<b>Brooklawn</b>

Not a lot was heard about the bay, except about kingfish sometimes beached at Cape May Point, said Rick from <b>Big Timber Bait & Tackle</b>. Croakers were angled from the nearby ocean surf at times. Striped bass fishing usually begins on the bay during the middle of the month. Small stripers, nearly all shorts, swam the Delaware River, and the river was loaded with catfish. Along the ocean, kingfish roamed the surf from Ocean City to the north, and kings held in the back bay at Sea Isle City and Cape May. Small blues filled the inlets. Tuna, red-hot catches, and swordfish were pummeled at night at the canyons, mostly the Lindenkohl and the Baltimore. Good numbers of wahoos were trolled offshore during daytime. Big Timber stocks bait and tackle for fishing in all waters from lakes to bays to offshore.

<b>Newport</b>

Despite the weather during the weekend, crabbers scored okay at <b>Beaver Dam Boat Rentals</b>, Paul said. Some trips nabbed a couple of dozen of the blueclaws, and some grabbed as many as a bushel, and the numbers ran the gamut. The crabs were sizeable. The weather was so rough Sunday that the crew at the shop were surprised crabbers showed up, but a few did, and they caught. Nobody fished, but 6- to 12-inch striped bass began to fill Oranokin Creek, running past the shop. One crabber landed a 16-inch summer flounder in a trap, tossing back the out-of-season, undersized fish. Check Beaver Dam’s Web site for the <a href="http://www.crabulousnj.com/" target="_blank">October Crabfest Special</a> offering a discount on rental boats. Be sure to reserve boats ahead of time. Crabbers and anglers on Beaver Dam’s boats get towed up Oranokin Creek. The staff checks on them every hour, and if the customers need a break in the meantime, they simply cell phone the shop to be picked up. Crabbing will be available this Friday through Monday and the following Friday and Saturday, October 15. Afterward the shop will remain open for bait and supplies, deer and turkey check-in and duck hunting. Rental kayaks and canoes are currently available for paddling the scenic creek, beautiful in fall.

<b>Fortescue</b>

Smaller striped bass could be found on the bay, and bigger ones could show up any time, said Capt. Ralph from the <b>Buccaneer</b>. Anglers might have to wait until the middle of the month for larger ones to begin to appear, but some were already around last year at this time. Waters were now cooling, and that was good for striper fishing. Trips aboard will sail for stripers as soon as enough of the fish are around.   Charters on the Buccaneer are only $400, compared with $500 or $600 on other vessels.

The weather apparently kept anglers from showing up at the docks through the weekend, said Capt. Howard from the party boat <b>Salt Talk</b>. No trips sailed aboard, but some boats motored out Saturday. On one, a party boat, sounded like more croakers bit than kingfish did. Previously kings made up the bulk of catches, though croakers were around, toward the number 1 buoy. Smaller striped bass, throwbacks 18, 21 or 23 inches, usually begin to gather in the bay any time now this month. Bigger, keeper stripers usually show up by Halloween. The Salt Talk sails for stripers when enough are around to bag.

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