New Jersey Fishing Reports

Weakfish gathered toward the Maurice River Cove and the E.P. Tower, and croakers also moved in, said Rick from Big Timber Bait & Tackle. Better catches of flounder than before were boated at the 9 and 10 buoys at the southern end of the shipping channel, as the flatbacks migrated toward the ocean. Flounder were also beaten at Bayshore Channel and the Cape May Rips, and kingfish, croakers and other small fish held there. In the Delaware River catfishing remained productive, and largemouth bass fishing became more consistent and also offered bigger lunkers. Fish the grass beds around high tides or the docks in the early mornings or late in the day. Lots of small striped bass filled the river, biting along the island at National Park, off the Gloucester City pier and at the mouth of the Schuylkill River. Small jigs, including jigs with curly tails, and bloodworms will draw strikes. Big bluefin tuna were on a tear at the Lobster Claw, and yellowfin tuna stated to be found last week at Baltimore and Lindenkohl canyons. 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.

Pennsville

Customers started to boat a few weakfish from Sea Breeze to the 6 buoy, said Matt from Shag’s Bait & Tackle. They said the bigger croakers were found toward the southern end of the bay. They also still reeled up flounder but mostly throwbacks. One angler hauled in four puppy drum about 25 pounds apiece at the Elbow, the first time he ever hooked such a catch. On the Delaware River short striped bass could always be played, and fish oyster beds, sandbars or structure like bridge pilings with shedder crabs, bloodworms or jigs. Catfish and white perch were always willing to bite in the river, and toss oily chunks of bait like herring or stink baits for the cats, and soak bloodworms or shedders for the perch. Crabbing was good. Shedder crabs, bloodworms, nightcrawlers, trout worms and frozen baits including squid, bunker, herring, mackerel and clams are stocked.

Newport

Crabbing became spotty from the weekend’s full moon, said Linda from Beaver Dam Boat Rentals. But the sizes of the blueclaws were fantastic, and 5-1/2- and 6-inchers were common, and some customers still busheled out, but others caught like four. Crabbing at the moment required effort, and using something like more than one handline mattered, although handlines are always most effective. But some boaters only worked a few traps, and they really needed to put out more for the best catches until crabbing bounced back soon. Slow downs during full and new moons are typical, but the strength of the slow down varies. Both moons trigger crabs to shed, so they stop eating, and also trigger mating, and lots of crabs were seen mating along the docks. Not all crabs shed at once, and not all mate at the same time. The staff knew the crabs were mating because they were paired up but also because few softshells were around. Paired up crabs can also indicate that crabs are shedding, because when they shed, males hold on to the tops of females to protect them while vulnerable. But since no abundance of softshells were around, the current pairing up indicated mating. The mating also meant that pregnant females will be around, and crabbers are reminded that throwing back pregnant crabs is best to ensure the future population. Some crabbers are only aware of pregnant females when the sponge sack is attached to the crab. But actually the crabs are pregnant a fair amount of time before the sponge sack appears, and then crabbers can tell pregnancy when a female’s bottom is a purplish dome. The crabs with the sponge don’t even appear at Oranokin Creek, where customers crab, and the ones with the sponge show up in the open waters of Delaware Bay. They might also show up toward the mouth of the creek, where it empties into the bay, but Linda never saw any with the sponge in the creek. So if you see the purple dome that shows the crab is pregnant, release the blueclaw unharmed for the health of the population. Although the full moon affected crabbing, catches should certainly improve soon. The season’s been gangbusters so far, and that should continue. Customers at Beaver Dam crab from rental boats that are towed up the creek. The staff checks on them every hour, and if crabbers want to take a break in the meantime, they simply cell phone the shop, and the staff comes and gets them. Reserving a boat ahead of time is a good idea on both weekdays and weekends, because the boats are in demand. Daylong canoe and kayak rentals are also available, and customers usually use them to paddle up the creek to enjoy the abundant wildlife. Linda reminded paddlers that fall is a beautiful time to ply the creek. Beaver Dam provides everything needed for crabbing, including trap sales and rentals, bait, crab spice, crab crackers, suntan lotion, drinks, snacks and ice cream.

Fortescue

Croakers and a couple of sizeable flounder to 20 inches were boated on the Albatross, and a few weakfish were around, so fishing seemed to improve, Capt. Ziggy said. He hoped the fishing was “on the way up,” he said. Many of the croakers were small, and small weakfish were also about, but decent-sized ones could be culled. Everybody was catching.

Anglers limited out on weakfish yesterday with Andrea Charters about three-quarters of a mile southwest of the number 1 buoy in 18 feet, Capt. Dave said. Probably 25 blues were also landed, and a kingfish and a flounder were taken to boot. Imparting action to the bait was one of the keys to catching the weaks, and once the crew got the anglers squared away with that, they connected. Anglers on the boat fish shedder crabs on a single hook on a fish-finder rig, and lately they tipped the shedder with a strip of croaker, spot or bluefish that could also be caught in the area. To impart action, they toss out the bait, let it hit bottom and settle a moment, lift up the rod 6 or 8 inches and reel in the line a bit, let it settle and stay on bottom a moment, and repeat. When the bait reaches the boat, they do it all over again. The movement attracts the predatory weakfish, but it also helps avoid fish like the load of small croakers and some sharks in the area that tend to pounce on stationary baits. Dave uses small hooks and small pieces of bait for the finicky weaks, and he dresses the hooks with colored bucktail. Green is one favorite, but preferred colors change from day to day, including pinks and blues. He carries about 30 different colors of bucktail on the boat, tying the hair on the hook onboard with the knot that he uses to snell the hook. Many of the croakers were small close to shore, but that’s where weakfish were larger. But a large quantity of bigger croakers swam deeper waters. Trips also caught the fish over the weekend, and the action now was non-stop, with a variety of fish biting. Besides the fish already mentioned, a porgy showed up on a trip. Five keeper flounder were also nailed in the past days.

“Croakers, croakers croakers,” said Capt. Mike from the Bonanza. It’s been pretty good, he said. When enough anglers joined trips, the boat sailed far south to the Anchorage for the fishing. When fewer patrons hopped aboard, the vessel fished inshore and closer to Fortescue, where croakers, a few weakfish and some blues were reeled in. Rods were kept bent, and the fishing was active, was good. Two keeper flounder 19 ½ inches and 24 inches were also belted in the past days. September 7 is the last day of flounder season, so a special, open-boat flounder trip will fish the Old Grounds Wednesday, August 27. Reservations are required, and to book, call 609-381-2978. The trip was scheduled for that day in case it gets weathered out, so there’s time to reschedule. Many of the flatties moved to the ocean, and the rough bottom at the Old Grounds traditionally attracts them. The fishing often depends on conditions or the right combination of winds and currents that create the right drifting speed, and conditions can’t be predicted, but when the bite is on, the Old Grounds can offer some of the best flattie fishing anywhere off South Jersey. Open-boat trips are fishing the bay daily 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., and charters are on tap.

Daily trips on the Salt Talk started fishing for croakers on Friday, after targeting flounder earlier in the week, Capt. Howard said. Flounder fishing dropped off, and croaker fishing picked up, so the boat sailed for the hardheads at the Anchorage on the first trip, and a bunch got boated. But vessels at Miah Maull also came back with plenty, so the Salt Talk started fishing there during the weekend, and catches were good. Weakfish, mostly throwbacks, were mixed in, and so were several flounder. The fishing kept anglers busy, and they had to pick through small fish, but larger ones also came aboard, and catching was productive, good trips. Open-boat trips are fishing 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, and charters are also available.

Quite a few weakfish, more than last year, swam the bay, and many catches came from around the E.P. Tower and the lower bay, said Dave from Al’s Bait & Tackle. A few of the trout also turned up closer to Fortescue, like toward the Elbow and Flat Top, but the fish seemed bigger farther south at this point. Waters near Fortescue also attracted blues, and flounder fishing kind of dropped off. Bug Light was a place to look for big croakers. Fortescue surf casters beached blues, small weaks and small croakers. Plenty of white perch filled Fortescue Creek, and spearing, peanut bunker and other baitfish filled the creek. Tons of small striped bass roamed the creek. Shedder crabs and the full supply of baits are stocked.

Bivalve

Things picked up, and the weekend’s fishing was great, but the whole past week’s catches were good, said Pat from Longreach Marina. Customers checked in weakfish, including limits, croakers, flounder and other fish, and many targeted weaks anywhere from the 1 buoy to the 2 and 3, down to Bug Light, and the whole stretch between. Customers and their catches included: Tony Guinta and Denny Weaver, limit of weaks both Sunday and Thursday; Jeremy Gant, Tristan Raines and Travis Vertolli, limit of weaks to 25 inches at the 1 buoy; Tyler and Rob Smith, 5 weaks at Bug Light; Dave Parkhill and father and son Bob and Bob Carroll, limit of weaks, 10 blues and 2 flounder; Tony LaGrota, limit of weaks; Gary Wilson and crew, limit of weaks; Allen Robbins, 5 weaks 15 inches apiece; Charles and Bill Mills, 3 weaks 18 inches apiece and lots of croakers; Mike Digenze and Dawn, 3 weaks, a bunch of blues and lots of sharks; Bill and Casper Pierdamonico, 3 flounder, 1 kingfish and 1 blue; and John and Kim Plummer, 18 white perch at one of the creeks. Shedder crabs, minnows, squid and all the frozen baits are stocked.

Dennisville

Bug Light, the stakes, the Punk Grounds and pretty much all over the bay held a bunch of weakfish, and anglers had to sort through to grab keepers, but keepers were there, said Rusty from Captain Tate’s Bait & Tackle. Some better-sized croakers started to appear, and one angler said he worked his way south and found the bigger ones past the ferry and lighthouses. Most anglers abandoned flounder fishing once the weaks came in, but a few flounder, mostly shorts, could be located at Bayshore Channel and the Cape May Rips, and other fish including croakers, an occasional school of weaks, a few kingfish and baby sea bass gathered in the area. A handful of small blues, not many, popped up here and there. In the back bays flounder fishing remained about the same as it’s been, with an abundance of shorts but a keeper now and then. Deep-water flounder fishing at places like the Old Grounds and Reefs produced when conditions created the right drift, but getting the perfect drift sounded tough. The fish were probably there, though. A party boat captain said quite a few tog, including 8-pounders, hugged the reefs, if anglers wanted to bag the current one-tog limit, before it jumps to six on November 16. The 5- to 10-mile wrecks were best for togging, and the blackfish also swam along the jetties. Sea bassing was hit or miss at the ocean pieces, and many of the fish were small, and probably the farther offshore, the larger the lumpheads. The tuna grounds became a little crowded, as boaters targeted the areas where most fish swam. Bluefins were fought at the Lobster Claw area, and if anglers fished a little farther offshore there, yellowfins were mixed in. A few yellowfins were also taken at the tip of Wilmington Canyon and at Lindenkohl Canyon when anglers found the right waters, like a temperature break.

Cape May

Copacetic Sportfishing fished off Cape May Point on a trip, loading up on croakers, kingfish, flounder and weakfish, a good mixed bag, Capt. Mike said. Plenty of decent-sized croakers and kings made the cooler, and most of the flounder and weaks were on the smaller side, but a few keepers of each were bagged. Another trip fished offshore, trolling two 40-pound yellowfin tuna and a couple of quality sized mahi mahi along the 30- and 40-fathom lines. Big bluefin tuna also roamed the area, and the trip tried chunking for them and broke off a big fish, apparently a bluefin. A couple of charters later in the week are supposed to hunt deep-water flounder along the ocean rough bottom, and that action picked up.

Al Miller’s group on the Heavy Hitter reeled in 12- to 14-inch croakers, not a bad size, in deep waters on the bay Saturday, Capt. George said. Smaller ones were also released, and another charter trolled a double header of 100-pound bluefin tuna, and a limit of one was bagged. A 32-inch yellowfin tuna, some mahi mahi and a wahoo were also trolled, all in 40 to 50 fathoms and 75- to 76-degree waters.

Four-hour trips dusted plenty of croakers and kingfish off Cape May Point on the Down Deep, Capt. Bob said. Trolling for bluefish kind of dried up at the point and farther offshore at 5-Fathom Bank, and a trip Sunday found none at 5FB, and waters were almost emerald green. But the speedsters should pop up again. A few tuna charters sailed, including the Batewin party, who smoked a 171-pound bluefin and six yellowfins about 40 pounds apiece in 30 fathoms. The Rosenweig group slammed a 150-pound bluefin, six yellowfins 30 to 40 pounds and six mahi mahi around the same depths. The Robinson Pallet Company trip with Ron Leider fished the same area for a 150-pound bluefin, a 45-pound wahoo and some big mahi mahi.

The rips and waters off Cape May Point held decent numbers of croakers and kingfish, said Matt from Jim’s Bait & Tackle in a fax. Flounder fishing at the Old Grounds continued to improve, and doormats to 10 pounds were coming in. He and a friend hit the Old Grounds with Capt. Lyle Rutty on his vessel She Likes It Rough, returning with 20 keepers to 7 pounds. Peter Casey Jr. weighed in a 10.21-pound flatback from the Old Grounds. Better reports than before came from flounder fishers at Reef 11 about good-sized flatties finally there. Bluefin tuna fishing was outstanding last week, with 200-pounders drilled at the Lobster Claw. Yellowfin tuna hung in 40 to 50 fathoms, short of the canyons.