sports

outdoors ^wilh^ou^Rodia^ Record Catch Heralds Weakfish Season

Karl Jones knew it was a big fish, but he didn't think it was that big. His wife, who netted the fish, knew it was a lot bigger than Karl thought it was The scales at Jim's Bait and Tackle Shop in Cape May proved that the weakfish Karl caught last

Tuesday was really a big one. It weighted 1 8 1 2 pounds, and it was big enough to become a newstate record. The big weakie touched off the current weakfish season in a blaze of excitement Thousands of anglers waiting for word

' Cape May CounhALMANAC MAY MtMiVPH %sKs/POSIT|ovs CORRECTipN TIM KM ! '1" ;"""7 "" r">' S Compute approximate timet ' ' * of hijfji £ low water for your Mr. ... '"*■» • and uh.-n II, r „,f0 (,v adding nr subtracting i i. •••••.■in ml. Sun I Foit'i the following number of moon phasm On minutes for each tide phase in ana these dotes lou ,hr Tldr Tablr '■n.ls 'Upending upon dir.; t".ni mil: 'Csult m pimUng and . .-.. melx f„i,» M.-m l'ha»n I.OW HIGH I j«i (juarfrr ai Or at EgK Harbor Intel \rw mw.ii s PIUS 12 plUSlO ! "• Ocean Olv ,9Ui Si Bndar .. f piu.,5 pL,r \|», .r |o Corson.lnlei nridge IVncrr 21 plu* 21 plus • Sea Isle Ciiy Ludlam Thoro Bridge - TIDE T %BI.F- plus 66 plus 43 C .mpsurrd for Cape Ma: ' t. Sea Isle Ciiy Beach beachfront for other a'eat see minus 2 minus 21 Correction rimes Townsend Intel plus 21 plus 4 ",T Sic MJ, Beach am pin .. nj, |. m p|us 15 0 1 Tim .n 1 iii, «•« '.i ii7 Slone Harbor Fri 1-25 ill nth in u > Great Channel Bridge , Sl! J U. . Ill Hi ; « I! I.I plm, 43 plus 40 I sun 29 * *11,24 nit Hereford Inlei Anglesea 1 r,: r.« plus,> ^ h 0 : w«l 7 4:. x hi 1 :u». 1 ii Wtldiaood Beach x Thu H 22 8 34 2 12 2 10 Minus 2 minus 17 '• Fri x ai 9.1W 2 .">2 2 47 West Wilduood in s.,t •• u ;• 41 i;ti 1211 1 Grassy Channel bridge 1 II 9un lull I" Hi 4 117 t 54 plus 46 plus 43 Tue ! i r! !i'» •, Vi 4 v Capr Ma> Harbor iiu.il 12 s s jg Plus' minus 4 13 Thu 12: ix lit «, 4x f. t4 Five Fathom Bank 16 Fri Lit 2. us 7 4H 7 VI plus 1 1 plus I IT Sjt 2: on ;i oa k 47 *»o7 Cape May Poini In Sun Ijn 4 lit 9 44 10 IN -plus 46 plus 34 11 4; !v 11 McCne Shoal 21 uill xln-fi!" l[j ™ plusffl plus 22 22 Thil 7 12 ' 7 .18 12 54 I 112 Delaware Bav 2 1 Fri X "2 H 27 I In I *>4 Bay shore Channel 2» Sjt X .2 in, 2 42 . 2 46 1 Bay Canal Junction > 2. sun » u. Him J 14 i in plus 47 plus 36 > Mix, HI II II 04 4 21. 4 II Miami Beach 27 Tue II 41 • '1 10 26 ,, , , 2M Wed 12 IC 12 42 -ill 6 26 P,US '* plu>61 20 Thu I no 1 42 7 12 Mi Henms Creek Entrance Hi Fri I 36 2 40 8:12 - 8 44 P1"*."* pliu.97 it sal 2.-33 Y« s in- 9 45 Brandyvune Shoal Ughl plus 77 plus » V .

5 that the weakfish had started to bite got the word 5 as newspapers all over the mid-East picked up on the fact that a whopping big I weakfish had been caught 1 in Delaware Bay. THE FISH was 34 inches f long and possessed a I 27-inch girth If things work out for Karl, it will probably become a state record, and may well be the biggest fish to be entered into the Cape May County Fishing Tournament this year. At any rate, it gives lots of anglers something to shoot at in the current year. There are still second and third places open and there may well be another record weakfish or two lurking in the bay. A couple bigger than the one caught last Tuesday have been reported in the nets bycommercial fishermen WHILE ONE or two fish do not make a season, it does add to the excitement. Bay anglers who have l>een waiting for the weakfish to start were catching lots of bluefish in the two to sevenpound range and a scattering of early season fluke from one to four pounds. The reports up to Friday were the same all over the bay. Bowers Beach. Del. boats had one or two weakfish to report for the week* Ditto for Fortescue and Matts Landing The Lewes. Del. fleet had little better luck than the Cape May Wildwood boats in the search for bay weakfish But Karl Jones' first season weakfish changed all of that It electrified angers and raised their hopes that perhaps the weakfish did sn fact turn on for, the hook and line fishemen. MEANWHILE, ocean anglers have been enjoying excellent wreck fishing for sea bass, ling and blackfish Blues are also scattered along the oceanfront. with one concentration along the beach off the Condominiums in

Wildwood and another centered between Avalon Shoal and the Ocean CityStone Beds. And, for the ocean troilers and bluefish fanciers. word is that there is a huge school of monster bluefish just below- Ocean City, Md. and heading north. Bluefish numbers from the Lower Chesapeake Bayto the Maryland line point to perhaps the best bluefish season ever. The early run of bluefish in Delaware Bay this year is an indication of that FOR JONES, however, the season started on a bang-up note. The 72-year-old angler is retired and fisjies a lot. He is also a -ptSrt-time charter skipper, running the Christina a couple of days a week for the Miss Chris docks in Cape May. On his Tuesday outing to the bay. however. Karl was fishing in his own 17-ft . boat with his wife. He caught the big possible state record fish on a small bucktail and a piece of cut mackerel His fish outweighed the former state record by a full pound. That fish was 46 inches long, but it weighed only' 17' ;• pounds It was caught in the Mullica River in September. 1944. and for a while, it held world record status THE DIFFERENCE in fish was the four pounds or more of roe inside the one Jones caught For him. it was a signal that things should be different during the spring run of weakfish when they are so laden with roe Jones himself plans to fish with hooks with the i barbs closed so that he can release these big weaks How many other anglers will follow his example re mains to be seen. It is a shame that these roe-laden fish come under such heavy commercial pressure al this time of the year aHne\same time the fishery gets pounded by

"DON'T YOU MISS THE BOAT" Catch Tfte Biggest One Of All HERALD NEWSPAPERS Cast year this special section of 9 1 1^1 papers ran all season long and was I A 1 very popular! Well, this year we Jj K !'•" plan to make it bigger and better fl with related stories and photos! BA Here's your chance to reach ooer J M lW ^^1 29,000 potential customers every . I V. *4 B f week! I j Call Today For Reservations 1 /4L465"5055

thousands of rod and reel anglers. HOPEFULLY, whoever catches these fish will be sure they are not wasted as has happened in years < past. Greedy rod and reel ' anglers loaded boats to the gunwales and then sought markets for these fish. Some took pennies per pound for them competing with the commercial men who were trying to make a living at fishing. Others boated big catches of weaks. then dumped them. If you doubt it. ask the Garden State Parkway maintenance crews whose job it was and still is to have to pick up bags of fish tossed into the weeds by rod and reel anglers who do not choose to clean them. ^ Remember that you can contribute your share to conservation by releasing any fish you do not need Be a leader Here are some fishing reports Remember that they preceded the weekend so we have not heard w hat may have happened on the weakfish front Check your favorite skipper or tackle shop by phone CAPE MAY: Cape Mayboats are bucktailing blues until the weaks set in in Delaware Bay. The Miss Chris fleet reports lots of blues in Delaware Bay on bucktails along with three to five-pound fluke One of the season's first weakfish was an 11 pounder caught by I. en Faulkner of Phoenixville. Pa on an evening trip to Delaware Bay Lots of blues were boated on the same trip For fishing information call 884-5445 or 886-8164 Happy Days Skipper Jim Solley reports loLs of blues in Delaware Bay while his fares are looking for weakfish The Happy Days is chartered weekends but sails open boat Mondaythrough Friday Some shark trip openings are left Call 709-886-7725 C A P T . B O B m SCHUMANN said the Sea I Star fleet is sailing for weakfish in Delaware Bay For information on the Sea Star fleet sailing schedule, call 884-4671 Porgy III skipper Paul Thompson reported 40 bluefish two to four pounds on bucktails Monday Mrs Charles Wax. of Swarthmore. Pa caught eight The Porgy III is sailing daily to Delaware Bay ('apt Ed Yates of the Mary M III is sailing from South Jersey Marina for the weakfish and bluefish season OCEAN CITY: The Challenger is sailing daily on six-hour trips to the wrecks. Lots of sea bass, ling and tautog are being caught WILDWOOD: Capt. Joe McTommoney of the Adventurer fleet reports good wreck fishing for sea bass and blackfish. The A venturer II will be sailing Friday and Saturday nights for weaks and blues in Delaware Bay. Call Capt Joe at 886-1676 for information. WILDWOOD CREST; Capt. John Royles of the Royal Flush reported exI cellent sea bass and tog ■ catches. An exotic biowfish ■ was also caught. The Royal I Flush is sailing at 8 a.m.

and 1 p.m. on four-hour trips. Capt. Dave Cicchitti of the Wildwood III is sailing daily for weakfish in Delaware Bay. For information call 522-4839. The Starlight fleet is sailing daily for Delaware Bay for weaks and blues The new Twilight is booking day and night charters for 1986. For information, call 263-3800. SEA ISLE CITY: Capt. Neill Kobbins of the Capt. Robbins reported excellent sea bass, ling and blackfish catches. John Tarde and Bernie Raines of Belimawr caught 97 sea bass Omar Richardson of Philadelphia boated 150 sea bass and ling in two trips Capt. William Clark of the Starfish, reported good wreck fishing on eight hour trips over the weekend Ed Myers of Marmora was a high hook and pool winner For information, call 263-3800 BACK BAY FLUKE A Millville trio boated 28 fluke to 3 lb. 7 oz. while fishing strips of herring in lludlam's Bay behind Sea Isle City. The thfee reported their catch at Vitiello's Dock in Sea Isle City Vitiello's is open every day with 55 boats and motors ready for rental as well as a full line of bait and tackle. 5- Week Bowling Tourney WILDWOOD - The North Wildwood Tourist Development Commission will sponsor a five-weekend bowling tournament ex pected to draw team and individual performers from at least a five-state region George Yencsik. commission chairman and tourney director, said over $10,000 in prize money will be awarded with a first place prize of $3,000 guaranteed The tournament will take place May 31 and June I. June 7-8, June 14-15. June 21-22 and June 28-29 ALL GAMES will be at the WiUIvmm- Ttowl. 3400 New Jersey .»ve. here, starting at noon each day The tournament is designed to attract hundreds of participants and thousands of onlookers on weekends before the start of the busy summer season There is an entry fee. Contact the North Wildwood Tourist Office. 800-223-0317, or 522-4520, or write P.O. Box 495 for information and registration. The North Wildwood Businessmen's Association is joining the tourist commission in sponsoring the event. ■ma