<b>Brooklawn</b>

The bay seemed lit up with weakfish and blues, said Rick from <b>Big Timber Bait & Tackle</b>. Lots of weakfish schooled, and some were fair-sized to 18 or 19 inches. The blues and small croakers were mixed in. Summer flounder fishing reportedly turned on from off Maurice River to Fortescue. Good catches were supposedly made at places like near the 1 buoy, along the flats off the E.P. Tower and the stakes toward Fortescue. Guess the storm stirred them up, Rick said. Weather kept news scarce from the ocean from boaters. But kingfish, spots and croakers swarmed the ocean surf up and down the coast.  Small striped bass could be caught and released on Delaware River from shore in mornings and evenings. A few keepers could probably be found at the island off National Park. Bigger stripers should appear later in the year. Plenty of catfish sniffed around the river. Big Timber stocks bait and tackle for fishing on all waters from lakes to offshore.

<b>Port Elizabeth</b>

Weakfish and blues swam the bay, said Sharon from <b>The Girls Place Bait & Tackle</b>. Other fish like small croakers roamed the same areas. Not a lot was heard about fishing in rough weather since last week’s storm. But previously the fish gathered at places like off Maurice River Cove and off the cove’s turn buoys. If anglers caught weaks someplace in past years, the area probably held them now, Sharon said in a past report. Striped bass seemed more active than before in cooling waters. The minnow supplier slugged a couple of keeper stripers 28 and 29 inches on Dividing Creek on livelined spots. Those were likely younger stripers yet to migrate. Sharon has caught larger, migrating stripers in the bay as early as the first week of October. By mid October, anglers can usually begin to catch larger stripers in the bay. By November, the fishing can heat up. Waters 58 degrees are ideal for better striper fishing to launch. Big bluefish usually maraud the bay later in the striper run. White perch fishing should begin to improve in brackish rivers as the waters cool. Big ones usually bite more often then, for some reason. The perch usually begin to gather toward the bay then. Crabbing was good, and crabs will be able to be nabbed through the month. The supply of shedder crabs started to drop off, typical for the time of year. But plenty are stocked. Nearly all baits are stocked, including minnows. Minnows, a favorite summer flounder bait, are usually kept on hand even after flounder season. Freshwater anglers use them, including for smallmouth bass at Lake Audrey. Minnows seem the best bait for the smallies. Nothing was heard about summer flounder from the ocean, because of large seas from the offshore storm. That also kept news from coming in about tuna fishing offshore. Tuna and big-game baits like flats of frozen baitfish are carried. Order them ahead 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>

Numbers of crabs, and numbers of large ones, caught increased, said Paul from <b>Beaver Dam Boat Rentals</b>. Crabbers probably averaged a half-bushel per trip. Sometimes newbies caught fewer, and inexperienced caught more. Crabs had been mating, slowing down catches, because the blueclaws stop eating when mating. But mating was dropping off. Pregnant females were being seen, one sign. Few females were even around before. Females move into the shop’s creek, and other creeks, from Delaware Bay to mate. Most crabs trapped were either 5 ½ or 6 inches, big ones, or 4 inches, a half-inch undersized. Not many were in-between. Fish were around, if customers wanted to fish. A considerable population of schoolie stripers swam the creek. Croakers and white perch sometimes appeared. One customer landed 25 stripers and 25 crabs, and was pleased. The stripers were smaller than legal size but fun to catch and release, and ten were 25 inches. Customers at Beaver Dam crab on 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. Crabbing is available Fridays through Sundays, and rental boats should be reserved. They do sell out. Look for specials on crabbing, including on Fridays, to be announced on the shop’s Web site soon. Crabbing will also be available on Columbus Day, Monday, October 8. If enough customers request to crab the following weekend, crabbing will be available then. Otherwise crabbing will be shut down after Columbus Day through winter. If crabbing remains available the weekend after Columbus Day, it’ll become unavailable afterward through winter. However, the shop is currently open daily for crabbing and fishing supplies, and will remain open daily after crabbing ends, for supplies and other sports like duck hunting. Beaver Dam carries everything needed for a day of crabbing, from bait, traps and nets to suntan lotion, snacks and drinks. Kayak and canoe rentals are currently available daily by appointment to paddle up the scenic creek. Beaver Dam hosts groups like scouts and 4H for an educational day of fun. <a href="http://www.crabulousnj.com" target="_blank">Visit Beaver Dam’s Web site</a>.

<b>Fortescue</b>

The party boat <b>Salt Talk</b> was docked for maintenance – on Capt. Howard’s leg! He sprained something, but will get back aboard as soon as possible. Weakfish, blues and croakers continued to be caught from the bay, according to reports from other boats. Water temps were dropping, and cool nights were forecast for this week. Anglers will see how long the weaks and other fish remain before cooler waters cause them to depart for the year. But cooler waters are needed to bring on the bay’s striped bass fishing. If the striper fishing takes off this fall, the Salt Talk is expected to go after them on open-boat trips and charters.

<b>Cape May</b>

Capt. George from the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> fished for weakfish on the bay, scoring well, though one was the bag limit, he said. The weaks were 10 to 18 inches, and many were small, but keepers could be hooked easily. Small croakers the size of a hand were mixed in. The Heavy Hitter was tied to the dock because of weather from late last week through the weekend. But previously plenty of small blues could be trolled off Cape May Point, and summer flounder fishing was good on the ocean.

Weakfish schooled the bay in good numbers, including near Bug Light and around Brandywine Shoal, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. Good-sized croakers 18 inches and weakfish mixed in were yanked from Cape May Canal at the end of the shop’s street. Croakers, weaks and a few summer flounder probably remained in waters close to shore like at Cape May Channel and in the back bays. Lots of spots gathered in the bays. Bluefish chased mullet sometimes in the surf, and that was about all the action from the beach so far this season. Seas sounded big on the ocean, and few boaters probably fished there since last week’s storm. Fresh clams, bloodworms and all the frozen baits for inshore are stocked. Offshore baits including flats of butterfish and sardines and trolling ballyhoos and squid are carried.

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