Ocean anglers continued to enjoy good flounder action. Flatties came from Reef Sites 9, 10 and 11, as well as natural bottom between DB and DA Buoys. Divers report most inshore wrecks are surrounded by fluke as well. Flatfish responded to offerings of squid strips or other fresh cut baits, usually combined with smelts or shiners. Gulp! soft artificials have proven deadly, especially when added to bucktail jigs. Jig and teaser rigs have been responsible for many nice fish, and work well on either heavy structure or open bottom. Lots of undersized flounder were released by boaters during the week, but some very respectable specimens were brought in. Whopper of the week was landed by Mary McElhone. She wrestled her 8.54 pound doormat from Ocean structure while drifting aboard Katydid. Burt Betts boated a 7.9 pound beauty at Site 11. Mate Chris Vann took a little break from his duties on the deck of Katydid and pulled in a citation worthy 7.7 pound fluke. Joe Ryan jigged a bucktail and Gulp! combo at Site 10 to put an impressive limit in the box, including three mats weighing 5.6 pounds each and a fourth scaling 7.4 pounds. Dan McGeady managed a 6.4 pound flattie on Katydid Wednesday. The crew from Hazzard Electric joined Captain Carey on the Grizzly to harvest a limit of flounder Tuesday, including three citation fish over 7 pounds, plus two more over 6. Croakers remained thick between Site 10 and DB Buoy. Flounder diehards considered hardheads a nuisance, but those looking to put lots of eaters in the cooler loaded up on tasty panfish. More legal sized sea bass showed among catches. They were mixed in with flatties on Old Grounds structure, and at Site 11. Bottom bouncers still sent back loads of shorts, but the ratio of keepers seemed better. Sea bass season will shut down on September 18th, then start up again October 18th. In Delaware Bay, fishermen had to contend with strong tidal currents, and it was the same old story. A few flounder came for Reef Sites 6,7 and 8, but bites were limited to the very beginning and end of the tides. A mix of croakers, puffers, porgies, kingfish and snapper blues gathered around Reef Site 8. The largest hardheads hung tight to reef rubble. Clams, squid, bloodworms, shrimp and Fishbites were favored baits. Snapper blues were hooked around the Ice Breakers by those tossing bucktails tipped with squid, or flashy metal jigs. Land based casters got good news. The Cape Henlopen Fishing Pier reopened September 4th, just in time for Labor Day Weekend. The first phase of repairs to 108 pilings was recently completed, and the pier was considered safe for traffic again. The second phase, which entails decking replacement, plus work on the superstructure and fencing, is scheduled to be done during the winter.