# Margate Jackpot Fluke



## Manayunk Jake (Oct 3, 2001)

Greetings All!

The "Jackpot Fluke" Pool On The Bay Partyboat "Fish'N Fun®" Is Currently: $4,258.00 Weight: 2.54 lbs. Ed and I will be sailing at 8:00 AM Saturday and again at 1:00PM. No thundershowers scheduled for Margate on Saturday, with only a 30 percent chance of rain in the afternoon. Check out www.capt-andy.com for details.


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## Manayunk Jake (Oct 3, 2001)

Greetings All!

Seems like the NJ board is still dead, so I'll post my results here instead of the boating board.

Ed and I headed for Margate yesterday morning after a stop at Brinkman's B&T for some live killies (a lot of S. Jersey bait shops are having a hard time stocking killies.) At $1.50/dozen we only bought three dozen.

We used the killies on the morning trip, but even without the squid for the "sandwhich" we were constantly pestered by small sea bass up to Ed's 11 incher. Sea Robins were out in force, some of them pretty darn big. Began using small killies with long thin strips of shedder squid and picked up three throwback fluke before nailing a 16.5 keeper. Only one other keeper caught in the morning on the whole boat, but that was enough to beat mine for the little pool, and nowhere big enough to threaten the jackpot.

Afternoon trip started off B-A-D as the wind combined with the tide change to blow the boat in circles, causing tangles galore. After two hours one young fellow on the starboard side caught a healthy 19 incher that looked good for a shot at the big money. We went through a period of nothing except an occassional dogfish or bird (sea robin), then hit the little sea bass again. Ran out of killies, and began using the spearing supplied by the boat. The wind died down, we were able to get some real good drifts, but the sea robins were thick as flies. I decided to cut a belly strip from one of the robins, and bang, a 17 inch keeper, followed by a throwback on the next drop.

When we docked at 5:00 pm everyone was speculating about the 19 inch fish. Patty threw it on the scale, and the digits froze at 2.60, just .08 over the 2.52 necessary for the $4400.00 jackpot.

Ended up the trip with two keepers, five throwbacks (including a paper-thin 6 incher), and a severe sunburn. Somebody is going to hit that pot soon!


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## Manayunk Jake (Oct 3, 2001)

Greetings All!

The "Jackpot Fluke" Pool On The Bay Partyboat "Fish'N Fun®" Is Currently: $4,562.00 Weight: 2.51 lbs.

Somebody hit the little pool with a 2.50 lber ... they're closing in!


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## granpafish (May 5, 2003)

I learned to fish in South Jersey (Longport) in the 50s and early 60s. Not much there at that time and certainly not the mansions that I hear about now. Two places to rent a boat. Larrys at 17th st and Carls at "The Wharf". I used to hang around Larrys and help get the boats and put them away at the end of the day. If Barney,(Larrys brother -in-law) would let me, I would get to put one of the Evinrude 3 hp motors on the boat and show the renter how to use it. At the end of the summer, Larry would give me and the other kid who did odd jobs a boat and motor for the day. A wooden "minnie" bucket full of bait, some squid and frozen shrimp, and Zeke, Larrys wife, would give us a chum pot and a couple of quarts of frozen chum. We would be waiting at 5:45 AM for them to show up and be gone at 6. We would go to the bar on the North side of the inlet and anchor up. It seems like we could load the boat with kingfish and then head out to drift for flounder. Everything on stringers that we could hardly pick up at the end of the day. What great memories. The flounder all looked big back then. What inspired this message is that I caught a honest 2 1/2 pounder on one of those trips and it remained the biggest flounder for me until I was about 30 yrs old and got a 4 lber in Wachapreague, Va. 
By the way, just to give you an idea of the size differences between NJ and Va at the CBBT, the current leader in the flounder division is 13 pounds and change and the word is that last week a 15 lb 15 oz monster was weighed in. I haven't caught 16 lbs of flounder total in the last 2 years. Of course, you gotta fish for them to catch them and I've been staying out of the heat just like the old man that I've become.
Also Jake, I was baptized in a catholic church in Manayunk and my mother was the basketball coach there. Can't remember the name at this point. I've been gone from there for 40 years.
OK enough of that. You flounder lovers might want to look into a trip to the CBBT for a shot at one of these big boys. 5 and 6 pounders are fairly common. Granpa


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## Manayunk Jake (Oct 3, 2001)

Greetings granpafish!

Small world, isn't it!

I remember the little wooden boxes for carrying minnows (somebody recently started making them again, in pint, quart, and gallon size.) They still fish for kingfish in the bay once the fluke slow down, still using frozen chum in metal chum pots to attract them. The area from Ocean City to Atlantic City supports five pontoon boats and a dozen boat rentals. Lots of fluke caught in that one little area of back bay....

Top fluke in NJ so far this year are a 16 pounder caught in Raritan Bay a 16 pounder that was reportedly caught from the Cape May Channel. Several 13 pounders have shown up. Looks like the fluke management plan is working.


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## granpafish (May 5, 2003)

Jake, I feel better hearing that the big ones are also in NJ. I can brag about my old stomping (drifting?) grounds down here. You need to hang one of those doormats and take home the bacon. 
You know, those chum pots are not used down this way and I don't know why. I saw them for sale once and didn't get one. I should have. They would be a great way to fish in the Chesapeake. I get to Del. every so often and will make a point of finding one next time I'm there. May have to take the ferry to NJ to get one. I guess that a good method like that should be kept secret. I promise I won't tell any of these rebels down this way about it. Keep us informed of your crusade for the big one. I really enjoy reading about South Jersey fishing. Granpa


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## FL FISHERMAN (Sep 30, 2002)

Hey Jake nice flounder you got there. Also looks like you got a haircut and a new shaver!


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## cocoflea (Aug 1, 2002)

Very nice job Jake I see your start the fall off on a good note and I hope it gets better everytime out.


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## Manayunk Jake (Oct 3, 2001)

Greetings All!

Yo granpafish! There's a lot of Jersey fishing methods that would probably work real good in the Chesapeake, and vice versa. One thing is that Bay captains don't add water to their bunker chum, so a lot of big chunks go out and that makes a lot of fish sit back and feed in the slick, so you end up with the smaller, more agressive fish around the boat. A metal chumpot with frozen chum could be a winning ticket when fishing for croaker, perch, and spot. Plus we found kingfish (mullet) in the bay this year. And I still think most bay fishermen don't spend enough time trying for fluke -- they all have "rock" in their heads. But I also think Chessie style umbrella rigs would probably catch big Jersey cows, and that more NJ anglers should try livelining (of course, spot aren't as common up here!)

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Yo Jason! Lucky I was in NJ with that 16.5 inch minimum. The hair and beard are already growing back, and I should look "normal" by October (maybe even by the 'tank clean-up.... )

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Yo David! It was a bad day, but at least we got out and took our best shot at the pot. We'll do the same next week if nobody hits it by then. That $$$ will by a lot of fishing trips! But I'm itching for a shot at a B-I-G fluke, so we'll probably start fishing the real boats soon.


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## cocoflea (Aug 1, 2002)

Jake to me just catching some is starting off on a good note and I hope you can get that fluke I start this weekend in search of the trophy bass I have a feeling this might be the year.


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## Manayunk Jake (Oct 3, 2001)

Greetings David!

If you really want that big fish, you're going to have to TARGET big fish and big fish alone. In Europe its known as specimen fishing. That means no little rigs, no "playing" with the schoolies, using a big rod and reel with a big bait or lure in a spot known for producing big fish. It means hours without a hit, waiting for the big one to show. Personally, I can't do it... I'm the first to admit I prefer catching to fishing. But if you're really serious, start reading Frank Daginault (sp?) and P-L-A-N each outing. Spend time looking over each spot during the day, so you know where you want to be that night (most big stripers from the surf are caught in the wee hours.) Check your main line for abrasions, and tie each knot like your life depended on it. No rusty trebles on your plugs, no skimping on bait. Set your drag so that the reel gives line with the rod at half bend, and don't fool with it while playing the fish. And for god's sake don't drop your rod and reel in the surf when that big cow on the end of your line comes into view!


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## davehunt (Mar 27, 2003)

Jake,

I couldn't agree more. I caught my first keeper striped bass by following similar advice. I'd read an article about using big bait, specifically bunker heads, for big stripers.

I was fishing with some friends on Staten Island at night. The blues were into the bunker chunks (steaks really) pretty well all night.

When one of the guys finally landed a schoolie, I immediatly shifted to the head from a good sized bunker. about 5 of 10 minutes later the real took off. I took it out of free spool and off he went. He made 2 runs before I got him to the beach. 33.5 inches and about 16 lbs. Not huge but a nice fish. 

I felt like Hemingway  

Anyway, beside being too big for the schoolies, the bunker head seemed to discourage the blues since they kept hitting the chunks but left the heads alone.


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## Manayunk Jake (Oct 3, 2001)

Greetings davehunt!

Great example! You stopped fishing for the little guys and tossed out something for a biggie. Big fish usually hit big baits. A good example is the 14lb doormat fluke that recently grabbed onto a sea robin being reeled in by a lucky lady in NJ. Her husband managed to get the fluke into the net before it could shake the sea robin. I have a feeling a lot of people are going to be using more sea robin bellies in the extended season....


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## davehunt (Mar 27, 2003)

Jake,

A friend of mine is also big on putting live snapper on a jig when fluking. By using bait much bigger than a spearing, he is able to consistently catch much bigger fluke.

It seems simple but I think people get locked on a method (spearing and squid strip for fluke i.e.) and over look the obvious

Your post brings up another great point. The fish we normally consider "garbage" or "nuisance" fish are part of the ecosystem and are there for a reason. They are food for the game fish we seek.

Sometimes you can't see the ocean for the waves. 

If you’re catching a bunch of sea robins, they must be on the menu for the more desirable fish. Use what nature gives you.


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## granpafish (May 5, 2003)

Jake, Just got back from Vermont. A daughter got married. Don't you hate it when people schedule events during the fall fishing season? I definitely am going to give chum potting a try in the bay. I saw that report on the kings in the bay. It would be nice if that became a regular thing. You are right on the flounder being ignored. I've fished the bay for them for 15 years or better and though I've never caught one over 4 lbs ,there are usually plenty around. Every so often there is a great year and every so often a bummer. That is probably true everywhere but especially so for flounder in the Chesapeake.
I just saw a photo of a 17 lb flounder caught up in NJ on the Tidalfish web site. You ought to keep those things low profile up there. There will be a rush from NY, Del, Md, VA, and NC. I don't understand why you don't hang one of those mid teen fish and take that money home. Then I can call you and borrow some. Good luch Granpa


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