This report was posted on a Tuesday instead of the usual Monday because of Memorial Day.

<b>Staten Island</b>

Fishing for sea bass shoveled up good catches of medium-sized lumpheads around 2 ½ pounds, and jumbos were mixed in, said Capt. Anthony from <b>Barbara Anne Fishing Charters</b> in an e-mail. Good numbers were coolered, and the boat will now fish for them when anglers request. Besides charters that will run, open-boat trips might sail for the knotheads on Thursdays. A striped bass trip on Friday landed 13 of the fish to 30 pounds, and the anglers unfortunately missed about 15, the Captain’s blog on the boat’s Web site said. A striper trip was weathered out Thursday, but another, an open-boat twilight trip, sailed last Tuesday, totaling 20 stripers. The trips fished with live or chunked bunker. Daytime and twilight trips are fishing. Don’t have enough anglers for a full charter? Call Anthony anyway, because he can often schedule individual spaces. Barbara Anne pays bridge tolls with a receipt.

A super catch of striped bass was socked last Tuesday evening on the bay with <b>Outcast Charters</b>, Capt. Joe said. Three stripers were hooked at once a lot of the time, and the bass were somewhat smaller than recently, but they were all keepers, mostly 14- or 15-pounders, and a 22-pounder was the biggest. The angling was awesome. Striper fishing was tough on a trip Thursday evening on the bay, maybe because of unsettled weather around that time, and tons of bluefish schooled. The trip headed home early, because stormy weather moved in. On Sunday a trip totaled eight keepers stripers to 25 pounds on the bay, an okay catch, Joe guessed, but slower than recently. The anglers had to capitalize on a bite that lasted a couple of hours then quit. Not many blues appeared. The trips fished with live and chunked bunker. Sea bass trips are slated this coming weekend, and anglers began to call about the bottom fishing a lot. Charters are sailing, and open-boat trips are running for stripers every Thursday evening.

<b>Bayonne</b>

Anglers aboard yanked in 15 keeper sea bass averaging 2 pounds or 15 inches, good-sized, and a blue at the Mud Buoy at first on a trip Sunday, said Capt. Akira from <b>True Would Tackle</b> and <b>True World Tackle Charters</b>. Then they fished at the channel off Sandy Hook Point, reeling up four keeper fluke. Not many shorts bit at all during the trip. Lots of boaters were anchored and fishing for striped bass at Flynn’s Knoll. A striper trip with True World dialed up an okay catch at Robbins Reef in New York Harbor last Tuesday. Bulkhead anglers at Bayonne and surrounding cities knuckled up stripers, mostly on cut bunker.

<b>Morgan</b>

The Pier Gang from Keyport, as they call themselves, took a fluke trip Monday with <b>Black Pearl Fishing</b> on Sandy Hook Bay, Capt. Alan said. The keeper ratio was probably 1 in 20, so a bunch of the fish, not many of them keepers, were wrangled up. A 3-1/2-pounder was the pool fish, and the anglers fished with squid and spearing. Sea robins sometimes bit, and no bluefish were landed, but blues were seen on the way out, and the bay was loaded with bunker. Open-boat trips, sailing 7:30 a.m. to 12 noon and 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., often run when no charter is booked, but charters are scheduled for this weekend. A few weekend dates are left for charters this month and next, and more weekdays are available. Charters for 1 to 6 people, 1 to 15, and more are offered on the 53-foot vessel, licensed for up to 60 passengers. Trips are currently available for fluke, striped bass, blues and sea bass. Special trips for big fluke will sometimes sail this season.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Fluke fishing on the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b> “was a start,” Capt. Tom said, through this opening weekend of the season. Lots of the fish, many shorts, gave up action, even if fewer keepers bit than Tom would prefer. A couple of keepers were bagged here, another couple there, and the trips fished on the bay at usual early season spots like off the Navy Pier and the Coast Guard Station. No area was better than another, and the fish bit at every place tried, and waters were 66 or 67 degrees, probably normal. Some of the anglers might’ve landed a dozen and kept one, or some might’ve gotten lucky and kept two out of a dozen, and others might’ve reeled in a dozen shorts, no keepers. Some of the fish were just keeper-sized, and some were slightly larger, and quite a few were an inch short, and some were small, a broad range of sizes that seemed healthy. The anglers fished with squid and spearing supplied on the trips, and some brought their only killies to use. A few fished with bucktails and Spro jigs. Tom saw no advantage to one bait or rig over another, but only a couple of days of fishing had taken place. If anglers like to fish with killies, he suggests bringing some. The Atlantic Star is fishing for fluke on two trips daily 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. <b>***Update***</b>: Fluking on this morning’s trip was about as good as anyone could want, and all patrons caught the fish, even if the keeper ratio could’ve been better, Tom said. One angler bagged three keepers, and a few more keepers were jabbed around the boat among the small crowd. Many of the fish were 17 to 17 ½ inches or an inch or half-inch undersized, but the action was strong, with everyone catching, and Tom hoped more keepers will show up.

On the party boat <b>Fishermen</b> striped bass, bigger ones to 23 pounds, put up good catches on Saturday morning during incoming tide, Capt. Ron said in the report on the boat’s Web site. They bit through slack tide, and once outgoing began, the catches ended. Several of the anglers limited out, and many bagged none. On Sunday the angling was similar, producing a good pick of large bass to 24 pounds in the morning for a somewhat shorter time than on the previous day. The trip had to begin searching when slack tide began, and after several drops, the last place of the day gave up eight of the biggest stripers. Friday’s fishing was slow on the boat, after all heck broke loose with the angling on Thursday’s trip, excellent striper catches, covered in the last report. Ron couldn’t wait to get back out on Friday’s trip. “Well, you know what happens when you start to think you got it figured out!” he said. “Put the boat on a drift, and knew in 5 minutes it wasn’t going to happen …. Hero to zero in a matter of hours ….” Sometimes the trip anchored and clammed, and sometimes the boat was steamed around looking for stripers. Bunker were found, but no stripers followed them. 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>Highlands</b>

Probably 40 sea bass were bagged on the ocean Sunday on the <b>Katie H</b>, Capt. Mike said. Lots of shorts bit, but some of the keepers were 2 to 2 ½ pounds. Striped bass fishing sounded slow on the ocean Sunday, and the trip looked around for stripers at the beginning and end, and plenty of bunker schooled at the beginning, but no stripers chased them. Stripers were marked at the end in the ocean off the Highlands Bridge. Waters were 62 degrees or cool, and that made the crew decide not to try for fluke. But the sea bass and beautiful weather made for a good day.

Fishing for striped bass was up and down on the boat from Friday through the weekend, but was good Wednesday and Thursday, said Capt. Derek from <b>Fisher Price Charters</b>. The fishing was slower on a trip Friday morning but good on a trip that afternoon. The angling was slow on a trip Saturday morning but great on a trip that afternoon. It was great on a trip Sunday morning but was as pick on a trip that afternoon. But stripers to 33 pounds were dusted on the trips, and only a few bluefish showed up. The trips fished on Raritan Bay with chunked bunker. A few dates remain for striper charters, but the schedule was filling, and trips will fish for them probably to the second week of July. The next open-boat trips will probably sail for stripers toward the end of the week, and anglers can call Derek to be kept informed about the open schedule. Bookings are being taken for fluke and bottom-fishing charters.

Ocean striped bass fishing became good in the afternoons and slow in the mornings, said Capt. Brian from <b>Jersey Devil Charters</b>. He took a crew trip Saturday morning, finding slow fishing for stripers, but heard about good catches in the afternoon. He and the crew first motored down the ocean beaches, caught bunker for bait and hooked no stripers. They moved to Raritan Bay, but not much was doing on the bay either. But on Wednesday bunker pushed into the bay, and a charter bailed stripers to 25 pounds on the livelined baitfish. Fluke fishing sounded difficult on the ocean on this opening weekend of the flattie season. Brian heard about fluke boated on the Navesink River, though. Shark trips will kick off with Jersey Devil within a couple of weeks. Tuna fishing will start in July on the vessel, unless tuna show up earlier. Charters and open-boat trips are fishing for striped bass, and call if interested in the open trips, because the more who do, the easier to schedule.

<b>Neptune</b>

Dave Peters and two young sons limited out on striped bass to 27 pounds on Friday with <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b>, Capt. Ralph said. On Saturday the Chris Primavera trip docked a half-dozen stripers to 20 pounds, and a trip on Ralph’s other boat picked away at sea bass to 2 and 3 pounds. On Sunday John Vaclavek’s party of 10 limited out on sea bass to 4 pounds. Sunday morning’s striper fishing was horrendous, and that trip tried a little striper fishing then, and nobody caught. But striper anglers began to catch when Ralph got back to port. Anglers aboard the trips fished for stripers with bunker chunks, live bunker and clams. Another sea bass trip was sailing Monday. Only three spots remain for on an individual-reservation trip to the offshore wrecks for cod on Thursday, June 24. Better sign up now if you want to go, Ralph said. He expects good fishing, and the first of those trips was a huge success, sailing two weeks ago. Combo fluke/sea bass individual-reservation trips will begin to sail every Wednesday on June 23. An individual-reservation shark trip is slated for Tuesday, June 29, and that is the first-ever open shark trip Ralph will run, and he made his name in sharking. Charters are available. <b>***Update***</b>: After Monday’s trip, Ralph briefly said in an e-mail that anglers aboard knocked the daylights out of sea bass the last couple of days, and caught some  fluke. “Very encouraging,” he said. A full report on Monday’s trip should be posted in the next report.

<b>Belmar</b>

A charter for striped bass belted the fish, a good catch, on Friday on clams, but the fishing turned slow on two trips afterward, producing no stripers, said Capt. Tom from the <b>Nan Sea J</b>.  The stripers began to bite in the afternoons, and those were morning trips. But anglers aboard racked up good bottom-fishing for sea bass, ling and cod. Out-of-season winter flounder, porgies and short tog bit and were tossed back. The Nan Sea J did no fluke fishing, but a 19-inch fluke grabbed a clam meant for stripers. Fluking seemed slow on the ocean on this opening weekend of the flattie season, and waters had been cold, though the ocean warmed to 63 degrees by Sunday afternoon from 58 degrees. Annual, open-boat shark trips every Wednesday through July will probably kick off this week or next, a rare opportunity to fight the monster on an open trip. Lock in space now on the popular outings.

Fishing for striped bass became a little slow on the ocean toward the end of the week, because Virginia boats pounded bunker in the waters, but previously very good striper catches were whaled on trips, said Capt. Eric from <b>On a Mission Fishing Adventures</b>. But a 43-pound striper was clocked on the boat Thursday, and a couple in the 30s were hung on the vessel Wednesday, and many 20-pounders were seen on trips. All trips fished with livelined bunker, didn’t need to troll. Bluefish were nearly nonexistent, unusual. Eric noticed more of a high tide bite on stripers lately, not a bite dependant on time of day or mornings or afternoons. Striper charters will probably sail another two weeks, and a sea bass trip was heading out Monday. Fluke fishing will also kick in on the boat, and a trip Friday, the day before fluke season, scouted out fluke on Shark River. Twelve of the flatties, including four, including a 4-1/2-pounder, that would’ve been keepers were angled up and released in 2 hours, a good catch. On a Mission fishes the river if anglers prefer, and often fishes the ocean.

<b>Brielle</b>

Two separate, back-to-back trips with Al Orchard and John Wytanis limited out on striped bass on the <b>Big Kid</b> last week on Monday, Capt. Ken said. On Wednesday stripers bit late for Tom Headley’s charter, but the trip limited out. On Thursday morning striper fishing began a trip slowly with Mike Gallo’s party, but they switched to bottom-fishing, clobbering a great catch of sea bass. On Thursday afternoon Joe Hodatt’s charter limited out on stripers. On Friday morning Drew DellaSala’s party boxed seven stripers, if Ken remembered. In the afternoon a trip with Dave “Two Poles” and crew limited out on stripers. The McGrelli charter on Saturday from the Seaside Heights Fishing Club iced three stripers then switched to bottom fishing at 2 p.m., waxing a good catch of sea bass. All the charters trolled the stripers on the ocean on white Tony Maja’s spoons. Charters for stripers and sea bass, sometimes combos, are fishing, and fluke trips are available, now that fluke season opened Saturday. Capt. Ken loves bottom fishing and fluking. Shark fishing will get underway shortly on the Big Kid, and most of the major shark and offshore tournaments are already booked with charters, including Mako Mania, the Brett T. Bailey Memorial Mako Tournament, the Mid Atlantic $500,000 and the Beach Haven White Marlin Invitational. But the Jersey Coast Shark Anglers High Rollers Tournament, a winner-take-all event, is open on July 10, and so are the Mid Atlantic Tuna Tournament on July 15 to 17 and the Manasquan River Marlin and Tuna Club’s Tournament on August 28 to September 5, open to the public for the first time.

The five anglers on a trip Sunday limited out on sea bass to 3 pounds with <b>Fish Monger Charters</b>, Capt. Jerry said in an e-mail. They also put five ling and two cod in the box, releasing short cod and sizeable blackfish. All trips in the past several days mostly sea bassed. On this trip, the fish were a little sluggish at first, because of a west breeze against a south current, but the fishing was still great, just not as many double-headers. But the trip made a bunch of shifts and wiggles each time catches slowed, and a bunch of good-sized keepers were claimed each time. “Lost all conditions at 11 o’clock, but that’s okay,” Jerry said, because the boat was power drifted at some of his favorite piles for lock-and-load fishing. On Saturday a charter took an annual Memorial Day weekend trip, and last year “had a blast with stripers,” Jerry said. “But they are always down for whatever is biting.” They tried striper fishing in the beginning, quickly catching bunker for bait, good to see the bait schooled up well, and not skittish. But no taker stripers were found, and everyone the crew talked with had a slow morning on stripers Saturday. So the trip switched to Plan B, fishing for sea bass. Because the trip was up north after fishing for stripers, Jerry was unsure how the fishing would be, compared with the life where trips had usually sea bassed. But big sea bass started flying into the boat, and a mess to a 4-pound 2-ouncer were nabbed, and lots weighed 2 to 3 pounds. A few ling, blues, ocean pout and silver eels were caught, and out-of-season winter flounder to more than 3 pounds and blackfish to 6 pounds and short cod were released. Winds picked up, and the anglers finished the day catching and releasing short fluke on the Manasquan River.

The holiday weekend was definitely different, an e-mail from the party boat <b>Jamaica</b> said. Saturday night’s trip pummeled the best night bluefishing of the year so far on the boat. The anglers picked the fish throughout the night 20 miles to the southeast, ending up with a fair catch to Jimmy Moore from Newark’s 16-pounder. Sunday’s daytime trip began fishing for striped bass at the clam grounds on the ocean. But the fishing failed to produce, so the trip steamed down the beaches, looking for schools of bunker. Several schools were fished, but no stripers bit among the menhaden. But just as time was about to run out, stripers erupted from the ocean. Several schools with hundreds of 25- to 35-pound stripers apiece broke the surface around the boat, a sight not seen often, even for the crew on the waters every day. The fish were nailed on jigs and bunker, and James Dempsey from Trenton won the pool with a 35-pounder. Monday’s daytime trip began working schools of bunker. But only a few bluefish bit, and the boat was moved to the clam beds. A school of at least 1,000 drum 55 to 70 pounds, some of them larger, swam from the surface to below. More of the schools came through, and a few stripers were mixed in. A few drum were hooked on clams on each drift, but the anglers were lucky to land one or two per drift on the striper rods. Eighty-pound tuna tackle would’ve been appropriate. Striped bass to 25 pounds were sometimes clammed. Tom Hudak from Orefield, Pennsylvania, won the pool with a 25-pound striper. Brian Roddy from Bricktown landed the biggest drum, a 67-pounder. Striped bass trips are fishing at 7:30 a.m. daily and bluefish trips are running at 7:30 p.m. daily. 

Ocean striped bass fishing somewhat slowed, but catches seemed to be boated toward the evenings, said John from <b>The Reel Seat</b>. He believes commercial boaters catching bunker might’ve caused the slow down. He saw bunker off Sea Girt and a big pod off the Red Church on Monday, but no stripers chased them. Fluke fishing on the ocean seemed a bit slow on this opening weekend of the fluke season, because of cool waters from south winds. But on his trip Monday three keepers and a dozen shorts were bucktailed. Nothing was heard about fluking on the Manasquan River, but John was sure good fluking was had there. Places like off Clark’s Landing and the Route 70 Bridge usually hold a thick population this time of year. Sea bassing sounded decent on the ocean, and Dave, the shop’s owner, took a party boat trip Monday that grabbed sea bass, bergals that were a pain, ling, small cod and out-of-season blackfish that were released. Nobody talked about offshore fishing, though sharks and bluefin tuna began to be possible to catch this time of the season.

 <b>Point Pleasant</b>

Fair action on sea bass, a few keeper fluke, and short fluke was scored on the party boat <b>Gambler</b> on Saturday on the ocean, Capt. Bob said. The boat fished to the south from close to the beach to 75-foot depths, and 55-foot waters gave up most catches. On Sunday the vessel was steamed to the north, and better action with sea bass, a few keeper fluke, and short fluke was copped on the rough stuff. Bill Werking on the boat this weekend bagged two keeper fluke, including a 3-1/2-pounder, and five keeper sea bass. The Gambler is fishing on two trips daily from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

<b>Bricktown</b>

A 5-pound fluke was checked in from the Manasquan River on Saturday, the opening day of fluke season, said Capt. Rich from the tackle shop <b>Jersey Hooker Outfitters</b>. Many customers claimed keeper flatties from the river, and chartreuse Gulp fluke belly on a Mega Strike Shakey Head jig bailed dynamite catches, and pink Gulp mullet also knocked them down. Striped bass were hooked from the river on lures like Tsunami swim baits at areas like along the bridges during low-light hours. Boating for striped bass on the ocean became a pick, customers said. A few customers who are beach anglers said surf fishing became quiet. Crabbing was amping up on the back waters. A full supply of saltwater and freshwater bait and tackle is stocked.

<b>Seaside Park</b>

A quick trip made fast work of a sea bass limit for two anglers on Friday, a bite that was on fire in ocean seas that turned out calm despite dubious forecasts, said Capt. Rob “Birch” Birchmeier from <b>Fishguts Inshore Charters</b> in an e-mail. The quality of the fish was the same as on previous trips: sea bass to 20 inches, just under 4 pounds. On Saturday two anglers -- who “like to fish and do it well,” Birch said -- jumped aboard, and didn’t take long to begin putting together another healthy catch of jumbo sea bass. They limited out on impressive-sized ones to a 4.4-pounder, landing a few others that topped 3 pounds. They also bagged a 23-inch cod and two fat ling, and released plenty of short cod and out-of-season blackfish and porgies. On Sunday three anglers broke the inlet on a sea bass charter, meeting a tight chop in an east swell that calmed later in the morning. A few quick drops produced a handful of keepers at first, and the captain moved to a new area. Then results were good: plenty of life and some quality sea bass to 20 inches. The anglers had planned to fish a short day then supply a barbecue with fresh fish, so they bagged 30 to 20 inches by 11 a.m., and decided they had plenty. “It did feel a little strange heading in early without a boat limit and plenty of daylight left,” Birch said. “But that’s why it’s called a custom charter.” Lots of fish stole baits, but the anglers boxed the keepers in good time. Catching good numbers of quality sea bass close to shore through summer is a specialty for Fishguts. The wreck-fishing trips will fish the inshore ocean straight through the warm months on both charters and 10-hour open-boat trips. Combo ocean-wreck and bay fluke trips are available, now that fluke season opened Saturday. Special trips that target trophy blackfish will begin when the tog season opens July 16. Some dates remain for open trips or charters this week.

<b>Barnegat</b>

Hope everyone enjoyed the beautiful weather during the Memorial Day weekend, said Capt. Steve from <b>Reel Fantasea Charters</b> in an e-mail. The past week was one of those when more fishing was done than catching was, and anglers couldn’t say the fishing was bad, but it seemed off. Angling at Barnegat Bay and Barnegat Inlet offered great light-tackle action at times for blues and occasional striped bass. But ocean striped bass fishing was in a tail spin since two weekends ago, and the abundant bunker schools that trophy stripers chased disappeared. This can change overnight, and only time will tell. A trip with Jay Simmons and client Mark Hansen began the week, and they hoped to repeat a trip the previous week when trophy stripers were lambasted on the ocean. But on this trip, searching for bunker was futile, and so was trolling. But they moved to the inlet and bay, mugging action with 2- to 5-pound blues, some striped bass, some out-of-season blackfish that were let go, and a 5-pound fluke that was out of season and thrown back, though fluke season opened since then. On the next trip Tom Synder jumped aboard, deciding to “go for it,” looking for stripers on the ocean, despite the knowledge that the odds were against him. Sparse schools of bunker were located, but snagging them for bait was difficult. With nothing much happening, the trip headed back to the inlet, going 0 for 2 on stripers on the bunker. Only one bluefish was landed before trip’s end. Karl Steffan, Karl Jr. and Don Longstreet next took a trip that started slowly on the back of the bay. But as the tide picked up, so did fishing. The anglers whacked a solid bite on 2- to 3-pound blues and even a 30-inch striper. Then they moved to the flats, and fish attacked popper lures but were difficult to hook, before the trip ended. Sea bass fishing is just getting started, and cod remain in the mix, and these fish offer some of the best fillets to pack the freezer. June 18 and 24 are available for either open-boat spaces or a charter. On <a href=" http://www.facebook.com/pages/Barnegat-Bay-NJ/Reel-Fantasea-Fishing-Charters/106096239410753
" target="_blank">Reel Fantasea’s Facebook page</a>, check out a video of a short battle with a fish that Karl Steffan Jr. downloaded of his dad on their trip. Become a fan of the page.

<b>Surf City</b>

A few keeper fluke were dragged from the surf, said Barbara from <b>Surf City Bait & Tackle</b>. That was unusual for the time of year, except maybe a handful of small fluke are normally plucked from the waters. Sometimes a striped bass was pulled from the surf, and a 45-pounder was drilled from the suds a few days ago. Blues popped up in the waters at times, fishing that wasn’t as hot and heavy as previously last week. Maybe the full moon affected fishing, or maybe the weather was too nice. Surf casters dunked clams and bunker for bait. Fresh clams are stocked, but fresh bunker is scarce for all shops. The supplier was unable to find many of the menhaden. The store is open seven days a week starting this week. The hours are usually 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays, 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturdays and 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

“Guess what?” Scott from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b> asked in the report on the shop’s Web site on Saturday, opening day of summer flounder season. “Fishing was fun today,” he said. A ton of fluke were angled up from Grassy Channel and the Intracoastal Waterway, though not many were keepers. Five keepers to 22 inches was the high hook. The fish hit everything, and there was no magic bait or rig. A surprising number of drum were muscled up from Grassy, including lots on Sunday, some of them just before sundown. Was nice to hear some were released, too, Scott said. Evening fishing for the boomers was dependable lately. Drum reported caught weighed 40 to 80 pounds, and Scott thinks he never saw so many photos of drum on cell phones. Blues 3 to 4 pounds appeared at Grassy on Thursday, after the shop reported that blues disappeared a moment previously. Blues also schooled at Little Egg Inlet a while on Saturday. Nobody mentioned locating striped bass chasing bunker schools in the ocean, and that action took off in June in recent years in local waters. With a little effort, boaters picked occasional stripers at Grassy at least toward the end of the week, working through sharks. Good catches of sea bass started being made in 70 feet in the ocean when seas were decent.

<b>Brigantine</b>

Numerous striped bass were weighed in from the surf Sunday, and the catches from the surf ranged from 12 to 28 pounds that day, and plenty of stripers were beached from the suds since Thursday, said the report on <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>’s Web site. The angling was slow Tuesday and Wednesday, a period probably between schools. Seas were rough toward the end of the week, but those who could keep a line in the waters caught. But the biggest bunch of stripers that customers caught Sunday were five that weighed up to 44 pounds that were boated on a trip. No location for the catch was mentioned, but the ocean would be a guess, and the trip also produced a drum. Fishing for drum was also good in the surf lately. A big school of drum swam along the beaches at one point, and everyone with a hook in the waters heaved in the 30- to 40-pounders.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

A 39-1/2-pound 48-inch striped bass was weighed in from the surf Monday, said Noel from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. A 16-pound 35-incher was checked in from the suds Sunday, and other weigh-ins from the wash included another 16-pounder and a 13-pounder. Surf anglers also toggled in blues and good-sized summer flounder. A few kingfish began to appear along the beaches, and Noel saw a 17-incher Monday. Out-of-season blackfish chomped in the surf and were released. Plenty of fish and plenty of bait, including anchovies, herring, green crabs and bunker, filled the surf, and sometimes anglers were able to snag the bunker, dropping them back in the waters to liveline for stripers. They also fished for stripers with fresh bunker, fresh clams and bloodworms. Bunker and minnows were used for the blues, and squid and minnows – “Peanut butter and jelly,” Noel said – were fished for the flounder. Bloodworms will draw the kingfish to nibble. All the baits mentioned and more are stocked.

<b>Margate</b>

The boat is now in Margate for the season to fish for summer flounder, sea bass and sharks, said Capt. Eric from <b>O-Beth Sportfishing</b>. But trips fished on Delaware Bay farther south during the weekend, catching flounder to 26 inches, not a lot but quality fish, on one day and a good batch of drum to 70 pounds on another. The drum were hooked on the New Jersey side of the bay. Flounder and sea bass are now on tap from Margate, and O-Beth will go after them. Shark trips, a specialty for O-Beth, will begin in the coming days, and waters were warm enough, and bluefish, a favorite shark forage, swam the shark grounds. Shark charters are running, and so are a few open-boat trips for sharks. Jump on board for the uncommon opportunity for open-boat sharking.

<b>Longport</b>

Triple-headers of keepers, a 5-pounder, a couple of 4-pounders and plenty of other sea bass were crushed on the daily, open-boat trip for the fish on the <b>Stray Cat</b> on Sunday, Capt. Mike said. Good fishing for them was going down on the trips, and this outing located the best catches in clear waters 12 to 15 miles from shore. Waters closer to the coast turned over, becoming murky. Sea bass made up the whole catch, and no other fish turned up. Another one of the trips was heading out Monday, and the open trips will continue until June 15 or 16, when the boat will begin accepting only charters like usual every year. The season’s first bluefin tuna charter is on the books for Thursday, and more are slated for July 6 and 17. Mike heard about no bluefins yet at places like the East Lump, but the fish began tearing up waters off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, 1 ½ weeks ago. The 12-hour trips fish for bluefins on the inshore ocean along the 20-fathom line until after July sometime. A few boats began shark fishing this weekend, but Mike heard about no results.

<b>Ocean City</b>

<b>Fish Tale Charters</b> kicked off flounder charters on the back bay during the weekend, a couple of good days, Capt. Craig said. That was the opening weekend of the flattie season, and the angling wasn’t red hot but was decent. The fishing will keep getting better as waters warm. No large numbers like 40 or 50 of the fish bit, but some were good-sized. He saw large ones including a 28-incher at the marina’s cleaning table. On Saturday’s trip a few keeper flounder were in the mix, and several 3-pound blues attacked. Anglers on trips enjoy the blues, racing around against the light tackle used. All flounder, including some keepers, and no blues bit on Sunday’s trip. Minnows, mackerel strips and sand shark strips were fished, but mostly minnows were dunked. The bay ranged from 61 to 66 degrees, a fairly consistent 65 or 66 in the back of the bay. Waters were on the cooler side at high tides. Fish Tale is also fishing for sea bass on the ocean, and Craig heard no details about the angling this weekend, and he concentrated on flounder. But he previously scoped out sea bass two Saturdays ago, the opening day of sea bass season, coming up with a decent catch, including some large ones. Bluefish to 16 pounds stormed the waters at the A.C. Ridge on Saturday, and a boater at the marina beat up on them. That was good, because no blues had been around on the ocean in a couple of weeks. This Saturday and two Sundays from now or June 13 are open for charters, a couple of choice dates on weekends.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Back-bay fishing for summer flounder mopped up six keepers to 22 or 23 inches and dozens of throwbacks on Saturday, the opening day of the flattie season, with Kevin McCarthy, son Zach, 8, and brother-in-law Chris on a trip, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Gibson’s Tackle</b>. They burned steady action on both incoming and outgoing tides, a great start to the season. Flounder fishing is best on the bay in the early season, before warm waters push the fish to the ocean. White bucktails with a 4-inch, white Gulp mullet were fished with a minnow on a dropper on a plain hook. Many of the fish jumped on the bucktails, and that tells Joe they seemed aggressive. Probably all the keepers pounced on the bucktails. As if the bay’s good flounder fishing wasn’t enough, Tim Atkins and Tiffany Thompson on a trip Sunday banged up a bunch of blues and a few striped bass to 27 inches on high tide on Rapala Skitter Pop popper lures on the waters. Solid popper fishing, a specialty for Jersey Cape, in the middle of the day or high sun made for a great catch. So the bay’s fishing was good all around, and now was a terrific time for the angling. That trip also fly-rodded with poppers a little, and the flies were bit off several times, just bad luck, but the fish could’ve been fly-rodded if more time was spent. Drum fishing on Delaware Bay is also available with Jersey Cape, and a friend picked up a bunch of sea bass at the reefs, another option. No tuna fishing happened yet, but Joe is keeping an eye on the tuna waters, because June can offer good trips for the fish, and that can happen rapidly. If interested in tuna, anglers should consider this month. Keep up with Jersey Cape’s fishing and photos on <a href=" http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s blog</a>.

<b>Wildwood</b>

Catches were great on the opening day of summer flounder season on Saturday, and some sizeable flatties were checked in from the back bay, said Cathy from <b>Sterling Harbor Bait & Tackle</b> in an e-mail. Bill Reid won first place in the shop’s annual opening-day flounder tournament with a 9.75-pounder creamed on the bay on his Hogemall. Joe Vasaturo won second place with a 9.41-pounder he boated on the Saint Sandy. Ed Jenski took third with a 6-pounder he landed on his Ski-vo. Frank Scirrotto kayaked four keeper flounder to 3 ½ pounds while jigging with Gulps, and Suzanne Smith kayaked a pair of 4-pound and 3-pound flatties on jigged Gulps. Gulps and mackerel strips with minnows coaxed flounder strikes for customers. Schoolie striped bass and keepers in the mix swam plentiful in the bay, mostly inhaling clams when boat traffic was light. Spectacular surf fishing for striped bass continued, mostly at North Wildwood and Cape May’s Poverty Beach. Rob Cruz beached a 44-pounder on fresh clam at North Wildwood, and many surf casters limited out on the bass. Lots of sea bass chewed, very good fishing for them, at the reefs and wrecks out to 20 miles, and a few cod were mixed in. On Delaware Bay drum fishing was good on both the New Jersey and Delaware sides. Bob Falck weighed in an 88-pound drum he clammed near Tussy’s Sough. Mark Holtzapfel drilled hot and heavy drumfishing near Tussy’s, running a trip on his Fish Nailer that beat 10 of the fish to 80 pounds. Crabby Jack gave crabbing two claws, saying catches were “just mediocre” and that crabbing should improve, now that the full moon was past. Other anglers who caught flounder included: Robert Preston, 4.34-pounder; Randy and Bob Harbaugh, 3-1/2- and 2.87-pounders, respectively; Jerry Hughes, 2.92-pounder; and Rich and Bernadette Walters, three keepers they jigged on bucktails with Gulp.   

<b>Cape May</b>

Good drum catches were plowed on Delaware Bay through the past week on the <b>Down Deep</b>, Capt. Bob said. Trips fished on the New Jersey side, after drum were only found off Delaware’s Slaughter Beach previously. The Gardner party, on 12-year-old Joey Gardner’s birthday, walloped 12 drum, including Joey’s 70-pounder. On the O’Rourke charter on Sunday evening – when Bob gave this report over the phone on the trip – Jerry O’Rourke had already hauled in his first-, second- and third-ever drum, and hours were left to go on the trip. A few dates remain for drum charters.

Delaware Bay’s drum fishing piled up good catches on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> on the New Jersey side, Capt. George said. The Parker family’s trip at 8 p.m. Sunday, when George gave this report over the phone on the outing, had already put 10 in the tub, and two more were being fought as he spoke. A trip Saturday with Brian and Harry from the pipe insulators boated drum to 60 pounds. Anthony Metea and Tom DeGuinea’s trip from the Atlantic County road works clubbed big drum to 80 pounds. Only five of the fish could fit in the fish box, and normally more would go in. On Thursday Joe Wesalewski on a trip with his grandson that hoisted in one drum by 5:15 p.m., said he was satisfied and had a great time, and decided to head back in after the catch. Drum charters will continue, and trips for sea bass and flounder are on tap.

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