<b>Westville</b>

Lots of croakers schooled the bay, and kingfish swam along the shipping channel, said Rick from <b>Big Timber Bait & Tackle</b>. Summer flounder catches, pretty good, were heard about from the southern bay, toward places like the 9 and 10 buoys and the Punk Grounds. Not a ton of flounder were boated from the ocean at Reef 11 and the Old Grounds, but good-sized ones were. If anglers could liveline spots, or tinker mackerel that were caught there, that really helped. Along the ocean surf, kingfish were beached, like around the Cape May jetties. Nothing productive was heard about tuna from the ocean. Rick joined a trip that trolled and jigged for tuna at 28-Mile Wreck and the Lobster Claw on Monday. But the waters were dead, not even holding bait, though the waters looked good and held temperature breaks that could attract the fish. No other boats were seen on the grounds, and the water surface was 77 degrees at 28-Mile Wreck. A pollock was hooked there on the trip, so apparently the bottom was cold. The surface closer to shore was 10 degrees cooler. On the way out, long sleeves were worn because of a chill. But farther out, the air became stifling, causing a sweat. Southerly winds kept waters cool close to shore, seeming to hamper some fishing, like flounder fishing that maybe wasn’t as turned on as it could be on the ocean. Closer to the shop, big catfish milled around Delaware River. Anglers needed to fish for them early or late in the day, not at mid-day, to grab a bite, because of heat. White perch and small striped bass nibbled in the river. None of the stripers was keeper-sized, but there were lots. Big Timber stocks bait and tackle for fishing in all waters from fresh to offshore.

<b>Port Elizableth</b>

At the <b>Girls Place Bait & Tackle</b>, a few customers talked about boating croakers off East Point, Ray said. Some hooked kingfish someplace in the bay, and little was mentioned about summer flounder from the bay. Many customers picked up supplies for crabbing, including today. Michelle from the shop heard about flounder and weakfish reeled from the back bays, she said. She also heard about many fishing for croakers, though not about locations, and said many customers crabbed, like Ray did. Crabbing sounded good, including giving up sizeable ones, to her. 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>

Some customers came close to busheling out on crabs during the weekend, said Linda from <b>Beaver Dam Boat Rentals</b>. They probably nabbed seven-eighths of a bushel, and crabbing wasn’t bad. The sizes of the blueclaws was phenomenal. Crabbing was off to a somewhat later start this year than usual, because spring was colder than normal. That’s after last year’s crabbing began exceptionally early, because of a mild winter. This year, the bay’s commercial crabbers were yet to trap many crabs. But the season started to be hot now, so that could change. The weekend’s heat was hard on crabbers, but temperatures dropped since. Customers who fished reeled in croakers and white perch, including good-sized. Some cut them up for crab bait, and others coolered them to eat later. 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. The shop plans to hold a crab-off contest one weekend, and details will be announced. Rental boaters are eligible to enter a contest for the season’s biggest crab at Beaver Dam, at no extra charge. The boater with the season’s biggest wins a free rental-boat trip next year. A 6-1/2-inch crab was currently largest, and a 7-1/2-incher was biggest last year, and was caught on the shop’s opening day of crabbing, May 19. One never knows when the largest will be trapped. 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, and none was available, because the supply was scarce from the bay’s commercial crabbers. But the shop would keep trying to carry them. 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>

A mix of fish were tugged aboard the party boat <b>Salt Talk</b>, Capt. Howard said. Kingfish were landed along the shipping channel, and croakers and spots were hooked nearly everywhere in the bay. Some of the croakers were large enough to keep, and a handful of summer flounder, occasionally a keeper, were decked, mostly north of the wreck buoy aboard recently. Bluefish 14 inches popped up at times all around the bay. A half-dozen were boated on Sunday’s trip. No weakfish turned up aboard in past days, but a few were hooked along one of the lighthouses on another boat. A large, 90-pound drum was also hauled in on the vessel. A few smaller, puppy drum usually summer at places like that. Weather was hot, but a breeze blew on Sunday on the waters, making the day feel all right. Open-boat trips are fishing daily when no charter is booked, and anglers can telephone to confirm.  

<b>Cape May</b>

Little was heard about summer flounder from the bay, but weakfish should school the bay at places like the stakes at Bug Light, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. Croakers were probably largest there than anywhere, and the hardheads swam nearly everyplace, including the bay, Cape May Canal and the back bay. Kingfish, flounder, weaks and croakers schooled Cape May Channel, like usual in summer. Bluefish are usually in the mix, but weren’t this year. Flounder skittered around in good numbers mostly in the back bay and at Cape May Reef in the ocean. Minnows, shedder crabs, bloodworms and all frozen baits are carried.

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