<b>Brooklawn</b>

The bay held some of the best saltwater fishing around, actually, said Rick from <b>Big Timber Bait & Tackle</b>. Some of the best summer flounder fishing on the bay came from the E.P. Tower to the stakes, even if the keeper ratio was 1 in 10. He heard about a 10-pound flounder supposedly taken in the back bay behind Sea Isle City on a rental boat. So maybe keepers were starting to be caught there. Some of the only other notable inshore fishing was for small blues that covered the lumps in the ocean from Atlantic City to Cape May, like from Sea Isle Lump to 5-Fathom Bank. He took a trip Monday that fished the lumps from Atlantic City to Cape May, instead of moving offshore, because of seas, and lots of small blues were trolled, and so were a few small albies. All the fish seemed small, but there was action. Yellowfin tuna reportedly swam farther offshore at the flats east of Wilmington Canyon in 50 fathoms and at the 40-Fathom Fingers inshore of Spencer Canyon. All were caught on the troll during the day, and none was chunked at night yet. Closer to the shop along the Delaware River, 2- to 3-pound largemouth bass were hooked at the creek mouths from Pennsauken Creek to Raccoon Creek on spinner baits or plastics including Senko’s. Catfish could be rounded up from the river, and small striped bass could be played at spots including along the island off National Park. Crabbing was good just about everywhere. Big Timber carries bait and tackle for fishing in all waters from freshwater to bays to offshore.

<b>Pennsville</b>

From the Delaware River catfish, white perch and small striped bass were raked up, said Wade from <b>Shag’s Bait & Tackle</b>. But striper fishing can be better in the tributaries this time of year, simply because the tribs offer structure like banks or turns or bridges where the fish can be targeted. The Delaware River is usually a wide expanse of flats. In spring spawning stripers invade the flats to breed. Then the fishing is better there. But hit the tributaries now, fishing with shedder crabs or bloodworms. Peanut bunker also became popular bait, because peanuts schooled the waters. Soft plastic lures will also hook the linesiders, fish that can be 6 to 30 inches, and are mostly 18 to 27 inches. A few keepers 28 inches or larger were around. Nighttime on outgoing tides were best. Crabbing was good and remained kind of steady, not better, not worse than before. 

<b>Port Elizabeth</b>

Summer flounder anglers headed out, and did claim keepers, though maybe the fishing wasn’t as good as they’d like, said Sharon from <b>The Girls Place Bait & Tackle</b>. A few bigger croakers apparently started to be snatched up. Not much was heard about weakfish, and friends were cranking aboard small drum 15 or 20 pounds around some of the lighthouses like Miah Maull. The pups, a few drum that spend the season in the bay, unlike the larger drum that invade in spring to spawn then leave, hung out at certain spots. Crabbing was great in the back waters, and kingfish nibbled at some areas along the ocean coast. Just about every kind of bait is stocked that is used at this time of year. 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>Newport</b>

Crabbing dropped off as anticipated toward the weekend, because the full moon on Monday triggered crabs to shed and mate, said Linda from <b>Beaver Dam Boat Rentals</b>. Catches should improve by this weekend, and the shed should create a larger population of bigger crabs. The moons trigger shedding and mating, and crabs refuse to feed then, but not all crabs shed at once. Some customers still nabbed three-quarters of a bushel, and two today grabbed half-bushels. Being at the right place at the right time and having luck probably played a part. Nobody fished from Beaver Dam in the past days, and the last one who fished caught spots. The weather now was so much cooler and pleasant than the weekend’s intense heat. The shop is selling live crabs for eating for the first time this year, available at market price. Beaver Dam had been running a special where crabbers who reserved a rental boat for a Tuesday or a Wednesday received a dozen crabs free. But now that was ending, and Linda will think of a new special to offer. Crabbers at Beaver Dam are eligible for a contest: Catch a crab that the crew painted with spots, and win a free crab trap. Some of those crabs probably shedded, so the crew will have to paint new ones. Crabbers and anglers at Beaver Dam are towed up Oranokin Creek on the rental 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>

A trip hauled in 10 keeper summer flounder on Thursday, and another socked 14 keepers on Friday, on the <b>Buccaneer</b>, Capt. Ralph said. So that seemed all right, pretty good. Another charter was cancelled Saturday because of the heat, and the fishing seemed to slow both days of the weekend because of the heat. On the day with 14 keepers, the fish were reeled aboard in the morning, and the angling seemed to turn off in the heat by noontime. But now the temperatures were becoming lower than during the weekend, and the boat was going to be back out for the flatties this week. The trips fished at the Elbow, and Ralph might try farther up the bay toward the 32 and 34 buoys this week, because some good catches came from there last year. No bluefish were really around, and no weakfish were. A few croakers supposedly appeared, and Ralph would look forward to them arriving.

Anglers fishing for summer flounder found that a few were still around, and the fish seemed scattered around at all different places, said Dave from <b>Al’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Some sailed to the stakes for them, and others motored to the wreck buoy, and others took a course for deep waters. The usual minnows and spearing hooked them, and many were landed on Gulps, mainly in green and white, but pink seemed to start gaining attention. Dave heard about a few croakers popping up at the Elbow, and was unsure about the size. Lots of sharks swam the bay, and anglers could have fun sharking in the waters for browns and sand tigers, and Dave heard about a small thresher shark fought. Check regulations, because sharks like browns must be released. For sharks, use a wire leader with a bait like a bunker at areas like the sloughs or holes. Tons of bunker, loads of them, filled the bay. Fortescue Creek was crammed with bait including peanut bunker, spearing and mullet. Crabbing and white perch fishing were both good in the creek.

Summer flounder fishing wasn’t bad, was fairly good, in the past week on the party boat <b>Salt Talk</b>, Capt. Howard said. A catch during a mid-week trip was especially productive, and sometimes the weather was super hot. The heat was unbearable once winds dropped off on Sunday around noon. Trips mostly fished toward the edge of the shipping channel toward the Elbow and Cross Ledge. But the areas fished change, and once a place is fished out, the boat is moved on to another spot. The flatties probably weighed up to 5 pounds, and pool winners were usually 3 or 3 ½ pounds. Saturday’s pool-winner probably weighed 5. A few blues were occasionally boated, but flounder made up almost the entire catches. Howard heard about a handful of croakers picked up on Sunday on one of the Fortescue party boats along the channel for the first time this season. Open-boat trips are sailing daily when no charter is booked, and charters are available.

Fishing for summer flounder picked up a bit last week, though catches dropped off a little during the weekend, said Capt. Mike from the party boat <b>Bonanza</b>. The number of keepers on the boat was in the mid 20s on Friday, and some sizeable ones were belted on the trip. People chose their days carefully to come down to fish, based on the weather, like the hot days recently. A few blues were boated, and Mike saw two weakfish, throwbacks, hooked all year on the vessel. A charter captain who specializes in weaks was yet to talk about catching them. Somewhat positive news was heard about croakers, because some of the charter boats ran into some during the weekend. None of the hardheads was hooked on the Bonanza, but Mike might take a day and start looking. Another open-boat, special trip for flounder to the Old Grounds, the second one of the trips this season, will run sometime between mid to late August, and call Mike to get on the list to go: 609-381-2978. Some already expressed interest. The Old Grounds is an area of rocky, rough bottom that attracts flounder and other fish like sea bass that are usually also landed on the trips. Flounder from the Old Grounds tend to be larger than from other waters. Open-boat trips are fishing for flounder on the bay daily when no charter is booked. Charters are available.

<b>Port Norris</b>

Catches of summer flounder were up and down, and 100-degree days didn’t help, but when trips got a good drift, the fish did cooperate, an e-mail from the <b>Bodacious</b> and <b>Port Norris Marina</b> said. The season’s first overnight tuna trip on the boat was weathered out, and the next is slated for 10 a.m. August 11 to 2 p.m. August 12. The year’s first three-day tuna trip, called The Tuna Extravaganza, is sold out on the vessel, but the next one is on the books for September 9 to 11.

<b>Bivalve</b>

Not a ton of boaters fished the bay in the heat wave during the weekend, and most returned to the docks by noon, escaping the peak warmth, said Pat from <b>Longreach Marina</b>. So some only fished a couple of hours. But the flounder were there to be caught. Ralph Hitchener Sr. and Jr., Erica Hitchener and Kenny Wills returned with two keepers from among 35 to 40 throwbacks and nine sharks they landed. Ron Green bagged two flounder 22 inches apiece, released 10 throwbacks and snagged 20 bunker. Some customers ran north for flounder, and some ran south, and some motored straight out to the number 1 buoy and Miah Maul. Minnows, shedder crabs and frozen baits including mackerel are stocked. The 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 the two third prizes will be $25 gift certificates to Toys R Us. The entry fee is $10, and the children will each receive more than that value in the goody bags alone.

<b>Villas</b>

A few summer flounder swam toward Brandywine Lighthouse and the 16 buoy, said Jim from <b>Budd’s Bait & Tackle</b>, located in the Villas,  and <b>Budd’s Tackle Charter Services</b>, sailing from Cape May. No large numbers gathered there, but the ones that did were larger, and the keeper ratio was 1 in 5. Flounder and sea bass were picked up at McCries Shoal. Flounder were rustled up from the Sanctuary in the ocean 12 miles off Cold Spring Inlet. Steve Chais weighed in a 6-pound 5-ounce 24-1/2-inch flounder, keeping the location of the catch to himself. Anglers fishing from the jetties hooked croakers at Cape May Point, and the hope was that more would come in, spreading throughout different areas. Kingfish were beached from the surf at Anglesea. Both the croakers and the kings were good to see. A few tog were claimed from along the jetties at Wildwood Crest. 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. A bushel is $60 for No. 2’s. The current prices for cooked crabs are $23 per dozen or $42 for two dozen for No. 1’s and $12 per dozen or $29 for three dozen for No. 2’s. Raw steamer clams are $15.95 for 50.

Back to Top