<b>Westville</b>

Summer flounder, not a lot, but a few good-sized keepers, began to be boated on the ocean at the Old Grounds and Reef 11, said Rick from <b>Big Timber Bait & Tackle</b>. Both are located off the state of Delaware, and the Old Grounds is an area with rocks and rough bottom that attracts fish like flounder and sea bass. Reef 11, of course, is an artificial reef. On Delaware Bay, a few flounder were decked toward Fortescue. Kingfish schooled along the bay’s shipping channel, and croakers and spots swam around the bay. In Delaware River near the shop, plenty of big catfish scurried everywhere. Largemouth bass were reeled from creeks along the river, like Big Timber Creek and Mantua Creek. Snakeheads, the invasive species, loaded all waters connected to Delaware River. Back on the ocean, plenty of small yellowfin tuna and a few bigeye tuna, more than in recent years, were gaffed south of Baltimore Canyon. Small tuna, not many, began to be reported from closer to shore, along the 20-fathom line, like at 19-Fathom Lump and Massey’s Canyon. That angling should pick up. Big Timber stocks bait and tackle for fishing on all waters from fresh to offshore.

<b>Port Elizabeth</b>

Mostly weakfish and croakers were heard about, said Michelle from <b>The Girls Place Bait & Tackle</b>. The weaks, large, to 24 and 28 inches, were banked from the surf at Cape May. Where croakers were caught wasn’t heard, but Ray from the shop also heard that lots of croakers were hooked, he said. But he also heard nothing about location. One customer kept buying bucktails and tap-dancer rigs, saying flounder bit well, Ray said. But where the angler fished was unknown, except that he fished someplace other than on Delaware Bay, maybe at a back bay.  The Girls Place, located on Route 47, just after Route 55 ends, stocks a large supply of bait and tackle. It’s the long, one-story, yellow building on the right, with plenty of parking, including for trailered boats.

<b>Newport</b>

Stormy weather was difficult to crab sometimes, but when customers crabbed, catches were good, said Linda from <b>Beaver Dam Boat Rentals</b>. Some rental-boat trips returned with three-quarters of a bushel, and the blueclaws were good-sized. A 6-1/2-incher currently led the shop’s season-long contest for the biggest. A 7-1/2-incher won last year, and was nabbed on opening day of crabbing, May 19, at the store. One never knows when the largest will be caught. Any of the shop’s rental-boaters become eligible for the contest, at no extra fee, and the boater with the season’s largest crab wins a free rental-boat trip the following year. Fish could also be caught from the rental boats. Croakers, spots, white perch and throwback striped bass swam the waters. The croakers were good-sized, and one of the staff gave some to Linda to cook. 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 store to be picked up. Beaver Dam carries everything needed for a day of crabbing, from bait, traps and nets to snacks, drinks and suntan lotion. Rental kayaks and canoes are available to paddle the scenic creek. Beaver Dam hosts groups like scouts and family reunions, and can offer an educational day about the environment. Crabs for eating are sold when available, but were unavailable recently, because commercial crabbers had little luck with catches. They crab in deeper waters in the bay. Take advantage of the Frequent Crabber Card to rent a boat four times this season and get a fifth rental for only $20 this season. Beaver Dam became is open 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, including on Fourth of July. <a href="http://www.crabulousnj.com/" target="_blank">Visit Beaver Dam’s Web site</a>.

<b>Fortescue</b>

A mix of fish or kingfish, summer flounder, croakers, spots and blues bit for anglers aboard, said Capt. Howard from the party boat <b>Salt Talk</b>. Just a few flounder, including an occasional keeper, were hooked, so trips went after the mix of fish. The flounder were found at the stakes, closer to shore, but sometimes turned up along the shipping channel, farther off, like one that was bagged at the Elbow the other day. The kings gathered along the channel, and were bagged on bloodworms on small hooks, as opposed to typical flounder baits like squid, minnows and spearing. Howard heard nothing about weakfish from other boaters, but a friend landed four 12-inch weaks from Fortescue’s surf. The bay was 80 degrees, according to the Salt Talk’s machine. That seemed a little warm. Open-boat trips are fishing for summer flounder when enough anglers want to go and no charter is booked. Anglers can telephone to confirm.

<b>Cape May</b>

Weakfish schooled the bay at places like the stakes near Bug Light, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. Weaks kept showing up at different waters, actually, including Cape May Canal at the end of the shop’s street. A couple of kids pulled 20-inchers from there. A few sizeable summer flounder were bagged at the end of the street. Nick slugged a 5-pound weakie at the canal at the bridge on a livelined spot. Weaks could be landed along jetties at Cape May’s surf. Kingfishing was pretty good in the surf, and sharks like browns, required to be released, hunted the surf. A few striped bass, non-migrating fish, will remain in the surf through summer. One angler released a 19-incher. Nothing was heard about flounder from the bay, but flounder began to be heard about from the ocean at Cape May Reef. A couple of good days of the angling were reported. Good flounder catches were latched into from the back bay or along the Intracoastal Waterway the other day. Many of the fish were 20 and 21 inches.   

Back to Top