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Delaware Bay Fishing Report 7-23-13


<b>Port Elizabeth</b>

The bay’s summer flounder fishing improved, said Sharon from <b>The Girls Place Bait & Tackle</b>. Many customers reported that, mostly from the upper bay. But Sharon joined a trip farther south, fishing east of the 19 buoy, on Wednesday. That was during the heat wave, but the trip grabbed four keeper flounder to 22 or 23 inches, lots of throwbacks, some very close to keeper-sized, lots of spots, lots of kingfish, two bluefish and small croakers. The kingfish were decent-sized, and are good eating, and the anglers were pleased with them. Sharon likes to eat spots when the fish are large enough. But the trip filleted or stripped-out the spots for bait, and that caught flounder as well as any bait. Bunker schooled all over. The weather was like an oven, but the trip was enjoyable, including because of the catches. Many customers picked up bait and gear for crabbing this weekend. Crabbing was up and down, and some crabbers put together catches. Rains this season might’ve slowed crabbing a little compared with last year, but the blueclaws were trapped. Baits stocked include minnows, and the supply of minnows improved. Shedder crabs and nearly all baits are carried. No grass shrimp were stocked in a couple of weeks, and they become difficult to keep alive in the heat. But that’ll change before too long. 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>

Catches of crabs were good, and the blueclaws were good-sized, during the weekend, said Linda from <b>Beaver Dam Boat Rentals</b>. The moon became full on Monday, and full and new moons can trigger crabs to shed and mate. Crabs won’t eat when that happens, so crabbing can slow. But not all crabs shed and mate on every moon, so some can always be caught. When the moon does trigger that activity, for every four male crabs, one will shed, one will mate, and one will “cover” a female shedding, Linda said. When shedding and mating affects crabbing, that usually ends after three or four days. Three rental-boaters were now tied for catching the season’s biggest crabs: 6 ½ inches. The boater with the season’s largest wins a free rental-boat trip next year. Bunker and chicken nabbed crabs equally in recent days. Sometimes one out-crabs another.  No particular traps, like snap-traps or net-traps, caught better than another in past days. Neither traps nor hand-lines plucked crabs better than the other. Sometimes one type of gear works better than another. Customers who fished caught croakers and white perch. Linda recommends wearing light-colored clothes for comfort in the heat of summer. Certain bugs seem less attracted to light colors, too. Customers at Beaver Dam 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. Take advantage of the Frequent Crabber Card to rent a boat four times and get a fifth rental for only $20 this season. Beaver Dam carries everything needed for a day of crabbing, from traps, bait and nets to snacks, drinks and suntan lotion. Rental kayaks and canoes are available to paddle up the scenic creek. Crabs for eating are sold when available. Beaver Dam hosts groups like scouts and family reunions, and can offer an educational day about the environment. <a href="http://www.crabulousnj.com/" target="_blank">Visit Beaver Dam’s Web site</a>.

<b>Fortescue</b>

Summer flounder bit very well on Sunday on the party boat <b>Salt Talk</b>, though the trip had to return earlier than Capt. Howard wanted, to be able to pass through the mouth of Fortescue Creek, he said. The mouth, on the way to the dock on the creek, needed to be dredged, since Hurricane Sandy. Higher tides were needed for boats not to bottom-out. But flounder fishing wasn’t bad through the past week. Angling for them was tough on one day, because wind against tide prevented good boat drifting for the fishing. Trips also anchored to fish for croakers and spots. Anglers could keep them to eat, but many used them for good flounder bait. The croakers and spots let anglers make additional catches, and the fishing was good. A few kingfish were hooked throughout the week aboard. Sometimes bluefish were landed. A few small weakfish were hooked one day. More and more brown sharks, required to be released, seemed to fill waters. Trips fished in the stakes near False Egg Island Point. The bay on Sunday was 85 degrees, and a red tide started to be seen at times. Sometimes red tides appear, and seem to come from Delaware River, when rains fill the river. Open-boat trips are fishing daily when no charter is booked. Anglers can telephone the boat to confirm.

<b>Cape May</b>

One angler reported boating good summer flounder fishing at Miah Maull, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. Weakfish should swim the bay at the lighthouses and the stakes. Weakfishing became a little tougher than before in the surf along the jetties. But some large ones were still caught, and a buddy showed a photo of one that was at least 25 inches.  Kingfish and croakers were boated at Cape May Channel. Sounded like back-bay fishing started to slow for flounder. But a few anglers still boated a few, mostly at Cape My Inlet and the channel. On the ocean, flounder fishing seemed alright at Cape May Reef, and somewhat better at the Old Grounds and Reef 11. A few were plucked from McCrae’s Shoal.

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