By HEATHER HOLTZAPFEL JAMES

There’s no shortage of fish in this area, and many anglers can attest to that.

Robin Scott, of Ray Scott’s Dock in Margate, said the back bay in her area is stocked with fish. Scott and crew are currently celebrating 50 years and she reported that she hasn’t seen so many fish in all her years as she has this season.

“I don’t recall a better season,” Scott said. “There is no shortage of flounder, and there is no reason the season should be shortened or extending of the limit size should be considered.” Scott is referring to the constant debate of the political state of flounder fishing.

Scott said anglers of all ages are getting out on the water enjoying a day of fishing. Whether it’s on a charter deck boat, kayak or small engine boat, there’s lots of action and everyone is coming in with dinner.

Scott suggests bringing out a smaller engine boat that doesn’t draw a lot of water and has a good drift. She said it would help with flounder fishing. There hasn’t been any specific rigs or bait outfishing the other. Just about everything is working, she said.

Frequent patrons to Ray Scott’s Dock are Lynn and Fred Simon, of Philadelphia. The Simons tipped Scott off with a rigging trend. Place three frozen sperring through the eyeball. The Simons catch fish within minutes of casting. Scott has also shared information concerning using flounder as bait as it was put out by the New Jersey Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife. It has been known in the past that the use of flounder as bait is illegal. Now, one legal size flounder can be used as bait. The carcass must remain onboard to prove the legality of size. Other great bait to consider includes frozen peanut bunker, swimming mullets and shrimp Gulp.

While water temperatures fluctuate, the back bays of Margate are producing a variety of species. Anglers who are rigging up for flounder with mackerel strips are catching some nice kingfish while drifting. It’s a little unusual, but kingfish fans are picking up on it.

Crabs, said Scott, are big and plentiful. Fairly large stripers, around 30 inches, have been caught around the Great Egg Inlet. Anglers are using bunker snags with a conical trouble hook to get their bait and then use the live fish for the stripers. They are catching them at all times and tides.

Some anglers who caught fish from Ray Scott’s Dock boat rentals include Bob Murphy, of Flowertown, Pa., who has fished the area since the 1930s, caught a 4.25-pound flounder. Bill Mendenhall, of Downingtown, Pa., Bill Jr. and Skip caught 162 flounder three weeks ago during a single trip, 120 flounder two weeks ago and are giving it ago once again this week. Kim Foley and Casey Bucceri, of Ventnor, caught a 19-inch flounder and Ralph Gallo, of Folsom, Pa., caught three flounder of more than 19 inches.

Scott ended her report by saying she hasn’t had a person come in without a fish since May 24 of this year regardless of fishing skills.

Rob and Joan Barrett,of Dolfin Dock in Somers Point, reported that the inside back bay bite is “out of control” in the Somers Point area. A 10.75-pound fluke was caught by Kaylyn Pagne, of Sewell on minnow in Ships Channel. Art Ford, of Linwood, caught a 4.46-pound fluke on minnow also in Ships Channel and Rich Martiello Jr., hooked a 9.18-pounder, 28 inches out of Absecon Creek on Gulp. Then Robby Brown, 13, of Egg Harbor Township landed a 3.94-pound fluke in Ships Channel on minnow and out of Rainbow Channel came a 5.23-pound fluke caught by Ida Brearey of Philadelphia.

Tom Christ of Brennan Marine in Somers Point reported that the offshore action leads the way.

Sandy Bacharach and crew fished last Thursday on his boat “Suzy Q” and really had the yellow fin. They boated nine yellow fin in the 75- to 80-pound range. They also had one large blue fin and caught and released a white marlin. They were fishing ballyhoo, spreader bars and green machines. They were between the Toms and the Hudson Canyons.

Bill Haas and crew on the “Rose-Lee” also fished last Thursday and had 10 yellow fin, a wahoo, a dolphin and a 126-pound mako. They too were fishing spreader bars and ballyhoo. They were in Toms Canyon.

Neil McPeak and crew fished the “Lobster Claw” on Saturday and bagged a 95-pound blue fin. Dave Fiocca and crew on “Poppy’s Cruiser” fished the Wilmington and boated a 51-pound yellow fin on a green machine.

Tony from Capt. Andy’s reports that “Offshore fishing is the place to be these past few days. Anywhere from the Toms to the Baltimore and everywhere in between, 19 Fathom, Massey’s, Jim’s Hole, etc. There are yellow fin, mahi, white marlin and tilefish if you want to deep drop.”

Inshore there are bluefin and bluefish around the hambone, A.C. Ridge, Cigar, ect., he said.

“Trolling is the way to go. Stretch 25’s and 30’s are doing the job,” he said.

A little further inshore, (reef sites and wrecks), sea bass and some flounder are being caught. Up north the Bass are still playing with the Bunker. As long as the water is cool they will stay. Some of these Bass are in the 40-pound range. Kingfish are in the surf and a few reports of them in the bay on the bars. Try anchoring up, put out the chum pot and use some bloodworms.

The inlets and bays are producing stripers and flounder. The keeper ratio is getting better these past few days. Your best bet is to get in the skinny water (shallow) and work your temp gauge, stay warm. Gulp, squid, minnows and mackerel strips are all doing well. Bass are around the bridges and sod banks. If you can get it try using live bait, bunker or spot. Plugging is also producing early in the morning and at dusk. There have been some reports of weakfish in the back, Scull and Lake’s bays, using shedder crab.

Crabbing is excellent. Outgoing tide in the back bay area along the feeder creeks is giving up some nice catches of blue claw. One of our customers came back with almost a bushel of keepers in just a couple of hours.

Craig Tragbar landed a 3-pound, 13-ounce striper at a local bridge.

Capt. Dave Beccaria of Fine Line Charters of Capt. Andy’s landed a 90-pound, unce bluefin while trolling a stretch 30 at the Hambone. The lucky angler was John Fannon of Wilmington, Del.

On the Coffee Break, Capt. Alon Howard, Roy Parker and crew went 6-for-8 on yellowfin along with two white marlin runoffs at the Toms. All were caught before 9 a.m.

Capt. John Baumgardener of the Unanimous and crew kept 12 yellowfin and released another 12 while trolling the Toms.

Fishing Notes

The Ocean City Marline and Tuna Club will host its Marlin and Tuna Challenge on July 26-27. Visit www.ocmtc.com.  

The Mid-Atlantic Tuna Tournament continues through July 19 at the South Jersey Marina in Cape May. Go to www.sjmarina.com for daily results.

(Fishing reports and photos can be e-mailed to Heather Holtzapfel James at heatherholtzapfel@yahoo.com, fax 465-9155 or by calling 624-8900, ext. 215. Reports need to be in by Sunday evening of each week.)