# Fluke Fishing



## Manayunk Jake (Oct 3, 2001)

Greetins All!

I'm going to try and cash in on the great fluke fishing in Southern Jersey. No "true" doormats reported yet, but a lot of 8 lb fish are taking the pools, and some nice limits are being caught.

I'll be sailing on the Twilight of the Starlight Fleet out of Wildwood Crest. I'm bringing my ten year old nephew Scooter along for his first trip on the ocean. Its a six hour boat (10:00 AM to 4:00 PM) which should give us plenty of time to put a couple of nice flatties in the cooler.

Speaking of fluke, the Fish-N-Fun out of Margate just had two more Jack Pot fluke landed. Rick Capone of Philadelphia earned $1750.00 for his 2.11 lber. A week later, Donna Deloison hit for $318.00 for her 2.46 lber. Guess I should have vacationed in Margate, instead of Mass-of-nuthin, VA! The Jackpot is already back up to $328.00 for a 2.35 lb fluke (that's in addition to the daily pools.)

Seems like the great croaker fishing in the Delaware Bay is really winding down, with most guys counting their fish by the bucket rather than the hundred. Hopefully this will convince one or two captains that its time to try the Old Grounds for big fluke....


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## Manayunk Jake (Oct 3, 2001)

*Report Saturday 08/28/2004*

Greetings All!

Yeah, I know its a boating report, but things are slow on the NJ board....

Scooter and I picked up a pint of killies, usually a good choice for fishing on the ocean. When the Twilight left the dock at 10:00 PM, the captain announced that it would be a 1.5 hour ride to the fishing. Immediately "Old Grounds" went through my mind, and I thought we were in for a special treat. Turned out our destination was the Delaware Reef, which was constructed a couple of years ago using old NYC subway cars.

Scooter and I baited our spinner and bucktail rigs with a killie/squid strip sandwich. On the first drop I hooked up almost immediately with a nice fluke. I was sure it was a keeper, but when the mate measured it there was still about 1/8 inch of wood showing. As the fish went over the side, Scooter pulled in a 10 inch sea bass, short of the 12 inch size limit. I nailed a second fluke, and the mate said he'd "bet" this one was a keeper. It was very fat, but I thought it looked shorter than the first, but I didn't take him up on the bet. Sure enough he came over and said "1/4 inch short" and tossed it over.

Scooter was having trouble picking off the fluke with the heavy rod. his next catch was a small sea robin, which the mate filleted for bait. I still had confidence in the killies, as we were having a lot more hits than the folks using the squid and mackeral strips the boat provided. 

Six nice throwbacks later, I notice a lot of the folks with keepers were using sea robin. Unfortunately, Scooter and I didn't hook any more of the winged creatures. The tide went slack, and fishing was v-e-r-y slow for over an hour. We had good drifts because of a cool breeze, but the fish just weren't interested. After a while the fishing picked up, and more fluke came over the rail. Scooter caught two throwbacks and another sea bass, and after ten throwbacks I hooked something heavy. I was thinking skate but hoping fluke. I could see the fluke ten feet down and yelled for the mate. Eventually the 21 incher came over the rail, putting me into contention for the pool. Two drifts later a guy in the front nailed an easy five pounder. One more drift and we were on our way back in.

As we were watching the fish get filleted, it occured to me that some of the fish looked smaller than some of my throwbacks. It didn't hit me until the ride home: We were in DE waters, and the minimum size was 17.5 inches (as opposed to 16.5 inches in Jersey waters.) THAT explained why a lot of my throwbacks looked like easy keepers. I can only assume that some fishermen were measuring their own catch, and tossing the 16.5 inch fish in their coolers. Once back in New Jersey waters, the mates didn't have to worry about them being "short" fish.

Scooter and I had a great day, and I caught my one and only "keeper" this year (although at least four other fish were over the 16.5 inch mark!) Scooter was disappointed that he didn't get a shark (only one caught on the whole boat.) He was having trouble cranking near the end, and lost several fish on the way in, but he hung in there. I think he'll make a fine fisherman....


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## BigJeff823 (Oct 14, 2002)

Nice Report theres thousands of 1/4" short of limit fish on the Chesepeake Channel edges in the mid Bay.Between me and my Pops we must of caught 40 fish but only a vey few were keepers.We must of had atleat 8 fish that were 1/4"Short.I was in his boat drifting the Hooper Is Channel edge.See the Report on MD board Drum Pt/Hooper Is Report.


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## davehunt (Mar 27, 2003)

Hey Jake,

Haven't had a chance to check the board since early last week sorry we didn't hook up.

I've been (as a coworker of mine from the south once put it) "busier than a 1 legged man in an ass kickin contest" 

I've spent most of my time crabbing with my 8 year old and haven't done to much fishing. We did bring a rod with us while crabbing near 2 Mile Inn. My son managed a short fluke from the area on the Coast Guard side of the road. Lots of fun.

The prevevios weekend we got into snapper on the 2 Mile Inn side of the road. That's pretty much been it.

The Crest beach has been LOADED with small (2 to 4 inch and larger) kingfish. I snagged some with a small net and tried them for bait in the bay but no luck. This week I hope to try them from the beach.

DH


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## Manayunk Jake (Oct 3, 2001)

Greetings davehunt!

I was pretty busy with my nephew, but I did get to do some fishing. I'd rather we hook up for a serious, all out attack on the fish....

I'll be busy this weekend, but the rest of September is good. The fluke fishing offshore should only get better. Those little kingfish would be great fluke baits. I really want to get some giant killies for out there, and I'll know not to hand over any sea robins. Chicken tenders may work, too. And I'll have to pick up some of those ball-head jigs with the free swinging single hook.

Keep in touch....


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