<b>Staten Island</b>

Raritan Bay’s striped bass fishing seemed okay during the daytime, but an evening striper trip, fishing with bunker chunks on the bay aboard, was terrible on Tuesday, Capt. Joe from <b>Outcast Charters</b> said. Only one striper was bagged, and one runoff was missed. Plenty of stripers were marked at many places fished, and Joe thought the angling was going to be good, because of readings. Winter flounder fishing was going well in both the bay and the ocean. Looking ahead, trips for sea bass and ling will start on May 19 from Sewaren, N.J., aboard, if enough sea bass migrate inshore. That’s New Jersey’s opening day of sea bass season, and Outcast fishes both from Staten Island, N.Y., and Sewaren.

<b>Keyport</b>

Many striped bass filled Raritan Bay, could be seen on the fish-finder, Capt. Frank from the <b>Vitamin Sea</b> wrote in an email. Fishing for them was up and down, maybe because of spawning, though the season was early for that. All signs point to good striper fishing in the bay into June, “as it should be,” he said. Frank heard about a bluefish caught from the bay on Wednesday for the first time this season. No blues were hooked on the boat yet. Many of the places fished aboard for stripers were loaded with out-of-season blackfish. More than 20 of the tautog to 9 pounds were released aboard Monday.  Charters are fishing, and the next open-boat trip with space available is on next Thursday. Dates are also available the last two weeks of May and on some weekends in June. 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!”

A mix of keeper striped bass and shorts bit in Raritan Bay on trips Tuesday and Wednesday with <b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b>, Capt. Joe said. Not many keepers showed up, unlike on previous trips, and all the bass on these two trips were bunker-chunked. Clams were fished but caught none on these outings. No bluefish showed up on trips so far this season, but blues will probably turn up soon. Two spaces are available on an open-boat trip Friday. Open trips are available daily when no charter is booked, and telephone to reserve. The boat is booked with charters this Saturday through Monday, and no open trips are available then.

Striped bass fishing limited out on 16 keepers by 9:30 a.m. on Raritan Bay on Wednesday on the <b>Down Deep</b>, Capt. Mario said. The trip began at 6 a.m., and the fishing’s been great for the bass to 30 pounds, on fresh bunker, really fresh, like just out of the water. Lots of winter flounder bit lately, on mussels and worms. A few out-of-season fluke began to jump on hooks, and the bay was cold, only 50 or 51 degrees. Fluke season, opening on May 23, is going to be good, he said. The boat does lots of fluking. Charters and open-boat trips are fishing, and a marathon open trip for sea bass will sail 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. on May 19, opening day of sea bass season. 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 to be kept informed about open-trip dates.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

The striped bass trip this morning stayed docked, because of weather, on the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>, Capt. Tom said. Rain fell when he gave this report then over the phone. Two few anglers showed up at the marina, so only a couple of head boats sailed. He wasn’t optimistic that this afternoon’s trip would run, because of forecasts. But striper fishing somewhat improved from Tuesday afternoon’s trip through Wednesday’s trips, after the angling aboard was tougher previously a moment. On Wednesday morning’s trip, a few keepers were bagged, but action with shorts was there. On the afternoon’s trip, a few keepers were sacked right away, then anglers picked at shorts, not as good action. So the striper fishing wasn’t great, but improved compared with before. All the bass were clammed, and clams are provided aboard. Some anglers brought bunker to fish, but caught no stripers on the bait. 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.

Boaters clammed, bunker-chunked and liveline-bunkered striped bass, good catches, on Raritan Bay, said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Surf anglers clammed and bunkered stripers, including at Sandy Hook and Sea Bright. Quite a few of the stripers were around, and they seemed larger locally. Stripers were also wormed in the rivers. One or two bluefish, the season’s first, were heard about, but none was seen yet. All baits are stocked.

<b>Highlands</b>

Fishing for Raritan Bay’s stripers was good on one day, a little slow on another, said Capt. Derek from <b>Fisher Price Charters</b>. But every trip aboard limited out or nearly limited on the fish. Keepers averaged 20 to 30 or 35 pounds, and the stripers were clocked on chunked or livelined bunker or while trolling. The season’s first bluefish were heard about. Boaters decked one or two, and surf casters beached a couple on Tuesday night. Dates are still available for charters, and open-boat trips are full this week. Anglers can telephone about future open trips.

Sailing from <b>Twin Lights Marina</b>, Greg Hanna and Bob Jones on the Annie H trolled striped bass to 21 pounds on Raritan Bay near the Ammo Pier, Marion wrote in an email. Bushels of clams are available, and frozen pints and quarts of clams are carried. So are the other frozen baits, and live bunker might be stocked today or Friday. 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>Neptune</b>

The season’s first striped bass trips are supposed to fish the ocean Friday and Saturday with <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b>, Capt. Ralph said. But he wasn’t so optimistic about catches, because of reports. “Wish for some hot weather,” he said. Previously, trips aboard sailed for cod and pollock at ocean wrecks. One of those trips on Friday boxed nine cod and two healthy-sized pollock, covered in the previous report. Trips are booking fast, and individual-reservation trips for stripers are slated for May 18 and 25. Six-hour trips will fish for stripers in afternoons in June.  Individual-reservation trips for fluke and sea bass will fish on June 10, 17 and 24 and on every Tuesday the rest of the season. Kids under 12 will sail free on those fluke and sea bass trips, limited to two kids per adult host. 

<b>Belmar</b>

On the party boat <b>Big Mohawk</b>, striped bass and ling, a little of both, were reeled up on Wednesday, Capt. Chris said. The fishing improved a lot, and the stripers bit rubber shads that day. The ling grabbed Gulps and clams, and clams are provided aboard. Trips will begin livelining bunker for the bass when enough of the baitfish are around. The boat began fishing for stripers on the first of the month, after trips blackfished previously. The Big Mohawk is fishing 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

Trips will begin fishing for the season on Friday, sailing for striped bass and bluefish from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily, on the party boat <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b>, Karin said. The company’s other party boat, the <b>Royal Miss Belmar</b>, will probably start fishing toward the end of the month, starting with trips for fluke and sea bass twice daily. 

For anglers on the party boat <b>Golden Eagle</b>, a few striped bass were bagged Sunday, but the angling was tough, a report on the vessel’s website said. It was also tough on the next days, and today’s trip was weathered out. Sometimes readings were good, stripers splashed, plenty of bait schooled, and birds worked the bait. But stripers refused to bite. “One day these fish are going to turn on,” the report said. A few bluefish reportedly showed up, and trips will continue targeting stripers, but will check out the blues. The Golden Eagle is fishing at 7:30 a.m. daily.

A few striped bass were trolled from the ocean, said Capt. Pete from <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b>. The fish swam the waters, but getting them to bite was the issue. The water temperature was low. Still, a better temperature could be reached soon, and a few bunker schooled the ocean, and Parker Pete’s is supposed to fish for the bass on the ocean this weekend. That would be the boat’s first angling this year. Fishing for stripers remained fairly decent on Raritan Bay. 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.

More and more striped bass were reported caught every day, Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> wrote in an email. Water temps started to creep up, reaching the low 50s, “good enough to get a bite going,” he said. A few throwback stripers and sometimes a keeper were landed in the past week. Bob didn’t specify a location, but seemed to mean the surf. Clams and bunker seemed to catch them best, he said. A 17-pound 8-ounce striper that Dan Aguilar from Tinton Falls bunker-chunked was the largest checked in at the store. Winter flounder were the main catch from Shark River, but a few out-of-season fluke began to be hooked and released. The shop’s rental boats are available to fish the river. For ocean boaters, stripers and bluefish were almost the only fish that were in season. The closed seasons for blackfish, sea bass and fluke were difficult for business for ocean boats. Poor planning by the government hurts small businesses, Bob said. Get out and fish, he said. “Life is short.”

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

Ling fishing started improving the last few days on the party boat <b>Dauntless</b>, Capt. Butch said. That was because the ocean started warming, and customers averaged 10 to 20 ling. “Finally, spring has sprung,” he said. A few small cod – some keepers, some throwbacks – were iced. Out-of-season sea bass sometimes began to bite, the warmer waters drawing them inshore, and were released. Butch hopes they keep moving in for the opening of sea bass season on May 19. Lots of out-of-season blackfish, mostly small, jumped on hooks on yesterday’s trip. Plus, Butch saw a few bluefish swimming the surface for the first time this season. That all was because of warming waters. The ocean was 51 degrees on the fishing grounds in the afternoon on yesterday’s trip, and was 49 in the morning. Trips fished shallow in 60 to 100 feet, and yesterday’s trip worked 75- to 80-foot depths.  One mackerel was boated aboard in the past week. Mackerel never really showed up on the fishing grounds this season, like in recent years. The migration apparently swam farther from shore. Trips used to mix in fishing for the Bostons, along with bottom-fishing. Lots of dog sharks and conger eels were currently a nuisance. The Dauntless is bottom-fishing 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily.

Anglers aboard began fishing for striped bass on Saturday on daily trips on the party boat <b>Gambler</b>, Capt. Bob said. No trip sailed in today’s weather, but the fishing’s been tough. A few stripers were caught aboard to the north. But bait started to be seen in the past couple of days, maybe a good sign. Any stripers decked were clammed on the boat. But the boat is ready to fish for them with jigs or livelined bunker. Clams are provided. The Gambler is fishing for striped bass 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily. Trips will begin fluke fishing twice daily on May 23, opening day of fluke season, from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 to 6:30 p.m.

Weather was beautiful Wednesday on a special trip for cod on the party boat <b>Norma-K III</b>, Capt. Matt wrote in a report on the vessel’s website. But that created “no anchoring conditions,” he said, for part of the day. A few cod, a pollock and a few ling were bagged, and a 20-pound cod won the pool. The trip fished quite a few places. Lots of conger eels were kind of a nuisance. But another cod trip will fish this coming Wednesday, and telephone to reserve. This week’s was sold out.  Daily trips are also fishing for striped bass at 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Too few anglers showed up for Monday’s daily striper trip to sail, and nothing else was mentioned about the trips afterward on the site at press time. Fishing for the bass was slow aboard during the weekend. But the ocean is warming, and better catches are expected. Nighttime bluefishing will begin aboard with a trip on Saturday, May 17, for the season, and Matt saw blues along the surface on the cod trip. The migration started.

<b>Toms River</b>

From <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>, Dennis trolled for bluefish on Barnegat Bay, because water temperatures were perfect for blues, at 58 to 60 degrees, he said. But he was yet to find blues this season, though he saw a photo of a blue from the bay from another store. The trip trolled from Route 37 Bridge to off the Toms River to Good Luck Point. The bay was 58 degrees at the bridge and 60 off the river. But fishing for small striped bass, 12 to 18 inches, sometimes larger than 20, has been super from the Toms to the bridge to Good Luck Point. If anybody soaks a bloodworm at places like the Toms, they’ll catch. Along the bridge, soft-plastic lures have been best, in white or pearl colors. Five-inch Fin-S Fish have been best, but Dennis used 3- and 4-inch Tsunamis. One angler scored on pink Fin-S. The bass are schooling, so once one is caught, toss the lure back. You’ll either hook another, or the school will have moved on. A few larger bass were managed along the sod banks toward Barnegat Inlet, but waters were cold. Clams or chunked bunker nailed them, and a few customers wanted eels for them, though waters were probably cold for eels. Eels are now stocked. Weakfishing was good on the bay off Oyster Creek, and most anglers fished for them at dusk or soon after dark. Some of the trout weighed up to 7 pounds. The bay’s winter flounder fishing pretty much slowed for the season. But if anglers wanted to fish for them seriously, the bay toward the BI marker or Oyster Creek Channel was the place to look. Farther north, a few flounder were picked from the bay near Mantoloking Bridge. But most of those flatfish migrated to Manasquan River through Point Pleasant Canal, on the way to the ocean. A few blowfish were plucked from the surf, and when that happens, the puffers usually pour into Barnegat Inlet. If boaters wanted to set up for blowfish on the bay this weekend, they might catch, and the season’s first are usually large. Surf fishing for stripers sometimes gave up throwbacks, mostly on clams, a few on lures. The surf was in the high 40s to low 50s, “on the edge,” Dennis said. One keeper striper was weighed from the surf this season so far. Murphy’s, located on Route 37, recently bought <b>Go Fish Bait & Tackle</b> on Fischer Boulevard in Toms River, and is running both shops now.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

Surf fishing picked up a bit, said John from <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>. A few more striped bass than before were clammed from the beach. Not many were keepers, but lots more stripers were around. Bluefish 3 to 5 pounds started to swipe metal or cut bait in the waters. Blowfish were sometimes nabbed from the surf on worms or Fishbites on small hooks. Not a lot of news rolled in from Barnegat Bay, but small striped bass were played along the bay’s bridges on jigs or swimming lures. Crabs hardly started to be trapped along the store’s dock. A couple of throwbacks might be picked up in a day. Bloodworms and the full supply of frozen baits are carried. Fresh clams and bunker will be stocked Friday. 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>

Oyster Creek’s mouth gave up weakfish at dawn and dusk on Fin-S Fish or sandworms, said Kyle from <b>Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle</b>. Striped bass hovered in the creek, and blowfish started to be heard about from Barnegat Bay. Anchor and chum with clam, and fish with clam, for them. Surf fishing now clubbed striped bass. Bluefish began to be reported from the surf, but no blues were seen at the shop yet this season. Sandworms and killies are stocked, and fresh clams will arrive Friday.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Speaking of bluefish: Bluefishing will be kicked off on Saturday through Monday, May 24 to 26, on the party boat <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b>, Karen said. That’s Memorial Day weekend, and the angling will be the first on the boat this season. The Miss Barnegat Light bluefishes all fishing season long. Trips will also bluefish on the Saturdays and Sundays of May 31 to June 1 and June 1 to 8. Daily bluefish trips will begin on Saturday, June 14.

At <b>Bobbie’s Boat Rentals</b>, Alex worked today, but hadn’t been there in a few days, he said. So he didn’t hear much news recently, and the store was open, but business was just starting for the season. One or two anglers on Friday said weakfish, none especially big, swam near the Dike. Nobody mentioned striped bass or bluefish. Cod were reportedly boated from the ocean last weekend. Most customers boat Barnegat Bay or the ocean, and angling at both places was only just beginning for the year. But fresh bunker, fresh clams, sandworms and the array of frozen baits are stocked. Bobbie’s includes a complete bait and tackle shop, and is known for its bait supply, including live baits from spots to grass shrimp in season. The shop features a fuel dock and, also in season, boat and kayak rentals. The boats are used for fishing, crabbing, clamming or pleasure.

Surf fishing exploded this morning, said Josh from <b>Viking Outfitters</b>. Bluefish and striped bass were plowed on chunks of bunker, metal and bucktails from Surf City to Barnegat Light, sometimes on every cast. Sometimes small weakfish bit in the blitz. The blues were sizeable, 6 or 8 pounds, and practically the first Josh heard about locally in two years. The stripers heard about were up to 37 inches. Stripers sometimes came from Barnegat Bay lately. Larger weakfish, sometimes up to 26 inches, were hooked in the bay. Drum were hauled from the bay, though that was unusual. Photos looked like they weighed 30 pounds. Fresh clams, fresh bunker, eels and all frozen baits are stocked. 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.

<b>Surf City</b>

Bluefish crashed the surf today and yesterday, jumping on bunker baits at Surf City and at the border at Ship Bottom, said Sue from <b>Surf City Bait & Tackle</b>. More keeper striped bass than before were beached at North Beach, Surf City and Ship Bottom, and throwbacks were still banked. So things were looking good, she said, and a few blowfish were plucked from the surf. Fresh clams and bloodworms are stocked. Fresh bunker sold out today, but more will arrive on Friday. Frozen baits are in supply. Keep up with the news on <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>

Graveling Point and Pebble Beach’s striped bass fishing started to slow a little, but lots of throwbacks, not as many keepers, were banked there, said Brian from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. A good number of drum were dragged in at Graveling, and maybe two were heard about from Pebble. The drum were caught scattered throughout daytime or at dusk. Weakfish swam the area, and one angler at Pebble latched into 7- or 8-pounders on Friday, releasing them. That was because the big, so-called tiderunners enter bays to spawn in spring. The year’s first bluefish was checked-in from Graveling on Saturday, covered in the last report. Anglers mentioned feeling bites but hooking nothing, maybe from blowfish and kingfish that might’ve showed up. Not much was heard about white perch from brackish rivers like the Mullica. But Brian assumed the perch mostly held in upper rivers. Crabs started to stir around. Not many, maybe 1 to 3 keepers, could be trapped in a trip. But that was a start. Fresh, shucked clams, fresh clams in the shell, grass shrimp and minnows are stocked. Eels are supposed to arrive, but Brian was unaware when.

<b>Absecon</b>

A good shot of sizeable striped bass plowed into Absecon Inlet a moment, said Curt from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. They were headed to rivers, he guessed, and not a lot was heard about stripers recently. But stripers started to migrate in pretty well. Throwbacks and occasionally keepers were clammed from bays. Drum started to show up, and a 25-pound drum was weighed-in yesterday that was clammed from the flats of the bay from the road at one of the bridges along Route 30. One angler released 25 throwbacks, picking up no keepers, from shore at Graveling Point on a trip. Lots of small stripers filled rivers. Curt didn’t know whether big stripers also swam the rivers but didn’t bite, but large stripers are expected to be taken from bays and rivers more often soon. White perch schooled rivers. No bluefish were heard about, but surely a few were around. The season was late for them. Out-of-season summer flounder began to be caught and released in bays. Fresh clams, bloodworms and eels are stocked. Minnows that are great size for perch fishing are on hand. Minnows will be fully stocked once summer flounder season is opened on May 23. A few fresh bunker were stocked a moment but are scarce. 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>

Some of the bigger striped bass from Brigantine’s surf in past days included a 41-1/2-incher, said Capt. Andy from <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>. The angler released the fish, beaching it on clam from the shop. Another customer released a 38-incher and kept a 33-incher on clam. A 15-pound striper was checked-in from the surf that was the largest entered in the Fish for Life Tournament so far. See more about the contest at the end of this report. Another customer muscled a 28-pound drum from the beach today. Another tackled a 10-pound bluefish and three others that weighed 4 or 5 pounds from the surf on bunker chunks on a trip. Those were the first blues reported from the shop here this year. Most stripers from the surf seemed to hit clam. Fresh bunker is stocked, and more of the baitfish will arrive Friday. Fresh clams will be restocked, and bloodworms are carried.  Riptide Striper Bounty was up to $1,860 and will be awarded to the angler who weighs-in the season’s first striper 43 inches or larger from Brigantine’s surf. The 41-1/2-incher was close. “We’re getting there,” Andy said. 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 The LePera Real Estate Team, 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>

Along Absecon Inlet, kingfish and blowfish, good catches, began to show up, said Noel from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. Fish bloodworms for them, and a few bluefish, not large, not small, began to arrive in the area, punching cut bait like mackerel or mullet. Stripers roamed the inlet, but were smaller ones. Dunk clam for them, and weakfish were plugged or bloodwormed from the inlet. Sometimes a weak was hooked while an angler striper fished. The whole inlet from Melrose Avenue to the T-jetty gave up these different fish. Customers fish the nearby inlet, lined with jetties, on foot. All baits are stocked except fresh bunker. Take advantage of a dozen bloodworms for $10.75 or a dozen clams for $6.75.  Friend <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/One-stop-bait-tackle/362952943747080?rf=151870514855225" target="_blank">One Stop on Facebook</a> for news and photos.

<b>Margate</b>

Fishing, the first of the year, will begin this weekend on the party boat <b>Keeper</b>, Capt. John said. The vessel each year fishes for summer flounder the whole flounder season on the back bay. Flounder season will be opened on May 23, but customers want to fish now, so trips will begin. The outings will see if weakfish or bluefish can be tugged from the bay. Flounder could be caught and released from the bay, and are already swimming the waters. The trips will fish 8 a.m. to 12 noon Saturday and Sunday. Angling is economical aboard, because the fishing grounds are near port, and the pontoon boat is efficient on fuel.

<b>Longport</b>

Open-boat trips for cod, pollock and ling are available daily, when no charter is booked, on the <b>Stray Cat</b>, Capt. Mike said. The trips sail with even one angler. If anglers plan to jump on open trips for sea bass during the first days of sea bass season that starts May 19, they better reserve quickly. That also goes for May 20 and 22. Space is filling. So are dates for weekend charters, including for sharks starting this month, and tuna in July and August. No Saturdays are left in June. A new, nighttime shark trip is on tap this year from 6:30 to 11:30 from now through the summer. Mike took some drifts in the inlet the other morning, and summer flounder swam the area. A few were hooked and released in 8-foot shallows, and the water was 54 degrees. The fluke season will be opened on May 23.

<b>Ocean City</b>

Trips for ling and any other wreck fish, like bluefish, will launch the season this weekend on the party boat <b>Captain Robbins</b>, Capt. Victor said. The trips will fish wrecks beyond 20 miles from the coast from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. this Saturday and Sunday and on the same schedule the following Saturday and Sunday, May 10 and 11. Afterward, trips for sea bass will begin when sea bass season is opened on May 19. Summer flounder will also be able to be targeted on the trips once flounder season is opened on May 23. Trips will sail more frequently, twice daily, starting on Fathers’ Day weekend, June 14 and 15. The company also owns the party boat <b>Miss Ocean City</b>,  and that vessel will fish the back bay for flounder, probably starting in late May or early June, and will sail for striped bass on the bay in fall. Keep up with the latest: Like the <a href=" https://www.facebook.com/captrobbinsfishing" target="_blank">Captain Robbins on Facebook</a>.

Lots of striped bass swarmed Corson’s Inlet, said Bill from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. Abundant bait swarmed there. Plenty of stripers gathered along the 9th Street Bridge. Anglers often fished lures for the bass, like soft-plastics in pink or white, Daiwa Salt Pro Minnows in black and purple, and MirrOlures. A few bluefish – not a ton, but they were there – popped up in the back bay. Weakfish swam the bay, and fishing overall was good. Sometimes stripers were beached from the ocean-front surf. But most catches of anything were made at Corson’s and in the bay. Bunker became abundant. Fresh clams, fresh bunker, bloodworms, eels and the frozen baits are stocked.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Surf fishing for striped bass really amped up, said Mike from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. No huge stripers, and no crazy numbers, were beached, but the bass larger than 15 pounds were weighed-in every day since Friday, and it’s time to surf fish, he said. Almost all the fish were clammed, and any caught on bunker were only occasionally heard about. At night, striper fishing was very productive at Corson’s Inlet on plugs like Bombers or Daiwa SP Minnows or soft-plastic lures like Fin-S Fish and Bass Assassins. Lots of weakfish, including big, flooded the back bay. The trout 8 pounds were tackled regularly. Some huge, out-of-season summer flounder swam the bay. Photos of the fish almost made you cry, he said. Bluefish were yet to show up in the bay, surprisingly. They were late. Fresh clams and bloodworms are stocked, and fresh bunker and eels are supposed to arrive for the weekend. All frozen baits are carried.

With Rob Ferber aboard, weakfish and summer flounder were smashed on the back bay on Tuesday, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b>, affiliated with <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. The weaks ranged from spikes to 7 pounds, and the flounder were all sizes up to 3 pounds. The angling was very good, and began with hooking the flounder, ending with catching the weaks. The flounder were released, and flounder season will be opened on May 23. Reserve dates now for the opening of the season, and some of the best fishing for the fluke can be early in the season in South Jersey’s warm, shallow back bays. No bluefish showed up in the bay so far, and they were late. Joe last year hung his first blue on April 21 from the bay. The bay warmed, breaking 60 degrees for the first time this year. It reached 61. Climb aboard an after-work trip on a weekday, a great time to fish. Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s blog</a>.

<b>Cape May</b>

Fishing for drum on Delaware Bay and sea bass on the ocean is next on the slate on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>, Capt. George said. Enough drum usually arrive soon, and sea bass season will be opened on May 19. Shark fishing usually begins sometime this month and lasts through June for blues, threshers and makos on the ocean. Trips will run for them.

<b>Melanie Anne Sport Fishing Charters</b> fished Delaware Bay on Tuesday, Capt. Frank said. He guessed the fishing got lucky, he said, because a keeper striped bass, a throwback and a 35-pound, puppy drum were landed. The bay’s stripers currently bit bunker, and the trip at first had old bunker, none fresh, because winds kept bunker boats from sailing. Fresh clams were aboard, but apparently plenty of bunker that schooled the bay made the stripers prefer the baitfish. The bay’s stripers usually favor clams this time of year, and the season was early for bunker fishing. The trip’s angling was slow, until the boat was moved, and bunker were seen and caught for bait. Then the stripers were caught on the fresh bunker, and the drum was clammed. Trips aboard are finding stripers in 6- and 7-foot shallows close to shore in the bay. Coming soon this month, drum trips will fish the bay, and will probably mix in striper fishing. Sea bass trips will fish the ocean once sea bass season is opened on May 19. Summer flounder fishing aboard will begin when flounder season is opened on May 23. A few tuna trips are already booked to fish offshore later in the fishing season. The Melanie Anne does a lot of big-game angling.

The party boat <b>Porgy IV</b> probably won’t fish again until sailing for sea bass when the season for the fish is opened on May 19, Capt. Paul said. If enough drum show up in Delaware Bay, trips might fish for them in two weekends, before switching to sea bass. A few drum started to bite. Previously, the boat blackfished daily, until blackfish season was closed on May 1. When the boat fishes, it sails at 8 a.m. The sea bass trips will run daily.

Surf casters seemed to start tying into striped bass more than before along Delaware Bay, like in North Cape May, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. That was mostly on bunker, and bunker schooled the bay. But the bass were also plugged. A few stripers were bagged along the ocean surf. Blowfish nibbled in the ocean surf on bloodworms or clams. Weakfish definitely could be found along jetties around Cape May Point. Fish bloodworm on a float rig or cast a bucktail or jig with a soft-plastic lure for them. Weaks also swam Delaware Bay. Little was reported about bluefish this season, except about a couple run into here or there. Not much was heard from boaters fishing Delaware Bay, including about drum fishing yet this season. A few puppy drum were landed from the surf on the bay and farther north than Cape May. Lots of dog sharks were a bother for boaters on the bay. The back bay started to give up stripers and weaks. Out-of-season summer flounder certainly arrived in the back bay, if anglers want to catch and release them. Fresh, shucked clams, fresh clams in the shell, fresh bunker, jumbo and regular-sized bloodworms, and minnows are stocked.

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