<b>Brooklawn</b>

Weakfish, blues, croakers, spots and kingfish were plucked from the bay, said Rick from <b>Big Timber Bait & Tackle</b>. Unusual catches including red drum and small groupers – southern fish – and black drum were cranked in. The red drum came from deeper waters near the 9 and 10 buoys. Earlier this year they were banked from the Fortescue surf. Nothing was heard about striped bass, except about a few small ones from Delaware River. The river was crammed with catfish. Anglers waited for the fall migration of stripers in the bay. A few catches of better-sized stripers were made farther north in the state. The ocean gave up fairly good catches of sea bass and some triggerfish at the wrecks. Nothing was heard about offshore fishing for tuna. Weather often prevented trips that far. Catches of swordfish were reported from Wilmington Canyon. Big Timber stocks bait and tackle for fishing in all waters from fresh to offshore.

<b>Newport</b>

The moon was full during the weekend, and that can slow crabbing, but catches were better than expected, said Linda from <b>Beaver Dam Boat Rentals</b>. The shop was “pleasantly surprised,” she said, and customers averaged three dozen keepers. The sizes were phenomenal, and many of the blueclaws were 6 and 6 ½ inches. Plenty of striped bass schooled the shop’s creek. White perch and croakers swam the waters. Fishing was very good, better than usual. Lots of customers rented kayaks and canoes, and paddling the scenic creek is wonderful in fall. Customers crab and fish from rental boats towed up Oranokin Creek, running past the shop. The staff checks on them every hour, and if customers want a break in the meantime, they simply cell phone the shop to be picked up. Rental boats will available Friday through Monday, Columbus Day, for crabbing, and afterward will be unavailable until spring. But rental kayaks and canoes will remain available after Columbus Day. Reservations are required for kayaks and canoes and should be made for rental boats. The boats do become booked. Take advantage of specials on the boats: On Friday, get $25 off trips from 6:30 a.m. to 12 noon on any size boat; and on Sunday and Monday, rent a boat, and get a free rental on the same size boat in June. Though rental boats will become unavailable after Columbus Day, the shop will remain open daily for crabbing and fishing supplies, the kayak and canoe rentals by reservation, duck hunting from the boat launch, and turkey check ins. Beaver Dam carries everything needed for a day of crabbing, from bait, traps and nets to snacks and drinks. Beaver Dam hosts groups like scouts and 4H for an educational, fun day. <a href="http://www.crabulousnj.com" target="_blank">Visit Beaver Dam’s Web site</a>.

<b>Fortescue</b>

Weakfish, blues, croakers, kingfish and spots swam the Punk Grounds, moved south, Capt. Ralph from the <b>Buccaneer</b> said. Previously they schooled farther north in the bay. Looking ahead, the boat will be ready to fish the fall migration of striped bass. Charters on the Buccaneer are only $400, compared with $500 or $600 on other vessels.

The party boat <b>Salt Talk</b> will probably be docked a couple of weeks, and begin fishing again if striped bass begin to run the bay, Capt. Howard said. Previously the vessel fished for a mix of weakfish, blues, croakers, kingfish and spots. Those fish might’ve remained in the bay, but Howard was probably finished sailing for them for the season, and heard nothing about them. If the striper migration arrives this fall, anglers aboard will fish bunker chunks or eels for the bass. Howard prefers eeling, and sometimes the bait is effective. Eels weren’t so productive the last couple of seasons. The bay will need to cool before the striper migration enters. Fortescue Creek was 72 degrees during the weekend. In recent years, striper fishing was better late in the season. But the peak could change. If the run turns on, open-boat trips will fish for stripers daily when no charter is booked.

<b>Cape May</b>

Croakers, weakfish, kingfish and blues were reeled from the bay Sunday on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>, Capt. George said. The fishing, in 25 feet near 60-Foot Slough, seemed to be slowing down for the season. The trip was a fun one, not a charter, with an angler who often charters the boat. He wanted to fish, footing expenses, so George went. The croakers were 8 inches or small, and four or five of the weakfish to 12 inches were landed. Some of the kingfish were sizeable. A couple of the blues came in. Striped bass trips usually begin in late October on the boat, bunker chunking on the bay. But sometimes stripers show up in the Cape May Rips. Those fish are hooked on the boat on live bait like eels or spots or on bucktails with soft-plastic tails. Sea bass fishing was good on the ocean if trips fished deep, off the coast a ways. Trips aboard are sailing for them.

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