<b>Port Elizabeth</b>

Lots of blues reportedly schooled the bay, said Sharon from <b>The Girls Place Bait & Tackle</b>. Friends boated quite a few 1- to 4-pounders and a bunch of weakfish, keeping their limit of weaks, releasing the rest. Many weakfish swam the bay, and lots were small, but good-sized ones were in the mix. One angler landed 25- and 26-inchers outside the mouth of Maurice River. Weakfishing was good off the turn buoys off the river and off East Point and that area. Many croakers were around, and they were small, but anglers used them for bait for weaks and blues. The friends who caught weaks and blues cut up small croakers for bait. Spots were around, and none big enough to eat were heard about, but anglers caught the spots to liveline for tuna bait. Wherever weakfish schooled, the croakers and spots could be around, Sharon imagined. They often school together. A few summer flounder were actually bagged at the first drop-off past the E.P. Tower before the weekend, though flounder fishing wasn’t so productive in the bay this year. This was also getting late for the flatfish to remain. But customers found some, maybe because cooler weather drew in the fish, or made flounder get on the move or something. Winds and tides failed to drift the boat well for flounder fishing on a trip friends took Sunday. But if boaters could get a good drift and find the right place in deeper waters, flounder could probably be located, Sharon would guess. Some appeared to show back up. Many customers headed out for white perch fishing on the brackish rivers. No results were heard, but small perch are usually abundant this time of year, and good catches can usually be made, and bigger perch usually turn on soon, with fall approaching. Crabbing was excellent lately and all season. Not much was heard about tuna fishing, and northeast winds during the weekend built seas, probably preventing many tuna trips. Shedder crabs are usually stocked, and bloodworms, minnows and other baits, a large supply, are carried. Live grass shrimp are difficult to obtain this time of season. The shrimp are often small, and are challenging for suppliers to keep alive in the warmth. The shop stocks them when possible. Offshore baits like flats of frozen butterfish or sardines are on hand, and order them to ensure a supply. The Girls Place, located on Route 47, just after Route 55 ends, stocks a large supply of baits and tackle. It’s the long, one-story, yellow building on the right, with plenty of parking, including for trailered boats.

<b>Newport</b>

Crabbing was somewhat “off,” because of shedding around the new moon, but that was expected, and nobody was skunked, and catches should pick back up anytime, said Linda from <b>Beaver Dam Boat Rentals</b>. Still, some trips busheled-out during the weekend, but that wasn’t easy. Crabbers probably averaged 2 to 3 dozen keepers currently. Catches should pick up between Wednesday and, at the latest, Friday, Linda would expect. Effects of the shed usually last five days. New and full moons can trigger the blueclaws to shed, and they won’t eat when shedding, so crabbing can slow down then. But not all moons trigger sheds, and not all crabs shed at once. Tides were unusually high, and crabs move on the tides, so that can affect crabbing. The tide was in the parking lot at 2 p.m. today, and high tide wasn’t until 4 p.m. So, the hope was that tides would mellow. Crabs were very good-sized. Lots of baby crabs were also around, healthy for the crabbery. Crabbers at Beaver Dam are towed up Oranokin Creek, running past the shop, on rental boats. 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. Rental boats should be reserved, and demand was high, especially in the limited time left for crabbing this season. This Saturday was already booked. Kayak and canoe rentals were also busy and should be reserved. Customers paddle them up the scenic creek for sightseeing, and fall will be a beautiful time for that. Beaver Dam hosts groups like scouts and 4H clubs for a fun, educational day. The shop carries everything needed for a day of crabbing, from bait, traps and nets to suntan lotion, snacks and drinks. Many stores are selling out of crab bait and supplies for the season, but Beaver Dam will continue to carry them. Stop by for supplies even if not crabbing from the rental boats. The boats are available daily through Labor Day. Afterward they’ll be available Fridays through Sundays. <a href="http://www.crabulousnj.com" target="_blank">Visit Beaver Dam’s Web site</a>.

<b>Fortescue</b>

Fishing was good, and anglers could’ve sunk the boat with blues, weakfish, croakers, spots and summer flounder reeled aboard, said Capt. Ralph from the <b>Buccaneer</b>. The vessel fished at Wreck Buoy Slough with the rest of the fleet. Plenty of the fish stacked up there, except flounder. Only a couple of flounder were tugged in on the Buccaneer, and flounder seemed mostly to depart the bay for the season, not unusual.   Charters on the Buccaneer are only $400, compared with $500 or $600 on other vessels.

A few trips sailed on the party boat <b>Salt Talk</b> in the past week, catching pretty well, Capt. Howard said. Good numbers of weakfish schooled, including good-sized ones to 15, 18 and 19 ½ inches. Bluefish, croakers, spots and sea bass were hooked. The spots and croakers were cut up for bait for the weaks and blues. Jim Mitten’s charter scored a good day, reeling in lots of fish, including weaks and blues. Some of the croakers they caught were kept to eat, were large enough, and one of the anglers landed 47 fish. John Lloyd’s charter on Saturday piled up lots of fish. The bay’s temperature dropped to 83 degrees, and nights became cooler. Sunday morning was in the low 60s. Open-boat trips are scheduled daily when no charter is booked. Call to confirm.

<b>Cape May</b>

Nothing was heard about summer flounder from the bay, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. But look for weakfish at the flats and stakes. Brown and sand tiger sharks, required to be released, stalked the bay and off Cape May Point. Small blues schooled off the point. Cape May Channel served up a mix of fish including kingfish, small croakers and a few weakfish and flounder.

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