Catch This – Only Thing on my Mind is Fish
By Brandon Smith
I don’t know about you, but I didn’t think winter would ever end. Now that we’ve thawed out and are back outdoors without wearing a ton of constricting layers, the only thing on my mind is fish. Specifically, the fish local to Ocean City and the upcoming season which I hope is as amazing as the past few years. It’s May, so that can only mean one thing, flounder time! Every year Ocean City is abuzz all spring and summer with talks about this flat, bottom feeding, predator by both the local fisherman and our guests alike.
Many anglers will argue there are few ways to all but guarantee to catch a catch when searching the back bays for flounder. While there are a few methods that seem to be more popular than others, these not-so-picky eaters can be caught in a variety of different ways. One thing you will see in nearly every tackle box, lure bag, and boat, is Berkley GULP! These artificially scented plastic baits are designed to not only mimic real forage like minnows, their soft texture entices fish to grab on, and not let go! Rigged on a similar colored bucktail (for added casting weight and to keep your bait towards the bottom of the water column), with a weightless teaser hook rigged just above, this setup is a must.
On the other side of the argument are the folks who prefer the more natural approach of fishing live bait. This is done the same way as with the artificial baits, in the “high/low rig” setup, just using baits found in the same waters the flounder calls home. Clam, squid, and bunker are the most popular baits flying over the tackle shop counters. Just cut your baits into strips and rig them the same way you would the artificial baits on the bucktails and teaser hooks and voila! A “natural” presentation. If this doesn’t work, switch to the artificial stuff. And that goes for the artificials as well. Sometimes that irresistible scent and texture from the live baits are just too much for these apex bottom dwellers to ignore. No matter what’s on your hook, the technique in fishing these setups does not change. Cast it out, let it hit the bottom, and slowly bounce the bucktail back to you, making sure you maintain contact with the ground as much as possible. This mimics an injured baitfish and will almost always trick flounder into biting if they happen to be in the area.
Now while this time of year the flounder fever is ravaging the local waters, they can’t steal all of the thunder. Spring striper season is in full swing as well and will be sure to keep your lines tight if you know where to look. While dusk and dawn are the hottest times to target striped bass, you’ll have luck around the clock not only in spring, but all the way through Thanksgiving as well.
Like most fish, these speedy beasts love preying on injured bait fish, or any bait fish for that matter. Throwing soft plastics on jigheads, noisy hard baits, and poppers around anything resembling structure will up your chances of a hookup. From docks and piers, to sod banks and flats, striped bass are always looking for action. Heck, you can even catch them on the same gear you’d be targeting those spring flounder with, making your tackle box not only a little less congested, but a little less expensive too!
If you’re lucky, you may come across a few other species that call our waters home. While not as active this time of year, tog (also known as tautog or blackfish) and sheepshead are also beginning to lurk around the fishing piers and bridges. These guys and gals love structure. Specifically, structure that is covered with as much growth, like mussels, as possible. This is because when you have growth, you have crabs. Different species of crabs are the main entrée for tog and sheepshead and mimicking a crab crawling along structure is the best way to hook them. A few green crabs paired with a couple tog jigs will go a long way. But remember, the resident fish are still a little more few and far between this time of year and any new neighbors of theirs won’t start moving into the area until later in the summer, so be patient!
As with most things, the best way to learn is to talk to the folks who have been doing it for years. Make sure to stop into Finatics (Instagram: @finaticsoc), Tight Lines Bait & Tackle (Instagram: @tightlinesbtnj), or the Sea Gull Shop (Facebook: Sea Gull Shop) to gear up and get some up-to-date info on the patterns and trends that are hot during your stay. Best of luck. Let’s start the 2025 fishing season off right, and most importantly, have fun fishing the wonderful offerings of America’s Greatest Family Resort!