Fluke Wins Governor's Tourney

A summer flounder landed by Richard Abdill of Delran took top honors at the 17th Annual Governor's Surf Fishing Tournament. It was the first time a fluke won the event. Everyone else caught a good time.

It seemed only fitting that the embattled summer flounder, coming off a tough year due to size limits and an abbreviated season, should come out on top at the 17th Annual Governor's Surf Fishing Tournament.

That's what happened when Richard Abdill of Delran took top honors with a 21-inch fluke he caught on a whole mullet on Sunday morning at around 10 a.m. at Area 8 at Island Beach State Park.

"I was trying for bluefish with mullet on a mullet rig," said Abdill, who will soon have his name engraved on the Governor's Cup. "You just never know what's going to bite."

The fact that fluke were even eligible for the tournament was unusual in that the season closed nearly a month ago. Approval for the inclusion of summer flounder was obtained from the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission for participants to keep legal-sized fluke on the day of the tournament.

As part of the special agreement, participants were asked to record all fluke catches on a survey form that was provided when they registered.

"We're very happy they're allowing fluke to be part of the tournament this year," said Frank Dara, chairman of the Governor's Surf Fishing Tournament and a director of the NJ Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs.

As for the rest of the tournament, conditions could not have been better.

Clear skies and balmy temperatures welcomed an eager turnout of more than 900 anglers, all vying for the honor of getting their name inscribed on one of the most coveted of New Jersey's trophies.

All that was missing were the fish. Even with all the lines in the water, only 27 fish eligible for the competition were caught. There was no dearth of sea robins, however, as most anglers seemed to have caught at least one.

The lack of fish didn't seem to matter. "It's a great tournament for a good cause," said Bob Jeffrey, who, with his wife, Barb, were visiting from Wisconsin and saltwater fishing for the the first time. "We freshwater fish all the time back home," Barb Jeffrey said. "This is a little different."

The Jeffreys were visiting their son, Chris, his wife, Jessica, and their two children, Marian, 4, and Noah, 8, who live in Princeton.

Chris Jeffrey, who also freshwater fishes, agrees this is different. "For one thing, the body of water is a little larger," he said.

And it is all for a good cause.

To date, the tournament has raised more than $120,000 for conservation projects and improved beach access, including the purchase of specialized beach wheelchairs that provide access for the elderly and the disabled. Funds also are used for educational programs and displays at the Interpretive Center at IBSP, equipment and material for environmental and fishing education programs and much more.

Above all, it is a great day of fun in the sun and surf.

The event was sponsored by the NJDEP's Division of Fish and Wildlife and Division of Parks and Forstry, the New Jersey State Federation of Sportmen's Clubs, Jersey Coast Anglers Association and the New Jersey Beach Buggy Association.

"Look at all the people," said David Chanda, director, New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife. "And it's not just fishermen. It's kids and families, and that's what this event is all about."

Gordon Edison, Middletown, couldn't agree more. "It's a family thing," he said. "I've been coming for seven or eight years, first with my older son, Christopher, and now, Patrick, who is 14. It's a bonding thing."

Edison grew up in Coney Island and started fishing there. He now fishes in the Belford section of Middletown and Sea Bright.

The tournament also provides for people who don't normally get a chance to fish, an opportunity to surf fish.

Greg Kucharewski, education director for the Jersey Coast Anglers Association, was on the beach before dawn making sure special needs fishermen and women had a clear spot to fish. "We want to encourage people who may not consider fishing, to come here and give it a try. We held a casting demonstration for the New Jersey Outdoors program here (on Saturday) to teach people how to cast," he said.

Kucharewski's daughter, Adrian McCauley, of Brick, who suffers from rheumatoid arthritis, was among those who took advantage of the opportunity to fish.

Special beach chairs, purchased with funds raised by the tournament, also were available for those who needed them, including wounded veterans, cancer patients and the elderly.

On site to help those who might need an assist in getting their line into the ocean was Surf Rocket, a company from Jackson, that has patented a device that shoots a fisherman's line between 600 and 900 feet from the beach using compressed air.

"We've been shooting bait out there all morning for those who need a hand," said Ken Jelnicki, one of the owners of Surf Rocket.

Bait frozen in one of the Surf Rocket molds is inserted into the tube while the line from the fishing rod is attached to a swivel connected to the bait. Then, a switch is flipped and — whooosh — the bait is on its way.

Jelnicki said the Surf Rocket can be used with live and frozen bait as well as plugs and lures, although he did say some live bait doesn't fare too well.

One happy angler who did fare well was Amelia Valdes, 8, Toms River, who took first place in the female child blackfish category. "Everyone told me I was stuck on a rock, but I knew it was a fish," Amelia said. She was fishing with her family and was using green crabs for bait.

"It's really a tremendous event," Kucharewski said. "Everybody works together so well and we've been doing this for 17 years."

Kucharewski especially wanted to acknowledge Tom Fote of the JCAA, who was instrumental in getting the tournament started.

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