<b>Brooklawn</b>

The bay’s striped bass catches became somewhat sketchy, turned-on one day, turned-off another, but the fish were boated at Bug Light, the Banana Peel, the Horseshoe and such areas, said Rick from <b>Big Timber Bait & Tackle</b>. They were also reeled in farther north at the 8- to 10-foot shallows toward East Point, because they were spawning. No confirmed catches of drum were heard about, but the season was a bit early, not even May yet. Plenty of stripers filled the Delaware River, and the river at National Park dished out some of the most. But other spots including at the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge started to give them up, and some still came from farther downstream toward Salem and Elsinboro Point. Bloods did the job from the banks, and the river’s boaters grabbed as many on clams as bloods. Big Timber carries bait and tackle for all fishing from freshwater to the bays to offshore. Baits carried for the bays include bloodworms, fresh clams, fresh bunker and more.

<b>Pennsville</b>

The Delaware River’s striped bass fishing seemed off because of the stormy weather since Sunday night, but a few customers said they banked the fish on Saturday, said Matt from <b>Shag’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Lots more customers began to fish the river from boats, now that the season progressed, usually heading below the Salem River, because the fish could be kept there. Bloodworms are the popular bait from the banks, and boaters probably used bunker, sometimes clams. Boaters also caught the fish at Ship John, and the store’s owner began commercially crabbing in that area, seeing even the Cape May party boats there, a long run. The Delaware Side of the river near the C&D Canal was another spot where lots of boaters hooked up. Lots of white perch swam the river, and Matt hooked them more than stripers last week. When anglers try to keep the perch from nibbling away bloodworms meant for stripers, they use Atlas Spawn Net, stocked at the shop, to create sacks to hold pieces of the worms, like how salmon anglers fish with sacks of salmon eggs. Bloodworms are stocked, and fresh bunker is carried almost daily, unless the weather keeps the bunker boats from sailing before the bait runs out. 

<b>Port Elizabeth</b>

Rumor said drum were seen entering the bay from a spotter plane, but that was hearsay, said Sharon from <b>The Girls Place Bait & Tackle</b>. She knew about one confirmed drum caught last week. But reports were difficult to come by, because of the stormy weather since Sunday. Once anglers get back out in better weather, more should be known. Striped bass were supposedly taken from the upper bay like at the 34 buoy or off Bay Point. A few, just a few, stripers seemed to be banked from the Delaware River, and white perch were claimed from the river. Bluefish reportedly schooled along the coastal bays and the ocean such as around Wildwood, and one customer was nabbing them. A few herring trickled up the Maurice River. Crabs were trapped along the ponds and back waters off the bay and waters like the grassy sounds along the coast. Crabbing in the bay itself was only getting started. Fresh clams are stocked, and fresh bunker arrives almost every day. Bloodworms are carried, and sometimes fresh herring are on hand, but it sells quickly. The limit for commercial netters is low, so the herring supply is in high demand. A large selection of frozen baits is stocked.  The Girls Place is located on Route 47 just after Route 55 ends, and it’s the long, one-story, yellow building on the right. There’s a large parking lot with plenty of room for trailered boats.

<b>Newport</b>

<b>Beaver Dam Boat Rentals</b> will open for crabbing on Saturday, May 22, Linda said. But the shop is already open for canoe and kayak rentals by appointment, turkey check-ins and fish and wildlife licenses. Check <a href="http://www.crabulousnj.com/Home_Page.html" target="_blank">Beaver Dam’s Web site</a> for hours and info. Canoers and kayakers paddle the scenic Oranokin Creek that runs past the property. Crabbers are towed up the creek to several saltwater ponds full of blueclaws. This area may be the richest in the state for crabbing because of factors including the right environment, prohibition of commercial crabbing and the staff preventing most motor-boat traffic on the creek. Everything needed for a day of crabbing, from baits to traps to suntan lotion, snacks and cold drinks, is supplied at the shop.

<b>Bivalve</b>

Striped bass moved to the upper bay, but good catches were boated, said Pat from <b>Longreach Marina</b>. Nick Emigholz, Pittsgrove, and Jon Thomson, Vineland, landed six. Johnny Johnson from Pennsylvania and friend reeled up four, and Bill Lashley, Salem, decked two. Raw weather on Sunday kept boaters from sailing, and Saturday’s weather was better but still kept many from heading out. Drum were yet to be seen at the marina this season, but Pat heard about quite a few that began to be picked up. Fresh bunker for striper fishing is stocked, and frozen baits are carried. Only a few boats slips are available.

<b>Fortescue</b>

The first trips of the season ran during the weekend, and a 31-inch striped bass was bagged Sunday, and a blue was boxed Saturday, said Capt. Ralph from the <b>Buccaneer</b>. Four or five striped bass bites were probably missed, and the fleet fished around Ship John, and the anglers with Ralph dunked clams and bunker for bait. He heard little about drum caught yet, but a few were found, and someone said a spotter plan saw some. The season was early for drum, and catches should break open next week or the week after, the first two weeks of May. Ralph has run charters for drum before fishing for them was even popular. A great deal is offered on the trips, and see the vessel’s ad for info.

The school of striped bass moved a bit north to Ship John, but a mess of them were racked up, said Dave from <b>Al’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Bunker worked well, and striper fishing caught fire at the beach at Fortescue. A ton were bloodwormed, and early mornings were best, and the change of the tide was better than other tide stages. Big white perch also hit the bloods. One of the beach anglers cranked in a puppy drum last week. A couple of boaters tried for drum on the bay, coming up with no luck yet. No blues swam the bay, and any blues held toward Cape May. Most of the Fortescue party boats will begin to fish this weekend, but one was out several times last week. Fresh clams, fresh bunker, bloodworms and frozen baits are stocked.

Trips should begin on Saturday on the party boat <b>Bonanza</b>, Capt. Mike said. They’ll search out striped bass and drum first, and he heard about some of both caught. Clams and bunker will be kept aboard for baits. Annual, open-boat trips for drum will also fish 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. every Wednesday, and call to reserve: 609-381-2978.

On the <b>Salt Talk</b> trips should launch Saturday for the season, sailing for striped bass at first, Capt. Howard said. A few of the linesiders had held at Ship John, but whether they’d remain by the weekend couldn’t be known. The fishing will probably use clams, but clams and bunker might be carried on board. Drum seemed scarce, but anglers often say the full moon this week can kick off drum fishing, and the boat will fish for drum when the bite takes off. Call ahead to confirm trips will sail at this time of year.

<b>Villas</b>

Waters around Ship John, a good hike north from the local area, seemed the only that turned out striped bass for boaters on the bay, said Ben Budd from <b>Budd’s Bait & Tackle</b>. He was hoping for another round of catches farther south, because sometimes that’s happened after the initial large number of catches drops. But by now, that seemed unlikely. But surf casters clubbed a few stripers and sometimes blues from Poverty Beach. The stripers included keepers, and some of the blues were monsters to 12 pounds. Incoming tides served up catches, and clams drew most striper strikes, but if anglers preferred a lure, a Bomber plug in black with a silver streak was effective. The blues will chomp cut baits like mackerel. A few drum were hauled from the bay, and the boomers might get active by the weekend. Ben heard about no out-of-season flounder landed by mistake and would expect to hear about them already. Ben’s charter boat, the Ho-D-Doe from <b>Budd’s Tackle Charter Services</b>, sailing from Cape May, will be splashed for the season this afternoon or tomorrow. Trips will begin with drum fishing, and the first is currently booked for a week from today. Fresh clams, fresh bunker, green crabs and all the baits are stocked. Call ahead to guarantee a supply. The shop is open 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

<b>Cape May</b>

On the <b>Down Deep</b> several trips ran after striped bass, motoring far from Cape May, 30 miles up the bay, to clam the fish through the past week, and one trip headed for tog at an ocean reef,  Capt. Bob said. Chris Amelung’s party last week on Monday decked stripers to 20 pounds. Anglers from O’Rourke Steel Company on Wednesday limited out on tog to 10 pounds. George Porpele’s group was back on the striper grounds Thursday, bagging seven stripers, if Bob remembered. On Saturday a crew from the Roman Construction Company coolered seven stripers to 22 pounds. Charters will switch to drum fishing on the bay next week. A few drum were heaved in so far, and this week’s full moon usually kicks off the fishing.

The boat was steamed far up the bay for a catch of striped bass to 30 inches Friday with Paul Frank’s charter, said Capt. George from the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>. Waters were 58 degrees, sometimes as warm as 60, on outgoing tide. The lower bay was 54. John Stonick’s charter on Sunday looked for bluefish at Avalon Shoals on the ocean, and word was heard that blues schooled off Sea Isle City recently, but none popped up this day. The anglers switched to wreck fishing, pulling in tog, lots of small ones but some keepers, and one cod at Cape May Reef. Kevin Driscoll’s charter on Sunday blistered tog to a 10-pound 1-ouncer at a different spot, limiting out by 10 a.m., playing catch and release with more afterward, and all were keeper-sized, except probably three. A banner catch! If anglers want to tog fish before the season for the blackfish closes Saturday, climb aboard. Looking ahead, George is waiting for drum fishing to kick in on the bay. He heard his first verified report this season about two puppy drum landed on a boat this weekend. The angling should begin soon.

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