<b>Money Island</b>

Weather was tough, and one boater attempted to motor out Saturday, but returned in 45 minutes, said Bruce from <b>Money Island Marina</b>. No fishing really happened in past days. Previously, trips sometimes sailed to the upper bay, or really the lower Delaware River, near the Salem power plant, to bunker-chunk striped bass, good-sized. But this weekend, the bay was full of debris, including trees, because of the weather. Minor flooding happened at Money Island, the shop’s Facebook page said Monday, but caused some damage, like a tilted power pole that was new. People needed to check tides to avoid driving the flooded road to town during the weekend. Still, bait was stocked during the weekend including minnows, live grass shrimp and fresh bunker. The marina features a bait and tackle shop, a boat ramp, boat slips, dry-dock boat storage, fishing docks and gas. The fishing docks, $5 per adult and free for kids, are located on Nantuxent Creek, running passed the marina. Angling can be good from the docks, including for white perch, small striped bass, and croakers, at different times of year. A 12-foot aluminum boat with a 2.5 h.p. outboard is available to rent to fish the creek. Additional fishing docks and rental boats are expected to be launched later this year.

<b>Newport</b>

Crabbing will become available beginning on the weekend of May 21 at <b>Beaver Dam Boat Rentals</b>, Paul said. It’ll be available on weekends beginning then, and daily starting in late June. Crabs are getting trapped in the bay, and nothing was known about crabbing on the creek at the shop yet. Water might’ve been cold that far back from the bay. Weather was rough, and the shop’s area was flooded during the weekend from stormy weather and new-moon tides. Wind blew strongly from east Saturday, and that can push incoming tides even higher. Strong wind blew from west Sunday. The shop was mostly busy checking-in turkeys lately. Customers crab and fish from rental boats towed up Oranokin Creek, running passed the shop. Beaver Dam stocks everything needed for crabbing, from bait, traps and nets to snacks, drinks and suntan lotion. Rental kayaks and canoes are available to paddle the scenic creek, once crabbing begins at the store. Visit <a href=" http://www.crabulousnj.com/Home_Page.php" target="_blank">Beaver Dam’s website</a>.

<b>Fortescue</b>

Drum began to be boated probably about 10 days ago from the bay, Capt. Tom from <b>Erica Leigh Charters</b> said. He heard about a few caught, and a friend heaved in one on Saturday night. Drum charters are booked to fish aboard in the next weeks. Weather was rough much of the past week. Weather broke for a moment Sunday, when he was at Fortescue, but wind and clouds built back up in the afternoon. For shore anglers at Fortescue, fishing for striped bass seemed to drop off, compared with before. But photos of a few big were posted on Higbee’s Marina’s Facebook page in past days.

<b>Wildwood</b>

Drum have been boated from the bay, on both the New Jersey and Delaware sides, in past weeks, said Capt. Jim from <b>Fins & Grins Sportfishing</b>. But the water temperature dropped to 52 degrees, and the drum seem to begin biting at 55 or 56.  If weather is warmer this week like forecast, the drum fishing could be great this weekend, because the water could warm. It’s time for them to turn on. Even if just a handful of people want to fish, Jim will sail at this time of year, just to get out. People have been calling him to book drum fishing. Many want to fish around the full moon, because that’s a traditional time. But one never knows when the angling will light up, and it goes through ups and downs. The fishing usually lasts into early June. Anglers who never before fished for drum sometimes asked whether drum fight, saying they heard the fish were like reeling in dead weight. But drum fight. When a 55- or 60-pound fish with a big tail gets hooked, it tries to get off. Some big striped bass seemed to be passing through Delaware Bay, after spawning in Delaware River. Angling for them is available. Fins fishes every day, and reservations aren’t required but suggested. Telephone for availability.

<b>Cape May</b>

A couple of trips were known about that fished for drum on the bay during daytime and nighttime Saturday that caught none, and another trip supposedly landed a couple, said Capt. George from the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>.  But he hopes the fishing picks up this week, in better weather, after rough conditions last week. A few drum trips, the year’s first, are slated to fish this weekend aboard. All drum boated on the bay weighed 25 or 35 pounds that George knew about this season so far, except a 70-pounder that a buddy docked. A few striped bass were boated on the bay off Villas in shallows 10 feet. A friend’s trip caught one Saturday, and another trip landed two, and the buddy saw a few others reeled in. Those seemed to be stripers finished spawning in Delaware River and migrating to the ocean. Chunks of bunker hooked them, and anglers needed to be there at the right time to run into the catches. George motored the boat out Sunday just for a ride, and anglers were fishing the surf at the Cape May ferry jetty on the bay. Striper fishing usually picks up there for a time in May as the spawned-out bass head for the ocean. Tides were extra high and extra low during the new moon in past days. On Saturday, wind blew from east, contributing to high tides, and on Sunday, wind blew from west, contributing to low tides.

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