[Shinyo]

Took the annual boat trip from my dock Cape May to the Ramp at Fowler Street in Millville. The reason for posting is that from the jetty at the Cape May Ferry to number 2&3 buoy at the mouth of the Maurice River, I did not mark any Bunker Schools with both of my Fishfinders going nor did I see any Bunkers on top of the water. NOTHING. The only positive sighting using my fishfinders was at the Maurice Town Bridge. There appeared to fish approx. 5 to 8 feet of the bottom on the North side of the Bridge [The same holds true in the Spring when I bring the boat down from Millville to Cape May.}

The Buoys are still in at the upper reaches of the Maurice River. They are a definite plus when running the Upper Maurice as it does become tricky with all the bends and shallows especially with twin inboards.

It is difficult to read of all the action in Raritan Bay and to think that the Fall Run of Stripers that we enjoyed for years in Delaware Bay is now part of the Dead Sea for Fall Stripers. I miss that Bunker Chunking !!!!

 

[Shinyo]

so do I Shinyo

Glad it was safe trip

Thanks, Tom.

 

[Shinyo]

Doug,

With the late run of striper migration south, what is the chance they show up in the bay ( and the rips) in December. The trolling of off sea isle down through Cape May was very good from reports I read last year. My son went out in Dec on a six pack and they did extremely well right off of Wildwood. For most of us its not feasible to keep the boat in that late but of course the charter guys are still available.

Frank, you right on with most of us not being able or willing to keep our boats in to fish for Stripers with a start date of either mid to late Dec. This year I pulled my boat the earliest I have done in years due to having a Heart attack on the first day of Sea Bass[Oct 7]. I was running to a wreck approx 19 to 20 miles off the Beach. Approx.12 miles out I had the attack [later it was confirmed by the treating Cardiologist that it was The Widow Maker, blockage of the LDA]. Came back in, docked the boat, tied it up and went to Lower Cape Regional.

Hopefully next year I will keep the boat in until the Stripers show up in our waters. I am fortunate in that the dock that I tie up to in Cape May, rents me the slip on a full year basis with no pull out date or extra charge for "Striper Season."

 

[Shinyo]

Yes, it is hard to believe the changes in Delaware Bay that have happen in just the last 10 years. Even before they brought back the stripers in the 1980's, there was tons of life at this time of the year. I remember chunking slammer blues in the bay at this time of the year and watching school after school of bunker and juvenile fish go under the boat on the fish finder. With the over all lack of life in the bay compared to years past, it is hard to imagine that fishing will ever be able to recover.

From Mid Nov right thru the days after Thanksgiving were my Prime time to beat up on the Big Blues chucking bunker. Can remember so many great days at the Punk Grounds, tied up on anchor and getting a continual catch of Blues going from 6 pounds up to 10+.I was tied up on the Maurice River from 1984 until 2012 just to take advantage of the Great Fishing in the Bay. If the bay did come back , I would be tempted to leave Cape May and go back to the Maurice River. But with the Bay becoming New Jersey's "Dead Sea", the best I can do now is to have the memories of that Great Fishery.

 

[Shinyo]

I am very sorry to hear that and hope you are recovering and feeling better. I had surgery back in 2017 myself. If you ever want to meet up for lunch or breakfast to share our stories shoot me a message on here. Pretty sure we are both in Marlton

Frank, I sent you a PM.