<b>Port Elizabeth</b>

Fish seemed to swim all over, and anglers caught well, as far as Sharon knew from the <b>The Girls Place Bait & Tackle</b>, she said. The shop was busy with customers during the weekend, and summer flounder seemed to hold from the bay to the ocean. No specific locations were heard about from the bay. But the ocean seemed to fish a little better for flounder than the bay. Spots and croakers schooled the bay, and so did big, beautiful weakfish. Few anglers concentrate on weaks, because of the one-weakfish bag limit. But the shop’s netter found 3- and 4-pound weaks, sizeable, toward the E.P. Tower and number 1 buoy, or off Thompson’s Beach, areas anglers used to fish for them when more could be kept. Croakers, interestingly, seemed larger in creeks than in the bay. They gathered all the way upstream, not toward mouths. White perch fishing was “up and down” on creeks and rivers. Some anglers landed them okay. Striped bass fishing usually peaks in the bay during the first weeks of November, though catches can begin by mid-October. But a 36-inch striper was reportedly beached from the ocean surf at Avalon. Crabbing was so-so or no great shakes in creeks and ponds, but many customers bought supplies for crabbing. Crabbing wasn’t so good for commercial crabbers on the bay. Minnows are stocked, and during the weekend, fresh spearing were stocked. The shop will try to carry them again. Many ocean-reef flounder anglers preferred fresh spearing for bait. They also favored 4- and 6-ounce Spro jigs that are difficult to find. The supply seemed to be running low by this time of season. The store will try to stock Viper Spoons for the weekend that are also popular for the fishing. Shedder crabs are on hand, and will probably become scarcer soon. Demand drops after Labor Day, and crabs usually stop shedding after September. But lots of frozen shedders are carried, and they catch well, too. Bloodworms are in supply, and are great bait for nearly any fish.  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 spotty, and catches ranged from a dozen of the blueclaws to three-quarters of a bushel, “(or) all over the place,” Paul from <b>Beaver Dam Boat Rentals</b> said. Sizes were either just-keepers or 5-1/2- to 6-inchers. “Very little in the middle,” he said. A 6-3/4-incher remained the season’s biggest, like in previous weeks. The year’s rental boater with the largest will win a free rental next year. For anglers, lots of croakers swam the creek, and they were sizeable or 12 to 16 inches. Some trips landed 20 or 30, and croakers seemed bigger in creeks than in the bay.  Schoolie striped bass swam around, fun for anglers to play. Big rays roamed the waters. 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 to ensure availability. Catch the Football Widows Special, on the Sundays of September 15 and October 6 and 13, when Eagles football games start at 1 o’clock. Any rental boat with only women and/or children then will get a dozen free crabs, when the boat is reserved ahead. 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. The shop will be open at 6 a.m. through Labor Day and 6:30 a.m. afterward. Crabbing will be available daily through Labor Day. Afterward, crabbing will be available Fridays through Sundays. Columbus Day will be the year’s final day of crabbing. <a href="http://www.crabulousnj.com/" target="_blank">Visit Beaver Dam’s Web site</a>.

<b>Fortescue</b>

Was a pretty good week, said Capt.Howard from the party boat <b>Salt Talk</b>. Many fish were small, like usual, but some started to be larger, like a big, fat croaker the other day. Trips bagged a few summer flounder, and first fished for croakers and spots on each outing. The fish should stick around, as long as no major storm moves in, Howard thinks. The croakers and spots were often used for good flounder bait, but sometimes anglers kept them to eat. A charter with a fishing club on Sunday kept them all to eat. A few weakfish and bluefish were pulled in on trips. Trips fished the stakes south of Fortescue, the same as lately, and the bay was 78 degrees, also the same as recently. Another party boat headed north to fish for small blues. Lots of bunker schooled the bay. Open-boat trips are fishing daily when no charter is booked. Anglers can telephone to confirm. 

On the <b>Buccaneer</b>, a trip fished for blues, and could’ve caught a thousand if anglers had wanted, Capt. Ralph said. Croakers and spots that were hooked during the fishing were used for bait, and the trip did no fishing for summer flounder. The anglers, including grandkids, wanted fun. So the trip targeted blues.

<b>Cape May</b>

Probably a hundred fish were bailed on the bay Saturday with <b>Fins and Feathers Outfitters</b>, Capt. Jim said. They were mostly croakers, spots and summer flounder, but also kingfish, brown sharks and dog sharks. The fish were mostly small, but some of the kingfish were large, pushing 18 inches, and some of the sharks were sizeable. The catches kept the anglers busy. The northern bay toward Fortescue held most fish, and most of the fleet, including several party boats, fished there. The trip tried fishing deeper near Miah Maull, but shallower, 20-foot depths closer to Fortescue held more catches. Sharks were less abundant than previously, after lots haunted the bay. Striped bass fishing aboard usually begins in late October or early November on the bay. Fins and Feathers also hunts geese and ducks on the bay when the seasons are open. Anglers can even enjoy a combo of striper fishing and waterfowl hunting over a series of days on the bay in fall. Fins and Feathers also guides salmon and steelhead fishing on upstate New York’s Salmon River from Jim’s lodge, fly fishing for trout on Pennsylvania’s streams like the Yellow Breeches, and waterfowl hunting in Pennsylvania. 

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