<b>Port Elizabeth</b>

Summer flounder were still caught from the back bay at Avalon, Tyler from <b>The Girls Place Bait & Tackle</b> knew, he said. He heard no reports about flounder from Delaware Bay, and many customers headed to fish during the weekend, and he was waiting to hear results. Croakers schooled off Reed’s Beach and East Point. Crabbing improved in the past two weeks. The Girls Place, located on Route 47, just after Route 55 ends, carries a large supply of bait and tackle, and is the long, one-story, yellow building on the right. It’s on the way to the bay. Bait stocked currently includes minnows and shedder crabs.

<b>Money Island</b>

Was a busy weekend at <b>Money Island Marina</b>, Bruce said. Lots of throwback flounder and an occasional keeper were hooked from the bay. He saw one keeper on Saturday. Bluefish were also boated on the bay. Plenty of croakers, white perch and small striped bass were tugged from the docks. So were oyster crackers and eels. Bloodworms and grass shrimp were fished there. Most customers sailed for flounder, drifting on boats from the 6 buoy to Miah Maul. Most had favorite holes and courses to fish. They dunked minnows, mackerel and squid for the flatfish. The blues were usually caught by chance, during flounder fishing, when the trips happened to run across blues. But a couple of customers targeted the blues specifically. Crabbing seemed to begin picking up. Crabbing isn’t really possible from the docks, because Nantuxent Creek runs too rapidly. Commercial crabbing also seemed to begin improving. The marina features a boat ramp, boat slips, dry-dock boat storage, gas, bait and a few items of tackle, like hand-tied striper rigs and locally made sinkers. Bait stocked currently includes minnows and, on weekends, live grass shrimp. Frozen bait like spearing, squid and bunker is on hand. The shop tries to keep a bushel of fresh bunker on ice on weekends to sell.

<b>Newport</b>

Crabbing was off, coming off last week’s full moon, but fishing was definitely improving, said Paul from <b>Beaver Dam Boat Rentals</b>. Full and new moons can trigger the blueclaws to shed, and that can slow crabbing, because crabs won’t eat while shedding. But not all crabs shed on every moon. A couple of boats on Monday returned with 2 ½ dozen keepers and a dozen, respectively. A good number of crabs now were 5 or 5 ½ inches, and many babies skittered around. “So that’s a good sign,” he said. The creek looked somewhat like cedar water, because of freshwater from rain, and that can also slow crabbing. That seemed not to bother the fishing. Anglers this weekend, not experienced, fishing with rods like kids’ poles from Walmart, tied into four striped bass to 24 inches, and lost a big one at boat-side, when the rod broke. But the angler was happy! Customers today were supposed to fish for croakers and perch on the creek, using bloodworms for bait. The worms would probably mop up even better catches, and the previous anglers fished with a variety of improvised baits, not the bloods. Paul raises minnows for fishing, and had to work on the livewells this season. That kept him from selling the baitfish yet this year, but his supply currently was on the cusp of having the year’s first to sell, was increasing. When the supply is up to speed, the minnows are some of the largest anywhere, because he raises them. Most shops get minnows from suppliers who catch the baitfish in the wild. Customers crab and fish from rental boats towed up Oranokin Creek, running past the shop. The staff checks on them every hour, and if customers want a break in the meantime, they simply cell-phone the store to be picked up. Rental kayaks and canoes are available to paddle the scenic creek. Beaver Dam hosts groups like scouts and family reunions, and can offer an educational day about the environment. Visit <a href=" http://www.crabulousnj.com/Home_Page.php" target="_blank">Beaver Dam’s website</a>.

<b>Fortescue</b>

Boaters docked mixed bags of catches including bluefish and sometimes summer flounder, weakfish and croakers, said Capt. Tom from <b>Erica Leigh Charters</b>. Three or four of his dock neighbors all cleaned fish Sunday after trips. Keeper flounder were few and far between, or more of them were yet to move in, though throwbacks, like 16- to 17-inchers, were in. Anglers fished for flounder mostly from Flat Top to Miah Maul, including at the Ditch and off False Egg Island Point. A buddy pasted a 24-inch flounder on Saturday. Blues 3 and 4 pounds were fought Sunday. Some of the weakfish were keepers that schooled. Croakers were out there.   

<b>Wildwood</b>

<b>Fins & Grins Sport Fishing</b> continued to fight and release big sharks on the bay, Capt. Jim said. The trips tagged the fish, including sand tigers, sandbars and duskies, for NOAA, and the sand tigers averaged 250 to 300 pounds. The fishing was consistent, almost guaranteed to catch, a chance to fight big fish without sailing offshore, at half the price. So Fins was sticking with it. The boat fishes for any species available, from Delaware Bay to the back bay to the ocean, sailing from the slip at Wildwood. That’s along the ocean coast, not Delaware Bay, but isn’t a long trip to the bay. Fins fishes every day, and reservations aren’t required, but suggested. Telephone for availability.

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