<b>Brooklawn</b>

Summer flounder fishing seemed to improve, said Rick from <b>Big Timber Bait & Tackle</b>. The fish were boated toward the E.P. Tower and off Fortescue, and anglers sailing from Cape May ran for the flatties to the ocean at Cape May Reef, Reef 11 and the Old Grounds. Closer to the shop, lots of small striped bass swam the Delaware River, hitting rubber curly tails, soft-plastic lures and sometimes top-water lures at spots including the back of the island off National Park, around the Commodore Barry Bridge and along the jetties at Pennsville. Big catfish could be claimed from the river, and largemouth bass were clocked in Woodbury Creek and Rancocas Creek, both flowing into the Delaware. Along the coast, lots of kingfish nibbled in the surf around Sea Isle on bloodworms. In offshore waters, small bluefin tuna were scattered around waters like the Lobster Claw. Anglers found them at a spot one time and not the next, and no big bluefins were around so far. Yellowfin tuna fishing at the canyons was hit or miss. Friends gaffed seven on one trip at Spencer Canyon early last week and found none there two days later. Big Timber carries bait and tackle for fishing in all waters from freshwater to bays to offshore.

<b>Port Elizabeth</b>

Most customers crabbed throughout the Fourth of July weekend, a popular time for crabbing, said Patty from <b>The Girls Place Bait & Tackle</b>. But lots of minnows and Gulps, mostly Gulp Swim Mullets, were bought, and those are baits for summer flounder. That showed that many customers must’ve flounder fished. The crabbers look for the blueclaws at places like the road-accessible ponds along the creeks along the bay, at the marinas and at East Point. In addition to the minnows and Gulps, shedder crabs, fresh clams and fresh bunker are stocked, and so is a large selection of frozen baits. Offshore baits like flats of ballyhoos are on hand, and anglers should order such baits ahead of time to ensure a supply. 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>

Catches of crabs steadily increased for customers at <b>Beaver Dam Boat Rentals</b>, and some began to return with a limit of a bushel of the blueclaws, Paul said. The less experienced averaged 2 to 4 dozen keepers, and the more experienced averaged a half-bushel to three-quarters of a bushel, and some busheled out. The average size was larger than before, and 1 in 5 was a keeper, about twice as many as earlier this season. Many of the crabs that had been just undersized were now legal sized. Many apparently shed and grew, though crabbing on the last full moon, when crabs shed, never dropped off as much as expected. Crabbing can drop off during a shed, because the blueclaws stop feeding when shedding. But not all crabs shed at once. New moons can also trigger sheds. Customers on the rental boats also bagged a keeper striped bass and a keeper flounder, and released 23-inch, throwback stripers. Another keeper striper was also reported caught in last week’s report. Crabbers and anglers in the shop’s 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. 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. Also check the site for a special running on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

<b>Fortescue</b>

Waters heated up, and summer-flounder fishing kicked in, said Dave from <b>Al’s Bait & Tackle</b>.  The angling got better than before, and some of the fish were big. Quite a few 5-pounders were weighed in. Customers boated the fish toward Miah Maull and also right off Fortescue. Small blues, 2- to 3-pounders, bigger than snappers, were around, and anglers from one of the fishing clubs that weighs in lots of fish kept checking them in. A few weakfish were bucktailed around the lighthouses. Small croakers began to appear off Delaware, and croakers appear there first every season. The hope was that the bigger ones will come, and the fish will move up the bay. No kingfish seemed to be in the bay. Plenty of bunker schooled the bay, and peanut bunker filled Fortescue Creek, and so did spearing and other bait. Plenty of white perch swam the creek. Not a lot was doing along the Fortescue surf, but small flounder and small striped bass sometimes bit there. Minnows, shedder crabs, bloodworms, a large supply of frozen baits including mackerel, herring, mullet and more are stocked.

Capt.  Ralph from the <b>Buccaneer</b> was traveling this week, but summer flounder catches were about the same last week as they were before: a few keepers nabbed among lots of shorts let go, he said. He did run a trip that drilled a dozen keepers, though, covered in last week’s report. His trips last week tried fishing farther north in the bay, like at the 32 and 34 buoys, but catches were the same there as elsewhere in the waters. Two or three bluefish per trip were mixed in with catches. 

A couple of the summer flounder trips on the party boat <b>Salt Talk</b> fished last week when enough anglers showed up, and the outings that got out did catch the fish, Capt. Howard said. More anglers showed up around the weekend, and the fishing improved lately, served up more keepers than before, and a few big ones were nailed on the vessel. Shawn Pottichen won Saturday’s pool with a 6-pound 9-ouncer, his biggest-ever flounder. Few anglers showed up at the docks on the Fourth of July on Sunday, and apparently most people were busy with cookouts and parties. But four regular customers showed up, so a trip sailed with them, and two of the patrons, Stephanie Giberson and John Draws, limited out on flounder. Twenty-three keepers, good-sized fish, were nailed on the boat that day, among shorts tossed back. On Monday, Howard ran a trip with friends, and the five anglers totaled 13 keepers among shorts released. Bill Munyon walloped a 7-pound 2-ouncer and a 5-pound 3-ouncer. Nobody could say how long the better fishing will last. Trips fished a specific area, and areas that are fished like that typically become fished out, and the boat would then be moved to a new spot. A couple of small bluefish were usually hooked on trips, and the anglers typically used them for strips of bait for flounder. Open-boat trips are fishing daily for flounder when no charter is booked and when enough angles show up. Call ahead to confirm.

<b>Bivalve</b>

Customers sailed for summer flounder usually at the stakes off False Egg Island Point, said Pat from <b>Longreach Marina</b>. But some headed down the bay, in close, for the flatties. Sue and Bill Wells, Millville, checked in a 16-inch weakfish, only the second weakfish seen at the marina all year so far. Anglers and their catches also included: Randy Firrott, Mannington, eight flounder 18 ½ inches to 26 inches, keeping no more than his limit of six; Mike Cargen, Bellmawr, five flounder; Jamie and Joe Daley, Ridley Park, Pa., four flounder over 20 inches apiece and lots of throwbacks; Joe Haywood, Pittsgrove, 18- and 22-inch flounder; Ed Mainiero, Vineland, two flounder over 20 inches apiece and 12 throwbacks; and Kelly Sebastian, Reading, two flounder 22 inches apiece. Brian Saxton and John Kolibaba, Millville, fished on one of the creeks, landing 25 white perch and 20 throwback stripers. Minnows, shedder crabs and frozen baits including squid and mackerel are stocked. The marina’s annual Kids Fishing Tournament will be held Saturday, August 7.

<b>Villas</b>

The Cape May Rips harbored summer flounder, lots of shorts but some keepers, and snapper blues, said Mike from <b>Budd’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Customers talked about lots of short flounder but some keepers at the Punk Grounds in particular in the bay. Gulps in green mullet were popular sellers for bait, and the shrimp also worked well. The back bay served up flounder, sometimes keepers, and one customer beat five keepers at the toll bridge at Hereford Inlet. Bigger flatties, though fewer, to 5 or 6 pounds were cranked up from the  ocean at the Old Grounds and Reef 11, both off Delaware. The ocean at Cape May and Wildwood reefs drew in lots of small sea bass and a few flounder, and a few keepers of both were mixed in. Kingfish were banked from the surf at Higbee’s Beach, Alexander Avenue and Capt May Point or Lighthouse Park on bloodworms. Yellowfin tuna, tons of them, that were whacked at the canyons was the big news from offshore. Nobody mentioned bluefin tuna fishing close to shore anymore at places like the Lobster Claw and 19-Fathom Lump. They all sailed for the yellowfins but previously targeted the bluefins. Nobody mentioned sharking anymore, but Mike imagined sharks could still be caught. A flounder charter is set to sail Friday on the Ho-D-Doe, the charter boat from <b>Budd’s Tackle Charter Service</b>. At the shop, all the baits are stocked, and crabs for eating are carried. No. 1’s are $22 per dozen, and No. 2’s are $10 per dozen or $20 for three dozen. Cooking and cleaning are available. The crab prices can change according to the market but seemed stable for the moment, and the prices are posted on the shop’s Web site. Steamer clams are sold for $15.95 for 50.

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