<b>Staten Island</b>

With <b>Outcast Charters</b> seven keeper striped bass to 27 pounds and lots of blues were bunker-chunked on Raritan Bay on Thursday, Capt. Joe said. A charter aboard bottom-fished during the weekend, and winds against tide prevented good anchoring, so ling were picked. The boat had to keep being moved. Outcast will also offer trips from New Jersey this season, so New Jersey regs can be followed, including for fluke and sea bass. Call for info.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Lots of bluefish, including big, swarmed from the ocean to Raritan Bay, said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Blues were even tackled on Shrewsbury River the other morning. But striped bass were beaten. Boaters jigged the bass on some days, clammed them on others. Many charters clammed them. Stripers were dragged from the surf from the ocean to the bay. Many surf casters fished with worms, but some dunked clams. Bottom fishing turned up ling from the ocean. Blackfish, out of season since Tuesday, kept biting on bottom trips. Fluke season will open Saturday, and the summer flounder were already caught and released. All the fluke baits and tackle are stocked. So are fresh clams, fresh bunker and the full supply of baits.

On Wednesday morning’s trip on the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b> three keeper striped bass, a couple of shorts and fewer blues than before were landed in nasty weather, Capt. Tom said. The trip fished the bay a bit to avoid rough conditions for customers in the weather, and that sort of paid off. The trip didn’t go looking for blues, but a few showed up when anglers fished for stripers. On Tuesday the morning trip stayed docked, and the afternoon trip sailed, covered in the last report. Blues were jigged, and a keeper striper and some shorts were reeled in, among the small group of anglers. Both of Monday’s trips sailed, covered in the last report. Lots of blues were jigged in the afternoon, and a couple of stripers and a few blues were pumped in during the morning. The boat’s twice daily trips, running 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 6 p.m., will begin fishing for fluke Saturday, opening day of fluke season. Through Friday the trips will sail for striped bass. <b>***Update,<br> Friday, 5/4:***</b> The boat’s trips will switch to fluke fishing starting Saturday, Tom reminded. The hours for the twice daily trips will remain the same, and bait will be supplied. <b>***Update, Saturday, 5/5:***</b> A pretty good start to fluke season got underway on this morning’s trip, Tom said in a phone call at 10 o’clock on the outing. A mix of keepers and shorts came up, and more were shorts than keepers, of course. But a fairly good shot of keepers came in. Some 18-1/2- and 19-inchers were already nailed. So, the fluking wasn’t bad, and for a cloudy day with 56-degree waters, the fishing was off to a pretty good beginning. 

<b>Highlands</b>

Lots of weather, said Wayne from <b>Twin Lights Marina</b>, and hardly anyone sailed. But the charter boat Hyper Striper, docked at the marina, put customers on striped bass all week, on clams. Many bluefish invaded the ocean to Raritan Bay, making anglers work to fish through them for stripers. Killies and all kinds of Gulps, rigs and supplies will be stocked for the opening of fluke season Saturday. Live bunker began to be carried for the season. Bushels of clams and 2- and 4-gallon buckets of clam bellies are on hand. The full-service marina features boat slips and rack storage, all the ship-store supplies, the full variety of bait and tackle, and a fuel dock, and is located on Shrewsbury River, with no bridges before the bay. Convenient, fast access to fishing.

<b>Neptune</b>

Both boats from <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b> steamed for striped bass and blues Sunday, Capt. Ralph said in an e-mail. On the trips, covered in the last report, “it was very hard to get through the blues,” Ralph said. A boxful of blues was crushed on each vessel. Ten keeper stripers were axed on one of the boats, and two keepers were bagged on the other. Anglers should try to book striper trips on weekdays, because of weekend boat traffic. A bottom-fishing trip aboard Saturday met winds against the tide and rough seas, difficult fishing conditions, but ling, a decent catch, was looted. Sea bass season will open May 19, and big ones were caught and released. Six spaces are available for an individual-reservation trip for sea bass Saturday, May 26, and one space remains for another Sunday, May 20. Space is available on an individual-reservation trip for cod Sunday, May 27, to the wrecks 40 to 70 miles offshore. Only one opening remains for the shark tournaments: four spaces to compete aboard in the South Jersey Shark Tournament. That’s the best tournament, Ralph said, with the most payout.

<b>Belmar</b>

Loads and loads of bluefish filled the ocean, but trips aboard picked away at striped bass, good-sized fish, among them, said Capt. Pete from <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b>. The fish finder marked plenty of stripers below the blues. Trips fished on the boat Monday and Tuesday, jigging the fish on the ocean from Shark River Inlet to Bay Head. Bunker will be livelined for stripers when the baitfish can be caught. Bluefishing was phenomenal, if anglers want blues. Fluke trips will be available once fluke season opens Saturday, and divers said plenty of fluke carpeted Shark River, so the summer flounder should be found in the warm shallows in the ocean tight to shore. Charters and open-boat trips are fishing. 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.

Striped bass were jigged from the ocean on the party boat <b>Big Mohawk</b>, and its trips will sail for them the next couple of weeks, Capt. Chris said. When enough bunker school, the anglers aboard will liveline them for bait. Some of the bass were good-sized, up to 30 and 35 pounds. Quite a few blues, including large, were bailed. Krocodiles and weighted, rubber shads worked best on the stripers. When sea bass season opens May 19, trips might sail for them. Fluke season will open Saturday, and the boat will run for fluke when ocean temps rise and the flatfish begin to bite there. The Big Mohawk is fishing for striped bass 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.  <b>***Update, Friday, 5/4:***</b> “Livelining has begun!” a post on the Big Mo’s Facebook page said today. “We got the bait, then the stripers! We plan to do the same tomorrow!”  <a href="http://www.facebook.com/BigMohawkPartyBoat" target="_blank">Like Big Mohawk’s Facebook page</a>.

On the party boat <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b> striped bass, good catches, were slugged from the ocean, Capt. Alan said. Bluefish began being caught among the stripers. The fishing was slow the last couple of days, because of rough weather. Otherwise nearly all anglers limited out on two or, if they had a bonus tag, three. Most stripers hooked were keepers, mostly 15- to 20-pounders, and pool-winning fish averaged 25 or 30 pounds. The fish were swiped on jigs and Krocodiles, and both are on sale aboard. Trips made it out every day, and the boat was out today when Alan gave this report on the phone from land. The Miss Belmar Princess is fishing for striped bass 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily and 4 to 10 p.m. Fridays through Sundays.

Fishing on boats was mostly docked in the weather, but the party boats headed out the last two days, running across almost all bluefish, only a few striped bass, on the ocean, said Bob from <b>Fishermen’s Den</b>. But anglers will have to wait for the weather to allow more trips to fish to see how fishing’s going. Many said blues made stripers push 4 miles from shore. Striper fishing is closed beyond 3 miles. A few stripers were clammed from the surf. Plenty of fluke gathered in Shark River, and anglers caught and released them, and fluke season will open Saturday. All the fluke baits and tackle will be stocked, and the rental boats will be at the ready for fluking on the river.

<b>Brielle</b>

The <b>Big Kid</b> was motored out for striped bass on the ocean today, and the fishing was dead, Capt. Ken said. “The Dead Sea,” he said. Seas were calm like a lake, and fish were marked. “We’re coming up on the full moon, so …” Ken said. Plenty of the bass were bailed on previous trips, covered in previous reports. Trips will sail for stripers aboard Friday through Monday.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

The boat was moved to Point Pleasant Beach this week to begin charters on the ocean for striped bass, a report on <b>Andrea’s Toy Charters</b>’ Web site said. Andrea’s Toy each year starts the fishing season sailing on Raritan Bay from Keyport for stripers, and did this year. Then the boat every year is relocated to Point to fish the ocean’s migration of big striped bass. On the move this week, the trip fished, and loads of bluefish were battled from Sandy Hook to Deal. But stripers were finally found, and the angler’s limit of two to 28 pounds was bagged. The season’s first mixed-bag trip for stripers and bottom fish was set to sail today, and another is slated for Saturday, Capt. Fred said in a phone call.

Mostly ling, good catches, were scooped from the ocean aboard the party boat <b>Dauntless</b>, Capt. Butch said. Anglers averaged 15 to 50 apiece, depending on the day. On Wednesday some of the anglers totaled 50. On Tuesday the linging was somewhat slower, producing 15 to 30 per angler. Strong currents ran that day, Butch thought. Out-of-season blackfish were let go, and so were out-of-season sea bass, not a lot, probably 30 to 40 per day, but the sea bass were sizeable. Sea bass season will open May 19. Trips fished in 80 to 100 feet or shallow, because dogfish were a nuisance deeper. Water temps fluctuated on the fishing grounds, dipping down to 49 degrees early in the week, but usually 52 degrees. Nighttime bluefish trips will be added to the schedule starting Memorial Day weekend. Blues were seen swimming, but water temps kept them along the warmer surface, so only a few were hooked on the bottom-fishing trips. The Dauntless is bottom fishing 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily.

Ocean boaters slammed blues and striped bass, said Chuck from <b>Gates Bait & Tackle</b>. Blues, fish to 12 pounds, moved in, and surf fishing picked stripers here and there, but few anglers hit the beach in the weather. Blues to 5 or 6 pounds raced Manasquan Inlet and Point Pleasant Canal, often during the morning tides or before dark. Out-of-season blackfish snapped at the inlet and were let go. The inlet held some good action. Stripers were reportedly reeled from Barnegat Bay all the way south to the Route 37 Bridge. Bottom fishing on the ocean reportedly cleaned up on solid catches. The entire supply of fluke baits and tackle, including loads of rigs, is stocked for the opening of fluke season Saturday. Fresh clams, worms and plenty of other baits are also carried. The shop is within walking distance of the surf, charter boat fleet and party boat fleet. The grounds include the Gates Motel, popular with anglers. <b>***THIS TACKLE SHOP IS FOR SALE! CALL: 732-899-5760.***</b>

<b>Toms River</b>

East winds shoved striped bass toward shore Monday, and fishing for them was decent for boaters off Lavallette to Seaside Heights, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. Some were banked from the surf, but boating and kayaking for them was best, on snagged bunker. A few small stripers were plugged on Barnegat Bay at the Route 37 Bridge on lures like Rapalas. Lots of bunker schooled around the bridge, and a few crabs skittered around the bridge. Eric Lazarus checked in a 1-pound 14-ounce speckled sea trout from near the bridge. An oddball, small striper was pulled from the Toms River at Island Heights at dusk. Crabs were picked there. A few stripers were taken in Barnegat Bay behind Island Beach State Park, in mornings and evenings, like on popper lures. Dennis early this week was yet to troll bluefish on the bay this season toward the Forked River power plant, and saw nobody catch any there, and waters were cool. Blues swam the creek itself. The shop is loaded up on fluke bait and tackle for the opening of fluke season Saturday. Fluking is expected to be decent on the bay, but not on the cold ocean. A few fluke were caught and released at Oyster Creek Channel. In addition to all the fluke baits, the shop is stocking fresh clams, fresh bunker, sandworms and more. 

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

Tons of striped bass and blues were beached from the surf Monday from Seaside Heights to Lavallette on snagged bunker and popper lures, said Scott from <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>. The fishing was very good from the Seaside Heights Casino Pier. Blowfish were reeled in lately at the pier and from Oyster Creek at Route 9. Boaters raked in lots of stripers and blues from the ocean on snagged bunker. A 42-pounder was boated Monday off the bathing beach at Island Beach State Park. Scattered blues swam southern Barnegat Bay. All baits and tackle are stocked for the opening of fluke season Saturday. All the baits in season are also on hand. The rental boats will become available starting the week before Memorial Day.

<b>Forked River</b>

Barnegat Bay boaters anchored and chummed up blowfish near Barnegat Inlet, including at Oyster Creek Channel, said Jana from <b>Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle</b>. They clammed striped bass along the sod banks and near the inlet, including at Oyster Creek Channel. Boaters on the ocean trolled and jigged stripers and blues. Radio talk this morning said the ocean boaters found lots of bunker but no fish on them. Gary from the shop trolled blues today at Oyster Creek Channel and back in the main bay. Reports said fluke definitely held in the bay, and fluke season will open Saturday. Three different anglers weighed in three weakfish 6 to 8 pounds they caught around the inlet on the same day. Sandworms, killies, all the different squids, spearing, mullet, smelts, peanut bunker, clam chum for blowfishing, nightcrawlers, trout worms, meal worms and more baits are stocked.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

The season will be launched Saturday with bluefishing trips on the ocean on the party boat <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b>, Capt. Jimmy said. Reports were heard about blues schooling, and the crew will see for themselves whether the fish are there. 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 Miss Barnegat Light this weekend will begin bluefishing 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

<b>Surf City</b>

A few striped bass were beached on Long Beach Island from the north to the middle to the south, said Sue from <b>Surf City Bait & Tackle</b>. Most were bunker-chunked, and some were clammed, and not much was heard about any caught on plugs or metal. A 35-pound striper, the biggest heard about at the shop yet this season, was caught and released from the surf Monday on a bunker chunk. Places stripers were bagged included Barnegat Light, Harvey Cedars and Spray Beach. Dogfish and skates bit in the surf, and not much was heard about blues in the surf. One angler caught and released a 9-pound blue from the Barnegat Inlet jetty on metal. Blowfish seemed less plentiful in the surf than before, and anglers began to look for them in the bay. Blowfish were hooked in the bay Sunday. Fluke season will open Saturday, with a new, smaller, 17-1/2-inch size limit. Anglers hope to catch them. The Simply Bassing Tournament, an event for the whole island, will start Saturday. The Heavers Fishing Club’s 1st Chance Tournament will take place Saturday, and anglers can register at the shop’s parking lot at 6 a.m. that day. The store this season will offer the free Surf Fishing Classes in the parking lot like last year. Crab races for kids will be held at the store this season. Kids can bring their crabs they caught, and race them on the store’s race track, for prizes. The start of these events will be announced this season, including on the shop’s Web site and Facebook page.  Keep up with 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>Mystic Island</b>

News should kick in once summer flounder season opens Saturday, said Scott from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Many customers geared up for the fluking at the shop. Little was heard about fishing, probably because of weather, and because anglers were making the transition to flounder fishing. But bluefish should be around in the bay and back waters, and striped bass and drum should swim Grassy Channel in Great Bay. Nothing was heard about white perch, but certainly perch schooled the brackish rivers. Boaters usually look for flounder in the early season at the shell bar between the 139 marker and Brigantine, and among the clam stakes off the Mystic Island side of the Fish Factory. Shallow, warm waters like that usually attract them at first. A few blowfish, big, were a by-catch off Graveling Point. Nobody targeted them by anchoring and chumming, so whether they could be targeted was unknown. Minnows, a favorite flounder bait, are well stocked. Fresh, shucked clams, bloodworms and live grass shrimp are on hand.

<b>Absecon</b>

Not a lot happened with fishing in the weather through the week, said Capt. Dave from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. Anglers mostly anticipated the opening of summer flounder season this Saturday. Weather’s supposed to be warmer this weekend, and that should be productive for all fishing. A few who pre-fished for flounder reported pretty good catches on the back bay, no matter cold waters. The ocean will be awfully cold for flounder. Most who fished the bay for striped bass, clamming for them, hooked  lots of sand sharks and a few stripers. Rivers probably held the most stripers, but few anglers were interested in fishing there this year, since herring, the favorite bait there, became prohibited to posses this year. White perch fishing was very good on the rivers, and the fish schooled fairly far upstream. Fresh clams, bloodworms and nearly all baits are stocked, and fresh bunker should be carried this weekend. Plenty of big minnows, and all the other flounder baits and supplies, are at the ready. Dave hopes to stock live spots beginning early next week. The annual, free Customer Appreciation Fishing Tournament will be held this 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.

<b>Brigantine</b>

Surf fishing hit the wall for striped bass starting this morning, said Capt. Andy from <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>. The fish swarmed all over the waters. Skip “T.” checked in the biggest, a 23-pounder. Sal “Bass Buster” weighed in a 22-pounder. Chris Rotundi landed four of the stripers to 18 pounds, keeping three with a bonus tag, releasing the other. Carl Stock came in with a 17-pounder and a 13-pounder. “Reds” tugged in two stripers from the bite. Most of the bass were fresh-clammed, but the shop only just stocked fresh bunker later today. No bluefish were around, but the shop’s netter found blowfish and a 1-pound 10-ounce kingfish, a large one, in his catch.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

Lots of striped bass were yanked in, both during day and night, from along the rocks and jetties at Absecon Inlet, like off the Flagship, said Jeremy from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. Fresh clams and fresh bunker caught, and a few blues, not many, medium-sized, not very big, were mixed in. Summer flounder season will open Saturday, and they were sometimes hooked and released from the same waters. Fresh clams, fresh bunker and all the baits are stocked. Catch deals on three bunker for $5 and a dozen bloodworms for $10. Get the latest news: Friend One Stop on Facebook.

<b>Margate</b>

Summer flounder fishing will kick off Saturday, opening day of flounder season, on the party boat <b>Keeper</b> on the back bay, Capt. John said. A trip pre-fished for them Saturday with 25 people, and a load of the fish were let go. The start of the season should be good, John hoped. The year’s smaller size limit, 17 ½ inches, is expected to help a lot in bagging the fish. Minnows and mackerel will be provided for bait, and Gulps worked well, if anglers want to bring their own. No bluefish showed up on the trip. The Keeper on Saturday will begin fishing for summer flounder twice daily from 8 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 to 5 p.m. The fare is only $25 per adult, $20 for seniors and $16 for kids.

<b>Ocean City</b>

<b>***Update, Friday, 5/4:***</b> Beach anglers scored striped bass, decent catches, said John from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. Anglers had to work for them, but the bass were found up and down the island. The surf casters fished with clams or bunker, but sometimes tossed soft-plastic lures on lead jigheads at the inlets. A 42-inch striper was landed at Corson’s Inlet on Thursday, and a 40-incher was taken at 51st Street earlier in the week. Occasional bluefish, one or two, were heard about from all the different waters, but none schooled in numbers. The season was somewhat early for them. Nothing was heard about striper fishing on Great Egg Harbor River, but white perch began to swim farther downstream in the river than before. Previously they gathered far upstream. Most customers geared up for the opening of summer flounder season Saturday. A bunch of flounder were caught and released on the back bay. One boater let go a 22-incher that grabbed drifted bunker meant for striped bass. Fresh squid is stocked for flounder.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

A few striped bass, not a lot, but some, came from the surf, said Mike from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. The fish were clammed, and night was the better time. Catch-and-release summer flounder fishing was phenomenal on the back bay, and anglers were pumped for the opening of flounder season Saturday. The shop is filled to the gills with flounder baits and tackle. Enter the store’s big tournament for flounder on opening day. The entry fee is $15, and the entrant with the biggest flounder wins all the cash, and second and third places win cool tackle from the shop. Weakfish were sometimes toggled in from the bay at night under lights on lures like Bass Assassins and Zooms. Nothing was heard about bluefish and striped bass in the bay. Fresh clams are stocked, and fresh bunker are trying to be carried. Minnows are on hand, and fresh squid might be available at the store this weekend. All the frozen baits, including herring and mackerel, are in the freezer.

Plenty of summer flounder, the majority keepers, shingled the bay, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b>, affiliated with <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. They were caught and released aboard, and the season will open for them Saturday, and space is available for a charter that day, because of a cancellation. The shallow, warm bay is one of the first places in the state to attract the flounder each year, and the early season is the best for fishing for them there. Joe’s trips hooked them on soft-plastic lures on jigheads, and when his trips begin to hunt them with bait, the fishing should be even better. The trips will fish with Gulps on bucktails with a trailer with a minnow on a plain hook. More weakfish than in a long time, fish 2 to 8 pounds, bit in the bay. Three were landed on a trip aboard Tuesday evening. Trips weren’t whaling them, but Joe expected to see one caught on every trip, and that was incredible, after the sparse population the past five years. Bluefish 1 to 3 pounds swam the bay, hitting on both tides now, after previously biting on incoming, warmer tides. They and the weaks were also jigged on plastics. Striped bass in the bay chewed clams during daytime and jumped on soft-plastics in evenings along the sod banks or under lights. Fishing was good on the bay, and anglers shouldn’t wait to go. This is it. Join an After Work Special Trip from 4:30 p.m. to dark, convenient, and a productive time to fish. Surf anglers clammed stripers and occasional drum.  Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s blog</a>.

<b>Wildwood</b>

<b>Canal Side Boat Rentals</b> will probably be opened in two weekends, the weekend of May 12 and 13, Mike said. But summer flounder seemed to pave the back bay, and flounder season will open Saturday, and the size limit this year is 17 ½ inches, smaller than in recent years. Bay boaters reported catching and releasing loads, and a 7-pound flounder was the biggest Mike heard about. A group who fished on four or five boats reported landing scores of the flatfish on bucktails with no bait. Anglers were already calling the shop to ask when the rental boats will be available for the fishing. Bluefish were sometimes heard about from the bay, and nothing was heard about striped bass from the waters, but everybody focused on flounder. Minnows and the full supply of baits are being stocked to get ready for the doors opening.

<b>Cape May</b>

No charter boats from Cape May sailed that were known about, because of windy weather, said Capt. George from the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>. His first drum trip of the year will fish Delaware Bay on Saturday. A few drum began to be hauled from the Delaware side of the bay before the weather. Two trips fished for blackfish aboard during the weekend, before blackfish season closed Tuesday, covered in the last report. Trips are available for drum and will be on tap for summer flounder, when flounder season opens Saturday, and sea bass, when the season for them opens May 19. Call if interested.

A bunch of anglers jumped aboard Monday, the final day of blackfish season, to fish for the tog on the party boat <b>Porgy IV</b>, Capt. Paul said. Not a lot of limits, maybe a few, were bagged, but lots of blackfish were decked, spread around the boat. Ken Minnet, Voorhees, limited. He also clobbered a 13.65-pound blackfish, the biggest of the season on the boat, on Friday’s trip. Ryan Morse, Fishing Creek, was glad to haul in a 5-1/2-pound blackfish. Now that blackfish season closed, the Porgy IV will stay tied to the dock a moment. Paul will wait to see if any numbers of summer flounder, striped bass or drum are landed. Flounder season will open Saturday. If any of those three fish give up a healthy bite, trips might sail for them. Otherwise the boat might be kept docked, because of fishing season closures, until sailing for sea bass when sea bass season opens May 19.

Sizeable striped bass were banked from the surf, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. They might’ve been the fish dropping back from spawning in Delaware River, considering the size and sudden catches. Two customers on Tuesday clammed five stripers to 44 inches on Poverty Beach. Nick sent a couple fishing who tugged in two stripers 35 and 33 inches from the surf at 2nd Avenue. Another angler on Wednesday clammed a 36-inch striper and a 35-incher at the Cape May Canal or Cape May ferry jetties. Plugging for stripers seemed to taper off at the jetties, but some anglers still plugged for them. Little was heard from boaters in the weather and winds. But boaters continued running to northern Delaware Bay for stripers. However, with the large stripers that appeared in the surf, Nick would bet the local bay, like at 60-Foot Slough, harbored good-sized bass. Anglers always talk about the season’s second shot of stripers that takes off when the fish return from the river. This could be it. Summer flounder season will open Saturday, and the back bays and the ocean reefs will probably be the best bets for the catches. All the flounder baits, including healthy-sized minnows, and gear, including lots of rigs, are stocked. Fresh clams, fresh bunker, minnows and frozen baits including mackerel fillets and spearing are carried. 

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