<b>Port Elizabeth</b>

Weather didn’t offer a lot of opportunity to fish for summer flounder during the weekend, both on the bay and ocean, said Sharon from <b>The Girls Place Bait & Tackle</b>. South winds kicked up seas, even on the bay, but no rains fell locally, though rains poured at surrounding places, flooding many. Nothing was really heard about flounder, but traditionally, this month can offer some of the season’s best flounder fishing. Big flounder usually school-up in the southern bay, like along the southern shipping channel and 14-Foot Light, in September, staging to migrate to the ocean. Ocean flounder fishing is also some of the best this time of year at reefs, usually. Spots, croakers and weakfish caught were heard about from shore anglers. Some anglers fished for white perch in brackish rivers, and some caught okay. A perch tournament, with good prize money, will be held this weekend, and details are available at the store. Entrants can fish anywhere, Sharon thought. Her niece said a friend crabbed, catching okay, far up Dividing Creek and around Turkey Point. Crabbing might’ve been hit or miss, but okay catches seemed possible far up estuaries like that. Commercial crabbing was slow in the bay. Shedder crabs are stocked for bait, and crabs usually shed in September for the final time in the year. But lots of frozen shedders are stocked for $15 a dozen, and will be on hand through autumn. Minnows are stocked, and eels will begin to be carried in a week. Bloodworms are on hand, though they’re somewhat scarce. Spearing are difficult to obtain. So are large, 4- and 6-ounce Spros, popular for flounder fishing on the ocean. None was stocked, but Viper spoons were just stocked that work well on flounder and many fish, including tuna and mahi mahi. 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 good during the weekend at <b>Beaver Dam Boat Rentals</b>, Linda said. Trips averaged three to five dozen keepers, and some caught more, and sizes were good, like all season. Females were abundant this time of year, and the shop usually discourages keeping females, because that can help the population. But keeping females couldn’t be avoided now, because they so out-numbered males. A 6-3/4-incher was currently the season’s biggest crab, and the year’s rental boater with the largest will win a free rental next year. Customers should bring fishing rods, because fishing was good for croakers and large spots, and the shop sells bait for them. 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 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 is now open 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fridays through Sundays, and had been open daily through Labor Day. Columbus Day will be the year’s final day of crabbing. But the shop remains open afterward, including for different supplies and duck hunting. <a href="http://www.crabulousnj.com/" target="_blank">Visit Beaver Dam’s Web site</a>.

<b>Fortescue</b>

Somewhat fewer fish seemed to bite than before, but the same mix of fish were hooked like previously on the party boat <b>Salt Talk</b>, Capt. Howard said. So the fishing might’ve been a little slower, but he sounded pleased that the fish remained. A few summer flounder were pulled in during each trip, including a 23-1/2-incher on Sunday.  Trips first fished for croakers and spots, mostly catching them for good flounder bait, like before, but some anglers liked to keep them to eat, when the croakers and spots were large enough. Then trips fished for flounder. A few bluefish and weakfish showed up at times, and trips fished at the stakes near Fortescue and fished north of the Miah Maull rips. Some boats fished near the wreck buoy to concentrate on blues. The bay was 80 or 81 degrees, slightly warmer than before. Open-boat trips are slated daily, when no charter is booked. Now that Labor Day has passed, demand for daily trips usually drops, so the trips might sail on days that are in demand, like around weekends, or might also sail on weekdays, when anglers can be gathered to go on one or two particular days. Anglers can telephone to confirm.

<b>Cape May</b>

Capt. George from the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> joined a trip on a friend’s boat with a family who wanted to fish the bay, he said. They landed small croakers and a few weakfish and kingfish near the E.P. Tower. Weather was often rough or windy in past days. George knew about no boats except maybe party boats, large vessels, that fished Sunday from Cape May, because of winds. When trips could reach the ocean, plenty of summer flounder swam there, and the Heavy Hitter is fishing for them. Farther from shore, bigeye tuna held at canyons. George is waiting for yellowfin tuna fishing to turn on at night at canyons like it should soon. Trips are running for all these fish, and telephone if interested.

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