Fri., March 29, 2024
Moon Phase:
Waning Gibbous
More Info
Inshore Charters
Offshore Charters
Party Boats
Saltwater
Tackle Shops &
Marinas
Saltwater
Boat Rentals
Freshwater
Guides
Freshwater
Tackle Shops
Brrr ...
It's Cold:
Upstate N.Y.
Ice Fishing
Upstate N.Y.
Winter Steelhead &
Trout Fishing
Long Island, N.Y.
Winter
Cod &
Wreck Fishing

Delaware Bay Fishing Report 5-21-13


<b>Port Elizabeth</b>

Fishing for summer flounder sounded a little slow, said Sharon from <b>The Girls Place Bait & Tackle</b>. Flounder season was opened Saturday, and maybe the bay was cold for flounder, but no substantial amounts of the fish caught were heard about. Waters have been colder than usual. Many customers fished on Saturday, and weather became rough in the afternoon. Sunday was rough. A friend who fished the bay only hooked a sundial. Another friend fished ocean wrecks for flounder, landing none. But a few flounder were reeled from the bay, and anglers hope the angling picks up as waters warm. Weakfish swam the bay, and a few drum were boated on the Delaware side of the bay. Seventy-five pounds was the largest heard about. Drumming should peak throughout the next few weeks. Striped bass could surely be found in the bay. Some remained in Delaware River, yet to migrate back downstream to the bay, and stripers were hooked up and down the state’s coast. Catches were heard about from the surf at Whale Beach along the coast. Stripers should be tugged from the bay into June, and Sharon’s decked them as late as late June at Blake’s Channel. Anglers scored well on white perch on Maurice River at Millville. Crabbing was slow, though a few were trapped. Shedder crabs might be stocked for bait this weekend for the first time this season. A substantial shed of the blueclaws usually first happens the week before Memorial Day each spring, and this Memorial Day weekend is early. All the flounder baits are stocked, including minnows, the different types of squid, Gulps, the new Uncle Josh Meat Natural Pork Bait and all frozen baits, including mackerel and smelts. Fresh clams and fresh bunker are usually carried, and telephone ahead to ensure a supply. Many customers bought a variety of baits this weekend, apparently to try for a combo of fish on the bay, like flounder, drum and stripers. The Girls Place, located on Route 47, just after Route 55 ends, stocks a large supply of bait and tackle. It’s the long, one-story, yellow building on the right, with plenty of parking, including for trailered boats. On Memorial Day, the doors will be open usual hours, starting at 5 a.m.

<b>Newport</b>

<b>Beaver Dam Boat Rentals</b> will be opened this weekend for the season, Paul said. Signs of crabs were seen around the dock, and commercial crabbers caught. Waters had been cold this season, but started to warm in past days. Signs like crabs hanging off the minnow pot at the dock were seen. If the blueclaws were already “back here,” Paul said, conditions for crabbing must’ve been improving. A heron plucked a white perch from the waters while Paul gave this report over the telephone today. Hurricane Sandy walloped Beaver Dam, including flooding, ruining walls, shifting sand that changed the way boats had to be launched, and destroying outboard engines. Some of the older rental boats had to be retrieved that weren’t secured. Lots of work had to be done to repair. 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 anyone wants a break in the meantime, they simply cell-phone the store to be picked up. Everything needed for a day of crabbing is stocked, from bait, traps and nets to suntan lotion, snacks and drinks. Rental kayaks and canoes are available to paddle up the scenic creek. Beaver Dam will be open 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday through Monday, Memorial Day. Afterward, it’ll be open the same hours every Saturday and Sunday, and will be open daily starting Monday, June 24.  <a href="http://www.crabulousnj.com/" target="_blank">Visit Beaver Dam’s Web site</a>.

<b>Cape May</b>

Drum fishing was good on the bay, and bigger ones than before, up to 70 and 80 pounds, were sometimes hauled up, said Capt. Mario from the <b>Down Deep</b>. A marathon, open-boat sea bass trip on the ocean was cancelled Sunday, opening day of sea bass season, because of rough seas. The next open marathon for sea bass will steam next week on Wednesday, May 29. Charters are available, and sign up for the <a href=" http://www.downdeepsportfishing.com/ddsf/76-2/" target="_blank">Short Notice List</a> on Down Deep’s Web site to be kept informed about special open-boat trips.

Three drum, a 70-pounder and two 30-pounders, were heaved aboard from the bay Friday evening on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>, Capt. George said. No drum were landed on a trip for them Saturday evening aboard, and other boaters sometimes caught the fish then. Both trips fished on the Delaware side of the bay, and a trip attempted to sail for sea bass on the ocean Sunday, opening day of sea bass season, on the Heavy Hitter. But seas were rough, probably up to 5 feet, so the trip turned back. Some of the party boats headed out for the fish that day. Summer flounder season was opened Saturday, and nothing was heard about fishing for them on Delaware Bay. But anglers who boated for them on the back bays seemed to bag two or three keepers sometimes, and some bagged none, George thought. Drum and sea bass charters will continue, and telephone if interested. The Heavy Hitter usually fishes for flounder later in the season at places like Reef 11 or the Old Grounds on the ocean, when the ocean becomes warmer. But if flounder are currently available on Delaware Bay, and anglers want to sail for them aboard, they can.

Back to Top