<b>Port Elizabeth</b>

A few black drum were heard about that were boated from Delaware Bay, said Sharon from <b>The Girls Place Bait & Tackle</b>. But the fish were boated on one day and not on another, and reports about fishing were generally slow in past days. Even fishing for kingfish sounded slow lately on the bay and was better before. Reasons for any slow fishing couldn’t be known. The bay’s drum fishing usually begins winding down by this time of year, after June’s full moon. Some people said the kingfish were full of horseshoe crab eggs so were reluctant to bite a bait. Even Maurice River’s white perch fishing seemed slow, and when the perch were caught, they were full of the eggs. Maybe that had something to do with it, Sharon guessed. Few summer flounder seemed to swim the bay. That could pick up, or a larger population of the flatfish could arrive. They used to arrive earlier, years ago, but in recent years showed up later. Crabs were shedding, and that slows crabbing, because shedding blueclaws won’t feed. Bait won’t attract them to a trap. But shedding only lasts days, and crabbing’s been great this year. Plenty of customers milled around the shop in great weather this past weekend. Lots of anglers seemed to fish. 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>

Crabs were shedding last weekend, and were also mating, though the season was early for mating, said Paul from <b>Beaver Dam Boat Rentals</b>. All of that can slow crabbing, because crabs won’t eat while shedding or mating. Bait won’t attract them in a trap. But not all crabs shed and mate at once, and the weekend’s catches were just okay, not phenomenal like the previous weekend. Crabbing’s been very good this year at the shop so far, and shedding and mating only lasts for days. Full and new moons often trigger that activity. The sizes of crabs was increasing, and 50 or 60 percent were probably 5 ½ inches. The creek was also alive with 3-inchers, boding well for the year. They’re too small to bag but will grow large enough this summer. Customers who fished hooked catches including a few baby striped bass, a 14-inch, undersized summer flounder and a 1-1/2-pound bluefish. Customers crab and fish on rental boats towed up Oranokin Creek, running past the shop. Rental canoes and kayaks are also available to paddle the scenic creek. The rentals have been available on weekends so far this year, and will become available daily beginning June 24. However, the store will be closed this Fathers’ Day weekend, because the crew will attend a family event. Beaver Dam stocks everything needed for crabbing, from traps, nets and bait to snacks, drinks and suntan lotion. The shop also hosts events like birthday parties and family reunions, and groups like scouts, including for an educational day about the environment. Visit <a href=" http://www.crabulousnj.com/Home_Page.php" target="_blank">Beaver Dam’s website</a>.

<b>Fortescue</b>

Capt. Howard from the <b>Salt Talk</b> did maintenance on the boat and no fishing during the weekend, he said. He heard about black drum heaved from the bay Wednesday evening but nothing about drum since. Weakfish and kingfish were hooked along the shipping channel. A couple of keeper summer flounder were docked from the bay the past couple of days. Maybe flounder fishing was improving. In recent years, flounder fishing picked up after Fathers’ Day or during the final week of June on the bay. Then the angling was on for some time.

<b>Cape May</b>

Delaware Bay’s black drum fishing was nothing to talk about recently and was no good Saturday night, said Capt. Tom from <b>Fishin’ Fever Sportfishing</b>. Tom thinks they were spawning. Friends from private boats began to give a couple of decent reports about summer flounder fishing on the ocean the past few days. Fishin’ Fever’s been sea bass fishing on the ocean and ran one shark trip on the ocean so far this year. The sea bassing limited out early on every trip, and sea bass season will be closed beginning Monday. The shark trip bagged a 125-pound mako and released a 160-pounder and several other shark species.

Black drum were boated from Delaware Bay last week, said Joe from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. No summer flounder fishing was heard about from the bay. A customer said he was going to give the flounder fishing a shot, because he usually catches them this time of year. Flounder fishing seemed productive on the back bay. Pretty good weakfishing was tied into from along jetties in the surf on the bay to rocks, bridges or other structure in the back bay, on shedder crabs and bloodworms. Sea bass fishing went well on the ocean. Many anglers headed for shark fishing toward the end of last week because the South Jersey Shark Tournament was underway in town.

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