<b>Staten Island</b>

Striped bass and bluefish catches did not let up, the Captain’s Blog on <b>Barbara Anne Fishing Charters</b>’ Web site said. Eight stripers to 19 pounds and all the blues the anglers could want were beaten on a trip Monday evening. On a trip Tuesday the anglers wanted only bluefish, catching them non-stop from the time the anchor dropped until the tired anglers asked to go home. Two keeper stripers were in the mix. All the fishing lately was on bunker chunks on Raritan Bay a short ride from the dock, convenient for half-day trips as well as full-day. The population of fish and their location close to port created the best angling for them near Great Kills in a couple of years, and the fish cooperated on every trip so far this season. Charters and open-boat trips are fishing, and the open trips include twilight fishing on most days.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

On the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b> this morning’s trip ran down the ocean beach, clammed five or six keeper striped bass and some shorts, and then skates moved in, and striper fishing slowed, Capt. Tom said in a phone call on the waters during the trip. Maybe the skates – big ones, not the usual small ones – had something to do with the stripers turning off, but that couldn’t be known, and at slack tide, the boat was moved to Flynn’s Knoll. Bluefish, no stripers, bit there so far when Tom gave this report, but time remained on the outing. The weather was slightly windy from the west with some cloud cover and was warm. The fishing was different day by day, and all trips clammed for the bass, and stripers that could be jigged schooled too far away for the boat’s half-day trips. On Wednesday morning’s trip the boat fished at the bar off Sandy Hook, and a shot of stripers was reeled up. The vessel was moved to Flynn’s Knoll, and a few more were bagged. In the afternoon south winds against outgoing tide kept the vessel at Flynn’s Knoll instead of the ocean, and fishing was tough, gave up mostly blues and a few bass. Trips usually anchored and gave a spot a chance a half-hour or 45 minutes, and if a bite got going, the trip stayed. The Atlantic Star is fishing for striped bass on two trips daily 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Boaters and beach anglers bombed striped bass and blues, lots of the fish, said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Boaters clammed the bass at Romer Shoal and Flynn’s Knoll and often jigged them from Sandy Hook to the south, frequently north of Sea Bright. They also bunker chunked lots of bass in Raritan Bay. Beach anglers might’ve banked more stripers from the ocean and mostly blues from the bay. Stripers came out at night along the beaches. Clamming and bunker-chunking worked well. Shore anglers at Leonardo plowed blues from the bay. Blues were willing to smack bunker, and many could be socked on metal. A mess of stripers and blues swam the rivers. Bunker schooled thick in the ocean and also roamed the rivers. Bottom fishers hooked out-of-season blackfish, releasing them, a few cod and a few ling. All the baits are stocked.

After paying dues for a few days, striped bass fishing turned back on for anglers on the party boat <b>Fishermen</b>, Capt. Ron said in an e-mail. This season’s striper fishing was again the best it’s ever been on the boat, “(and) many customers along with myself will never forget the spring of 2010!” he said. Another body of bunker and 6- to 8-inch herring moved in overnight. The bass were jigged, and rubber shads, jigs including Ava’s with or without tails and Krocodiles scored best. Great striper fishing was also clobbered on Wednesday’s trip, “(and) it doesn’t get any better than this!” he said. The anglers ran into the season’s best shot of big bass, including the 34-pound pool-winner and 33-, 32- and 31-pounders. A good group of anglers each hauled in stripers 25 pounds or larger.  A few periods of healthy catches, nearly all keepers, were belted at first. After that action, shorter than the previous day’s, dropped off, the trip went in search of bunker. When bunker were found, that’s when the big fish were hooked. Check out <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jn0pfmXFiDk" target="_blank">a video of Wednesday’s trip</a>. The Fishermen is striped bass fishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and 3:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Fridays through Sundays. <b>***Update, Friday, 5/7***</b>: Stripers lay on the bottom, unwilling to feed, and waters were cold during Thursday’s trip, Ron said in an e-mail. Winds by Friday were supposed to blow from the west and northwest, and that should warm waters, create much better fishing. “We’ll see,” he said. Bluefish attacked under bird life first thing during the trip and the boat was motored away to search of stripers. Bunker and plenty of striper readings, fish holding on the bottom, were found, but the bass refused to bite. Shallow waters, deep waters, farther from shore and back inshore were fished, and only a handful of linesiders were netted. Warmer waters 53 degrees was the only place any bit. Someone called later, saying the fish bit where Ron saw all the readings earlier. Seemed that once waters warmed at the spot, the stripers became active.

<b>Highlands</b>

A trip was on the waters on the ocean Wednesday toward dusk when Capt. Brian from <b>Jersey Devil Charters</b> gave this report over the phone on the vessel, and the anglers were picking at mostly striped bass on livelined bunker. A few blues were mixed in. The fishing looked like it was about to bust open on the ocean, because lots of bait was around. Some of the bass in the area were sizeable, and a buddy clocked a 35-pounder, and Brian heard about a couple of 40-pounders. Bunker chunking on Raritan Bay also waxed good catches lately. Jersey Devil will keep sailing for stripers, and specializes in trophy bass. Brian is a frequent striper tournament angler and has placed in or won many of the events. Charters and open-boat trips are fishing, and call if interested in the open trips, because the more who do, the easier to schedule. Trips are also available on the rivers for tons of stripers and blues, like if anglers want calm waters or if kids are coming. Those trips cast rubber shads or Guides Choice M-80 top-water popper lures.

Anglers had been mostly bunker chunking for striped bass on Raritan Bay, picking away at the fish to 25 pounds in the past days, with <b>Fisher Price Charters</b>, Capt. Derek said. The fishing slowed on Sunday and picked up some by Tuesday, and lots of blues anywhere from 3 to 12 pounds attacked. But he heard reports about bigger stripers to 40 pounds creamed on the ocean on live bunker on Wednesday, and he planned to head there on today’s trip. Derek did no surf fishing lately, but friends worked the suds Wednesday at Long Branch, bailing stripers and blues, and bunker schooled all day, and the fish seemed to be heading north. Charters are sailing, and the next open-boat trips are set for 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Sunday. Call to climb aboard or to be kept informed about the open schedule.

<b>Neptune</b>

<b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b> will fish next on Saturday, Capt. Ralph said. Anglers on both of Last Lady’s boats last Saturday wiped up on loads of striped bass on jigs and on the troll, covered in the last report. Striper fishing’s been so good that two individual-reservation trips for stripers were added for Saturday and Sunday, May 15 and 16, and space is available. A couple of spots are left on an individual-reservation trip offshore for cod, pollock and ling on Wednesday, May 19. Room is available for one of the trips for sea bass on Sunday, May 23. Individual-rez trips for fluke will sail every Wednesday starting June 23. Charters are available.

<b>Belmar</b>

The season’s first trip steamed today on the ocean on the <b>Nan Sea J</b>, Capt. Tom said. The anglers, a small group, first snagged bunker and dropped them back down for bait, bagging three striped bass. Next the trip ran north, tackling tons of big blues and five more bass on bunker chunks and jigs. All the anglers went home with a striper, a 17-pounder the biggest, and as many blues as they wanted. Striper charters will keep sailing, and sea bass trips will begin May 22, when the season opens for them. Annual open-boat trips for sharks will run every Wednesday beginning in June, a rare opportunity to fight the beasts on an open trip. Shark charters will also fish beginning in June.

Super striped bass fishing was smoked on the ocean on the party boat <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b>, some of the best striper fishing Capt. Alan saw in years, he said. Sunday’s fishing was slow, but trips the rest of the week mopped up, sometimes limits for the boat. All the fishing was on jigs, except Wednesday’s trip ran into a huge spread of bunker, and some patrons snagged the bunker, used them for bait for catches. Some of the bass on the trips were big, and a 43-pounder was dusted on Monday. The Miss Belmar Princess is sailing for striped bass and bluefish 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and 7:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. The trips will run every day and night starting Memorial Day weekend.

Outrageous striped bass fishing was blasted from ocean boats and the surf, said Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b>. Most were probably hooked on boats, but the surf also popped. From the boats, anglers jigged metal like Ava 47’s or Krocodiles or snagged bunker on weighted treble snagging hooks, dropping the baitfish back down for bait. From the surf, sharpies mostly snagged and dropped bunker or worked pencil poppers, and sometimes they jigged. Some big fish were dragged in, and the biggest seemed to be hooked on the bunker from boats and the surf. A 44-pounder, caught from a private boat, was the largest weighed in. A 36-pounder, caught from the surf, was the largest checked in today. All the Belmar party boats striped bass fished. Normally some would do other fishing, like bottom fishing or fluke fishing. But the tight regulations lately prevented the boats from sailing for sea bass, tog and fluke. Some would probably sail for ling if ling were in demand, but customers kept hearing about all the big stripers, and wanted them. Some of the boats should begin sea bassing when sea bass season opens May 22, and some will fluke fish when fluking opens May 29. Bluefish stormed up Shark River Inlet at some point every day, so anglers had a great time simply fighting them there without having to travel. They tossed smaller metal like Ava 007’s, Ava 17’s or small Krocodiles or Everglades. Thank goodness for the great striper fishing while the other seasons are closed.

<b>Brielle</b>

Mike Gallo’s charter on Wednesday limited out on striped bass by 11 a.m. on the <b>Big Kid</b>, playing catch and release with plenty afterward, Capt. Ken said. The trip broke the inlet and headed north, trolling the fish on Tony Maja’s spoons at first. Later a large bunker school was found, and that’s where the anglers limited out and mugged the 40-pounder. Striper trips have usually gone like this, often limiting out even earlier. Looking ahead, availability remains for sea bass trips that will begin May 22, opening day of sea bass season. All the shark tournaments are booked, but shark charters will be on the menu in June. Tuna charters will kick off in July, lasting to November, and dates remain. Lock in preferred dates while they’re left.

<b>Point Pleasant</b>

On the party boat <b>Dauntless</b> ling fishing began somewhat to improve for the first time this season, “not great by any means,” Capt. Butch said, but getting better. Anglers aboard were mostly able to cooler a half-dozen to 1 ½ dozen of the fish apiece, and the ling were good-sized. A few cod were mixed in, and toward the end of a couple of trips, the boat was motored inshore, and the anglers knocked down striped bass. The ling fishing took place in the 60- to 100-foot shallows, because dog sharks started to become a nuisance in deeper waters in the warming ocean. The ling fishing apparently improved in the shallows because waters finally began to warm a bit. The surface was 52 to 54 degrees, probably the temp only 10 feet down, and the bottom, where the ling came from, was probably in the mid to low 40s, Butch guessed. He snagged a bunker on a trip, and the menhaden was ice cold, for example. Bluefish were often seen swimming the surface, but were rarely caught, because of cold waters. They were slow-moving in the low temps, yet to respond much to jigs that would be fished on a party boat. Four or five blues were hooked on Saturday’s trip, and blues were more likely to attack jigs where waters were considerably warmer, like in the inlet. Annual night bluefishing trips will be added to the boat’s schedule, usually beginning on Memorial Day weekend.  The Dauntless is bottom fishing 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily.

The season’s first day of fishing on the party boat <b>Cock Robin</b> was postponed until Saturday, May 15, an e-mail from the vessel said. Trips were originally slated to begin this Friday. Specials on the boat will include: $1 of every fare donated to the Recreational Fishing Alliance; Captain Jim’s Customer Appreciation Program, where every 12th trip is free; pay up front for eight adult trips and get two free; Captain Jim’s Camp Cock Robin, featuring a dedicated mate for kids 8 to 15 from Mondays through Fridays; moms sail free May 7 to 9 when accompanied by a paying adult in celebration of Mother’s Day; dads sail free June 18 to 20 when accompanied by a paid adult in celebration of Father’s Day, limited registration; children sail free on their birthdays when accompanied by a paying adult; the new program Captain Jim’s Jersey Mike’s Lunch Plan – pre order lunch to arrive from Jersey Mike’s at  the dock at 7 a.m.; PinkDay every Wednesday, when women sail for a child’s fare, in partnership with the Komen Foundation, and this program can be supported by purchasing a pink Cock Robin/Komen Foundation T-shirt; and a fireworks and ice cream cruise every Thursday, when passengers will enjoy fireworks seen from the ocean, and the fixings for an ice cream sundae will be available to everyone. Captain Jim’s Grog is included on those trips.

<b>Bricktown</b>

Customers talked about snatching blues and striped bass, throwback stripers, from the surf, basically from Manasquan Inlet to Bay Head, said Capt. Rich from the tackle shop <b>Jersey Hooker Outfitters</b>. They fished swim baits like Calcuttas or Tsunamis or diamond jigs for the blues, and some used mullet for the speedsters. Boaters on the ocean ran across a debacle of striped bass, lots of keepers, and blues mixed in off Long Branch during the late weekend and early this week. Jigs clubbed most, and a few of the boats trolled the catches. Rich’s <b>Jersey Hooker Charters</b>, sailing from Point Pleasant, limited out on the bass to 40 inches there on Saturday on jigs by 11 a.m., returning to the dock by 1:30 p.m. Trips usually jigged for the fish, but the crew always keeps fresh clams aboard, in case a trip needs to run to the ocean off Sandy Hook to clam the fish, if jigging is slow on a day. The crew is there to catch fish. One customer bottom fished at Sea Girt Reef this week, getting on action with out-of-season blackfish that were released, bagging a half-dozen cod and throwing back shorts. At the Point Pleasant Canal anglers on the night shift tackled striped bass on high tides, when currents slowed. Eels were ideal bait, though eels were scarce, and some used herring, plugs or big swim baits that could be dropped to the bottom. One angler consistently plugged stripers around the docks on the Manasquan River on swim baits. Crabbing went well, considering the early season, and the blueclaws began to be picked around the Mantoloking Bridge on Barnegat Bay. Customers who lived on Beaver Dam Creek gathered crabs in their pots. Freshwater anglers bought Power Baits, meal worms, nightcrawlers and garden worms, saying they scored well at the different streams. Some talked about good catches at out-of-the-way places like one of the branches of the Manasquan that flows in Jackson. A surprising number of less talked about areas like that were great places to fish for trout. Freshwater customers also sacked largemouth bass from Forge Pond on killies or worms. Saltwater baits the shop stocks include fresh clams, fresh bunker when available, worms and the whole frozen selection.

<b>Toms River</b>

Surf fishing slowed a bit compared with lots of bluefish catches and a few striped bass raked in previously, said Jeff from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>.  But a few blues and bass were rounded up, and most sharpies  tossed out bunker, because both fish grabbed the bait. But the stripers also inhaled clams, and the blues were sometimes clocked on metal like Krocodiles, Gators or Ava’s, and sometimes on plugs like a pencil popper or a Polaris. Local ocean boaters occasionally trolled stripers and blues on bunker spoons. Bunker sometimes schooled the local ocean, and a few ran Barnegat Bay. Tailor blues, sometimes bigger, filled the bay, and blues seemed more predominant than stripers there. Jeff heard about no weakfish caught in the bay. The Toms River held a few white perch and occasional blues. Bucket the perch on bloodworms, nightcrawlers, grass shrimp or small killies. Crabbing was improving well. Fresh bunker, fresh clams, killies and all the frozen baits are stocked. Sandworms and bloodworms are no longer stocked at the moment, because demand drops at this time of year.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

Bluefish were bucktailed in Barnegat Inlet, said John from <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>. Blues popped in and out of the surf, chasing schools of bunker, slashing at metal, popper lures or fresh bunker chunks. Stripers were clammed from the surf fairly steadily, and blowfish actually began to be picked up from the wash on worms or pieces of clam. Not a lot went down in Barnegat Bay locally, and small blues were found in the waters, but not like two weeks ago, and they were scattered. No weakfish were weighed in from the bay, but they should be around. Fresh clams, fresh bunker and the full supply of frozen baits are stocked. Sandworms will be carried again when weakfish become active. The shop’s rental boats will first become available for the season through the week leading up to Memorial Day weekend.

<b>Seaside Park</b>

Marauding schools of blues traveled the surf at times Wednesday, said the report on <b>Grumpy’s Tackle</b>’s Web site. Otherwise action was mostly calm, and few anglers fished from the beach that day. But three stripers 24.35, 11.65 and 9.45 pounds were weighed in from the wash, two caught on Grumpy clams, one plugged on a pencil popper, that day. Bunker entered the surf toward low tide in the afternoon. No working birds or fish busting the surface gave them away, but blind-casting to the edges of the bunker produced blues. Angling from the beach lately seemed like a day or two of slow catches and a few days of fish going nuts. The surf crept up to 60 degrees, “(and) it can get crazy any day now, so put down the cell phone and pick up a rod!” the report said. Blues swam the surf off and on during Tuesday, and short striped bass sometimes jumped on clams in the wash that day. Blues were bucktailed in Barnegat Inlet that day. Monday’s surf catches were slow, but three stripers 11.3, 10.6 and 9.7 pounds were weighed in, all won on Grumpy clams. One angler surprisingly beached blowfish, discovering them pecking at his clams meant for bass. “Yup, it is a very unusual spring!” the report said. If something’s stealing your bait, try using small hooks with pieces of clam for the puffers. Blues checked in since Monday punched bucktails and Ava jigs. “Leave the bird watching to the Audubon Society,” the report said that day, “because blind casting may produce fish when there isn’t a bird in sight.” Check out this <a href=" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dS--gLS6q8k" target="_blank">video on top-water surf fishing for gator blues</a> that a customer made. <a href="http://www.grumpystackle.com/fishing_reports.cfm" target="_blank">Click here</a> for updates.

<b>Forked River</b>

Along the ocean, boaters picked lots of blues and some stripers, mostly on trolled bunker spoons, Mann’s Stretch Lures or shad umbrella rigs, said Grizz from <b>Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle</b>. Ed Plicta trolled a 36-1/2-pound striper Friday on a white bunker spoon. Kevin Kovach on Wednesday on the way home from bottom fishing on the ocean saw birds working, stopped, cast a Gator spoon and reeled in a 28-1/2-pound striper on the first cast. Plenty of blues schooled Barnegat Bay, and anglers could throw metal or any type of plug to them or could troll them on Ponytails. Boaters clammed stripers at Barnegat Inlet on anchor. Nothing much was heard about striper fishing toward the western side of the bay, including from shore anglers like at Oyster Creek. Everybody splashed their boats and took off on the vessels to catch. Grizz heard about a few weakfish landed from the Berkeley Island pier, probably on pink Fin-S Fish. Crabbing seemed good, and many began to buy bunker for crab bait. Fresh clams, fresh bunker and all the frozen baits are stocked.   

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Barnegat Inlet put out striped bass and blues while Basil from <b>Barnegat Light Bait & Tackle</b> gave this report at 5 p.m. today, anglers told him. Lures, bunker and clams hooked them. A good mix of stripers and blues were beached from the surf lately on bunker, clams, Krocodiles, Crippled Herrings, Ava’s, top-water poppers and mid-level divers like Yozuri’s and Mega Minnows. Tuesday really shoveled out the surf fish, and stripers 37, 34 and 33 inches were seen at the shop from the fishing that day. Boaters on the ocean jigged stripers Saturday and Sunday off the Seaside Ferris wheel, and some trolled the catches on bunker spoons. Bill Johnson boated a 33-pound striper there on a bunker spoon, and Larry Tate racked up a 30-pound striper there on one of the spoons. Barnegat Bay anglers near the inlet clammed plenty of stripers on anchor or used livelined herring on the drift for them. Blues were baited from the bay on bunker or mackerel chunks. Nobody mentioned weakfish, and nobody talked about hooking out-of-season fluke by mistake from the bay, but the flatties were surely there. Fresh clams and fresh bunker are stocked. Worms are carried, but nobody used worms lately.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

When bluefish first invaded the bay this season, they came in thick, and they remained thick since then, said Scott from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Mostly boaters batted them down, in Great Bay at Grassy Channel or along the Intracoastal Waterway, and metal like Krocodiles or Gators dialed them up well. But sometimes, not frequently, shore anglers knocked the blues up from Graveling Point and Pebble Beach, mostly in the evenings in low light. A striper was hooked once in a while from Grassy Channel, Graveling and Pebble, surprising this late in the year. One boater said he fought blues at Grassy, and when the blues disappeared, he caught stripers. Striper fishing in the local ocean was yet to start, but that was usual. In recent years the bassing took place in June. Big fish, 30-plus-pounders, were then blistered on snagged bunker. Plenty of customers already bought weighted treble hooks for snagging the menhaden, but none connected with the stripers, though bunker already scored the bass farther north. No weakfish were found, and some customers did try for them at places like Sheepshead Creek in the evenings with Fin-S Fish. Only bluefish hit. White perch were iced at places like the Lower Bank Bridge on the Mullica River. Fresh-shucked clams, bloodworms, minnows, grass shrimp and eels are stocked.

<b>Absecon</b>

Back-bay anglers banged out striped bass, pretty good catches, and blues, and some areas held more blues, said Curt from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. So striper anglers had to move around a little. Fresh clams, fresh bunker, if anglers could find fresh bunker, and strips of frozen mackerel worked. Fresh bait will always gain better action. Stripers were hooked in the Mullica and Great Egg Harbor rivers, but some of the fish apparently spawned in the rivers and dropped down to the bays, because catches of bigger stripers were heard about in the back waters around Ocean City. A 22-pounder, a 21-pounder and a 20-pounder were nailed. Anglers can try for those bass at places like the sloughs or the Intracoastal Waterway, dunking usual striper baits like clams or bunker. Those fish are headed for the ocean, where next they’ll chase bunker schools. Not too many catches of stripers were heard about from the ocean, except a few taken off the north end of Brigantine. A few drum were picked up in the surf and from the bay. Anglers fishing for stripers with clams usually hooked the drum by chance, but drum will also crunch half a blueclaw crab on a hook. Crabbers nabbed hardshell blueclaws, and none shed yet this season. At least a couple of weeks will have to pass before the first shed, producing softshell crabs, and that usually happens by Memorial Day. White perch also held in the rivers, but many small ones bit, because many of the larger ones were spawning, though spawned-out bigger ones could be found in certain areas. Curt competed in a perch tournament, entering a 3.1-pounder that came in seventh place. A 4.5-pounder was the winner, and entrants landed many small perch. Tog had chewed hard for anglers before the blackfish season closed Saturday. A few cod were pumped in from the wrecks farther out or 12 miles offshore. Fresh bunker, fresh clams, bloodworms, eels and minnows are stocked. The shop is trying to stock live spots in about a week. Live herring ran out for the season, but frozen herring and all the frozen baits are stocked.

<b>Brigantine</b>

At Brigantine surf fishing for striped bass somewhat lit up on Tuesday and Wednesday, and a bunch of 15- to 29-pounders were weighed in, said Capt. Andy from <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>. Fresh bunker and fresh clams were the baits. Only one striper, Carl Poul’s 39-inch 23-1/2-pounder, was checked in by this afternoon when Andy gave this report, and he couldn’t tell whether the school of bass had departed or the fishing went on a lull for a moment. But Carl also released two shorts and saw bluefish around him, and the bass he bagged was his first-ever in the 20-pound class. In the previous days weigh-ins included: Marco Vesdertino’s 25-pound 40-1/2-incher taken on bunker; Kosta Grigorakakis’ 19-pound 40-incher belted on clam in front of the Brigantine Hotel; and Vince “The Fin” Zoppina’s 18-1/2-pound 36-incher that was clammed off the hotel. Andy boated a 15-pound 36-inch striper in the ocean, and the fish grabbed either clam or bunker, and rods were set out with both. “You know lots of fish are around if I catch,” he said. A 33-pound striper continued to lead the Fish for Life Tournament, running until May 15. No kingfish were plucked from the surf. Plenty of fresh bunker and fresh clams are stocked, and so are bloodworms.

<b>Longport</b>

Opening day of sea bass season, Saturday, May 22, became available for a charter or possibly an open-boat trip, because of a cancellation, said Capt.  Mike from the <b>Stray Cat</b>. Call if interested. He relocated a boat from Boston this week, but charters for striped bass and bluefish on the ocean are on the menu on the Stray Cat until sea bass season. Daily open-boat trips will resume when sea bass opens, whenever no charter is booked. Trips will put a bead on sea bass full steam ahead.

<b>Ocean City</b>

“Stripers, stripers, stripers,” said Bill from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. Striped bass and sometimes blues flooded waters from the surf to the back bay all week. Good-sized bass to 25 and 35 pounds were hoisted from the surf. Clams and bunker coaxed bites, and so did Gibbs popper lures, Yozuri lures, Bomber lures and Mirr-O-Lures. The blues pounced on any metal or spoon including Ava 17 jigs. Boaters in Corson’s Inlet hacked super fishing for mostly stripers and some blues Wednesday night. All who fished caught, and most of the stripers were ransacked on artificials including Mirr-Os, Bombers and sometimes Rat-L-Traps. The bay put out stripers and blues in the mornings, afternoons and nights. Nobody mentioned ocean wreck fishing, and that angling could be quiet until sea bass season opens May 22. Fresh clams, fresh bunker, eels and frozen baits including herring, mullet, and mackerel are stocked.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

A 20-pound striped bass was weighed in from the surf that was beached at Townsend’s Inlet on the Sea Isle City side at 9 a.m. on incoming tide on clam, said Wes from <b>Gibson’s Tackle</b>. Outgoing’s been the usual time for striper catches from the beach, but that goes to show the fish can be hooked at other times. Surf fishing produced stripers, and fresh clams or fresh bunker were the baits. No kingfish arrived in the suds yet. A few blues appeared in the surf, usually within 10 to 15 blocks of the inlets, willing to chomp mullet or mackerel or such. But blues – fish to 3 and 4 pounds, but occasionally bigger, such as a 9-pounder weighed in – mostly marauded the back bay. Throw jigs or bucktails tipped with tails like Bass Assassins. The 9-pounder grabbed a jig with a Gulp tail. Stripers could also be claimed from the bay, either on the same jigs or bucktails or on clams while chumming. A friend reeled in a 20-inch striper from the bay while bluefishing with a bucktail, catching a few blues and releasing a bunch of out-of-season flounder to boot. Flounder carpeted the bay, and the stage seemed set for a good opening to the flattie season on May 29, the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. Fishing for them is usually best in the bay in the early season, before warm waters push the bottom huggers to the ocean. Fresh clams, fresh bunker, bloodworms and all the frozen baits are stocked. “My bait’s in great shape,” Wes said.

On the back bay a trip with Rich Linus on Tuesday met winds and waters stirred up like chocolate, cutting the trip short, but about six bluefish were fought on Bass Assassins first, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Gibson’s Tackle</b>. The bay’s blues usually range 2 to 4 pounds, and these were on the bigger end, probably 3 ½ pounds average. On Wednesday a trip John Stevens and Dustin Laricks jigged probably 12 or 15 blues on the bay on Bass Assassins. The fish, again better-sized or mostly 4 pounds, seemed more fickle than recently, gave up a more subtle bite that took more technique to hook. Fly fishing probably would’ve worked well, because suspended jigs got the strikes on the downfall, something flies would’ve imitated. Joe’s charters cast Clouser Minnow flies to the blues. The bay’s bluefishing remained good but might’ve been less active than before, but it could pick up again, and will last a moment. By Memorial Day boat traffic usually drops off the fishing, and then striped bass and flounder fishing kick in. Many of the blues also depart for the ocean to spend the summer around then, but some always pop in the bay through summer. Blues will begin to smack top-water popper lures and flies soon, as waters warm. Stripers were definitely around and could be caught in the bay, if anglers wanted, on clams or jigs. Stripers will also start to hit poppers, usually from Memorial Day to Columbus Day, and the top-water striper fishing is one of Joe’s specialties. Anglers fish for them on Joe’s flats boat as he poles the vessel in the shallows, like fishing in tropical waters but right here in South Jersey. Flounder shingled the bay bottom, and anglers caught them by mistake and released them, and fishing for them should be great when the flattie season opens on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. The early season is best, before warm waters push the fish to the ocean. Special, after-work charters are fishing the bay, ideal for all the fish that currently held in the waters. Drum fishing should begin on Delaware Bay any time, and Joe’s charters fish for them. Night trips for drum on Memorial Day weekend are an option. Now that May is here, anglers should start thinking about tuna. Bluefin and yellowfin tuna fishing produced plenty of catches toward the end of May in recent years, and Joe is always one of the first to go after them. Many anglers wait until July for tuna, but they miss the early population of fish. As soon as Joe sees waters that are warm enough on the satellite charts, he will go. Take a charter and catch this relatively undisturbed fishery. Keep up with Joe’s fishing and photos on <a href=" http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s blog</a>.

<b>Wildwood</b>

Drum were targeted on Delaware Bay on Saturday on the party boat <b>Adventurer</b>, Capt. Gary said. But the fishing was slow for everyone, and no drum came up on the boat, but a few were hooked on other vessels Friday night to Saturday morning. Apparently a small school came through. Gary saw none landed among the fleet when his trip fished later that day. Drum could begin to bite any time, and the boat will go after them again this weekend. Waters had probably been a bit cool last weekend. For example, the bay was 52 to 53 degrees then, and drum spawn, the reason they enter the waters, when the bay is 68 degrees. Big difference. Gary loves drum fishing, some of his favorite. Anglers will put the bait out, relax, and some big monsters can bite. A 92-pounder was the biggest for Gary so far. Drum enter the bay in different year classes. They’ll stay out in the ocean until reaching a certain age, and then they’ll come into the bay. A 60-pounder is about 20 years old. Drum seemed the best opportunity for catching right now. A few blues swam the surf. Striped bass could possibly become a better target for a moment, and a shot usually arrives in the Cape May Rips soon. They might be migrating stripers from the south, or they might be stripers returning after spawning in the Delaware River, or they might be both. If striper fishing turns on, trips could switch to them, before returning to drum fishing. Open-boat trips are slated daily on the Adventurer, but call to let the crew know if you’re coming down at this time of year. 

<b>Cape May</b>

The season’s first drum charter is set for Friday on Delaware Bay on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>, Capt. George said. The good news is that he heard about drum caught Tuesday night, he said on Wednesday when he gave this report. Drum are expected to turn on any moment, and the bite can kick off in an instant. Practically all Cape May charters are beginning drum trips this weekend. Dates remain for drum charters on the Heavy Hitter, and book to ensure a spot.

At least five striped bass were heard about that were dragged from the surf at Poverty Beach today, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. Some were angled from the Cape May Point suds lately, and Nick sent a couple of anglers to the Wildwood wash Wednesday, and they pounded a couple of 40-inch stripers. Bluefish hit the surf at the point the other day. So surf fishing was giving up some catches, and soak clams for the bass or bunker for the blues, and the blues could also be taken on metal. Nick also heard about weakfish suddenly picked up along the Cape May ferry jetty on black and yellow Bomber plugs. None of the anglers seemed to worm for them, but worms will usually work, and Nick was going to try for the weaks himself. One of the party boats caught five or six drum on Delaware Bay the other night. The bay probably needed to reach the 60s for drum to become active, and the fish were marked on the fish finder. The bay was probably 55 degrees, and the temp fluctuated because of cold nights. Cod were hung from the ocean wrecks. In the back bay stripers could be clammed or could be plugged around the bridges. In a couple of weeks more of them should be plugged along the sod banks. Fresh clams and fresh bunker are stocked, and sometimes a few fresh herring are carried, when herring show up in the netter’s catch. Bloodworms and the frozen baits are on hand.

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