<b>Keyport</b>

A trip for striped bass will be attempted today on Raritan Bay on the <b>Vitamin Sea</b>, after the fishing aboard was weathered out Tuesday and Wednesday, Capt. Frank wrote in an email. Winds blew, and rains poured. The boat last fished on Monday, and big stripers were taken, Frank wrote in another email that included a photo of the fish. If today’s trip sails, Frank expects to give results that will be posted here as an update. Charters are fishing, and the next open-boat trips with space available will sail 3 to 9 p.m. Friday and 6 a.m. to 12 noon Tuesday. Telephone to jump aboard. Like the Vitamin Sea’s Facebook page for real-time reports and open-boat dates. “Get your dose of Vitamin Sea!”

With <b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b>, a family aboard Monday clammed five keeper stripers and lots of throwbacks on Raritan Bay, Capt. Joe said. All had a good time, he said, and the fishing’s been productive. A trip today was scrubbed because of weather, and charters are booked for Friday through Sunday. Space remains for open-boat trips for stripers Monday and Tuesday. Open trips are available daily when no charter is booked, and telephone to reserve.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Before weather kept anglers from fishing in past days, they pounded striped bass, good catches, on Raritan Bay, said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. “A lot of nice fish,” he said. Surf anglers along the ocean had started to bank small stripers and occasional keepers. Stripers swam the rivers, and blackfish hit under the bridge, but blackfish season was closed today. Jimmy wasn’t asked which bridge. Waters will take some tides to clean up, after the rain and wind. Boaters won’t be likely to sail today either, in forecasts for southerly winds gusting to 30 knots.  On the ocean, blackfishing had started to improve. Nothing was heard about winter flounder, but the flatfish will probably be hooked in the ocean close to shore, migrating offshore. Now is the time when flounder fishing usually becomes pickier, catching on one day, not on the next. But the fish are probably still around. Bluefish should arrive soon, and Jimmy usually began fishing for blues around May 7 or 8. Bluefish arrived farther south in Barnegat Bay a few days, then disappeared. The weather kept bait boats from sailing, but fresh clams are stocked that were kept in the refrigerator. Worms and all the baits are carried.

Fishing was docked starting on Tuesday because of weather on the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>, Capt. Tom said. If today’s striped bass trips sail, he expects to give an update on results that will be posted here. Forecasts looked like weather could be okay for Friday’s through the weekend’s trips to fish. Anglers will see if the weather, including relentless rain, will affect striper angling on Raritan Bay, where the boat’s been fishing. But sometimes rough weather is good for striper fishing. “Sometimes need to shake them up,” he said. The Atlantic Star is fishing for striped bass on two trips daily from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 6 p.m. <b>***Update, Friday, 5/2:***</b> Fishing resumed today aboard, and the anglers were picking some stripers on Raritan Bay, a mix of throwbacks and keepers, when Tom gave this update in a phone call at 9:45 a.m. on the boat. Another place was fished at first on the trip, failing to produce. So the boat was moved, “(and) we’ve got the life,” Tom said. <b>***Another Update, Friday, 5/2:***</b> The morning trip’s fishing ended up good, Tom said in a phone call just afterward. A mix of throwbacks and keepers were swung in, and quite a few more were throwbacks than keepers, but the trip was one of the better ones for keepers, and some were sizeable. Anglers caught all around the boat, or the location didn’t matter, pleasant for this type of fishing, he said. He hopes the fishing holds up.

<b>Highlands</b>

<b>Fisher Price Charters</b> was supposed to resume fishing for striped bass this afternoon on Raritan Bay, after the blow, Capt. Derek said. But he cancelled the trip to let runoff and effects from the storm settle. The angling was great on the most recent trips, last fishing on Monday. Stripers to 35 pounds were bunker-chunked aboard the outings, and Monday’s trip chunked 24 of the fish to 31 pounds. Charters are fishing, and the next open-boat trips with space available will sail next Thursday and on that Saturday and Monday, May 10 and 12. Telephone to jump aboard or to be kept informed about future open trips.

From <b>Twin Lights Marina</b>, Roy Wurst and Jim Ward limited out on striped bass on Raritan Bay on trolled Stretch plugs and on clams on Friday, Marion wrote in an email. Maddy and Paul Hess trolled six keepers 15 to 17 pounds on the bay in two trips last week on Tuesday and Wednesday.  Bushels of clams are available, and frozen pints and quarts of clams are carried. So are the other frozen baits, and live bunker become available at the shop when in demand. Twin Lights, located conveniently on Shrewsbury River near the bay and ocean, with no bridges before them, includes a marina with boats slips and dry storage, a fuel dock, and a combined, complete bait and tackle shop and ship’s store. 

<b>Belmar</b>

Slow week in the weather, Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> wrote in an email. But early in the week, when weather was better, winter flounder bit in Shark River. Anglers will see whether the rain hampered that, and the store’s rental boats are available to fish the river. Small striped bass were sometimes clammed from the surf, and this week’s storm will benefit that fishing, Bob thinks. He cranked a small striper from Manasquan River and saw a 6-pound weakfish lifted from the river on the trip.

On the party boat <b>Big Mohawk</b>, blackfishing was good, last sailing on Monday, Capt. Chris said. Then weather became too rough to fish, and should calm to resume fishing aboard this weekend. Blackfish season was closed today, so trips will now fish either for striped bass, if stripers swim the coast, or ling and cod. Clams will be supplied, and anglers should bring jigs for the stripers or cod if they want. Trips sail 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

A stretch of normal spring weather is forecast, a report on the party boat <b>Golden Eagle</b>’s website said. “When we last left the stripers,” it said, “we had them on top of the water,” and readings were good, and plenty of bait schooled. A few stripers, not a lot, were reported decked on the last trips that sailed aboard, before the weather, on the site. The easterly blow in past days warmed the ocean, and the new moon passed, so the crew expects stripers to be hungry, “(and) we will find out (Friday),” it said. The Golden Eagle is fishing for striped bass at 7:30 a.m. daily.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

Fishing for striped bass will be kicked off Saturday on the party boat <b>Gambler</b>, Capt. Bob said. Trips will sail for them 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily starting then, and will be ready to jig or snag bunker to liveline or fish for the bass however’s necessary.

After some nasty days, “we are ready to get back out there tomorrow,” Capt. Matt from the party boat <b>Norma-K III</b> wrote today in a report on the vessel’s website. Daily striped bass trips will begin that day, after the trips sailed for blackfish previously, before blackfish season was closed today. Clams and jigs will be aboard, and the Norma-K III is fishing for striped bass 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. Space remains for a cod trip on Wednesday, and telephone to reserve that outing.

<b>Toms River</b>

At Oyster Creek, throwback striped bass, a few white perch and still a few winter flounder were nabbed, said Jeff from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. Flounder seemed mostly to migrate away, and Jeff plucked a few crabs from the Toms River. If crabs stirred around, flounder were likely on the move. But some of the flatfish were angled from Barnegat Bay toward Mantoloking Bridge. Throwback stripers bit in the Toms in early mornings and at night, and Jeff socked quite a few and two perch on bloodworms when he copped the crabs. Throwback stripers were plugged on the bay at the Route 37 Bridge. Some used Rapala X-Raps on them, and one angler threw white rubber shads to the bass. No bluefish were seen, but Jeff heard about a few this season. One keeper striped bass from the surf, the season’s first weighed at a tackle shop on the barrier island some time ago, was the only catch Jeff heard about from the beach. The fish was just keeper-sized, a little longer than 28 inches.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

A few throwback striped bass clammed from the surf were mentioned before the week’s weather, said John from <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>. Not many fished the surf in the storm, and small stripers from Barnegat Bay made up most catches this season so far. Metal like a small Hopkins caught them, and anglers tried to imitate spearing. Tom from the shop said the bass came from places including along Route 37 Bridge. One angler told him about worming shorts okay on the Toms River at Island Heights at night. Weakfish were sometimes around in Barnegat Bay, jumping on lures like pink Fin-S Fish, John said. Anglers kept quiet about them, and the fish were around at different places, but one place was toward Oyster Creek, like inshore of the BI and BB markers. All baits will be stocked for the weekend, including fresh clams, bloodworms and eels that will arrive Friday. Catch 15 percent off St. Croix rods and custom rods through Sunday, the shop’s website said. For the custom rods, select the blank and components you want. If anglers want a custom rod, this is the time. The shop is carrying the full selection of Tony Maja trolling products, including the island’s largest selection of Maja bunker spoons, the site said, in every size and color. A full line of Tsunami rods and tackle is now stocked. The Dock Outfitters, located on Barnegat Bay, blocks from the ocean surf, features a bait and tackle shop, boat and jet ski rentals in season, a café and a dock for fishing and crabbing.

<b>Forked River</b>

Weakfish, apparently quite a few, started to be snatched from Oyster Creek during the weekend, said Kyle from <b>Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle</b>. Customers bought lures like Fin-S Fish for them. Bigger striped bass than before seemed to be landed from the creek, but were still throwbacks. Winter flounder reports were no longer heard from anywhere. No bluefish were reported yet this season. Sandworms, bloodworms, killies and salted clams are stocked.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Small striped bass started to be winged from the surf on clams or jigs like Ava’s, said Josh from <b>Viking Outfitters</b>.  On Barnegat Bay, small weakfish were punched near the Dike on worms or lures like Fin-S Fish. Blackfish season was closed today, but blackfishing wasn’t the greatest along Barnegat Inlet’s rocks before then, in two weeks of bad weather. Any bluefish arrive? Josh was asked. “Not for the last two years,” he said! But it’s time to fish, Josh thinks. The nor’easter crashed into the coast in past days, probably warming the ocean a little, and that can be good for angling. Worms are stocked, and fresh clams will probably arrive Friday.  Anglers can telephone the shop, located in historic Viking Village, 24 hours a day, and if that’s afterhours, one of the crew can be at the store soon. Bait can be delivered to a boat, a home or the beach anywhere on the island. Besides all the bait and tackle, the shop features fishing clothing, beach clothing, embroidery, beach gifts and more. Long Beach Island’s Simply Bassin’ Tournament will begin Saturday.

<b>Barnegat</b>

<b>***Update, Friday, 5/2:***</b> From an edited email from Capt. Dave DeGennaro from the <b>Hi Flier</b>: “The Hi Flier is in the water and ready to start fishing. Is there anything to catch? I don't know, but according to the calendar, it's definitely time to try. Any info I have to offer would just be recycled reports that I read in the same place most of you read. I like it better when I can tell you what we caught, but we have to start somewhere, I guess. The ocean water temp jumped a few degrees this past week, finally squeaking past the 50-degree mark. That combined with a mint forecast for Saturday to Monday motivates me to run some open-boat combo trips. I ordered a flat of sandworms and two bushels of clams. The forecast is for mild temps and west winds to lay out the seas. The plan is to start the early morning outside on Saturday, trolling bunker spoons off Island Beach. I haven’t heard of any fish there yet, but with the jump in water temp, this could be the weekend it starts. After that, we head back in to the bay to try casting soft plastics and drifting sandworms for weakfish. I’ve heard of more than a few nice weakies taken already. We could also try casting top-waters for blues that are supposed to be there on the flats in the back bay. This is far from a ‘tip on a horse,’ and more like ‘looking for a few good men and women’ to pioneer some reports. The success of the ocean effort on Saturday will dictate the strategy for Sunday and Monday. If the troll delivers, we’ll be right back again each morning. If there was no life, we’ll jump right into the weakfish effort in the early morning, and then switch to top-water blues after that. Where do the clams fit into all of this? Personally, I only fish the high-water slack and the first few hours of outgoing tide. I’m not saying that is the only time to catch them -- lots of guys like the incoming -- but for me, it has to be rolling out. This Saturday, Sunday and Monday, the time to be anchored up in the area I like to fish in Oyster Creek is 2, 2:30 and 3 p.m., respectively. Those trips will end around 5 or 6 p.m., so I’ll be running some separate afternoon trips in the bay for clamming stripers, and casting weakies and blues. How is the clamming stripers going? No idea. But my gut tells me this is going to deliver. Just feels right. We’ll be loaded with trolling gear, bait, casting lures and too many rods. We're gonna catch something … I think. Five- and 6-hour, open-boat trips, three people max. Call me to reserve.”

<b>Surf City</b>

Surf casters sporadically picked up small striped bass on clams, said Joe from <b>Surf City Bait & Tackle</b>. He and Brendan from the shop released a 16-incher and a 26-incher, respectively, on a trip. Small stripers, winter flounder and weakfish came from Oyster Creek. Fresh clams, bloodworms and frozen bunker are stocked. No fresh bunker is carried, and the bass in the surf didn’t really grab bunker. They hit clams.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

Shore anglers banked striped bass, throwbacks and keepers, at Graveling Point and Pebble Beach, said Brian from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. The fish swiped either bloodworms or clams, after they favored bloods previously. The worms are easier for the fish to digest during slow metabolism in colder waters early in the season. Drum, considerably more than before, were heaved from shore in the same areas at sunset. Brian wasn’t asked about bait for them, but clams are a usual choice. The annual $100 gift certificate remained up for grabs for the shore angler who weighs-in the year’s first bluefish from Graveling or Pebble. White perch were plucked from Mill Creek and Mullica River at Hay Road. Throwback stripers, no keepers, were played on the Mullica. Fresh clams, both shucked and in the shell, bloodworms and grass shrimp are stocked. No live minnows are, and the baitfish aren’t potting.

<b>Absecon</b>

Striped bass catches definitely had kept improving a little, said Capt. Dave from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. But nobody could know how the week’s weather will affect the fishing. Rain poured a lot, and before then, shore anglers reeled stripers from bays. Dave in previous reports talked about the catches from Absecon Bay off Route 30, Lakes Bay off Route 40 and Great Bay at Graveling Point. A few keepers were mixed with throwbacks that were more abundant than the legal fish. The same was true along the ocean surf. Stripers also bit in rivers like the Mullica, and throwbacks still gave up plenty of action on the rivers before the weather, though they were less abundant than before. Nobody could know how the rain will affect that fishing, either. Dave will run a striper charter Friday, and will begin the trips full-bore, he said, starting then, if anybody’s interested in stripers. For Friday’s trip, he’ll be prepared to fish in every way, including with lures and eels, though eels usually aren’t so productive in spring. He used to liveline herring for stripers this time of year, and knows that he’d catch that way. But herring became illegal to possess. During some years, he’s had spots leftover from the fall to liveline in spring for stripers. But none was left this year, and the supplier from Maryland, where spots are caught earlier in the year than in New Jersey, said spots were running a couple of weeks behind this year. The shop used to obtain spots that were farmed down south, but the farm stopped raising them. Dave was starting the striper charters later than usual, after the cold winter. Drum fishing gave up a good pick at Graveling Point on clams at night. Not much was heard about weakfish from bays recently, including during the weekend, but some weaks were surely around. White perch fishing had “hung in” along brackish rivers like the Mullica before the weather, and anglers couldn’t know how the weather will affect them, too. But a big perch tournament will be held this weekend, and the shop will stock live grass shrimp for them. All baits are stocked.  Blackfish had finally started to bite, mostly for boaters at ocean wrecks, but also along surf jetties, but blackfish season was closed today. Another couple weeks of the season would’ve been nice, and almost none was caught during this month when the season was opened. A few blackfish had been hung along Brigantine Bridge, but not many. The store’s annual, free Grand Slam Customer Appreciation Tournament is set for Friday through Sunday, May 23 through 25, opening weekend of summer flounder season. Prizes will be awarded for the largest summer flounder, weakfish, bluefish, striped bass and black drum. The shop’s tournament for the heaviest stringer of five white perch is under way.

<b>Brigantine</b>

The year’s first striped bass from Brigantine’s surf, a 31-incher, was weighed during the weekend at <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>, Capt. Andy said. That was covered in the last report, and also during the weekend, a 28-1/2-incher came in, and a 34-1/2-incher was bagged, though the angler didn’t check-in that one. Throwbacks also gave up action at times in the surf, and a few drum were hauled to the beach. Then weather blew in past days, and what was happening in the surf now couldn’t be known. Forecasts look like Friday will be a better-weather day for anglers to get back to the fishing. Fresh clams and bunker and bloodworms will be stocked. The Riptide Striper Bounty was up to $1,750 and will be awarded to the angler who weighs-in the season’s first striper 43 inches or larger from Brigantine’s surf. The bounty was never won last fall, so the money is available now. Entry is $5, and anglers must register at least 24 hours before entering a fish. The bounty last year was rolled over like that, reaching $2,005. That was won on May 27, with a 46-incher that weighed 32 pounds. The angler with the first striper from the surf won the $50 gift certificate to the store for that. Another one of the certificates will be awarded to the angler with the first striper boated off Brigantine brought to the shop. The Fish for Life Tournament, sponsored by Team LePera, is under way until May 26. Entry allows beach buggy access along Brigantine’s entire front beach with a Brigantine beach-buggy permit, instead of limited access with a permit without entering. Sign up for the tournament at the shop.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

Schoolie striped bass were fought like crazy at Absecon Inlet before the storm, said Noel from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. That included at the T-jetty and the jetties at Melrose Avenue and Massachusetts Avenue. The fish were plentiful, though not a lot of anglers fished for them yet. Anglers sometimes fished a rig with two Fin-S Fish or two zooms, reeling in two of the bass at a time. Other bass were seen that followed the hooked fish. Bigger stripers were sometimes smacked at night now at the inlet, including last night. Customers fish the nearby inlet, lined with jetties, on foot, and fished for the stripers with clams, bloodworms and lures. Blackfish season was closed today, but the tautog chewed along the inlet. Anglers had to work for them.  All baits are stocked, except fresh bunker. Baits carried include fresh clams, bloodworms, minnows and a large variety of frozen baits.

<b>Margate</b>

The party boat <b>Keeper</b> will probably start fishing in two weekends for the season, Capt. John said. The vessel fishes each year for summer flounder on the back bay the entire flounder season. That season will be opened on May 23, but trips will begin before then, probably sailing for striped bass and bluefish, and pre-fishing for flounder, catching and releasing them, on the bay. Flounder certainly swam the waters already. The crew’s prepping the boat for the season, and the vessel will undergo the Coast Guard inspection, before two trips will begin to fish daily. The price of the outings is especially economical, because the fishing’s near port, and the pontoon boat is economical on fuel. 

<b>Longport</b>

Anglers on the <b>Stray Cat</b> blackfished on Monday, cracking a good catch, Capt. Mike said. Thirty-five keepers were iced, and lots of throwbacks were released, at Ocean City Reef, in 60-foot depths. The keepers included blackfish 6 and 8 pounds, and the waters were 48.7 degrees or almost 49. Charters and open-boat trips, sailing daily when no charter is booked, will now steam for cod, pollock and ling at wrecks 30 miles from shore, because blackfish season was closed today. The open trips fish with even one angler, and the next open trip will fish Sunday, if weather allows. Charters are booked Friday and Saturday. Blackfish recently started biting at the reefs, and some seemed to start chewing in 40 feet. Not many came from jetties in the surf, before the tautog season was closed. Trips will nail sea bass starting May 19, opening day of sea bass season. An extended, open trip for sea bass, leaving early at 6 a.m., will sail that day, and anglers better reserve, before space is full. The trip will fish farther from shore than usual, and Mike expects to return with good-sized lumpheads. Lots of bait began to school up the coast, and started to be marked, once the boat broke the bell buoy, about 3 miles from shore. Bunker were read, and some other bait or herring or anchovies were marked, too. May, the month that started today, is the start of shark fishing. If anglers want sharks or charters for other fish, they better book, because weekends are filling.

<b>Ocean City</b>

No matter the weather, a ton of small striped bass schooled the surf, said Justin from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. The fish from 10 inchers to a few 22- or 24-inchers were heard about. “Not great on keepers,” he said, but keepers were heard about from Corson’s Inlet and along the 9th Street Bridge more than anywhere. In the surf, the bass were mostly plugged or caught on Fin-S Fish in early mornings or at dusk. Along the bridge, they were mostly fought on plugs like MirrOlures or Fin-S Fish at night. Blackfish were angled along the Longport Pier and the 9th Street Bridge, but blackfish season was closed today. Not much was mentioned about boating for blackfish on the ocean, before the season was ended, but weather wasn’t great for boating anytime recently. Little was talked about weakfish, though Justin mentioned weakfish in the back bay toward Sea Isle City in last week’s report. In the past week, only one catch of weakfish, at Corson’s on Friday night, was reported to him. Plenty of bloodworms are stocked, and fresh clams are on hand, and the store hopes to stock more clams and also fresh bunker for the weekend.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Conditions were less than perfect, but a trip aboard the back bay picked up a couple of weakfish on Monday, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. One of the weaks weighed a little more than 5 pounds, and soft-plastic lures on lead jigheads were fished slowly along bottom. Weather was too rough for fishing afterward. Weather that day was cold on the waters, and as soon as weather climbs into the 70 degrees, the bay’s fishing’s going to explode, Joe said. Trips aboard land the weaks, summer flounder, bluefish and striped bass on the bay this season. The flounder are released until flounder season is opened on May 23, but the release fishing is also fun. Flounder trips should be booked now for when the season is opened, and fishing for them peaks early in South Jersey’s relatively warm, shallow back bays. No bluefish migrated yet to the bay, and they were late, but waters were chilly. Every time weather warmed, several days of cold or rainy weather set in. Last year’s first bluefish was boated on April 21 from the bay. Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s blog</a>.

When more anglers fished during the weekend, before the storm, the number of striped bass really jumped up that were clubbed from the surf, said Mike from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>.  Few were keepers, but some customers talked about tackling 10 throwbacks in a trip. Mostly clams caught, and most keepers came from Corson’s Inlet. Some were nipped on lures, soft-plastics like Bass Assassins or chartreuse bucktails. If that many smaller stripers were around, the arrival of bigger seemed only “a matter of time,” he said. Any bluefish yet? Mike was asked. A rumor said a few blues were run into at Avalon’s 8th Street jetty for 10 minutes one morning, but that was unconfirmed. Weakfish were whacked from the back bay this weekend, like they were before. Was good to see them stick around. Blackfishing turned excellent along Townsend’s Inlet Bridge and Avalon’s 8th Street jetty during the final few days of the tautog season that was closed today. A couple of good trips for blackfish on boats were heard about from Townsend’s Inlet Reef before the season was finished. Crabs were trapped in the bay on sunny days. Commercial trappers trapped like 10 bushels in the sun and one bushel in rougher weather. Fresh clams, bloodworms and all the frozen baits are stocked. Minnows are expected to be carried in two weekends, and currently were difficult to find from suppliers, because the minnows became difficult to pot.

<b>Cape May</b>

No trips fished in the weather in past days on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>, Capt. George said. Drum charters will fish Delaware Bay aboard this month, and a friend is supposed to fish for them Friday. Shark fishing could begin by the middle of the month. Blue sharks will swarm all over by then, and book a charter. Trips could fish for striped bass if enough stripers show up, and anglers on the boat had been catching blackfish a few miles from shore. But blackfish season was closed today.

Anchoring was difficult on Monday’s blackfishing trip on the party boat <b>Porgy IV</b>, Capt. Paul said. “(The boat) was flopping all around,” he said, so the fishing wasn’t that good. But the angling was good on Saturday’s and Sunday’s trips, and several anglers limited out. Bob Keys from Pennsylvania won the pool Saturday with an 11-1/2-pound blackfish and limited out. Sean Pottichen from Philly won the pool Sunday with a 12-1/2-pounder and limited out. Another angler also eased aboard a 12-pounder during the weekend, and totaled three blackfish bagged. Trips were weathered out after Monday, and blackfish season was closed today. The boat won’t fish through this weekend, and will resume fishing either when sea bass season is opened on May 19 or when a few more striped bass or drum show up than currently. A few stripers caught were heard about, and drum were heard about that were landed from the surf farther north, like at Graveling Point, near Tuckerton. If drum showed up there, they were starting to arrive in the state. Nothing was heard about drum boated on Delaware Bay yet this season, and that’s where the Porgy would fish for them. But most Cape May boats fished for blackfish until now. If enough stripers or drum show up, fishing could resume immediately on the boat. When the Porgy IV fishes, it departs at 8 a.m. daily.

Fishing was about the same as before, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. Throwback striped bass were beached from the surf along the ocean and Delaware Bay. The bass were clammed at Poverty Beach and were bloodwormed and sometimes plugged at the cove, Cape May Point and Higbee’s Beach. Nick and friend on a trip hooked no stripers from the bay’s surf, but saw a seine netter pull in the net, full of short stripers, some white perch and lots of bait, including 2-1/2-inch sand shrimp. Though none of the bass bit for him at the time, the sight of all those in the net and the other fish was encouraging. If waters were warm enough for all those throwbacks, they were warm enough for keepers. Stripers beaned from the surf could pick up this weekend, Nick thinks. The ocean warmed a little, and sometimes snotty weather like the storm is good for striper fishing. Before the weather, a handful of stripers, not many, were known to be boated at Tussy’s Slough on the bay. No drum boated from the bay were reported yet. But drum were tugged from the bay’s shore at Town Bank and Reed’s Beach. Good reports were heard about blackfishing along North Wildwood’s sea wall before blackfish season was closed today.  Anglers were hush about catching weakfish, including about locations, but Nick knew they found the fish. They kept buying jigs and tackle for them. Fresh, shucked clams and bloodworms are stocked. The weather kept bait boats from sailing.

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