<b>Brooklawn</b>

The bay near Fortescue was probably the best bet for flounder anglers, and eight to ten keepers per boat was average, good fishing, said Rick from <b>Big Timber Bait & Tackle</b>. A few anglers fished the ocean at Reef 11 and the Old Grounds, scoring well on the flatties. In the Delaware River near the shop, weed cover was around, so fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass was happening. Also on the Big D, large catfish prowled the bottom, and the number of striped bass, lots of 28- to 30-inchers, seemed abundant. The shop was selling 10 flats of bloodworms per day for striper fishing, a large amount for this time of year. Along the coast, a few kingfish began to appear in the South Jersey surf, and bluefish were boated in the ocean farther north. In the ocean at the East Lump and Sea Isle Ridge, bonito were sometimes reported fought. Rick heard about no bluefin tuna in such areas so far. Unconfirmed reports said bluefins were taken farther south at the Hambone, and small yellowfins were boated offshore at Lindenkohl Canyon. But sounded like the fishing was spotty, and one trip might catch, and others might get skunked.  Big Timber 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>

White perch, catfish and small striped bass were pulled from the Delaware River, said Wade from <b>Shag’s Bait & Tackle</b>. The perch gobbled up bloodworms, and the catfish scarfed up strong-smelling baits like bunker or Power Baits. The stripers nibbled bunker, bloodworms or shedder crabs. In the bay flounder were found all over, pouncing on minnows, shedder crabs or Gulps. Crabbing was terrible, messed up because of the shed. Fresh bunker, shedder crabs, bloodworms, Power Baits, Gulps and frozen baits are stocked.

<b>Port Elizabeth</b>

The bay around the stakes off Fortescue drew in flounder, said Linda from <b>The Girls Place Bait & Tackle</b>. Boaters during the weekend coolered flounder in the ocean at the Old Grounds off Delaware. Just a handful of croakers, not many, started to push into the bay. Anglers hoped that was a start to their arrival. Along the coast surf anglers picked up a few more kingfish and blues than before. In the Delaware River striped bass could be found.  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>

The more experienced crabbers nabbed a half-bushel to three-quarters of a bushel of the blueclaws, and the novices picked up two to three dozen, said Paul from <b>Beaver Dam Boat Rentals</b>. So catches were in good shape, and sizes were decent, with a fair number of 6-inchers skittering around. Although the full moon was taking place, no signs were seen that the crabs were shedding. But crabs usually shed on the moon, and the staff expected the molt to begin. Crabbing can slow down a moment during the shed, because the crabs refuse to eat when shedding. But not all crabs shed at once, and some can always be caught. Anglers hooked a few schoolie striped bass  from the rental boats and lost a few bigger ones. Crabbers or anglers using the boats get towed up Oranokin Creek, and the staff checks on them every hour. But if the rental boaters want to take a break in the meantime, they simply cell phone the shop, and the staff picks them up. Oranokin is an unusually rich creek for crabbing, and the season is in full swing. Kayaks and canoes are also available to rent for sightseeing on the creek, a wildlife wonderland. Beaver Dam carries everything needed for a day of crabbing, including all different types of traps, hand lines, nets, bait, bug spray, suntan lotion, drinks and snacks. The shop is open 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. Customers should call ahead to reserve rental boats, kayaks and canoes to ensure they’re available. Beaver Dam is available to host groups like scouts for nature education. A gazebo with a grill is available for events like birthday parties and family reunions.

<b>Fortescue</b>

Fifteen to 20 keeper flounder per trip were angled aboard the <b>Buccaneer</b>, and Capt. Ralph was pleased, he said. The fishing couldn’t be better, and it was great. “Tell people to come on down,” he joked. The keepers were good-sized. Two trips Saturday and Sunday racked up catches like that, among shorts tossed back, near Fortescue, close to shore. A few small blues, not many, were hooked.

The bay turned out good flounder fishing through the past week, some of the best seen in a while, and the keeper ratio got a little better, said Capt. Mike from the <b>Bonanza</b>. He thought 72 keepers, including 6- and 5-pounders, were bagged on Sunday’s trip. The boat fished near Fortescue, and Mike saw a 10-pounder that was whacked on a charter vessel. On a couple of days winds hampered the fishing, but the angling recovered afterward. Two or three spaces became available on a special flounder trip to the Old Grounds in the ocean off Delaware on Wednesday, because of a cancellation. Call to jump aboard: 609-381-2978. When conditions are right, the rough bottom at the Old Grounds can give up great floundering, and the fishing was currently going off there and at Reef 11, also in the ocean, when anglers hit the right drifting. More of the open-boat Old Grounds trips should sail later this season. Mike heard about a few croakers that began to arrive in the southern bay, and he heard about no weakfish hooked recently. If croakers and weaks show up in numbers closer to Fortescue, trips will go after them.  The Bonanza is flounder fishing on open-boat trips on the bay 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, so long as no charter is booked. Anglers can check the schedule on the vessel’s Web site for the charter schedule.

Waters near Fortescue served up quality flounder fishing, a little better than before, and the size became somewhat larger, said Capt. Howard from the <b>Salt Talk</b>. The boat only fished 2 ½ miles from the port Sunday, and most trips fished inshore of the wreck buoy, drifting south. Tides sometimes pushed the drift too fast, but otherwise the week was decent. A 6-3/4-pounder, a 5-3/4-pounder and another that was probably 5 pounds came up for patrons Sunday. A charter on Wednesday boxed 39 keepers. One trip, Saturday’s outing,  was slow, and only two keepers were landed. But all other trips bagged keepers numbering in the teens or 20s. Minnows and squid were usually fished, and sometimes strip baits were used when a bluefish or a flounder were caught that were cut up for bait. A few small blues, not many, swam the bay. Open-boat trips are flounder fishing 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., but always call ahead to confirm that no charter is fishing instead.

Flounder swam everywhere near Fortescue, excellent fishing for them everyplace including at the first drop off, the wreck buoy, off the Club House and almost anywhere straight off the port, said Dave from <b>Al’s Bait & Tackle</b>. “If you can’t catch flounder now, you should quit fishing,” he joked. He took a trip Monday that bagged a dozen keepers in 3 ½ hours. The type of bait hardly mattered, because everything worked: minnows, squid, strip baits and all the usual baits. Gulps were popular, and all the different types and colors seemed to work, whether Gulp shrimp, mullet or other patterns or white, green or other colors. The types of baits didn’t really matter on the trip Dave took. He heard about a few limits of weakfish taken near the E.P. Tower, the first time this season he mentioned substantial weakfish catches. A few croakers, big ones, began to appear right off Fortescue. Surf anglers at Fortescue plucked lots of small flounder, occasional keepers, small striped bass, a few croakers and some big spots. Plenty of white perch hung in the creeks, and crabbing became hit or miss, and crabbers had to be in the right place. Minnows are stocked, and so are shedder crabs, bloodworms and all the frozen baits, including the full selection of squid, including whole, Pro Cut and tubes, herring, mackerel, sand eels and just about everything, a large selection.  

<b>Bivalve</b>

Customers pelted flounder, and quite a few were docked during the weekend, said Pat from <b>Longreach Marina</b>. The anglers fished at the number one buoy, Little Egypt between the one and the E.P. Tower, and Miah Maul. A limited amount of minnows were stocked for flounder bait, because the baitfish were scarce. But customers fished with spearing and mackerel carried at the shop, scoring fine. Heads up: Longreach’s annual Kids Fishing Tournament is slated for August 8. Anglers and their catches included: Bob Lauletta, Gloucester City, four flounder and two blues; Bill Lewis and crew, Vineland, 14 flounder; Joe Morgan Sr. and Jr., Joe Fabbri and Tommy, nine flounder 18 to 21 inches; Bob LaBree and Ross DelRossi, Pine Hill, 12 flounder; Bob LaBree on another trip on the Miss Elizabeth, six quality flounder to 3 ½ pounds and three blues; Dave Parkhill, Port Norris, six flounder; Mr. and Mrs. John Angerman, Berlin, flounder 19, 20 and 22 inches and two 25-inchers; Bill and Wes Durham and Bill Ehrler, Franklinville, 13 flounder 18 to 21 ½ inches; Brad and Travis Phillips, Millville, flounder 18 to 21 inches; and Mike Narciso and crew, Millville, three flounder 18 to 22 inches.

<b>Cape May</b>

Great catches of flounder were pounded from the bay to the ocean, said Matt from <b>Jim’s Bait & Tackle</b> in a fax. In the bay the waters from the 16 buoy to the 19 buoy along the shipping channel held plenty of the fish, about 1 in 6 a keeper. The flatties were sometimes taken at Bayshore Channel off Higbee’s Beach at the beginning of outgoing tides. Marty Ferguson from Chestnut Hill, Pa., waxed a 9.12-pounder at Bayshore on Friday. In the ocean, Cape May Reef, Wildwood Reef, Reef 11 and the Old Grounds dished out the fluke. Surf anglers beached the flatties around the rocks at Cape May Point. Jigheads tipped with Gulp Shrimp or Gulp Swimming Mullets, or a single-hooked flounder rig tipped with a strip bait, did the job, when slowly dragged along the bottom. Croakers and weakfish began to show up along the point and at Higbee’s. The weakies mostly bit at first light on bloodworms.

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