Michael Shepherd

Fishing Columnist at The Press of Atlantic City

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New month brings weakfish, bonito to lineup: Shep on Fishing

4 days ago | pressofatlanticcity.com | Michael Shepherd

June has arrived and so has super fishing when summer-like conditions prevail here in South Jersey. Fishing is unbelievable when weather cooperates, according to Noel Feliciano at One-Stop Bait and Tackle in Atlantic City. Mike O'Neill is the captain of the charter boat Stray Cat that rolls from Seaview Harbor Marina in Great Egg Harbor Inlet. He said offshore catching is continuous "drop and reel". Feliciano added big weakfish to the lineup around the jetties of Absecon Inlet.
Memorial Day weekend brought a mix of species for fishers: Shep on Fishing

1 week ago | pressofatlanticcity.com | Michael Shepherd

The variety and quality of species continue to rule the waters in and around South Jersey as we head through the unofficial start of summer. It was an active weekend that's for sure. The fisher known as A.C. Fritz at One-Stop Bait and Tackle in Atlantic City won the recently concluded Lets Go Fluking contest run by proprietor/promoter Noel Feliciano. The winning fish weighed 5 pounds. Fritz then came back in to One-Stop a few days later with a 6.5-pound summer flounder.
Black sea bass season opener was strong: Shep on Fishing

2 weeks ago | pressofatlanticcity.com | Michael Shepherd

Black sea bass muscled in to take their place on the leaderboard on their opening weekend in waters off New Jersey. John Nigro is the dockmaster and DJ for the popular Sea Isle City party boat, Starfish. If his first reports of the new season are any indication, black sea bass are going to challenge striped bass and summer flounder for best catch honors. Opening day was Saturday, and a sellout crowd of 40 wreck fishing enthusiasts were on board when Capt.
Beautiful weather leads to strong reports: Shep on Fishing

3 weeks ago | pressofatlanticcity.com | Michael Shepherd

The awesome striped bass run continues in South Jersey waters. Two reports describing fishing in Atlantic County coming from opposite sides of Absecon Inlet were identical. Noel Feliciano from One Stop Bait and Tackle in Atlantic City, and Andy Grossman from Riptide Bait and Tackle both emphatically used the term "on fire". Striped bass, with some longer than the allowable 28- to 30.99-inch legal size, have been reported, caught and subsequently released alive over the last week or so.
Fishers brave rain and wind for summer flounder: Shep on Fishing

1 month ago | pressofatlanticcity.com | Michael Shepherd

It was an ugly day for fishing during Sunday's opener of summer flounder season. Widespread windy and rainy conditions combined to detract but not entirely stop diehards from toughing it out. Two trips run by Mike Tabasso¬†on the Atlantic City-based back bay pontoon boat High Roller had some decent results. Tabasso was at the helm of the popular party boat out on the water Monday morning when he reported his customers racked up nine keepers and 55 short summer flounder during a four-hour launch.
Summer flounder season opens Sunday in New Jersey: Shep on Fishing

1 month ago | pressofatlanticcity.com | Michael Shepherd

The current tog season is dwindling down to the last couple of days while summer flounder are next up in the lineup followed by black sea bass. Plus, the first bluefish and kingfish have arrived in South Jersey waters, while black drumfish have been increasing and combining with striped bass of all sizes and quality white perch. It is not quite a peak season of variety for local fishers but the improving weather recently has helped create an outstanding spring run.
Improved weather leads to good reports: Shep on Fishing

1 month ago | pressofatlanticcity.com | Michael Shepherd

The anticipated improvement in the weather provided some very decent recent fishing reports. Mike O’Neill of the Stray Cat open/charter boat said there was a “good bite on Good Friday.”O’Neill, who will be running an open boat schedule, only launched three times from Seaview Harbor Marina in Great Egg Harbor Inlet to go fishing in the ocean this month, mainly caused by unfavorable conditions. He said a six to eight pound tautog was caught 10 miles off the coast on Friday.
'Ugly' weekend weather didn't stop some fishers from cashing in: Shep on Fishing

1 month ago | pressofatlanticcity.com | Michael Shepherd

Here's to hoping we are in a transition phase to more spring-like conditions. The recent chilly and windy weather did not totally stop fishing but likely cut into the number of fishers who gave it a try. Dave Showell at Absecon Bay Sportsman Center in Absecon used the term of "ugly weekend" when called by the local scribe on Monday morning. Showell also had a positive observation by describing back bay waters that were cleaning up to hopefully create improved conditions this week.
Rain didn't stop fishers from getting a bite: Shep on Fishing

2 months ago | pressofatlanticcity.com | Michael Shepherd

The rainy Monday did not keep some fishers from getting wet and getting fish. Cliff Higbee of Higbee's Bait and Tackle said the beach at Fortescue on Delaware Bay was packed Monday morning. Noel Feliciano of One-Stop Bait and Tackle in Atlantic City said the weather hasn't stopped fishers from working the Absecon Inlet jetty system, and he was headed out to do a video. "Never a dull moment" Feliciano said.
Local captains are geared up for tautog season: Shep on Fishing

2 months ago | pressofatlanticcity.com | Michael Shepherd

The local captains are geared up and ready to get the tautog season underway. They can control the preparations on their charter and party boats and private craft but they can't control the weather. Tautog season in New Jersey opens Tuesday and continues to April 30, with a daily limit of four keepers at a minimum of 15 inches per fisher. Charter boat captains contacted Monday about their schedule used terms such as "firing up" or "standing by to standby".