Surf casting at sunrise for croakers. Photo courtesy of Hank Wurzburger.
A varied mix of species are available in the local suds. “There is plenty of croaker action just outside the inlets and around Cape May Point with some small bluefish, kingfish and weakfish in the mix,” reported Cathy Algard of Sterling Harbor Bait and Tackle.
Margaret DiMatteo of Bridgeton, amassed a catch of 12 nice croaker and a keeper weakfish from the beach at Cape May Point. Small hooks rigged with Fishbites is the bait of choice. The Cape May point jetties and Higbee’s beach are still the best places to fish in Cape May.
Andy Grossman, Riptide Bait and Tackle, Brigantine, echoes the sentiment that the surf is loaded with all sorts of small species. “Croakers, spot, blues are all around, and it seems the shark bite has slowed down from what it was the past three weeks, but they probably are still around if you want to try for a heavyweight fight.”
As the croakers seem to be moving in now, try and tackle some the hardheads either by boat or from the shore. Boaters are best suited to rig up with a hi-lo rig, equipped with size 1/0 beak hooks, tipped with squid strips, Fishbites, or clam baits, and dropped close to shore in the 20 to 35 foot depths from Ocean City down through Cape May. Shore based anglers can use the same type of rig, and cast out off the Wildwood beaches or Cape May Point sands.
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