|
 Just
to the south and east of Cape May Point lies one of the
world’s most unique pieces of water – the legendary
Cape May rips. This area is considered by many striper buffs
to be one of the Atlantic Coast’s top spots for striped
bass, and to anglers across the region it has become a Mecca
of sorts.
The Cape May rips are defined by visible upwellings, or
riplines, that extend from just underneath the lighthouse
southward for several miles toward Cape Henlopen, DE. These
conspicuous surface disturbances are caused by currents
directed upward by sharp rises in the sea floor. In spots,
these spires of sand rise almost vertically from depths
of 30 feet or more to within just a few feet of the surface.
As the current hits these underwater ramps, it is directed
upward with great force, creating a series of standing waves
that anglers call “rips”, and a classic ambush
opportunity for striped bass.
By mid December, a seemingly endless succession of cold
fronts has chilled the water and spurred most anglers to
hang up the rods for the season. But those who ply the Cape
May rips know that the period from mid-December into early
January usually produces the season’s hottest action,
especially if water conditions remain reasonable. In the
rips, this means that water temperatures hold above 42 degrees
and clarity isn’t too bad. Very often, the air temperature
will border on intolerable, but as long as the water conditions
are sufficient the fish will bite. No doubt, this southernmost
piece of water in New Jersey represents an angler’s
last chance for fall stripers.
This episode was shot just prior to the holidays, during
a cold snap that kept air temperatures below the freezing
mark. A hard northwest wind had blown for several days,
turning the water into something that more resembled chocolate
milk than sea water. Bill and Darren started their day on
the inshore rips near the lighthouse, where they found 39-degree,
deeply stained water. Knowing that fishing under those conditions
would be little more than an exercise in futility, they
moved a bit south to a series of rises known as Overfalls
Shoal. Here, water temps hovered around the magic 42-degree
threshold, and visibility was much improved. Finding the
right water might just be the most important aspect of fishing
the Cape May rips effectively.
 Weather
and water conditions aside, current is the primary factor
that drives striper behavior in this area. Striped bass
are ambush predators, and prefer to let the current deliver
prey to them whenever possible. The jagged bottom contours
of the Cape May rips offer stripers the perfect feeding
scenario during both the ebb and flood. Characteristically,
bass can be observed on a sonar unit holding just behind,
or down-tide, of the top tip of an underwater peak. Here,
they lie in wait for the current to deliver their next meal,
and probably 99 percent of strikes will occur in such a
situation. The feeding behavior of striped bass in the Cape
May rips is among the most classic examples of ambush-style
feeding behavior that an angler will ever witness. It is
truly amazing to behold.
During times of slack tide, however, these ambush opportunities
disappear, and stripers go off the feed. On this day, Bill
and Darren are forced to fish through the slack at Overfalls
before the action begins at the start of the flood, as if
on cue.
 Live
eels and live spot are the baits of choice in the Cape May
rips through most of the fall, but by mid-December artificial
lures seem to out-produce all else. A 1-oz. white bucktail
with a chartreuse twister tail is the standard offering,
and soft plastic shad-style swimbaits like those from Storm,
Tsunami, Panther Martin and Matzuo are growing in popularity,
as well.
Armed with these rigs, Bill and Darren began to pick at
fish as soon as the current began moving. After seeing one
fish spit up sand eels, Darren decided to rig a 6-inch
Delong Eel as a teaser ahead of his bucktail. This turned
out to be a great move, as the little plastic teaser was
a favorite of the stripers on this day, accounting for about
half of the bass taken and several double headers. The “match
the hatch” approach rules once again! Needless to
say, we’ll be experimenting with those Delong eels
a bit more in 2006.
While many anglers simply drift baits and jigs over top
of the underwater ridges, our hosts suggest taking a more
proactive approach to maximize the potential of a strike.
Bill and Darren call it the “three cast method”.
The boat is first positioned up-tide of a rip line, about
a cast away, with the bow facing toward the rip. The first
cast is made down current and toward the standing wave.
It should land 10 to 15 yards in front (up current) of the
standing wave. The main goal of the first cast is to allow
the jig to drift back and over the top of the underwater
spire, and right into the stripers’ dining room. If
the lure passes the strike zone without a strike, it is
retrieved quickly and the second cast is made.
The second cast is usually made as the boat is drifting
through the standing wave. The cast is parallel to the wave,
and it should again land 10 to 15 yards up current of it.
The goal here is to allow the jig to swing over the peak,
and then flutter down the back side, looking very much like
natural prey that has become disoriented. It is very important
to maintain bottom contact on the retrieve.
The third cast is essentially a last ditch effort to present
the jig to the fish in the strike zone before having to
reposition the boat for another drift. The third cast needs
to be as long as possible, and is directed back behind the
boat and, again, should land just up-current of the standing
wave. This time, the jig is dragged over the peak without
any reeling. The drift will impart all the motion the jig
needs. Timing is key; you’ll want to fish slowly enough
to keep the jig in the strike zone, but you’ll need
to work quickly enough to get all three casts in. Sensitivity
and casting ability are important aspects of this style
of fishing, and boat control is critical, as well.
 Being
one of the world’s most famous striper waters, the
Cape May rips can get crowded, and just like in other styles
of fishing, boat traffic can put the fish off their feed.
On many days, anglers will be better off finding some fish
away from the fleet, or at least fishing during off-peak
times. Even on this frigid day in mid-December, some spots
on Overfalls Shoal were fairly crowded during the middle
of the day. By late afternoon, however, our hosts found
themselves alone and right smack in the midst of a mad-dog
bite. Coincidence? We think not!
|
