<b>Brooklawn</b>

Storms messed up the bay’s fishing on Sunday, but weakfish arrived, including on the Jersey side from the E.P. Tower to the stakes, the number 1 buoy and toward the mouth of the Maurice River, said Rick from <b>Big Timber Bait & Tackle</b>. A few croakers started to appear, including off Cape May Point and on the Delaware side. Flounder fishing dropped off, and the flatties would normally start gathering at the 9 and 10 buoys at the southern end of the shipping channel, but that wasn’t happening at the moment. Flounder season only lasts until September 7, and that was the killer, because plenty will probably be around. In the Delaware River small catfish and small largemouth bass could be hooked, and larger fish of all species become more difficult to catch in warm weather. The fish seek the cooler temps of deeper waters, and the deep is difficult to fish in the currents, and few anglers try that hard. Short striped bass could be played on the river at the Gloucester City pier and the southern end of the island at National Park. Small jigs, including jigs with curly tails, and bloodworms will draw strikes. Rick fished with a crew for bluefin tuna last week, and a big one was hooked and lost, probably the biggest one ever fought on a trip he took. The Lobster Claw attracted most bluefins, and all of them were large, averaging 150 or 175 pounds. Places like the Tea Cup and spots along the 30-fathom line also held bluefins, and trolling, chunking and jigging all worked. Father from shore, the canyons offered plenty of yellowfin tuna, and the Wilmington was a hot spot last week, but the Spencer and Lindenkohl turned out plenty. Trolling was most productive, but chunking was beginning to take hold. The 50 line at the Wilmington was one place the tuna were chunked. Big Timber Bait & Tackle carries bait and tackle for all fishing from freshwater to offshore. That includes a complete supply of lures and baits for rivers and lakes; rigs, tackle and frozen bait for bays; and offshore lures, rigs and baits.

<b>Pennsville</b>

Anglers talked about catching flounder, but many small ones, from Ship John south, said Wade from <b>Shag’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Weakfish were around, but not in numbers, and customers found them on the upper bay but also on the lower bay. The Delaware River gave up short striped bass, catfish, white perch and spots. Dunk shedder crabs or cut spot for the stripers, and soak cut baits for the cats, and try shedders or bloodworms for the perch. The saltwater line was far upstream, because Wade heard about bluefish swimming as far as Pennsville. Crabbing was excellent, and he prefers crabbing at Pennsville, but the blueclaws were everywhere, including down to the Cohansey River at Greenwich and beyond. Shedder crabs, bloodworms, nightcrawlers and all the frozen baits are stocked.

<b>Port Elizabeth</b>

Sharon from <b>The Girls Place Bait & Tackle</b> was busy with work when called for a report but relayed a little news through Linda, who picked up the phone, saying weakfish were picked north of Bug Light, and no news about flounder catches was really heard. Shedder crabs, the favorite weakfish bait, are usually stocked, and so is a large variety of other baits, including minnows, fresh bunker, bloodworms and frozen baits. 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 picked up after a lull Saturday, when catches were somewhat spotty, maybe because of approaching storms, but Sunday and Monday’s catches rebounded, said Linda from <b>Beaver Dam Boat Rentals</b>. Some customers always nab a half-bushel or three quarters of a bushel, and the blueclaws were an excellent size. The full moon is Saturday, and many crabs, but not all, can shed on the moons, potentially affecting crabbing, but things should keep hopping otherwise. Even when a shed occurs, not all crabs molt at the same time, so some keep feeding. Any affect from freshwater runoff from recent storms seemed minimal and was no longer an issue. Many people consider August the prime crabbing season, but crabs will keep shedding and growing at least into September or until the first major cold snap, and the season’s great catches should last through then. Customers crab from rental boats that are towed up Oranokin Creek, and the staff checks on them every hour. If customers want a break in the meantime, they simply cell phone the store, and the staff comes and gets them. Reservations for the boats are recommended for both  weekdays and weekends to ensure a vessel, because the boats do become busy. Day-long canoe and kayak rentals are also offered, and customers usually paddle them up the creek to relax in the abundant wildlife. Sightseeing tours are available on weekdays by appointment, because the tours rely on the tides. Beaver Day can also host groups like scouts who come to earn outdoor merit badges. A gazebo with a grill can be reserved for functions such as birthday parties. Beaver Dam provides everything needed for crabbing, including trap sales and rentals, bait, crab spice, crab crackers, suntan lotion, drinks, snacks and ice cream.

<b>Fortescue</b>

Nine keeper weakfish 14 inches or larger were boated on the <b>Buccaneer</b> on Sunday at the Punk Grounds, Capt. Ralph said. Probably 15 blues were also decked, and lots of throwback croakers and one kingfish were hooked, until a storm forced the trip back to port. So the catch was a little exciting, good to see weakfish in the bay, though quite a few were shorts, not a ton of keepers. The croakers were also small. Flounder fishing was still an option, but reports from the boats sounded like few keepers were found, so the Buccaneer will likely keep running for weaks.

Good catches of weakfish were reeled aboard during the weekend with <b>Andrea Charters</b>, and many of the trout in the bay were small, but some were better-sized, and a 4-pounder was taken on a trip Monday, Capt. Dave said. On that trip he fished close to shore in 14 to 18 feet, and anglers had to locate the schools of larger fish. Dave tried fishing off the E.P. Tower that day, but the area was full of small weaks at the time, so he moved. A mess of small croakers were around, not like the bigger hardheads in recent years, but a couple of keeper croakers were decked Monday. Spots also moved in, and anglers onboard always fish for weaks with shedder crabs at this time of year. But as the season progresses, Dave starts using strips of croakers, spots or other fish in the bay, namely bluefish, especially when shedders start to become scarce in September, and those baits work well. His anglers now used strips of croakers and spots to tip the shedder crab baits, and that produced. They usually fish a single-hooked bottom-fishing rig on a fish finder, with small hooks these days, for the smaller weaks than in the past, and bucktail dressing the hook. Lots of different colors of bucktail are carried on the boat, because the trout can prefer different colors on different days, but green often works, and pinks and blues sometimes produce. Bucktail jigs can also work when currents and tides allow them to be fished, and one angler aboard Monday caught lots of weaks on a bucktail jig tipped with shedder or strip baits. The population of bluefish in the bay was less thick than before, and none was balled up as much as previously, but the blues were a little larger and 2 pounds recently. Between the weaks and the blues, fishing was kept interesting. Charters on the boat did no flounder fishing, but 12 or 15 short flounder were a by-catch on a weakfish trip Sunday. Keeper flounder sounded more difficult to find lately, but flounder fishing is still an option on the boat. But most charters want to target weaks, and Dave specializes in weakfishing, too.

Strong winds blew the past four or five days, and a storm Sunday chased everyone home early, but two or three keeper flounder were landed among shorts Wednesday, and three or four were taken Saturday, said Capt. Howard from the <b>Salt Talk</b>. No keepers were hooked Sunday before the trip was forced to return prematurely. Shorts even began to thin out this past week, and charter boats that fished close to shore found weakfish and small croakers, and although the Salt Talk’s open-boat trips and charters will continue to flounder fish, they’ll switch to weaks and other fish if that becomes necessary. The current flounder trips were also coming back with small blues 10 to 15 inches. Open-boat trips are fishing for flounder 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

Weakfish finally started to be picked up, including close to Fortescue, such as at the wreck buoy, the Elbow and Flat Top, said Dave from <b>Al’s Bait & Tackle</b>. They were kind of everywhere, and they weren’t big, but some just made the limit size. Lots of spots, good pan-sized fish, swam around, and so did small croakers and little sea bass. Small blues continued to bite, including from the Fortescue surf, and the surf casters also beached spike weaks. Flounder could still be found at spots like the 6 buoy. White perch fishing was excellent at Fortescue Creek, and crabbing was good. Shedder crabs and a full supply of bait is carried.

<b>Bivalve</b>

Quite a few weakfish came in, and fishing was still mostly a mixed bag, with weaks, blues, a few croakers that began to appear, and other fish making up catches, said Pat from <b>Longreach Marina</b>. Not too many flounder were seen. Weakfishing was best in close, including off Thompson’s Beach, and also at the turn buoys and the 1 buoy. Longreach’s annual Kids Fishing Tournament took place Saturday, and the kids caught good numbers of fish, good results. Bobby Carroll won first place in the weakfish division with a 1-pound 10-ouncer, taking home a $100 bond. Rian Gressman scored second with a 1-pound 8-ounce weak for a $50 bond, and Tanner Merritt took third with a 1-pound 4-1/2-ounce weak for a $25 gift certificate to Toys R Us. In the flounder division Daniel Wash won first prize for a 2-pound 14-1/2-ouncer, going home with a $100 bond. If no other flounder were entered, bluefish were supposed to be good for the rest of the flounder prizes, and that’s what happened. So Billy Wetherbee won second with a 1-pound 8-1/2-ounce blue for a $50 bond, and Brent Bowman won third with a 1-pound 5-unce blue for a $25 gift certificate for Toys R Us. Drawings were also held for a boy’s bicycle and a girl’s bike, and Kyle Plummer won the boy’s, and Devin Cooper won the girl’s. A custom-built rod and reel combo by Lucky Lynch was also raffled, and Norman Lure won. All the kids also received goodie bags. Customers and their catches from the week also included: Ron Pargnurn and Chip Berkhart, 12 weaks, 2 kingfish, lots of croakers; Bobby Carroll and Daniel Wash, who also won top prizes in the Kids Tournament, 9 weaks, 13 blues, a king and a croaker; Alan Robbins, 5 weaks; Anthony Albano, Connie Wood and Jimmy Wood, 5 weaks, 2 flounder and some blues; Sean Shannon, 2 weaks, 4 flounder, 2 blues, a blowfish and sea robins; and Tom Sebastian and Cliff Knuab, 12 flounder to 21 inches and some blues. Shedder crabs, minnows and frozen baits are stocked.

<b>Dennisville</b>

Catches of weakfish were pretty good, and anglers had to work for keepers, but lots of the fish swam areas including off Reed’s Beach, Bug Light, the stakes and the number 1 buoy, said Rusty from <b>Captain Tate’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Some were even found around Higbee’s Beach and the concrete ship. Croakers, small ones and not a ton in this area, were supposedly mixed in. Little was heard about flounder, and news about the flatties kind of stopped, and everyone chased weakfish. In the ocean a few flounder, mostly shorts, hugged the reefs, and the reefs gave up small sea bass, porgies, ling and even weakfish. Farther from shore, bluefin tuna became more scattered, and much of the population seemed to push north. The Lobster Claw gave up the best bites, but some could still be found at 19-Fathom Lump and Massey’s Canyon farther south. Most anglers trolled the fish, covering ground to find them, setting up for chunking if seas allowed. But seas were often rough.  Shedder crabs are stocked, and so is a full supply of all the typical baits for this time of year.

<b>Cape May</b>

Anglers with <b>Copacetic Sportfishing</b> put the skids on 15 keeper weakfish to 24 inches, and probably 50 throwbacks were released, and some croakers were mixed in, Capt. Mike said. Shedder crabs and squid soaked in shedder oil were the baits. Another charter trolled the lumps at 30 fathoms to tackle a 114-pound bluefin tuna and two mahi mahi to 15 pounds. Ballyhoos with Ilanders were trolled in the 80-degree waters. Canyon fishing was starting to heat up for yellowfin tuna, marlin and a few wahoos, and overnight chunking for tuna should take off soon in the area. Ocean flounder fishing finally began to improve with warmer water temps.

Croakers, weakfish, flounder, kingfish and blues were coolered on trips off Cape May Point on the <b>Down Deep</b>, Capt. Bob said. Many of the fish were throwbacks and were tossed back, but some were keepers, and the arrival of croakers was good news. Bluefin tuna could be knocked down at 30 fathoms, and the Wetherbee charter claimed a big one. Canyon tuna charters will begin this week.

On the <b>First Cast</b> Jackie Parker, her son Nathan Tylwalk and his girlfriend Amanda Giorgio boated quality-sized weakfish, some croakers and a few throwback flounder a little to the north on Sunday, before a storm chased them in early, Capt. Rob said. Joe Brugger’s group was aboard Saturday, putting together a good pull of weakfish and flounder, probably four or five keepers of each fish and lots of throwbacks, action all day at the same place. On Friday Chris Foster’s group hunted bluefin tuna at 19-Fathom Lump, but waters were green and dirty from west winds, and there was one bite off, probably from a wahoo. Then they tried fishing on the 40 line before deciding to head home. Dana Louneas’ group on Thursday trolled a solid catch of bluefish all day a couple of miles off the beaches.

West winds warmed the ocean front to 71 degrees this past week, said Capt. George from the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>. A few fished the Old Grounds and came back with five or six keeper flounder per trip. Weakfish seemed to be found a little farther up Delaware Bay, like at the 1 buoy, and so did lots of small croakers. Bluefin tuna fishing somewhat slowed on the inshore grounds but could be bagged. George knew anglers who chased them Friday but got none, and another who fished a different place during the weekend and landed several. One angler was getting into decent yellowfin tuna fishing at the canyons, so maybe that was turning on. The Heavy Hitter usually begins canyon fishing in mid August, when catches should heat up.

Inshore fishing gave up a little more action than before, and boaters at Bayshore Channel and just south of the yellow range cans off Cape May picked up mostly small weakfish, some kingfish and some flounder, said Matt from <b>Jim’s Bait & Tackle</b> in a fax. Keeper flounder were mixed in. Flounder fishing at the Old Grounds somewhat improved when winds and currents created the right drifts. Pete Bleeker tackled a 7.62-pound flounder at the Old Grounds. The bluefin tuna population thinned out at Massey’s Canyon and the lumps offshore of 19-Fathom Lump, but the fish were still boated, and right at daybreak on jigs was best. The crew of the Good as Gold hooked three at Massey’s last Monday, and a 114-pounder was weighed in that Paul Groves trolled at the lumps off 19-Fathom Lump. Tuna fishing was spotty farther from shore, but yellowfins were taken at Wilmington Canyon along the 40- and 50-fathom lines. Marlin held along the temp breaks at Baltimore and Poorman’s canyons.

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