<b>Pennsville</b>

Short striped bass were wrangled from the back ditches on flash-foil swim shads, said Zach from <b>Shag’s Bait & Tackle</b>. News turned quiet about the bay while anglers waited for striper fishing to heat up there. But the usual assortment of small stripers, white perch and catfish could be angled from the Delaware River. Fresh bunker is stocked when available, and bloodworms and frozen baits are on hand.

<b>Port Elizabeth</b>

Customers talked about clocking a few keeper striped bass between Miah Maul and the number 1 buoy, said Linda from the <b>Girls Place Bait & Tackle</b>. That was all she heard about the bay, but demand for fresh bunker for striper bait picked up, and three bushels sold out by 8:30 a.m. Sunday. So call to reserve. Blues and kingfish were boated around Cape May Point where the bay meets the ocean, and back-bay anglers talked about decking stripers at Somers Point. The Girls Place is located on Route 47 just after Route 55 ends, and it’s the long, one-story, yellow building on the right. There’s a large parking lot with plenty of room for trailered boats.

<b>Fortescue</b>

The wait was on for the bay’s striped bass fishing, said Capt. Ralph from the <b>Buccaneer</b>. He hoped the fishing would begin by mid October, when waters cooled more. His anglers reeled in three of the linesiders, small ones, recently. When the run kicks off, charters will bunker-chunk and clam for the fish.

A few stripers started to bite at the lighthouses along the shipping lane, said Dave from <b>Al’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Boaters fish with chunks of fresh bunker for them, and the fresh menhaden is stocked on weekends. The baitfish will be carried on weekdays once the bite takes off. The main run of stripers should begin in a week or so, and the bay, in the high 60s, needed to cool. Small blues and a few small weakfish could be found at the first drop-off from Fortescue. Surf anglers at Fortescue banked a few blues and weakies while fishing with mullet and bloodworms. Crabbing was good. The store is open every day except Tuesdays. The hours are 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays and 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends.

<b>Bivalve</b>

Customers who boated striped bass kept mum about location, but they were catching them, said Pat from <b>Longreach Marina</b>. She thinks they probably found the fish close to shore from the number 1 buoy on in. The bass probably fed on shrimp and baitfish along the grass in the shallows. Fresh bunker, now stocked at the shop, is always the bait for the bass at this time of the year. But other fish were also nailed. Lucky Murray and his dad from Millville boxed eight weakfish and two blues, and Ross DelRossi Sr. and Jr. from Pine Hill nabbed 12 sizeable croakers, three weaks and a kingfish. Waters from the 1 buoy to closer to shore were also a place to locate such catches. The Atco Hookers Striped Bass Tournament will take place Saturday, November 7, at the marina.

Back to Top