<b>Port Elizabeth</b>

The bay’s drum fishing seemed to slow a lot, said Sharon from <b>The Girls Place Bait & Tackle</b>. The shop was busy with anglers headed for drum this weekend, but all who reported back talked about slow fishing. Clams were difficult to obtain for bait for drum, because weather often kept clam boats from sailing. But the bait couldn’t be put to good use anyway. Drum were marked and heard booming, anglers said. The fish weren’t gone, but whether they’d bite again this season was unknown. The fishing turned on a short time this year, about two weeks. Every year can be different, Sharon guessed. Weather was rough for fishing the bay almost every day in past weeks. That didn’t help. Wind blew strongly, and storms recently sometimes came through. Not much was reported about summer flounder fishing on the bay yet this season. The few who tried for the flatfish didn’t report good results. Then again, the rough weather probably prevented them from searching around much to find them. Flounder fishing was good in back bays, like at Ocean City and Avalon. Wind affected that, too, but some good catches were talked about. That was the best fishing at the moment. Striped bass were reeled from the surf at Atlantic City and Brigantine. Crabbing was slow. Though fresh clams were scarce this weekend, some were stocked. Minnows and shedder crabs were carried. Speaking of shedder crabs, a favorite weakfish bait, one angler said weaks were heard about that were landed along surf jetties here and there, like on bloodworms or shedders fished with a bobber. Sharon reported some banked at Cape May like that in a past report. But she heard nothing more about them recently. 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>

Crabbing was terrible during the weekend, said Paul from <b>Beaver Dam Boat Rentals</b>. Too much freshwater filled the creek, because of rain, and most crabs scurried to the bay’s saltwater. When the creek turns red, because of cedar water, that’s not good, he said. But the outlook seems better for the next days, so long as no major rains fall, and the freshwater should be temporary. Three inches of rain fell at Beaver Dam, and 6 or 7 inches fell upstream or “up county.” Fishing was no good on the creek, too. Those who fished left early. Customers crab and fish from rental boats towed up Oranokin Creek, running past the shop. The staff checks on them every hour, and if customers need a break in the meantime, they simply cell phone the store to be picked up. Take advantage of the Fathers’ Day Special on Sunday, June 21: reserve a boat to crab that day, and get a party pizza and a liter of soda gratis. The boats must be reserved ahead to get the special, and the boats completely sold out last year for the special. Beaver Dam carries everything needed for crabbing, from bait, traps and nets to suntan lotion, snacks and drinks. Beaver Dam hosts groups like family reunions, birthdays and scouts, and can offer an educational day about the environment. Rental kayaks and canoes are available to paddle the scenic creek.  The rental boats, kayaks and canoes are currently available every Saturday and Sunday, and will become available daily on June 29 for the season. Visit <a href=" http://www.crabulousnj.com/Home_Page.php" target="_blank">Beaver Dam’s website</a>.

<b>Avalon</b>

Bluefish 2 and 3 pounds or 18 and 20 inches were fought from the bay Saturday with <b>Fins & Feathers Outfitters</b>, Capt. Jim said. Throwback summer flounder 12 inches were released, and the trip fished toward Miah Maul. Depths 18 to 20 feet, near the EP Tower, fished best, and the blues were hooked on bunker snagged for bait among big schools of the menhaden. That was fished on single-hook rigs along bottom, the same rigs fished for the flounder. The trips also fished the stakes northwest of the EP, and a few blues bit there, but wind gusted then, in a temporary spell. Storms with lightning and thunder were seen at a distance over land during the trip. But the storms never threatened the boat. Sharks and skates also bit, a mixed bag. The 61-degree water was fairly clean, except near Bug Light, after weather had just rolled through. The bay’s drum fishing reportedly slowed in past days, according to a tackle shop. The shop was switching to focusing on flounder, less on drum.  Another trip was slated to fish the bay yesterday, and another is tentatively scheduled to fish the bay Wednesday. Fins and Feathers trailers the boat to wherever’s near the fishing, when fishing the bay. The boat sails from Avalon from the slip, when the ocean and back bay are fished. Fins offers fishing on Delaware Bay, the ocean and the back bay and a variety of other outdoor adventures. That includes duck and goose hunting, during the waterfowl seasons, on Delaware Bay and in surrounding states. Anglers can even enjoy a combo of striped bass fishing and duck hunting on Delaware Bay over a series of days in autumn. Fins also offers salmon and steelhead fishing on upstate New York’s Salmon River from Jim’s lodge, and fly-fishing for trout on Pennsylvania’s streams like the Yellow Breeches.

<b>Wildwood</b>

One or two drum boated were heard about from the bay in past days, said Capt. Jim from <b>Fins & Grins Sportfishing</b>, and somewhat of a bite kicked in early last week. But the angling was slow this weekend, and a drum trip aboard Saturday hooked dogfish, cownosed rays and skates. Drum might still bite in the bay, and the season might be early for the fish to depart. On the ocean, sea bass fishing began to improve some, and Fins & Grins will bottom-fish, including for sea bass. Sharks are beginning to be fought from the ocean, and bluefish should begin to school the ocean banks soon. Fins & Grins sails for all these fish and any catches available. Trips aboard sail from the slip on the back-bay at Wildwood to reach Delaware Bay. Trips are available daily, and reservations are suggested but not required. Telephone for availability.

<b>Cape May</b>

One drum was hauled from the bay Saturday on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>, Capt. George said. Only sharks, skates and rays bit on a drum trip Sunday aboard. The one drum on Saturday was big, 70 pounds, but George is probably finished with drum fishing for the season. Some still swam the bay, surely, but a trip aboard is booked to drum fish Saturday, and the trip won’t fish for drum now. George had told the anglers drum fishing might not be an option that late in the season. He might not fish for drum anymore this year. Clams were also difficult to obtain for bait for drum. Suppliers this time of year begin to provide fewer clams, because of demand. A limited supply of clams was available this weekend, and the clams on Sunday’s trip needed to be cut in half, because they began to run low, when all the junk fish bit, like six sharks at once. Sea bass fishing is an option aboard the ocean now. Shark fishing on the ocean could be, and some mako sharks, not big, were landed on Cape May boats during the weekend. Nothing was heard about tuna recently, and weather was rough to sail for tuna offshore. Bluefin tuna that swim closer to shore could arrive before long. George has run into them as early as mid-June. He found them that early while competing in the Ladies Invitational Bluefish Tournament one year. The Heavy Hitter begins fishing for summer flounder somewhat later in the year, usually. Flounder trips aboard mostly fish the ocean, at places like the reefs and the Old Grounds, and the water needs to warm for the best flounder fishing on the ocean.

Weakfish bit fairly well along the jetties, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. That included big, like a 10-1/2-pounder a customer beached on a bucktail. Bucktails, soft-plastic lures on jigheads and bloodworms on floats grabbed the weaks. A few striped bass remained in the surf, for those who could fish through dogfish. Fishing for the bass at night wasn’t so important as fishing on incoming tides that seemed best. Sometimes striper fishing becomes best at night as the season warms. Summer flounder were lifted from the back bay at Wildwood.

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