<b>Hudson River</b>

Fishing for the river’s migration of striped bass would be wrapped up for the season this week with <b>Angler Sportfishing Charters</b>, Capt. Chuck said. Waters warmed quicker than usual, and mostly spent males were hooked. Trips fish for large, breeding females, one of the best chances to land a trophy striper, on the river in spring. The angling was great aboard this season, and Chuck ran lots of trips. But the fishing became more and more difficult in the last seven to 10 days. Only four spent males were reeled in Wednesday aboard. Chuck’s been fishing the run for years, and plans to again next year. Next, he’ll move the boat to Highlands to fish for a mixed bag of stripers, blues, fluke and sea bass from Raritan Bay to the ocean.

<b>Perth Amboy</b>

Raritan Bay’s striped bass fishing became a little tough, because many bluefish flooded the waters, Capt. Frank from the <b>Vitamin Sea</b> wrote in an e-mail. No trips fished aboard in past days, but he prospected the bay Wednesday, finding lots of newly arrived bunker schools filling the bay, and feeding fish busting them up. Though he thinks the feeding fish were blues, larger striped bass, “which we have not seen yet,” he said, should arrive soon, he believes. The boat will fish again Friday. Fluke held abundant in the bay, seeming to bode well for fluke fishing this season. Bookings for fluke trips are being accepted. Charters and open-boat trips are sailing, and telephone about the open trips. Vitamin Sea also fishes from Staten Island. “Get your dose of Vitamin Sea!”

<b>Keyport</b>

Fourteen bluefish to 13 pounds and six keeper fluke to 20 inches were axed on Ken Kritchloy’s trip with five other anglers Tuesday on Raritan Bay near the ocean with <b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b>, Capt. Joe said. Was a good trip, he said, and bunker and clams were fished for the blues, and squid and Gulps were dunked for the flounder. The day was warm and sort of “flat,” Joe said, good weather on the waters, but warm. Charters are fishing, and space is available for open-boat trips Friday, Sunday and Monday, and telephone if interested. Charters and open trips will also begin to be offered 4 to 9 p.m. for blues.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Some big striped bass were eased aboard Tuesday, Capt. Ron from the party boat <b>Fishermen</b> wrote in a report on the vessel’s Web site. “Didn’t have a hot bite,” he said, or the fishing wasn’t great, but the stripers caught were “beauties,” he said. “I’m sure all hell will break loose soon,” he said. Bunker schooled everywhere: in the ocean, bay and even the harbor! Bring snagging hooks to catch the bunker for bait, Ron recommends, because that fishing could turn on soon. Conditions were tough for striper fishing when Monday’s trip began. Fog rolled in as the boat left port, winds, from southeast, picked up, “and naturally … were against the tide to start our day,” he said. Bait was “unreal,” he said, filling most of the fish-finder. Two anchors were dropped to keep the boat from swinging, and the trip had to chum at the stern, because it all ran to the bow. “Lit a candle and said a prayer,” Ron said. Two stripers were on within 5 minutes, and the “pool was settled,” he said. After the previous two days’ fishing, this was a blessing, he said. Anglers picked away at stripers most of the morning, including landing some very good-sized ones. A few shorts came in, and so did some blues. A couple of anglers limited out on stripers by the end of the day, and one angler, who never before caught a striper, pumped in two sizeable keepers and two throwbacks, and lost a heck of a large one at the boat, when a line tangled with his. Night trips were about the same lately, or neither night nor day trips were better. The Fishermen is sailing for striped bass 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily, 6:30 to 11:30 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 3:30 to 9:30 p.m. Sundays.

On the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>, fluke fishing was tough on Wednesday morning’s trip, Capt. Tom said. Even catches of throwbacks were slow. But the angling was better on the afternoon’s trip, similar to Tuesday’s fishing aboard, covered in the last report. Wednesday afternoon’s fishing wasn’t as good as Tuesday afternoon’s aboard, but was better than the morning’s, like on the previous day. The boat drifted better in the afternoon than in the morning Wednesday. Whether that was the reason was unknown. But probably twice as many keepers were lifted in than in the morning, and throwbacks bit well in the afternoon, and Tom couldn’t say how many more did, compared with the morning. When drifting was better, fluking seemed better lately. But he didn’t know whether that was a reason. No big fluke showed up, and pool-winning fish only weighed a couple of pounds Wednesday. Trips fished the bay, and weather forecasts and small craft warnings seemed to keep anglers from coming down to fish sometimes. “But we’re fishing the bay,” Tom said. Weather wasn’t an issue on the bay. Spearing are supplied for bait, and Tom suggests anglers buy killies at a tackle shop on the way to the boat, and the harbor tackle shop is closed. Sometimes killies were effective, and only a half-pint is needed on the half-day trips. For $5 or $6, the bait was good to bring. Gulps also caught well, and anglers sometimes seemed to score well on combos of killies and Gulps. 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.

Boaters clammed striped bass Wednesday, said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. He was unsure whether that was at Flynn’s Knoll or where. But stripers were around, everywhere from the ocean to Raritan Bay to the rivers. Lots of bluefish invaded all those places or everywhere. Striper fishing was good on the rivers. Fluke were cranked from the bay. One of the charter boats limited out on sea bass on the ocean, and sea bass season was opened Sunday. Good-sized, out-of-season blackfish were released on the trip, and nothing was heard about ling. The captain hadn’t fished that far from shore. Baits are fully stocked.

<b>Highlands</b>

Striped bass fishing remained good on Raritan Bay with <b>Fisher Price Charters</b>, Capt. Derek said. The fish, averaging up to 25 or 28 pounds on trips, were chunked and livelined on bunker. Lots of blues were tackled, and trips will probably fish the ocean for stripers soon. One fluke was caught during striper fishing on the bay, and Derek heard fluking was best on the rivers. He’ll probably striper fish the rest of the month, and dates are available for charters. Spaces are available for open-boat trips next week on the afternoons of Thursday and Friday, May 30 and 31. Telephone to jump aboard or to be kept informed about future open dates.

From <b>Twin Lights Marina</b>, John Cuozzo on the Elsea Nora landed one keeper striped bass, Marion said. Roy Wurst, Todd Cuccio, Jim Ward and Paul Q. boated three stripers and some blues off Keansburg Pier on bunker chunks. Ed, Tony and Al on the Hammerhead made off with a keeper fluke and some blues from Flynn’s Knoll on Saturday, opening day of fluke season. Bushels of fresh clams are available, and the live bunker baitwell is hoped to be hooked up this weekend, so the baitfish will be stocked starting then. The plumbing was damaged in the hurricane. Frozen baits carried include quarts and pints of salted clams, spearing, Peruvian smelts, the different types of squid, and scented shedder crab. Twin Lights includes a marina, including boat slips and rack space, a bait and tackle shop, ship supplies and a fuel dock.

<b>Neptune</b>

Anglers aboard got into big striped bass on the ocean Wednesday, Capt. Ralph from <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b> wrote in an e-mail. Because of boat traffic, book striper charters on weekends, afternoons or early mornings, if possible. “Weekends are a hack, usually,” he said. Bottom-fishing was good now, including on an individual-reservation trip this week. Charters are available, and individual-reservation trips for stripers are slated for Wednesday and June 3, 11 and 18. Individual-reservation trips for fluke and sea bass will sail every Tuesday starting June 25, and kids under 12 will sail free, limited to two per adult host.

<b>Belmar</b>

Shark River’s fluke fishing became slow Wednesday, Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> wrote in an e-mail. That was probably because south winds cooled waters, he thought. A few croakers were plucked from the river that day. Unusual fish like croakers and blowfish showed up in the river this season. “Must be a good cycle,” he said. For boat trips on the ocean, striped bass fishing was great Wednesday, and most limited out on the fish larger than 30 pounds. “This is the start of the big bass bonanza,” he said, and Bob hopes some are released “to fight another day,” he said. “Keep only what you can use.” Stripers crashed bunker in the surf north of Shark River inlet the past couple of days. Several 30-pounders were taken. <b>***Update, Friday, 5/24:***</b> Stripers weighed from the surf Thursday, all caught on pencil poppers, included Chris Buchta from Toms River’s 36-pound 8-ouncer, Shawn DeVincenzo from Keansburg’s 33-pounder, Brian Biedinger from Little Silver’s 32-pounder and Tom Cook from Freehold’s 20-pounder, Bob wrote in an e-mail.

Angling for striped bass was good on the ocean Tuesday on the party boat <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b>, Capt. Alan said. But the fishing was not good on Wednesday’s trip, and not a ton of good fishing happened in recent days aboard. None of the fleet sailed today, because of weather. The Miss Belmar Princess is fishing for striped bass 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and 7:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. Fridays through Sundays. The night trips will probably run daily starting next week on Friday, May 31. The <b>Royal Miss Belmar</b> this weekend will begin to sail for fluke and sea bass 7:30 a.m. to 12 noon and 1:30 to 6 p.m. daily.

Weather kept today’s trip from fishing on the party boat <b>Golden Eagle</b>, a report on the vessel’s Web site said. But forecasts said weather should clear late tonight, “and we’re planning on catching some more of these big (striped bass from the ocean) Friday,” it said. Take a pole to snag bunker to liveline for bait. Some of the bass were shoveled aboard Wednesday, but not as well as on Tuesday, though more fish were seen along the surface, and were marked, on Wednesday than on Tuesday. But on Wednesday, three of the bass caught weighed more than 30 pounds, and a 33-pounder was the pool-winner. All were livelined on bunker, and plenty of bunker schooled, were easy to snag.  Striper fishing began to break open aboard Monday. More than 20 keepers to 39 pounds, and several heavier than 30, were drilled. Krocodile spoons and livelined bunker caught them, and the bass swam the water surface, and bait schooled all over. The Golden Eagle is fishing for striped bass 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Nighttime bluefishing trips will begin this weekend, running 7:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. Friday through Sunday.

Ocean striped bass fishing was on and off on different days with <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b>, but began to break open a little, Capt. Pete said. A new school of stripers seemed to arrive, and lots more bunker became around than before. Afternoons seemed better for the fishing. Some big stripers to a 36-1/2-pounder were creamed aboard, and trips fished for stripers with livelined bunker or trolled Stretch plugs or bunker spoons. Sea bass season was opened Sunday, and a charter Tuesday headed out for them aboard. Fishing in 60 to 80 feet, catches were picky at first, but became very good. Scores of sizeable sea bass were socked, and some ling were mixed in. Twenty good-sized, out-of-season blackfish were let go. On the way home, bunker were found, and striper, including the 36-1/2-pounder, were caught among them. Pete weighed in the 46-incher for a tournament he entered. Any fluke that boaters cranked from the ocean came from close to shore in cool waters. Fluking was excellent on Shark River. Charters are fishing, and <a href=" http://www.parkerpetefishing.com/fishing-reports" target="_blank">subscribe to Parker Pete’s e-mailed newsletter</a> to be kept informed about individual-spaces available on charters and for the latest fishing reports. Click on that link to Parker Pete’s fishing reports online, and newsletter sign up can be found on the right side of the page. Or go to the site’s Contact page, and e-mail, asking to subscribe.

<b>Brielle</b>

Good sea bass fishing was slugged from the ocean the past two days on the party boat <b>Jamaica II</b>, Capt. Ryan wrote in an e-mail Wednesday. On Monday’s trip, “fishing local rocks and wrecks,” he said, Joe Pantina limited out on sea bass to 3 pounds, Donnito Patrick beat 18, and Jody McCloud socked 17. On Tuesday’s trip, McCloud limited out, and Roy Williams cracked 18, Wayne Nelson sacked 17, and Bill Bradley smoked 16, winning the pool with a 3-1/2-pounder. The Jamaica II is sailing for sea bass 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. through Monday, Memorial Day. On Tuesday, two half-day trips will begin to run daily for a combo of fluke and sea bass at 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. All Day Fluke Trips will begin to fish every Monday at 7:30 a.m. on June 3.

Plenty of large striped bass were seen on bunker on Wednesday’s trip, an e-mail from the party boat <b>Big Jamaica</b> said. The bass were difficult to catch, but a few big ones were plastered. A 36-pounder was the pool-winning fish. More stripers than before moved into the area on Tuesday, and were pasted on Krocodile spoons, jigs and livelined bunker. The Big Jamaica is fishing for striped bass at 7:30 a.m. daily and for bluefish at 7:30 p.m. Fridays through Sundays.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

Bottom fishing was improving aboard, and if the ocean continues warming, the angling should keep improving, said Capt. Butch from the party boat <b>Dauntless</b>. Fewer sea bass bit than expected since sea bass season was opened Sunday. But anglers probably averaged five to 15 sea bass and five to 10 ling apiece. Cod were sometimes mixed in, and a half-dozen cod were bagged aboard Tuesday. Keeper cod lately weren’t huge but were 6 to 10 pounds, and cod were hooked close to shore, in only 60 feet. Trips fished in 60 to 80 feet, and waters were 52 to 55 degrees, sometimes as low as 50, during weather or south winds.  The Dauntless is bottom-fishing 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily. Nighttime bluefish trips will probably begin in mid-June, around when schools go on break. The trips will begin to run on Friday and Saturday nights, and later will sail every night.

The party boat <b>Norma-K III</b>’s fluke trips were docked today, and weather “kept some anglers home,” Capt. Matt thought, he wrote in a report on the vessel’s Web site. But a few fluke and sea bass were picked on every trip that sailed recently. Even if catches were “a little on the slow side,” he said, “there (are) fish in our area.” Winds will switch Friday, and he hopes that’ll make them bite more. Weather forecasts looked good for Friday through the weekend. The Norma-K III is fishing for fluke on two trips daily 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 to 6:30 p.m. The next bluefish trip is set for Friday, then bluefish trips will sail daily 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m.

The season’s first trip sailed from Point Pleasant Beach with <b>Andrea’s Toy Charters</b>, a report on Andrea’s Toy’s Web site said Monday. Trips, like every spring, previously fished for stripers on Raritan Bay. But now the boat was back in Point to sail for the migration of large stripers on the ocean, and bluefish, sea bass and fluke on the ocean. The trip, a charter, ran for stripers, and first made bait, catching enough bunker in two throws of the castnet near Manasquan Inlet. A 25-pound striper, the angler’s first, was boated on the first drift. Another was bagged, then a few were missed, then the rest of the anglers each landed one. They went 5 for 10 for the day. Andrea’s Toy will also fish on mixed-bag trips for stripers, blues, sea bass and fluke, or any combo of them, all in one outing. The crew specializes in mixed-bag fishing for greater fun, better chances of hooking up, and more variety for dinner.

Ocean striped bass fishing seems close to breaking open, Capt. Ray Bukowski from <b>Mushin Sportfishing</b> thinks, he wrote in an e-mail. Water temps were right, “and there’s bait,” he said. Also, the crew is anxious to get anglers on sea bass and ling on bottom-fishing trips on the ocean, and if interested, please telephone, he said. Day-trolling for tuna, as opposed to overnight fishing with bait that turns on later in summer, should take off soon, and dates are available. On Tuesday, Hank Kochan’s group jumped aboard, steaming south on the ocean. Lots of schooling bunker were found, and were skittish, though they were under no fishing pressure. “Didn’t look good,” Ray said, and some of the bunker were caught for striper bait. Structure was drifted, and one striper bit but pulled off. The trip decided to move to wrecks for sea bass fishing. But on the way, “a few loafing gannets,” Ray said, were seen. A few of the bunker were pitched into the waters, and Hank hooked a good-sized, 45-inch striper almost instantly. Then stripers kept following the baits back to the boat, but wouldn’t hit them. “We found where they were, but they weren’t ready,” Ray said. The trip continued to a wreck, and a very good pick of sea bass was caught, and cod were mixed in. About half the sea bass were keepers, a good ratio. Next the trip ran back to where the stripers were found before, but winds, from the south, began to blow, so the trip motored back to port. On Saturday afternoon, Mike Taylor’s charter climbed on board, trying for stripers on the ocean. Light, onshore winds blew, water temps were excellent at 58 degrees, skies were dark, boat traffic was light, and plenty of fish and bait were read. “Perfect,” Ray said. But the stripers wouldn’t bite. “At all,” he said. Lots of stripers followed bait back to the boat. As a last ditch effort to catch a striper, one was landed very close to shore, just outside the surf.  Anglers on a couple of other boats had luck “with rogue groups of (stripers) willing to eat for a few minutes,” Ray said. The angling was frustrating, “but the group was tough and very understanding,” he said. On another note, Ray is also manager of Island Beach State Park, and said the park was just reopened to Barnegat Inlet. “So, starting to breathe,” he said. The park was partially reopened earlier this year, after Hurricane Sandy. Mushin means a relaxed state of readiness. The crew enjoys sharing the concept on outdoor adventures.

<b>Toms River</b>

Almost nothing was reported about fluke during this opening weekend of fluke season, because of weather forecasts, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. That kept anglers from fishing, and weather was rough, anyway, for fishing Barnegat Bay, let alone the ocean. Boaters really couldn’t navigate inlets safely to reach the ocean. Anglers on foot plucked a few fluke from inlets. Lots more boaters will probably fluke fish this weekend. Bluefish and striped bass were hooked from the bay along Route 37 Bridge. The bass were abundant, and many were keepers. The fishing was awesome this year, though few fished for them. Maybe people didn’t believe the fish were there, but they were. Kayakers reeled them in every day. The bay was 66 or 68 degrees, and Toms River was 70. On the river, fishing for blues and stripers was also super. Most of the stripers were winged at night, and most of the blues were hit during day. At night, the stripers were plugged on swimming lures and popper lures. Farther up the river, white perch fishing was fairly good at Huddy Park. Farther south on the bay, blues were trolled, and a few weakfish were nabbed at the BI and BB markers and around Cedar Creek and Berkeley Island Park. Blowfish gathered in the bay. The surf was rough for fishing through the early week. Six and 8 ounces of weight was needed to hold bottom, so fishing was slow there. But surf fishing’s generally been good for stripers and blues, mostly on clams or chunks of bunker. Not many stripers were plugged from the beach. Lots of blowfish held in the surf, and if anglers wanted to catch something, they could fish bits of clam or worm for the puffers. Crabbing became considerably better this week for Dennis in his pot. Eels also showed up in his pot for them in the bay. So the bottom was warming. 

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

Catches were pretty much status quo, but that was good, said Mario from <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>. Striped bass and blues were slid from the surf, and cut bunker caught best. Anglers fished clams, but bunker worked better, definitely. Blowfish hovered in the surf, biting small strips of clam. Tons of small blues raced Barnegat Bay near the store, and no stripers swam the waters the last couple of days, though they did previously. Stripers might’ve been pulled from the bay farther south, but that’s not often reported at the store. Nothing was heard about fluke. Nothing was reported about crabbing, but that should change this weekend, because the store’s rental boats will become available then for the season, and customers will crab and fish from them.  The Dock Outfitters features bait and tackle, docks to fish and crab from, once the docks are repaired since the hurricane, and boat and jet ski rentals. The end of June is the target date to complete the docks.

<b>Forked River</b>

Fluke were swung in from Barnegat Bay at Double Creek Channel, said Kyle from <b>Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle</b>. Blues, lots, were bailed from the bay on trolled Pony Tails or cast metals or soft-plastic lures like Fin-S Fish. Weakfish, not many, were around in the bay. Nothing was reported about striped bass in past days, because of weather. But previously stripers were snatched from the bay, like at Double Creek Channel and along the sod banks, mostly on clams, and from the ocean on the troll. Nothing was heard about blowfish and kingfish from the bay this week, but maybe nobody tried for them in weather. Fishing for them was good, the last time anglers talked about trying. Blowfish arrived a little early, but did last year. Fresh clams, killies and frozen baits like spearing and squid are stocked. Frozen bunker is on hand, including for crabbing. Kyle heard about no crabs caught.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

It’s time: The season will be launched Saturday on the party boat <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b>, starting with bluefishing through Monday, Memorial Day, the vessel’s Web site said. Those are the vessel’s daytime trips, and night trips will fish for blues every Saturday starting this weekend through autumn. Daytime trips will bluefish daily starting next week on Saturday, June 1.

Fishing was good this weekend, and lots of large striped bass came in, from both the ocean and Barnegat Bay, said Vince Sr. from <b>Bobbie’s Boat Rentals</b>. They were trolled on bunker spoons on the ocean. But live spots are stocked, and caught many stripers in the bay, including sizeable, at Oyster Creek Channel. Good-sized fluke were seen from the bay, including an 8-pounder. Bluefish swam everywhere, including in the bay and Barnegat Inlet. Blowfish were nipped from Oyster Creek Channel. Nobody really crabbed or clammed the bay. Though clamming is more popular later in the season on the shop’s rental boats, clamming was probably good, and usually is. The season was early for crabbing on the boats, until waters warm. In addition to live spots, baits stocked include fresh clams, fresh bunker and the complete array of frozen. Live grass shrimp usually begin to be carried in July. Bobbie’s includes boat and kayak rentals, a fuel dock and a complete bait and tackle shop. The shop is known for baits, like spots and live grass shrimp. Call to confirm availability.

<b>Barnegat</b>

From an edited e-mail from Capt. Dave DeGennaro from the <b>Hi Flier</b>: “We are catching 20- to 40-pound stripers, trolling Tony Maja bunker spoons, in 60 feet of water (on the ocean), off the bathing beach, at Island Beach State Park. Here’s a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0nfQV1yVJE&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">video of Doug Mantz, finishing up a 38-pounder</a>, one of four big fish he and Jackie Jacob had Saturday morning. When the wind blew hard Sunday and Monday, we kicked in Plan B, and went on anchor (for stripers) with clams in Oyster Creek Channel (on Barnegat Bay), where it collides with Double Creek Channel. On Sunday, Jeff Milone was on board with his two 12-year-old boys, Jake and Zach, who boated a 16-pounder and a 26-incher. On Monday, the Steve Seckinger group had a 13-pounder and a 25-incher. Both days saw a good amount of bluefish on the clam. On Monday, we also went to the west side of the bay and threw poppers at the blues in shallow water, topping off the trip. They were tearing them up – 2- to 5-pound fish, mostly. Tuesday is my next available day, and is an open boat with two people booked, and room for one more. Next week on Thursday and Friday, we will be running open trips from 1 to 7 p.m. On that Saturday and Sunday, June 1 and 2, the boat is available for charter or open boat, sailing 6 a.m. to 12 noon. Three-person maximum on any of the open-boat trips. I’ll bring the bunker spoon rods, but we’ll always be on the hunt for pods of bunker to snag and liveline. <b>***Note***</b>: I will be away without computer access from now through Monday, so if you e-mail me, I won't get it. If you’re interested in joining any of these dates, telephone me.”

<b>Surf City</b>

<b>***Update, Friday, 5/24:***</b> Fish swam the surf, said Sue from <b>Surf City Bait & Tackle</b>, but getting weather to fish was challenging. Was a rough start to weather this holiday weekend. Still, catches from the beach today included striped bass 36 ½ pounds, 26 ½ pounds and 16 ½ pounds. A customer also saw about a 20-pounder released. Mostly clams and bunker were fished for stripers. Skates and dog sharks bit in the surf. Blowfish chewed there, so anglers began to buy bloodworms for bait for them. Small fluke, an occasional better-sized one, were pulled in, but the season was early for fluke from the beach. No bluefish were really heard about from the surf. A few boaters sailed for sea bass on the ocean once sea bass season was opened Sunday, though seas were difficult. Fresh clams and bloodworms are stocked.  A small amount of fresh bunker was currently carried, but bunker was difficult to obtain because of weather. Frozen, vacuum-packed is on hand.  When the season gets rolling, 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. 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>

Some customers scored more summer flounder on Saturday, opening day of flounder season, than all last year, said Scott from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. The opening was stellar, he said, but winds blew afterward, and not much was heard since. Some fished Tuesday, he thought, but that’s about all. Catches were made mostly at the stakes on the Mystic Island side of the Fish Factory. Blowfish schooled Great Bay. Bluefish 1 ½ to 2 ½ pounds were scattered around the bay, not so much at the mouth of Mullica River anymore, but along Grassy Channel. But blues this time of year usually pop up in the bay toward the mouths of Oyster, Mott and Big creeks on outgoing tides, foraging on bait washed out from the streams. Striped bass mostly swam the ocean now, instead of the bay and river. Drum were bailed on Delaware Bay, farther south, but winds that kept boaters off Great Bay prevented news about whether drum bit there, like they did earlier. Grass shrimp sales dropped off for white perch bait in the river, so perching must’ve slowed. Boaters are anticipating sailing the ocean for sea bass, but winds kept the ocean too rough to sail, and forecasts look like that’ll happen again this weekend. Fresh, shucked clams, bloodworms and grass shrimp are stocked. So are minnows, though minnows are scarce around the state.

<b>Absecon</b>

On the back bay, summer flounder fishing was probably as good as people hoped it would become as the result of when bag limits were first placed on the fish, said Capt. Dave from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. The fishing was very good, though weather wasn’t the greatest. The outlook for Memorial Day weekend was probably the best for fishing that Dave could remember. Anglers who never caught flounder before were seen filling coolers with them, and experienced anglers limited out. Many flounder were larger than 18 inches, up to 20 and 21. A striped bass charter with Dave, livelining spots, fished for flounder on the bay during low tide Tuesday, bagging nine of the flatfish, including a 6-3/4-pounder. Shallower depths seemed to attract flounder, from what Dave saw, probably because the fish foraged on bait like grass shrimp in warmer waters there. Depths shallower than 10 feet during high tides seemed the place to fish for them. Weakfishing was great on the bay. Schools and schools didn’t swim, but the weaks were the scattered tiderunners in spring. Most anglers picked decent catches of the trout while flounder fishing. Stripers hadn’t really pushed into the bay, and the ocean was probably the place to fish for them, if boaters ever got the weather to sail there. The season’s best striper fishing was probably yet to come, and the bass seemed to be finishing spawning in rivers, returning to open waters. A bunch of blowfish littered the bay and surf. White perch fishing really picked up on brackish rivers. If anglers want to catch something, the perch are probably less pressured now, because most anglers are fishing for flounder. Commercial crabbing slowed, because the blueclaws were about to shed. But recreational crabbing was probably about a week away from becoming good this season, after the shed. Shedder crabs were yet to be stocked for bait, but will probably arrive after Memorial Day, for the first time this season. Live spots and fresh clams are carried. Fresh bunker will arrive today, and minnows are currently on hand, but are scarce, difficult to keep in supply.

<b>Brigantine</b>

Capt. Andy, owner of <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>, beached two 37-inch striped bass from the surf Wednesday on clam, he said. “I don’t go fishing,” he said. “I go catching!” The fish bit on the beginning of incoming tide, and incoming seemed best recently. “But who knows?” he said. No stripers were really caught from the surf this morning, but customers were all gearing up to fish this afternoon. Kingfish 14 and 15 inches swam the surf, and bluefish swam everywhere, and a drum was checked in from the surf Wednesday. Sizeable summer flounder were hooked from the surf, and lots gathered in the back bay. Five-pound weakfish roamed the bay, getting caught while anglers flounder fished. Fresh clams and fresh bunker will arrive Friday. The bounty was up to $1,820 for the angler who weighs in the season’s first striper 43 inches or larger from Brigantine’s surf. Entry is $5, and anglers must enter 24 hours before the catch to win.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

“Lot of fish,” Noel from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b> said. “Mugging them,” he said, and anglers on foot, fishing nearby Absecon Inlet, hammered striped bass, lots, including good-sized. They landed maybe 60 to 80 per night on Tuesday and Wednesday. Bubblegum and black Zooms were fished for them. A good run of kingfish swam the inlet, and blowfish hovered there. Both nipped bloodworms, and today was windy for the fishing, but the catches were mugged the previous two days. The inlet also harbored weakfish that inhaled bubblegum and black Zooms and bloodworms. Summer flounder were flung in from the inlet, including on minnows, squid, mackerel, sand eels, herring and similar baits. Lots of flounder carpeted the bay. Blues scrambled around the bay, chomping baits like mackerel, mullet and herring. All the baits mentioned and more, the full supply, are stocked, including fresh clams and fresh bunker.

<b>Margate</b>

Summer flounder fishing, on the back bay, was off to a good start on the party boat <b>Keeper</b>, since flounder season was opened Saturday, Capt. John said. The angling was a little slow on a couple of afternoons, but bounced back, and the fishing wasn’t bad at all, he said. He was happy with it. Throwbacks were around, but keepers were, too. On opening day, 25 keepers were iced on the morning trip, and 14 were on the afternoon. A few weakfish and bluefish were shuffled aboard trips. So, some fish were around. Mackerel caught especially well, but minnows connected, and Gulps were good. Bucktails “helped,” he said. Mackerel and minnows are provided aboard. The Keeper is fishing for summer flounder 8 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 to 5 p.m. daily. Prices are great, because the pontoon boat is economical on fuel, and the fishing on the bay is close to port. Trips are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors and $15 for kids.

<b>Ocean City</b>

Lots of summer flounder blanketed the back bay, said John from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. Fishing for them was very good, and many were keepers, and most customers boated them near 17th Street, along “flats and stuff,” he said. Steve Jenniss, Ocean City, weighed in an 8.21-pound 27-inch flounder from the bay. Mike Bradley, Richwood, checked in a 6.1-pound 25-inch weakfish from the bay, and quite a few weakfish were wrangled from the waters, while anglers flounder fished. That included along beds behind Corson’s Inlet, at Ludlam Bay and behind Avalon. A few were tugged from behind Ocean City. Flounder anglers ran into good catches of blues 3 and 4 pounds from the bay. Blues and striped bass, mostly blues, were angled along 9th Street Pier. The bass, decent catches, were clammed on changing tides, during daytime, not nighttime, like sometimes. Some large stripers to 30 pounds were smacked from the surf early in the week, along the ocean near Corson’s Inlet. Chris Hayden, Ocean City, weighed in a 32-pounder Monday. Stripers bit when weather made the surf fishable, and cast fresh clams or fresh bunker for them. Kingfish and blowfish nibbled in the surf. Fresh clams, fresh bunker, minnows, bloodworms, eels and the full variety of frozen baits, including for flounder, are stocked.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

A couple of striped bass were just reported beached from the surf, said John from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b> in a phone call this afternoon. The angling remained pretty good, not quite as good as last week. Clams caught them these days, and a few anglers began to plug them, and plugs weren’t effective previously. Bluefish bigger than before, 4-pounders, were wrenched from the beach at 8th Street jetty and all along Townsend’s Inlet at times. Fish cut baits, any of them like chunks of mackerel or mullet, for the blues. The back bay’s summer flounder fishing was smoking. A couple of different anglers came in with multiple 20-inch-class flounder per trip. Weakfish, healthy-sized, swam the bay, sucking in bloodworms fished along bottom, or bucktails or other tackle while anglers flounder fished. Nothing was really heard about the ocean, including about sea bass, since sea bass season was opened Sunday, and the waters were often rough. A report just rolled in about good drum fishing on Delaware Bay. Fresh clams are stocked, and fresh bunker currently ran out. Bloodworms, minnows and all frozen baits, including the whole selection for flounder, are carried.

Tim and Tiffany Atkins aboard fly- and spin-rodded bluefish to 6 ½ pounds, summer flounder and a weakfish aboard the back bay Tuesday evening, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b>, affiliated with <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. On Monday aboard the bay, Brandon LeJeune and wife Susan spin-rodded blues most of the evening. Mini blitzes of blues were fished both evenings. In other words, schooling blues attacked baitfish, disappeared, attacked again, and so on. When fly fishing, the anglers threw Clouser Minnows and Crease flies, a Crease that Joe ties with a larger cup than usual, so it pops more water. That’s a surface popper fly. When fishing spin rods, the anglers cast soft-plastic lures and Skitter Pops, a popper lure. Striped bass should also attack poppers by now, or waters were warm enough for them to be active enough to smash lures along the surface in the bay. The fishing is one of Joe’s specialties. The flounder were targeted with a three-way swivel rig with a bucktail on bottom with a Gulp mullet or shrimp impaled, and a minnow on a plain hook on the trailer. That’s Joe’s preferred flounder rig. Take an afternoon, after-work trip, a good time for fishing the bay, when boat traffic is down, and fish can be active. Coming up, Joe’s inshore shark trips will begin soon, on the ocean. The angling is a chance to fight big fish without the long trek offshore. Joe will also sail offshore for big game when he gets his first chance this season. He heard first-hand about bluefin tuna trolled at the offshore canyons.  Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s blog</a>.

<b>Avalon</b>

Capt. Jim from <b>Fins and Feathers Outfitters</b> traveled to Key West, fly-fishing for tarpon with a guide, he said. He had a fantastic time, and three tarpon hit his flies, but weren’t hooked for long, because they attacked while swimming toward the boat, so lots of slack was in the line. But the tarpon migration was incredible, the best the guide had seen in 28 years in the business. Jim saw thousands of tarpon, swimming in schools of hundreds, on the day he fished. The migration was entirely under way. Now that Jim is back home, he’ll keep fishing for drum on Delaware Bay, and the fishing reportedly took off in past days. He fishes the bay in spring and fall, trailering the boat to wherever the best fishing’s nearest, like Cape May or Reed’s Beach. In summer, he fishes the ocean from Avalon, for everything from fluke to tuna. Fins and Feathers offers a variety of outdoor adventures, including duck and goose hunting on Delaware Bay, when the seasons are open. Anglers can even enjoy a combo of striper fishing and waterfowl hunting over a series of days on the bay. Fins and Feathers also fishes for steelheads and salmon on upstate New York’s Salmon River from Jim’s lodge, and fly rods for trout on Pennsylvania’s streams like Yellow Breeches.

<b>Wildwood</b>

<b>Canal Side Boat Rentals</b> will be opened for the season this weekend, Mike said. Hurricane Sandy caused bad damage to the building, including ruining the roof and flooding. The crew’s been busy repairing, and not everything will be finished for the opening, but the rental boats will be ready, and most baits will be stocked, and tackle will be in full supply. Summer flounder fishing was very good on the back bay. Everyone Mike knows who fished for them “caught dinner,” he said, this past opening weekend of flounder season. Lots of weakfish, good-sized, swam the bay, the best population of them in many years. Everyone who flounder fished usually landed some. They also sometimes caught bluefish, so a mixed-bag came from the bay. Surf anglers beached a few striped bass and sometimes blues. Blues were also fought at Cape May Rips, farther south. Nothing was heard about crabbing from the bay, but live crabs for eating will be stocked at the shop starting this weekend. Mike couldn’t yet know the price, because that will depend on the supplier’s price. But the blueclaws this time of year are usually $12 or $14 per dozen for No. 2’s and $20 to $24 per dozen for No. 1’s. Minnows will be stocked, and most other baits will be carried, like the different types of frozen squid and frozen spearing and bunker. Mike heard nothing yet about whether shedder crabs will be available, and the season might be early for them. Customers fish and crab from the store’s rental boats throughout the season.

The back bay’s summer flounder fishing was decent during the shop’s flounder tournament Saturday, opening day of flounder season, said Fred from <b>No Bones Bait & Tackle</b>. No large ones were entered, but a 4-pound 14-ouncer was biggest, and 8 pounds 1 ounce was the heaviest total for two flounder. The bay’s weakfish population was the largest in 20 years, and bluefish also swam the bay. Any striped bass hooked from the bay were 14 or 16 inches, and experienced anglers who were stealthy could grab them on soft-plastic lures. But nobody really fished for them, when they could fish for flounder and weakfish instead. Stripers were banked from the surf. One angler who never caught anything from the surf fished the shore Saturday and Sunday. He landed nothing the first day, but saw other anglers reel in small stripers and sand sharks. But on Sunday, on his first cast, a bite almost swam off with his rod, and he nailed a 36-pound 44-inch striper. Kingfish, lots, invaded the surf. A friend who “lives for kingfish,” Fred said, found them, totaling something like 14 and a couple of weakfish Sunday in the surf. On Monday he waxed 22 kings and no weakfish, but landed his season’s first spots, lots, from the surf. Lots of spots showed up now in the surf, and usually don’t appear until mid-July. No drum were heard about from the surf in a week. But stripers, kingfish, weakfish and spots swam the waters, and so did sand sharks. Clams were the bait to fish for the stripers, and bloodworms were the bait for the kings. Though no drum showed up in the surf, drum fishing turned on in Delaware Bay for boaters, on the New Jersey side. A few were hauled from the Delaware side previously. Minnows are trying to be stocked at the store, but are scarce. A few were carried for opening day of flounder season, and the supplier brought a gallon to the shop Wednesday, but the supply hasn’t been enough to speak of, Fred said. Baits stocked include frozen quarts and pints of salted clams, bulk bags of clam bellies, mullet, herring, mackerel and all the usual.

<b>Cape May</b>

Delaware Bay’s drum fishing turned on and became good, said Capt. George from the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>. He hopes it lasts, and the fish were now boated on both the New Jersey and Delaware side of the bay. Previously they were hooked on the Delaware side. A charter is supposed to drum fish Saturday aboard. Another charter is supposed to fish Sunday and Monday on deck, and the anglers will probably be offered to fish for either drum on the bay or sea bass on the ocean. George heard nothing about summer flounder. Call if interested in any of this fishing.

Drum fishing was good on Delaware Bay, and large ones were heaved in, said Capt. Mario from the <b>Down Deep</b>. The past two trips fished for them on the New Jersey side of the bay, after the vessel previously fished for them on the Delaware side. An open-boat sea bass trip on the ocean might become weathered out Saturday. Weather wouldn’t cut trips a break, he said, and forecasts kept changing for Saturday. Another open trip for sea bass is set for Wednesday, and telephone to climb aboard open trips. Charters are available, and don’t miss out: Sign up for the <a href=" http://www.downdeepsportfishing.com/ddsf/76-2/" target="_blank">Short Notice List</a> on Down Deep’s Web site to be kept informed about special open-boat trips.

Sea bass fishing was kicked off Sunday on the party boat <b>Porgy IV</b> on the ocean, Capt. Paul said. That was opening day of sea bass season, and the angling wasn’t so good, was disappointing, though some were decked. After sea bass season closures recently, he expected better. Paul wasn’t asked about seas or weather, but certainly conditions were sometimes rough. Seas were known to have built up on Sunday in weather, for example. Sea bass were reeled aboard on opening day and Monday. Craig Constantino, Voorhees, was high hook on opening day with 16 keeper sea bass. Nobody limited out on 20 so far this week, and some anglers bagged numbers in the teens on Monday. Tuesday’s trip was sailed farther from shore, “and that wasn’t the answer,” Paul said. Sea bass fishing was very slow on the trip. Wednesday’s trip fished back closer to land, and catches were better than on Tuesday. Some anglers bagged 10 or 12, and others bagged fewer. Trips will stick with sea bassing, a chance to bag fish. Paul heard nothing good about summer flounder fishing yet, but trips will eventually switch to flounder. Some trips currently might mix in a little drifting for flounder, like at rocks. The Porgy IV is sailing for sea bass at 8 a.m. daily.

Sounded like striped bass fishing turned back on in the surf, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. Most catches came from the ocean beach, but a few were managed from Delaware Bay’s shore. Mostly clams were fished, but fresh bunker was sometimes used, if anglers could find the bunker. Weakfishing was outstanding in the surf, like along Cape May Point’s jetties, Higbee’s Beach and Cape May Canal’s jetties. Bucktails with Gulps or bloodworms on float rigs were fished for them, and croakers were mixed in. Summer flounder could be tied into from the surf, especially at Sunset Beach and around jetties. Bucktails with strips of squid or Gulps could be worked for them, or minnows could be used. Blowfish, kingfish and blues rolled around the surf. Fishing was red hot, Nick said, and lots of different fish were in. Anglers who could boat shallows tight to shore netted striped bass on Delaware Bay. But most boating turned to drum that bit in the bay on the New Jersey side, including at the Pin Top and Tussy’s Slough, but also closer to shore, and also on the Delaware side. Nothing was heard about anyone boating for flounder on Delaware Bay. But good boating for flounder, mostly 16 to 20 inches, was honked from back bays. Fresh clams are stocked, and the supply of fresh bunker looked spotty for the weekend, but Nick was trying to obtain it. All flounder baits are in supply, like whole and filleted mackerel and frozen spearing, mullet and the different squids.  

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