This is the final Delaware Bay Report of the year!

<b>Port Elizabeth</b>

Fewer anglers than usual fished in weather this weekend, but some did, boating striped bass on the bay, said Sharon from <b>The Girls Place Bait & Tackle</b>. The fish remained in the waters, and weather during the weekend was rainy and foggy, but not windy. Stripers continued to be caught farther north along the coast, including as far as New York, reportedly. That should mean striper catches will continue in the bay, because the southern migration was yet to end. Angler participation seemed to be dropping off for the year, and many marinas were closing for the season. Some remained open longer than usual, trying to make up for business lost in the hurricane. The Girls Place will be open through the weekend, and then will be closed for a winter break. The doors are usually reopened about the second week of March, depending on weather. Baits stocked include fresh clams, eels, bloodworms and all the frozen baits. Whether fresh bunker, the usual bait for the bay’s stripers this season, will be carried through the weekend will depend on demand. If anglers want the fresh menhaden, they should call the shop and order ahead. Many netters stopped sailing for bunker, because of demand. Forecasts look like Thursday and Friday’s weather should be calm but Saturday and Sunday’s might be windy. Sharon thanks customers very much for the year, including for donating $265 for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. The Girls Place is located on Route 47, just after Route 55 ends. It’s the long, one-story, yellow building on the right, with plenty of parking, including for trailered boats.

<b>Cape May</b>

Bunker-chunking for striped bass beat nine keepers and probably 20 or 25 throwbacks on the bay Saturday with Eric Czerwinksi’s charter on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>, Capt. George said. Pete Plasmier’s trip aboard Sunday chunked four keepers and eight throwbacks on the bay. The fish measured up to 38 or 39 inches on Saturday and 30 or 32 inches on Sunday. Both days were foggy and overcast, and winds started to build when Sunday’s trip headed home. A few trips were heard about that striper fished at Cape May Rips. The rips seemed to hold stripers but smaller ones, and the bay seemed to harbor more keepers. George heard nothing about blackfishing the last few days. The Heavy Hitter was being hauled from the waters for the season, but George can run charters on a friend’s boat the next couple of weeks.  

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