<b>Port Elizabeth</b>

Not much was reported, except white perch fishing was good on brackish rivers like the Maurice, said Sharon from <b>The Girls Place Bait & Tackle</b>. Weather was rough until Friday, and improved then and in the next days. Sharon saw photos last week of sizable stripers hooked from Delaware River from shore around Fort Mott and Pennsville. Stripers must be released on the Delaware from Salem River to Trenton this time of year for spawning, and certain circle hooks are required for the angling by law. A few bluefish were supposedly fought in the Atlantic City area. Blackfishing sounded slow along jetties, maybe because of cold water. Anglers hope for good fishing for black drum on Delaware Bay in May, the traditional month to catch them. Local marinas just began to open for the season, later than usual because of cold, rough weather in March and April. All baits have been stocked. Fresh bunker just began to be carried, because wind stopped blowing, allowing bunker boats to sail. Lots of bloodworms were sold at the store. Fresh clams were difficult to obtain but were stocked. If Sharon needs to travel to get them, she will. The clams became scarce in recent years, and will probably continue to be. 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>Cape May</b>

A couple of keeper striped bass were seen from Cape May’s surf, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. A 28-pound 41-incher that was weighed-in was one. That was taken two Saturdays ago, on April 14, and was the year’s first catch brought to the store. That was mentioned in last week’s report, but no location of the catch was reported. The fish was landed from Delaware Bay’s shore, Nick said for today’s report. The striper was bunker-chunked, and lots of throwback stripers were eased from shore, mostly from Delaware Bay, but a few from the ocean and Cape May Point, at the confluence of the bay and ocean in Cape May. The year’s first stripers from the surf locally usually come from the bay, because the bay is usually warmer than the ocean in spring. Nick wondered whether the bay was warmer this year, though, and waters were cold everywhere this spring. They seemed to be becoming warmer in past days in warmer weather, though. The throwbacks were bloodwormed but also pasted on small soft-plastic lures or small hard lures. No bluefish were reported, but blues were due any day. The water needed to warm just a couple of degrees, Nick thought. No blackfish were mentioned caught along local jetties. But a few began to be picked at jetties in North Wildwood. Boaters caught blackfish on the ocean. 

Back to Top