Ken's Dock

Governor Christie and Dayna Townsend shared some flounder fishing stories . Governor Christie has personally attended numerous meetings concerning outdoor sportsmen.

I turned onto the Country road, heading toward the sportsmen’s club, when I noticed the unmarked NJ State Police vehicle. At that point, I knew the Governor would be attending our meeting. I was impressed, usually a politico will send a proxy to a small meeting, or a letter beginning with I am sorry. Governor Christie showed up in person! He spoke in detail about our issues and concerns. He has also found time to personally” take phone calls from our club Presidents and chairmen. He has been a friend of the outdoor sportsmen of New Jersey. His decisions concerning saltwater fishing and hunting have been based on science and sound reasoning. Unlike Governor Corzine, that made wildlife management decisions based on emotion, or how much money was donated to his campaign. Outdoor Sportsmen, in the live free or die State , all things considered, Governor Chris Christie would be a good choice for you this Tuesday.

Cape May, New Jersey’s residents and tourist will benefit from a resent approval by the Atlantic States Fisheries Commission . New Jersey will now be in a separate region for summer flounder management. This will allow NJMFC to change the summer flounder size limit in the Delaware bay from 18″ to 17″ with a 4 fish bag limit. . This will put NJ closer to the Delaware size limit of 16″. However, the rest of the NJ will remain at 18″ and a 5 fish bag limit . This was a hard fought for accomplishment, credits, the NJ Federation of sportsmen , Jersey coast anglers association, coupled with a good push from our local Assemblyman Bob Anj and Senator Van Drew.

I released this tide runner weakfish during the summer of 2014. Hoping to find him this spring.

How did releasing this fish pay off? In June 2015, I caught a 9.01 pound weakfish, in the same general area. I kept this one, and entered the weakie in the statewide Beach-n-boat fishing tournament. I can’t be certain it was the same fish, and chances are it wasn’t. Regardless,it did paid off. They haven’t published a news release of the official tournament winners yet. However, I did get this e-mail that began with:

Congratulations on winning First Place in the Weakfish species category of the 2015 Jersey Shore Beach N Boat Fishing Tournament. Your Weakfish weighed in at Avalon Hodge Podge Bait & Tackle on 6/14/2015 was 9.01 pounds. Your prize(s) of a xxxxxxx will be mailed after you complete and return the attached W-9 form.

We appreciate you participating in the 2015 Jersey Shore Beach N Boat Fishing Tournament and hope that it was all that you expected.

Congratulations

Fish On!
SignatureMDY Cerelli_Signature
Captain Mike Young Angler Mike Cerelli
Tournament Director Assistant Director

Friends CJ Polhamus and Bill Collins also released numerous weakfish, keeping just a couple” for the table and tournaments. CJ is in the hunt with his tiderunner weakfish in the Fishermen Magazine’s dream boat coast-wide fishing tournament. Bill Collins is an artist when it comes to fishing for weakfish. Although better known for his award winning coaching record. Bill took 1st place weakfish in the wildwood challenge and is on the BnB leaderboard. Their fish were also caught in Cape May County,NJ.

CJ Polhamus And his tournament contending tide runner weakfish.(The Fisherman magazine tourney)

Bill Collins and his tournament contending weakfish.

2015 tournament winner tide-runner weakfish.

CJ has earned a 95% catch rate on quality striped bass,over the last couple of weeks. He has caught most of them from his 15’keywest.

Jeff Polhamus with a quality striped bass he caught from the surf.

Mark K. and mate with a limit December 2015 catch

I was out and about Sunday. I found lines at the fish cleaning stations, including Felix with two 48″ striped bass. How long will this excellent December Striped bass bite last?

Cj Polhamus kept one 41″ December striped bass for the table. He released numerous others in the same size range.

The striped bass fishing finally turned on here. The rips, Delaware Bay chunking, and the Ocean trolling bite , have all produced limit plus catches.You still have to be tuned in, or you will catch nothing. Skill Sharp fishermen have been running up the numbers. The average size Striper has been running about 40″. A few forty pounders have been caught the last few days. The surf remains dead, as far as I know. This weekend looks good. I am done fishing at this point, hunting season . If you want to get in on the last bite of the year, I am sure there is a few guides and party boats running out of Cape May.

Mark and CJ with a couple of big Cape May County holiday striped bass.
The blue 4×4 van again !

After an extremely slow fall striper bite here in Cape May County, NJ, the striped bass bite has turned red-hot this week. A few local sharpies had been catching them prior to this week, but failed to contain the information (words out). At this point, it is just look for the fleet. Trolling is the method of choice . These fish are on the move, at any time the bite could shut down. Now is the time, to show up late for dinner , use vacation time or call in sick. Archery deer season has my full attention, at this point. You will not find me out among the fleet. However, a few speckled sea trout have been caught over the last few days. I will save some time for them.
Happy, Thanksgiving 2015.

CJ Polhamus with a 20 plus pound striper. He used a pencil popper to catch this beauty.

The striped bass fishing has been red hot, if your in the right spot. However, the hot spots have been real hard to find for most, in Cape May County this year. The days of the Cape May rips producing easy limit catches for everyone onboard, are gone. The Delaware Bay chunking bite, not happening. The good news is there are some nice stripers around.  Just about the same number of striper bass we had in 1977. The upside,  it really thins out the crowds.

Charle and Chip Gruff had no trouble finding these back bay keeper striped bass today.

Catching striped bass on light tackle. In the crystal clear and calm waters of the sounds.

Here in the Cape May’s coastal sound waters, (the cape may canal north to Corson’s inlet). The striped bass bite remains good, when you turn-up the effort. The fish are all resident fish. I haven’t seen any migratory fish, at this point. The NJ fall striper run, is occurring north of Cape May County at this time. The key to a migratory striped bass bite in Cape May co.,is one week of NW, NNW winds, before the water temperture drops out. Most years it happens, some seasons .

Linda Polhamus struggles to hold up her big striped bass. She caught this fish last night, from a top-secret beach spot. She released it .

Jeff Polhamus covered  miles of beachfront this fall, in search of big striped bass. His intense effort paid off last night. Jeff and Linda landed some beautiful bass last night from the beach. These fish were caught the sportsman’s way, on plugs and lures. Chip Gruff also found some nice bass during the day. Unfortunately, he had engine issues,forcing him to leave the bite.

Chip Gruff and a hard fighting back bay striper.

I have been fishing the flats for striped bass (light tackle), it has been a slow pick. However, the catch rate per trip is around 97% success.