<b>Port Elizabeth</b>

Good black drum fishing was reported from Delaware Bay near Cape May close to shore one night during the weekend, said Sharon from <b>The Girls Place Bait & Tackle</b>. Eleven of the fish were landed on a Fortescue party boat, and two were lost, during the angling. Similar catches were made on other boats in the area that night. Not much was heard about striped bass, except about stripers banked from shore at Fortescue. Nothing was heard about weakfish, but weaks should be showing up. Catches of them like along the bay’s jetties are usually reported this time of year. People were beginning to crab, and no big catches of crabs seemed to be made yet. Commercial crabbers began to crab, too. Crabbing should pick up as weather warms. Pretty much all usual baits are stocked. Those include bloodworms and minnows. Fresh bunker are stocked almost daily. Fresh clams were carried pretty regularly, even if Sharon had to drive to get them. 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 will become available this weekend from the rental boats at <b>Beaver Dam Boat Rentals</b> for the crabbing season, Paul said. Then the boats will be available every Saturday and Sunday, and also on Memorial Day, until becoming available daily in late June, when schools let out. But telephone ahead about this weekend, because rough weather could postpone the start. Whether crabs skittered around yet this season was unknown, because no customers crabbed yet. A kayaker played throwback, schoolie striped bass on the creek. Customers crab and fish from rental boats towed up Oranokin Creek, running past the shop. In other news, Paul heard about big stripers eased from Fortescue’s surf, and about black drum cranked from the bay on boats. Beaver Dam sells everything needed for crabbing, from bait, traps and nets to snacks, drinks and suntan lotion. Once the boat rentals begin for the year, rental kayaks and canoes also become available to paddle the scenic creek. Beaver Dam can host events like family reunions and birthdays. It can host groups like scouts, including for an educational day on the water. 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> heard that 11 black drum were bagged Friday on a Fortescue party boat, he said. He didn’t know how the boat fared afterward on the weekend, but if drum began to bite like that, Howard might fish for them this coming week. Striped bass were angled from shore at Fortescue. He didn’t know if the fishing was as good as previously this season, and wondered whether horseshoe crabs affected the catches. Horseshoe crabs began to come in, and fishing lines can become tangled in them. White perch were plucked from shore at Fortescue last week. A neighbor reeled in a bunch early that week, and they were big.

<b>Cape May</b>

Black drum, good catches, were hauled from Delaware Bay on Friday and Saturday, said Capt. George from the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>. Sunday’s weather was rough in howling wind that began to calm as George left Cape May in the afternoon. Charters are about to fish for the drum aboard.

Twelve black drum to 70 pounds were already heaved from Delaware Bay aboard Sunday at 7:30 p.m. when Capt. Tom from <b>Fishin’ Fever Sportfishing</b> gave this report in a phone call on the trip, he said. Four drum to 85 pounds were totaled on a trip Saturday on the boat. He wasn’t going to say where he was fishing, but said drum bit on both the New Jersey and Delaware sides of the bay.

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