If you read my earlier report, Nick, my grandson, still wanted to catch a shark. Since we had chum and bait from two days ago, Dave, Nick and I decided to do a repeat trip on Thursday July 5th. We returned to Marshelder Channel with a nice south wind and incoming tide. The fishing was still good with Nick catching three 18-19 inch fluke!

We then proceeded to the same area behind ‘little beach’ where we went last time. However, we had trouble finding deeper water so we continued to grassy channel and set up our balloons and chum slick. Almost immediately we had a ray on the line. After resetting the balloon, it was one brown shark after another. Seven browns in the 4-6 foot range were caught and released. Dave and I let Nick do all the reeling except when a shark was under the boat, heading for the anchor line or ready for dehooking by Dave. We left at 4:30 hot, tired and sore. I want to personally thank Dave for making the experience for my grandson possible! What a great memory!

Dave Spendiff offered to take me and my grandson Nick sharking on July 3rd. Since the outgoing tide in Great Bay wasn’t until 1:00, we decided to fluke first. The same spot – Marshelder Channel – that three days earlier during our tournament with BHM&TC had nothing biting, today yielded 5 nice fluke. Dave caught the three largest 21-23 inches and Nick had two. We then ventured over to the backside of little beach behind LEI. Unfortunately, the Red Herring – Bill Figley’s boat – was already set up there so we continued into grassy channel. During the waiting and watching the balloons, I jigged up another keeper fluke. After a few hours, we finally had enough sun and biting green heads so we pulled anchor and headed home.
BTW, Bill reported catching a 61/2 foot sand tiger!

Relatives were visiting from Alabama so the guys went golfing and the girls went fishing. Still catching fish off my dock but  I thought it would be nice to take the kayaks out to catch some dinner. Caught some nice Perch that we cooked on the grill stuffed with butter and lemon. The only thing we’ve caught in the bay so far is a dogfish shark.

The first annual VHFC – BHM&TC Joint fluke tournament was held on Saturday June 30th and the results will be published when available. However, it was a tough day for VHFC. My boat – me, Dave Spendiff, Caesar Pesarini and my grandson, junior member Nick Rossi – had the only VHFC weigh in. And that wasn’t much to brag about! Dave caught our only keeper at 19″ and 2.4 lbs – he was camera shy. Nick caught a 16″ weakfish and that was it except for two monster rays caught by Caesar aka Rayman!

We left my dock at 6:00 AM and fished until the closing at 3:00 in brutal heat and nasty greenheads. The worst part was that we caught all our fish at our first stop at the brick pile in Marshelder Channel. Several long drifts through LEI produced nothing as did drifts by the #126 tripod buoy and in the ICW from Holgate northward, We saw hardly any nets in action and the reports from other boats in the tournament were equally dismal including folks who went outside to the reefs.

It was still a fun day on the water. Special thanks to Bill Kleimenhagen for his work in organizing the tournament. As they say “See ya’ next year!”

After a last minute fishing invite from member Alan Goracy, we left his dock Monday June 25th with strong NW winds and headed North to DC channel. We joked that despite the sloppy seas going out, the trip home would be a breeze.

We arrived to join 5 other boats fishing the area. The outgoing tide with the NW winds made the drift almost 1.5 kts with nothing but weed fouled hooks. We decided to try behind the dike where the wind would be partially blocked by the land. There were another 8 boats fishing and despite the slowed drift (.8 kts), no one was catching here either.

I then suggested we try the cove from Meyer’s Hole back to the docks where the CAIII and commercial fleet tie up. The wind against the tide slowed us to .5 kts and at least it was pleasant fishing. I hooked one fluke at 20.5″ and Alan caught a short and a small blue. Returning home was also sloppy and we had to go under 20 kts to limit the spray and pounding.

Took my son and grandkids to a cut in the bar I saw at low tide, hoping to score some stripers. Put out a bunker chunk on a PENN Slammer for my son. I loaded up my favorite Avet Reel on an 11’ Tica Rod with a bunker head.
My son got broken off by a large cow nose Ray. Then my rod went down. I should admit that I only had about 3/4 spool of line. Thinking I had another large Ray I held on as line stripped off the reel. It took me down to the knot and I ran down the beach trying to gain back some line. I then started working it in, still thinking I had a ray, until I saw a good size shark in the crest of a wave as it made another run. 15 minutes later I beached, what I believe was a brown shark. All I know is it had some nasty looking teeth and kept trying to twist around and take a bite out of me. If this is not a brown can someone ID it and let me know.
Shark went back in and we ended the day with my son landing a very large ray. Great day of fishing with those I love!

I fished half a day on June 12th. It was very windy but managed two keepers – 181/2 and a 19. I fished again on Friday the 15th. It seems like the wind just will not stop. It was wind against the tide in the morning so I just fished a half a day.  I had one keeper at 23″. Seems like everybody’s still picking up fluke here and there.

Took my maiden voyage on my new Hobie Mirage 17 Kayak with my grandson, Ben. Launched in Beach Haven and fished the incoming tide. First drift, Ben had a 22 1/2 3.26 lb Fluke on a killie. I had a 19” on a jig tipped with gulp and a killie that was weighed in a Jingles at 2.45 lbs. Ben finished up with an 18 1/2” at 2 lbs. Really liking this kayak.

My friend Craig and I fished the north end of Barnegat Bay Saturday, June 9th on the outgoing tide. We caught our limits with the nicest fish at 6lbs on the dot and a second nice one at 4.78lbs. 

Went out Saturday afternoon for the outgoing tide fishing Great Bay. I picked up two nice keepers – a 19″ and a 23″ along with a half dozen shorts

Carl and a couple of his fishing buddies put together a nice catch of flounder on opening day. They had 8 keepers with the biggest 23 inches

I picked up another nice striper today (5/31) on the beach in Surf City. I caught it at 6:30 AM on a bunker chunk. My fish was 42.75 inches and weighed 28 lbs 1 oz. When I beached her, my 60 lb leader brokeI and I almost lost my fish. I quickly got between the incoming waves and the now freed striper and made a grab for the gills. Despite taking a lot of water, it was still a very good morning.

After my weigh-in at SCBT, I was told my fish was third place in both the store tournament and the spring derby.

On Friday opening day, Alan Goracy and I fished Double Creek. It’s been dredged and nicely marked but there are two or three spots where it is really narrow between the buoys. Despite the large fleet, we quickly had 15 fish with only one at 18″ before it totally died. That seemed especially weird since the tide was now outgoing and water temps were rising up to the high 60’s. We continued fishing for a good while but it was over!
On Saturday, I went out early by myself. Not wanting to battle the buoys, boats and shallow waters at Double Creek by myself, I decided to give the Middle Grounds a try. Usually this area doesn’t turn on until early to mid-June. My first drift only yielded a skate. I then went over to the LB buoy (where the now unmarked cut from Dock Rd meets the ICW) and hooked a nice 19″ fat fluke on a floating jighead tipped with belly and a killie. But that was it. I then made several drifts back in the Middle Grounds that resulted in three dogfish. By 10:30 the winds were honking and I decided to return to port.

Fished the bay opening day for fluke. Started at the BI, then the 40 can. Nada. Moved to the Research Buoy – lots of algae already on the bottom – my bucktail with teaser kept picking it up. Switched to a white floating jig with white gulp swim shad and started picking up shorts in the 14 – 16″ range. Finally landed a nice 22 inch keeper which went to the dinner table that evening.

Bob Dodds reported a day sea bass fishing. Three generations of the “Dodds” family went sea bass fishing on Friday May 25th with Captain Greg Carr on the Kev’N Ash II docked in Barnegat Light. Bob (aka Pop Pop), son Shawn and 15 year old granddaughter Ashley had a great day fishing the ocean outside of Barnegat Light.

Using fresh clams, we had our boat limit of nice big blue sea bass with the biggest being over 17″ and 2 pounds plus. Other catches included over 10 nice sized tog that were put back to fight another day, a cod, a couple of ling and of course some nasty doggies. Ashley ended up as the top angler (only because she’s a great learner from Pop Pop and Dad). We’ll get even Ashley, just wait for the next time!”

I arrived at Gulf Point this morning at 7:30 and started to troll the bay with spoons. I trolled and trolled and trolled without a touch until 10:00 when I finally hooked and boated a small bluefish. I went back over the area a couple more times and got nada so I headed north to the BB area and started trolling again. Very quickly I got a double hit but was only able to land one small blue. Every time I went back over the same area I got hits, many of them doubles. Probably had 30+ fish hooked but only landed half of them. Because they were so concentrated and there wasn’t much wind, I made a few casts with a surface plug and was able to boat a few. None of the fish were larger than the one I photographed – all less than 4lbs! Just doesn’t look like the big boys are coming in this year – what a shame!

Today was just too nice a morning to stay at home. I stopped off for some bunker and went to a spot in Surf City. Boy was I glad I did! I caught this 37.5 inch striper that weighed in at 22.64 lbs.

Lots of anglers on the beach this weekend. Went out Saturday afternoon mid island and caught this very short striper that will live to see another day. I think some of the white perch I’ve caught are close to this size, but it’s encouraging seeing something in the surf. Heard of at least one keeper caught in the same location that afternoon, and also some reports of fluke – (you catch everything on those bunker chunks) – good sign for the 25th opening. No mention of any blues though. Went back out early Sunday morning in the same spot but no luck- just fished for a short time – not pleasant weather and had to get to my Mothers Day brunch!