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Delaware Bay Fishing Report 7-3-12


<b>Brooklawn</b>

Boaters picked summer flounder at places like the 19 buoy, Flounder Alley and the stakes, said Rick from <b>Big Timber Bait & Tackle</b>. Small bluefish sometimes popped up. Weakfish swam along Cape May Point and the ocean front. Also in the ocean, good flounder catches were socked at Reef 11, Cape May Reef and the Old Grounds. Lots of triggerfish gathered along the ocean buoys and bottom structure. Bluefish probably schooled along the ocean shoals. Bluefin tuna began to appear along the inshore ocean at places like the Hot Dog and the Sausages. The fishing might begin to take off, and all were reported trolled.  None was reported chunked or jigged. Plenty of yellowfin tuna were decked at the offshore canyons. Bigeye tuna were nailed at Wilmington Canyon on Monday. White marlin and blue marlin were landed. Big Timber stocks bait and tackle for fishing in all waters from fresh to offshore.

<b>Port Elizabeth</b>

The storm Friday night, knocking out power and causing damage, made news scarce about the bay’s fishing, said Ray from <b>The Girls Place Bait & Tackle</b>. But lots of anglers bought minnows for summer flounder bait. A few mentioned catching weakfish, but on the back bays. They bought shedder crabs for bait. Crabbing was very good. Minnows, shedder crabs and all the frozen baits, a large supply, are stocked. A limited supply of fresh bunker and fresh clams arrive at the shop throughout the week, but no large amounts are carried, because demand is low this time of year. Both can be ordered. Offshore baits can also be ordered. The Girls Place is located on Route 47, just after Route 55 ends. It’s the long, one-story, yellow building on the right, with a large parking lot, including plenty of room for trailered boats.

<b>Newport</b>

Was crabbing good? Paul at <b>Beaver Dam Boat Rentals</b> was asked. “Oh yeah,” he said. Lots of crabs, and good-sized ones, were trapped. Some of the more experienced crabbers threw back 4-1/2-inchers, still coming in with two-thirds or three-quarters of a bushel of large crabs. Fishing seemed to drop off in the creek because of warm waters. But crabs thrive in warmth. The moon will be full tonight, probably triggering crabs to shed. Customers at Beaver Dam crab from rental boats towed up Oranokin Creek, running past the shop. The staff checks on them every hour, and if crabbers want a break in the meantime, they simply cell phone the shop to be picked up. Beaver Dam is open daily for crabbing, and carries everything needed for a day out, from bait, traps and nets to snacks, drinks and suntan lotion. Kayak and canoe rentals are available to paddle up the scenic creek.  <a href="http://www.crabulousnj.com" target="_blank">Visit Beaver Dam’s Web site</a>.

<b>Fortescue</b>

Three trips fished for summer flounder Friday through Sunday on the party boat <b>Salt Talk</b>, Capt. Howard said. A few keepers and some throwbacks, no big numbers, were caught on each. Most of the fish were hooked along the edge of the shipping channel north of the Elbow. That’s where most boats fished, and the Salt Talk also fished at the stakes a little, but few flounder chomped there. A few blues bit on the trips, and waters were 81 or 82 degrees. Open-boat trips are fishing for summer flounder daily when no charter is booked, and call to confirm.

A few summer flounder skittered around the bay, said Capt. Ralph from the <b>Buccaneer</b>. Sometimes bluefish bit, and nothing was heard about weakfish, through Ralph previously heard about weaks caught close to shore on shedder crabs. One weakfish was the bag limit, so not many anglers fished for them. Croakers seemed yet to arrive in the bay. So did fish like spots, baby sea bass and porgies that usually school the bay at some point in summer. For now, the Buccaneer is flounder fishing, and trips aboard will get after croakers when the hardheads arrive. Charters on the Buccaneer are only $400, compared with $500 or $600 on other vessels.

<b>Cape May</b>

Summer flounder began to push out from the back bays, probably moving to cooler waters in southern Delaware Bay and the ocean, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. Look for them on the bay at places like the Cape May Rips or Brandywine Shoal or on the ocean at 4-Fathom Bank. Flounder fishing was good on the ocean at Reef 11 and the Old Grounds. Surf casters beached plenty of weakfish at Sunset Beach toward the Concrete Ship and along the surf jetties from Higbee’s Beach to Cape May Point. Fish bloodworms along the jetties or soft-plastic lures, plain minnows or squid strips in open waters. Croakers sometimes bit in the same places, including at Higbee’s. Croakers, kingfish and a few weakfish could be boated from Bayshore Channel. More weaks could be boated toward Bug Light. Bluefish probably schooled the ocean at spots like 5-Fathom Bank, like they usually do now. As summer goes on, pelagics like bonito could be mixed in. Minnows, bloodworms, fresh clams and all frozen baits are stocked.

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