<b>Port Elizabeth</b>

Fishing for drum sounded slow, but summer flounder catches seemed to improve somewhat, said Sharon from <b>The Girls Place Bait & Tackle</b>. Not a lot was heard about flounder, but a couple of customers boated flounder east of the 19 buoy. Nothing was reported about weakfish or bluefish. Not much news was available about any catches. But bait and tackle are in full supply. Few anglers ordered bushels of fresh clams, the favorite drum bait, in the past week. But call the shop to order them. Bloodworms, shedder crabs, minnows and all the flounder baits, a large selection, are on hand. Offshore baits like flats of baitfish for sharking can be ordered days in advance. Or call the shop to see what offshore baits are already carried.  Located on Route 47, just after Route 55 ends, The Girls Place is the long, one-story, yellow building on the right, with a large parking lot, including plenty of room for trailered boats.

<b>Newport</b>

At <b>Beaver Dam Boat Rentals</b>, Linda was away during crabbing this weekend, she said. But crabbers caught, she heard, including about multiple crabbers who busheled out. She heard nothing about whether crabs were shedding around the full moon this week. But early in the season, like now, full moons and new moons trigger the blueclaws to shed less than later in the season. When crabs shed, usually around the moons, they stop eating, becoming more difficult to trap. But not all crabs shed on a given moon. Some great-sized crabs were around already this season. A 7-1/2-incher was leading the shop’s season-long tournament for the biggest blueclaw. The winner will get a free crabbing trip. Customers at Beaver Dam crab from rental boats towed up Oranokin Creek, running past the shop. The staff checks on them every hour, and if crabbers want a break in the meantime, they simply cell phone the shop to be picked up. Linda heard nothing about fishing, but that didn’t mean fish weren’t around. She just didn’t hear while away. Crabbing is available on weekends at Beaver Dam, and will be available daily starting the final week of June. But the shop is open for crabbing and fishing bait and supplies and more. Kayaks and canoes are available to paddle up the scenic creek, and many were already rented. Linda recommends the paddling. “They’re having a good time,” she said. <a href="http://www.crabulousnj.com" target="_blank">Visit Beaver Dam’s Web site</a>.

<b>Fortescue</b>

Few drum bit in the bay anymore, and summer flounder seemed yet to migrate to the waters, said Capt. Ralph from the <b>Buccaneer</b>. So, he was probably waiting to target flounder that could arrive any moment this time of year. Charters on the Buccaneer are only $400, compared with $500 or $600 on other vessels.

No trips fished for summer flounder on the party boat <b>Salt Talk</b> in the past week, and winds blew most of the time, Capt. Howard said. Few anglers showed up at the port, and flounder seemed yet to move into the bay in great numbers for the season. But they could arrive any time, and the bay was 75 degrees the other day. Rains early this week probably dropped the temp. Little was heard about drum caught from the bay. Open-boat trips are fishing for summer flounder daily when no charter is booked. But the open trips might only run on weekends this time of year. Call to confirm. The trips likely would’ve run this past weekend if not for the weather.

<b>Cape May</b>

Charters are finished drum fishing for the season on the bay on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>, Capt. George said. He cancelled a drum trip Saturday.

<b>Legal Limit Charters</b> is finished drum fishing on the bay for the season, Capt. T.J. said.

The season’s final drum charter was supposed to fish the bay Monday on the <b>Down Deep</b>, Capt. Bob said in a phone call before the trip. Drum fishing was pretty much finished for the year, he said. Summer flounder seemed mostly yet to migrate to deeper bays like Delaware Bay, though the bay was in the 70s. The fish, mostly throwbacks, occasionally keepers, were reported caught from the back bays along the coast. The fluke seemed to gather in shallow waters like that so far.

Summer flounder catches were heard about from Brown Shoal on the bay, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. The bay around Brandywine usually gives up a good pick of the fish this time of year. Flounder fishing was good on the back bay. A couple of reports were heard about the fish once the weather warmed and improved last week. Drum were hauled from the bay last week, mostly from the Delaware side, but a few from the Jersey side. A few stripers were beached from the Cape May surf from the ocean to the bay. Lures scored, but clams could be fished. Lots of weakfish swam the surf at Higbee’s Beach on the bay and at Cape May Point at the confluence of the bay and ocean. Bloodworms under floats, minnows or bucktails grabbed them. Fresh clams, fresh bunker, all the flounder baits and frozen baits, including select offshore baits, are usually stocked.

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