<b>Staten Island</b>

New York’s winter flounder season opened Wednesday, and <b>Barbara Anne Fishing Charters</b> got right after them on a trip, Capt. Anthony said. Fishing was slow, a tough day, and waters needed to warm a few degrees. But things should improve. Barbara Anne runs a busy schedule of the flattie fishing, open-boat trips and charters, and they did fill up last year, and space was left on only several days this month. Book fast, including for May. See the <a href="http://www.bafishingcharters.com" target="_blank">Captain’s Log</a> on the boat’s Web site for available dates.  Combo flounder/blackfish trips might sail later this month. Striped bass fishing will be next, with trips for the big ones from May to July. Heads up: Barbara Anne will reimburse anglers for bridge tolls with a receipt.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Winter flounder were sometimes picked, but the fishing was yet to kick in, said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. So he couldn’t say where the fishing was best, but he was going to try for them today. Bay-shore anglers beached striped bass, and boaters fishing there also knocked down the fish.  Word was heard about stripers taken far up the Shrewsbury and Navesink rivers, like around Ocean Port and Red Bank, probably on plugs, because bunker started to appear. Bottom fishing was a little slow in the ocean, but a few ling could be caught. Worms, clams and all the baits, plenty, are stocked.

Twice-daily winter flounder trips sailed most days on the <b>Atlantic Star</b>, and the fishing was slow in cold waters, Capt. Tom said. Somewhat better catches started to happen on some trips, like on Tuesday afternoon, when patrons pummeled a few flatties. A few bit on the change of tide Wednesday morning, too. Trips mostly plied the Shrewsbury River but sometimes fished the bay. But the bay “isn’t ready,” Tom said, and most of the fish held in the river. Some shorts bit for the first time in the river Wednesday morning, maybe a sign that the migration was starting to move toward the bay. Still, Tom expects to work the river another week, but he’ll keep testing the bay at times. All in all the fishing was slow, but most of the trips were sailing, even when small groups showed up, so long as the weather was fair. The Atlantic Star is fishing for winter flounder on two trips daily from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Capt. Ron from the <b>Fishermen</b> is shooting for April 11, next week on Saturday, to start sailing for striped bass on daily trips, he said. But that’s tentative, and he’ll only begin if enough fish can be angled. If the weather doesn’t improve, the fishing might get delayed. The boat is in the yard, being painted and prepped.

<b>Highlands</b>

Capt. Derek from <b>Fisher Price Charters</b> sailed on a friend’s boat on the back of the bay, and they clubbed a slow catch of winter flounder and a couple of short striped bass, he said. Waters were probably 43 or 44 degrees. He heard that beach anglers on the bay did a number on stripers. Charters with Fisher Price will kick off during the week after Easter, when angling should crank up in warming waters. Flounder will be a first focus, but bottom-fishing trips will be an option, and striper fishing will be next.  Act fast to catch a discount on trips that fish from April 13 to 26.

Striped bass bonus tags arrived for charters on the <b>Tuna-Tic</b>, and the regs are the same as last year: three stripers 28 inches or larger can be bagged per person with a tag, Capt. Mike said in an e-mail. Otherwise the limit is two per person. Trips will get rolling as soon as the bite takes off, when the migration of big fish comes in. Won’t be long, he said. He gave no real update on the current fishing near the Highlands, but did talk about stripers already hooked in the Barnegat Bay area, where he’s currently in port, after fishing from there during tuna season through last fall, like always. See that news under Barnegat Light below.  But he said small, resident stripers were already moving out of the creeks and into open waters around Barnegat, a sign that the migration of breeders should soon move up the coast. Charter rates were rolled back to 2007 prices, because fuel prices dropped. “Let’s just hope it stays down,” he said. Striper charters for 6 or 8 hours are available from the Highlands, and so are a few open-boat spots, listed on the Open Boat Page on Tuna-Tic’s Web site.

<b>Belmar</b>

Blackfish started to chomp, the fishing started to improve, on the <b>Big Mohawk</b>, Capt. Chris said. The ocean needed to bump up a few degrees to make the tog feed more, but 6- and 7-pounders were tackled. The beginning was under way. A few ling were reeled up, but the boat is only blackfishing now. Trips sail 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

Few people fished during the week, said Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b>. Maybe they were waiting for better weather, because for example the shop was hopping Friday, a 60-degree day. But not many days were like that. So winter flounder fishing on the Shark River was starting off slowly. Catches were made daily, but “nothing to write home about,” he said. The 12-inch minimum size caused many of the fish to be shorts, but keepers were had. A handful of anglers started fishing the local surf for striped bass, but many more traveled north to the Raritan Bayshore. Stripers could likely be clammed in the surf around Belmar, and more would be heard about catches if more people tried. But even Bob was going to start the fishing in about a week. Today seemed to be the only day that one of the Belmar party boats sailed during the weekdays, and some of the boats were bottom fishing for ling and blackfish. Not a lot of blacks cooperated so far, and a mate from one of the vessels said water temps needed to rise a couple of degrees. Blackfishing season closes May 1, so get on them. None of the tog were yet to bite in the rivers, bays and canals. Fisherman’s Den is open daily, and all the flounder baits and chum and other baits are stocked, and the rental boats are available for fishing on Shark River.

<b>Point Pleasant</b>

Mostly ling and a few cod got bucketed on the <b>Dauntless</b>, Capt. Butch said. “It’s been okay,”  he said, and the anglers boxed 5 to 20 fish apiece. Somewhat fewer cod showed up than before, because the boat fished a little shallower. A few keeper blackfish turned up, the first keepers that Butch reported this season, though a handful of short blacks began biting previously. A 10-pounder, a big slippery, was walloped Saturday, and so was a 5- or 6-pounder. Waters were still cold, though, in the 120- to 140-foot depths the boat fished, 40 to 42 degrees, no warmer than before. “Need some sunshine,” Butch said. Dog sharks were a nuisance in deeper waters but were no problem where the boat anchored. The vessel will keep bottom fishing, but if the spring mackerel migration comes close enough to shore, fishing for the Bostons always gets mixed in on the trips. But with the cold waters, no macks will school on the run north for a while. Mackerel migrated too far off the coast for boats to target in the past several springs, but one never knows.  The Dauntless is bottom fishing 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily.

A couple of winter flounder trips got out with <b>Angela Rose Charters</b>, and a few fish were plucked from northern Barnegat Bay, but waters were cold, Capt. Anthony said. The bay was colder than last year’s 46 to 47 degrees on outgoing tides at this time. Now the waters were in the low to mid 40s. He heard about an occasional flounder taken from Manasquan River, but more of the fish gathered in the bay. Both charters and shared charters are on tap, and <a href=" http://www.angelarosecharters.com/winterfloundersrates.html
" target="_blank">rates were reduced this year</a>, because fuel prices dropped.

Boaters who tried hard, chummed heavily, picked a winter flounder or several per trip from northern Barnegat Bay near the Mantoloking Bridge or from Glimmer Glass, but waters were cold, said Chuck from <b>Gates Bait & Tackle</b>. The fishing always starts a little after the flatbacks chew in Shark River, and the Shark’s fish seemed to be only beginning to feed. The Manasquan River is always too cold in the early season, and nothing was doing there. Anglers on southern Barnegat Bay toward Toms River supposedly picked up more of the mud huggers. Bottom-fishing party boats on the inshore grounds pulled in a few ling and occasional cod. Clams, mussels, sandworms, bloodworms and chum are stocked, and the store is open definitely 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., and later if there’s demand. The hours will be extended as the season goes on.

On the <b>Norma K III</b>, running bottom-fishing trips on weekends, ling were picked, some days well, other days not, Capt. Matt said. Trips are sailing 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. The <b>Miss Norma K</b> is sailing twice daily for winter flounder, with another captain at the helm, and the fishing was okay, Matt thought. He thought 20 to 25 of the blackbacks were bagged and a few shorts were tossed back on a trip the other afternoon. All the flatties so far were hung from northern Barnegat Bay, none yet from the Manasquan River. The trips are running 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. daily. If mackerel show up close enough to the coast this spring, trips will try for them with the Norma K Fleet.

Striped bass fishing usually starts in mid May on the <b>Katie H</b>, Capt. Mike said. Then charters should be able to snag and liveline bunker from schools of the baitfish that large, migrating stripers chase along the ocean. Or sometimes they’ll troll for the fish. Winter flounder fishing might be done a little on the Manasquan River on the vessel before then. In June the boat will compete in the shark tournaments, including Mako Mania at Clarks Landing and the shark tourney at Hoffman’s Marina, where the boat will be docked in a couple of weeks. Mako fishing was excellent in recent years. After shark season, tuna trips will get under way, and Mike and crew specialize in tuna. He hopes for a better tuna season than last year, one of the slowest on record. Yellowfin tuna failed to move in much, highly unusual. Charters will sail, but space for individuals will also be available on make-up trips. Don’t have enough anglers for a full charter? Call Mike, and he should be able to schedule you on a make-up trip.

<b>Seaside</b>

“What a day!” said the report on <b>Grumpy’s Tackle</b>’s Web site yesterday. Striped bass slammed the surf, pounding clams, swimming plugs and poppers. April fools: That was April 1! “Reality is a bit different,” the report said. Nobody fished the surf, so no surf report was available. Everybody seemed to wait for somebody else to catch first. Waters reached the upper 40s, within range for striped bass to yank lines. <a href="http://www.grumpystackle.com/fishingreports/" target="_blank"> Click here</a> for updates.   

<b>Forked River</b>

Customers socked winter flounder in Barnegat Bay in 10 feet just beyond the warm waters off Oyster Creek, mostly on bloodworms, said Jana from <b>Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle</b>. They also beat the fish in the bay at the 40 marker and between the BB and BI.  Oyster Creek anglers sometimes drilled striped bass but not many flounder anymore. More flatbacks came from the mouth of the creek toward the bay. Bloodworms, clams, mussels and chum are stocked. So are green crabs for blackfishing. Nothing was heard about catches of the tog locally, but the fish probably got found elsewhere.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Lots of striped bass were reported whacked in the last couple of days around Barnegat Inlet, Tice’s Shoal, Clam Island and mid-island on clams and worms, said Nick from <b>Barnegat Light Bait & Tackle</b>. A few were keepers, and most were schoolies. Some started to get beached from the surf, too. One angler Nick heard from banked a few already on clams. Although the weather was chilly, promising signs were seen for winter flounder fishing. Healthy sized ones were claimed from Barnegat Bay between the BB and BI markers, Double Creek Channel and up Oyster Creek. Nick saw boaters anchored for the flatties near Harvey Cedars, heard about no results, but was sure they caught. Herring were beginning to appear at usual places like in the Great Egg Harbor River and, locally, at Jennings Road off Route 72. Even a few bunker popped up. A couple of schools were seen in Great Bay and also along the bridges to Long Beach Island at night. Sandworms, bloodworms, clams and green crabs are stocked. So are spots that the shop kept in the livewell through winter. The store is open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, and the hours will be extended later this season.

Striped bass already started to move out of Oyster Creek and into Barnegat Bay, said Capt. Mike from the <b>Tuna-Tic</b> in an e-mail. Some were 30 to 32 inches, larger than average for this time of year. Weakfish began to show up in the local area, too. Mike is gearing up to begin striped bass charters farther north, from the Highlands around Sandy Hook, like he does every year. See a report above under the Highlands for news on that fishing. But he always returns to the Barnegat area for shark fishing that kicks off in June. Tuna-Tic only hunts sharks a brief time during that month, when the makos go ballistic on the migration north. Afterward the boat runs a heavy schedule of tuna trips from Barnegat through fall.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

Waters at Graveling Point, the early season hot spot, started churning out the year’s first substantial striped bass catches Sunday and Monday, and anglers said the fishing stunk Tuesday in bright, sunny weather, said Maureen from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. But action kicked back in Wednesday morning, and two anglers from the session checked in a keeper apiece. Shorts and keepers seemed to be in the fray. Both bloodworms and clams seemed to work, and Maureen thought the tide was low and coming up. The shop is reminding anglers who fish Graveling Point to pick up their trash, take out what they take in. Customers were talking about stuff like cans and wrappers littering the grounds. One customer said he played a few shorts at one of the bridges on the Mullica River, maybe at Lower Bank or Green Bank. Nobody mentioned seeing herring in the local area, but a handful of herring supposedly migrated up the Great Egg Harbor River farther south. Bloodworms, fresh clams, live grass shrimp, green crabs, minnows and nightcrawlers are stocked.

<b>Absecon</b>

Most striped bass were reeled up from the rivers, mainly the Great Egg Harbor or the Mullica, but a few, not a lot, started to be clammed from the bays, said Curt from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. Not many were keepers. He wasn’t asked the best bait for the rivers, but the shop’s owner in the past weeks said bloodworms drew most hits then. Which river is best? Whichever you’re most familiar with, Curt said. Perch could be creeled at the rivers, too. Herring trickled up the Great Egg, and the shop’s owner was catching them, and live herring are stocked. A shot of larger numbers of the baitfish migrated up the river on a couple of days in the past two weeks, but on other days up to 10 or 20 could be netted on a trip. Tog fishing seemed slow, and none really bit in the back waters, like along the bridges. Some could probably be boated at the mid-shore wrecks. Surely sea bass could be clocked at the offshore wrecks. Besides herring, the shop is stocking bloodworms, fresh clams, green crabs and minnows, and eels should be carried soon. The doors are open every day.

<b>Brigantine</b>

One of the year’s first confirmed reports about a surf catch rolled in from <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>! Customers nailed and released two 27-inch shorts from the Brigantine wash, Capt. Andy said. One of the fish grabbed a bloodworm, and the other chewed a Gulp blood. He also heard about another short hooked from a jetty the other day. The surf was 47 degrees. A $100 gift-certificate is up for grabs for the first angler to check in a keeper striped bass from the shore on Brigantine’s beachfront. Fresh clams will be stocked Friday, and bloodworms and fresh herring are on hand. Frozen clams are also carried, and Riptide is open every day.

<b>Longport</b>

Tog are in! said Capt. Mike from the <b>Stray Cat</b>. The blackfish are snapping at the wrecks 10 miles from shore, and open-boat trips are available every day, and so are charters, and there’s no reason to wait. Blackfish season closes on May 1, too. He’s got bushels of crabs for bait, and is ready to go. Mike had been planning to sail for winter flounder on the bay, but after a few tries at the fish, waters were too cold, only a few were looted, and now it’s time for tog. They’re “thick as thieves,” he said. A few open-boat sea bass trips are on the books to fish the 30-mile wrecks, and space is available Easter Monday on April 13 and Saturday, April 18. Double- and triple-headers of the lumpheads were coming up, and sea bass charters are also on the menu. Call to reserve all trips, including open-boat.

<b>Ocean City</b>

Striped bass, a few small ones, no keepers, started to bite in the bay, including along the back side of Corson’s Inlet, at 51st Street and around Beesley’s Point, said Ed from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. Baits including clams, bloodworms or herring, if anglers could get herring, worked, but anglers could try tossing small lures like undersized soft plastics, Bombers, Mirr-O-Lures or Rat-L-Traps. Ed heard about no stripers dragged from the local surf, but heard rumors about some taken from other beaches. The surf was 47 degrees, so the action should begin. Stripers, a good number of small ones, were landed on the rivers. The herring migration was sporadic up the Great Egg Harbor River, and on one day the baitfish were found, and on another day they were gone. Actually, the big news was that tog, small ones, began to be nabbed along the bridges, starting Monday. Green crabs should arrive Friday for tog bait. Fresh, shucked clams, no clams in the shell, should also arrive then. Bloodworms are stocked, and so are salted, frozen clams and frozen herring, bunker and mackerel. Tog for some time were willing to inhale baits at the inshore wrecks and reefs. Offshore fishing for sea bass seemed productive, and fish like pollock were mixed in.

<b>Sea Isle City/b>

Bay anglers started to stick a few striped bass while using clams, said Wes from <b>Gibson’s Tackle</b>. He was “patiently optimistic,” he said, and heard about two 26-inch shorts and one 25-incher caught and released. He and Capt. Joe Hughes fished the bay with artificials, convincing no stripers to attack so far. Waters were probably too cold. Only an occasional skate, no stripers yet, got picked up in the surf, where waters were 46 degrees. Tog held around the bridges, and one customer even hooked a summer flounder while jigging from a bridge in the middle of the night. That is by far the first report of the year about a fluke, out-of-season until late May. Gibson’s is open every day, and all baits are stocked, including fresh clams, bloodworms, green crabs and eels. 

A few striped bass sucked up clams for anglers on the bay, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b>, affiliated with <b>Gibson’s Tackle</b>. He angles for them with Clouser flies and soft-plastic lures in the early season, just his preference, but also to cover waters while casting. When the fish will respond to bait, he can usually hook them with artificials, and vice versa. But he was yet to land his first of the season, surprised to find no takers yet. Apparently the weather was too cold. He often scores the first by March 15, but this spring was like a traditional one, with cooler days and rougher weather than the warmer, calmer springs in recent years. Joe took a run south to Delaware Bay to look around, didn’t fish much, but confirmed that striper anglers there were hooking up. He’ll offer Delaware Bay charters for stripers and drumfish this spring on a 26-foot Regulator that’s been added to his fleet. In the bay at Sea Isle he fishes on a shallow-draft flats boat.  Check out <a href=" http://www.gibsonstackle.com/page5.html" target="_blank">YouTube videos of Jersey Cape</a> that Joe posted. Many of videos are from New Jersey, but some are from traveling trips where Joe also offers charters, like at Montauk and Florida.

<b>Cape May</b>

Striped bass got clammed on Delaware Bay, said Capt. Ray from <b>Jaftica Sportfishing</b>. He’ll start fishing for them around the last week of the month, but apparently the catches were decent. He was unsure of the exact location, but meant the southern bay, within reach of Cape May. When Jaftica’s season begins, drumfish are likely to be mixed in with stripers. Small drum sometimes arrive by late April, and angling for the boomers usually really comes on during May until mid June.

Private boaters, a few getting a jump on the season, decked striped bass, lots of small ones but a few keepers, on Delaware Bay, said Capt. George from the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>. They fished clams in 20 feet. He hopes to splash the boat next week, and the contract at the marina begins on the 15th, but they usually let charter boats in the waters a little early. Most marinas in Cape May open the slips for charters around that time, and no charters at George’s marina were in the drink so far. The tackle shops at the port seemed mostly closed, but Jim’s Bait & Tackle seemed open. Anglers on the Heavy Hitter will chase stripers on the bay at first, and drumfish trips on the bay should get going toward early May. Flurries of drum can turn on in late April, but more reliable catches usually pick up somewhat later. If the boat goes in the waters next week, George usually shakes down the vessel, makes sure everything’s ship-shape, about a week before charters launch.

Back to Top