<b>South Amboy</b>

Good fishing for striped bass to 34 pounds turned on this morning for the Higgins party with <b>Reel World Charters</b> on the ocean on livelined bunker, Capt. James said. No bluefish showed up. Fluke fishing was slow on Raritan Bay with the Ghem charter Wednesday. Maybe that was because of the weather front the previous night, and James hopes fluking picks back up for the weekend. A dozen of the fish including four keepers were managed on killies with Gulps. Active and retired military, first responders and law enforcement get a $50 discount on charters. To receive the discount, call ahead and let Reel World know.

<b>Keyport</b>

Space is available on open-boat trips in mornings and afternoons Friday through Sunday with <b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b>, Capt. Joe said. The last trips, during the weekend, covered in the last report, lambasted bluefish on Raritan Bay. Some of the anglers even decided to return early, worn out. Papa’s is fishing for stripers, blues and fluke. Open trips are available 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. daily when no charter is booked. Call to reserve.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Not a lot happened with striped bass fishing the past days aboard, but Capt. Ron from the party boat <b>Fishermen</b> remained optimistic, he said, and expects to sail for the fish another couple of weeks. Loads of bunker were around, and if the bait is in, the stripers are. The bass can become finicky a moment every year. Maybe the weather this week was the change that was needed, and the catches will take off today. It could happen any moment. Sixteen keepers were iced during one of the boat’s evening trips over the weekend. Sometimes its daytime trips got into shots of blues, but all the outings focused on stripers.  A large school of drum, maybe 500, was seen on the trip Tuesday, somewhat earlier in the season than usual. 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. The boat will begin fluke fishing at least by Father’s Day.

On the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b> fluke fishing was tough the past couple of days, Capt. Tom said. Some of the fish, shorts and keepers, were angled aboard Tuesday morning’s trip. A handful of anglers joined the afternoon’s trip, and two anglers pumped in three keepers apiece, and others bagged one, and some none. Both of Wednesday’s trips’ fluking was some of the toughest aboard this season. Figuring out which trips would produce, or when the fluke would bite, was impossible. The fishing was inconsistent. After fluking on Tuesday’s trips looked like maybe it was “going to start something,” Tom said, Wednesday’s fishing was difficult. Sometimes trips would fish an area and catch, but when the boat returned, nothing was doing. Inconsistent. A 7-pound fluke decked Monday was the most recent large fluke bagged aboard. Some sizeable ones, including a 10-pound 9-ouncer, the largest this season, and several 7-pounders were axed on the boat in the past week, covered in previous reports. The trips the past couple of days fished Raritan Bay at usual places like Flynn’s Knoll and off the Navy Pier. Killies and Gulps seemed an edge for bait, a bit. Weather was warm on land, but was comfortable and nice on the waters. A 60-pound drum was landed and released on Wednesday afternoon’s trip. An angler with a rental rod eased the fish in. The Atlantic Star is fishing for fluke twice daily 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 6 p.m. Check out the <a href=" http://www.atlanticstarfishing.com" target="_blank">Atlantic Star’s re-vamped Web site</a>, including new photos. Sign up for the new e-mail list on the site.

Boaters clammed striped bass at certain areas sometimes, said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Mornings were better than afternoons, and not many were bunkered, maybe because of the moon phase. Plenty of blues and a few stripers bit in Raritan Bay. Lots of sand sharks were around. Because abundant blues remained, striper fishing should kick back in. The bass were surely around. Stripers were banked from the surf every day, mostly on worms, but on clams at Sandy Hook, because of clam beds. Good fluke fishing was plucked from the bay and rivers. Whether fluke bit off the ocean beaches wasn’t known, and not many seemed to boat for them there, maybe because of fuel prices or something. Fishing for sea bass and ling was very good on the ocean. Lots of crabs were nabbed from the rivers. All the baits, including worms, are loaded up at the shop.

<b>Highlands</b>

<b>***Update, Friday, 6/1:***</b> Striped bass fishing aboard was “up and down,” Capt. Pete from the <b>Hyper Striper</b> said in an e-mail. But stripers to 44 pounds and blues were sacked on livelined bunker. Anglers could fight all the blues they wanted on some days. When striper fishing was slow, trips sometimes sea bass fished, pelting very good catches. Dates are being booked for trips that will bucktail jumbo fluke and, in late June and July, steam for sharks and tuna. Shark and tuna fishing was “getting into high gear early,” Pete said.

Striped bass were around, but anglers had to work for them, said owner Mike O’Neil from <b>Twin Lights Marina</b>. The fish were cracked in mornings and late afternoons, and millions of bunker that seemed to school was a challenge. Bunker were even seen flipping around the docks. On the Hyper Striper, sailing from the marina, Mike’s son Kenny O’Neil, Round Rock, Texas, Brooke Basquette, Round Rock, and pro  wrestler “One Man” Mike Dell, Hutto, Texas, fished for stripers. Mike decked two 28-pounders, his first-ever stripers, and Brooke bagged a 29-pounder, her first. They fished with livelined bunker. Vince Tavormina on another charter boat from the docks bucktailed a slow pick of 12 fluke, including five keepers, at Flynn’s Knoll. Johnny Cuozzo bucktailed two keeper fluke 4 and 4 ½ pounds. Jay Amoroso on his ParTee boated a 6-pound fluke at Shrewsbury Rocks. Ed DeMunno and daughter Dana fluked at Bug Light, and Dana totaled three fluke and a blue, outfishing dad. Nothing was heard about tuna or sharks, but the offshore fishing should be boiling up. Live bunker will be stocked this weekend, and demand for them dropped on weekdays, because anglers caught their own, because of the abundance. Bushels of fresh clams and 2- and 4-gallon buckets of frozen clam bellies are carried. Big killies from the South, where they grow large in the long warm season, are on hand. So are all the frozen baits, including for fluke, including Peruvian smelts, and offshore, including all the flats of baitfish. The full-service marina features boat slips and rack storage, ship-store supplies, 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>

A mako shark was bagged, and a couple of blue sharks were released, Monday on the season’s first shark trip with <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b>, Capt. Ralph said. The trip was on the way home by 10 a.m. The mako was 79 inches long, so it probably weighed 195 to 215 pounds. Waters were 68 degrees or warm, so anglers better act quickly to catch makos, before they migrate north. Only a couple of openings remain for shark charters. All the shark tournaments are booked aboard, except one space is available for the South Jersey Shark Tournament June 7 to 10. A striped bass trip Wednesday tackled big, alligator blues the whole time. A boater from the dock cleaned up on a good catch of stripers late that day.  One space remains for an individual-reservation trip for cod offshore at 2 a.m. Monday, June 18. Individual-reservation trips for fluke and sea bass will sail every Wednesday starting June 13. Reserve a spot now.

<b>Belmar</b>

Sometimes striped bass fishing was great on the ocean, and other times brutal, but plenty of bunker schooled, and big bass remained, said Capt. Pete from <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b>. The fishing was tough when he gave this report over the phone on a trip Wednesday evening. A few stripers were boated, but the fish didn’t bite the snagged and livelined bunker aggressively, and lots of the bass were lost. He hoped the fishing would pick up before dark. Timing was everything for the angling. Plenty of blues swam the same waters, and all the blues anyone could want schooled beyond 3 miles from land, where striper fishing is closed. Weather and seas were beautiful on the trip, and seas were snotty the previous day. Pete heard about a bunch of large stripers that showed up far to the south, and hoped they would migrate north. In other news, fluke fishing was improving on the ocean, and sea bass fishing was good there. Parker Pete’s sails for all fish available.  Charters and open-boat trips are running. For availability on the open trips, see <a href="http://parkerpetefishing.com/belmar-fishing-trips/open-boat-trips" target="_blank">Parker Pete’s open-boat page</a> online, and sign up for the e-mailed newsletter on the site. Dates are announced in both places.

Anglers aboard were plowing an excellent catch of striped bass on the ocean Wednesday evening when Capt. Chris from the party boat <b>Big Mohawk</b> gave this report over the phone on the trip. They fished with livelined bunker, and striper trips are running on certain evenings on the vessel. Fluke fishing was very good during the boat’s daily trips the past couple of days on the ocean. Lots of throwbacks bit, of course, but keepers were had, and sea bass were mixed in. Fluke bit best on Gulps and jigs. The Big Mohawk is fishing for fluke, with sea bass mixed in, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. Dates for evening striper trips are announced on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/BigMohawkPartyBoat" target="_blank">Big Mohawk’s Facebook page</a>. Or call for the schedule.

Mostly bluefish, good catches, were fought from the ocean now on both daytime and nighttime trips on the party boat <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b>, Capt. Alan said. A few striped bass remained that were caught, after stripers made up most catches previously. The blues were jigged during the day and landed on bait at night. On the party boat <b>Tropical Adventure</b>, Alan’s other vessel, fishing for fluke and sea bass was getting better on the ocean. The fishing wasn’t good, but Alan hopes it’ll amp up within a week or so. The Miss Belmar Princes is fishing for blues and striped bass 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily and for blues 7:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. daily. The Tropical Adventure is fishing for fluke and sea bass 7:30 a.m. to 12 noon and 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

<b>***Update, Friday, 5/31:</b> Plenty of keeper fluke were dredged from Shark River, Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> said in an e-mail. Ed Klump limited out on the fluke to 4 pounds 8 ounces the last two days. Kingfish nibbled in the river on worms. On ocean boats, striped bass, great catches, were smashed on bunker snagged from the waters then livelined. In the surf, John Cuttrel clammed three legal-sized stripers, and Bill Massey fly-rodded three.

<b>Brielle</b>

“(Fluke were arriving and) getting in the chewing mood more and more each day,” Capt. Ryan from the party boat <b>Jamaica II</b> said in an e-mail. He didn’t expect many to bite on Wednesday morning’s trip, after ripping south winds the previous night. But lots bit in different areas on the trip. “Even more interesting (that) afternoon,” Ryan said. Rob Roman, Manalapan, eased aboard a 6-pound 5-ounce fluke on the afternoon’s trip, taking the lead in the monthly pool. Three anglers limited out on the trip. During the previous two days no big fluke came in, but good numbers of keepers, and plenty of action, was copped. See the <a href="http://www.jamaicaii.com/component/option,com_eventcal/Itemid,33/" target="_blank">Jamaica II’s schedule</a>.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

Fishing for striped bass was okay – very good on some days, okay on some, said Capt. Fred from <b>Andrea’s Toy Charters</b>. Trips livelined bunker to catch them on the ocean. When the fishing was slow, trips mixed in bottom fishing “to round out coolers,” Fred said. Andrea’s Toy will stick with this fishing two weeks. Then annual, mixed-bag, open-boat trips for sharks, tuna, cod and pollock will launch. Andrea’s Toy specializes in unique trips like this: open-boat, mixed-bag outings to the blue waters. That offers greater fun, best chances for catching, and more variety for dinner. The trips will fish mid shore at first. Then the trips will begin to push offshore to the canyons, when tuna fishing gains steam there. On the mid-shore trips, anglers will fish for a day, typically hunting bluefin tuna first, then maybe searching the wrecks for cod and pollock. On the offshore trips, anglers will fish from an afternoon though the next morning for a variety of tuna, sharks, swordfish, mahi mahi and more. A typical trip might troll for tuna the first afternoon, then set up for drifting at night. At night, tuna, sharks and swords will be targeted. Back on the troll in the morning, the trips will stalk tuna. Sometimes fishing for mahi, pitching baits to lobster pot buoys, will be mixed in. Sometimes trips will deep-drop for tilefish or fish wrecks for cod and pollock. And so on. They’re incredible trips. Reserve dates soon, or call to ask about the fishing.

Fluke fishing was slowly improving on the ocean on the party boat <b>Norma-K III</b>, Capt. Matt said. Some days were better than others, “but a few fish (were) around,” he said. A few keepers and some throwbacks were toggled in during every trip, and a 5-1/2-pound fluke led the monthly pool through Wednesday. That could be topped today, the final day of the month. Nighttime bluefishing aboard was fairly good. Blues 6 to 12 pounds were hooked on bunker and butterfish, and on some nights were bailed. On other nights lots were seen, but were difficult to get to bite. The Norma-K III is fishing for fluke 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. daily and for blues 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. daily.

Lots of bluefish flooded Point Pleasant Canal, said Chuck from <b>Gates Bait & Tackle</b>. That was a highlight of the week, and fluke fishing churned up a slow pick at Manasquan Inlet and Manasquan River. Many of the fluke were throwbacks. Surf fishing was unusually slow locally this season. Chuck wasn’t even seeing surf anglers on the beaches in the mornings. Boaters bagged striped bass on the ocean at bunker schools. Bluefishing was good on the ocean. Sea bass and ling, lots, were slung aboard from the ocean. 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>

In Barnegat Bay, bluefish schooled, including off the Forked River power plant, said Jeff from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. A few fluke were lifted from the bay, including at the BI and BB markers and off the mouth of Oyster Creek. Slime grass that fouled fluke tackle was easing up, a customer said. A few weakfish came from the bay, and not many striped bass were heard about from the waters. Surf anglers only picked stripers. Stripers were boated on the ocean.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

Crabbing piled up lots of the blueclaws from the shop’s docks and rental boats, said John from <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>. Blues 2 to 3 pounds chased around Barnegat Bay. Small weakfish bit in the bay at Berkeley Island Park. The bay’s fluke fishing was nothing to talk about. Surf fishing churned up a slow pick of keeper striped bass. Bigger blues showed up in the surf, but fishing was still a slow pick. Kayakers a little ways off the surf, and boaters on the ocean, caught striped bass when they found the fish on bunker pods.

<b>Forked River</b>

Barnegat Bay boaters tugged in fluke at Oyster Creek and Double Creek channels, said Grizz from <b>Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle</b>. Slime grass that fouled tackle seemed to improve in the bay. One angler said he saw none today, but was the first to say, and Grizz hoped that was accurate. Blues swam all over bay. Also from the bay, blowfish could be found, and crabbing was good, and very few weakfish were heard about. In the ocean, a few fluke were taken from the Tire Reef. That was the first report heard about that this season at the shop. Ocean boaters kept reeling in striped bass, and big blues 10 pounds attacked the bunker schools there, too.

<b>Waretown</b>

<b>***Update, Saturday, 6/2:***</b> Bunker pods are stacked up in the ocean, “and hungry (striped) bass are feeding heavy (on them),” Capt. Dave from <b>Relentless Sport Fishing</b> said in an e-mail. More striper 40 pounds and larger were nailed aboard this season than in a few years. “Just a heads up to anyone interested in getting in on the awesome (fishing),” Dave said. Space on open-boat trips for stripers is available Thursday and Friday mornings and afternoons. Afterward, Relentless will move the boat to Cape May for the season, and begin fishing for tuna and sharks.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Five to ten bluefish per angler, good catches of the 6- to 12-pounders, were crushed Monday on the party boat <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b>, a report on the vessel’s Web site said. Bait and jigs whacked them on the ocean. A similar catch was crushed Sunday aboard. Lots were also hung Saturday on the boat, and bluefishing was slow on Friday’s trip.  The Miss Barnegat Light this Friday will begin fishing for blues 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily. Previously the trips fished on weekends. A trip will fish for blues 7:30 p.m. to between 12 midnight and 2 a.m. Saturday. Night trips for blues next week will begin to run during the same hours every Friday and Saturday.

Ocean boaters put the brakes on striped bass somewhat to the north, one of the crew from <b>Bobbie’s Boat Rentals</b> said. He wished to remain anonymous, but said owner Vince from the shop gave this info that’s reported. Small blues schooled Barnegat Bay, and blowfish were clumped at Oyster Creek Channel and the BI marker. Fluke were sometimes winged from the bay. Much of the snot grass cleaned up that had filled the bay. Bobbie’s rents boats and kayaks, carries an extensive supply of baits, including live, and includes a fuel dock and more.

<b>Surf City</b>

A few striped bass, not a lot, were dragged from the surf, said Sue from <b>Surf City Bait & Tackle</b>. A 45-1/2-pounder was clammed from the Holgate surf several days ago. A 14-pounder was beached at Barnegat Light on Wednesday on bunker. Cocktail blues ran the surf, and short fluke hovered there. Lots of dogfish crammed the waters. Surf anglers held bottom with 5- and 6-ounce weights. Fresh clams are stocked, and fresh bunker are supposed to arrive tonight. Killies are on hand, and eels are coming Friday. 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>Beach Haven</b>

One day till June! The <b>June Bug</b> was returned to Beach Haven on an overnight trip Friday to Saturday, Capt. Lindsay said. That was after the boat was kept at Oregon Inlet, North Carolina, since winter, like every year. The vessel is ready to sail from home port in Beach Haven in June, like its namesake schedule. On the trip, the crew headed to the 50-fathom line, and began trolling north, looking for a stream of warm waters that satellite charts showed. The 78-degree, bright-blue, beautiful waters, from the Gulf Stream, were found, and a couple of mahi mahi were landed. Some skipjacks had been trolled before the warm waters. Then the crew pulled in the lines and began steaming inshore, and a fleet was seen in 69-degree waters, but didn’t seem to catch. Lindsay guessed they hadn’t pushed far enough offshore to reach the warm waters. A striped bass trip is slated aboard for Sunday, and more inshore trips are on the books for the next couple of trips. The season’s first tuna charter is scheduled for mid June.  Registration is June 21 for the Beach Haven Marlin & Tuna Club’s Junior Mate Program, a training program for youngster to become mates on sportfishing boats. To contact the club for info about the program, see the <a href="http://www.bhmtc.com/" target="_blank">Beach Haven Marlin & Tuna Club’s Web site</a>.

<b>Mystic Island<b/>

Action on summer flounder sped up, really, at Great Bay the past couple of days, after Memorial Day weekend, said Scott from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. None of exceptional size was heard about, but quantity and some keepers were. The bay at the 138 to 139 markers at Grassy Channel was best, and so were outgoing tides. Grass filled waters on incoming, and that settled on outgoing.  Bluefish 1 ¼ pounds to 4 pounds swarmed the mouth of Mullica River and could be trolled or baited. Weakfish were heard about, but not enough to put a finger on specifics. Few fished for them in the one-weakfish bag limit, but the trout were around. No drum were reported caught from the bay. Little was heard about striped bass in Mullica River. But they bit before, and probably still did, because nothing changed. Not much was reported about white perch, because of the other fishing that took off. Fewer anglers than before targeted the perch on the Mullica at the Lower Bank and Green Bank bridges. Loads of sea bass snapped in the ocean in deeper waters 60 feet. Back inland, crabbing was phenomenal. Looking ahead, brown sharks and sand sharks, substantially sized, usually appear in Grassy Channel starting the second week of June. No intent to fish for browns is allowed, Scott said, but anglers target the sand sharks from dusk to night for a thrill. That’s an opportunity to wrestle a big fish without sailing offshore. The anglers catch the browns by mistake, letting them go. Fresh, shucked clams, live grass shrimp, bloodworms, minnows and eels are stocked. Green crabs ran out, and won’t be reordered while blackfish season is closed.

<b>Absecon<b>

Fishing for summer flounder was very good on the back bay, and larger size limits in past years created more keepers than before, a big difference, said Capt. Dave from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. Nearly all anglers, “even if they half fished,” Dave said, nailed a couple of keepers at least. Lots of the fish were 20 to 24 inches or 3 to 4  ½ pounds. Far back in the bay was best. Use big baits to catch bigger flounder. A combo of a minnow and a Gulp worked best. Gulp flounder or fluke belly strips, a large bait, should begin to do the job better now. A healthy population of small, 2- to 3-pound blues moved into the waters, especially Great Bay. Weakfish 16 to 20 inches were populous in the usual holes. The area around the mouth of the Mullica River was the hot spot for all fish: blues, weaks and stripers, and plenty of flounder. Surf anglers picked stripers and blues steadily, but the angling was yet to really turn on, and bunker never really moved into the waters. “But something’s going to happen any time,” Dave said. Not a lot was heard about white perch fishing, but surely good catches were made. Mullica River seemed best. Crabbing was excellent in the creeks, and the blueclaws finished shedding. Absecon Creek and similar creeks were the places to be for the blueclaws. Fresh clams are stocked, and fresh bunker were difficult to get, but the shop is always trying to carry them. Minnows, eels and shedder crabs are on hand. The shop raises shedders and, for eating, soft shell crabs, also available. No live spots are carried yet, and Dave heard that one place in Virginia had small ones, but they would take two weeks to arrive at the shop. Small spots 1 to 2 inches were appearing in the shop’s minnow traps, and the population looked like a good supply would be available this season when they grow.

<b>Brigantine</b>

Action was had in the surf early Tuesday, a report on <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>’s Web site said. One customer beat two striped bass to 42 inches from shore then. Also from the surf at the time, another yanked in a striper from the surf, and another pumped in a 22-pound drum. Surf fishing kicked in early Monday morning from the Seagull Motel to Ken’s Hole, covered in the last report here. Those were the most recent reports on the shop’s site. Brigantine was surprisingly busy with people from last Thursday to Tuesday, including through Memorial Day weekend.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

On foot, anglers plugged and clammed striped bass at Absecon Inlet at night, said Noel from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. They nipped summer flounder and blues from the inlet off the Flagship and along the sea wall. Minnows, spearing and squid squashed the flounder, and minnows, mullet, mackerel and spearing zapped the blues. Kingfish were bloodwormed from the surf. All the baits mentioned and more, the full supply, are stocked.

<b>Margate</b>

Back-bay summer flounder fishing was good, not bad, on the party boat <b>Keeper</b>, Capt. John said. He seemed reasonably happy with the fishing, and one or two days were slow, but the angling got back to normal, once winds let up. Two 6-pounders and two 5-pounders were included in the catch last week. Mackerel and minnows worked best for bait, and the flatfish began to bite minnows better than before. They’ll get active enough to chomp minnows as waters warm. Mackerel and minnows are provided on trips. No bluefish were caught aboard, but blues were seen, and trips fished shallow for flounder, and blues usually didn’t swim there. The Keeper is fishing for summer flounder 8 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The fare is only $25 per adult, $20 for seniors and $16 for kids.

<b>Ocean City</b>

The back bay’s summer flounder gathered in 3- to 10-foot shallows, said Phil from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. A fair number were weighed in, and flounder anglers kept hooking tons of weakfish. Bluefish schooled the bay, and striped bass were popper-plugged along the sod banks. Surf fishing for striped bass was somewhat slower than a couple of weeks ago, but still caught, on plugs like Sabiles or Mag Darters, or on clams. Kingfish were bloodwormed from the surf. Nothing was heard about sea bass from the ocean. One trip for tuna offshore was heard about that got skunked but pelted lots of mahi mahi. Nothing was heard about sharks.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Waters 10 to 15 feet, slightly deeper than before, seemed to hold summer flounder in the back bay, and fishing for them was good, said Mike from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. The fish could gather shallower or deeper on different parts of the tides, but those depths were prime. Popper fishing for striped bass and small blues came on in the bay the past couple of days, on high tides in evenings, ideal conditions, and should continue. Rapala Skitter Pops and Storm Chug Bugs were tossed. A few scattered weakfish, not many, swam the bay. Surf fishing for striped bass slowed somewhat since last week, but some of the fish that were caught were big, like 40 inches. But the numbers of stripers dropped. Kingfishing slowed in the surf, and the school moved on. Now anglers waited for the main population of kings that arrives each year. Sea bass fishing was fantastic on the ocean, and offshore, or 15 to 30 miles from the coast, or 60- to 100-foot depths, was best. If boaters lacked that range, they could catch sea bass inshore. But offshore was best. Shark fishing was good, and catches were heard about from Sea Isle Ridge and the wrecks Misty Blue and Beranger. Makos, threshers and blue sharks were battled. No first-hand reports were heard about tuna from customers. But second-hand reports said tuna were in. Fresh clams, minnows, bloodworms, shark baits, and a large selection of frozen baits are stocked.

Fly-rodding with poppers clocked five blues and missed a sizeable striped bass aboard the back-bay flats Wednesday evening for Jim and Dave Stuart, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b>, affiliated with <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. They fished a Crease fly Joe ties to create more splash. Popper fishing for stripers and blues, with spinning and fly rods, on the bay is a specialty for Jersey Cape. High tides at dusk, an ideal time, were happening this week. Winds cancelled fishing aboard Tuesday. On Monday Patty Gaudet and two sons caught summer flounder on the bay, and the flounder fishing’s been good. Joe heard nothing about offshore fishing this week, probably because of weather. But lots of tuna were trolled at the canyons previously, and Joe will fish for them soon. If anglers want tuna, go now. The fish could be around later, but they were in now. Joe’s inshore trips for brown and dusky sharks, catch and release fishing, usually begin in late June or early July, lasting to September. The fishing, with spinning and fly rods, is a rare chance to fight big fish 20 to 100 pounds, 7 to 12 miles from shore, instead of the long trek offshore.  Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s blog</a>. Take an After Work Special Trip from 4:30 p.m. till dark, a convenient, productive time.

<b>Wildwood</b>

At <b>Canal Side Boat Rentals</b> summer flounder fishing was very good on the back bay, Mike said. Minnows were best bait, and Gulps were next best. Small blues swam the bay, and crabbing was slow in the waters. The season was early. Striped bass fishing was very good in the surf at North Wildwood, mostly on clams. The rental boats are available, and a large supply of baits is stocked. Big minnows, from the South, are $5 a pint, the best price on the island, Mike said. Baits also include Gulps, shedder crabs, frozen, chopped shedders in brine, all the different squids, including colored and scented squid strips, tube squid and trolling squid, and frozen herring, whole mackerel, mackerel fillets and salted clams in quarts and pints. Crabs for eating will arrive for the season when available. Last year they arrived the second week of June, and several years ago, they came in during July. Check out <a href="http://www.canalsideboatrentals.com" target="_blank">Canal Side’s Web site</a>.

<b>Cape May</b>

Sea bass, decent catches, were socked Tuesday on the party boat <b>Porgy IV</b>, but some days were slow, Capt. Paul said. Anglers aboard sometimes bagged catches like 15 sea bass or in the teens. But many boaters fished the wrecks, because sea bass were some of the most abundant fish, and sea bass were slower to replenish the wrecks than Paul would like. It was a struggle, though sometimes catches were decent aboard. Sea bass offered the best chances of catches on the trips, so the boat will stick with them, until fishing for summer flounder, when flounder fishing picks up. A few flounder were around, and if the boat stumbles into more of them, the switch will be made. But sea bass were the best option now. The season’s first triggerfish was pulled in, and that might’ve been the first time Paul saw a trigger come up in May. Maybe the trigger, a warm-water fish, meant flounder would turn on soon. The Porgy IV is sailing for sea bass 8 a.m. daily.

Charters on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> are supposed to run for drum on Delaware Bay on Saturday and sea bass on the ocean Sunday, Capt. George said. Trips last weekend aboard caught a few drum and plenty of sea bass, covered in the last report. One of the sea bass trips fished farther from shore, pounding them. Anglers on another sea bass trip could only fish a short time, so they stayed closer to shore, boxing 10 or so keepers, releasing throwbacks. The better sea bassing was offshore. Trips are available, and call if interested. Shark and tuna fishing are also on tap. A few sharks caught were heard about, and tuna fishing was good at the canyons.

Summer flounder fishing was actually good on the back bay, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. A couple of good reports were heard about the fish in the last days, once weather became warmer and better. Stripers to 30 inches were angled at the bridges on small Fin-S Fish or Bass Assassins. A buddy knocked them around at Strathmere on a couple of trips. Productive catches of flounder were heard about from Brown Shoal on Delaware Bay, and the bay around Brandywine usually turns out a good pick of the fish this time of year. Drum were hauled from the bay, mostly from the Delaware side, but a few from the Jersey side. A few stripers were beached from the surf. Lures scored, but clams could be fished. Lots of weakfish swam the surf at Higbee’s Beach and Cape May Point. Bloodworms under floats, minnows or bucktails grabbed them. A crew talked about putting up plenty of sea bass at Reef 11. Fresh clams worked best, but salted clams sometimes caught. Fresh clams, fresh bunker, all the flounder baits and frozen baits, including select offshore baits, are stocked.

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