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Contest Segments

In addition to our annual fishing contest we also give away prizes throughout the year.

Summer Fishing Contest

June 22-September 13

The best Offshore(outside 3 miles) catch went to Michael Jay of Philadelphia. He won a $150 gift certificate from Moran's Dockside shop in Avalon.

A Penn SV6000 Reel and 7' Ugly Stic was awarded to the best Inshore(inside 3 miles, bays, rivers) catch from Dolphin Dock in Somers Point. Joseph DeMelia of Atlantic City took this prize.

The best Flounder catch was awarded to Carmen Roberto of Brigantine. He won a gift certificate valued at $150 from Ray Scott's Dock in Margate.

updated on: Tuesday, 11/11/08

Contest Leaderboard

THE PRESS 2008 BENT RODS FISHING CONTEST LEADERBOARD

RAINBOW TROUT

4 lbs., 8 oz., Raymond Buck, Millville

CHAIN PICKEREL (YOUTH) 4 lbs., 4 oz., George Ramp III, Egg Harbor City

LARGEMOUTH BASS 7 lbs., 6 oz., Richard Lorence, Sr., Vineland

LARGEMOUTH BASS (YOUTH) 6 lbs., 7 oz., Ryan Tarby, Oceanville

CHANNEL CATFISH 9 lbs., 8 oz., John McVey, Dividing Creek

CATFISH (YOUTH)

4.93 lbs., Cade Antonucci, age 10, Mays Landing

BLACK CRAPPIE

2 lbs., 4 oz., Jim Reichert, Cape May Court House

CRAPPIE (YOUTH)

1.17 lbs., Andrew Bradley, Linwood

YELLOW PERCH

2 lbs., Pedro Rosario, Galloway Twp.

WHITE PERCH

1 lbs., 14 oz., Don Anderson, Philadelphia

WHITE PERCH (YOUTH)

1 lb., 8 oz., Dave Keiser Jr., Egg Harbor City

EASTERN CHAIN PICKEREL

2 lbs., 7 oz., Nicky Sannino, Petersburg

GIZZARD SHAD

3.61 lbs., Anthony Delanzo, Tuckahoe

SEA BASS

4.8 lbs., Robert D. Jones, Tamaqua, PA

STRIPED BASS

59.4 lbs., Walter F. Johnson, Medford

STRIPED BASS (WOMEN)

46 lbs., Joanne Sullivan, Brant Beach

STRIPED BASS (YOUTH)

35.1 lbs., Karl Riek, age 11, Sweetwater

STRIPED BASS (SENIOR)

44 lbs., 1 oz., Henry Suwala, Cape May

BERGALL

2 lbs., 3 oz., John Puskas, Barnegat Light

BLUEFISH

17.23 lbs., Jim Saxenmeyer, Mount Laurel

BLUEFISH (YOUTH)

7.78 lbs., Hunter Elbertson, Egg Harbor Twp.

CROAKER

3.29 lbs., Rick Prince, Clifton Heights, PA

COBIA

54 lbs., Joe O’Donnell, Ocean View

COBIA (WOMEN)

27 lbs., 8 oz., Anna M. Welsh, Lansdale, PA

COD

6.48 lbs., Michael Sanders, Jr., Philadelphia

ATLANTIC CUTLASSFISH

14 oz., Ted McDaniels, West Berlin

BLACK DRUMFISH

109 lbs., Nick Henry, Millville

BLACK DRUMFISH (YOUTH)

69 lbs., John Brittin Jr., Marmora

BLACK DRUMFISH (WOMEN)

60 lbs., Betty Lu Graham, Tabernacle

FLOUNDER

13 lbs., 14 oz., Carmen Roberto, Brigantine

FLOUNDER (YOUTH)

10.75 lbs., Kaitlyn Dagne, Sewell

FLOUNDER (WOMEN)

13 lbs., 10 oz., Kathlyn Kudrick, Matawan

FLOUNDER (SENIOR)

6.62 lbs., Clay Harris, Florida

FLOUNDER (SURF)

8.8 lbs., David Alston, Egg Harbor Twp.

FLOUNDER (FLYFISHING)

8.28 lbs., Chris Goldmark, Cape May

KINGFISH

1 lb., 8 oz., Jim Parker, Brigantine

KINGFISH (YOUTH)

1 lb., 11 oz., Tyler Demski, Fortescue

KING MACKEREL

14 lbs., Zachary Shafer, Orlando, Florida

MAHI

41.5 lbs., Edward J. Manzi, Cape May

MAKO SHARK

166 lbs.,Tony Christopher, Somers Pt.

PORGY

1.9 lbs., Katie Burns, Ivyland, PA

SHEEPSHEAD

11.4 lbs., Dave Haentze, Egg Harbor Twp.

RETTBERG STARGAZER

7.43 lbs., Michael Lentz Sr., Egg Harbor City

SPECKLED SEA TROUT

5 lbs., 4 oz., Ken McDermott, C.M.C.H.

SWORDFISH

146 lbs., Dave Warren, Wallingford, PA

THRESHER SHARK

174 lbs., Bill Schloesser, Philadelphia

TAUTOG

16.79 lbs., Sueng Suh, Fort Lee

BIGEYE TUNA

208 lbs., Michael Jay, Philadelphia

BLUEFIN TUNA

191 lbs., John M. Porrette, Avalon 191 lbs., Ryan Petrick, Chester Springs, PA

BLUEFIN TUNA (WOMEN)

158.5 lbs., Sue Burns, Somers Point

BLUEFIN TUNA (SENIOR)

101 lbs., Nuncie Sacco, Linwood

WAHOO

46 lbs., Brian Sheehan, Marlton

WEAKFISH

13.8 lbs., Donald Brown, Villas

WEAKFISH (YOUTH)

3.85 lbs., Kyle Gogan, Mt. Laurel

WINTER FLOUNDER

3.03 lbs., Mike Kenville, Mt. Laurel

updated on: Friday, 11/14/08

Contest Information

Contest Dates: April 1, 2008 -November 30, 2008

• Prizes will be given for best catch in the categories below at the end of the contest.

1. Other Than Boat (surf)

2. Offshore (3 miles)

3. Inshore (Inside 3 miles)

4. Youth Saltwater (Under 15)

5. Youth Freshwater (Under 15)

6. Women

7. Senior (Over 65)

8. Freshwater

9. Most Unusual Catch

10. Flounder

11. Striped Bass

12. Weakfish

13. Bluefish

14. Kingfish

updated on: Monday, 06/02/08

• Become a contest Sponsor, click here

• Donate a contest prize, click here

Shep on Fishing

The Long Beach Island Surf Fishing Classic is in the final week of the 54th tournament.

A 47-pound, 7-ounce striped bass caught Monday by 18-year-old David Smith of Beach Haven Park added drama. It wasbeached at 10:30 a.m. at Holgate and was 50 inches in length when certified for the contest by Margaret O'Brien at Jingle's Bait and Tackle in North Beach Haven. Smithused a small chunk of bunker for bait.

O'Brien saidSmith bumped previous striped bass division leader Gregory O'Connell of Mays Landing, who caught one that weighed 47-2 back on Oct. 25.

Some of the surfcasters who regularly fish on the south end of Long Beach Island reported back to Jingle's that Monday was theirbest day so far, according to O'Brien.Fifteen-pound blues joined the striper in the Holgate surf.

She said it was a good weekend of fishing on the south end of LBI despite sometimes windy and rainy conditions. Courtland Foos of Wilmington, Del., caught a 24-15 bass Sunday and Brian Andersen of Beach Haven got a 33-6 bass Saturday. Jingle'sregistered both.

The six-week LBI contestcontinues to Sunday. Several other 40-pound class bass have been reported from around the area. Three came out of Delaware Bay.

Joe Napolean won the two-week Captain Tate's Tackle Box Striped Bass Tournament that ended Sunday with a 44-pounder.

George Duffield finished second at 39 pounds and Ed Dempsey third at 36 pounds. Tim Hand at Captain Tate'sweighed another 44-pound bass,caught by Walt Sutton that was not in the contest.

Jack Hughes of Churchville, Pa., hooked up a 46-pound striper in Delaware Bay aboard the Laura Marie II charterboat.

Matt Slobodjian at Jim's Bait and Tackle in Cape May had a neat report about 5-year-old Grace Moore catching two striper - one weighing 28 pounds and the other 20. The Cape May native caught a drumfish in the spring, according to Slobodjian.

The 24-hour Absecon Bay Sportsman Center Striped Bass Tournament held Friday and Saturday was won by Pete Mazor on the Foxy Skiff skippered by Sean Fox with 24.7 - the heaviest of the contest - and 12.75 fish. They were caught Friday night when the fog was really bad, according to Ray Slemmer at Absecon Bay S.C. Slemmer said 120 anglers competed. Ethan Neal, a 5-year-old fishing with dad Eric, caught a 7.85-pound bass.

John Elwood of Northfield won the Joseph "Bear" Curran Memorial Striped Bass Tournament headquartered at Kelly's Corner Pub in Atlantic City over the weekend. He had a 23-11 bass. Tom "Buzz" Smith of Atlantic City was second at 17-10 and Shawn McGinley of Galloway Township third at 12-5.

Slobodjian reported eels and spot are taking keeper and short bass in The Rips off Cape May. He also said bass and big blues hit the beach a couple of times near the gunmount at Cape May.

Trolling the sand bars just off the beaches has also been producing bass. Doug and Noah Gomersal trolled them up with Stretch 25s at the Wildwood lumps, according to Hand.

Tautog catches are also going strong from the rocks, bridges and sod banks throughout the area. Ryan Morse of Fishing Creek in Lower Township has been getting them to 5 pounds at the rocks in North Wildwood. Noel Felicano at One-Stop Bait and Tackle in Atlantic City said the A.C. jetties have them, too.

Hot spot

Striped bass along with big blues hit the Holgate surf on the south end of Long Beach Island. Chunks of bunker is the best bait.

Mike Shepherd is the retired sports editor of The Press. His Shep on Fishing column appears Tuesday and Saturday in the sports section and Thursday in At The Shore. Call 609-350-0388.

updated on: Tuesday, 11/18/08