<b>Pennsville<b>

On the Delaware River white perch and catfish were latched into, said Wade from <b>Shag’s Bait & Tackle</b>. The perch will gobble bloodworms or small pieces of shedder crab, and the cats will inhale shedders, bloods or nightcrawlers. The perch could also be hooked on small jigs or spoons like 1/8 ounce or 1/16 ounce at night at the bridges on the tributaries. Small stripers also swam the river, but were easier to catch at the tributaries, because the tribs offered structure to target, like drop-offs along the banks, or bridge abutments. Anglers used shedder crabs or bloodworms for striper fishing on the tributaries. But at night they used swim baits like a Calcutta or a Tsunami or rubber curly tails at the bridges. The Big D is mostly open waters like flats that gradually drop off, so casting for a striper there dropped the odds that the hook would fall near one of the fish. That’s unlike springtime, when huge numbers of stripers flood the flats to spawn, becoming a place to target. Bluefish in the river began to be drawn downstream, because rains caused the saltwater line to drop downriver. On Delaware Bay summer flounder fishing sounded good, and the fish might’ve been moving to deeper waters and south to seek cooler areas. Crabs were plucked from the tributaries, and this was probably one of the better years for crabbing. Crab traps and supplies flew out the doors. The shop’s owner, a commercial crabber, averaged 25 bushels of the blueclaws per day on the bay, some of the best catches in years. Shedder crabs, bloodworms, nightcrawlers and trout worms are stocked. Fresh bunker becomes difficult to stock this time of year, not only because the baitfish is difficult to keep fresh at the shop during summer, but also because the crews that catch them have difficulty keeping them fresh on the boats.

<b>Newport</b>

Crabbers averaged at least three to five dozen keepers at <b>Beaver Dam Boat Rentals</b>, and several busheled out in the past days, Linda said. So catches went well, and the blueclaws were good sized. This period was between the new and full moons, when crabs should cooperate, and they did. The moons can trigger crabs to shed and mate, and they refuse to eat then. But not all crabs shed or mate at once, so some are always feeding. High tides occurred in the mornings when crabbers headed out this week, and that worked well, because crabbing is best during moving waters in the middle of tides. By the time crabbers were crabbing, the tide was moving. Catch a special this month: Crabbers who reserve a rental boat for a Tuesday or a Wednesday receive a dozen crabs free. The shop is selling live crabs for eating for the first time this year, available at market price. Crabbers at Beaver Dam are eligible for a contest: Catch a crab that the crew painted with spots, and win a free crab trap. Nobody fished from the boats in the past days, but anglers sometimes fish for white perch or maybe short summer flounder or short striped bass. A couple of keeper stripers were landed some weeks ago. Anglers should remember to sign up for the National Saltwater Fishing Registry required by law. Look it up on the Web and quickly register online or by phone. Motor boaters who launch boats from Beaver Dam should hold a boating safety certificate. No certificate is required on the rental boats. Crabbers and anglers at Beaver Dam are towed up Oranokin Creek on the boats to several saltwater ponds teeming with crabs. The staff checks on the boats every hour, and if any boaters want a break in the meantime, they simply cell phone the shop to be picked up. Kayak and canoe rentals are available for sightseeing on the scenic creek, full of wildlife. 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>

Freshwater runoff from the Delaware River from rains seemed to affect the bay’s summer flounder fishing last week, somewhat slowing down catches, dirtying waters through Thursday and Friday, said Capt. Howard from the party boat <b>Salt Talk</b>. The bay’s temperature also dropped because of the rains. Anglers aboard hooked flounder, but not many keepers, though enough keepers to keep them interested. Trips fished mostly around the Elbow through the middle of the week and mostly at the Ditch between Miah Maull and the 19 buoy by the weekend. The bay became clearer by the weekend, and the temp seemed back to normal at 81 degrees Sunday. A thunderstorm hit the bay Saturday morning but cleared after 6:30 a.m. Strong winds roughed up seas on Sunday morning, and the conditions gradually diminished. No other fish like blues were caught to speak of, and no croakers showed up on trips. But a 33-inch cobia, smaller than the 37-inch keeper size, was caught and released Saturday. Cobia, a southern species, show up in the bay on occasion in the warm season, and are usually undersized, about 24 to 27 inches. Open-boat trips are flounder fishing daily unless a charter is booked, and charters are available.

The next charters for summer flounder are booked for Thursday and Friday on the <b>Buccaneer</b>, Capt. Ralph said. Boats headed to the Ditch and the nearby 19 buoy for flounder catches lately.

Some summer flounder were still around, and the storms through the past week failed to “knock them around too much,” said Dave from <b>Al’s Bait & Tackle</b>.  He saw flatties that weighed up to 5 pounds, none too big. Waters around the stakes became the place to find them. A few small croakers and occasional small kingfish bit, but not many at all. Nothing was heard about weakfish. Lots of white perch and crabs crammed Fortescue Creek, and good catches of both were made. The creek was full of bait including peanut bunker and spearing. Minnows, shedder crabs and the full supply of baits is stocked.

<b>Bivalve</b>

Larry Abraham and Lynn Raymond from Pittsgrove decked three keeper summer flounder and 20 throwbacks, said Pat from <b>Longreach Marina</b>. Steve, Denny and Dennis Weaver from Collegeville, Pa., clubbed seven keepers, all around 21 inches apiece. Hersch Felmey from Audubon and Gill Lattiere from Medford docked two 22- and 23-inchers. The flatfish seemed scattered around the bay, and some customers ran north for them, and others ran south, and some headed straight out to the number 1 buoy. Pat heard about no other fish besides flounder boated, including croakers, and even the commercial crabbers failed to find croakers in their pots. But the flounder were out there, and that was good. A strong lightening storm came through Saturday morning but soon departed. But the weather scared off most from coming to fish the rest of the day. Not a bad crowd showed up Sunday. Minnows, shedder crabs and frozen baits including mackerel are stocked. Longreach Marina’s annual <i><b>Kids Fishing Tournament</i></b> will be held Saturday, August 7. A girl’s bike and a boy’s bike will be raffled, and each child will receive a prize and a goody bag, and prizes will be awarded for first through third places for both the heaviest flounder and weakfish. The two first prizes will be a $100 bond each, and the two second prizes will be $50 bonds, and two third prizes will be $25 gift certificate to Toys R Us each. The entry fee is $10, and the children will each receive more than that value in the goody bags alone.

<b>Villas</b>

Customers motored to Miah Maull and the 16 buoy for summer flounder, lots of shorts, but a few keepers, and the keepers were good-sized, said from <b>Budd’s Bait & Tackle</b>, located in the Villas, and <b>Budd’s Tackle Charter Services</b>, sailing from Cape May. Surf anglers banked flounder at Cape May Point and the Concrete Ship, usually on minnows. Croakers, small ones but also ones big enough to keep, hovered around Higbee’s Beach, and larger ones should come in. A few kingfish nibbled floated bloodworms at Higbee’s and also at Anglesea. Lots of small sharks filled the surf in the bay including at the Villas. Crabbing was good. The shop sells live crabs for eating. Current prices, depending on the market, are $10 per dozen or $20 for three dozen for No. 2’s and $20 per dozen or $36 for two dozen for No. 1’s. Cooked crabs are currently available for $23 per dozen or $42 for two dozen for No. 1’s and $13 per dozen and $29 for two dozen for No. 2’s.  Raw clams for steaming called “specials,” a size between little neck and top neck, are $15.95 for 50.

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