# No "Fireworks Fluke" This Fourth of July!



## Manayunk Jake (Oct 3, 2001)

Greetings All!

Well, I had over 7,000 reasons to return to Margate this weekend, in spite of my string of "no keeper" trips.

I arrived at 6:50 am to find a half dozen people already waiting for the 8:00 am trip. I bought my ticket, and when the gate opened I got as close as I could to my usual spot (port corner of the stern.) The boat filled up fast, and we left a half hour early. With the top of the incoming tide, I was hoping we'd head straight for the backwaters. Most of the folks in the back of the boat were regulars, and there was an air of optimism.

Unfortunately, the captain is still sticking with his same game plan. We spent most of the morning in the inlet, with about 20 throwbacks and three keepers 18 - 20 inches. A nice blue (about three pounds) was also caught. That doesn't sound as impressive when you factor in over 30 fishermen on board. Everyone seemed to catch more than their fair share of skates and large spider crabs. A few small sharks and some sea robins rounded out the morning catch. At well over 3 lbs, the 20 inch fluke took the little pool. 

Highlight of the morning trip (for me anyway) was catching a northern stargazer. I've only caught one before, and the mate cut my line so fast I didn't get a picture. Even though it was half the size of my 'gazer' from five years back, I made it clear that I wanted a picture of this one, and the mate took it for me (I'll have to see how it turns out!) Other than the stargazer, I caught the usual assortment of sharks, skates, sea robins, and two throwback fluke. Once again, no keepers for me....

Against the advice of the other regulars, I went out on the afternoon trip. I figured the outgoing tide (and heavy incoming boat traffic) might persuade the captain to go back in the grass. I also switched positions to the starboard corner on the bow, hoping to be able to toss a bucktail around. Unfortunately, the captain once again headed for the inlet. 

The wakes from the other boats flooded the bow, so all of my gear except my little cooler ended up stowed on the seat. In spite of only 15 fishermen on the afternoon trip, I was looking at another 4 hours on my feet. On the first drift someone nailed an 18 inch fish, so I knew we were doomed to stay there for at least an hour. After no more keepers and very few throwbacks, and the outgoing tide ripping because of the full moon, the captain finally headed for more protected waters.

When two drifts on either side of the Longport Bridge didn't produce any keepers, the captain finally made the move towards the smaller channels. For the first time that afternoon I felt confident that we would find good fishing. The captain went deep into a small channel, and the first drift produced four throwbacks in 10 minutes, plus some sharks and sea robins. The captain muttered something about "too shallow" and motored back out to the main thorofare.

We spent the last hour on a "nature cruise", as the captain occassionally stopped here and there for a drift. I fished hard, changing back and forth from a bucktail/mackeral strip on my light rod and the squid/killie combo on my heavier rod. Other than a small shark and another throwback fluke, my efforts were in vain. As the old saying goes: "You can't catch what ain't there!"

For the first time in recent memory, I was glad when the captain gave the "heading home" signal. The lone 18 incher - too heavy for the jack pot - took the little pool. Hopefully someone will catch that jack pot fluke soon, so I can get on with my life....


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## FL FISHERMAN (Sep 30, 2002)

That's it Jake I can't take it no more. I am going to have to come up there and win that pool for you!!!!  But no really I think I am going to have to make a trip up there soon and see if we can do some fluking.  Sorry about the captain again, I think it might be time to move on my friend.


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## davehunt (Mar 27, 2003)

Manayunk Jake,

Your right on about where the fluke are living. I took my three kids and a couple of their friends to a little T-pier in Wildwood Crest to do some crabbing (1 keeper caught). Based on your other thread, I also picked up a container of squid strips to try for some fluke (I grabbed the shedder oil scented strips in case any weakies were around, figured I'd cover all bases).

It's a tiny little pier and I wound up fishing through the empty slip of a whale watching boat. When a bunch of people vacated the oposite end of the pier, we all moved over. From that corner I was able to cast out to the channel. I used a plain old 3-way rig, 3 ounce weight, fluke hook with 2 pieces of squid. On the 3rd or 4th retreive the fish nail it! Wound up being a nice 20 1/2 inch fluke!

Sorry your still having issues with the Capt. on your favorite boat.

Anyway, Thanks for the assist! I had zero fluke last year and this was the first this year. Hopefully the water will stay cool until I can get back down there this weekend!


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## Big Rad (May 19, 2003)

*Mj.......*

I'm living your pain man. The stories are making me cringe. I'm pulling for ya though. Folks would say "keep your chin up" but Those are the folks who get knocked out. 

Keep pressing


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## cocoflea (Aug 1, 2002)

Jake 

I must have missed what happen when you complained to the owner of the boat can you recap for me.


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## Manayunk Jake (Oct 3, 2001)

Greetings David!

Let's just say the reply to my email was rather blunt. I was told that "nobody" is catching fish, that the competition was the least of their worries, that this captain piloted the boat last summer (note that the pool rolled over from last summer), and, finally, I was told to try another boat if I wanted to. What the owners don't realize is that a lot of the regulars are echoing my sentiments, and are planning on jumping ship if and when the pool is finally claimed.

The good news is that water temps are finally warm enough that more fluke will be spending their time in the main thorofare (ICW) and the inlet. The bad news is that these are larger fluke, and it will take a month or more for the weight to catch up to the average fluke.

And yes, I'll still be trying this weekend....


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## Manayunk Jake (Oct 3, 2001)

Greetings davehunt!

I've probably told this story before, but I caught a nice fluke casting off the back of the "Twilight" (Wildwood Crest) while waiting to go out on a croaker trip. The mate had to "mark" the fish because a few guys were complaining I might try to claim the pool with it! Gotta love that partyboat mentality -- I'm sure these are the same guys who believe in the motto: "If you can't catch a fish, catch a load".


I'll be heading down Wildwood Crest later this month for an evening croaker trip (They like to call them weakie trips, but very few weaks are actually caught.) Let me know if you want to tag along.... I'll also be hitting the Cape May boats in late August into September for fluking on the Old Grounds. Great chance to catch a doormat. Let me know if you're interested....


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## davehunt (Mar 27, 2003)

Manayunk Jake,

I saw the same thing happen on the Royal Flush. A guy was waiting for the afternoon trip to board and leave (he'd been on the morning as well) and was killing time by casting behind the boat. Low and behold he nailed a very nice fluke about 50 ft behind the boat (this was right were I caught my fish). There was the same reaction only worse, people wanted him to take the fish off the boat! Incredible!

Anyway, a trip out on a boat sounds like a plan, however I will be away for the last to weeks in July. The late August early September trip looks more likely.

Good luck this weekend, I'll give the T-pier a shot again on Saturday or possibly one of the inlets.


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