[Captain Phil]

This past summer, on my way out to fish for flounder, id bait my crab pots. On the way back (with no fish), Id pull my pots and they would be filled with crabs.
I was talking to a friend who fishes the north shores and he said every time they would go out, they would bring back a bunch of keeper flounder....but no crabs.

How come our crabbing down here, was so good and our fishing so poor??

Which is better...crabs or fish?

Lets hear some opinions...

 

[Esox1]

I agree the crabbing was and still is excellent this year in southern NJ. I cannot say fishing was bad. Early season striper fishing was excellent. Fluke was average in the bay but picked-up out front. Blues normal. Keeper seabass is picking up on the wrecks. Tog should be as great as last year. Many large tog released so far until the Nov. 15 increase. Croakers the best I have every seen. Spike weakfish good out front. I will say that weakfish in the back has been poor. I get the feeling the bubba blues and stripers will come in strong. To answer your question, I would throw out one or two commercial crab traps then go fishing out front, get the best of both worlds.

 

[nospot2fsh]

Crabbing has been excellent. Wish my boat was still running, I be crabbing now.

 

[Captain Phil]

Esox1...yes offshore fishing was pretty good, but I ment back bays. Sorry, I wasnt specific, but the stripers and tog seem to be running in the back. I look forward to finding some