<b>Port Elizabeth</b>

More large striped bass seemed to be caught than before at places like Fortescue, Gandy’s Beach and Elsinboro, near the Salem nuclear plant, from shore, said Sharon from <b>The Girls Place Bait & Tackle</b>. A few of the fish were keeper-sized, and some of those were especially big. Lots of small stripers apparently bit at Fortescue for shore anglers. One customer said clams caught best there, and that a few stripers were keepers that were banked at Gandy’s Beach. So fishing picked up a little, and the shop was busy with customers Saturday, in beautiful weather. Sunday was windier, and business wasn’t quite as busy. Nothing was heard about boating on the bay. But customers bought quantities of fresh clams that were likely used to fish from boats. That was probably for striped bass, not drum. When the dogwoods bloom, the bay’s drum go boom, the saying goes. Or when gnats show up, the drum can expect to be caught. The season was a little early for dogwoods and gnats. But drum fishing is impending on the bay. White perch fishing was good in brackish rivers like the Maurice. Some beautiful perch were around. A club held a perch tournament this weekend, and results were yet to be heard, but the fishing probably went well. Fresh clams have been able to be stocked with no problem. Healthy-looking, fresh bunker was stocked, and the bay was apparently full of the baitfish. The shop’s netter caught plenty. Bloodworms were stocked and were in high demand. When the worms ran out and had to be restocked during the weekend, Sharon was unhappy about the quality, but now had a conversation with the supplier. Green crabs were impossible to stock. Suppliers said the crabbers to the north who usually provide the greens couldn’t trap them, because of cold. The crabs weren’t potting there, and locals could probably trap green crabs, but weren’t set up to provide enough for all the shops and boats that wanted them. 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>Fortescue</b>

Fishing will be kicked off for the season on the party boat <b>Bonanza II</b> with a trip at 7:30 a.m. Saturday, May 2, Capt. Mike wrote on the vessel’s Facebook page. He didn’t say the fish that will be targeted, but trips in the early season usually fish for whatever’s possible, like striped bass. The daily, open-boat trips begin fishing for summer flounder when flounder season is opened. That will probably be on Friday, May 22, and the government is yet to finalize flounder season’s dates. But open-boat trips will sail for drum twice weekly, at 4 p.m. every Wednesday and Friday, like every year. That will begin on Friday, May 8. Charters, including for drum, are being booked. The 2015 season is on! Mike said. 

<b>Cape May</b>

Beach anglers eased in a steady pick of striped bass, pretty good catches, from the bay in town, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. He saw no keepers, but keepers might’ve been bagged. Bloodworms and clams caught, and he fished the surf Wednesday in a rainstorm. We banked a couple, he said, on bloodworms. Stripers surely were landed on Delaware River, too. Nothing was heard about boaters striper fishing. A few blackfish were reported rustled up from along the ocean’s surf jetties. They seemed to begin biting. Bunker schooled around, and spearing popped into the ocean surf. Nick saw the spearing. Fresh clams, both in the shell and shucked, and bloodworms were stocked. Nick was working on carrying green crabs.

A charter blackfished on the southern bay Saturday on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>, Capt. George said. Many throwbacks and a few keepers were swung aboard. All the blackfish were caught on clams, and no green crabs were available from stores. Water was too cold for suppliers to trap the crabs. Most suppliers are from farther north, and the bay on the trip was in the high 40 degrees to low 50s. The Heavy Hitter did no fishing Sunday, and none of the fleet did, in sustained wind that probably blew 20 or 25 knots at Cape May. Fishing aboard is supposed to blackfish this weekend. Charters are booking up to fish for drum on the bay in May on the Heavy Hitter. A tackle shop said a few drum were banked from shore at Reed’s Beach. Drum surely swam the bay, but never bite for boaters until the bay reaches a certain temperature. The shop said a few small stripers were banked at the mouth of Bidwell Creek.  The Heavy Hitter will sail for stripers if the fish can be boated within range of Cape May this season.

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