<b>Port Elizabeth</b>

A few summer flounder were reported tugged from the bay this weekend, said Sharon from <b>The Girls Place Bait & Tackle</b>. Not a lot were, but a few were keepers. No locations were mentioned for the catches. Nothing was heard about ocean flounder fishing in past days. Maybe that was because of rough seas after wind at the end of the week. Some reported flounder fishing at the Old Grounds on the ocean early last week, but didn’t catch well. Sometimes catches of bigger flounder pick up late this month and in September. Weakfish schooled the bay toward the number 1 buoy and the E.P. Tower. A few croakers were scattered around the bay. Where weakfish are found, croakers usually are.  Kingfish were plucked from the ocean surf here and there. Crabbing improved a lot, and many supplies sold were for crabbing. August and September are usually months for crabbing, and people took advantage. Baits stocked include minnows. Shedder crabs usually arrive daily, and if the live crabs fail to arrive, frozen are always carried. Frozen will catch, and frozen are the shedders Sharon takes fishing, anyway. Fresh bunker is on hand when available, and the menhaden were difficult to obtain this weekend. Offshore baits like butterfish and ballyhoos are stocked. Catches of tuna, not big, were heard about from the Hot Dog from offshore boaters. They nailed a bunch of mahi mahi on the way back. 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.

<b>Money Island</b>

Summer flounder fishing became pretty good on the bay, said Bruce at <b>Money Island Marina</b>. A few keepers, some good-sized, were seen during the weekend, and lots of throwbacks were let go. Bruce wasn’t asked the location, because he usually doesn’t hear about that. Customers fish their favorite holes and drifts near the shop on the bay. Off the docks, fishing was strong for croakers and white perch on Nantuxent Creek, running past the store. Striped bass, including keepers, began to be boated up the creek, believe it or not, he said. The marina features a boat ramp, boat slips, dry-dock boat storage, gas, bait and a few items of tackle. Bait stocked currently usually includes minnows and frozen bait, like spearing and mackerel. Live grass shrimp are usually carried on weekends. A bushel of fresh bunker is normally kept on ice on weekends to sell.

<b>Newport</b>

Crabbing was improving, said Paul from <b>Beaver Dam Boat Rentals</b>. Some crabbers trapped half-bushels of keepers Monday. Most totaled 1 ½ to four dozen keepers recently. Some totaled 10, and crabbing wasn’t as good as Paul would expect, but was “less spotty.” The majority of crabs were 5 inches or larger, and few were throwbacks. Small crabs began to be seen more often than before, and Paul was glad to see them, because that should be good for the population. Many crabs grew to 6 inches now, and 6-1/2-inchers were seen the other day. Crabs grow during the warm months, and burrow in mud and hibernate in winter. Some of Monday’s customers fished, and Paul was yet to hear results. They were fishing when he gave this report in a phone call that afternoon. But white perch swam the creek, and a few croakers reappeared in the water, after disappearing a moment. Schoolie striped bass roamed the creek. Customers crab and fish from rental boats towed up Oranokin Creek, running past the store. The staff checks on them every hour, and if customers want a break in the meantime, they simply cell-phone the shop to be picked up. Rental kayaks and canoes are available to paddle the scenic creek. All of these vessels should be reserved ahead of time, because they book up. Beaver Dam provides everything needed for crabbing, from bait, traps and nets to snacks, drinks and suntan lotion. Beaver Dam hosts groups like scouts and family reunions, and can provide an educational day about the environment. Visit <a href=" http://www.crabulousnj.com/Home_Page.php" target="_blank">Beaver Dam’s website</a>.

<b>Wildwood</b>

Kingfish bit off Cape May Point, said Capt. Jim from <b>Fins & Grins Sport Fishing</b>. Bluefish popped up off the point sometimes, and throwback weakfish swam off the point. Blues also schooled the ocean off Hereford Inlet. Fins & Grins fished on two trips Saturday and two Sunday, despite some weather and seas. Wasn’t pleasant, he said, but the trips caught. They focused on bluefish off Hereford, about the only fishing possible in the conditions. Plenty of blues can be found, and they keep rods bending. Inshore sharking was tried aboard Sunday that Fins has been doing. But the water held a 6- to 8-foot heave, and no sharks were hooked. Rods bounced all around. The sharking, mostly for sand tigers, required to be released, began to slow down somewhat. But the ocean and Delaware Bay, where the sharks are fought, remained warm enough, and the sharks should stick around. Fins tags the fish for NOAA, and the angling is a chance to fight big catches. Jim’s looking forward to a “big” September for summer flounder fishing. Fins fishes for any species available. Trips fish every day, and reservations aren’t required but suggested. Telephone for availability. Trips depart from the slip at Wildwood to fish, including to fish Delaware Bay.

<b>Cape May</b>

Summer flounder were sometimes heard about from Flounder Alley on the bay, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. Cape May Channel harbored kingfish, croakers and summer flounder. Surf casters banked croakers at Cape May Point and Higbee’s Beach. Nick and another angler landed five striped bass to 24 inches under the Cape May Canal Bridge at night on chartreuse paddle tails 5 inches on a trip. Two striped bass were weighed-in that were boated at Cape May Inlet on drifted eels. An angler fishing on foot from the inlet popper-plugged small stripers on every cast while birds worked the water. A redfish, the southern species, was yanked from the inlet. One angler landed two throwback blackfish at the Townsend’s Inlet jetty, before running out of bait. Baits stocked include minnows, bloodworms and fresh shrimp.

Back to Top