<b>Keyport</b>

Striped bass fishing was up and down, but stripers were definitely around, Capt. Frank from the <b>Vitamin Sea</b> wrote in an email. The season’s final open-boat trip for stripers will sail Friday, and three spaces are available, and the boat is chartered this weekend.  Fluke fishing will begin aboard with an open trip for fluke Wednesday, and three spaces remain. Fluking is improving daily, and some big ones were boated, typical, as the fish migrate in. Space is also available on an open trip that Friday, June 5, for fluke, and one space remains for another that Saturday. Open trips will fluke on every day no charter is booked. Some weekend dates remain for fluke charters.

Sea bass fishing had to be cancelled aboard Wednesday, opening day of sea bass season, because wind prevented sailing to the ocean, said Capt. Mario from <b>Down Deep Sportfishing</b>. Open-boat trips for sea bass are slated for today and Friday. Charters are fishing, and 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 special open-boat trips. Also see the site’s open-trips page for available dates.

Space is available for open-boat trips or charters 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 to 8 p.m. Friday through Sunday with <b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b>, Capt. Joe said. Trips aboard recently tackled lots of blues on Raritan Bay and toward the mouth of the bay off Sandy Hook, and sometimes striped bass, including a 30-pound striper on Saturday in the Sandy Hook area. That was covered in the last report, and telephone to join trips on the boat.

Mostly bluefish, pretty good-sized, were angled, said Joey from <b>Joey’s Bait Shack</b>. He couldn’t say whether that was on boats and from shore on Raritan Bay, because few reports rolled in now. Striped bass were occasionally pasted, and not much was heard about fluke, since fluke season was opened Friday.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Boaters sometimes bagged striped bass off Staten Island, said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. A few stripers were eased from the ocean aboard, and some blues were pasted at different waters. Fluke bit all over, but south wind chilled the water. Fluking was good in the river. Plenty of ling were cranked from the ocean, and nobody reported sea bass fishing, since sea bass season was opened Wednesday. Fish were around, certainly, and all baits are stocked.

Good action on Wednesday’s and today’s trips on the party boat <b>Fishermen</b>, Capt. Ron wrote in a report on the vessel’s website. On today’s trip, sharks bit on the first drop. The boat was moved, and a good pick of bluefish was nailed, until the tide stopped. The trip took a ride, and lights-out bluefishing was clobbered, after the tide changed. Jigs, bait and top-water lures all caught. On Wednesday’s trip, sharks also bit on the first stop, and no blues or stripers did, and the boat was moved. “Found the fish on the edge of the channel and slugged away for a couple of hours,” until the tide ended, he said. Action stopped a while into incoming, and Ron had known the bite would end until tide flowed again. He tried several areas then, knowing that, but had to go through the motions, keeping anglers interested. When things became right, the fishing lit up. Good action on blues, on jigs and bait.  The Fishermen is sailing for striped bass 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. However, the boat is chartered Saturday morning, so no open trip will sail then. Trips are also striper fishing 6:30 to 11:30 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 3:30 to 9 p.m. Sundays.

When conditions drifted the party boat right, short fluke were picked, and a few keepers – a few – were bagged, Capt. Tom from the <b>Atlantic Star</b> said. The fishing, on Raritan Bay, was similar to before, including that a few big were in the mix. A 7-1/2 or 7-3/4-pounder was clubbed on Wednesday afternoon’s trip. He reported another 7-pounder recently, and a whopping 14-pounder on Monday, Memorial Day. That was the biggest fluke reported on this site, so far this season, and all of that was covered in previous reports here. Sometimes action was okay, and sometimes it was a little tough. The fish felt cold to the touch. Some had mud on them, showing they had hunkered down in the bottom. Some were clean. Spearing are provided for bait, and some anglers brought killies, and some brought Gulps. They fished all different types of rigs. Whether killies caught better, or the anglers who fished them made a difference, was difficult to say. All trips sailed in past days, and the Atlantic Star is fishing for fluke on two trips daily from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 6 p.m.

<b>Highlands</b>

<b>Fin-Taz-Tic Sportfishing</b> scored good luck on striped bass on the New York side of Raritan Bay early in the week, Capt. Pete wrote in an email. The crew also saw more stripers in the ocean than before. Stripers there could take a while to find, but once bunker were seen, snagging the baitfish and livelining them worked best to catch the bass aboard. The number of large fluke around was surprising this early in the season. Charters and open-boat trips are fishing, and a couple of weekends remain in June. A few openings are available for an open-boat trip Sunday. See  <a href=" http://www.fintazticsportfishing.com/open-boat-trips/" target="_blank">Fin-Taz-Tic’s open-boat page</a> online for availability.

Sailing from <b>Twin Lights Marina</b>, Tracy Amarosa plowed an 8-1/2-pound 29-inch fluke, and husband Jay axed a 20-incher, fishing off Sandy Hook Point with killies and squid on a trip, Marion wrote in an email. Twin Lights, located 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. Bait stocked includes live bunker when available and in demand. The offshore selection, like frozen flats of baitfish, is carried. The fuel dock is available 24 hours a day with a credit card. 

<b>Neptune</b>

An excellent catch of sea bass was plumbed Wednesday with <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b>, Capt. Ralph said. That was opening day of sea bass season, and the fish bit despite hard south wind, during the individual-reservation trip. Plus, a few keeper cod were decked. Another one of the trips was supposed to sail today, and get the sea bass while possible. Fifteen is the bag limit through June, and two will be the limit in July. The season will be closed afterward, until reopening starting in October. Space is available with Last Lady, including for charters daily. Individual-reservation trips will sail every Tuesday, starting June 9, concentrating on sea bass, until ocean fluke fishing picks up. Then the trips will fluke.

<b>Belmar</b>

Fishing for sea bass was good Wednesday on the party boat <b>Big Mohawk</b>, Capt. Chris said. That was opening day of sea bass season, and some of the anglers limited out. The boat had been fluke fishing, and will fluke again, after the weekend, when wind switches to north. The fluking had been alright, but south wind that cools water slowed the flatfishing in past days. The wind also slowed striped bass fishing, and the vessel is striper fishing on certain evenings, when conditions are favorable. See the boat’s website for the striper schedule. The Big Mohawk is fishing 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

Banged away at blues today, a report on the party boat <b>Golden Eagle</b>’s website said. By the end of the trip, a great catch was made. No report was posted for Wednesday, and maybe weather cancelled the trip. Took a long time to find fish on Tuesday’s trip, but when the fish were located, the trip smashed blues 5 to 12 pounds. Fifteen to 20 were hooked at a time. Monday’s bluefishing was very good aboard, and the trip had to take a ride to catch, but that was worthwhile. The Golden Eagle is fishing at 7:30 a.m. daily and 7:30 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday.

Anglers pummeled good bluefishing this morning on the party boat <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b>, an email from the vessel said. Fishing north of Shark River Inlet, the trip met long drifts when the 6- to 12-pounders bit, on Ava jigs, plain or tailed, and Krocodile spoons. The Miss Belmar Princess is fishing for stripers and blues 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. Family Fun Days are fishing 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. every Friday and Sunday for fluke, sea bass, blues or whatever bites. The trips enjoy a sunset cruise on the way home.

Too much south wind, Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> wrote in an email. The wind direction cools water, and fishing was slow. Boaters on Shark River tugged in fluke on outgoing tides, and the angling turned off on incoming. That draws in colder, ocean water. Blowfish were hooked from the river behind the shop, and bluefish were fought at Shark River Inlet, on metal. Party boats sailed for sea bass, blues and striped bass Wednesday, when Bob sent the email. That was opening day of sea bass season, and anglers would see how the angling went. Surf anglers sometimes banked stripers on clams and bunker chunks, but the fishing still wasn’t up to par this season. A change in wind direction was needed to warm water and spark a bite.

<b>Brielle</b>

Opening day of sea bass season, on Wednesday, did not disappoint, Capt. Ryan from the party boat <b>Jamaica II</b> wrote in an email. Though the ocean was 47 degrees or cold when the boat sailed to the fishing grounds that day, sea bass hit. Different wrecks and snags were fished, and some held fair life, and some gave up hefty shots of sea bass. Some places turned out a few good-sized cod. Many of the anglers limited out on sea bass, including Fernando Arellano from Princeton, who also won the pool with a 14-pound cod. Great day, Ryan said, even if seas were somewhat choppy. See the <a href=" http://www.jamaicaii.com/component/option,com_eventcal/Itemid,33/" target="_blank">Jamaica II’s schedule</a> online.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

South wind chilled the ocean, making fluke fishing somewhat sluggish on the party boat <b>Norma-K III</b>, Capt. Matt wrote in a report on the vessel’s website. The fish were there, but getting them to bite was tough. Shorts, a few keepers and a few sea bass were tied into. Sea bass season was opened starting Wednesday. Wind looks like it’ll come around to east, so he hopes the fluke will bite a little more this weekend. The Norma-K III is fishing for fluke 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 to 6:30 p.m. daily. Starting Friday, trips will also bluefish 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. daily.

On the <b>Dauntless</b> Wednesday, opening day of sea bass season, customers socked the fish, not as many as Capt. Butch would like, but some, he said. That was because the ocean was cold, 48 degrees, on the party boat trip, because of days of southerly wind. The anglers averaged five to eight bagged, he would say, but had to work. Not many sea bass were throwbacks that were hooked. Most were good-sized, and quite a few cod, probably 40, were hooked, and maybe 15, at most, were keepers. Some ling were cracked, and ling hadn’t been seen in that area in a while. Ling fishing’s been improving, but the trip fished shallow, in 60 to 80 feet, for sea bass. During the weekend, when the boat fished deeper for ling, a relatively good catch of the fish was made. As long as the trips focus on sea bass, they’ll fish shallower. But if sea bassing drops off, the trips will return deeper for ling. The crew attempted to kick off nighttime bluefishing aboard during the weekend, Memorial Day weekend. Too few anglers wanted to sail for the fish, and only one of three party boats, not the Dauntless, bluefished at night that attempted from the docks then. Butch will wait a couple of weeks, when school breaks begin, to try the night bluefishing again. The bluefish trips will probably sail Wednesdays through Saturdays, at first, until demand picks up. The Dauntless is bottom-fishing 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily.

<b>Toms River</b>

Fluke fishing was a mixed bag of success, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. Some were reeled from Manasquan River, and a token fluke was bagged at the BB and BI markers on Barnegat Bay. But fluke were around in the bay. A neighbor bagged two, including a 21-incher, from the bay. Mario from the shop’s buddy landed a 4-pound fluke while fishing the bay on foot at Island Beach State Park. Anglers wade and bucktail there for the flatfish, and there are holes that hold the fish. Saltwater was cold, and the Toms River was 64 degrees, sometimes as high as 74, fluctuating. Bluefish were around in different waters. Some anglers from the shop held a bluefish contest among themselves that an 11-pound 2-ouncer won. All different sizes were caught during the bluefishing, like 3, 7 and 11 pounds. In the surf, night was the time for striped bass fishing, and some large were checked-in. Mostly bluefish were pulled from the surf during daytime. Joe Gramma stopped by with a 25-pound striper from the surf at Island Beach. Phil LaGrossa brought in a 33-pound 9-ouncer from one trip and a 23-pounder from another in the surf. Chris LaGrossa weighed-in a 24-pound 5-ounce striper from the surf. Some of the surf casters competed in On the Water magazine’s tournament, and the anglers with large stripers often didn’t say much about the catches. Some didn’t want their photos taken! They probably plugged the bass, Dennis figured, and some might’ve eeled them, along the jetties. Some bought eels. Billy Hayes boated a 40.2-pound striper on the ocean off Ortley Beach. Ocean boating for stripers was good, a mile from the coast. The boaters didn’t bang up the catches, but caught a striper, waited an hour, caught another, and so on. When the bass were boated, they were big monsters. Most were trolled on bunker spoons in white or green. A few were hooked on bunker snagged and livelined for bait. Crabbing was slow, because of the cold water, but becoming better. Dennis kept a couple of crab pots in the water, and the bottom of the water was in the low 50 degrees. That’s cold for the time of year. Somewhat of a crab shed happened, and Dennis found a couple of shedders in the pots. Murphy’s also owns <b>Go Fish Bait & Tackle</b> on Fischer Boulevard in Toms River.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

Much fishing died in the south wind, said George from <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>. But bluefish 6 to 8 pounds were fought from the dock on Barnegat Bay. Crabbing was just beginning from the dock. Blues and fluke moved in and out of Manasquan Inlet. A couple of fluke were dragged from the surf. The shop sells a special Double-O Fluke Rig. George has been fishing freshwater, nailing good-sized largemouth bass, including four or five 6-pounders, mostly at Maple Lake Campgrounds in Jackson. Largemouths are required to be released through June 15, for spawning, and many of the fish spawned two weeks ago. Friends fished Manasquan Reservoir, and the impoundment’s fishing was great for smallmouth bass and largemouths. Smallmouths must also be released through that day, because of spawning. One buddy was hammering hybrid striped bass from the reservoir.  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>

Barnegat Bay’s fluking was fairly good nearby, said Kyle from <b>Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle</b>. The summer flounder were boated at Double Creek Channel and High Bar Harbor, mostly on spearing, killies and squid. Bluefish were wrestled on the bay here and there, but not like earlier this season. Some big striped bass were weighed from the ocean during the weekend, including a 46-pounder, a 39-pounder and a 37-pounder. They were trolled on bunker spoons toward Seaside Park or Seaside Heights, and one was trolled on the spoons off Lavallette. No weakfish caught were reported in a couple of weeks. Crabbing picked up. Killies and other fluke baits, all of them, like spearing and squid, are stocked. So are all the other frozen baits and, for freshwater, shiners.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Fluke, blues and striped bass, said Vince Sr. from <b>Bobbie’s Boat Rentals</b>. Fluke were boated on the ocean and in Barnegat Bay. The fluking seemed okay on the bay, not holding an overabundance of the fish. But some sizable were docked, including a 25-incher and some 20-inchers. Some anglers only landed throwbacks. But fluke were there.  Skates bit in the bay. Many big stripers were docked from the ocean during the weekend. The bass were trolled on bunker spoons or hooked on bunker snagged and livelined for bait. The blues came from the inlet, bay and ocean. Nobody clammed on the bay who was known about, and the season was early for crabbing locally. The water is cool, because of the inlet. 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 in season. Vince hoped to begin stocking live spots next week. Minnows, fresh bunker and fresh clams are carried.

<b>Barnegat</b>

From an edited email from Capt. Dave DeGennaro from the <b>Hi Flier</b>:

“Plan B … Barnegat Bay!” he wrote. “What a mess! This south wind is relentless. After a long holiday weekend camping in Va., I was anxious to get out (striped) bass fishing. I ran out on Tuesday, cruising the shoreline for bunker, and trolling bunker spoons, in the deeper water from Island Beach State Park to Mantoloking. Nothing. The water was 44 degrees. We need some wind from the east, north, northeast, anything without an "S," to repair the situation. It doesn't take long, either. Just a few days of easterly will get us back to where we need to be. Hopefully, the striper fishing will pick up where it left off, once the temp is right.

“The good news is that we can still go fishing. The bay is 64/65 degrees on the west side, and the east side fluctuates with the tide.

“Here's the plan: I ordered a flat of sandworms to try drifting for weakfish in the local haunts, where they could be. Are they here? I have no idea, but I know where to try. I also ordered a bushel of fresh clams to go anchor up in Double Creek and try my favorite tide for stripers. Also don't know if they’re in the bay, because like most, I’ve been way too distracted with the bluefish run (in the bay), early in the season, and more recently the big bass, along the coast. I'm going to anchor up in my favorite spot on the high-water slack, and sling clams, until we get something going. We could also drift and jig for fluke, because that season is now open. Some of the early-season fish are good size. I always have the popper rods ready to throw at the small blues that now replaced the gator blues in the bay.

“I’ll tell you what, that's not a bad Plan B. Thank God for Barnegat Bay!

“We’re going to try for weakfish, stripers, fluke and blues, and never break the inlet. Running open-boat or charter 1 to 7 p.m. Friday and 6 a.m. to 12 noon Saturday through Monday. Charters are also available 1 to 7 p.m. Saturday through Monday.”

<b>***Update, Sunday, 5/31:***</b> From an edited email from Dave on Saturday: “Excellent morning of fishing today (Saturday). Birds and blues breaking water. We threw poppers at 5- to 10-pound bluefish for 2 hours before changing things up. Switched our focus to stripers, and after striking out on the clams for an hour we switched over to the drift with worms and clobbered them. They were all 20- to 24-inch fish, but big enough to burn some drag on our 10-pound outfits. All in Oyster Creek. Running open-boat or charter (Sunday and Monday). They’ll still be there, and so will we. Boat is iced up, fueled up -- cooler is loaded with bait. Call to reserve a spot.”

<b>Surf City</b>

Surf fishing slowed, compared with before, because the water cooled, from south wind, said Sue from <b>Surf City Bait & Tackle</b>. The angling was excellent this spring, and a change in wind direction was just needed now. Wind is supposed to turn east Friday, and maybe that will help. Fewer reports rolled in, during the southerly, but blues and striped bass were still banked, just not as regularly. Most surf casters fished fresh bunker. Some dunked clams, including sometimes trying to avoid blues, and hook stripers instead. Many threw metal or top-water lures. But the bunker out-sold anything, by far. One customer fished for sea bass Wednesday, opening day of sea bass season, on a Barnegat Light party boat. The angler boxed some keepers. Fresh bunker, fresh clams and minnows are stocked. Bloodworms will be carried when kingfish begin to nip in the surf. Green crabs will be on hand for blackfishing starting in July, when one blackfish can be kept per angler, per day. Blackfishing is closed, currently. The crabs couldn’t be obtained when blackfishing was last opened, in April. Cold weather kept the crabs from being potted by suppliers. The customer who sea bassed boated a sizable blackfish that had to be released on the trip. The Simply Bassin tournament and the store’s surf-fishing tournament are under way until June 27, and anglers can sign up.

<b>Beach Haven</b>

It’s almost June! The <b>June Bug</b> will be sailed to Beach Haven, from the boat’s winter home in North Carolina, this weekend, Capt. Lindsay said. If he can interest more crew to sail aboard, the trip might even fish for bigeye tuna. Fishing for bigeyes lit up from the Point to 20 miles north, along the 100-fathom line. That’s not Cape Point, at Cape Hatteras. The Point with the bigeyes is at a small canyon southeast of Oregon Inlet. See photos of some of the fish in <a href=" http://www.oregon-inlet.com/journal/all_articles.cfm?ccat_id=1" target="_blank">Oregon Inlet Fishing Center’s fishing reports</a> online, he said. When the June Bug arrives at Beach Haven, fishing aboard will begin within about a week, after preparation. Fishing from Beach Haven was decent for striped bass on the ocean and for bluefish. Where were the bluefish, in the bay, inlet or ocean? Lindsay was asked. “Yes,” he said! They swarmed almost all local waters. One of the boat’s mates fought blues to 15 pounds on Great Bay on Sunday with his family, until they were tired out. Yellowfin tuna 50 pounds swam the offshore canyons in range from Beach Haven. The best tuna fishing aboard has usually been during the three weeks after June 15. Anglers will begin shark fishing more frequently within about a week. Just about all fish that anglers target were in, and that doesn’t always happen. This was a good time for angling. Sea bass season was opened starting Wednesday, and all that Lindsay heard about sea bass was that divers saw plenty, before the season opened. Lindsay hopes the blues stick around this summer. This spring’s run of big, abundant blues was better than in some time. In recent years, blues arrived in spring briefly, and mostly disappeared afterward. They were mostly absent in summer, and the fall run of blues never developed. He hopes the good run this spring means they’ll also give up fishing through fall, like they usually do. No fuel surcharge will be necessary on the June Bug this year. All anglers who book a trip aboard will receive a June Bug T-shirt and a June Bug pocket knife, the best one Lindsay’s ever had, he said.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

At <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>, “we did have an opening day (of summer flounder season),” Scott said. Some 7-pounders were weighed-in, since the opening. But wind hampered the fishing, so it wasn’t that good. Not only did the wind make the fishing difficult, but the wind direction, south, dropped the water temperature. That also affected the bite, and the water early in the week was 71 degrees. It dove to 51 by the weekend. Plenty of customers made “dry runs,” catching and releasing flounder, before the opening. The fishing was much better then. Big bluefish 8 to 12 pounds returned to Great Bay at the 139 marker Saturday afternoon, because of the colder water. Boaters were into them 4 hours. Previously, most of the blues had moved to the ocean. On the ocean, striped bass fishing was “hunting,” the best way to describe it, he said. But stripers were caught from Long Beach Island to Little Egg Inlet on the ocean. They were hooked off Brigantine last Thursday. Boaters had to search for stripers, but the prize was that the fish weighed 30 to 40 pounds. Minnows were currently in good supply, but the supply was tight during the weekend,  when the baitfish ran out several times. The drop in water temperature also affected the minnows, and the supply was better now, because the wind kept demand lower. Live grass shrimp became more difficult to stock. Small shrimp were more abundant now, because the shrimp underwent a shed. Extremely low tides also pooled the shrimp together with minnows. So catching the shrimp became less “clean,” more difficult. Fresh, shucked clams are on hand. Clam boats certainly couldn’t sail in the wind, but demand for clams was low, because of wind. Nobody sailed for sea bass who was known about, because of wind, though sea bass season was opened starting Wednesday. Sea bass anglers would use the clams for bait, of course.

<b>Absecon</b>

Wind was mostly the report, said Capt. Dave from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. Wind blew 20 m.p.h. or stronger every day since summer flounder season was opened starting Friday. But flounder fishing was relatively good on the back bay in the south wind. Quite a few large, topping 6 pounds, were caught. Some anglers only hooked throwbacks. But some “got on them,” he said. Flounder fishing, when the boat needs to be drifted right, and wind just don’t go together. Striped bass fishing was similar. Striper fishing began to break wide open on the ocean last week, among bunker schools. Then south wind affected that, because the direction chills the water. Not much of any fishing will be best in strong south wind. But with a change in wind direction, Dave thinks fishing will bust open. Bluefish catches seemed to back off in the wind, too. Tiderunner weakfish, big, breeder weaks that enter bays and back waters in spring to spawn, showed up. There weren’t a lot, but a typical number, and sharpies found them, or flounder anglers lucked into them. Plenty of minnows are stocked from Maryland. Minnows weren’t easy to obtain from New Jersey. No live spots seemed available from Maryland yet, so they were yet to be stocked. Plenty of shedder crabs are on hand for bait, and soft-shell crabs will be soon, for eating. The shop raises them, and they become available usually around full and new moons that trigger shedding. Keep up with availability on the <a href=" https://www.facebook.com/SoftshellCrabs" target="_blank">Absecon Bay Soft Shell Crabs</a> Facebook page. So crabs began to shed for the season, and that should help draw in weakfish that love them. 

<b>Brigantine</b>

The south wind was brutal, slowing surf fishing, said Capt. Andy from <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>. Fewer fished during the conditions, but one angler reported three throwback stripers from the beach Wednesday. Catch the store’s big sale on Saturday, June 9. That will include the annual visit from Team America Tackle, featuring buy one, get one free, on all of that tackle, from 7 to 11 a.m. But the event is being expanded this year to include many items on sale, and reps from Pure Fishing, Penn and Tsunami. Part of that will include buy two, get one free, Gulps, and an additional $5 rebate on Gulps. So anglers can really save. The event is the opportunity to gear up this season.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

Customers still caught striped bass and blues, said Noel from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. They mostly fish on foot around Absecon Inlet, lined with jetties, and the T-jetty and the jetty off the Flagship gave up many of the fish. Both are located along the inlet, and the T is on the ocean end of the inlet. The striper fishing was pretty good at night, on fresh clams, fresh bunker, Daiwa SP Minnows, Yo-Zuri poppers, black-and-purple Bombers and pink Zooms on lead jigheads, like ½- or ¾-ounce. The blues were smaller than before but still 20 or 24 inches. Plus, kingfish, good-sized, bit at both spots during daytime on bloodworms. Anglers whacked 10 or 12 apiece. Summer flounder, not especially large, not big enough to post many photos on the shop’s Facebook page, were picked up off Captain Starns and the sea wall at Gardners Basin. The full supply of baits, a large selection, is stocked. Bloodworms are two dozen for $20 on Mondays and Tuesdays and $10.75 per dozen the rest of the week. Minnows are only $8 a pint. Catch the special on bucktails at $1.79 for 1/8 ounce, $1.85 for ¼ ounce, $1.89 for 3/8 ounce, $2 for either ½ or 5/8 ounce, $2.20 for 1 ounce, $2.29 for 1 ½ ounce, $2.99 for 2 ounce and $3.49 for 3 ounce. The bucktails come in white, pink-and-white, yellow-and-white, chartreuse-and-white and red-and-white.

<b>Egg Harbor Township</b>

Bluefish 10 pounds, beaten in the back bay and surf, were mostly caught, said John from <b>24-7 Bait & Tackle</b>. Summer flounder fishing wasn’t so good in the bay, since flounder season was opened Friday. Because of the south wind? he was asked. He couldn’t know, he said, but it was unusual. A couple of shots of yellowfin tuna fishing turned on at Spencer and Baltimore canyons, before strong wind prevented trips. Customers planned to return to canyon fishing Friday, ordering lots of bait. <b>The company also own 24-7 Bait & Tackle in Marmora</b>. Plenty of minnows are stocked at both shops. Really fresh, frozen mackerel fillets are on hand, and “flew out the door.” Both are favorite flounder baits. Fresh bunker and fresh clams are carried. Rental boats are available at the Egg Harbor store, used for fishing and crabbing, including for the flounder and bluefishing on the bay. Crabbing began to trap a few, and Patcong Creek is one of the best crabbing spots. That’s where the boats are docked, and the Egg Harbor shop is located. Patcong is a tributary of Great Egg Harbor River and located at the mouth of the river. That’s where the river meets the bay.

<b>Margate</b>

Summer flounder fishing was launched on the party boat <b>Keeper</b>, on the back bay, and the fishing was good, alright, through early in the week, Capt. John said. Strong wind shut down the angling Tuesday and Wednesday, making the bay dirty. Only a day or two of better weather was needed, and the fishing will come right back on. The fishing aboard began Friday, opening day of flounder season. Some of the flounder boated were sizeable, and a 6.67-pounder was biggest. A few blues, not a lot, were hooked. The boat fished shallow, and anglers fishing deep and the inlet caught blues. But the Keeper targets flounder, the specialty aboard, during the entire flounder season. The flounder bit mackerel, minnows and Gulp, not favoring one over another, really. Mackerel usually works well in the early season, when water is cooler. A combo of mackerel and Gulp was a good choice. Mackerel and minnows are provided aboard, and anglers bring their own Gulp. The Keeper is fishing for summer flounder 8 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 to 5 p.m. daily. The trips are only $28, because the fishing is near port, and the pontoon boat is economical on fuel. Rental rods are free, too.

<b>Longport</b>

Big ling and lots of sea bass were shoveled aboard Wednesday, opening day of sea bass season, said Capt. Mike from the <b>Stray Cat</b>. The fishing, in 80 feet, was good on the open-boat trip. Seas were 3 to 4 feet, but fishing conditions were decent, until current screamed, shutting off catches, the last hour. But the trip was about ready to depart.  The water was 60 degrees on the fishing grounds, and the ocean really changed in past days, because of wind. It looked very green, like a quarry lake, and the water apparently turned over, holding sediment or sand. But the fish were definitely there, and a 3-1/2-pound sea bass, good-sized, was the pool-winner. More small sea bass were seen than before the season was opened, but maybe that was because anglers specifically targeted sea bass. Sea bass are a specialty aboard, and charters are fishing, and the next open-boat trips will sail for sea bass next week on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Telephone to jump aboard. 

<b>Ocean City</b>

How was summer flounder fishing? Bill from <b>Fin-Atics</b> was asked. “Windy,” he said. The back bay harbored a good population of flounder, but strong wind made drifting the boat to catch them difficult. No big flounder were weighed-in, and 6-pounders were the largest caught that he knew about. Good-sized bluefish remained, scattered almost everywhere. Some striped bass and a drum were beached in the surf during the weekend. Nothing was reported about sea bass, though sea bass season was opened starting Wednesday. One trip overnighted at the offshore canyons during the weekend, landing a swordfish and a bunch of yellowfin tuna 45 or 50 pounds. Nothing was heard about shark fishing, and seas were nasty on the inshore ocean, at the shark grounds, during the weekend. But seas flattened out, surprisingly, 35 miles from shore, according to the canyon trip. All baits are stocked, including minnows. The minnow supply is “stretched” from suppliers, and plenty were on hand today at the shop. Minnows ran out briefly both on Saturday and Sunday at the store. But many minnows were stocked and sold during the holiday weekend.

Some good sea bass action was pounded  aboard Wednesday, opening day of sea bass season, said Capt. Victor from the party boats <b>Miss Ocean City</b> and <b>Captain Robbins</b>. The fishing was a little slow, but some anglers bucketed double-digits. A few ling and one cod were bagged, and Tom Pitts from Williamstown won the pool. Sea bass trips are slated for 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. However, fishing is chartered aboard Sunday, so no open-boat trip will fish that day.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Wind was tough, so no trips fished Tuesday and Wednesday with <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b>, Capt. Joe Hughes said. But Mark Spiro and son fished aboard Monday on the back bay, landing summer flounder and blues. They even wanted to experience dogfish, so they caught the sharks, too. The flounder were fished for with a rig with a bucktail on bottom, with either Gulps or bluefish strips on the hook, and a minnow on a red hook on a leader, trailing above the bucktail. The bluefish were caught on soft-plastic lures on lead jigheads, and the sharks were clammed. Tuna had been boated at the offshore canyons, before the wind. The fishing could change, when boats return to the waters, but produced yellowfin tuna. Joe would like to sail for them, but the weather’s been rough. A buddy fished closer to shore, probably 30 miles off, on a trip that reeled in a mako shark and some blue sharks. Jersey Cape’s inshore shark trips, catching and releasing sharks like duskies and browns, usually within 10 miles from shore, will begin in June. Both spinning rods and fly rods are fished for them, and the trips are a chance to fight big fish, without the long trek offshore.  Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s blog</a>.

<b>Wildwood</b>

Though Delaware Bay’s drum fishing slowed during the weekend, it improved on Monday, said Capt. Jim from <b>Fins & Grins Sportfishing</b>. The catches weren’t as good as before, when the fishing was great, but they were becoming good again. Sea bass fishing on the ocean was a struggle in the wind Wednesday, opening day of sea bass season. Fins & Grins fishes for all catches available. Trips are available every day, and reservations aren’t required but suggested. Telephone for availability.

Weather was windy for this opening weekend of summer flounder season, but the fishing was good on the back bay, said Mike from <b>Canal Side Boat Rentals</b>. One or two people complained about the angling, but customers caught the fish. Some beautiful – 20- and 22-inchers – were seen. The angling seemed best on Friday, for unknown reasons, maybe because of boat traffic afterward. That was Memorial Day weekend. Still, the reasons were unknown, and if boaters didn’t know how to deal with the wind to drift the boat well, they wouldn’t catch well. Mike only allowed one of the rental boats to sail Friday, because of the wind. But the customers were experienced, so they were allowed. They decked six keeper flounder. That was the best catch of the flatfish on the rental boats during the weekend. But the boats kept returning with flounder, and Mike was surprised at the catches, because of the wind. The trip with the six keepers caught on mackerel, though minnows and mackerel were brought aboard. Some rental-boaters tackled 2- and 3-pound bluefish from the bay. The tough-fighting fish were fun, and good-eating sized. Some anglers looked for the big bluefish in the teens that were around this spring, and a few were tackled. But those aren’t the best size for eating. The season was early for crabbing, and one trip tried to crab on a rental boat, trapping none. But bottom couldn’t be held in the wind, so Mike couldn’t know how crabbing was. Canal Side rents boats for fishing and crabbing and kayaks. <b>***<i>Get a $5 discount</i>***</b> on a rental boat if you mention Fishing Reports Now. A full supply of bait is sold at the shop, and baits currently include minnows, mackerel, mullet, pre-cut squid, cut clams, salted clams and more. Crabs, both live and cooked, are sold for eating, in season, and picnic tables are set out to enjoy them. The crabs will begin to be sold when available from suppliers. None was available from New Jersey crabbers yet, and Mike didn’t prefer to carry them from out of state. The store has carried them from out of state when necessary. Customers already telephoned for the crabs.

<b>Cape May</b>

Sea bass fishing began Wednesday on the party boat <b>Porgy IV</b>, Capt. Paul said. That was opening day of sea bass season, and a few sea bass were bagged, and many spots fished held few of the fish, and some held none. Some customers might’ve bagged six or eight, and none limited out. Six or seven legal-sized cod were taken, and some throwback cod were released. Weather wasn’t the greatest, in wind that blew strongly. Trips, sailing at 8 a.m. daily, will fish rocks, wrecks and reefs “for bites,” he said, or for sea bass and whatever fish in season can be found, until summer flounder show up on the grounds the boat fishes, usually the ocean. Then the boat will fish for flounder.

The <b>Heavy Hitter</b> will fish for drum during the weekend on Delaware Bay, Capt. George said. The boat last fished last weekend, for drum on the bay. The angling slowed then, but was great previously aboard, covered in past reports here. Maybe the fishing will pick back up, and usually does.

Delaware Bay’s drum fishing slowed, and few boats sailed for the fish in past days, because of wind, said Joe from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. But a party boat captain said three were caught aboard last night, and the fish were spawned out. Maybe the spawn slowed the fishing a moment, and the catches will probably pick up again, usually do. The fishing can be good around the full moon coming up. Summer flounder fishing was good, not spectacular, in the back bay toward Cape May and at Wildwood. In the surf, racer blues 5 pounds tumbled in during past days. Not a lot of striped bass were hooked, but some good-sized were taken along the jetties, on Daiwa SP Minnows in black-and-purple. Some healthy-sized weakfish were nipped along jetties, structure and docks on bloodworms on floats, sometimes on bucktails. A few croakers began to show up, off the ends of jetties, and the Cape May ferry jetty. Minnows, bloodworms, fresh clams, both shucked and in the shell, and a few fresh bunker are stocked. More bunker will probably arrive at the shop, Joe figured.

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