<b>Staten Island</b>

Plenty of striped bass swarmed the Staten Island surf, including along the Arthur Kill near the shop, said Pat from <b>E-Z Catch Saltwater Traps and Tackle Co</b>. Clams and bunker were the baits, and more bluefish than before schooled Princess Bay and off Great Kills, but not locally. Blueclaw crabs were yet to be trapped locally, but some said the crabs began to be potted farther south in New Jersey. In freshwater, largemouth bass fishing seemed best at Silver Lake. Fresh clams are stocked, and the store’s supply of bunker was “day to day,” Pat said. Frozen baits including herring and bunker are on hand.  E-Z Catch is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays to Saturdays. The store is also a <b><i>premier manufacturer and supplier of saltwater traps</i></b> for wholesale and commercial, including custom building and servicing. See the online <a href="http://www.e-zcatch.com/catalog" target="_blank">catalog of traps</a>. E-Z Catch is also a train store.

<b>Keyport</b>

A load of bluefish were tackled on Raritan Bay on Wednesday with <b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b>, Capt. Joe said. Amy Holtze, husband George, son 7-year-old Gunner and family member Lance bunker chunked the fish, up to 12-pounders, some of them longer than the son. Blues were in, and Joe hadn’t seen so many, and so many bunker they chased, in a couple of seasons. A charter is booked aboard Sunday, but open-boat trips are available 4 to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Call to reserve.

The boat was kept in port in the weather since the weekend’s storm, said Capt. Fred from <b>Andrea’s Toy Charters</b>. But striped bass fishing aboard on Raritan Bay’s been “pretty amazing,” he said, and some of the fish have been big, up to a 28-pounder. The bass two weeks ago began to be livelined on bunker aboard, and are usually being clammed aboard this time of year. The fish now were already that active. Plenty of stripers lately were also bunker chunked and trolled on Stretch lures on the bay. Jigging for stripers hooked up on the ocean, but Andrea’s Toy kept fishing the bay, because that produced, and seas were calmer for customers. Trips will keep fishing for stripers from Keyport, and the boat will be moved to Point Pleasant Beach to fish the ocean when large, migrating stripers arrive there.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Striped bass fishing wasn’t bad, said Joe from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Some anglers caught, some struggled all day, and the fishing could take patience. But the fish, lots, were there. “There are fish all the way to Red Bank,” Joe said. Boaters jigged or clammed stripers on the ocean. On Raritan Bay they livelined or chunked bunker or clams or trolled for them. Bait was abundant, and the bass were full of bait like bunker, so sometimes that made catching difficult. Anglers had to get on the fish while they fed. Surf fishing for stripers was pretty good. Patience, again, was key, and sandworms, clams or bunker caught. Bluefish, big ones to 10 and 12 pounds, moved in, swam thick in the harbor, feeding on bunker. Bottom fishing scraped up plenty of ling and some blackfish and out-of-season sea bass that were tossed back. All the baits including fresh clams, fresh bunker and worms are stocked. “Good shape,” Joe said. 

Crowds were light today aboard, because of weather forecasts, but the anglers clammed “a nice steady pick on the (striped) bass,” Capt. Ron from the party boat <b>Fishermen</b> said in a report on the vessel’s Web site. Was good that the tide was incoming during morning, “or it would’ve been ugly,” Ron said, in east winds. Four stripers were hooked when the boat came back on anchor, before the engines were shut down. “Went to a pick after the initial shot,” Ron said. Shorts bit at first, then mostly 29- to 31-inchers did. The fishing lasted to the end of the tide, and by then, a good catch was put together. Bill Stuppe was high hook with four keepers and a short, keeping no more than his limit. Several others limited out. Few anglers showed up for Tuesday’s trip, but some regulars did, and they headed into nasty, cold winds. They picked at stripers, some of the smallest of the season, but keepers mixed in. Tom Krako was high hook with three keepers. Some bagged one apiece, and Capt. Ron Sr. and another aboard whacked very good fishing for winter flounder, “had a ball catching dinner for all of us!” Ron said. Check out a <a href=" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLtQYJKT_m0&feature=player_embedded" target="_blank">video of Tuesday’s trip</a>, catching stripers and flounder. The Fishermen is sailing for striped bass 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and 3:30 to 9 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

On the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b> the morning trip Wednesday sailed for striped bass, the first trip since Saturday aboard because of weather, Capt. Tom said. A pick of stripers were clubbed, not great fishing, but not terrible, a showing. The small group reeled in eight or nine keepers and one short. One angler landed four keepers, keeping no more than his limit, giving the remainder away among the group. Some bagged one. The boat could’ve sailed Sunday, but the fishing was called off, because of forecasts for winds that didn’t arrive until later, in the storm. The Atlantic Star is fishing for striped bass on two trips daily 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 6 p.m.

<b>Highlands</b>

Good striped bass fishing continued on the <b>Hyper Striper</b>, Capt. Pete said in an e-mail. Fishing aboard was scrubbed Monday because of weather. On Tuesday morning’s charter, Jeremy Doyle’s group bagged 10 striper to 18 pounds. On the afternoon’s charter, Russ Schofield’s crew limited out on stripers “and then some,” Pete said. On Wednesday Rich Lanza’s charter worked hard, bagging nine stripers to 20 pounds. On this morning’s trip Tom Guase’s party limited out early on stripers “and have been releasing for some time now,” Pete said. He must’ve e-mailed during the outing. “Good bass fishing,” Pete said about the week.

After a couple of days of being weathered out, <b>Fisher Price Charters</b> was back striped bass fishing on Raritan Bay on Wednesday, Capt. Derek said. The fishing’s been good, livelining and chunking bunker for stripers to 20 and 25 pounds every trip. Bluefish, cocktails to 10- or 12-pounders, suddenly invaded the bay, so anglers now had to wade through them to catch stripers. Dates remain for striper charters, and space is available on an open-boat trip for stripers Saturday afternoon. Call to climb aboard or to be kept informed about future open trips.

Raritan Bay boaters clocked striped bass on clams, livelined and chunked bunker and trolled plugs, said Wayne from <b>Twin Lights Marina</b>. Stripers also swam the river, and tons of bunker schooled there. On the river the bass were jigged on soft-plastic lures, wormed, clammed or even livelined on bunker. Stripers were jigged and clammed on the ocean. Charters on the Hyper Striper, sailing from the marina, kept clamming stripers. Another boater from the docks today left port to jig for the bass. Bluefish schooled the bay. The bluefish population might’ve increased this week, but the fish were around for some time. Live bunker will probably begin to be carried this weekend at the shop. Bushels of clams and 2- and 4-gallon buckets of clam bellies are stocked. All the frozen baits are on hand. Twin Lights is a full-service marina including slips, rack storage for boats, a fuel dock and a tackle shop. It’s located on Shrewsbury River with no bridges before the bay. Convenient, quick to fishing from the bay to the ocean.

<b>Neptune</b>

<b>***Update, Friday, 4/27:***</b> Two spaces became available for an individual-reservation bottom-fishing trip Sunday with <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b>, Capt. Ralph said. The trip was full previously, and two spaces also remain on one of the trips Saturday. The last one of the trips, sailing Saturday, lambasted ling, lots, to 3 pounds, covered in the last report. Blackfish will also be targeted, and blackfishing was slow in cool waters on recent trips, but a few were managed. If striped bass are turned on during the trips, the outings mix in fishing for them. Plus, two spots opened up for the South Jersey Shark Tournament, the richest shark contest, and the best in years that Ralph’s participated in, he said. The event will be in Cape May from June 7 to 10, and Last Lady will compete on June 8 and 9, keeping June 10 for a weather day. Previously all the shark tournaments were full with Last Lady.

<b>Belmar</b>

Boating for striped bass resumed Wednesday on the ocean for the fleet, because of weather, said Capt. Pete from <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b>. The vessels that sailed reportedly scored well on stripers, and found more bluefish than before. Parker Pete’s trips were weathered out this week, but should get back out on Saturday, in better forecasts. Trips aboard are striped bass fishing on the ocean, mostly jigging, but livelining bunker when the menhaden can be found, and trolling as a last resort. Charters are sailing, and open-boat trips are motoring out when no charter is booked. For availability on the open trips, watch the <a href=" http://www.parkerpetefishing.com/fishing-reports" target="_blank">fishing reports on Parker Pete’s Web site</a>, and sign up for the e-mailed newsletter on the site. Dates are included in both places.

The crew worked on the boat, getting it ready to begin trips for the season, said Capt. Jared from <b>Fin-Ominal Sportfishing</b>. The year’s first trip is slated for two Saturdays from now, and by then, the migration of large striped bass could be arriving along the coast. Fin-Ominal will run for stripers and bottom fish at first this season. Trips will fish on Fin-Ominal’s new boat, a larger vessel than before, able to accommodate large groups. Up to 15 anglers can fish on trips, and more than 20 can sail on pleasure cruises. Fin-Ominal will begin sharking around June, and charters available include tournaments. Fin-Ominal won a couple of tournaments in recent years, including last year’s Brett T. Bailey Mako Rodeo. Tuna fishing aboard will launch afterward for the season, and those tournaments are also available. Fin-Ominal’s previous boat is <b><i>***For Sale***</i></b>: Call for info on the beautiful, 42-foot sportfisherman.

Party boats fished the ocean Wednesday, the first time since Saturday, because of weather, said Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b>. Anglers aboard shoveled up striped bass, okay catches, and better catches of blues. The bluefish population began to build. A couple of the head boats sailed today, but few people showed up for trips. The weather was tough all week. One of the party boats, Big Mohawk, was blackfishing, reportedly scoring okay. The vessel mixed in fishing for stripers, when the bass were around, sometimes limiting out quickly. Surf casters picked away at stripers on clams. No big blitzes yet. Winter flounder were gone from Shark River, migrated to the ocean. The shop’s rental boats and all the bait and gear will be ready for fluke fishing on the river when fluke season opens in two Saturdays, May 5. A diver said plenty of fluke swam the river. Little was heard about fluke caught by mistake and released, because hardly anyone fished in the weather. In freshwater, big trout bit in Spring Lake.

<b>Brielle</b>

The <b>Big Kid</b> broke the inlet Wednesday between the weather, and the Tim Groves charter from East Orange walloped 18 striped bass to 22 pounds and a dozen blues 5 or 6 pounds, Capt. Ken said. The fish were livelined on bunker, jigged and trolled on the ocean to the north. The bite was early in the morning then shut down. Seas weren’t bad until becoming a little snotty in the afternoon. Trips aboard were cancelled because of weather in the previous days, and a trip today was weathered out, and another on Friday might be. Saturday looks like no problem with the weather for the boat to resume fishing.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

Striped bass were smoked on the ocean, somewhere between Long Branch and Manasquan Inlet, but sometimes down to Island Beach State Park, said Chuck from <b>Gates Bait & Tackle</b>. But weather was usually rough, difficult for boaters to sail. This morning was dark, cloudy and cool at Manasquan Inlet, and no boats were seen motoring out. Surf fishing seemed good from Long Branch to Asbury Park, because of herring and bunker there. Blackfishing was great at Manasquan Inlet along the rocks. Point Pleasant Canal was alive with blackfish. Boaters could still chum winter flounder at the inlet. They could still chum them on Manasquan River near the Route 35 Bridge and supposedly on northern Barnegat Bay near the canal, but the bay fishing was unconfirmed. Bluefish schooled off and on in the inlet, river and canal. Fresh clams, bloodworms and sandworms are stocked. Green crabs ran out, and no more will be stocked, because blackfish season will close Tuesday. But blackfish were sandwormed anyway. The shop’s grounds also feature the Gates Motel, popular with anglers, within walking distance of the charter and party boat fleet, the inlet and the surf. <b>***THIS TACKLE SHOP IS FOR SALE! CALL: 732-899-5760.***</b>

<b>Toms River</b>

Boaters were mostly docked because of weather, but they pounded good fishing for striped bass on the ocean before the weekend’s storm, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. The bass slid inshore and offshore of 3 miles from the coast. Fishing for them is legal within 3 miles. Henry Prior checked in two stripers 14 and 18 pounds he bagged on Jersey Jay’s Krocodiles. Anglers boated the fish on cast spoons like that or jigs or trolled bunker spoons. A few bluefish, more than before, started to show up in catches. Surf fishing for stripers turned up a pick, mostly on clams. Nobody beat them up. In Barnegat Bay boaters and kayakers landed a few stripers at Oyster Creek Channel on clams or sandworms. Dennis trolled for blues Sunday morning on the bay off Good Luck Point, catching none yet this season. But they might’ve showed up afterward, were expected to appear, and Dennis would keep trying. Rumors said weakfish were caught in the area. A few blues and puppy drum were supposedly pulled from Oyster Creek, the creek itself. Stripers were picked from along the Route 37 Bridge on the bay. The angling was slow but produced some, mostly smaller than the 28-inch legal size, mostly on plugs like white Rapalas. One catch was heard about on a Fin-S Fish. Good blackfishing was crunched along Barnegat Inlet’s jetties, and the season for the tog will close on Tuesday. Crabbing was good for the time of year. Twelve to 30 of the blueclaws were found each time Dennis pulled in his pot. The full supply of crabbing gear will probably be stocked Friday for the season. Fresh clams, fresh bunker, eels and all the frozen baits including bunker for crabbing, herring and mullet are stocked.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

Lots of weather, not a lot of fishing, said Scott from <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>. Surf anglers picked striped bass on clams and bunker chunks. No boaters seemed to fish the ocean in the weather. Bluefish schooled Oyster Creek Channel in Barnegat Bay and the Point Pleasant Canal. Blackfish were picked from along the Barnegat Inlet jetties. Fresh bunker, fresh clams, green crabs and all the usual baits are stocked.

<b>Forked River</b>

Bluefish schooled Oyster Creek Channel but also elsewhere in Barnegat Bay, said Jana from <b>Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle</b>. Winter flounder pretty much migrated out of the bay for the season. A couple of anglers caught and released out-of-season fluke in the bay, and fluke season will open in two Saturdays, May 5. Striped bass swam the ocean, but few sailed for them in the weather. Blackfishing was good along the Barnegat Inlet jetties and other jetties. Sandworms, killies and all the frozen baits are stocked.

<b>Waretown</b>

Ocean trips for striped bass were hunkered down from weather through the past days, said Capt. Dave Bart from <b>Relentless Sport Fishing</b>. But the trips are expected to resume Friday. The most recent outings aboard mostly jigged the bass, but occasionally trolled them. The stripers then weren’t huge but weighed up to 25 or 30 pounds.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

No boaters sailed for striped bass that were known about, said Vince Sr. from <b>Bobbie’s Boat Rentals</b>. The weather was rough, so fishing was about blackfish along the Barnegat Inlet jetties, and at the sailboat, and about blues, probably 12- to 14-inchers, on Barnegat Bay, at places like Oyster Creek and Double Creek channels. Fishing for both was good, and was possible during the weather. Nothing was heard about weakfish. Sharks and skates made up most catches in the surf. The rental boats are available, and the baits are stocked. 

Bluefishing will launch the season in two Saturdays, May 5, on the party boat <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b>, according the vessel’s Web site. Bluefish trips on the ocean start the boat’s year each Saturday and Sunday through Memorial Day. Then the bluefish trips begin to fish daily. The bluefishing this year, like usual, seems timely, because though weather kept many boats from sailing this week, anglers who fished reported catching more blues than before on the ocean.

<b>Barnegat</b>

From an edited e-mail from Capt. Dave DeGennaro from the <b>Hi Flier</b>: “The Hi Flier is in the water and ready to start fishing. It hurt to miss the early striper action, but the work needed to be done. Now, we’re in the water and ready for the next eight months of fishing. Northwest winds are forecasted for Friday through the weekend, so we will run an open-boat striper hunt 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday. We will break the inlet at sunup, make a left, and start looking for signs of life.  Drifting and jigging is always the preferred technique, but I will be packing the trolling gear, in case that’s what it takes to catch some fish. Of course, we will be armed with snaggers and on the lookout for bunker pods that will start producing big fish any minute. Three anglers max, and I will sail with just one. On Saturday we’re booked. On Sunday I’m going to target the bluefish in Barnegat Bay. These 2- to 5-pound fish are lots of fun on 10-pound spinning gear. They’re very receptive to poppers and surface lures, making the hits very exciting. Sometimes we troll with light spinning tackle and plugs to find them. But most of the time we’re casting surface lures. This trip will run 5:30 to 10:30 a.m. (and call to go). We will be running open boat and charter any day of the week from here in. Looking forward to it. Hope to see you on board.”

<b>Surf City</b>

Big bluefish stormed the surf, mostly along the island’s north end or at Barnegat Light, this morning, said Bob from <b>Surf City Bait & Tackle</b>. Stripers were sometimes beached from the waters then. Two stripers 17 pounds and 13 pounds were weighed in. The blues were hooked on bunker, and the bass were clammed. Plenty of skates filled the surf. A few blowfish showed up in the surf recently, and a few kingfish did. The season was early for them. Blackfish bit along the jetties. Fresh clams, fresh bunker, green crabs and bloodworms are stocked. Keep up with the news in <a href="http://www.surfcitybaitandtackle.com/" target="_blank">Surf City Bait & Tackle’s fishing reports</a> on the shop’s Web site. Or keep in touch on <a href=" http://www.facebook.com/pages/Surf-City-Bait-and-Tackle/207533229268619
" target="_blank">Surf City Bait & Tackle’s Facebook page</a>.

<b>Tuckerton</b>

Blackfishing wasn’t great, but produced catches, said Capt. T.J. from <b>Legal Limit Charters</b>. This will be the final weekend of blackfish season, closing on Tuesday. An open-boat trip will sail for blackfish Saturday, and open trips will run for sea bass once sea bass season opens May 19. See <a href=" http://www.legallimitcharters.com/open-boat.php" target="_blank">Legal Limit’s open-boat page</a> for availability. If striped bass fishing kicks in along the local ocean this season, that usually happens in mid May. The striper fishing was currently not consistent.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

Probably 30 boats crammed the bay Saturday around Grassy Channel and off Graveling Point and the mouth of Mullica River, and nobody really caught anything, said Scott from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Then on Sunday morning, in the nor’easter, anglers were running back to the shop from Graveling Point, buying more bait to nail bluefish, striped bass and even the season’s first blowfish that bit. Stripers and blues were around, and blues pushed far up the Mullica, apparently because the saltwater line reached far upstream in the drought. Afterward anglers mostly disappeared. The local area was crowded with people Saturday, apparently getting boats, docks and things ready for the opening of summer flounder season in two Saturdays, May 5. The fluke in the early season are usually located in shallow waters like near the 139 or along the clam stakes. Boaters a couple of times, between weather, fished for blackfish along the banks of the bay from locally to Barnegat Inlet. Lots of the tog snapped, and the 15-inch size limit was tough. Blackfish season will close on Tuesday. Many customers in past days bought live grass shrimp for white perch fishing, but no results were heard. The slabs were probably active, because the bait kept being sold. The shrimp, fresh, shucked clams, green crabs, eels and minnows are stocked.

<b>Absecon Bay</b>

Little happened in the winds and cold, and, because of the weather, fishing for striped bass “probably backed off a step,” said Capt. Dave from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. But weather looks good for the weekend, and if it is, fishing will probably amp up. Striper fishing was best in the rivers, but the catches remained scattered, “no real big hits,” Dave said. Most stripers were clammed. White perch fishing in the rivers was the best angling. The perch remained far upstream, but began to drop down Mullica River. Green Bank and Lower Bank were the good places there. The perch remained upstream in Great Egg Harbor River, but began to back down. Nothing was really heard about blackfishing in the weather, but green crabs are stocked for them. Fresh clams are stocked, and fresh bunker are supposed to arrive Friday evening. The live spot supplier thinks the baitfish will be available starting next week. The shop is gearing up for the opening of summer flounder season in two Saturdays, May 5. The annual Customer Appreciation Sale will start Friday, ending on Friday, May 5, to prepare for flounder season. Almost everything will be on sale at 25 percent off. The annual, free Customer Appreciation Tournament will be held on opening weekend of flounder season. Gift certificates to the shop will be awarded for the first through third biggest flounder, blues, stripers and drum. Visit <a href=" http://www.abseconbay.com/" target="_blank">Absecon Bay Sportsman Center’s Web site</a> for more info on the sale and tournament. In freshwater, trout fishing was good at Heritage Park Pond.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

Striped bass blitzed along one of the surf jetties at 1 a.m. today, and the anglers there limited out on more than 10 of the fish, said Noel from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. They caught on pink Zoom soft-plastic lures and clams, and stripers blitzed the surf like that at times. Not many bluefish ran the surf, and a few were heard about, but only one or two were seen at the shop in past days. Blackfish, good-sized, chomped along the jetties. Try for them at the T-jetty and the jetties at Pacific, Atlantic and Caspian avenues. Summer flounder, lots, carpeted the back bay, and the season for them will open in two Saturdays, May 5. All the baits are stocked. Catch deals on three bunker for $5, a dozen bloodworms for $10, a dozen green crabs for $4 or three dozen greenies for $10. Keep up on the latest news and photos: Friend One Stop on Facebook.

<b>Brigantine</b>

The season’s first 40-inch striped bass, a 22-pounder, was checked in from the surf today, said Capt. Andy from <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b> . The fish was clammed from the middle of the island. But nothing much else happened in the surf since Saturday, when about 10 stripers were weighed in from the surf. The weather since then was lousy and windy, and the fishing was slow. Fresh bunker, fresh clams, eels and minnows are stocked. Bait and gear are loaded up for the opening of summer flounder season in two Saturdays, May 5.

<b>Margate</b>

It’s time! Summer flounder season will open in two Saturdays, May 5, and the party boat <b>Keeper</b>, a vessel that only fishes for flounder, will pre-fish for them this Saturday on the back bay, Capt. John said. Anglers can join the trip, releasing the flounder, and he’s got a bunch who already want to go. If the weather holds on Sunday, another trip will pre-fish for them. Plenty of flounder littered the waters. Bluefish surely swam them, too. Daily trips for flounder will launch on Saturday, May 5, running twice daily from 8 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 to 5 p.m. The fare is only $24 per adult.

<b>Ocean City</b>

A few striped bass including a 37-incher were dragged from the surf this morning, said Bill from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. Surf fishing was spotty, and the weather kept many from fishing. Out-of-season summer flounder were caught and released from the back bay, and catching them should be no problem when the fluke season opens in two Saturdays, May 5. Blackfish were mugged mostly in the bay. Bluefish popped up here and there from the surf to the bay. White perch were plucked from Great Egg Harbor River, and nothing was heard about striper fishing in the river. News on them was scarce from the river since herring, the favorite bait in the river, were prohibited to possess this year. Fresh clams, fresh bunker, bloodworms, green crabs eels and all the frozen baits are stocked.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

The weather failed to keep trips from fishing the back bay aboard every day this week, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b>, affiliated with <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. A trip was even out Wednesday evening, when he gave this report over the phone at 7:45. Winds blew early in the trip, before calming, but bluefish were fly-rodded on Clouser Minnows on sinking lines, swung in the current, bounced slowly along bottom in the cool, 57-degree waters. Lots of out-of-season summer flounder were jigged and released, and the outlook was super for the opening of flounder season in two Saturdays, May 5. A space remains for a flounder trip on opening day, and grab it while possible. Be the first to hit the fish. Joe’s trips have been catching and releasing lots of flounder, and have been fishing with soft-plastic lures on jigheads, “skill fishing,” he said. When he gets serious about flounder and fishes with bait, catches should be crazy. Just about all the flounder were keepers, and the shallow, relatively warm bay is known for early season flounder fishing. The waters are some of the state’s first to turn out loads of the fish early in the year. For striped bass in the bay, fishing with clams was best, and Joe hadn’t done that in a moment, but the fish were around. Take one of the After Work Special Trips from 4:30 p.m. to dark, convenient and a great time to fish the bay. In the surf, stripers were sometimes clammed, and so were small drum. Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s blog</a>.

Not a lot happened in rough weather during the week, but three striped bass were checked in from the surf Saturday, said Mike from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. Two weighed 20 pounds, and the other was smaller, and clams were the bait to soak for stripers in the surf. A few bluefish were beaten from the surf on mullet. In the back bay stripers bit in the evenings, mostly along the sod banks. Out-of-season summer flounder were jigged and released in the bay. Sometimes blues and occasional weakfish were in the mix when anglers jigged flounder. Several anglers rounded up good catches of blackfish at Townsend’s Inlet along the rock wall on the Avalon side on Saturday. Nobody really fished for them since in the weather. Fresh clams, green crabs, white leggers, bloodworms and all the frozen baits are stocked. Minnows, a flounder favorite, will be stocked maybe by the middle of next week.

<b>Cape May</b>

“Wind’s blowing,” Capt. T.J. from <b>Legal Limit Charters</b> said. That was his report, he said. :) A few drum were heaved from Delaware Bay during the weekend. A trip with Legal Limit tried for them, located none, but didn’t fish long. On T.J.’s other boat, sailing from Tuckerton, blackfishing wasn’t great, but produced catches. An open-boat trip will sail for them Saturday, and the tog season will close Tuesday. Open trips will fish for sea bass once sea bass season opens May 19. See <a href=" http://www.legallimitcharters.com/open-boat.php" target="_blank">Legal Limit’s open-boat page</a> for availability.

No charter boats were heard about that fished in the weather, said Capt. George from the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>. Winds were also supposed to blow today, and the Heavy Hitter will fish again on Saturday, probably for blackfish, unless drum fishing turns on in Delaware Bay. A few drum were caught.

Weather was difficult, but when trips got out on the party boat <b>Porgy IV</b>, they caught blackfish, Capt. Paul said. On Wednesday’s trip Fred Nelson, Philadelphia, limited out on the tog to a 12-1/2-pounder, the biggest on the boat this spring. Several other anglers limited out on the outing. Saturday’s trip sailed and was good, and several anglers limited, including Al Bednarki from Philly and Dave Thompson from Green Creek. Friday’s trip ran, and those with limits aboard that day included Craig Constantino from Voorhees, who won the pool with a 7-pounder, and Walt Jones from Glassboro. The Porgy IV is blackfishing at 8 a.m. daily until the season for the tog closes on Tuesday. Afterward Paul will decide what the trips will target. If a few summer flounder bite when the flounder season opens in two Saturdays, May 5, the boat might sail for them. If drum are decked on Delaware Bay, the boat might steam for drum. Trips will head out for sea bass when sea bass season opens May 19.

Surf casters banked striped bass at the ferry jetties on swimming plugs, and two hours before high tides and the hour into outgoing was the time lately, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. But the catches were also picked throughout the day. Jointed, black Bombers were popular, but anglers tossed lots of other shallow-swimming lures, including Yozuri Mag Darters. Stripers were also beached along the rest of the surf from Delaware Bay to the ocean. Clamming worked well along the bay. One angler in the weekend’s nor’easter clammed three stripers to 40 inches in the surf at 2nd Avenue or Cape May Cove. The weather kept most boaters from fishing, but one trolled 15 stripers to 25 inches at 60-Foot Slough on Delaware Bay on Wednesday. Maybe the fish were out there, and nothing was heard about drum, except about a few heaved from the surf. A friend fished on a party boat trip that axed good blackfishing on Delaware Bay. Plenty of blackfish hovered along the Cold Spring Inlet jetties. Fish green crabs for them, and the crabs are stocked. So are fresh clams, bloodworms, a few eels and all the frozen baits. Nick is trying to stock fresh bunker.

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