I fished a couple of Back Bay flounder spots at dusk today. The water temperature was 72.2 on the top of the tide. The water clarity was excellent with visibility about 12ft. Flounder fishing now requires a lot more effort and time. If you want to catch a few keepers in the back bays of Cape May co. NJ at this time it is going to take ten times the effort that it does in June. The ocean hot spots like the old grounds and reef 11off of Cape May co. NJ are holding large numbers of flounder and most likely will continue to do so through the reminder of flounder season. To fish the ocean locations it requires the better part of a day as far as time. You also must have the correct conditions or it is a waste of time as far as catching fish. I shake my head when I see a party boat or charter captain taking people on a twenty mile rough ride knowing that the fishing is going to be terrible and someone on board is going to get sea sick. There is always someone that is fishing for the first time on these boats and when their first trip is on a rough day with no fish caught they may never fish again. If someone goes fishing for the first time and the ocean is calm and the fish are biting he or she will go fishing again and some will become avid fishermen. When I read Sheps column in the Atlantic City press recently he reported that limits of Weakfish are being caught. He has no names of the fishermen that are catching the weakfish and not one picture of a limit catch of weakfish. Sorry Shep, I do not believe that limit catches of weakfish are being caught. Here in Cape May co. NJ and all along the east coast the weakfish population is at an all time low. The few weakfish that are left need a chance to rebuild! They do not need pressure from news papers trying to sell advertisements!! The ASMFC will meet on August 19, 2009 to discuses ways to rebuild the weakfish population. The best way and the fastest way to rebuild the weakfish stock is a complete closer of commercial fishing for two years and a recreational closer during the spawning season. Please take the time to make a comment on the ASMFC web site on the best way to save the weakfish. Best,Ken
5 generations of cape may county fishing & hunting knowledge
Ken's Dock 
You really hit the nail right on the headabout head boats making long trips in rough seas and letting the new comers to deep sea fishing take abeating.Then again ,the novice should be prepared by being prepared for such an event,medications are available and should be taken before leaving the dock. I would be more than happy to take their place,because the Cape May fishing grounds are the greatest.
Jim, That is true. It is a shame that most of the for pay fishing boats care about one thing and that is money. Their favorite line is you should have been here yesterday. There is some really good Captains in Cape May area for hire and they have the calender full of trips of repeat fishermen.
Best,
Ken