<b>Port Elizabeth</b>

Fishing for drum picked up, at least somewhat, said Sharon from <b>The Girls Place Bait & Tackle</b>. The fish were boated at the Horseshoe and near the 16 buoy, farther north and deeper than before. Maybe the drum moved, or maybe just no reports were heard from where many of the fish were boated previously, off Cape May, close to shore. Good catches of drum had turned on there previously, then slowed. Drum fishing might’ve been picking back up now, like could be expected. Drum often bite at first during the season, stop a moment, and bite again. Some anglers think the lull is during spawning. How good the fishing was now was difficult to say, because not a lot of reports came in. That’s because windy weather was relentless, often keeping boaters from fishing. Nothing was heard about summer flounder fishing on the bay, but some keeper flounder were reported from back bays, like in the Avalon area. One trip bagged six flounder off Avalon. Weather was windy for fishing the back bays, too, but fishing in wind can be harsher on Delaware Bay’s open water. Some bluefish were still around, in different waters, Sharon guessed. Customers sometimes reported good bluefishing last week. Some big striped bass were still around, only heard about from the surf, not boats. The wind could be a reason. Some anglers beached 37- or 38-inch stripers from the surf. The Atlantic City and Brigantine area seemed to give them up. One woman eased in two 51- and 58-inch stripers from Poverty Beach in Cape May from shore two weekends ago. A few weakfish caught along jetties were talked about. That seemed to be on shedder crab or bloodworms fished under bobbers. Croakers were found two weeks ago, but weren’t mentioned since, though customers headed out to fish for croakers. The shop’s netter found croakers in catches from the bay two weeks ago. Crabbing was so-so for recreational crabbers, and poor for commercials, and the season was early. Fresh clams in the shell, the favorite drum bait, could be stocked when anglers needed.  The wind kept demand down. Minnows and shedder crabs were carried. A few fresh bunker arrived about every other day, and more weren’t carried, only because of demand. Live grass shrimp were stocked on weekends, and all baits, pretty much, were in supply. 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>Newport</b>

Many crabs trapped were throwbacks, or a low percentage were keepers, but some of the experienced crabbers this weekend at the shop kept only crabs 5 ½ inches or larger, said Paul from <b>Beaver Dam Boat Rentals</b>.  That’s an inch larger than keeper size, and they tossed back keepers that were smaller. The number of crabs caught increased, and regular customers were excited about the outlook, saying they’d be back next weekend. Crabs should shed during the current full moon, so more of the crabs should become keepers. Crabs shed to grow, and full and new moons often trigger the shedding. Crabbing can slow down during shedding, because crabs won’t eat then. But not all crabs shed on every moon. The effects of shedding on crabbing only last about a day, this time of year. When crabs begin to mate, the effects can last a number of days. Fishing wasn’t good on the creek during the weekend. One bite was reported. Sometimes fish including white perch, croakers and throwback striped bass can bite in the creek this time of season. Fishing’s been good on the creek in recent years, but isn’t every year. That angling was a pleasant surprise, not necessarily the norm, in other words.  Customers crab and fish from rental boats towed up Oranokin Creek. The staff checks on them each hour, and if customers need a break in the meantime, they simply cell phone the shop to be picked up. The annual contest is being held for the customer who catches the year’s biggest crab from the boats. The crabber with the biggest wins a free rental next year. Look for a Father’s Day Weekend Special to be offered on crabbing on the boats, and details will be announced. Rental kayaks and canoes are available to paddle the scenic creek. Paul raises minnows for fishing bait, and those can be the largest around. But he had to work on the livewells this season, cutting back on the number of baitfish, though the supply is building. The minnows are large because of the fact that he raises them, unlike how most shops get minnows from suppliers, who net the baitfish in the wild. Visit <a href=" http://www.crabulousnj.com/Home_Page.php" target="_blank">Beaver Dam’s website</a>.

<b>Fortescue</b>

The bay’s drum fishing sounded spotty, said Capt. Tom from <b>Erica Leigh Charters</b>. One trip during the weekend bagged three at Tussy’s Slough. A couple of trips fished for drum at the Pin Top and 60-Foot Slough that were known about, getting covered up with sharks, during the weekend. But if drum fishing is going to turn back on, that will probably happen now. The fishing doesn’t last more than another couple of weeks, usually. Trips will probably fish next for drum on the Erica Leigh at the end of the week. Nothing was heard about summer flounder fishing on the bay, but trips probably tried for the flatfish. Flounder trips on the bay will be some of the next fishing aboard the Erica Leigh. Drum are the common target currently. But flounder trips are available now, if the fish are in.

<b>Avalon</b>

From <b>Fins and Feathers Outfitters</b>, Capt. Jim had considered drum fishing on the bay during the weekend, he said. But wind blew 20 m.p.h., and reports about drum weren’t good in previous days. So he nixed that, though drum fishing might’ve changed since. The angling was great a moment, and then slowed, and that often happens with the fishing. Drum seem to feed and then stop a moment, maybe because of spawning, and then feed again, each spring. Drum fishing might become good again, and water was cool enough for the fish to remain. Though wind was brutal, trips aboard fished the back bay during the weekend, instead. The back bay was 58 to 61 degrees or cool during the trips. The temp dropped 5 degrees on incoming tides, because of ocean water. Southerly winds last week cooled the ocean near the coast, because of upwelling. Wind was switching to east now, though. The trip aboard Saturday on the back bay fought 5-pound bluefish and bagged a 27-inch summer flounder. The blues seemed plentiful, and on a trip on the back bay Friday, throwback flounder were released. The back bay was clear on Friday’s trip but muddy on Saturday, because of the wind.  The trips fished from Stone Harbor to Sea Isle City.

<b>Cape May</b>

Drum fishing was good on the bay on two trips Saturday and Sunday on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>, Capt. George said. Trips on some boats struggled to hook the drum those days, but Tom and Dave Stackhouse’s charter, and Ray DeCrane’s, the two trips on the Heavy Hitter, caught the fish to 65 or 70 pounds. Most of the drum weighed 40 or 50 pounds. Some drum got off, too. The bay’s drum fishing usually doesn’t last much longer, so don’t delay. Telephone if interested.

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