<b>Port Elizabeth</b>

More striped bass than before were reported caught from different places including from shore at Reed’s Beach and Fortescue and along Delaware River, said Sharon from <b>The Girls Place Bait & Tackle</b>. A few were heard about from Reed’s, and bigger stripers than before seemed to be banked at Fortescue. Big stripers, of course, came from the river. Large, mature stripers are migrating the river to spawn. A drum was heard about that was landed at Reed’s. Bluefish invaded New Jersey’s coast, and reportedly stormed into the bay. The netter who supplies bait to the store caught blues in the bay. Blues in the bay were good news, and were scarce in the bay in recent years, though they were abundant there in the past. When blues swim the bay, big stripers usually do, too. This week was supposed to include some good weather that should be good for fishing. Cooler weather during the weekend slowed business somewhat, but angling seemed improved. Good catches of white perch seemed to remain in Maurice River, like before, though the weekend’s cooler weather slowed the news. Not many anglers fished from boats yet this season. Many of the marinas were yet to be ready to keep boats in slips this season. Most who fished from boats trailered them, but not a lot of anglers trailered boats yet this year. Fresh clams were somewhat difficult to obtain for the shop to stock this past week, because of wind that kept clam boats from sailing. But the clams were carried, and so were fresh bunker, even if Sharon had to drive to obtain the baitfish. Green crabs were impossible to stock, and apparently weren’t potting well to the north, where most come from, because of cold. Little was reported about recreational crabbers trapping blueclaw crabs yet this season, and water was cool for that. A friend nabbed two undersized blueclaws. 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>

The party boat <b>Salt Talk</b> is undergoing maintenance to be readied for the fishing season, Capt. Howard said. Probably a couple of weeks remain before fishing is kicked off for the year aboard. Some of the first trips will probably fish for drum, if drum bite in the bay. Summer flounder trips will begin when flounder season is opened. That will probably be on May 22, and the government is yet to finalize the date. A few large striped bass began to be landed at Fortescue from shore. Quite a few small stripers were cranked from the shore previously, but bigger ones seemed to arrive recently. A 44-incher caught Saturday was heard about. Howard saw a 7-pound bluefish taken from the shore this weekend. Bunker were reported netted as far up the bay as the Cohansey River. The baitfish seemed a good sign for fishing. Open-boat trips and charters fish on the Salt Talk, including charters for drum that usually swim the bay in May.

<b>Wildwood</b>

<b>Fins & Grins Sport Fishing</b> will begin fishing for striped bass and drum on the bay on Friday, Capt. Jim said. The boat will finish blackfishing on the ocean through Thursday, the final day of blackfishing season, on daily trips. The new moon two weekends ago should have triggered some stripers to spawn in Delaware River and migrate back to the bay. Warming water should cause drum to bite in the bay. Water was up to 54 or 55 degrees this weekend. Trips fish every day, and reservations aren’t required but suggested. Telephone for availability. Fins & Grins fishes from the ocean to Delaware Bay. Though Wildwood is located on the ocean coast, the boat is sailed to the bay to fish, including for stripers and drum each year.

<b>Cape May</b>

Surf fishing for striped bass, lots of throwbacks, sounded good, and the fish were yanked from the ocean now, as well as Delaware Bay, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. They were previously slid from the bay, and clams and bloodworms, sometimes plugs, socked them at both locations. A couple of reports said blues, sizable, 8 pounds or larger, began to tumble the surf. A 26-pound drum was weighed-in that was clammed in the bay’s surf. A couple of other drum were heard about from Reed’s Beach from shore. Bloodworms, fresh clams and green crabs, the blackfish bait, were stocked. Nothing was reported about blackfish.

Trips will fish for drum in May on the bay on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>, Capt. George said. He heard about a few more drum tied into from shore at Reed’s Beach. He mentioned some for the previous report, and someone told him drum begin to bite for boaters when the water reaches 55 degrees. George read water temperature 52 degrees at Brandywine on the bay on a blackfish trip two weekends ago. The Heavy Hitter this weekend sailed for cod and blackfish. Cod and a pollock were bagged on one trip. Mostly throwback cod, but some keepers, bit on the outing. A 3-1/2- or 4-pound blackfish was also bagged, and a conger was also hooked, on the trip. Out-of-season sea bass also hit. On the other trip, blackfishing pumped in a couple of keepers, and the rest were throwbacks. Many were a half-inch shorter than the 15-inch size limit. Spiny dogfish, lots, filled the water on the trips, no matter where fished or the depth. The ocean was 48 to 50 ½ degrees on the fishing grounds, during the two days, and was 52 close to shore, on the way in.

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