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Croakers were the best bet on the bay near Jim’s Bait & Tackle, Matt said in a fax. The hardheads bit at Bayshore Channel at the top of the tides, and the bigger croakers came from the slough just inshore of Brandywine Light. Quality kingfish were found in the shallows from Higbee’s Beach to the Concrete Ship. Flounder fishing gave up the best catches at Reef 11 and the Old Grounds. Mike Cade, 15, fished the Old Grounds for a 6.4-pounder, and John P. Hoerter tried Reef 11 for an 8.37-pounder. A few of the flatties began showing up on the northeast corner of Cape May Reef. Bluefin tuna, mostly 80- to 150-pounders, kept biting at the Lobster Claw, mostly at first-light. Some still roamed 19-Fathom Lump and Massey’s Canyon, and first light was also the ticket there, but the fishing wasn’t hot and heavy at those spots. More and more wahoos got fought along the 30-fathom line.
On the First Cast the Carl Chambers group last week on Monday boated all the croakers they could want toward the Anchorage, and small sea bass and some weakfish were sprinkled in, Capt. Rob said. Derek Morris Morris, his daughter Alicia and her friend Kelly were aboard Thursday on the bay a little to the north, almost limiting out on weakfish, releasing lots of throwbacks and hooking a load of croakers, big spots and a large puffer. On Saturday Perry Campana and anglers flounder fished at Reef 11, bagging good-sized ones, including a 10-pound 3-ounce whopper and a 5-1/2-pounder. Lots of sea bass including a few keepers were lifted up. Waters were 73 to 74 degrees off the ocean beaches, and last year they were 78 degrees and stayed that warm until October, an interesting difference.
A couple of flounder trips fished 70 to 100 feet in the ocean south of Cape May with Copacetic Sportfishing, Capt. Mike said. Good numbers were belted, and most were sizeable, 22 to 26 inches, probably 3 to 6 pounds. About half the fish that bit were keepers, a decent ratio, and lumphead sea bass 2 and 3 pounds were also boxed, and ling and bluefish came up.
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