<b>Port Elizabeth</b>

Weather and forecasts for weather, including wind and thunderstorms, kept reports scarce, said Sharon from <b>The Girls Place Bait & Tackle</b>. But spots, croakers and small weakfish schooled toward the E.P. Tower and the number 1 buoy. Not a lot was heard about summer flounder, only because few anglers fished in the weather and forecasts. But anglers hope to jump on flounder, before flounder season is closed starting September 27. Some anglers boated resident striped bass, sometimes a keeper, at lighthouses and other structure in the bay, buying bunker for bait. Anglers traditionally begin fishing for migrating stripers on Columbus Day weekend on the bay. Columbus Day is on October 12 this year. The bass began to show up later in recent years. But one never knows when the run will start. When migrating stripers are heard about from farther north in the state, like at Barnegat, they usually appear a week later at Delaware Bay. Tons of small fish, 3 or 4 inches, all different species, schooled the bay, like Sharon never knew about before. White perch fishing was okay at brackish rivers and ditches. Sometimes the perch begin to push into the bay from rivers this time of year. Sometimes they’re found at places like the number 1 buoy in late September. Crabbing was okay. Shedder crabs were still stocked for bait, and the blueclaws will stop shedding soon for the year, as weather cools. All other usual baits, including minnows, are on hand. 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>

The bay’s fishing was a blowout because of weather in the past week, said Bruce from <b>Money Island Marina</b>. But the angling was status quo from the previous weekend, he said.  He reported that a few summer flounder were seen from the bay, and a couple of customers boated white perch upstream from the marina, in Nantuxent Creek, that weekend. Customers will turn attention to striped bass fishing on the bay this fall, the shop’s Facebook page said, and the post included a few photos of the stripers last fall. <a href=" https://www.facebook.com/MoneyIslandMarina" target="_blank">The marina’s Facebook page</a> frequently includes interesting news and reports about goings-on and fishing in the area, and Like the page to follow that. The shop does a good job at that. The marina features a boat ramp, boat slips, dry-dock boat storage, gas, bait and a few items of tackle. Anglers also fish from the shop’s docks on the river for perch, croakers and small striped bass, during seasons when those fish are in. A new family fishing dock was recently launched that features a top cover, an open area for casting, benches and rod holders. 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. A 12-foot aluminum boat with a 6 h.p. outboard is available to rent to fish the creek. The rate is $40 for 3 hours and $80 for a full day.

<b>Newport</b>

Crabbing was no good Sunday, said Paul from <b>Beaver Dam Boat Rentals</b>. He guessed that was because crabs were shedding and mating on the new moon. The shop was closed Saturday, because of rough weather, and crabbing is only available Saturdays and Sundays from the store this time of season. One customer trapped 18 keeper crabs that were 6 inches Sunday. Those were large crabs, but many of the rental-boaters nabbed few crabs that day. New and full moons can trigger the blueclaws to shed and mate, and they won’t eat while shedding and mating, making the crabs difficult to trap. But not all crabs shed at once, and not all those moons cause crabs to shed or mate. The effects on crabbing only last a few days, and the moon will be waxing, not new or full, this weekend. Tides were sometimes drastic, like extremely high, and the moon could also cause that. Commercial crabbers reported slower but okay catches from Delaware Bay this weekend. As water cools this season, some crabs will migrate into creeks for warmth. Some of that migration reportedly began to happen. Still the bay was warm, and warm-water species like pompano and banded rudderfish swam the bay. Customers crab and fish on rental boats towed up Oranokin Creek, running past the shop. White perch and schoolie striped bass swam the creek. One angler landed two 18-inch stripers, casting off the dock into the creek, this past week. Rental boats will be available every Saturday and Sunday through Columbus Day from the shop, as long as crabs can still be trapped, depending on weather. Rental kayaks and canoes will also be available then to paddle the scenic creek. The vessels will also be available on Columbus Day, Monday, October 12, depending on weather. Afterward, the vessels will no longer be available, until spring. All the vessels should be reserved ahead, because they can book up. The store is open daily for supplies. Beaver Dam stocks everything needed for crabbing, from bait, traps and nets to snacks, drinks and suntan lotion. The crew 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>Cape May</b>

Summer flounder were beached from the bay’s surf at the concrete ship in Cape May, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. Spinner sharks began to be reported from the bay’s surf in the town. They could be fun to fight, and are known for jumping. The shop’s Facebook page showed a 4-foot shark that Nick released in the ocean surf at Avalon. “You should’ve been the striper I caught!” he said. His buddies didn’t want him to post a photo of the striper, but a few stripers began to be eased from along surf jetties. A couple were weighed-in last week, and artificials or fresh mullet could be fished for them. Early mornings and evenings seemed to give them up best. But if a day is cloudy, the bass could bite just about any time. The store’s Facebook page mentioned fresh mullet stocked recently, and said the store hoped the mullet would continue to be carried. When Nick gave this report, mullet were yet to migrate to the ocean from back bays. But he thought this cold front might cause them to make the move. The migration of mullet usually causes striper fishing to amp up in the surf. Back bays held bait including mullet, peanut bunker and spearing. A few red drum, the southern species, were banked from the surf. Not much was heard about blackfish from the surf. Small bluefish sometimes rumbled into the surf at Cape May Point, at the confluence of the bay and ocean. Boaters also caught the blues off the point. Boaters on the bay mentioned flounder reeled up toward the number 1 buoy. Closer to the shop, flounder were reported boated from near the 9 and 10 buoys on the bay.

Back to Top