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If you want to experience the very best of Back Bay and Near Shore fishing
for Striped Bass, Summer Flounder, Blue Fish, Weakfish and all the other
varieties of fish that swim in the waters flowing from Absecon Creek and
to the surrounding waters from Little Egg Inlet to the north and Great Egg
Inlet to the South of the Greater Atlantic City, New Jersey area you have
come to the right place.
I am your host, Capt. David Showell, and I have been exploring these waters well over forty years in pursuit of fish, working as a commercial clam digger, guiding waterfowl hunters, capturing all kinds of baits for sale in the shop at Absecon Bay Sportsman Center and for more than the last ten years I have been a Coast Guard Licensed Captain and have guided hundreds of anglers to the fantastic fishing this area has to offer.
After all this experience I have developed my favorite method of fishing which in most cases is using live bait primarily for Striped Bass. After several changes over the years I believe I have found the almost perfect back bay and near shore fishing boat which is a 20' Scout Dorado model. Last Spring I repowered with a 2011, 175 hp 4-stroke Suzuki outboard which has so far proved itself a fantastic piece of machinery. This new motor has extended my range and gave me unsurpassed reliability and during my Spring Striped Bass trips and Summer flounder fishing trips this combination proved that I am completely ready for a fantastic Fall Striper Season. For Results of this early season fishing take a look at the past season's reports (2011 Reports), and see pictures (Spring Stripers)
My 20' Scout can very comfortably fish up two three anglers especially when drifting live baits. For more aggressive plugging and casting or snagging live bunker, two anglers is a better choice. I can actually handle a fourth fisherman quite well, but it does start to get a little cramped and it will limit some trips especially when there are schooling fish off the beach
I feel that two good fishing buddies is the best way to take this trip, however three anglers can be accommodated. In many cases the comfort level will decrease greatly. We will be fishing on the 17' Proline "WWW.ABSECONBAY.COM." which may sound a little on the small size, but this is one of the biggest 17 foot hulls I have found and it is perfect for hunting stripers in the back bays and channels where I find the best action. If you have a larger group I may be able to connect with another guide so that everyone can have an intense fishing experience.
Your trip includes all the bait you will need. Spring time is usually Live HERRING time and the price includes 1/2 dozen of these striper Candy. Clams are always on board for the times that we run out of HERRING or the conditions won't allow us to drift and fish as I prefer. When the HERRING supply runs out Live Spot is the spring and fall bait of choice. Even though like the HERRING they are hard to obtain and always costly when they are available. Like the HERRING I will put the first 1/2 dozen in the live well but you are welcome to purchase as many as you want for your trip from Absecon Bay Sportsman Center. I have found that the Berkley Saltwater Gulp is a fantastic Striper Bait and as a Berkley dealer I will always have a great assortment on board. After a day on the water I'm sure you will be buying a big supply to take with you for all your fishing.
Tackle wise I always have plenty on the boat, a combination of spinning and bait casting in light and medium weights so we can match the conditions. You will find a variety of makes and models including some demonstrators so you can see what best suits your style of fishing for later purchase. All are generally filled with braided line including Power Pro, Suffix and Stren Super Braid all of which I find very forgiving and easy to fish. I include terminal tackle and use only premium hooks and flurocarbon leaders. When lures are ticket to our action I always have a huge selection on board so we are sure to have the right one at hand. Though loosing a rig or lure or two is considered the cost of doing business, sometimes things get crazy especially if we tackle a school of marauding bluefish. When this happens I do expect to have lures replaced if there is there is excessive loss.
If you are bringing your own tackle, which I encourage, I suggest medium to medium heavy graphite rods rated for 12 to 20 lb. line with a reel with a good drag. Spinning or Baitcasting tackle is equally effective and you should choose whatever you are most comfortable with. I am always happy to discuss your tackle choice so give me a call before your trip.
Even though I am the Captain this is your trip and I will whatever possible to make this a hands on learning experience for you. There should be lots of activity. But I expect you to let me know how you like to fish. Some of the best striper fishing I do involves putting on boots, climbing overboard, and using gorilla tactics to sneak down the sod banks to get up close and personal with lures or baits. The size of the "WWW.ABSECONBAY.COM" is just about perfect for reaching the most obscure out of the way hot spots. These tactics are particularly effective for the fly fisherman and "Bank" fishing can give two fly flingers a chance to work different waters.
Once again I cannot stress enough that I am not taking anglers out just to fill coolers with fish and though you can expect to take home a fish or two for dinner. We will be doing mostly catch and release and you will learn how to treat the fish correctly to do so.
I have just finished repowering this boat with a 2011, 175 hp Suzuki outboard motor which will greatly extend my range and my confidence in reliability so I expect the fishing to be better than ever. In addition I have upgraded my electronics with a Lowrance HDS7 GPS / Fishfinder with the Side Scan which should allow me to find fish wherever they want to hide.
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