<b>Port Elizabeth</b>

Wind and more wind blew, and few reports rolled in from the bay, because of that, said Sharon from <b>The Girls Place Bait & Tackle</b>. That kept boaters from fishing, and wind blew including during the weekend, and was especially fierce Sunday, though the day was warm, and the sky was mostly clear. Wind continued Monday, and fresh clams were unavailable for bait in past days, because wind kept clam boats from sailing. But demand for the clams was low anyway, because of the weather. The clams are favorite bait for drum in the bay. Whether drum still bit in the bay was unknown, because of no reports in the weather. Nobody mentioned fishing for summer flounder on the bay, but flounder fishing sounded good on back bays. Those waters are more protected, and a photo even circulated of an especially large flounder, maybe 8, 10 or 11 pounds, caught from a back bay. Not much was heard about flounder from the ocean yet this year. One crew reported trying for flounder at an ocean reef but having problems fishing because of wind. An occasional striped bass was still tugged from the surf, like from Sunset Beach on Delaware Bay in Cape May. Some good catches of weakfish were made along surf jetties, like on bloodworms under a bobber. A customer was into them. White perch fishing was pretty good on Maurice River, and has been the last few years. Sometimes a striper was angled from the river. Crabbing seemed to improve at places like Dividing Creek and Turkey Point or off Maple Avenue. Shedder crabs for bait have become available at the store. All usual baits like minnows and bloodworms are on hand. Fresh bunker, like the clams, were unavailable in past days, because wind kept bunker boats docked.  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>Money Island</b>

One boat sailed Saturday, landing weakfish from the bay, said Bruce from <b>Money Island Marina</b>. A photo of two anglers from the trip was posted on the shop’s Facebook page, and they held a weakfish and a sheepshead apiece. A bunch of the trout, including a 28-incher, were hooked and released on the trip. One of the anglers “recommends using shedder at a wreck,” the page said. Few boaters fished during strong winds in past days.  The fishing dock was even too bouncy in the wind to fish. A breeze on Saturday was comfortable for 28 guests to enjoy a barbecue and a talk about the local environment at the marina, though. Speakers included someone from the Nature Conservancy, and more talks and barbecues are planned for this fishing season at the shop. A barbecue on Sunday, July 3, during Fourth of July weekend, will be the next. 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, can offer angling for white perch, small stripers, 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. Bait stocked can include minnows, live grass shrimp, fresh bunker and more, when in season and in demand.

<b>Newport</b>

Many trips docked a couple of dozen keeper crabs apiece Saturday at <b>Beaver Dam Boat Rentals</b>, Paul said. But catches varied widely, and determining what average was, was difficult. Fewer catches seemed to be made than on the previous weekend, when crabbing was good. But whether the crabs or the crabbers were the reason was unknown. Crabbing was closed Sunday at the shop, because of wind, and that hindered ability to gauge results, too. Wind can make crabbing uncomfortable, but catches are usually slow in strong wind, too. Wind was fierce Sunday. Big crabs were nabbed, though. Some were 6 ½ inches, and a couple were 7 inches. Bunker caught best, and sometimes chicken will. Bunker’s been best this year, so far. Crew at the shop have noticed that sometimes chicken works best around full or new moons, when crabs often shed and mate. The reason chicken worked then was unknown, but a hormonal reason was a guess. Customers once caught best on hot dogs, returning with a bushel of crabs on a day when other customers caught fewer. The crabbers had tried fishing with hot dog for catfish that are known to bite bait like that. Crabs kept latching onto the hot dogs, so the customers used hot dogs for bait in crab traps, and loaded up. “You never know,” Paul said. Customers crab and fish from rental boats towed up Oranokin Creek, running past the shop. The crabbing is currently available every Saturday and Sunday and will be available daily beginning June 27. Reserve the boats ahead, because they can book up. Rental kayaks and canoes are available to paddle the scenic creek, when the rental boats are available. The store is open daily for supplies. Beaver Dam carries everything needed for crabbing, from bait, traps and nets to snacks, drinks and suntan lotion. Visit <a href=" http://www.crabulousnj.com/Home_Page.php" target="_blank">Beaver Dam’s website</a>.

<b>Cape May</b>

Drum still bit in the bay sometimes, and a boat from the docks landed five of the fish 50 pounds apiece Saturday night, said Capt. George from the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>. The Heavy Hitter competed in the South Jersey Shark Tournament from Cape May Friday and Saturday. Blue sharks 100 to 150 pounds were fought and released on the ocean on the trips. Wind blew strongly both days. Sea bass fishing’s been good on the ocean, and the boat will sail for them, until sea bass season is closed beginning Monday.

Drum should still bite in the bay at usual spots, but no boaters who sailed for them were heard about in past days, because wind apparently prevented the trips, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. Summer flounder fishing was fairly good on the back bay, not dishing up lots of keepers, but sizable to 22 to 23 inches. Not much was heard about flounder from Delaware Bay yet. A couple of keeper flounder were angled from the surf. A few striped bass were dragged from the surf. Weakfish were wrangled from the surf along jetties on bloodworms under bobbers during daytime and on bucktails and small soft-plastic lures during low-light hours. A few sharks began to be banked from the surf on chunks of bunker or mackerel in low-light hours. Bluefish sometimes schooled at Cape May Point. Kingfish and croakers were yet to be heard about that can school off the point any time now.

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