<b>Westville</b>

The bay held summer flounder toward Fortescue, including at the stakes, said Rick from <b>Big Timber Bait & Tackle</b>. The catches were heard about from Cross Ledge, and croakers and spots schooled the bay toward Fortescue and the number 1 buoy. Croakers and spots were banked from shore in the southern bay, from about Maurice River Cove to below. Kingfish were also in the mix from shore in the Cape May area. Closer to the shop, catfish milled around Delaware River, as always this season. Not many striped bass, maybe a few small, were heard about from the river. Back near the bay, crabbing kept picking up at places including the Beaver Dam area and Dividing Creek and around Fortescue. Crabbers caught from both bridges and boats this time of year. On the ocean, good catches of flounder, including big, came from Reef 11 and the Old Grounds, deep water. Tuna fishing was good at Washington Canyon for both yellowfins and bluefins. Bigeye tuna were also slugged there. Unconfirmed rumors said yellowfins began to be caught at night at Wilmington Canyon to some extent or other. Big Timber stocks bait and tackle for fishing on all waters from fresh to offshore. 

<b>Port Elizabeth</b>

Summer flounder fishing was up and down lately, but seemed to improve a little in the last week, said Sharon from <b>The Girls Place Bait & Tackle</b>. The fish were boated in the northern bay toward Fortescue, north of Miah Maull. Many customers sailed the ocean for flounder at Reef 11 and the Old Grounds during the weekend, scoring well. Many fished Spros with 6-inch Gulps there. Gulps like that were scarce because of demand. On the bay, spots and croakers were nabbed, and lots of bloodworms were sold for bait for them. The supply of bloods was tight, because diggers often switch to other catches, like clams, this time of year. But bloods were able to be carried. Weakfish, not many big, were sometimes reported caught from the bay. Striped bass, mostly throwbacks, occasional keepers, were bunker-chunked from the bay at places like lighthouses. Customers sometimes talked about reeling in white perch from Dividing Creek and Maurice River. Customers prepared for a perch tournament this weekend that a gun club will host. Crabbing was okay, and if crabbing business was an indication, was much improved in past weeks. Limits of a bushel were sometimes reported. This month and September are the best crabbing months, Sharon thinks. In addition to bloodworms, the store is stocking plenty of minnows. Baits carried include shedder crabs, great for nearly any fish. Many anglers fish squid and minnows for flounder, probably for good reason. But flounder also love shedders.  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>

Crabbing was coming off effects of the new moon, but catches started to pick back up, said Paul from <b>Beaver Dam Boat Rentals</b>. New and full moons can trigger the blueclaws to shed and mate, and that was lasting longer than usual this time. But that should be finished, and crabbing should be good, by the weekend, though that’s never a guarantee. Crabs refuse to eat when shedding and mating, so become difficult to catch. But not all those moons trigger shedding and mating, and not all crabs shed and mate at once. Catches currently ranged from a couple of dozen keepers to three quarters of a bushel per trip. Catches varied widely, possibly because of skill, but not necessarily. Beaver Dam’s crew teaches customers how to crab, when crabbers want. One group who hadn’t crabbed in a long time wanted advice. They returned with a bunch more crabs than another set of customers who decided to crab with chicken for bait, though the crew let them know that bunker caught better at the moment. The best bait can keep changing. One might catch better for a couple of days, and so on. Or other factors can affect crabbing, like whether the line touches the boat. That’s the kind of advice that can make a difference. A 6-3/4-inch crab was in the lead for the season-long contest for the biggest. Previously, two 6-1/2-inchers were tied. One blueclaw came in that probably would’ve measured 7 inches, but a tip was broken off. The year’s rental boater with the largest will win a free rental next year. Crabs 5 1/2 and 6 inches were becoming more common than earlier in the season. Many crabs just made the 4-1/2-inch size limit. For anglers, loads of croakers schooled the creek, and schoolie striped bass were sometimes seen. 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 shop to be picked up. Rental boats should be reserved ahead of time, because they can book up. Take advantage of the Frequent Crabber Card to rent a boat four times and get a fifth rental for only $20 this year. 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>

Fishing was about the same, not great, but keeping enough catches to keep the angling interesting, said Capt. Howard from the party boat <b>Salt Talk</b>. Summer flounder were landed, including at the stakes like before. But Sunday’s trip also fished for them farther north at the wreck buoy. Lots of small flounder swam there, but better-sized bluefish, than elsewhere, were in the mix there. Blues sometimes popped up throughout the bay. Each trip, like previously, first anchored for croakers and spots. Some anglers kept them to eat, when the fish were large enough, but those catches were often used for good flounder bait. Croakers and spots swam lots of different areas in the bay. Afterward, the trips drifted for flounder. Kingfish and blowfish occasionally bit among the other fish. Anglers this time of year never know what they’ll hook. No weakfish were really caught, except an occasional one, like a 16-incher on one trip. The bay was 78 or 80 degrees, compared with 86 a couple of weeks ago. Open-boat trips are fishing for summer flounder daily when no charter is booked. Anglers can telephone to confirm. 

<b>Cape May</b>

Trips with <b>Fins and Feathers Outfitters</b> fished the bay through the past week, Capt. Jim said. Summer flounder, weakfish, croakers, spots, kingfish, bluefish, brown sharks and dusky sharks were reeled in. A variety bit, mostly in the northern bay at the Elbow, number 1 buoy and Miah Maull. Not much hit farther south at 14-Foot Light and Brandywine. But croakers, weaks and kings were hooked at Bug Light, closer to shore in the southern bay. Was unusual that flounder remained in the upper bay. Flounder often usually depart the bay for waters like 50-foot depths in the ocean by this time in summer. But the flatfish were even heard about from Cross Ledge in the northern bay this past week. Many of the fish were small on the trips. But a few big enough to keep were wrangled up. The croakers were mostly small, and were usually used for bait. That was good bait, and some of the bluefish were 5 pounds, larger than usual for the bay in summer. The brown and dusky sharks, required to be released, were unusually abundant,  swimming nearly every place fished, including at the Maull and Bug Light. Most were 3 feet, and a couple were 5 feet, probably 40 pounds. Lots of bunker schooled the bay. Winds often blew, and sometimes storms threatened. Winds calmed Saturday morning, one of the only times, but picked back up in the afternoon. One of the trips wanted to push offshore in the ocean to places like East Lump and the Cigar to try for bluefin tuna, but weather was too rough. But Fins and Feathers fishes areas like that for pelagics like the tuna and, at lobster pot buoys, mahi mahi. The ocean near Avalon’s flounder fishing sounded spotty at best. Maybe the angling was better farther south, like at Reef 11 and the Old Grounds, in the ocean. Fins and Feathers fishes the ocean from Avalon, where the boat is docked, and trailers the boat to fish Delaware Bay from wherever’s convenient, like Cape May or Reed’s Beach. Fins and Feathers offers a variety of outdoor adventures, including duck and goose hunting, when the seasons are open. Customers can even enjoy a combo of striped bass fishing and waterfowl hunting over a series of days. Fins and Feathers also fishes for salmon and steelheads on upstate New York’s Salmon River from Jim’s lodge, and guides fly-fishing for trout on Pennsylvania’s streams like the Yellow Breeches.

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