New Jersey Fishing Reports

Barbara Anne Fishing Charters was one of the sponsor boats for Friday’s Manhattan Cup striped bass tournament, Capt. Anthony said in the Captain’s Blog on Barbara Anne’s Web site. The crew from ESPN was aboard, and the fishing started slowly, but once the trip honed in on the birds working the waters, the angling was lock and load, two and three stripers jigged at a time. After 20 were jigged, the trip decided to set up to try bunker chunking for bigger bass. Five stripers averaging 8 to 12 pounds were chunked. Just as many blues were caught during the day. Not bad for a 4-hour trip, the blog said. Ron Sabota and friends hopped on deck for a twilight striper trip that evening, chunking on Raritan Bay. Five stripers to 23 pounds and a handful of blues were boated, and fish swirled all over the top. Barbara Anne’s been jigging, livelining bunker and chunking bunker for stripers from Raritan Bay to the ocean lately. Don’t have enough anglers for a full charter? Call Anthony anyway, because he can often schedule individual spaces. In addition to daytime trips, twilight trips are fishing. Fluke and sea bass fishing will begin with Barbara Anne in mid June.

Bayonne

Robbins Reef in New York Harbor was fished first on a striped bass trip Sunday with Capt. Akira from True World Tackle and True World Tackle Charters, he said. Boat traffic filled the waters, and nobody caught. So the trip moved to Romer Shoal, and the anglers aboard socked two stripers on clams and big bluefish, some longer than 30 inches, on bunker. Currents ran strong, making the powerful blues even harder to fight, lots of fun. So the anglers ended up happy, Akira said. Afterward, at the marina, Akira heard from an angler at the docks who stayed later at Robbins Reef. He told Akira bunker schooled through, and he caught lots of bass. Akira planned to return to the reef on a half-day trip today, especially because the close location was ideal for the short trip, and he expected good fishing. Anglers fishing from the bulkheads at Bayonne and surrounding cities raked up plenty of stripers. Sometimes, not always, bunker schooled past, and the anglers snagged them, using them for bait. Other trips last week with True World were weathered out because of winds.

Atlantic Highlands

The first few drifts on Sunday’s trip gave up good shots of striped bass, and thank goodness, because then boat traffic became unreal, said Capt. Ron from the party boat Fishermen in the report on the boat’s Web site. But on the first drifts several anglers limited out, including the angler who won the pool for the day with an 18-pounder. When the fishing died when all the boats appeared, the rest of the day was a matter of hunting and hoping the bass would get active when the tide changed. “No such luck,” Ron said. A charter fished for stripers on the boat Saturday. The angling began tough, but after the tide changed, and conditions became right, stripers began to be boated. They were all good-sized, up to 24 pounds, and a 30-plus-pounder shook off a jig on the surface and swam away. Blues were mixed in but were no problem. A light gang fished on Friday’s trip because of forecasts for rains, though rains never fell. Stripers were difficult to catch at first, swimming high in the water column. When the tide changed, catches became better, and those who found the right jig-retrieve scored. The bass were healthy sized to 16 pounds. When jig fishing declined, the anglers clammed for stripers, picking the fish. A few blues bit. Friday afternoon’s trip was the best of the boat’s afternoon trips so far this season. All big stripers, all jig fishing. A light crowd also showed up Thursday, because of forecasts, and the trip fished local, clamming for the bass for a change of pace. Several anglers limited out on quality stripers to 16 pounds. When the catches faded, the trip took a ride to go jigging. A couple of sizeable bass were managed, but the clamming was better. Not many blues appeared this day. The Fishermen is striped bass fishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and 3:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Fridays through Sundays. However, both the morning and afternoon trips are chartered Saturday. ***Update***: Today’s trip’s fishing started slowly, with lots of “stop-and-go” angling, Capt. Ron said in an e-mail. One or two stripers would be landed on a drift, and none would be hooked on many drifts. A shot of eight keepers were drilled “then back to nothing,” Ron said. Many of the fish swam high in the water column, so they couldn’t be read on the fish finder, but they were seen attacking bunker. The trip took ka ride to look for new life, “and we did find it!” he said. A couple of “drifts of the day” bailed out the trip, and stripers to 24 pounds were nailed. A few anglers limited out, and some of the boat’s “Monday regulars” surprisingly iced none. “Not going to mention any names, as they are still in shock,” Ron said. A 24-pounder was the pool fish and was released, captured in the video in the below link. The fishing was good when it was on, lasting only a short while, but enough to create “a respectable day with some hot action,” Ron said. Check out this <a href=" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1I-JykpH704" target="_blank">video of today’s fishing</a>.

On the party boat Atlantic Star striped bass fishing was slow Friday to Sunday, but some were caught, Capt. Tom said. More of the fish were keepers than shorts, but the angling wasn’t great. Sunday offered somewhat better fishing. The fishing was difficult on the boat Friday and even tougher on Saturday. On Saturday, because clamming for the fish was difficult, the boat was put on the search for jiggable stripers, running all over. A few of the fish were boxed. On Sunday morning’s trip, at first a few keepers and a couple of blues were reeled in from the ocean on clams. The boat was moved to the bay, and more stripers and a couple of blues came up. The afternoon’s trip fished at the bar off Sandy Hook, and a few keepers, shorts and blues were pumped in. The trip moved to Romer Shoal, and a couple of stripers and a blue were belted. The Atlantic Star is fishing for striped bass on two trips daily 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Highlands

Jersey Devil Charters kicked off the boat’s striper tournament season, competing in the American Striper Association contest at Bahrs Landing in the Highlands on Saturday and in the Manhattan Cup on Friday, Capt. Brian said. In the ASA tournament Jersey Devil came in fifth place with a two-fish total weight of 51.15 pounds. The trip started fishing on the ocean with livelined bunker in the deep off Elberon. Nothing bit, so the trip started trolling Tony Maja’s bunker spoons, and Maja now sponsors Jersey Devil. The spoons caught about 25 stripers, all of them 15 to 25 pounds, a great catch. Bioedge scent, Suffix fluorocarbon and Shimano tackle were fished, and they all sponsor Jersey Devil. In the Manhattan Cup, Jersey Devil didn’t place, but the trip fished with Sgt. Humberto Vidro from the Wounded Warrior Project, was one of four boats fishing with the veterans, and Vidro nailed the biggest striper and blue among the four. The trip first fought lots of blues on Raritan Bay then moved to the ocean near the Shrewsbury Rocks. Livelined bunker grabbed mostly stripers and a few blues there. Jersey Devil specializes in catching trophy stripers, and has frequently won or placed in the tournaments. Charters and open-boat trips are fishing, and call if interested in the open trips. The more who express interest, the easier to schedule.

Rich Brown’s charter battled monster bluefish during the weekend, said Capt. Bob from Sandy Hook Fishing Charters in an e-mail. Dayton Gray’s charter during the weekend filled the boat with the gators to 15 pounds in tough fishing conditions. Four anglers on a night trip during the weekend fought the slammers to 14 pounds, had a great evening, Bob said. Several anglers from New Jersey Saltwater Fishing on the weekend also wore out themselves on big blues. No location for the fishing on the trips was given, but sounds like possibly Raritan Bay. Stripers turned out difficult to come by, but the blues were obviously thick. Full-day and evening charters are being booked, and open-boat trips are fishing when no charter is slated. Now is the time to lock in dates for fluke season that opens in two Saturdays.

Anglers with Fisher Price Charters fished for striped bass on Raritan Bay through Thursday with live and chunked bunker, knocking down the fish to a 38-pounder, Capt. Derek said. On Friday through Sunday they striper fished on the ocean, putting up the bass to 28 pounds, good catches, jigging the fish when possible, livelining bunker to them or trolling them on spoons or plugs. The fishing was better in breezy weather, like on Saturday. The waters were flat as a lake Sunday evening, when Derek gave this report over the phone. Lots of blues schooled the bay, and fewer roamed the ocean. Dates remain for charters, and open-boat trips are fishing, though Derek was unsure about dates for this week’s open trips when he gave this report. Call to find out or to be kept informed about future open-boat dates.

Neptune

Good striped bass fishing was clocked Thursday and Friday with Last Lady Fishing Charters on the ocean, and the angling turned fair for Last Lady on Saturday and poor on Sunday, Capt. Ralph said. The fish were marked, but boat traffic made them skittish. By Saturday boats from Barnegat fished up north at local waters. Ralph’s trips during these weekdays were able to jig the fish, and during the weekend mostly trolled them. None of the bass was humongous, but they weighed up to 25 pounds in the four days. More and more bunker were seen, and trips will start to liveline the baitfish for stripers. More bluefish than in a while showed up Sunday. One opening is available for an individual-reservation trip Wednesday to the offshore wrecks for cod, pollock and ling. Space remains for one of the trips for sea bass and stripers Sunday, the day after sea bass season opens. Individual-rez trips will fluke fish every Wednesday starting June 23. Both of Ralph’s boats are available for 6- or 8-hour charters in the a.m. or p.m.

Belmar

Lots of striped bass were whaled on the Nan Sea J on the ocean until Sunday, Capt. Tom said. Then the fishing became a struggle, and boat traffic was horrible. But previously stripers to 34 pounds and a bunch of blues were beaten mostly on live bunker snagged and dropped back down for bait and on the troll. A couple of trips limited out on stripers. Bunker were more difficult to find on some days than on others. Trips will be able to fish for sea bass once the sea bass season opens Saturday. In June weekly, open-boat trips for sharks will begin. Reserve preferred dates now for the popular trips, a rare opportunity to hunt the beasts on an open basis. Charters will also shark fish starting then, and sharking is Tom’s favorite fishing.

Brielle

A charter on the Big Kid on Thursday with the John Highlands group limited out on striped bass to 38 pounds on trolled Tony Maja’s spoons and livelined bunker, Capt. Ken said. Friday was a lay day, and the Glen Richards charter on Saturday limited out on the bass by 11 a.m. on the ocean on Maja’s. Fishing for stripers became tough on Sunday on the ocean with Mike Gallo’s charter, though eight good-sized stripers to 36 pounds were bagged. Boat traffic filled the waters, and the charter fished a long day, leaving at 4:45 a.m. and returning at 4 p.m., running north and south. Some of the fish were caught early in the morning to the north on the troll, until the fishing dropped off. More were trolled later to the south on Maja’s and Bomber plugs. Another trip was supposed to sail for stripers today. Check out this <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdtA1WmTy8g
" target="_blank">video of striper fishing on the Big Kid</a>.

Great striped bass fishing continued on a trip on the ocean Friday afternoon on the boat, said Capt. Jerry from Fish Monger Charters in an e-mail. The trip opted to fish with live bunker, because the jig bite was reportedly located way north, and the anglers went 11 for 24 on the bass, each limiting out and releasing more, and every bunker got hit. The fish weighed up to 28 pounds, and most were 20 pounds. Some of the anglers were first-time liveliners, and did a great job, Jerry said. First the trip caught bait, and the bunker were scattered in small pods, but 30 pieces were made with hard work. The crew looked around for the right striper readings, and began to drift the boat. The bunker were swum, and the first bites didn’t take long. A couple of the fish ran off with the baits right away. The fishing was picky, and many of the bass dropped the baits, but a few were hooked every drift. The group picked away until limiting out, releasing more and catching some blues.

Boaters slammed striped bass to the north and south once again on the ocean, said Dave from The Reel Seat. To the north they caught from Deal to the Shrewsbury Rocks, and to the south they connected from Mantoloking to Ortley Beach. Many hooked the fish on trolled bunker spoons or Mann’s Stretch Lures, and sometimes the anglers used bunker. Some big bass seemed to appear in the past couple of days. John Peterson from the Jackyl trolled six stripers on bunker spoons, releasing a 54-incher. Michael Gorey from the Double Eagle weighed in a 33-pounder Sunday. A mess of 20- to 30-pounders were weighed in Saturday. Bluefish seemed to be around to the north but not to the south. Stripers, only stripers, blitzed the surf at Mantoloking and Ortley Beach late Saturday, and good catches were made in the surf in the past few days. Customers suddenly bought up lots of 9- and 10-foot surf rods and pencil poppers. But wooden swimmers also took the fish, and so did bunker, when bunker swam into the wash, and anglers snagged them for bait. Not much was heard about catches on clams. Big blues stormed Manasquan Inlet earlier last week. Stripers swam the Point Pleasant Canal, but little was heard about the fishing recently. Good catches of cod were boated on the ocean, and ling started to cooperate at the Mudhole and the deep wrecks. The Reel Seat is open every day for the season starting this week.

Point Pleasant

Anglers with Jersey Hooker Charters started fishing for striped bass on the ocean to the north on a trip, Capt. Rich said in an e-mail. He never mentioned the day, but the trip picked up two stripers there. When no more bit, the boat was moved to the ocean off Spring Lake, and 30 to 40 bunkers were snagged for bait. The trip continued steaming south, because trollers there boated bass and read good marks. When the vessel arrived, six bunkers were dropped in the waters, and a few stripers were landed, and a couple popped off. Then the anglers began trolling Tony Maja’s No. 4 spoons on custom-built bunker-spoon rods from Rich’s tackle shop, Jersey Hooker Outfitters in Brick. Three quality bass were wiped up in 10 minutes. The trip trolled a little longer, and the charter said they had too many fish and wanted to go home. They totaled eight stripers 26 to 42 inches, the biggest weighing 30 pounds, and three bluefish.

Barnegat

Fantastic fishing continued for big blues and striped bass on Barnegat Bay on popper lures on light tackle, said Capt. Steve from Reel Fantasea Charters in an e-mail. “There (are) so many bluefish in Barnegat Bay right now it gives me pause to even think about rinsing my hands over the side of the boat,” he said. An open-boat trip on Thursday with Cy Collins, Ray Tringali, Tom Wilson and son James scored solid action on blues and a few stripers on poppers and plastics. Catching the stripers took technique and skill, and Cy proved that, landing the most. But the blues crushed everything and anything. Ryan Coleman’s party enjoyed the same type of action, and Ryan proved again that “touch” was needed to land the stripers. The anglers were doubled and tripled up the whole trip, and multiple 8- to 10-pound blues sometimes attacked the same plug. Joe Franke walloped hot action on big blues on artificials at various locations through the bay until a thunderstorm chased in the trip early. John Donahue’s gang hoped for stripers and only found blues willing to chomp, but the anglers were quadrupled up at times on light tackle until the trip’s end.

Surf City

Surf anglers slugged striped bass and blues, plenty of the fish, and this spring’s been good for the angling, said Barbara at Surf City Bait & Tackle. The stripers swallowed bunker or clams, and the blues, good-sized ones, 6- to 10-pounders, chopped bunker. Popper lures also worked well, mostly for the stripers. Stripers were also yanked from the bay, mostly while boaters chunked clams toward the inlet, and blues, large ones like in the surf, ran the bay all over. The season’s been hopping for the bay’s catches, too. Fresh bunker and fresh clams are stocked. The shop is open every day except Mondays and will be open every day starting Memorial Day.

Tuckerton

On Great Bay anglers aboard wrestled blues to 10 pounds, as many as they wanted, just about limiting out, on light tackle Saturday with Legal Limit Charters, Capt. T.J. said. The fish swarmed all over the bay, no particular place. Trips on T.J.’s other boat, fishing from Cape May, started catching drum on Delaware Bay during the weekend, and see the report under that port. Open-boat trips are sailing on both vessels, and call for dates or check Legal Limit’s Web site.

Mystic Island

Ocean boaters barreled aboard striped bass to 30 pounds Friday, and trolling Stretch 25 Lures worked best, said Scott from Scott’s Bait & Tackle in the report on the shop’s Web site. “(Otherwise) I really cannot pass along anything specific,” he said. Keeper stripers were also boated at Grassy Channel in the middle of that day, and a 20-pounder and a 10-pounder were weighed in from there. Plenty of blues, 6-pounders the biggest, schooled Grassy then. On Saturday 11- to 20-pound stripers were lifted aboard from Grassy near Little Beach. The largest were four that totaled 100 pounds, weighing 24 to 31 pounds apiece, that were creamed on one boat. Drum were also heaved in from Grassy, and the high hook on Saturday night pounded four. On Sunday morning blues, bass and a drum were weighed in from Grassy. A 15-pound striper was checked in from Pebble Beach on Sunday. “Good to see bank anglers still being able to get in on the bass action,” Scott said. The Wading River Bridge was the place to be for white perch lately.

Brigantine

“All I can say is on fire!” said Capt. Andy from Riptide Bait & Tackle in the report on the shop’s Web site Saturday. He had no time to post a full report that day, but customers weighed in 20-pound striped bass from the surf all day. Two different anglers blistered a 26-pounder apiece the previous night. All the fish were clammed, but the bunker supplier was out trying to catch the menhaden to supply the shop. Thursday’s fishing was also on fire, Andy said, and bait had been scarce because winds kept the bait boats from sailing, but the shop went through five cases of frozen, salted clams that caught just the same. “Although we know that the bass love fresh Riptide Rotters, evidently they are so hungry that they will eat anything you put in front of their lips,” he said. But 50 bushels of fresh clams were arriving at the store later that day. A 20-pound striper was weighed in Sunday morning, and that was the last news posted about the fishing since then. A few fresh bunker were being stocked that day, until the netter went out for more.

Atlantic City

From the beach, anglers dragged in lots of striped bass, and eight large ones were weighed in during the last two days, said Noel from One Stop Bait & Tackle. Blues were snatched from the surf, and a 60-pound drum was checked in from the wash. A few kingfish were nabbed from the shore, and out-season-tog and summer flounder were plucked from the waters and released. Sand sharks were abundant in the suds, and no weakfish were seen. The stripers were claimed on fresh clam, fresh bunker or bunker snagged from the waters and dropped back in for bait. The blues were busted on mullet, mackerel or fresh bunker. Stripers weighed in included a 17-pound 36-incher, a 14-pound 32-incher, a 13-1/2-pound 33-incher, a 13-pound 35-1/2-incher, a 12-pound 35-incher, and a 10-pound 28-incher. All the baits mentioned and more are stocked.

Longport

Trips bottom-fished 22 miles from shore Saturday and Sunday on the Stray Cat, piling up lots of ling, sizeable fish, releasing super-sized sea bass, full of sand eels, Capt. Mike said. Sea bass season opens Saturday, so that seemed a good sign. No cod appeared, but a brown shark circled the boat. That’s the first report about a brown shark on this site this season. Waters were 55 to 56 degrees and gin clear. Daily, open-boat trips will continue to fish the area’s wrecks this week, and will go all-out for sea bass starting Saturday. That day and Sunday are full, but openings are available starting that Monday for sea bass. The season’s first tuna charters are on the books for July 6 and 17. The 12-hour trips fish for bluefins on the inshore ocean, usually along the 20-fathom line, until after July sometime. A new brochure is available for the boat, and call or e-mail Mike to be mailed one.

Ocean City

If the weather is fishable Capt. Craig from Fish Tale Charters will scout out sea bass fishing on the ocean Saturday, the opening day of sea bass season, he said. His first charters of the year are looking to sail for sea bass and for summer flounder, when the fluke season opens the following Saturday on Memorial Day weekend. That Saturday and Sunday are booked, but that Monday, Memorial Day, is available for a charter for flounder on the bay or sea bass on the ocean. The flounder fishing will take place on the bay in the early season, when the flatfish mostly swim there, before migrating to the ocean when waters warm. Some anglers already took flounder trips on the bay, catching and releasing the fish to see how the fishery fared. Not a ton of flounder seemed in the bay so far, but quality ones seemed around. One angler on the bay Thursday before winds kicked up landed eight flounder, including three that were keeper-sized, and two of those were 22 inches. Small, 10- or 11-inch blues swam far back in the bay. Craig knows anglers from two boats who looked for blues in the ocean Saturday, trolling from Atlantic City to Sea Isle Ridge without a touch. No blues seemed around in the ocean, and stripers swam the ocean farther north toward Manasquan. One boater was going to take the 30-mile run to Manasquan for stripers last week, met 6-foot seas, and turned around. Winds and seas often made boating impossible last week. But sea bass and flounder seasons are days away, and the fish should bite, and Craig looks forward to the angling. Book space now before the schedule fills when the seasons are under way.

Sea Isle City

Capt. Joe Hughes from Jersey Cape Guide Service and Gibson’s Tackle took a solo trip Thursday to scout the back bay for the weekend’s fishing, he said. Angling began slowly, but birds were found working the waters toward dusk along the sod banks. A bluefish crushed his top-water popper lure on the first cast, before he even closed the spinning-reel bail. That was his first fish of the season to hit a popper, and action was non-stop afterward, a bunch of blues and one striper swiping the popper on every cast. That was the first striper of the year to punch a popper, and on several occasions two blues were hooked at once on the multi-hooked lure. When Joe saw how fast the action was, he switched to fly-rodding with a popper, a Crease fly that he ties with custom modifications or a bigger cup to splash more waters. The blues, fish mostly 2 to 5 pounds, including a 7-pounder, some better-sized ones than were seen in the bay in a while, and two more stripers kept pouncing on the Crease fly until the day was completely dark. Blues usually stop biting a bit earlier, after the sun goes down. The season was early for blues to smack poppers. Blues do so before stripers, and stripers usually become willing to charge poppers from Memorial Day to Columbus Day. But popper fishing on the shallows of the bay, a specialty for Jersey Cape, was now on. Joe’s anglers fish for them while he poles his flats boat like in a tropical location. On Saturday Mike Spaeder and son Mike, 9, landed more than 30 blues 2 to 4 pounds, an outstanding catch, on popper lures and jigs on the bay. They spent a little time clamming for stripers on the bay, and none showed up, but a 15-pound sand shark grabbed a clam. Fish lately blitzed the bay best around sunset, perfect for special, after-work charters that are an option. Joe also looks forward to the opening of flounder season in two Saturdays. The fish already swam the bay, and the early season is best, before waters warm, chasing the fluke to the ocean. Space is open for charters that weekend, Memorial Day weekend, for flounder trips or for whatever’s biting. Drum fishing began to take off on Delaware Bay, and Joe’s charters also fish for them, including on Memorial Day weekend. Mix in a trip for drum at night that weekend. Keep up with Jersey Cape’s fishing and photos on <a href=" http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s blog</a>.

Wildwood

Drum fishing turned on in Delaware Bay off Slaughter Beach, on the Delaware side, just in time for the weekend, said Cathy from Sterling Harbor Bait & Tackle in an e-mail. Scott Wheeler from the Big Bone, Wildwood, reported a catch of four 40-pounders. Striped bass were boated from the bay near Bayshore Channel on fresh clam. Surf anglers clammed bass at North Wildwood and bass and drum at Cape May’s Poverty Beach. Mike Sorgentoni Jr., Cherry Hill, landed two 43- and 37-inch stripers from the surf at North Wildwood. Justin Fesler, Cape May Court House, released a 33-inch striper from the wash there. In the back bay stripers were also clammed, and snapper blues were hooked on mackerel. Plenty of summer flounder paved the back bay, and anticipation built for opening day of flounder season in two Saturdays. The year’s first crabs showed up, and catching them should improve each week, as waters warm. Stop by to weigh in your flattie for the shop’s second annual Opening Day Flounder Contest from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Registration is free, and the angler weighing in the heaviest of the fluke will win a $100 gift certificate. Second place will win a $50 certificate, and third will win a $25 certificate.

Cape May

Seven drum 20 to 40 pounds were boated on Delaware Bay with Dave Stackhouse’s charter Saturday evening on the Heavy Hitter, Capt. George said. The fish started biting well on Thursday and kept hitting Friday and Saturday. George was on another charter Sunday evening with John Stonick’s group when he gave this report over the phone, and the anglers so far had reeled up one drum, a 40-pounder, and drum were heard booming while George was talking. He said he’d try to give an update to be posted here later today on how the trip turned out. He knew anglers who caught the fish on a bite that afternoon. ***Update***: Sunday’s charter totaled three drum 20 to 40 pounds, George said. The fish had roe in them when cleaned, were spawning. Some in the fleet at the time boated five or six when a flurry of the fish came through. George heard the fish really booming again at one spot his trip fished. The best catches that day seemed to be made 1 to 3 p.m., because George sent a friend to the spot where the Heavy Hitter’s charter bagged seven Saturday, and the friend shoveled up steady drum catches there during those hours, and other boaters surrounding him seemed to catch. A last-minute opening for a drum charter is available Sunday on the Heavy Hitter, because a drum charter slated for that day decided he’d rather fish for sea bass on the opening day of sea bass season Saturday. Call to claim the weekend spot.

Delaware Bay’s drum fishing turned on well Friday for Legal Limit Charters, and a trip then racked up lots of good-sized ones to 75 pounds off the southern end of Delaware’s Slaughter Beach, Capt. T.J. said. A trip Saturday hauled in a bunch of quality ones to 50 pounds. So drum fishing was turned on, as far as the crew could tell, and the boomers would bite a couple of hours, turn off a while, bite another hour, and so on. T.J.’s other boat, sailing from Tuckerton, put anglers on a slew of bluefish Saturday on Great Bay, and see the report under that port. Open-boat trips are fishing on each vessel, and call for dates or check Legal Limit’s Web site.

The season’s maiden trips sailed during the weekend on the Ho-D-Doe, the vessel from Budd’s Tackle Charter Services, walloping drum on Delaware Bay on the Delaware side, Capt. Ben said. Joe Rando’s crew on Saturday landed 12, keeping four, releasing the rest. Timmy Donnelly’s gang from the Disabled American Veterans pancaked 14, keeping eight. Budd’s gives a discount to veterans. Anglers from Ben’s tackle shop, Budd’s Bait & Tackle in the Villas, banked striped bass and drum from the surf at Poverty Beach on clams. He knew about a couple of 68- and 69-pound drum hoisted in from Poverty. They also plugged stripers in the wash at Cape May Point on silver and black Bomber lures. Boaters picked up stripers on Delaware Bay at the stakes off Diaz Creek and Bug Light on fresh bunker. No bluefish seemed around anywhere, and the last blues Ben heard about came from the back bay about a week ago. Customers mentioned out-of-season flounder hooked and released on Delaware Bay. Fresh bunker, fresh clams and nearly all the baits are stocked, and eels should be carried soon.