<b>Port Elizabeth</b>

White perch, crabs, throwback striped bass, baby drum and small sea bass were plucked from Dividing Creek on a trip today that Sharon from <b>The Girls Place Bait & Tackle</b> was on when she gave this report over the phone. Perch fishing and crabbing was good along the creeks. Catches of keeper striped bass were sometimes heard about from the Maurice River on fresh bunker. Summer flounder fishing was probably best on the ocean, but the weather kept most boaters from reaching them. Blackfish could be hooked at places like rocks. The bay’s boaters usually start targeting striped bass seriously by the third week of October. 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 slowed in northeast winds in the last days, said Paul from <b>Beaver Dam Boat Rentals</b>. But now winds were supposed to come around from the south, so the weather should warm, and Paul expects good crabbing again. The blueclaw catches had been good previously, though were spotty, with some crabbers scoring well, and others not. Some nabbed three-quarters of a bushel, and others grabbed a dozen and a half. Results differed a lot. But the crabs that came in were sizeable. Blueclaws 5 to 6 ½ inches were common. Striped bass were caught in the crab traps on occasion . One was 20 inches, and someone who wasn’t a customer reportedly landed a keeper striper. A few kingfish were also around in Oranokin Creek, where customers crab and fish. An unconfirmed report was heard that kingfish began to show up off Fortescue.  Customers at Beaver Dam crab and fish from rental boats towed up the creek. The staff checks on the boaters every hour, and if any want a break in the meantime, they simply cell phone the shop to be picked up. Rental boats should be reserved, and crabbing will be available through October 15 at Beaver Dam, and the shop is open Fridays through Mondays. Look for Friday and Monday specials to be announced on <a href="http://www.crabulousnj.com/" target="_blank">Beaver Dam’s Web site</a>. Kayak and canoe rentals are available, and fall is a great time to paddle the scenic creek. Beaver Dam sells outdoors licenses and is a deer and turkey check in station. Duck hunting is available at Beaver Dam when duck season opens. The shop stays open after crabbing ends for things like license sales, bait, check-ins and duck hunting.

<b>Fortescue</b>

The Egypt area gave up kingfish and a variety of fish like a few weakfish, a couple of summer flounder and maybe some spots, said Capt. Ralph from the <b>Buccaneer</b>. Trips will sail for them until honing in on striped bass in fall. Charters aboard are only $400, compared with $500 or $600 on other vessels.

Kingfish, a few weakfish, a couple of summer flounder, including a 20-1/2-inch pool-winner, and maybe a couple of spots were wrangled up Saturday on the party boat <b>Salt Talk</b>, Capt. Howard said. The catch was pretty good, he said, and came from about 10 miles to the south on the bay. Fish supposedly swam there, instead of off Fortescue, because freshwater from the Delaware River affected the bay off Fortescue, after all the rains. But that was unconfirmed, and if true, might’ve changed by now. The anglers fished with bloodworms and clams. The bay on the fishing grounds was 71 degrees, cooling down, and the water clarity wasn’t bad. The Salt Talk will keep fishing for a mix of fish like this. Charters are sailing, and open-boat trips sometimes run, and call to confirm the schedule. Trips aboard usually begin fishing for striped bass around the third week of October, depending on when waters cool.

Back to Top