Article by Capt. BJ Pietryak
It's been quite a week out on the waters of Ocean City. The scorching heat and humidity brought about some intense afternoon pop-up storms, however the seas remained surprisingly calm for most of the week. This made our nearshore trips a comfortable and enjoyable experience. And let me tell you, the flounder bite is off the charts this year!
Venturing out to the nearshore reefs and wrecks has been an absolute delight lately. Anglers have been reeling in some monster flounder on almost every trip. The key to success has been using big Gulp baits and squid, which have been irresistible to these flatfish. The fluke are hanging around the down current side of wrecks and scattered across the lower reef structures, providing ample opportunities for a thrilling catch.
Capt. Jason Mumford on the charter boat "Lucky Break" took out a group of anglers, including Bob, Connor, and Logan Hall from Severna Park, along with Bob and Diana Graham and it was a spectacular flounder trip! The action was non-stop, and the group managed to secure their limits of these delicious flatfish. Meanwhile, over at the Bass Grounds, Steve Balliet, Peyton Balliet and Taylor Good stumbled upon a fishing paradise. Initially targeting flounder, they were in for a surprise when they hooked an unexpected giant trophy red drum. Peyton's catch was a true behemoth, weighing in at around 40 pounds, and they released it back into the water safely. But the surprises didn't end there! Steve then landed another redfish, slightly smaller than the first. Landing two big red drum in one trip, especially at this time of year, is quite an accomplishment!
The "Judith M" crew is singing the same tune. The weather has been nothing short of spectacular, the seas have been calm, and the fish have been biting left and right. Captain Rick Shoaff is keeping his fingers crossed, hoping that this winning streak continues in the days to come. Meanwhile, aboard the "Ocean Princess," Captain Matt Moran and his crew are still reeling in sea bass on their 4-hour trips. But that's not all, they've also been encountering some hefty flounder and triggerfish on most of their excursions. The "Judith M" has been having some fantastic trips as well, with anglers hauling in some impressive sea bass and a few flatties. The action has been steady, with anglers constantly pulling fish up onto the deck.
The flounder bite has been nothing short of phenomenal, as Kevin McNelis will attest. Limits of flounder are coming in daily, and anglers like Pete Renzi, using an Atlantic Tackle "Wreck Wrecker Rig" with a 5" salmon Gulp are reeling in some jaw-dropping 24" fluke. Limits of flounder are becoming the norm on Pete's boat, with a few ribbon fish thrown in for good measure. Even with plenty of borderline fish, "Covered Up Sport Fishing" managed to fill their cooler with a bountiful catch. Andrew Timko, on a personal mission to beat his previous year's record of 95, has already caught 40 fluke and shows no signs of slowing down. His goal this year? Breaking the 100 mark! Now, that's determination my friends.
Capt. Kane Bounds of "Fish Bound Charters" treated Kurtis Berry to an awe-inspiring afternoon trip. Originally planned as a spanish mackerel outing, the macks proved elusive, but Capt. Kane quickly adapted, anchoring the crew up on a wreck. Lo and behold, they hauled in ten flounder, including a magnificent five-pounder! Meanwhile, "Double Trouble Charters" has been keeping their customers busy reeling in sea bass, flounder, and even some tilefish. Captain D.J. Churchill assures us that it's been an outstanding start to the year and expects things to keep getting better. And speaking of great catches, Mike Byrnes had a fruitful outing at the Great Eastern and Twin Wrecks Reef, hooking bass and flounder using clams and squid. Jeff Weeks and Dave Weller, out of Ocean City trolled small Clark spoons nine miles out and managed to hook 28 spanish mackerel. After getting tired, they went for sea bass and caught a few of those just for the heck of it before heading home.
Moving to the back bay action, although they haven't matched the nearshore wrecks, they've still provided some consistent flounder action this past week. Areas behind Assateague Island and the deeper channels near the inlet have been the prime spots for these flatfish. Capt. Derek Gogov managed to find a productive fishing spot last Saturday afternoon, and his group returned with a limit of nice-sized flounder just in the nick of time before the rain rolled in. Similarly, "Miss OC Fishing" has been capitalizing on the hot weather & clear water which make the flounder hungry. The crew has been working on both the incoming and beginning of outgoing tides, resulting in a lot of action. Although there’s been numerous throwbacks, several keepers have found their way onto the boat. For families with little ones, the back bay fishing trips on smaller head boats offer constant action to keep the kids entertained at a reasonable price, and within a shorter time frame to prevent boredom.
"Bay Bee" had an extraordinary week, including their 15th Annual Sigma Pi Flounder Pounder. The release of around 50 flounder made for an incredible experience. Droop took home the biggest fish prize with an impressive 18" fluke. Taylor Bakke also had some exciting action on the bridge bite during the last three nights, reeling in several overslot stripers on jigs and spot baits. All fish were released unharmed. And let's not forget Kendra Stoutzenberg from York, Pennsylvania, who was on the "Happy Pappy" in the back bays and hooked a true trophy fish—a nice 23 ¼", 4 lb. 2 oz. flounder. Now, that's a catch to remember! Sam Klejka, Riley Bowser and Mario Marissa had their fair share of success as well, jigging in the East Channel during the incoming tide and landing a limit of flounder, with the largest measuring an impressive 22".
As for surf fishing enthusiasts, Assateague Island has been a promising destination. Forrest Bleinberger and his fiancée, Mariah Sterretts enjoyed several days of flounder action, reeling in three keepers ranging between 17" and 18" with some undersized ones mixed in. Bucktail rigs with 4" swimming mullet did the trick. And speaking of first catches, young Ledger Ibex experienced the thrill of surf fishing at 70th Street, catching his very first fish ever using Fishbites bloodworms. That young man's smile, holding his kingfish up high, is a sight to behold. It warms the heart to witness the next generation of anglers taking their first steps into this wonderful world of fishing.
Until next week...
Tight lined and fins up §
