<b>Pennsville</b>

In the Delaware River lots of white perch nibbled, but catfishing dropped off because of the heat, said Matt from <b>Shag’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Striped bass fishing also seemed slow because of warm waters, though the linesiders previously bit from the tributaries to the river. The striper fishing usually picks up in late September, and bigger ones begin to show up. Where they come from was unknown. Bluefish probably swam as far upstream as the Salem nuclear plant. They sometimes reach as far upriver as Pennsville, but the saltwater line was somewhat lower now, and the weather wasn’t quite as dry as earlier this season. Crabbing was in full gear, prime season. The Salem River Cove was a place to pluck them from land. Boaters could go crabbing in the river off the cove. Bloodworms and shedder crabs are stocked, though the shedder supply is beginning to thin out. Frozen baits including bunker for crabbing are on hand.

<b>Port Elizabeth</b>

Not a lot was heard about summer flounder catches, said Sharon from <b>The Girls Place Bait & Tackle</b>. Many customers were crabbing, nabbing lots of the blueclaws. Now was a time to go for them, and all the supplies are stocked. Sharon heard about a few croakers and occasional small weakfish angled up here and there, and nothing about bluefish. Friends had been hauling in puppy drum around the lighthouses a couple of weeks ago, fishing with shedder crabs. White perch were hooked in the brackish rivers. All the baits, practically any that anglers could want, are stocked. 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>

At <b>Beaver Dam Boat Rentals</b> crabbers probably averaged a half-bushel per trip or four to five dozen of the blueclaws, Linda said. So catches were going fine, and the full moon was past. Crabs often shed and mate during the moons, and they stop eating then. But not all crabs shed at once, and some are always around that will eat. Crabs shed to grow, and one customer crabbed in the past days who had also crabbed a month before, before the last moon. He said larger crabs were more abundant now, but Linda saw no difference in sizes. No customers fished from the rental boats in the last week, and now was crabbing time, Linda said. Catch the special through August: Reserve a boat for a Tuesday or Wednesday this month, and get a free crab cracker, two free crab picks, a fee package of crab spice and a $5 coupon for the next crabbing trip, a $17 value total. Keep the loot yourself or give it as a gift. This month is Beaver Dam’s fifth anniversary, so all rental boat customers this month will be entered in a drawing for a free crabbing trip. Also, some of the crabs are painted with yellow spots, and customers who catch one win a free crab trap. Crabbers and anglers in the rental boats are towed up Oranoken Creek, running past the property, to several saltwater ponds teeming with crabs. The staff checks on the boats every hour, but if any want to take a break in the meantime, they cell phone the shop and get picked up. Kayak and canoe rentals are available for sightseeing on the scenic creek, full of wildlife. The shop sells live crabs for eating at market price. 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>

Seven keeper summer flounder among throwbacks and a bunch of 1- to 2-pound blues were rustled up on a charter Sunday on the <b>Buccaneer</b>, Capt. Ralph said. So a good catch was made, and the trip fished at the Elbow. Nothing bit at first, during the end of outgoing tide. But when incoming began running well, the catches started. Ralph heard about no croakers and no weakfish swimming local waters, and a friend who fishes on the lower bay ran into croakers one day this season and not again. None of the hardheads were apparently around. A couple of more flounder charters were coming up on the Buccaneer this week.

Not much of a summer flounder catch was reeled up during the weekend’s trips, but a good catch was made on the trip Wednesday, said Capt. Howard from the party boat <b>Salt Talk</b>. George Albreche on the trip bagged a 22-incher, a 24-incher and a 26-inch 6-pound 12-ouncer, the pool-winning flattie. A couple of small bluefish were hooked per trip, and no other fish besides the flounder made up a substantial catch. Three 18-inch croakers and a couple of throwback weakfish were bloodwormed in the deep on one of the other party boats. Otherwise Howard knew about no croakers or weaks found anywhere. Many boats filled the waters Saturday. Open-boat trips are fishing for flounder daily when no charter is booked, and charters are available.

Summer flounder were still around, and many flounder anglers pulled the fish from the Elbow, said Dave from <b>Al’s Bait & Tackle</b>. He heard about quite a few 2- or 3-pound bluefish popping up right off Fortescue. Seemed they finally showed up. A handful of weakfish were beached from the Fortescue surf. The surf anglers sometimes banked blues or a flounder, not many, here or there. Occasional croakers appeared in the lower bay, but Dave heard about none near Fortescue. He heard about no kingfish caught locally, but a few of the baby sea bass that normally move in during summer were around. Spots were picked up from the creeks at times. Plenty of white perch swam Fortescue Creek. Crabbing was great at Fortescue Creek and the different creeks. Crabbers trapped the blueclaws from the bridges or from boats up the creeks or at the bulkhead toward the Fortescue Creek inlet. Minnows, shedder crabs and all the frozen baits are fully stocked. No large amounts of shedders are carried, and call ahead if numbers are needed.

<b>Port Norris</b>

A few keeper summer flounder were around, but tuna fishing was good offshore, said Capt. Tim from the <b>Bodacious</b> and <b>Port Norris Marina</b>. Two spaces were available for one of the boat’s offshore Three Day Extravaganzas leaving Thursday. The open-boat trips fish for everything from bluefin tuna inshore, yellowfin tuna offshore, bigeye tuna trolled offshore, and mahi mahi everywhere between, an enjoyable trip, Tim said. Space is available on another open trip for tuna August 11 to 12, an overnighter.

<b>Bivalve</b>

Boaters from <b>Longreach Marina</b> ran all over the bay for summer flounder catches, Pat said. But Matt and Dan Kiel from Vineland fished between the E.P. Tower and Miah Maull to bag two keepers 18 ¼ inches apiece, and Garry Lepore grabbed a 4-pound 2-ounce keeper near the E.P. Pat heard about no other fish caught like blues, croakers or weakfish. Anglers and their catches also included: Bob Lauletta, Gloucester, six keeper flounder to 22 inches; Tony LaGrotto, Franklinville, five keepers to 21 inches and 40 throwbacks; Lucky Murray, Millville, five keepers to 21 inches and 30 to 40 throwbacks on one trip and four good-sized keepers over 22 inches apiece and lots of throwbacks on another trip the next day with other anglers. Minnows, shedder crabs and frozen baits including squid and mackerel are stocked. The marina’s annual <i><b>Kids Fishing Tournament</i></b> will take place Saturday, and entrants can register up to the morning of the contest. 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>

Waters around the 16 buoy and along Bayshore Channel held lots of summer flounder and seemed to be the best places to catch them anywhere, 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. One in five was probably a keeper. Lots of short flounder were boated off Cape May Point and the Concrete Ship. Surf anglers at Higbee’s Beach dragged in flounder, lots of croakers and kingfish. Everyone who fished there seemed to catch something, though Jim was unsure whether many of the fish were keepers. Float bloodworms for the croakers and kings. The back bay gave up flounder, kingfish and small sea bass near Dad’s Place and at Grassy Sound. Lindenkohl Canyon turned out many of the tuna for offshore anglers. 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. Bushels are available when enough are trapped, and talk with the shop for the market price. The current prices for cooked crabs are $23 per dozen or $42 for two dozen for No. 1’s and $13 per dozen or $29 for three dozen for No. 2’s. Raw steamer clams, called “specials,” a size between little neck and top neck, are $15.95 for 50.

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