# fortesque fishing



## Joel Tuck (Apr 4, 2000)

greeting NJ fishermen

try to get down fortesque when i can few years back went down rented boat did very well right out in front,but late in season.look on walls see pictures of lunker weaks shop owner tell me spring run. I forget what month and lost his card. any info on this would be greatly appreciated.

great fishing...............


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## Manayunk Jake (Oct 3, 2001)

Greetings Joel Tuck!

Fort-o-screw hasn't been very good in recent years, especially for large weaks. VA boats were netting the spawners at the mouth of the Delaware Bay. In addition, even the smaller weaks have been harder to come by - Salem Nuclear Plant kills thousands of fry per day in its intake units.

A good way to judge the decrease in quality is the new NJ weakie limit that allows for taking eight weaks @ 13 inches, as opposed to previous years' fourteen fish @ 14 inches. (Of course, back when the weakies were thick, many anglers were abusing the "limit" by fishing at night, keeping 14 fish before midnight and 14 fish after midnight, which was ruled illegal.)

I have an old b&w polaroid from back in the 70s (when the 22lb fish on Higbee's wall was caught.) It shows me and my buddies holding up some 10 to 12 lb weakies and blues caught in May on a charter out of Fort-o-screw.I would love to see Fort-o-screw rebound as "weakfish capital of the world", but for now, I'll just sit back and watch the reports....

See www.fortescue.com for more information...


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## Joel Tuck (Apr 4, 2000)

Greeting Manayunk Jake,

Thanks for reply and info. guess no use having high hopes for there .you ever fish sunset beach in cape may? I caught few nice trout in front of sinking ship. again later in season hopefully get chance early this season.......


Great Fishing......................


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## Joel Tuck (Apr 4, 2000)

Greeting Manayunk Jake,

Thanks for reply and info. guess no use having high hopes for there .you ever fish sunset beach in cape may? I caught few nice trout in front of sinking ship. again later in season hopefully get chance early this season.......


Great Fishing......................


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## ShoreBird (Oct 29, 2002)

Joel,

Howdy Neighbor I'm from Royersford. I'm
gonna give the Fort a try in early June.I
have had my best luck in July and Early August.


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## Manayunk Jake (Oct 3, 2001)

Greetings Joel Tuck!

I've pulled weaks from Sunset Beach near the cement ship and the jetty up the beach from the parking lot/souvenier shop. Caught them on (don't laugh!) bloodworms on a bobber. The bobber keeps the bloodies out of reach of the crabs, without scaring the fish like a big-corked float rig. They ran about 75 percent shorts (12-13 inches), with a few 15-17 inch fish mixed in. Start fishing right after the "Star Spangled Banner" ends (remember to take off your hat!) Bring lots of OFF!

A couple of years back, me and Ed went out on the "bananas" (Bonanza) party boat in Fort-o-screwed. We took live shedders for weaks and killies for fluke. We drifted all day in a heavy tide for fluke, catching three keepers. When we docked, we still had $8.00 worth the live shedders. One guy suggested trying the wall around the bend from partyboat row. We now had the incoming tide, and we had hits every cast from weakies twenty feet out. Caught two keepers, Ed lost a really nice fish, and the oriental fellow down from us cleaned up with fresh grass shrimp. That was my best day in Fort-o-screw since the 70s.... Unfortunately, we stayed until sunset, and I "bagged" a deer on the way out ($2500.00 damage to the car.) Like I said, if the tiderunners and big spring blues ever come back, I'll be the first one there, but for now, I'll wait for everybody else's reports!


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