Fresh ciudad océano Fishing Reports

Hey gang! It’s not been all rapidly moving air ? and cold water. We’ve actually been hooking a lot of fish on bay trips. Some trips with 20-30 fish. Keepers….typical August in bay. Keeper to throw/back ratio is pretty high. But action. Lots of action and smiles. Congrats to Owen (pictured with keeper in the Tennessee hat and his friend) for keepers this morning. I was encouraged to photo-bomb a pic so….. We feel pretty good about action and variety on the bay for the rest of the summer season.

Hey Gang, Water temps are slowly returning to normal. The later in Summer bay fishing pattern is emerging. For flounder, there has been A LOT of action but we are working harder to find keepers. The invasion of the baby black sea bass has begun. Snapper blues are consistently popping up at the right stage of the tide. Of course the baby sharks are around, which is actually more of a thrill for a lot of the young ones. The reefs and wrecks are starting to get better with the warming water. Flounder, sea bass and tog are in the mix. We have a report of some bonita are showing up. Mahi action is heating up out around the 25 - 35 mile zone. Offshore tuna is pretty good. Overall the action is consistent and we are having a good time carrying great people. Check out the photo of the flounder with a bite out of it that healed over. SHARK!

Hey Gang, Here is the latest news. Bay Flounder Water temperatures are returning to normal and bay fishing for flounder is back on track. The Mid-Summer pattern is in effect with keepers to be found but lots of shorts for action. For this, you can book a 2, 3, or 4 hour trip. Ocean Flounder Reef and wreck fishing is *finally* heating up. Not great but way better than it has been. As expected, these fish tend to be larger. Today brought us a 21.5" and four pound flounder. Jigging is the name of the game. If this is your goal, you can book a 5 hour trip. Tuna, Mahi, Wahoo Tuna are definitely out at the canyon. We had our first report today of mahi showing up at the closer structures and pots at about 35 miles. Other Pelagics We still are not seeing the schools of menhaden (bunker) in the near shore waters where we can usually find cobia, spanish mackerel, smaller sharks, little tunny etc. Hopefully this will start soon.

Hey Gang, Have you tried to take a dip at the beach and found yourself shivering? So are the fish in the ocean. It's called an upwelling event. Basically, persistent West or South winds blow warm surface water out to sea and is replaced by colder water from the bottom. Ocean temperatures have been down by 8 - 10 degrees for the past ten days. Near - Coastal ocean trips have been challenging to say the least. In fact we are strongly encouraging bay fishing trips until the water warms back up. Here is an article that describes how upwelling occurs. **hidden content**

By DONALD WITTKOWSKI Michael Doebley probably knows the back bays, channels and other waterways around Atlantic and Cape May counties as well as anyone. Born in Cape May Court House, he’s been cruising around and fishing in the bays and ocean since he was a child. The professional charter captain, known as “Captain Mike,” taps his decades of experience to give anglers and nature lovers a great time out on the water with his Mighty Heron Charters based at Smith’s Marina at 910 Bay Avenue in Somers Point. Now in its third season, Mighty Heron Charters specializes in family-friendly charters that range from leisurely fishing trips around the back bays to ocean excursions to catch tuna. “In summer, our primary market is families on vacation. We really cater to them all of the time,” Doebley said. “We really pride ourselves working with those families to make sure they have a good time.” Not only does Doebley have strong local ties, but so do his crew members. Colby Felix, the chief mate, is a 2020 graduate of Ocean City High School, where he played football. He now attends the University of Southern Mississippi. The other crew member is Logan Monteleone, who will be a senior in the fall at Ocean City High School. Doebley pointed out that Colby and Logan are major parts of the family-friendly atmosphere offered by Mighty Heron Charters. “Frankly, we’re all buddies,” he said. “We take a lot of pride in how well we work together during the summer. At the end of our trips, the little kids follow Colby and Logan around like they’re their new best friends.” “I think I have the most personable and knowledgeable crew,” he added. On the Mighty Heron Charters website, Doebley noted that while chasing the “big ones” is one of his passions, he is also thrilled when kids catch their first fish and break out in their happy dance. Although the summer vacation season is a peak time for fishing trips, Mighty Heron Charters runs charters from April 1 all the way to Christmas. “It’s cold, but the fishing is good,” Doebley said with a smile about the striped bass caught during the winter charters. Charters range from two-hour outings costing $250 to 18-hour deep sea fishing trips for $1,950. The average trip is a three-hour charter costing between $350 and $400, Doebley said. Along the back bays for fishing trips, Mighty Heron Charters typically cruises the area between the Margate Bridge and the Garden State Parkway Bridge in the Great Egg Harbor Bay. Doebley has a 28-foot Steiger Craft powered by quiet, twin Yamaha 250-horsepower motors. The boat, cleaned daily, is maintained to the highest standards and has a current U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Vessel Safety Check sticker. Amenities include an 8-foot-by-8-foot cockpit that features plenty of room for six adults to fish comfortably or socialize. There is also a private toilet. In addition to fishing trips, Mighty Heron Charters also offers cruises, dolphin tours, bird watching excursions and whale watching trips. Doebley is also an avid birder, which provided the inspiration for the name Mighty Heron Charters. “Heron are great fishermen,” he said. “People think of herons as a big, pretty bird. But they’re also a mighty hunter out there fishing every day.”

Gang! A 26.5” and 8# flounder in the backwater. Brian, visiting OCNJ from Winfield PA with his family. The girls were a hoot and happy birthday Steve! Congrats, Brian. We are so happy for you.