<b>Brooklawn</b>

The grounds at the stakes off Fortescue produced summer flounder, said Rick from <b>Big Timber Bait & Tackle</b>. A better percentage of keepers was caught, so the angling was picking up. He’d also look for the flatties at places like the 19 buoy on the Delaware side. Boaters began to make better catches of flounder at the Old Grounds and Reef 11, both in the ocean off Delaware. In the Delaware River, great largemouth bass fishing was clobbered, and the fish were spread all over. Lures like creature baits, Sweet Beavers and Bush Hogs worked well. Big catfish milled around Big Timber Creek. Angling for tuna and big game in the offshore ocean gave up no serious bite off New Jersey, and the fish seemed yet to come from the south at places like the Parking Lot and the lumpy bottom at Washington Canyon. Big Timber carries bait and tackle for fishing on all waters from freshwater to bays to the offshore ocean.

<b>Pennsville</b>

Many customers fished for summer flounder at the stakes toward Fortescue, said Zach from <b>Shag’s Bait & Tackle</b>. On the lower Delaware River a few bluefish began to appear a week ago. The saltwater line must’ve moved upstream because of low waters in the summer heat, drawing in the blues. White perch could be bloodwormed on the river, and catfish could be taken from the waters on cut bait like bunker. Small stripers could be found on the river, could be landed on shedder crab or bunker. Some tried crabbing in the local ditches without much luck, and crabbing was better closer to the bay. Fresh bunker, bloodworms and shedder crabs are stocked.

<b>Newport</b>

The season’s first bushel of crabs was nabbed today at <b>Beaver Dam Boat Rentals</b>, Linda said, and crabbing was going well for customers, especially considering that the full moon just happened. Crabs often shed and mate on the moons, and that can slow down crabbing, because the blueclaws stop feeding then. But no signs of a slow down were seen on the moon. Good-sized crabs were around, and the population of healthy-sized ones should increase after the current shed, because crabs shed to grow. Not all crabs shed at once, and not all shed on every moon. One customer tossed a fishing line in the waters on a crabbing trip, landing a 28-inch striped bass: a keeper! Crabbers and anglers in the shop’s rental boats are towed up Oranokin Creek to several saltwater ponds teeming with crabs. The staff checks on the boaters every hour, and if some want a break in the meantime, they cell phone the shop and get picked up. Everything needed for a day of crabbing, from baits to traps to suntan lotion, snacks and cold drinks, is supplied at the shop. Call ahead to reserve a rental boat, because they become full. Beaver Dam rents kayaks and canoes for sightseeing on the creek. All kinds of wildlife lives along the waters. Birds along the creek, for example, can include golden eagles, harrier hawks, ospreys, blue and white herons, redwinged blackbirds and egrets. Fish and wildlife licenses are sold. Beaver Dam hosts groups like the scouts in educational, fun outings on weekdays. A gazebo and grill can be reserved for functions like birthdays and family reunions. Beaver Dam this week opened daily for the season, after being open on weekends. Visit <a href="http://www.crabulousnj.com/Home_Page.html" target="_blank">Beaver Dam’s Web site</a> for hours and more info about the business.

<b>Fortescue</b>

Twelve keeper summer flounder to more than 25 inches were plowed on the <b>Buccaneer</b> on Saturday, a good day, Capt. Ralph said. On Sunday two keepers and probably 40 shorts were reeled up in the same area on a trip. Lots caught, but couldn’t keep them. The reason for the difference in the two trips? Right place, right time, Ralph guessed. But that was a good catch on the trip with the dozen keepers. On a trip Friday two keepers and probably 50 shorts were angled in. Probably four bluefish were hooked on the trips, and were used for bait. The trips fished around the Elbow.

On the party boat <b>Salt Talk</b> anglers kept rustling up summer flounder, mostly shorts, but a few keepers, no big numbers of keepers, Capt. Howard said. Trips fished toward the Elbow and wreck buoy \, after fishing at the stakes previously. Sometimes a move is made after trips fished an area a lot, targeting a new body of fish that wasn’t picked over. But the trips might move back to the original area afterward, when the waters had a chance to settle. Minnows, squid and mackerel caught the fish, and squid is supplied on open-boat trips, but if minnows are available, like ones leftover from a charter, they might be provided. But anglers can bring their own minnows or other baits to use along with the squid. Open trips are sailing for flounder daily when no charter is booked, and call ahead to confirm, and charters are available.

Many customers fished for summer flounder at the stakes, but lots also headed to the wreck buoy, making decent catches of the flatties at both spots,  said Dave from <b>Al’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Keepers were caught, and up to 3- or 4-pounders, none huge, were weighed in. A few weakfish were hooked, and Dave wasn’t asked where, but he said in the last report they came from places like Miah Maull and Flat Top. A few small blues roamed around, and no croakers were heard about, but they usually show any time now. Reports about them are usually first heard from the southern bay on the Delaware side. . In the Fortescue surf small flounder and small striped bass, okay catches, were beached. Plenty of white perch swam Fortescue Creek, and so did spearing and peanut bunker. Crabbing was good. All the baits are stocked including minnows and a large selection of frozen baits for flounder, including mackerel, herring, mullet and more.

<b>Bivalve</b>

Gary Lacore and crew from Wilmington totaled 12 keeper summer flounder including a 22-incher, said Pat from <b>Longreach Marina</b>. Anglers and their catches also included: Jamie and Joe Daley, Ridley Park, Pa., four flounder over 20 inches apiece and lots of throwbacks; Kim, Kyle, Keith and Amy Plummer, Millville, three good-sized flounder, lots of 17-inch throwbacks and two blues; and Lucky Murray, three flounder and lots of throwbacks. Many customers looking for flounder sailed toward Egg Island Point and False Egg Island Point and the stakes off that stretch. A few bluefish were picked up, and Pat only heard about one weakfish caught this season, reported here some weeks ago. Small sharks grabbed baits. Minnows, shedder crabs and all the frozen baits including squid and mackerel are stocked.

<b>Villas</b>

Customers who summer-flounder fished all seemed to sail to Miah Maull, said Jim from <b>Budd’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Lots of throwbacks, not a lot of keepers, seemed around, but some were being weighed in. Jeremiah Carver checked in a 5-pound 2-ouncer, and Phil Slack stopped by with a 4-pound 2-ounce 23-incher. Whether those fish came from the bay or elsewhere was unknown. The Ho-D-Doe, the charter boat from <b>Budd’s Tackle Charter Services</b>, is supposed to sail on a flounder trip next this week. A drum was caught in the bay at Tussy’s Slough, and that could be the last drum heard about from the area this year. A few weakfish were banked from the surf at Higbee’s Beach and Reed’s Beach. Many were shorts, but Jim heard about a 20-incher, the biggest he knew about. Kingfish were claimed at Higbee’s on bloodworms and Fishbites Bag o’ Worms. A few bluefish were pulled from the bay and from along Cape May Point on strips of mackerel. Sharks had commonly been caught on the ocean because of the shark tournaments, and a few bluefin tuna apparently swam 19-Fathom Lump. Baits stocked include minnows, mackerel, whole squid, tube squid, squid soaked in shedder oil, clam strips great for flounder fishing, a popular seller, shucked clams in pints and more. The shop sells live and cooked crabs, and the live crabs were currently $22 per dozen for No. 1’s and either $10 per dozen or $25 per three dozen for No. 2’s, and the prices can change according to market prices. The shop will clean crabs for $5 a dozen. Steamer clams, a popular seller, are available for $15.95 for 50.

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