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Great striped bass and black drumfish action typified fishing during the spring in southern New Jersey.

Two of the winners in the Spring Segment of The Press 2009 Bent Rods Fishing Contest reflected that trend.

Matt Fazen, a 14-year-old from Woodbine, took the Youth Division (best catch) prize with a 59-pound drum he caught June 6 in Delaware Bay. Fazen said he has been fishing his whole life, and has caught a lot of striped bass and flounder. Fazen just started surfing and he will be a freshman at Middle Township High School. The fish was certified for the contest at Capt. Tate's Tackle Box in Dennisville.

Jeffrey Glenn caught a 58-pound striped bass on June 1. It was the Striped Bass division winner. Glenn caught it while chunking bunker in Delaware Bay and certified it for the contest at Jim's Bait and Tackle in Cape May. He lives in Wenohan.

The Spring Segment Freshwater (best catch) prize goes to Eula Norcross of Cedarville with a 5-pound, 13-ounce largemouth bass she caught on June 19. The bass is 10 ounces shy of The Press Fishing Contest Women's Division largemouth bass record. The fish was weighed at Higbee's Marina in Fortescue.

They all win $150 merchandise prizes: Youth Division at Gibson's Bait and Tackle in Sea Isle City, Striped Bass at Riptide Bait and Tackle in Brigantine, Freshwater at Capt. Howard's Bait and Tackle in Egg Harbor City.

The Spring Segment opened April 5 and ended June 21. The Summer Segment (June 22-Sept. 20) also has three divisions: Flounder, Inshore (best catch inside three miles, bay, river), Offshore (best catch outside three miles). The Fall Segment goes from Sept. 21 to Nov. 29. In addition, the contest has 14 season-long categories open from April 1 to Nov. 30.

Check out www.pressofatlanticcity.com/bentrods for all of the details about The Press Fishing Contest. Anglers can submit online entries, photos and details of the catch after certifying it at participating bait and tackle shops and marinas located throughout the area. The Bent Rods fishing page also has a list of all the contest entries - some with photos - and daily fishing updates.

Banner season

for flounder

Flounder fishing has taken over as the hot action this summer. There are a ton of small fish with some decent keepers spread throughout. Anglers seem to agree that the hookups are steady just about everywhere.

Tim Hand at Capt. Tate's said the flounder keeper ratio is about 10 percent. He said flounder fishing was good last year, and it is very, very good this year. He recommended fishing for flounder at Miah Maul and Flounder Alley in Delaware Bay, and Reef Site 11.

Jim Wallace at Jim's Bait and Tackle also said flounder fishing is terrific in Delaware Bay, and at the Old Grounds off Delaware. He said there is not much other fishing news because everyone is going for flounder. Wallace reported many flounder anglers are using 4-6 ounce bucktails to hit bottom when the tide is running or bottom rigs with strips of mackerel, minnows or cut bait.

Sean McGinley caught a 10.26-pound flounder at Crosstides in the back of Absecon Inlet on Thursday, according to Ray Slemmer at Absecon Sportsman Center. John Hoey caught his first flounder while fishing with a bucktail in Absecon Creek. Slemmer said it was a four-pounder.

Capt. Mike Tabasso on the High Roller back-bay partyboat that operates from Gardner's Basin in Atlantic City had an 8.25-pound and a 3.78-pound flounder on Monday. Thursday's morning and afternoon trips on the High Roller were highlighted by the presence of a large seal on the meadows at Mankiller Island in addition to flounder catches in Absecon Inlet.

A 7-pound flounder was caught Friday morning in the Brigantine back bay by John Rios. Riptide Bait and Tackle in Brigantine reported it gobbled a live spot.

John Herron, captain of the pontoon partyboat in Margate, had a 6.32 flounder caught by regular Tony Delucca of Atlantic City. Herron said Delucca also caught a sunburn.

Flounder fishing is just as solid around Long Beach Island and Great Bay. Margaret O'Brien at Jingle's Bait and Tackle in North Beach Haven reported flounder at the Middle Grounds inside the south end of Long Beach Island, Grassy Channel off Great Bay, in the LBI surf and at Little Egg and Garden State South reefs.

Big striped bass have not entirely left the area. Bob Hartz of Olney, Pa., got a 40-pound striper Tuesday. Riptide reported it took a clam in the surf at 6th Street South.

A few kingfish were caught in the Brigantine surf, which may be a hopeful sign that they might be starting to improve. Bloodworms are the main bait.

Offshore fishing is topped by a 301-pound thresher shark caught Friday at the Atlantic City Ridge, according to a report from Capt. Andy's Marina in Margate. Tony Morgano is the angler of record on the Vixen with Frank Gallagher. They also released a hammerhead shark. Inshore, the Miss Avalon partyboat had triggerfish and porgy at the Townsend Inlet reef. Tim Davis at Moran's Dockside in Avalon said to use clam as bait.

Mike Shepherd is the retired sports editor of The Press. His Shep on Fishing column and Shep's Hot Spot appear Tuesday and Saturday in the sports section and Thursday in At The Shore. Call 609-350-0388 or e-mail: sheponfishing@yahoo.com

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