<b>Staten Island</b>

<b>Outcast Charters</b> fished for striped bass on Raritan Bay on Wednesday with chunks of bunker, not clams, trying for big fish, Capt. Joe said. The angling wasn’t great, but landed three keepers and a throwback. Many opportunities were missed, because the fish bit softly, and that was nobody’s fault. The stripers picked up the bait, swam off a few seconds, and dropped it, never biting again. The anglers needed to hold the rods, instead of keeping the rods in the rod holders, and be on top of setting the hook. The fishing was the season’s first aboard, and the bay was 50 degrees, during incoming tide.

<b>Keyport</b>

Capt. Joe from <b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b> scoped out striped bass fishing on Raritan Bay, preparing for trips coming up, and cranked in the fish, he said. He landed 10, including four keepers, bagging one, releasing the rest. The fish bit at the two spots he wanted to try, and if he had fished longer, or more anglers had been aboard, many more of the bass would’ve been hooked. All were caught on clams, and the water was 58 degrees at the dock. Trips are booked for Friday and Saturday, and space is available on an open-boat trip for stripers Sunday. Some anglers already signed up, and open trips are available daily, when no charter is booked, and enough anglers want to go. Telephone to climb aboard.

Raritan Bay’s striped bass fishing was becoming much better, said Capt. Mario from the <b>Down Deep</b>. Bigger stripers were showing up, and trips aboard fished for them with clams and bunker chunks. Charters are fishing, and a few spaces remain for open-boat trips the rest of the week. Join the <a href=" http://www.downdeepsportfishing.com/ddsf/76-2/" target="_blank">Short Notice List</a> on Down Deep’s website to be kept informed about open trips. Also see the site’s open-boat page for dates.  Another boat was added for trips. The Down Deep Bull is a 42-foot Willis Beal Downeaster, certified for 15 passengers. Charters are available, and open-boat trips will fish daily, on the vessel. The crew will also still run the original Down Deep, a 40-foot Custom Duffy. 

Great action with striped bass Tuesday and Wednesday on Raritan Bay on the <b>Vitamin Sea</b>, Capt. Frank wrote in an email. Fishing was cancelled aboard in Monday’s weather. Three to four dozen stripers were landed on each of the trips. Five were keepers on Tuesday, and seven were on Wednesday. The fish weighed up to 20 pounds, and the angling was really turning on. Bigger stripers moved in, “so it’s game on,” he said. Trips aboard are clamming the fish, but bunker and trolling are also catching. Some daytime striper charters remain available in May and June. Open-boat trips are available 2:30 to 8:30 p.m., when enough anglers want to sail. “It’s finally happening,” he said. “Let’s go fishing.”

Lots of keeper striped bass, more than last week, were bagged from Raritan Bay, both from shore and boats, said Joey from <b>Joey’s Bait Shack</b>. Throwbacks were abundant, and clams and bunker were fished. A few bluefish “sightings” happened. Nothing was heard about winter flounder, and bunker schooled the bay. Fresh clams, fresh bunker, bloodworms and sandworms are stocked.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Bigger striped bass on Wednesday, Capt. Ron from the party boat <b>Fishermen</b> wrote about the daily trip aboard for the fish that day, in a report on the vessel’s website. The angling was slow most of the morning, during incoming tide, with a throwback landed occasionally. Incoming didn’t fish well the past couple of days. But the fishing has improved after the change of tide, and bigger stripers turned on after the change, an hour after outgoing, on this trip. One angler limited out and released a bunch of throwbacks. Another caught two beauties, and a few other anglers hauled in big stripers.  Tuesday’s trip began in the last of the storm’s rain and nasty conditions. Wind against tide made the lines and chum run to the bow most of the morning. Striper fishing wasn’t good, while the trip looked over a couple of areas. The fishing picked a bit better, after outgoing began. Five keepers and a bunch of shorts were totaled. There was a showing of stripers, but not what Ron would call good, by any means. One angler, who braved the wind, “and fished up there all day,” Ron said, totaled two keepers and six throwbacks, and won the pool. The water was 52 degrees. No report was posted for Monday, maybe because no trip sailed in the storm. Weather sounded breezy now for the next days, but the boat will fish. It doesn’t matter, Ron said. The Fishermen is sailing for striped bass 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. Beginning Friday, trips will also striper fish 6:30 to 11:30 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 3:30 to 9 p.m. Sundays.

No trips fished Monday in the rainstorm on the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>, Capt. Tom said. Tuesday morning’s trip was also docked, and weather forecasts, apparently, kept enough anglers from showing up. Tuesday afternoon’s trip sailed, with a small crowed, and three keeper stripers and seven or nine throwbacks were reeled in. One of the keepers weighed just over 20 pounds, so some big were mixed with throwbacks. No trips sailed aboard Wednesday, and weather forecasts again kept anglers from showing up. But some stripers are around to be caught. The boat is fishing the bay with clams. 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, 4/24:***</b> This afternoon’s trip sailed, the first to fish since Tuesday afternoon’s, and the striper angling was decent, Tom said. Thirteen keepers were bagged, and 20 or 25 throwbacks were released, on Raritan Bay, a little closer to port than before. The bites took a moment to begin, and the first striper was hooked after 50 minutes. Then a couple would be landed, and the anglers would wait, and another would be caught, and so on. Clams were the bait, and wind blew, but seas weren’t that rough. All in all, a nice afternoon, he said, and he hoped that continued. 

Boaters caught striped bass well, clamming them, on Raritan Bay, said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Some of the fish were keepers, and shore anglers also dragged in the bass, on worms, sometimes on clams. Should be only a matter of time before a greater number of large stripers migrate in. He hopes, at least, hoping the fish don’t migrate offshore. Stripers last winter held offshore of Maryland and Virginia, because of cold water, instead of swimming close to shore. They migrated south from New Jersey, then stayed offshore, at those southern states. About a week of good fishing for larger stripers happened along the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel that season.  Back at local waters, ocean surf anglers currently also scored well on stripers, lots of throwbacks, a few keepers. Stripers also bit in the rivers, getting wormed in the Shrewsbury, clammed in the Navesink. A few bluefish, only a few, migrated to local waters, so far. Blackfish began to be caught, Jimmy thought. He knew they were hooked along the Oceanic Bridge, at least. All baits are stocked.

<b>Highlands</b>

The boat was undergoing maintenance, said Capt. Pete from <b>Fin-Taz-Tic Sportfishing</b>, but one of his captains, Tom, fished on another boat on Raritan Bay. Bigger stripers moved into the bay than before, and the captain limited out quickly. The trip landed the fish to 34 inches, while clamming during outgoing tide, and trolling during slack. The fish basically swam from Sandy Hook to the back of the bay and even to Verrazano Bridge. Charters and open-boat trips are fishing.

Busy weekend at <b>Twin Lights Marina</b>, Marion wrote in an email. “People working on boats – catching fish,” she wrote. Charter boats from the docks tied into striped bass on Raritan Bay, she said in a phone call. Mostly throwbacks, and some keepers? she was asked. “They’re getting keepers,” she said. “Let’s put it that way.” Gregg Hanna on the Annie H bloodwormed a 16-1/2-inch winter flounder on Navesink River. Twin Lights, located conveniently on Shrewsbury River near Raritan Bay and the ocean, with no bridges before them, includes a marina with boat slips and dry storage, a fuel dock, and a combined bait and tackle shop and ship’s store. The full supply of bait is stocked, including fresh clams. Live bunker are carried, when in demand. The fuel dock is available 24 hours a day with a credit card. 

<b>Neptune</b>

Weather looks good for an individual-reservation trip for cod Sunday, and a few spaces are available, said Capt. Ralph from <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b>. He plans to sail farther from shore to find more of the fish, avoiding more boats closer to shore.

<b>Belmar</b>

After the party boat <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b> Mohawked striped bass, big and lots, on Sunday, no trips sailed in the weather the next days, Karin said. The bass, covered in the last report, weighed up to 35 pounds, and only a few were throwbacks. Three or four were hooked at once, at times, and that was the year’s first report about such a catch of big stripers on this website. Then the boat sailed Wednesday, and no stripers were caught, she said. Once none of the fish was located, an email from the boat said, the trip headed north to near the Shrewsbury Rocks. Some life was seen, including bait, “but the fish just didn’t want to cooperate,” it said. No trip sailed today because of wind and lack of anglers. The Miss Belmar Princess is fishing for striped bass 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.

A big body of striped bass, mostly keepers, swam in, and fishing for them was great on some days, a report said on the party boat <b>Golden Eagle</b>’s website today. Trips will fish for stripers 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 or 3 p.m. daily beginning Saturday.

From <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b>, Capt. Pete spoke with nobody who fished since Sunday, he said. Weather was rough, but one of the Belmar party boats smashed a slew of big striped bass on Sunday. That was the year’s first report about numbers of big stripers caught in a trip. The boat was back out Wednesday, but Pete was yet to hear results. He hopes to begin sailing for the season this weekend, and was waiting for a part to arrive for the boat. Charters are booking up quickly. Don’t have enough anglers for a charter? Contact Parker Pete’s anyway, about individual spaces available on charters. “We’ll get you out,” he said. Jump on <a href=" http://www.parkerpetefishing.com/" target="_blank">Parker Pete’s website</a> to subscribe to the email blast to be kept informed about the spaces. Look for the place to sign up on the right side of the page, where it says Join Our Newsletter.  

<b>Toms River</b>

Winter flounder fishing pounded great catches on Barnegat Bay near Mantoloking Bridge, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. He sent customers there all weekend, and they boated lots and lots. A customer fished from shore there, beginning in morning, returning at 2 p.m., saying the flatfish bit the whole time, and he left them biting. Dennis’s brother-in-law landed a keeper blackfish on the bay at the bridge, on a bloodworm while flounder fishing. A few flounder were boated from the bay at the BI and BB markers, farther south. The Toms River’s striper fishing slowed the last few days, apparently because the tide had been especially low, practically no tide, then became super high. Also, the river and nearby Barnegat Bay, out to the Route 37 Bridge, were full of bunker, and a couple of bloodworm hatches came off. The abundant forage seemed to make difficult getting a striper to jump on a hook in the river. Striper fishing was good there previously. Striper fishing currently was best along the bridge, by far. Bunker might not be seen along the surface in the river or the bay along the bridge, but the baitfish are schooling deeper down. They rise to the surface when water warms. A few white perch, not many, were plucked from the Toms. Perch fishing was yet to pick up in the river and at Forge Pond this season, for unknown reasons. In the surf, stripers, mostly throwbacks, were picked, mostly on clams, a few on bunker. A few keepers, not many, were bagged, and the water was 47 or 48 degrees. Fifty degrees is the temp that beach anglers are “looking for.”  Murphy’s, located on Route 37, also owns <b>Go Fish Bait & Tackle</b> on Fischer Boulevard in Toms River.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

Bluefish 12 to 15 pounds slammed Barnegat Bay at Oyster Creek, and began to sometimes bomb into the surf, said Phil from <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>.  Striped bass were sometimes pumped from the surf. A few keepers were mixed with throwbacks. Clams and bunker chunks caught them, and fresh clams, fresh bunker, sandworms and bloodworms are stocked. Stripers were bloodwormed in the bay, along the sod banks and toward the BB marker. Stripers were also boated from the bay at the Route 37 Bridge. 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>

Bluefish, good-sized, blew into Barnegat Bay today, for the first time this year, said Kyle from <b>Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle</b>. That was off Oyster Creek, and a friend fought some aboard this morning. Until then, striped bass and winter flounder were cranked from the creek, like before. No flounder were heard about from the bay. No weakfish were reported yet this season. Bloodworms and salted clams are stocked. So are shiners, killies and nightcrawlers for freshwater. Grizz’s moved to a new location at 103 Lacey Road in Forked River.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

The schedule for the beginning of the fishing season was posted on the party boat <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b>’s website. Bluefish trips will kick off the vessel’s fishing for the year, running 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Friday through Monday of Memorial Day weekend, May 22 through 25. Afterward, the trips will sail every Friday through Sunday through June 21, during those hours. Starting June 22, trips will fish for fluke and sea bass 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily. 

<b>Barnegat</b>

<b>***Update, Saturday, 4/25:***</b> From an edited email from Capt. Dave DeGennaro from the <b>Hi Flier</b>: “Big blues! The Hi Flier is in the water and ready to fish. I usually target May 1 as my start date, but I was able to get in a little early this season. I’ve been getting reports from a few people about some good-sized bluefish on the west side of Barnegat Bay. So I took two guys out this morning to try, and holy smokes, are they big! The biggest I’ve ever encountered in the bay. They’re all 5- to 10-pound fish … and that's with no belly at all, which is the common body shape for these early-season fish. They were crushing our poppers on the surface, and then screaming line off our 10-pound spinning outfits. They’ve been there for at least four or five days now, and you never know how long they’ll stay. But I’m running charter or open-boat 5:30 to 10:30 a.m. Sunday and Monday for these fish. Three people max. We’ll target these big blues on light tackle. Early is best, and then it slows up, but it’s worth the price of admission, for the time it’s on. It’s all visual. You see multiple fish competing and crashing your lure, right at the boat. I built a new website during the offseason, if you’d like to check it out: <a href="http://www.hiflier.com" target="_blank">www.HiFlier.com</a>. We’ve increased charter rates by a small amount for this season. We’ve not had an increase since 2007, and I was unable to hold anymore. Looking forward to seeing everybody on board this season.”

<b>Surf City</b>

Surf anglers drilled throwback striped bass, said Sue from <b>Surf City Bait & Tackle</b>. All customers who said they fished yesterday said the fish “hit hard.” The anglers dunked clams and bloodworms for bait, but clams caught best, by far. Twenty-seven inches was the largest of the bass heard about. A customer today said he banked the throwbacks, too, on clams. Sue also got a report today that bluefish arrived in the bay. She didn’t hear the size. Fresh clams, fresh bunker and bloodworms are stocked, and more fresh bunker will arrive Friday. Green crabs, for blackfishing, were unavailable from suppliers. Nobody reported anything about blackfish.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

Throwback striped bass, lots, kept biting at Graveling Point and Pebble Beach, said Brian from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. A 25-pound 39-inch keeper was weighed from Pebble on Sunday. Many of the throwbacks chewed bloodworms, and clams hooked the bigger stripers. A healthy number of drum, a range of sizes from 8 pounds to 35, were heaved from Graveling and Pebble. Clams are usually the bait for them, but the worms also caught the boomers. Bluefish were yet to appear, but could show any moment. The annual $100 gift certificate to the store will be awarded to the angler who weighs-in the year’s first blue from Graveling or Pebble. Those are shore-angling spots at the confluence of Great Bay and Mullica River. White perch began to bite in the Mullica in the Lower Bank and Green Bank area. Brian wasn’t asked whether stripers also did, but they did previously, according to last week’s report. He did say throwback stripers, some keepers and good-sized perch hit in West Creek, like at Dock Road. Bloodworms and clams took the bass there. Bloodworms, fresh, shucked clams and fresh clams in the shell are stocked. So are plenty of live grass shrimp, including for a perch tournament that will be held this weekend, Brian thought.  <b>***Update, Friday, 4/24:***</b> The year’s first bluefish was weighed-in, Scott’s website said.  Hal Schellenberger banked the 8-pound 29-incher on Thursday at Pebble Beach, winning the $100 gift certificate for the first.

<b>Absecon</b>

Things looked pretty good -- actually, real good, said Capt. Dave from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. Most striped bass were small that were around, but they were more abundant than he probably ever heard. They were found in all different waters. Some were beached from the surf, and that angling was picking up. Several were keepers from the beach, and the surf’s stripers also included the bass less than 10 inches long. Those would’ve been born last year, so they were unusual to see in the surf, instead of the back waters. The rivers held many stripers. In the Great Egg Harbor River, the fish swam all the way up to the May’s Landing bulkhead. But Jeffers Landing was a top spot, and both bank anglers and boaters can fish there. The fishing was practically the same on Mullica River. White perch were also beaten from the Mullica, toward the Lower Bank and Green Bank bridges, and many were small, but good catches were made. Striper fishing was very good on the bays. Few boaters fished yet, so most news from bays came from shore anglers. They were into stripers along Route 40 in West Atlantic City, and along Route 30 near Delilah Road and across from Home Depot. Took some walking to get to that spot, but the angling was good. On Great Bay, Graveling Point was the hot place for the shore anglers. Drum, from 15 pounds to some that weighed 50, were mixed in at all the bay areas. Dave expected to splash his boat today and will begin striper charters soon. Not much was heard about blackfish, and cold water slowed the tautog fishing, but green crabs were unavailable for bait for them. That was the biggest reason no news rolled in. Weather looks great for the weekend, cold, but perfect for anglers. Bloodworms and fresh clams are stocked. The clams were the go-to bait for the stripers in the bays and surf.

<b>Brigantine</b>

An 11-pound bluefish was weighed from the surf today, and the angler said the blues were there, said Capt. Andy from <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>. The fish bit a chunk of bunker, and Andy guessed the blues chased bunker. The year’s first keeper striped bass from Brigantine’s surf, a 23-pounder, was weighed from the surf Saturday, covered in the last report. Eric Stock checked-in the second, a 29-incher, on Wednesday from the island’s surf, and released five throwbacks on the trip. The third keeper from the town’s surf, a 30-incher, was brought-in today, from a trip with Eric and “the Voss boys.” They let go six or seven shorts. A few other throwbacks were known about lately, and surf casters definitely began to score some action. The shop’s Facebook page also included occasional shots of drum from the surf, including a 30-pounder. The angler with the first keeper striper won the store’s $50 gift certificate for the first. A $50 certificate is up for grabs for the first keeper from the local back bay from a boat or a kayak. The Riptide Striper Bounty was up to $1,560. Sponsored by Hess Plumbing, the bounty will be awarded to the angler who weighs-in the year’s first striper 43 inches or larger from Brigantine’s surf. Entry is $5, and the angler must be entered before the catch. All entry fees are awarded, so the bounty keeps growing. The Fish for Life Tournament, a Brigantine surf-fishing contest, from Tom LaPera’s real-estate team, is under way until May 21. Entry is $20, and proceeds are reportedly donated to the South Jersey Cancer Fund. Trophies are awarded for the three heaviest stripers, and none was entered yet. Entry, available at Riptide, includes a permit to drive Brigantine’s middle beach until the final day of the tournament, when accompanied by a Brigantine beach-buggy permit. Without the permit, driving the middle is prohibited. The tournament essentially enables entrants, with the Brigantine permit, to drive the island’s entire surf.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

Bluefish 24 or 25 inches moved in, said Noel from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. “They’re here,” he said, and lots of striped bass, many of them throwbacks, were hit at night. The size of the keepers seemed to keep growing, and Noel hoped that continued. Shore anglers tackled the stripers at Absecon Inlet and the ocean, starting at the inlet at 9 p.m. Wednesday and 8 p.m. Tuesday. The inlet at the jetties fished especially well for them, like at Melrose and Madison avenues and the Flagship. The inlet, located near the shop, is lined with jetties. A few of the stripers were caught during daytime. But most of the fish turned on after sundown, whenever the tide was right. Fishing definitely began for the season and was on. Blackfish were also hooked along the jetties. The full supply of baits is stocked. Green crabs are $4 a dozen or $3 for 10. Clams in the shell are $6 a dozen, $2 apiece or three for $5.  

<b>Egg Harbor Township</b>

Striped bass turned out heavy action, including for the shop’s rental boaters, on Great Egg Harbor River, said John from <b>24-7 Bait & Tackle</b>. The stripers were 18 to 20 inches, none keepers, but action was great, on bloodworms. The river was packed with the fish, especially at Jeffers Landing. White perch filled the river pretty heavily, too. Took a while for perch to bite this season, but they began. Live grass shrimp nabbed the perch and are stocked. So are the bloods, fresh clams and, when available, fresh bunker. Green crabs are on hand and are scarce at many stores. The rental boats sail from the store on Patcong Creek, a tributary of the Egg Harbor. When summer flounder season begins, the boats will be used for trips for the flatfish on the bay, the Great Egg Harbor. The season will probably be opened starting May 22, and the government needs to finalize the date. The boats will also be used for crabbing, and Patcong Creek is one of the best crabbing locations. Nothing was heard about bluefish or weakfish migrating in yet. But migrations of different fish began. A 20-pound striper was weighed-in last week. John was unsure where the fish was caught. But that was likely one of the large, mature stripers that migrated from the south, unlike the smaller stripers in the river that are younger, yet to migrate, living there year-round. Warmer water makes them begin to bite. Stripers will bite in the bay sometime this season, probably not long from now. The water needed to warm, and the bay’s temperature varied, because of weather. The ocean was 45 degrees, the last time John checked. The shop is open about 8 a.m. to 6 or 7 p.m., depending on weather. Telephone to confirm, and the store, starting May 1, will be open 24 hours a day on weekends and until midnight on weekdays. <b>The company also own 24-7 Bait & Tackle in Marmora</b>, and that shop will be opened daily starting this weekend, for the fishing season.

<b>Longport</b>

The weekend’s weather looks good for sailing, said Capt. Mike from the <b>Stray Cat</b>. If an open-boat trip gets the weather to sail Friday for blackfish, it will. Charters are booked to blackfish Saturday and Sunday. Open trips will also blackfish Monday through next Thursday, the final days of blackfish season, if weather allows. Telephone to climb aboard. Afterward, starting May 1, trips will switch to wreck-fishing for cod 30 miles from shore or in 130 feet of water. Sea bass trips will begin when sea bass season opens, probably on May 27. The government is yet to finalize the date. Both tuna and weekend charters are beginning to fill. If anglers are thinking about fishing for tuna or on a Saturday or Sunday, “better get on it,” he said. Two Saturdays are available in July, and one is in August.

<b>Ocean City</b>

An epic number of throwback striped bass seemed to fill Great Egg Harbor River and the back bay, said Justin from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. They were bloodwormed, but sometimes were played along the bay’s sod banks on soft-plastic lures or hard lures like Daiwa SP Minnows. The bigger stripers seemed to grab bait, and the smaller seemed to smack lures. The bass averaged 22 to 26 inches, and also moved into Corson’s Inlet, getting angled at night there on hard lures and soft-plastics like Fin-S Fish. Starting on Wednesday, they also pushed into the surf, and were bloodwormed there. One blackfish hooked was heard about, from along 9th Street Bridge. Previously, anglers said the blackfish nibbled at the bridge, but couldn’t be hooked. But an angler finally landed one, and the catches seemed to begin, though blackfish season will be closed starting next week on Friday, May 1. Bloodworms are stocked, and fresh clams are carried when weather makes them available from boats.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

The back bay was dirty, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b>, affiliated with <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. Weather was windy, and cold, and rain fell early in the week. But when weather calms later this week, like forecast, things should be good, he said. Weakfish migrated to the bay, according to second-hand reports, and striped bass already held in the water. Younger stripers, yet to migrate, live in the bay year-round. All four of the bay’s fish popular with anglers – stripers, weaks, bluefish and summer flounder – could bite, when the next trip sails aboard. The next couple of weeks are the chance to catch them all, called a grand slam, in one trip, some of the year’s best fishing. Summer flounder season is closed, but the flatfish are released until the season opens, probably in late May. The government will finalize the date. If anglers want to fish, they should book sooner than later. Calls often come in during the angling, when dates are already full. Annual, special, after-work trips, fishing from afternoons to evenings, are some of the trips this season. The angling can be good when the water is warmest in afternoons, this time of year. Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s blog</a>.

Quite a bit was heard about striped bass catches, said Mike from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. The best fishing for them was at night in the back bay, like along docks and bridges. As many a dozen caught in a trip were heard about. Soft-plastic lures like Fin-S Fish and Bass Assassins winged them. The bass were also socked during daytime from the bay on similar lures like the soft-plastics or something like a bucktail with a pork rind. A good number of stripers from the surf were heard about during the weekend. Mostly clams hooked them, but sometimes maybe a bucktail along a jetty did. Nobody was known to blackfish. The local party boat is trying to sail for the tog, but either weather or lack of anglers prevented that in past days. Fresh clams are stocked. Fresh bunker has been on hand on weekends, usually. Bloodworms, eels and the frozen baits are carried. Green crabs were stocked on and off, but were scarce from suppliers. <b>***Update, Friday, 4/24:***</b> The migration of bluefish arrived, the shop’s blog said. “(An angler) sent in a bunch of pictures of some very nice-sized blues he caught,” it said. Blues were back in town, it said.

<b>Wildwood</b>

Fishing was docked in rough weather in past days with <b>Fins & Grins Sport Fishing</b>, Capt. Jim said. But trips are expected to resume this weekend, and the boat will blackfish while blackfishing is open through the final day of the month, next Thursday. Blackfishing will be closed afterward, and the boat is full Saturday, but spaces are available Sunday. Weather is supposed to be beautiful that day, and blackfishing was slow during the weekend at Cape May Reef on a couple of boats heard about. But it’s got to be improved, and the water’s warmed enough. The boat will sail for drum and striped bass on Delaware Bay, when blackfishing season ends. A few small drum were caught at Reed’s Beach. Last weekend’s new moon likely triggered some stripers to spawn in Delaware River, so they’ll swim back downstream to the bay. Trips fish daily aboard, and reservations aren’t required but recommended. Telephone for availability.

<b>Cape May</b>

Blackfishing sailed Tuesday, picking up a few of the fish to the 6-pound pool-winner, on the party boat <b>Porgy IV</b>, Capt. Paul said. Two of the anglers, among the small crowd, limited out. So the angling improved a little, and Paul hopes it keeps improving, when the trips, slated for 8 a.m. daily, sail next. Weather kept other trips, including Wednesday’s, docked. Weather forecasts sometimes kept anglers from showing up. Blackfish season will be open through the end of the month, and closed afterward.

Surf fishing for striped bass, lots of throwbacks, sounded good, and the fish were yanked from the ocean now, as well as Delaware Bay, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. They were previously slid from the bay, and clams and bloodworms whacked them at both locations, and some were plugged at both. A couple of reports said blues, sizable, 8 pounds or larger, began to tumble the surf. No weakfish were known to migrate in yet. A 26-pound drum was weighed-in that was clammed in the bay’s surf. A couple of other drum were heard about from Reed’s Beach from shore. Not much was heard about stripers from the back bay. But Nick landed some from the back bay at Beesley’s Point. No blackfish reports rolled in, and weather was rough to boat for the tautog. Bloodworms, fresh clams and green crabs are stocked.

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