<b>Staten Island</b>

With <b>Outcast Charters</b>, striped bass fishing was good again, limiting out early, releasing additional stripers afterward, Monday evening on Raritan Bay, Capt. Joe said. The fishing’s been like that aboard, and a 23-pound striper was the trip’s largest. The rest weighed 15 that were bagged on the outing, and plenty of big bluefish were mixed in. Outcast fishes from both Staten Island, N.Y., and Sewaren, N.J., including for sea bass and ling from Sewaren, since Jersey’s sea bass season was opened Monday.

<b>Keyport</b>

Lots of striped bass kept biting in Raritan Bay on chunks of bunker for anglers on the <b>Down Deep</b>, good fishing, Capt. Mario said. Many big bluefish were mixed in, and the year’s first marathon, open-boat trip for sea bass shoveled up a good catch of the fish to 5 pounds, and loads of ling, on Monday. That was opening day of sea bass season, and fluke trips will begin this weekend, and fluke season will be opened Friday. Charters are fishing, and sign up for the <a href=" http://www.downdeepsportfishing.com/ddsf/76-2/" target="_blank">Short Notice List</a> on the Down Deep’s website for open-trip dates, including more marathon sea bass ones, and open fluke trips. An open fluke trip will fish on Memorial Day.

Quality striped bass, Capt. Frank from the <b>Vitamin Sea</b> wrote in an email, were boated on every trip aboard, and the fishing, on Raritan Bay on bunker chunks, remained good. The bass averaged 18 pounds, and some were bigger. Anglers with better skill easily limited out and released additional keepers. On some days, bluefish were out of control, and on others, were less aggressive. The blues were mostly large, and the excellent striper fishing will continue into June, and the biggest are always landed that month. Charters are fishing, and two spaces are available for an open-boat trip on May 29. Open trips will also sail on May 30 and June 2.  Fluke season will be opened Friday, and the fluke book is open. Fluke trips should be booked to reserve the date you want. Like the <a href=" https://www.facebook.com/vitaminseafishing" target="_blank">Vitamin Sea’s Facebook page</a> for real-time reports and open-trip dates.  “Get your dose of Vitamin Sea!”

Larry Clouse’s group tackled a mess of bluefish to 10 pounds on Monday with <b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b>, Capt. Joe said. Larry Gaete’s crew swung in a good mix of striped bass to 18 pounds and blues on Tuesday, and both trips fished in the Sandy Hook area. Charters are sailing, and spaces are available on open-boat trips this coming Monday to Friday. Telephone to climb aboard.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Striped bass were boated on Raritan Bay, even if “blues are eating (anglers) alive,” said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Striper fishing might’ve been somewhat better in the rivers, because of fewer bluefish. Surf casters banked stripers and blues from the ocean, and the bay’s surf fishing seemed to dry up, at least during daytime.  The angling might’ve caught at night, Jimmy thought. The fishing usually switches to night this time of year. Out-of-season fluke were caught and released on the bay, and fluke season will be opened Friday. All the fluke baits and tackle are stocked. The full supply of other baits is on hand, including fresh clams and bunker, and sandworms and bloodworms. On the ocean, ling and sea bass were cranked in.

After good striped bass fishing Sunday, the angling was slow the rest of the week on the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>, Capt. Tom said Wednesday evening. An occasional striper and some blues were cracked, and trips will switch to fluke fishing on Friday, opening day of fluke season. Starting Friday, the Atlantic Star will fish for fluke on two trips daily from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 6 p.m., and spearing will be provided for bait. <b>***Update, Saturday, 5/24:***</b> Fluke fishing started like “planned,” Tom said. Action with throwbacks was fairly good, and keepers, a few, were bagged here and there. An 8-1/2-pounder and a 5-pounder were mugged on Friday morning’s trip. The fishing on that trip was better than on the afternoon’s. But today, more keepers were waxed on the afternoon’s  trip, just the opposite, and the angling wasn’t as good as on Friday morning. Every trip is different, Tom said. The boat mostly fluked on the bay, sometimes “around the corner” of Sandy Hook Point.

<b>Highlands</b>

Sailing from <b>Twin Lights Marina</b>, Ed and Tony on the Hammerhead trolled bluefish to 8 pounds at Sandy Hook Channel on Stretch plugs on Wednesday, Marion wrote in an email. Greg Hannah on the Annie H bunker-chunked striped bass to 20 pounds and blues to 10 in the middle of Raritan Bay on Tuesday.  On Friday, Ian Schnell and Patrick Toner bunker-chunked stripers to 20 pounds and blues to 10 at Reach Channel, out-fishing their dads, Marion said. On Saturday, John Jim McHugh and sons clammed four stripers to 36 inches at Flynn’s Knoll and trolled bluefish. Also on Saturday, Becky and Paul on the Second Home bunker-chunked three stripers to 36 inches near Great Kills. Bait stocked includes bushels of clams and live bunker in season. Twin Lights, located conveniently on Shrewsbury River near the bay and ocean, with no bridges before them, includes a marina with boat slips and dry storage, a fuel dock, and a combined, complete bait and tackle shop and ship’s store. The fuel dock is available 24 hours a day with a credit card. 

<b>Neptune</b>

Finally, striped bass turned up in the ocean, Capt. Ralph from <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b> wrote in an email. Dave Werner’s trip with three anglers smacked aboard four stripers to 35 ½ pounds today on bunker. “It has started,” Ralph said. Book a trip now, and afternoons or early mornings are best. An individual-reservation trip will sail for stripers Sunday. Individual-rez trips for fluke and sea bass will fish every Tuesday starting June 10, and kids under 12 will sail free, limited to two per adult host.

<b>Belmar</b>

Some sizeable sea bass, a good number of ling, a few good-sized cod and some winter flounder were pitched aboard the party boat <b>Big Mohawk</b>, Capt. Chris said. The fishing was pretty good, and sea bass season was opened on Monday. Fluke season will be opened on Friday, and trips then will try the angling, seeing how it goes. The Big Mohawk is fishing 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. Nighttime striped bass trips will start next week.

Anglers smoked bluefish 5 to 12 pounds, averaging 7 or 8 pounds, good catches, and occasional striped bass, not many, on the party boat <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b>, Capt. Alan said. Stripers 25 to 30 pounds were pool-winners the last couple of days, and a 62-pound drum was hauled aboard Sunday. The boat’s been fishing north, and is sailing for stripers and blues 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. The season’s first nighttime bluefishing aboard will sail 7:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. Friday through Sunday.  Those trips will fish every night, during the same hours, starting the following Friday. The <b>Royal Miss Belmar</b>, the company’s other party boat, will begin fishing during the second or third week of June, probably. Two trips daily will fish for fluke and sea bass on the vessel, and both boats were totally refurbished for this season.

Bluefish 4 to 12 pounds were pasted today on the party boat <b>Golden Eagle</b>, very good fishing, a report on the vessel’s website said. The fish were jigged on 4-ounce Run Off hammered jigs and 5- and 7-ounce Krocodiles. All the blues customers wanted were tied into on Wednesday aboard, and many of the anglers were in catch-and-release mode by the end of the trip. Limits of blues were also drilled around the boat on Tuesday. A good body of bluefish seemed around, and the Golden Eagle is fishing at 7:30 a.m. daily.

All big striped bass, 25 to 35 pounds, were plowed Wednesday from the ocean with <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b>, Capt. Pete said. Bunker schooled, and stripers chased them along the surface, and were able to be livelined on bunker aboard in the morning. But trolling’s been better on the boat lately, because stripers have been spread out. Still, plenty were around, and trips were releasing some, after enough were caught. In the middle of the day on Wednesday, stripers could be trolled. Pete heard they were livelined again that evening. The ocean temperature was 57 to 58 degrees, higher than before, on the fishing grounds that day, good for the angling. Parker Pete’s has been catching no bluefish among the stripers, but blues schooled farther north. Trips are focusing on stripers, but a fluke trip is booked for Friday, opening day of fluke season. Sea bass season was opened on Monday, and Pete heard the fishing was decent, picking, not great. Waters were cold.  Don’t have enough anglers for a charter? Jump on <a href=" http://www.parkerpetefishing.com/" target="_blank">Parker Pete’s website</a> to subscribe to the emailed newsletter to be kept informed about last-minute, individual spaces available to fill in charters. Look for the place to sign up on the right side of the page.

For boaters on the ocean Wednesday, striped bass fishing was off the charts, Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> wrote in an email. The fish were on bunker from Belmar to Monmouth Beach, sometimes a half-mile to a mile from shore, and livelined bunker and trolled bunker spoons or Stretch plugs all caught. Several of the bass were weighed-in, and Charles Wardell from Wall’s 37-pounder was largest. The marina’s cleaning stations were filled with anglers cleaning 30- to 40-pounders. Stripers like that were yet to tumble into the surf, but they could any time. Big bluefish hit with reckless abandon, Bob said, and Belmar’s fleet will begin nighttime bluefish trips this weekend. Some impressive catches of sea bass were reported, since sea bass season was opened Monday. Bob was thankful that a customer gave him some of the fish. The shop’s rental boats will be ready to fish for fluke on Shark River, when fluke season is opened Friday. All fluke baits are stocked, including killies and a good supply of Gulps. Come on down and have fun with the tasty fish, Bob said. <b>***Update, Saturday, 5/24:***</b> Shark River’s fluke fishing got off to a good start, like expected at the store, Bob wrote in an email. Plenty were landed, but the keeper ratio was less than last year’s, because of the larger size limit, 18 inches this year, a half-inch larger than last. Some of the flatfish weighed 4 pounds, and some anglers nearly limited out. In the surf, large striped bass, a good number, were nailed in Monmouth County, for the first time this season. Anglers hope that repeats many times, before the stripers migrate away. Previously, only boaters ran into that many sizeable ones. Stripers weighed-in included: Mike Duffy’s 34-pounder, Vin Spahiu’s 30-pounder, Mel Marten’s 28-pounder and Scotty Pullen’s 21-pounder. Bob didn’t mention whether those were from boats or the beach, but Don Mororantz checked-in a 30-pounder from the Miss Belmar Princess, Bob said. “Things are looking up on all fronts,” he said. “Get out (and) have some fun.”

<b>Brielle</b>

The new boat, replacing the old <b>Jamaica II</b>, should arrive in Brielle early next week, and trips are expected to resume on June 5, the Jamaica II’s Facebook page said. The fishing will sail on the usual schedule: for fluke and sea bass twice daily at 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays, and for fluke fluke on an all-day trip at 7:30 a.m. every Monday. See photos of the boat on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jamaica-II/63043619202" target="_blank">Jamaica II’s website</a>.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

The Mini-Mushin, a 13-foot Whaler, was busy fishing Manasquan River every day, Capt. Alan, the owner from <b>Mushin Sportfishing</b>, wrote in an email. The trips beat lots of bluefish, mixed sizes to 14 and 15 pounds, on all kinds of artificials, and moving tides fished best. The Mushin itself, a 44-foot Henriques, has been fishing for striped bass on the ocean, and was docked the past few days. The fishing’s had some ups and downs, but a couple of solid reports rolled in about quite large stripers whaled the past couple of days, from Mushin’s mates fishing on private boats. Trips are still being booked for stripers, blues, sea bass and fluke. So are offshore trips for mako sharks, tuna, marlin and tilefish that will start in June.

Fishing picked away at sea bass, including some good-sized, and ling today once again on the party boat <b>Norma-K III</b>, Capt. Matt wrote in a report on the vessel’s website.  The fishing was like that, was decent, since Monday aboard, a little tougher on Tuesday. The trips will switch to fluke fishing on Friday, opening day of fluke season, and bluefish trips will fish every night starting that day. Starting Friday, the Norma-K III will sail for fluke twice daily from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 to 6:30 p.m., and for bluefish 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. daily.

Sea bass and ling were scooped aboard the party boat <b>Dauntless</b>, Capt. Butch said. Sea bass season was opened on Monday, and fishing for both species was okay, not great, but many of the sea bass hooked were keepers. More ling were landed than sea bass the past couple of days, but previously the population seemed equal. Anglers might’ve averaged 10 sea bass and 10 or 12 ling apiece. A couple of customers totaled 30 fish apiece. A few cod, not big, but decent-sized, 6 or 7 pounds, were bagged. A few bluefish were caught, and five or six sizeable striped bass were released, because the boat fished beyond 3 miles from shore, where striper fishing is closed. A few winter flounder came in, and the season was a little early for flounder to migrate this deep. Flounder will probably show up in late May to mid-June, because waters were cold. Flounder seemed yet to “move,” Butch said, and some remained in Manasquan River, he thought. Trips fished close to shore in 60 to 90 feet. That’s where most life swam, and Tuesday’s trip tried fishing deeper, but the tide ran too strongly. The ocean was 52 degrees on the fishing grounds and 50 to 54 tight to shore.  Not a lot of bait was seen at the fishing grounds, but bunker schooled close to shore. The Dauntless is bottom-fishing 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily.

<b>Toms River</b>

The Toms River’s fishing for small striped bass, before dark, slowed, but bluefish showed up more and more in the water, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. A few 3-pounders were fought from the docks, and stripers and blues hit from Route 37 Bridge to Good Luck Point in Barnegat Bay before dark. Dennis trolled 2- to 3-pound blues from the bridge to the point on pony tails the store is making. They worked well, and had flash and zing, he said. More blues, and bigger, to 10 pounds, swam the bay farther south, from Cedar Creek to below. The bay’s blowfishing, near Forked River power plant, became better and better. Weakfish schooled the bay off Oyster Creek, the power plant discharge, jumping on small soft-plastic lures and sandworms. Not a lot of bait schooled the bay and Toms River, unlike the tremendous population of bunker that schooled the waters in recent years. As more bluefish arrive, they might bunch up the bunker more. The bunker currently around were smaller. Not many customers fished the bay for stripers, like along the sod banks. Not many bought eels for them, so not much was heard about the bay’s striper fishing. But striper fishing was pretty good in the ocean. Two customers stopped in with two 39- and 40-pound stripers they trolled off Seaside Park, just beyond the bar, on yellow Tony Maja bunker spoons. They said surf casters could’ve hit the bass with a cast sinker. Most stripers on the ocean were trolled on bunker spoons or Stretch plugs, but the fishing was definitely starting. A fair number of bunker schooled the ocean, and big bluefish were also smashed on the ocean. Surf fishing’s been great, mostly for blues from 3 to 12 or 15 pounds. But a few stripers, mostly throwbacks, a few keepers, were beached, and the fishing was improving. A few drum were eased from the surf.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

Big striped bass were creamed from the surf today, said Bill from <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>. Anglers dodged a thunderstorm for the angling, because of the bite, and a couple of stripers larger than 30 pounds were weighed-in from the fishing. Big blues to 15 and 18 pounds were also plastered up and down the beaches in the fishing. Cut bunker, bunker snagged then livelined and pencil poppers hit the bass. Metal and cut bunker sacked the blues. Fresh bunker, fresh clams and bloodworms are stocked. Sometimes live bunker are carried, but are sold quickly. The Dock Outfitters, located on Barnegat Bay, blocks from the ocean surf, features a bait and tackle shop, boat and jet ski rentals, a café and a dock for fishing and crabbing.

<b>Forked River</b>

Ocean boaters started to run into striped bass, good catches, including large fish, on trolled bunker spoons and Stretch lures, said Kyle from <b>Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle</b>. One angler said the fish began to be livelined on bunker well on Wednesday, after livelining didn’t catch so many before. Bunker schooled everywhere, including in Barnegat Bay. One customer said bluefish even pushed bunker onto shore in the bay. Bluefish also swam everywhere from the ocean to the bay. On the ocean, blues were hooked during striper fishing, and in the bay, blues were trolled on pony tails. Not much was reported about weakfish from the bay, and angling for them seemed to slow. Previously, 25 or 30 trucks were parked at Oyster Creek, from anglers weakfishing. Currently, none were. Little was heard about blowfish from the bay, after more was previously. Fluke season will be opened Friday, and fluke, including 22- and 23-inchers, were already caught and released from the bay. A few crabs just started to be trapped. Lots were reportedly small, but crabbing began. Frozen, locally caught spearing and Canadian spearing are stocked, especially for fluke fishing. Killies, also for fluke, fresh clams and practically all baits are carried.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Bluefishing will kick off the season Saturday through Monday on the party boat <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b>, a report on the vessel’s website said. The boat sails for blues the whole fishing season, and trips will also bluefish on the following two Saturdays and Sundays, May 31 to June 1 and June 7 to 8. Daily bluefish trips will start on Saturday, June 14.

Large bluefish were zonked from the surf, and more and more striped bass began to be nailed from the waters, said Josh from <b>Viking Outfitters</b>.  Stripers were also boated on the ocean, and a 32-pound striper was the largest heard about from the surf, and a 48-pounder was the biggest heard about from a boat. In the surf, bunker caught the bigger bass, and clams caught the smaller. Stripers and drum were angled from Barnegat Bay. The bass were top-water- or popper-plugged along the flats, sedges and sod banks, at all different times of day. Little was reported about weakfish from the bay, after more was previously. Fluke fishing will probably be good on the bay, when fluke season is opened Friday, Josh thinks. Fluke 23 and 24 inches were commonly caught and released already. Fresh clams and bunker are stocked, and Josh hopes minnows 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.

Lots of striped bass were docked from the ocean recently, including during the weekend, said Vince Sr. from <b>Bobbie’s Boat Rentals</b>.  Most were trolled on bunker spoons or Stretch plugs. Bluefish were also boated on the ocean, and surf casters also banked stripers and blues. The beach casters liked fresh bunker fillets for bait that the shop began to sell. Blowfish were nabbed from the surf to Barnegat Bay. Stripers and blues were also pulled from the bay. Rumors talked about weakfish from the bay, but Vince saw none. Nothing was heard about fluke from the bay, but fluke season will be opened Friday. Back on the ocean, sea bass, lots, were snatched up and then weighed at the shop, since sea bass season was opened Monday. The fishing was good. Fresh clams and fresh bunker, including the bunker fillets, are stocked. Minnows are hoped to be carried for the weekend.  Bobbie’s features a complete bait and tackle shop, a fuel dock and boat and kayak rentals. The boats are used for fishing, crabbing, clamming and pleasure. The store is known for bait supply, including live baits from spots to grass shrimp in season.

<b>Barnegat</b>

<b>***Update, Friday, 5/23:***</b> From an edited email from Capt. Dave DeGennaro from the <b>Hi Flier</b>: “Had Pete Menges and Tom Altman out Wednesday afternoon. We ran just north of the Bathing Beach and found some casually flipping bunker. Minutes after snagging a few baits, Pete's Cabo 80 was screaming, 200 yards non-stop, against full drag.  Didn't even think this was a bass. I was waiting to get bit off by a thresher shark. While Pete was doing battle, Tom's bunker is getting crashed on the surface by a second big bass. But that fish is lost after a short time. All the while, a huge finback whale is surfacing and full breaching, just offshore of us. It was a very surreal 10 minutes, and <a href=" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxYY7YewKpw" target="_blank"> I got most of it on video</a>.  (Dave attached to the email photos of Pete’s 33-pounder and) a 38-pounder we trolled on a white Maja spoon Monday afternoon in that awful southeaster that cut our trip short. Trolling spoons and snagging are both producing 25- to 40-pound fish. It's a great time of year! I just added an open-boat trip for 1 to 7 p.m. on the Tuesday after Memorial Day. Three people max. All fish are shared. I also have Sunday and Monday, June 1 and 2, available for charter or open-boat. We will be sailing two trips a day on Saturdays through Mondays. See you out there.”

<b>Surf City</b>

From the surf, bluefish, lots, and some striped bass were beached, said Sue from <b>Surf City Bait & Tackle</b>. The blues ranged from smaller to 15 pounds, and mostly 6- to 8-pounders were reported.  They were latched into on bunker, top-water plugs and swimmers like SP Minnows, and not much was heard about metal catching them. The stripers ranged from throwbacks to keepers. Some of the keepers weighed 30 pounds, and most of the biggest weighed in the 20s. The bass were bunkered, clammed or plugged. Ocean boaters docked large stripers, and sea bass season was opened Monday. One boat trip bagged 24 sea bass with three anglers. Fluke season will be opened Friday, and waters might be a little cold for them. Fresh bunker, fresh clams, minnows and bloodworms are stocked.  Like <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Surf-City-Bait-and-Tackle/207533229268619" target="_blank">Surf City Bait & Tackle’s Facebook page</a>.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

Great Bay harbored lots of bluefish 2 to 15 pounds, especially at Graveling Point, said Chris from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. A 14-pound blue was weighed-in from Graveling, the shore-angling spot. Chris and Brian from the shop fished at the point, and Brian reeled in three sizeable blues to 10 pounds, including one that smacked a Bomber plug. So the fish were willing to pound a lure, not just bait. Striper fishing was slowing down in the area, typical for the time of year. Croakers were nipped from the bay in mornings and afternoons. Blowfish and kingfish were sometimes hooked from the bay, but might’ve been departing, after coming in to spawn. Summer flounder season will be opened Friday, and reports did roll in about flounder sometimes caught and released on the bay. Sea bass season was opened Monday, and Chris on a trip Tuesday boated a few sea bass to 4 pounds at Garden State Reef North. Fresh, shucked clams and clams in the shell are stocked. The store hopes to carry fresh bunker for the weekend. Ten-gallons of minnows are on hand for the weekend, including for flounder fishing. Live grass shrimp and bloodworms are in supply.

<b>Absecon</b>

The surf forked over the best striped bass fishing, the hot catches, said Capt. Dave from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. Clams and bunker caught them, and anglers seemed able to obtain clams more than bunker. Dave had difficulty finding bunker to stock, and hopes to stock the baitfish Friday. Striper fishing seemed a little slow on the back bays, but not many boaters fished. They probably will now, with summer flounder season opening on Friday. Those who tried for flounder on the bays were pleased, catching and releasing lots of keeper-sized fish. The store’s supply of minnows, a favorite flounder bait, is in good shape for the opening.  Dave hasn’t been able to catch a lot of minnows, so he couldn’t know how the supply will last this season. Spots to stock live are supposed to arrive Monday, but that’s unconfirmed. Good-sized croakers showed up in bays, “way back in,” Dave said, and at the mouth of Mullica River. They were a fish anglers could add to targeting, and seemed to seek warmer water, the reason the fish appeared. A few weakfish were heard about from bays locally, but not the numbers like farther north, in Barnegat Bay, and farther south, toward Sea Isle City. But again, not many boaters fished. Maybe local weakfishing was better than people knew.  Bluefish were around in bays, and Dave took a trip just to clear his head, picking up a couple of blues and a couple of throwback stripers in the back. Commercial crabbing was way off this season, and recreational crabbing probably wasn’t so good. Crabs were coming into a shed, usually the most difficult time to trap them. Sign up for the store’s annual, free Grand Slam Customer Appreciation Tournament from Friday through Sunday, this opening weekend of flounder season. Prizes will be gift certificates for $100, $50 and $25 for first through third places for stripers, blues, flounder, weakfish and drum. Sign up at the shop or by joining the event on the store’s Facebook page before fishing.

<b>Brigantine</b>

The surf erupted with catches – striped bass, drum and blues – for three or four days, said Capt. Andy from <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>. The fishing slowed today, but ups and downs are how surf fishing goes, and business was crazy during the angling. Keeping bait supplied was almost challenging. The middle of the island served up more of the fish than elsewhere in the town, and anglers soaked clams and bunker for bait. Andy kept posting photos of the fish on  <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/RipTide-Bait-and-Tackle/63681841626" target="_blank">Riptide Bait & Tackle’s Facebook page</a>.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

Customers, fishing nearby Absecon Inlet, bailed fish, lots, said Noel from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. That included striped bass, drum, bluefish, kingfish and croakers. They released a good number of summer flounder, and flounder season will be opened Friday. On a given night, at least 40 or 50 fish were tugged in. Many of the fish were throwbacks, but many were keepers. Off Melrose Avenue really gave them up. The Ventnor Avenue jetty and the T-jetty also served up the fish. Customers fish on foot at the inlet, lined with jetties. Bloodworms, clams, mackerel and mullet were fished. All baits are stocked including fresh clams shucked and in the shell, fresh bunker, bloodworms, sandworms, minnows and frozen, whole and filleted mackerel, spearing, filleted mullet, herring, spearing and shrimp. Check out photos of the fish and keep up with the angling: Friend <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/One-stop-bait-tackle/362952943747080?rf=151870514855225" target="_blank">One Stop on Facebook</a>.

<b>Margate</b>

Summer flounder, caught and released, included some big ones, including a 6.8-pounder, on trips that pre-fished for them this weekend on the back bay on the party boat <b>Keeper</b>, Capt. John said. He was happy with the angling, and trips will fish twice daily for them starting Friday, opening day of flounder season. Trips also pre-fished the previous weekend aboard, with similar results. No bluefish or other fish really showed up in the waters so far this year. But the flounder were in. Starting Friday, the Keeper will fish for summer flounder twice daily from 8 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 to 5 p.m. Minnows and mackerel will be provided, and the fish also bit Gulps, if anglers want to bring their own. The trips are only $25 for adults, $20 for seniors and $15 for kids, because the fishing is near port, and the pontoon boat is economical on fuel.

<b>Longport</b>

Open-boat trips are catching sea bass and ling on the <b>Stray Cat</b>, Capt. Mike wrote in an email. The email also included a photo of an eel, saying they make a great dinner, and some out-of-season blackfish that were tossed back. The trips fish hard all day, he said, and open trips sail daily when no charter is booked, even with one angler.

<b>Ocean City</b>

The party boat <b>Captain Robbins</b> fished for sea bass on Tuesday, after sea bass season was opened on Monday, Capt. Victor said. The fishing was a little slow, not great. The trips fished in 70 to 90 feet, he thought, and another captain ran the trip. Victor hopes the fishing will be better through the weekend, and the Captain Robbins is fishing for sea bass 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. The <b>Miss Ocean City,</b> the company’s other party boat, will probably start fishing in June sometime, for summer flounder on the back bay. Trips on the vessel will fish for striped bass in fall on the bay. Keep up with the latest: Like the <a href=" https://www.facebook.com/captrobbinsfishing" target="_blank">Captain Robbins on Facebook</a>.

Fishing was still pretty good, and not as many striped bass were around as before, but big bluefish showed up, said Bill from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. The blues swam everywhere, including in the surf. But more swam the back bay and inlets. Stripers began to take bunker chunks at the inlets. Nowhere held lots, but the bass roamed all waters, from the surf to the bay. Weakfish were around in the bay, and anglers won’t find them in the surf yet. The bay’s summer flounder fishing should be good, and flounder season will be opened Friday. Bill’s 5-year-old even landed and released flounder, including 18- or 19-inch keepers, when they striper fished. All baits are stocked, including minnows, fresh bunker and clams, bloodworms, eels and all the frozen selection.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

A short trip with family fought all the blues they wanted, and released a couple of large summer flounder, on the back bay Tuesday evening, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. Lot of fun, tons of fish, he said. The blues are as thick as he’s ever seen, and are big. His trips landed them to 6 pounds. The angling was also good for fly fishing, a great time of year for that. Lot of fish, lot of reps, he said. Most trips aboard fought them on soft-plastic lures on lead jigheads. Any space available for this coming opening weekend of flounder season? Joe was asked. He can always fit one more, he said. Limited space is available, and the bay’s flounder fishing is often best in the early season in the shallow, warm bay. Joe’s anglers mostly fished for the blues lately, but a good population of flounder carpeted the bay. The bay’s weakfishing slowed compared with before, but that’s usual for the time of year. Plus, so many blues were around, and the weaks hardly had a chance at a hook. Joe’s been watching a beautiful piece of water offshore at Baltimore Canyon on satellite charts. That probably held tuna, and he’s been too busy to run offshore, but has Mohawked tuna this time of year in the past. First, bluefin tuna come in, then yellowfin tuna do.  Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s blog</a>.

Quite a few striped bass and drum, and a few blues, were dragged from the surf, said Mike from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. Lots of blues, some weakfish mixed in, swarmed the inlets. Blues, weaks and stripers came from the back bay. Those who accidentally hooked summer flounder in the bay, releasing them, while fishing for other fish, think flounder fishing there will be good, when flounder season is opened Friday. A few customers steamed for sea bass on the ocean, since sea bass season was opened Monday. None said the angling was awesome, but they were happy with catches. One trip fished in 100 to 150 feet, piling up 36 keeper sea bass, a cod and a handful of ling. All the flounder baits are stocked, like minnows, spearing and four types of mackerel. Not as many minnows were obtained as Mike would like, but he got as many as possible. Anglers can sign up for the shop’s annual flounder tournament until Friday at the 6 a.m. registration. The contest is on Friday and Saturday, and entry is $20. First place will win all the cash, and second and third will win prizes from the store and J.K. Construction, co-hosting the event. Calcuttas will be available for the three heaviest flounder, the heaviest weakfish and the heaviest blue.

<b>Wildwood</b>

<b>Canal Side Boat Rentals</b> will be open Saturday through Monday for the first time this season, Mike said. Summer flounder season will be opened Friday, and minnows for bait will be stocked for them. The minnows were obtained from Virginia, and the baitfish weren’t potting well locally, like sometimes happens during the early season. Not a lot was heard about flounder from the back bay, but not a lot tried for them. Some tested the waters for the fluke, bending down the hook barbs to release the fish, and a few good-sized were heard about. Flattening the barbs is recommended, even when the season is open, so throwbacks can be released well. Bluefish and weakfish sometimes skittered around the bay. Small sea bass and blowfish were hooked in the bay, and the season was early for the sea bass. Sea bass are never keeper-sized in the bay, but give up action. So a variety of fish swam the bay. Nothing was heard about crabs from the bay, and crabbing might’ve been off to a slow start in cool waters. Mike didn’t bother commercial crabbers to ask for crabs to sell at the store, because they seemed not to catch.  A friend clammed a good-sized, keeper striped bass from North Wildwood’s surf the other night. Canal Side rents boats for fishing and crabbing and stocks the full supply of bait. Kayak rentals are also provided. <b>***<i>Get a $5 discount</i>***</b>: on a rental boat if you mention Fishing Reports Now. Crabs for eating are sold when they become available.

<b>Cape May</b>

The <b>Heavy Hitter</b> will fish for drum on Delaware Bay this weekend, Capt. George said on Wednesday. From trips on boats Tuesday night, he heard about good catches, including healthy-sized drum. Drum fishing usually turns on in May, sometimes into June, so anglers should fish for them soon. A friend banked two good-sized striped bass at Poverty Beach, and anglers were catching them there. Boaters picked up a few stripers, including occasional keepers, when targeting them on Delaware Bay. Not a lot fished for them. Sea bass season opened on Monday, and trips aboard can fish for them on the ocean. Summer flounder season will be opened on Friday, and the Heavy Hitter fishes for flounder on the ocean, usually starting in July, when the ocean warms.

Fishing for sea bass began on Monday, opening day of sea bass season, on the party boat <b>Porgy IV</b>, Capt. Paul said. But not a lot of the fish seemed around. A few were caught, and trips are a chance to bag a few for dinner. But limiting out isn’t likely, and hooking big sea bass isn’t. A large crowd joined Monday’s trip, and a bunch of sea bass were bagged, but spread around the boat. Joanne Pettit from Cape May Court House was high hook on Tuesday with 10 sea bass, and won the pool with a 3-pounder. Lots of phone calls came from area codes farther north in the state. Those anglers seemed to be looking for better sea bassing than up north, so the fishing didn’t seem great anywhere. Some places fished aboard seemed fished out, and some seemed to hold no fish. Trips will bounce around, scoping out other grounds for sea bass. When summer flounder start to be hooked, trips will home in on them, after flounder season is opened on Friday. The Porgy IV is fishing for sea bass at 8 a.m. daily.

Surf fishing for striped bass remained good, and catches included large ones, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. Seemed the keepers heard about ranged from just-legal-sized to 40-some inches, and chunks of bunker caught them best. Drum were pummeled from Delaware Bay’s surf at places including the Villas, Town Hall and North Cape May. Drum were boated from the bay at Bayshore Channel off Cox Hall Creek. Back in the surf, weakfish were bloodwormed or jigged along jetties. A few bluefish to 30 inches were fought from the surf, mostly along the ocean. Sea bass season was opened Monday, and Nick joined a charter that day that bagged 30 good-sized sea bass, probably 25 miles from shore. A ling, a blackfish and a couple of bergals were also hooked, and a cod caught was mentioned on the radio. Summer flounder fishing should be good on the back bay when flounder season is opened Friday. Stripers and weakfish were played on the back bay. Baits stocked include fresh clams, fresh bunker, jumbo and regular-sized bloodworms, nightcrawlers and all the flounder baits, including large minnows.

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