Codfish still are biting, but you cannot say the same about winter flounder, though that season is barely a week old.
The weather has not been cooperative, but it’s early spring and we are weeks away from consistent warmer temperatures. Many are waiting for the start of the striped-bass season, which starts a week from today.
Winter flounder catches were sporadic with the usual early-season spots like Shinnecock Canal and the Smith Point Bridge seeing decent fishing. There were a few flounder taken near the channels in Great South Bay and anyone taking fish has been using lots of chum. The water is still very cold, so you have to entice these fish to come out of the mud.
Wrecks off the South Shore have been giving up cod to about 12 pounds, but the most consistent catches still are coming from waters south and east of Block Island. A number of Montauk boats will be on top of these fish at least through the end of the month.
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Anglers will be out in serious numbers for tomorrow’s opening of New Jersey trout season. More than 180,000 fish will have been stocked in 88 streams and 90 ponds and lakes.
You can get stocking information by going to http://www.njfishandwildlife.com or by calling the Trout Stocking Hotline, (609) 633-6765. New Jersey has made buying a license and trout stamp very easy. Visit the website to buy and print your fishing license and trout stamp online.
The Catskill Fly Tyers Guild will host the Fly Tyers Rendezvous on April 16 at the Rockland House in Roscoe, N.Y., from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. This is a great opportunity to come and watch, chat and visit with tyers. You will have the chance to learn some techniques from some of the best professional and amateur tyers.
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There is a guy in Texas who had an unwelcomed guest in his boat. An eight-foot, 375-pound mako jumped into Jason Kresse’s 25-foot boat while he and two friends were fishing for red snapper on Monday in the Gulf.
Kresse said they were chumming when the shark went into a frenzy and leaped in the boat. Apparently the shark flopped around for hours until it died. Have no idea where the fishermen were while shark was flopping about.
