<b>Hudson River</b>

<b>***Update, Thursday, 3/7:***</b> Striped bass usually plow upstream by April in the Hudson, and charters will begin fishing for them then with <b>Angler Sportfishing Charters</b>, Capt. Chuck said. That’s the migration of large, spawning stripers. “So, all the big names are in town,” Chuck said. The trophy fishery, one of the best chances to catch large stripers, can last into the first week of June, usually peaking when the river reaches 50 to 54 degrees. When waters become warmer, spawning peaks, and fewer of the fish will bite. But the bass spawn at different times, so there’s always a mix. Stripers can only spawn in freshwater, Chuck added. The river currently was 43 or 44 degrees, and the angling this spring could begin early, because the river and creeks held no ice. Trips fish for the stripers with herring chunks and livelined herring. The bass forage on the baitfish, and the herring are also entering the river to spawn. They arrive at about the same time, though herring sometimes seem to show up seven to 10 days earlier. However, few anglers fish for the stripers that early, so maybe stripers are there, but there’s just little chance to hear about catches. Though anglers can prefer livelining, Chuck’s found that 85 percent of the largest stripers are caught on chunks. Still, each trip aboard keeps both livelined herring and chunks fishing. Chuck’s been fishing the run many years, and sails from Saugerties. That’s because the majority of the largest stripers are always caught there. Angler Sportfishing won the record for New York’s largest inland striper in 2001 for a 54-pound 6-ouncer. The trips are being booked.

<b>Staten Island</b>

<b>Outcast Charters</b> will begin fishing in April, Capt. Rob said. To start, he and his brother, Capt. Joe, will fish for winter flounder for fun. But if anglers want to fish for flounder in the two-fish bag limit, they can book to fish. Striped bass charters will begin soon afterward, probably in May, and bottom-fishing trips for blackfish and sea bass, if the seasons for them are opened, will start next. The marina, in Tottenville, was rebuilt after Hurricane Sandy. Outcast also fishes from Sewaren in New Jersey.

<b>Perth Amboy</b>

Striped bass trips usually begin fishing in shallow, warm waters in the back of Raritan Bay on the <b>Vitamin Sea</b>, Capt. Frank said. The trips, both charters and open-boat, will be launched on April 1, and many dates are already booked.  The fish swim those shallows while migrating from the rivers early in the year. The trips usually fish with clams at first. Trolling Stretch plugs also usually catches them aboard in the early season. As soon as the bunker migration begins to arrive, usually by mid-April, the trips will fish with chunks of bunker and the livelined baitfish. The bunker migration was incredible last fall before Hurricane Sandy. If the menhaden migrate like that this spring, striper fishing should be excellent, Frank thinks. He also looks forward to winter flounder fishing when flounder season is opened. He looks forward to seeing whether the population has increased since two flounder became the bag limit the last two years. Fishing for them is usually very good, especially early in the season in the back of the bay. Open-boat trips will sail when no charter is booked, and anglers should call for availability. The Vitamin Sea also fishes from Staten Island. “Get your dose of Vitamin Sea!” 

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Customers geared-up for striped bass fishing on Saturday, but none returned, said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. So whether they caught was unknown, and weather was cold on Sunday. “We just need some weather,” Jimmy said. Maybe days will turn warmer by the weekend. Striper season was opened on bays and rivers on Friday, and the fish were caught and released from Raritan Bay even three weeks ago, after ice melted. The fish recently bit “near the top of the tide,” Jimmy said, on both worms and clams. Sandworms, bloodworms and fresh clams began to be stocked since the striper season opened. Stripers are beaten in the bay at first during the season, Jimmy said in the previous report. Shore anglers will catch them, but so will boaters. A charter captain friend bottom fished on the ocean, but said the angling was no good. So he was going to quit fishing a few weeks, until starting striper trips. He fished from 140 to 210 feet or shallow to deep.

<b>Highlands</b>

Capt. Dave from <b>Raritan Bay Charters</b> sea-trialed a new boat last week, and expected to purchase it now, he said. The 29-foot Wellcraft fly-bridge would replace his previous boat that was totaled in the hurricane. He expects to begin fishing by April. The Wellcraft features an 11-foot beam, a large, 85-square-foot cockpit, a cabin with a dinette, head and v-birth, and twin 350 h.p. Mercurys. Dave would add rocket launchers, outriggers, updated electronics, a tackle station, a livewell, an insulated fish box and more. Charters will sail, starting with striped bass fishing, and open-boat trips will run when no charter is booked.

Striped bass catches were heard about a few weeks ago, after ice melted, but nothing was heard recently, Capt. Derek from <b>Fisher Price Charters</b> said. He was busy working on the boat, and hopes to start charters and open-boat trips during the third week of March. Trips at first will hunt striped bass and maybe bottom-fish or ling and cod. Reservations are being accepted.

<b>Belmar</b>

“Here we go again,” Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> said in an e-mail. The new fishing season was kicking off, and fresh clams were stocked for bait, and a customer clammed a schoolie striped bass in the surf at Allenhurst on Saturday morning. That was the shop’s first reported since the store was open on a limited basis a moment this winter. Apparently the hours were now being expanded. The shop will be ready for the opening of winter flounder season, too. The rental boats will be available to fish for them on Shark River, and all the baits and rigs will be on hand. Flounder season has begun on March 23 in recent years, and that will probably be the opening this year, unless the government changes that. The store was operated from a trailer, since Hurricane Sandy. But the old store should be reopened soon.

<b>***Update, Thursday, 3/7:***</b> The <b>Katie H</b> is in the water and available to fish, Capt. Mike said. Few anglers fish this time of year, and most of his trips will begin in April, probably beginning with striped bass fishing on the ocean. Stripers bit unusually early in the season last year, and if they do again, Mike’s ready to intercept them. He prefers to liveline bunker or jig for them, but if wire-line trolling is the way to catch them, he’ll do that, too. Large, 30- and 40-pound stripers had just begun to appear in the local ocean this fall, until Hurricane Sandy in late October. The bass disappeared once the storm hit. Currently, anglers could bottom-fish the ocean for ling and maybe a few cod and pollock. Mike and crew took a run offshore this winter for the opening of sea bass season that was now closed. Currents ripped that day, and up to 20 ounces of weight needed to be fished, not good conditions. But a few sea bass and pollock were pumped in.  If sea bass season is reopened this May like last year, charters will sail for them. The regs were yet to be announced. The Katie H, an offshore, big-game specialist, will begin shark fishing in June. Bluefin tuna fishing usually becomes good in June and July. Afterward, overnight trips for yellowfin tuna will fish aboard offshore.

<b>***Update, Thursday, 3/7:***</b> Fishing will probably kick off in May with <br><b>Fin-Ominal Sportfishing</b>, Capt. Jared said. He and crew were working on the boat, including installing new engines, at this time to ready for the season. Striped bass fishing on the ocean will probably be first up. Trips fish for them with livelined bunker, jigs or on the troll, whatever’s best.  Lots of bluefish can usually be fought that time of year and through summer aboard. Fin-Ominal will also bottom fish for blackfish and sea bass when those seasons are open. Shark fishing will begin in June, and Fin-Ominal won shark tournaments in recent years, including first place in the 2011 Brett T. Bailey Tournament with a 197-pound mako. Tuna charters will begin afterward. Fin-Ominal can accommodate small to large groups, up to 15 people on fishing trips, and 23 on cruises, on the 50-foot boat. Cruises can include cocktail trips or any trips imaginable, from the rivers and ocean to the Manhattan skyline. In summer, cruises can include fireworks from the ocean each week off Point Pleasant Beach and Asbury Park.

<b>Brielle</b>

Some of the better-sized striped bass were reeled from Oyster Creek since striper season opened Friday in back-waters, said Eric from <b>The Reel Seat</b>. The fishing was pretty good on Fin-S Fish on jigheads, and the creek is the warm-water discharge from the Forked River power plant. A few small stripers were hooked along Route 37 Bridge on Barnegat Bay and on Toms River at Island Heights. Sea bass fishing seemed to slow down on the final trip offshore for them on one of the Point Pleasant Beach party boats last week, before sea bass season closed on Friday. The fish were caught, but the angling didn’t seem amazing like earlier. Still, many sea bass were around this year or the population seemed healthy. Closer to shore, ling fishing seemed fair, not great, but catching. The Reel Seat’s hours will now be expanded to 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays, after the store previously was open Fridays through Sundays this winter.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

<b>***Update, Thursday, 3/7:***</b> Bottom-fishing trips sailed every day except Wednesday, because of the storm, on the party boat <b>Dauntless</b>, Capt. Willie said. Mostly ling were landed “by now,” he said, and three to six cod per day were swung in, and one or a few pollock were managed on occasional trips. The fishing was okay, a little slower than before, and anglers averaged five to 15 fish apiece. Trips fished in 120 to 200 feet, and 120 to 150 was best, in the 39- to 41-degree waters.  The Dauntless is bottom-fishing 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily.

<b>Toms River</b>

Fishing for striped bass was pretty good at Oyster Creek at the Forked River power plant, said Jeff from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. Rubber shads socked them, but Dave Krupski clammed a 29-inch 8.12-pounder there that was the shop’s first striper weighed-in this season. A few small stripers swam both Barnegat Bay along Route 37 Bridge and Toms River. Fresh clams, bloodworms, eels, nightcrawlers, garden worms, meal worms, killies and shiners are stocked. The store is open Wednesdays through Sundays.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

<b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b> on Friday “had a great opening day,” a report on the shop’s Web site said. The store was reopened that day after being closed in winter, for the first time ever, because of rebuilding from Hurricane Sandy. “It was wonderful to see the store come to life again,” the report said. No striped bass were reported banked yet from Graveling Point, the nearby shore-angling spot at the confluence of Great Bay and Mullica River. The store’s annual $100 gift certificate remained up for grabs for the season’s first angler to weigh-in a striper from Graveling. The area is always one of the first places to give up stripers each year, because of the warm water from the river meeting the bay. Bloodworms catch them early in the season, and clams nab them later, in warmer waters.  Last year, the first striper from Graveling was checked-in on March 8, and see a list of past year’s dates on the Graveling Point Spring Striper Run Page on the store’s Web site. Other info about the fishing, including a link to a map, is also featured. An angler posted a report on the site who fished for stripers on Saturday farther north at Oyster Creek, the warm water discharge from the Forked River power plant, with two other anglers. Fishing with bloodworms and bucktails, they totaled 12 throwback stripers to 18 inches and a good-sized, out-of-season winter flounder. They fished after sunrise on low, incoming tide, in partly cloudy skies and 10- to 20-knot winds from the west. They spoke with many anglers who reeled in no fish from the creek. Scott’s is open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays through Saturdays and 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays. The store is closed on Tuesdays. <b>***Update, Thursday, 3/7:***</b> The gift certificate remained to be claimed for the first striper from Graveling Point, Scott said. Waters were 40 degrees there, before Wednesday’s storm, so they could be cooler now. Catching stripers is highly possible when waters reach 44. A customer Wednesday released five throwback stripers at Oyster Creek, the warm-water discharge from the Forked power plant. Striper fishing was on at the discharges at both that plant and the Beesley’s Point plant near Ocean City. More is heard about Forked River, because that’s closer to the shop. Stripers, including a few keepers, were hooked from Mullica River at Hay Road from shore since late February. Bloodworms are the bait to fish for stripers in cold waters like currently in the river and at Graveling. But customers also bought clams. The fish at Forked River were wormed on Wednesday. The shop was busy with customers on Friday, opening day of striper season in rivers and bays. Fewer, but some, stopped by during the weekend in rough weather. Business was mostly a bust Wednesday during the storm. Bloodworms, fresh, shucked clams, small and large minnows, and nightcrawlers are stocked. A few green crabs, the favorite blackfish bait, probably remain, but blackfish season closed. Scott tried to net grass shrimp, a favorite bait for white perch, to stock. But he only caught two, though he tried 3 hours, and freshwater from rains seemed the reason. He only found minnows in two places, and fresh, dirty water, seemed the reason. 

<b>Absecon</b>

Six striped bass were checked-in when <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b> was opened at 6 a.m. Friday, a post on the shop’s Facebook page said. That was opening day of striped bass season in bays and rivers, and anglers were waiting for the door to be opened. They were there to win most of the store’s annual gift certificates awarded for the season’s first stripers weighed-in. Adam Zakumarek won the $200 gift certificate for the first striper, a 20.25-pounder he caught at 12:30 a.m. He also won the $100 certificate for the first larger than 20 pounds. In the past, that prize was awarded later in the season, probably because larger, mature, migrating stripers had arrived. This year’s 20-pounder was unlikely a migrator and was probably a resident fish or one that wintered in New Jersey. The next prizes that morning were awarded to: Anthony Tremarco for the second striper, a 22.15-pounder, who won a $100 certificate for that, and another $100 one because he was the first who checked-in a striper who was registered to win on the shop’s Facebook page; and Joe Knolmajer, for the third striper, a 12.5-pounder, who won a $50 certificate. A $100 gift certificate remained available for the angler who weighs-in the season’s first striper 30 pounds or larger. Plus, several more stripers were brought to the shop, totaling eight, that morning. The bass checked-in were mostly nailed in the back bay on lures. None of the anglers wanted to reveal much about location, but along the new Route 52 Bridge to Ocean City at night was a possible place. Daiwa SP Minnows were the top lure for the fishing lately, and all the colors are stocked. Now that most of the prizes are claimed, Dave expects fewer anglers to reveal the catches. But the outlook was good for the fishing, considering the action these anglers saw, if the storm forecast for the middle of the week fails to affect the bite. Tons of stripers 15 to 20 inches, a few somewhat larger, swarmed brackish rivers including the Mullica. No keepers were heard about from any rivers. Anglers who fished from the banks of the Mullica hooked so many stripers that they could catch only a few white perch. Bloodworms were the bait to toss for those stripers. But boaters reported decent perch fishing on the rivers this weekend. An angler stopped-in Sunday with the first bucket of perch to enter in the store’s perch tournament that began on Friday and will run to April 28. The contest features first- through third-place prizes for the heaviest five-fish stringers and a prize for the single largest perch. Entry is $20, and all entry fees are awarded in the prizes. Plus, anglers can enter for another $5 for prizes for the week’s heaviest three, and, again, all the money is paid in prizes. The angler who stopped-in had a total weight of 4.2 pounds for his five-perch stringer. Bloodworms are stocked, and the supply seemed abundant this year. Grass shrimp “did their disappearing act,” Dave said, so none was on hand. Even anglers trying to net them for bait couldn’t find them, and Dave couldn’t locate them to catch for the shop.

<b>Brigantine</b>

One angler caught and released a 24-inch, throwback striped bass from Brigantine’s surf on Friday, a report on <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>’s Web site said. The shop was reopened for the season that day, and the angler beached the fish on the island’s north end on a bloodworm. He dragged in several other throwbacks the past couple of weeks, “and is now looking for a keeper,” the report said. A $50 gift certificate to the store will be awarded to the angler who weighs-in the season’s first keeper striper from Brigantine’s surf. Bloodworms and fresh, shucked clams are stocked, and Riptide is open daily. <b>***Update, Thursday, 3/7:***</b> The throwback striper on Friday was about all that was reported, and weather was rough since then, Capt. Andy from the shop said. But weather should be good this weekend. Bloodworms, fresh clams and frozen bunker are stocked. Andy would fish bloods for stripers early in the season. The town approved the annual Fish for Life Tournament, benefitting the New Jersey Cancer Fund, Andy said. The $20 entry fee includes a permit to beach-buggy the entire length of Brigantine, when accompanied by a Brigantine buggy permit. With only a Brigantine permit, access is limited to the north and south ends. So entering “is definitely worth it,” Andy said. In addition to the shop’s $50 gift certificate mentioned above, last fall’s bounty was never won for the season’s first striper larger than 43 inches weighed-in from Brigantine’s surf. It’s being rolled over to this spring. The bounty is up to $650, and entry is $5, and anglers must enter 24 hours before the catch to win.

<b>Ocean City</b>

A few anglers fished on Friday, opening day of striped bass season on bays and rivers, and they landed a few, said Ed from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. Weather was cold, and little was heard afterward. But on Friday, they caught stripers on the back bay, including at Beesley’s Point and 52nd Street, mostly at night, a few on lures, a few on bait. So, “something was happening,” at least, Ed said. Nothing was heard about surf fishing for stripers and white perch fishing on brackish rivers like the Great Egg Harbor. The shop is now open daily, after being open Fridays through Sundays this winter. Frozen baits are stocked, and bloodworms will begin to be carried this weekend, if weather is okay. Clams will also start to be stocked this weekend if available. Ed was unsure whether the supplier had them yet.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Anglers, a few, fished for striped bass in the dark under bridge lights, said Mike from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. The top of the tide and beginning of outgoing, the best time to catch them, was in the middle of the night, like midnight, difficult to fish, including because of cold. But the anglers caught! Quite a few stripers swam, and anglers landed two, three or four in a trip. Few of the fish were keepers, but some were, maybe 1 in 10 or 15. Sometimes the fish schooled near the surface, and anglers clocked them on small Rapala swimming lures, maybe 3 inches. Other times the fish held 3 or 4 feet down, and anglers mugged them on paddle-tail Bass Assassins on lead jigheads. A few fresh clams were still sold for surf fishing for stripers, but nobody reported banking the fish. One customer bottom-fished on the ocean, boating a few cod and ling, not a great catch, but some fish. The store is open during fair weather when anglers might fish, like on weekends and sometimes other days. Hours will be expanded starting March 15.

Winds blew, and weather was cold, when some of the traveling charters to the Florida Keys started fishing on Saturday with <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b>, affiliated with <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>, Capt. Joe Hughes said. But the trip, with Brooke Berner and fiancé Jason, tackled a bunch of large jack crevalles to 5 pounds, a couple of snook and a black drum, fishing near port in Islamorada. At the end of the day, eight or nine tarpon bit, and three or four were jumped, but they got off, either breaking line or spitting the hook. At first, the tarpon bit the same jigheads with live and Gulp shrimp that were fished on light tackle for the smaller fish. The tarpon broke off, so heavier tackle was fished next, but the tarpon still got off. But while the silver kings bit, they chomped on every other cast a while, and that was neat. Tarpon fishing’s been good aboard, and landing the fish is never a sure thing. Anglers even count jumping them a success. But Jersey Cape’s been landing good numbers. The two anglers jumped back on deck Sunday in better weather, so they headed across the bay to the Everglades. They whaled more than 10 snook, large fish including several topping 10 pounds. Then they rounded out the day fishing back near Islamorada, probably bailing 30 jacks, one after another. Charters fish from Florida every winter through Easter, mostly on weekends. The outings can be a fish-filled, mini vacation. Anglers can arrive on a Friday, fish all day Saturday and part of Sunday, and be back to work on Monday. See info on Jersey Cape’s <a href="http://www.captainjoehughes.com/page4.html" target="_blank">Traveling Fisherman Charters</a> Web page. Back at Sea Isle, Joe traditionally catches his season’s first striped bass in March on the back bay, though he probably wouldn’t get the opportunity to fish for them this week. By April and May, his charters from Sea Isle should pound both stripers and blues on the bay. The fishing is typically super by mid April. Book now. Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s blog</a>.

<b>Avalon</b>

<b>***Update, Thursday, 3/7:***</b> <b>Fins and Feathers Outfitters</b> might begin fishing at the end of March or beginning of April, Capt. Jim Weiser said. Last year and in recent years striped bass showed up in Delaware Bay in March, and that was early. Jim trailers the boat to Cape May or wherever’s best to launch for the fishing, like Reed’s Beach. The stripers are migrating toward Delaware River to spawn. The bass, “big, old females,” Jim said, littered the bay tight to shore for a moment last year, before swimming to the river. Boaters anchored in 2 to 3 feet near the beach on the bay for the fishing, and shore anglers probably caught more than boaters did. The fish bumped against Fins and Feathers’ hull. Jim fishes for them with clams, but the bass can be difficult to get to bite, because of spawning. Reports are always heard about boaters casting lures to imitate herring the stripers follow and forage on. The herring are also migrating toward the river. But Jim has tried the lure fishing, with little luck. He’s even thrown largemouth-bass buzz baits to try to annoy the stripers into biting, for a “reaction” strike like when largemouths spawn. Fins and Feathers also duck hunts and might offer Cast and Blast Trips once again this spring. Anglers can spend days striper fishing and duck hunting. In May, Jim will fish for drum on Delaware Bay. Afterward he’ll sail from Avalon to fish the ocean for everything from sea bass to tuna. Jim was also currently snow goose hunting until the goose season closes in early April. He also owns a lodge in upstate New York where he’ll guide steelhead fishing on the Salmon River from about late March through April. People can telephone him if interested in any of this.

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