<b>Keyport</b>

A couple of small striped bass were dragged to shore at Cliffwood Beach that were known about, said Joey from <b>Joey’s Bait Shack</b>. A 30-inch keeper was banked at Laurence Harbor from shore. One blackfish was reported tugged from the Keyport Pier, and nothing was heard about winter flounder. Joey’s is open daily, and baits stocked include bloodworms, fresh clams, frozen clams and, for freshwater, meal worms, trout worms and nightcrawlers. 

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Looks like the party boat <b>Fishermen</b> will begin fishing on Friday, April 17, Capt. Ron wrote in a report on the vessel’s website. Daytime trips will begin with striped bass fishing, and nighttime trips for stripers will probably start the following week. Bunker began to migrate to Raritan Bay, a good sign, he said. The bay’s shore anglers scored a few small stripers and a couple of keepers, “so it’s getting close,” he said. Clams will probably be fished for bait at first aboard. But fishing with bunker’s not out of the question.

<b>***Update, Friday, 4/10:***</b> The party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b> will fish for winter flounder Saturday and Sunday, Capt. Tom said. The trips, slated for 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 6 p.m. both days, will be the first fishing of the year aboard. He doesn’t know what to expect of the angling. “We don’t hear of anything,” he said. But weather forecasts are good, and anglers said they wanted to go. People had cabin fever, he said, and Tom was unsure when daily trips would begin. He expects to wrap up maintenance to the boat, painting, on Monday, instead of fishing that day.  <b>***Update, Saturday, 4/11:***</b> This morning’s trip sailed, but the fishing was no good, Tom said soon afterward in a phone call. The trip fished the river and the bay at the mouth of the river, and weather was windy, and a change of tide happened during the outing.

<b>Highlands</b>

Some fish were finally around, Capt. Pete from <b>Fin-Taz-Tic Sportfishing</b> wrote in an email. He and crew motored out Tuesday, and found bunker. Fish were marked, he said, and the water was 45 degrees. They did no fishing, but he hopes Raritan Bay’s shallows warm a few degrees. A trip is supposed to fish for striped bass Friday in the area aboard, though wind might blow somewhat strongly. Worms and clams will be fished, and the trip can be topped off with winter flounder fishing. A few spaces are available on open-boat trips that will fish this weekend.

<b>Neptune</b>

Forecasts look good for an individual-reservation trip to fish Sunday for cod, blackfish and ling at ocean wrecks with <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b>, Capt. Ralph wrote in an email. Space is available, and more of the trips are set for the rest of the month’s Sundays, on April 19 and 26. Annual, individual-reservation trips that fish every Tuesday will be launched in May that, according to a previous report from Ralph, will fish for striped bass or sea bass or will fish wrecks. Those trips will fluke fish in June to September, and kids under 12 will sail free, like every year, limited to two per adult host. Charters are available daily, and more individual-rez trips will be scheduled.

<b>Belmar</b>

Catches of cod were good, all right, on the party boat <b>Big Mohawk</b>, until the weather cancelled trips in past days, Capt. Chris said. Blackfish are one of the boat’s specialties, and blackfish season is open this month. But mostly cod, a bunch, bit. The Spring Lake Kids Trout Tournament went great on Saturday that Chris mentioned in his last report. Shark River Surf Anglers holds the free contest, known for prizes and terrific fishing, on opening day of trout season each year. The Big Mohawk is fishing 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

Trips will kick off Saturday with fishing for cod, blackfish and ling 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily on the party boat <b>Norma-K III</b>, Capt. Matt wrote in the reports on the vessel’s website.

Cod and a few ling were scooped aboard, said Capt. Butch from the party boat <b>Dauntless</b>. A few blackfish, including two keepers Sunday and one keeper Saturday, were decked. Fishing wasn’t good, but seemed to be improving. More cod were hooked than before, even if not many were keepers. No trip sailed Wednesday in weather, but 35 or 40 cod, including maybe a dozen keepers, were reeled aboard each of Monday’s and Tuesday’s trips. A handful more ling than before, maybe five or six additional in a trip, were landed than before. Twelve or 15 total were averaged per trip. Plus, dogfish began to bite, and more conger eels chomped than before. Whales were seen the last three or four days. Some big schools of bunker swam, and gannets dove on them. There was more life around than before. The water, 39 to 40 ½ degrees along the surface, was much too cold for bunker, but they were there. The water was much too cold for the migrations of mackerel and bluefish to arrive. The water was too cold for blackfish, but if the ocean warms a few degrees, a few more might be boated, before blackfish season is closed after this month. Butch heard about no mackerel taken on commercial boats that fish farther offshore, either. He did hear about a few herring caught on commercial boats that porgy fished 80 to 100 miles from shore. But that was far, and there was no chance those baitfish would slide close to shore. The Dauntless is bottom-fishing 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily.

<b>Forked River</b>

<b>Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle</b> has moved to a new location at 103 Lacey Road in Forked River, and will be open starting Friday, for the season, Grizz said. Winter flounder and small striped bass were cranked from Oyster Creek, the warm-water discharge from Forked River power plant.

<b>Surf City</b>

A throwback striped bass was beached from Long Beach Island’s surf on the north end, said Sue from <b>Surf City Bait & Tackle</b>. A photo of the fish was posted on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Surf-City-Bait-and-Tackle/207533229268619" target="_blank">the shop’s Facebook page</a>, and she knew about another throwback eased from the south end, at Holgate, that another store reported. Those were the first two stripers that she knew about from the surf this year. Bunker washed up on shore, and a shot of that was posted on the Facebook page. Bunker appeared in the south end’s surf and in Barnegat Inlet, on the north end. No blackfish catches were reported, though blackfish season is open this month. Registration will be available soon at the store for the Simply Bassin’ Tournament that will be held May 2 to June 27. The shop will hold a spring tournament. The annual LBI Surf Fishing Derby will begin on October 10. Sue planned to attend today’s meeting where New Jersey will finalize the year’s regulations for stripers, fluke and sea bass in Manahawkin.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

Graveling Point anglers bailed striped bass, throwbacks, well on Friday, said Brian from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. The angling was slow on Saturday in wind, and he fished the point that day with his wife. They hooked only an eel and seaweed, and wind smacked them in the face, roaring right up Mullica River. Graveling, the shore-angling spot at the confluence of the river and Great Bay, gives up some of the state’s first stripers each year. The year’s first keeper striper was yet to be seen at the shop from there, and none was reported yet. The annual, $100 gift certificate to the store remained up for grabs for the angler who checks-in the first from Graveling or nearby Pebble Beach, another shore-angling locale. Sunday was Easter, and the store was closed, and on Monday, weather was beautiful, and fishing was good again for throwback stripers at Graveling. Currently, weather was rough and overcast, and anglers didn’t really fish, though overcast days tend to be good for striper fishing. Brian guessed the weather was a little cold, though. Forecasts look better for coming days. The water was probably 44 or 45 degrees at Graveling, because the ocean was 42.1 degrees at Atlantic City, according to the online report for the town. Laughing gulls showed up for the season, and bluefish usually arrive at Graveling two to three weeks afterward. Maybe the year’s first keeper striper and first blue will be brought to the store at the same time! Brian guessed. An annual, $100 gift certificate to the shop is also awarded to the angler who shows up with the year’s first blue from Graveling or Pebble. The keeper striper was late, and fishing seemed to run late, because of cold water in cold weather this past season. Fishing for young, throwback stripers was also good on the Mullica near Hay Road or Lower Bank. One angler would buy four dozen bloodworms and run out of the bait in a trip, because he caught and released so many of the bass. Lots of live grass shrimp were sold to customers fishing for white perch on the Mullica and tributaries. Perch catches were sometimes heard about from Bass River near Amasa Landing Road or the aluminum pier and the Oyster House there, off exit 50 on Garden State Parkway. In addition to the shrimp, baits stocked include bloodworms and fresh, shucked clams.

<b>Absecon</b>

Rain still fell, and weather was still cold, said Capt. Dave from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. But fishing was definitely picking up. That probably happened more than anglers headed out in the weather the last couple of days. But a couple of days of better weather happened around the weekend, and striped bass catches amped up at Graveling Point and Great Bay. No keepers were known about, but the fishing was good, and some of the throwbacks were sizable. Customers bought bait earlier in the week, saying a buddy grabbed five of the shorts, good-sized, on a trip. Another angler bought bait then posted a photo of a short he caught at the point soon after beginning to fish. Fishing for throwback stripers was also good in Mullica River, anglers said. Two keepers were bagged from the river this season, according to Facebook photos that another store posted. Similar stories about short stripers rolled in from Great Egg Harbor River. Anglers need a couple of days of sun to get inspired to head back out, but forecasts look like sun will begin to shine Friday. Bloodworms and fresh clams are stocked, and the store will be loaded with them for the weekend. Green crabs were unavailable, and suppliers had none to the north. A local said he was going to trap them to provide to the shop, so Dave would see how that went.

<b>Longport</b>

No fishing sailed on the <b>Stray Cat</b>, because of weather, Capt. Mike said. An open-boat trip was supposed to blackfish Wednesday. More of the trips are supposed to run 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily from Friday through Sunday, and telephone to climb aboard. A few green crabs are available for bait, and the crabs are difficult to obtain from suppliers. Mike spoke with a friend from Delaware, and even the friend bought 20 traps to pot crabs. One might think the crabs would be available in that warmer state. Mike has pots in the water, too. The ocean was up to 46 degrees, and migrating bait began to pile up the coast. Birds were seen working the bait off the surf. Herring schooled, and small pods of bunker also shot north. Seals seemed to depart local waters for the season. Charters are beginning to book up weekends. Some dates for tuna charters are available in August. Tuna charters include a special 12-hour trip, and a 16-hour, day trip to the canyons.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Was bad weather now, but throwback striped bass and white perch were tapped into from brackish rivers, said Mike from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. A rumor, from one angler, said cocktail blues showed up in the bay behind Avalon on Monday afternoon, during high tide, in the day’s warm weather. Whether that was true was unknown. No confirmed reports about bluefish were posted on this site yet this season, but that usually happens soon. No boats fished the ocean in weather recently. Bloodworms, fresh clams, nightcrawlers and all the frozen baits are stocked. Mike’s trying to stock green crabs. The store is open 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, except 6 a.m. to 12 noon Sundays, weather permitting.

<b>Wildwood</b>

Weather was horrendous for fishing recently, but fishing is expected to sail this weekend with <b>Fins & Grins Sport Fishing</b>, Capt. Jim said. Telephone for availability, and the boat runs daily, and weather might be best on Sunday and Monday, according to forecasts. But he expects to resume sailing Saturday, at least. Trips are blackfishing at ocean reefs and wrecks, with a chance to catch cod there. Cod should hover at wrecks inshore, once the water warms a little. The ocean was approaching 50 degrees, sometimes reaching 48 or 49, fluctuating. This week’s rain should help warm the water, Jim hopes. Looking ahead, trips will fish for striped bass and drum, when the fish migrate Delaware Bay, probably late this month and in May.  Sea bass trips will begin, when sea bass season is opened, and the state is supposed to decide the season today. Sharks will be hunted aboard in June.

<b>Cape May</b>

The party boat <b>Porgy IV</b>  blackfished Monday, and was weathered out since, Capt. Paul said. The angling was also weathered out Saturday, because of gale wind, and no trip was slated for Easter Sunday. On Monday’s trip, some spots gave up none of the tautog, and some turned out a few. Only a handful were keepers, and 30 or 35 were throwbacks. The angling wasn’t good, “(but) a step in the right direction,” he said. Someone said another boat hooked no blackfish, for example. The water was cold, but not lifeless on the Porgy IV’s trip. If anglers are looking for big blackfish or limits, they better wait to fish, Paul said. But if anglers want a chance at blackfish, the boat is sailing for them, while blackfish season is open this month. The daily trips, departing at 8 a.m., will probably resume Friday. Weather is supposed to improve this weekend.

A few small striped bass began to be eased from Delaware Bay’s surf, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. They were resident fish, not ones that migrated to local waters, and none was a keeper, but a few anglers clammed some. Customer Brian landed a 17-incher, his first-ever striper, in North Cape May.  Larger stripers than before, sometimes keepers, began to be reeled from Delaware River from shore. Back at Cape May, birds began to work bait along the ocean off the surf, and Cape May Inlet. Herring seemed around, and Nick heard about no bunker yet. A few anglers tried blackfishing along jetties, since blackfish season was opened this month. But they caught none. Fresh clams are stocked, and bloodworms should arrive at the shop. Nick’s trying to stock green crabs for blackfish. Freshwater baits, including for trout, are on hand. Photos were seen of big trout to 6 and 8 pounds from Cape May’s Ponderlodge Pond.

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