 ;• 9 Fn 8:58- 9:08 2:52- 2:47 I 10 Sal 9:34- 9:41 3:31- 3:20 11 Sun 10-11 — 10 16 4:07- 3 54 ■ 12 Man 10:50-18:53 4:42- 4 26 13 Tue 11:35— 11:33 5:20— 4:57 , 14 Wed -12 2T 5:50- 5:38 1 15 Thu 12:18- 1:13 6:48- 6:34 16 Fn 1:13- 2:09 7 48- 7:53 I 17 Sat 2:09- 3:05 8:47- 9:07 18 Sun 3:13- 4:07 9:44-!0:(W i 19 Mon 4:18- 5 05 10:35-ll:U5 20 Tue 5:21- 6 00 II: 21—12:00 21 Wed 6:19- 6:51 —12:11 1 22 Thu 7 12 7 38 12:54- 1:02 23 Fri 8:02- 8:27 1 49- 1:54 24 Sat 8 52- 9:16 2:42- 2:46 25 Sun 9:46-10:06 3:34- 3:39 | 26 Man 10:41-11 04 4 26- 4 31 27 Tue -II 41 5:19- 5 36 28 Wed 12:02-12-42 6:14- 6:26 ' 29 Thu 1 00- 1 42 7: 12— 7:15 30 Fn 1:56- 2 40 8:12- 8:44 I 31 Sal 2:55- 3:38 9:10- 9:45 I I V-a«__

CORRECTION TIMES Compute approximate times of high a low water for your area by adding or subtracting the following number of minutes for each tide phase in the Tide Table LOW HIGH Great Egg Harbor Inlet Plus 12 plusio Ocean City <9th St Bridge i plus 35 plus 22 Carson Inlet • bridge i plus 21 plus 7 Sea Isle CUy t Ludlam Thoro Bndge > plus 66 plus 43 Sea Isle City Beach minus 2 minus 21 Townsend Inlet plus 21 phis 4 Seven Mile Beach phis 15 o Stone Harbor (Great Channel Bndge > plus 43 plus 40 Hereford Inlet lAngleseai plus 19 0 Wildwood Beach Minus 2 minus 17 West Wildwood (Grassy Channel bndge i plus 46 plus 43 Cape May Harbor plus) minus 4 Five Fathom Bank plusll phis I Cape Map Point plus 46 plus 34 McCne Shoal plus 28 plus 22 Delaware Bay Bayshore Channel I Bay -Canal Junction! plus 47 plus 36 Miami Beach plus 75 plus 61 Dennis Creek Entrance plus 114 plus 97 Brandy wine Shoal Light plus 77 plus 52 |

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Mackerel's Arrival Launches Season

COURT HOUSE - Mackerel have arrived on the Cape May County fishing scene to open the 1986 party and charter boat fishing season officially. . Mackerel usually stay through the month of April, but warm water can bring an abrupt end to this season-opening fishery. Fishing enthusiasts greet mackerel with the assurance that bluefish. flu^e and weakfish are not going to be far behind. Mackerel traditionally leave the area as soon as the first bluefish arrive. Mackerel fishing is available at all the Jersey Cape ports from Ocean City south to Cape May. Party and charter boats have been maintaining four, six and eight-hour schedules ' for visiting anglers. Charter boats have open dates for small groups as well as bigger clubs and organizations. ANGLERS PLANNING mackerel trips should do so early, since the mackerel

season can be of short duration. Mackerel are usually fished with a medium action rod. 20 to50-lb. test line and a mackerel rig consisting of a Diamond Jig or Hopkins Lure at the lower end of the rig and two or three Norwegian worms tied above the jig about one v foot apart. A good cooler with a drain is essential to keep mackerel iced down and in good condition for table use. Mackerel can be broiled. salted or smoked. RECIPES FOR smoking and salting mackerel and other fish are available free from the Cape May County Department of Public Affairs. A list of charter and party boats sailing from county ports can also be obtained without charge. A list of winners in last year's county fishing tournament and a list of rules and regulations is also available. Write the Department of Public Affairs. Box 365. Cape May Court House. N.J. 08210.

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