Fishing Reports Cape May Sept 1 to Sept 30

[CapeMayRay]

Decided to go out Tuesday night as there was very little wind. Peter and I grabbed our fly rods and left a little after 6:00 pm. with the tide about half out.

Took a quick trip to the back to fish a couple of points and out flows. Water was very brown and a good amount of weed. We saw a lot of bait but after a half hour with no hits we decided to move to the inlet.

Inlet had small blues whacking bay anchovies. We caught a quick few and moved on looking for better size fish. It was a plain slow, slow night. Found nothing along the rock jetties inside and out other than the small blues.

We worked the beach front surf line for the bulk of the time. Pete caught a throwback fluke we we had two small bluefish hits. After about 3 hours of frustration on a picture perfect night we called it a night and headed in.

[CapeMayRay]

Had tough charter last night. Left early with husband and wife. Tried the inlet and picked some small blues but the water didn't look real good at the top of the tide and there was no real bird play.

Had good tide conditions in the back, but again water was brownish and only really small blues. After working a number of good areas with nothing we did the old chum and bait thing.

That was a bust too. Around 60 sand sharks, one sea bass and a couple of blues.

Stripers seemed to of evaporated out of the usual good areas and the water temps are around 76. Never have a problem till it gets into the 80's

[CapeMayRay]

Didn't go out this morning. Had an older man with his wife (both novice fishermen) with the wind blowing pretty good and still good chop I decided it wouldn't be a real fun morning for them.

Thought about going out myself, but with the conditions as they were and the last of week slow fishing, I got my wife, we did the breakfast out and antique and craft show in town.

Wind still blowing good off the ocean so tonights conditions might be worse.

[CapeMayRay]

Was a beautiful morning with zero wind. Left the dock before the sun came up with one person fly charter. Worked the inlet at the top of the incoming and the water was still ugly and it was dead on both the inside and outside.

Moved to the back bay and it was loaded with bait and 8 to 12 inch blues. Caught a few but with no wind and the gnats bitting better than the fish it was frustrating.

Saw ken Kelly and he was heading out off the beach to try for some fluke etc. We decided to head out too for a while. Little sea swell but no wind and it looked great other than the color of the water. Ended up with Croakers on bait along with small sea bass. Didn't see much action in any of the other boats. Didn't keep anything and was back at the dock by 10:00 a.m.

Need something to shake things up and get things back to normal. Can't remember a September being quite like this one.

[CapeMayRay]

Broke out of the striper slump in a big way tonight. Wind died and it was such a nice night and last minuted I decided to give it a shot. No one was available on short notice so I went solo. Left the dock around 6:00 p.m. Tide was coming in and it water was very brown.

Hit the inlet first and it was the same pesky blues all over. Switched to a large bunker fly looking for better fish. Small blues would still hit it but atleast I wouldn't hook them.

Looked like it was going to be another slow night when I landed a 20 inch bass on a 6 1/2 inch yellow and black very large deceiver. Worked the same area and pulled a second one in short order and was feeling pretty good.


Around 7:00 p.m. There were some large pods of mullet and within minutes there were lots of stripers blasting them. They would spray the mullet, doing 360 aerials as they scattered them.

At first I could not get them to hit. It was a bit frustrating. I tried several different mullet flies and would cast right into the turmoil and nothing. Then I decided to try a floating line, which I rarely use in the deeper water and that was the ticket. I immediately started getting hits and hooking up. With the mullet on the surface that is where the fish were looking.


Hot fly was the 6 1/2 inch Black and Yellow deceiver on the floating line. From 7:30 to 9:00 I got 5 more bass including a 24 and 29 incher. Took a picture of the keeper and put him back. Best action was after dark when all of the boats left. Not that them leaving made a difference it was just when the action was best. Could hear the fish popping.


Fished until 9:00 when I lost my fly on a rock and and the tide was starting to slow up. decided to call it a night. Best 3 hours of fishing I have had in awhile. That's the fly laying on the deck in the last picture. Will have to make a couple of more for the next trip.

[Wave Loudly]

Ray, do you work with clients that have little to no fly fishing experience? I'm interested, PM me.

[WAHOONBOX]

PRETTY WORK RAY!! THE PICS ARE LIVING ROOM WALL STUFF! KEEP THE REPORTS COMING...I LIKE THE FORMAT HERE!


AND IF "WAVE LOUDLY" CAN CRANK IN A GIANT BLUEFIN ...I AM SURE HE CAN DO THE FLY ROD THING!

[CapeMayRay]

Wave, yes I do. Saltwater fly fishing is not as difficult as freshwater. Since we do not sight fish up here in the northeast like other places. Bad casts, line slaps and other related things do not spook the fish. Most of the time we are blind casting at good structure. (Jettys, rip lines, point breaks or sod banks.)

Long casts are nice but not always needed to catch fish. With electric motor you can get close to structure and boat does not spook the fish. Last night the mullet were swimming around the boat and the bass were attaching it 6 feet from the boat. Would of taken some neat pictures but was too intent on hooking one.

Previous couple of weeks the striper bite was as slow as it gets. No matter how good you were with a fly rod it was tough. Under normal conditions with fair action it is not all that difficult. Fly fishing takes some time. First you have to catch a few to build that yes I can catch confidence. Once you have the confidence you will not give up trying as easy if you see others catching on plugs or bait.

Last night there were a few fish taken on plugs by other boats. I do believe the other guy and I that were using the fly rod caught more. The fish were taking the fly so close to the rocks and hitting on the first or second slow strip. I believe that a fly has the best action as you can keep it in that zone longer and it looks more realistic even without any stripping action.

Will be giving it another shot tonight and hopefully there will be good action left for my Friday night charter.

[Dave Sikorski]

Great night Ray.

Goes to show that if you don't lose the faith you will be rewarded.

That 29"er is a beaut.

-D

[Wave Loudly]

Thanks Ray! If this trip falls together, you'll be getting a call to see if we can set something up. Last minute pit falls are killing me on this, but I still might get up there!