<b>Staten Island</b>

<b>***Update, Thursday, 3/15:***</b> Shore anglers banked striped bass, good catches, from Arthur Kill to Bayonne Bridge, said Pat from <b>E-Z Catch Saltwater Traps & Tackle Co.</b> They also beached them at Fort Wadsworth, releasing the fish at all the locations, because New York’s striper season is closed until opening April 15. Clams and bunker were sold for the angling. Worms will be carried starting the first week of April. E-Z Catch is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays to Saturdays. The store is also a <b><i>premier manufacturer and supplier of saltwater traps</i></b> for wholesale and commercial, including custom building and servicing. See the online <a href="http://www.e-zcatch.com/catalog" target="_blank">catalog of traps</a>. E-Z Catch is also a train store.

<b>Keyport</b>

Little was heard about striped bass from Raritan Bay, said Capt. Joe from <b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b>. The season might’ve been slightly early, but waters and weather were relatively warm this year. “I think this is going to be good,” he said. Joe’s first trips of the year, charters and open-boat, will clam for stripers on the bay. He expects the outings to begin toward the end of the month. The fish usually swim close to port in the early season. The boat was in the yard, getting prepared for the season. The marina’s docks were yet to be installed, but might be this week.

<b>***Update, Thursday, 3/15:***</b> The boat will be moved to Keyport on Friday from Point Pleasant Beach, and the crew will search for striped bass on Raritan Bay on the trip, said Capt. Fred from <b>Andrea’s Toy Charters</b>. He’ll try to give a report on the results that will be posted here that evening or on Saturday if he does. He expects the fish to bite, and Andrea’s Toy will sail for the bass from Keyport through the month of April, clamming, jigging and trolling for the fish. Afterward the boat will be returned to Point to fish the migration of stripers along the ocean. Bottom-fishing for blackfish, ling and whatever snaps will also be available then on the ocean aboard. Update, Friday, 3/16: “Nothing,” Fred said when asked how fishing went on the trip to Keyport today. “It was rough,” he said.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

<b>***Update, Thursday, 3/15:***</b> A few charter boats will take a shot at striped bass Friday, said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. A few stripers caught were heard about from shore along Raritan Bay. The bass were also beached from the ocean surf. Hardly any boaters had vessels in the waters yet. Ling were decked on the ocean, and nothing was heard about cod. Cod might’ve been reeled from offshore. Julian’s hours have been extended to about 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays and 5 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends. The doors will be open longer soon. Worms, clams, bunker, mullet and all baits are stocked. “You name it, I got it,” Jimmy said.

<b>Highlands</b>

The year’s first trip, an open-boat one, will fish Friday for striped bass with <b>Fisher Price Charters</b>, Capt. Derek said. Call to climb aboard, and stripers were reported boated in the back of Raritan Bay, and were beached from the surf from both the bay and ocean here and there. Two buddies boated for the bay’s stripers and caught none, but that was on the full moon that can shut down the fishing. Warm weather forecasted for this week should help the fishing. At first, trips, both charters and open boat, will clam for stripers on the bay. The fish might be jigged aboard at times. When bunker migrate to the coast, the trips will begin livelining and chunking the menhaden for the bass from the bay to the ocean. When blackfish season opens in April, trips can sail for them and ling. Charters are being booked for April through June, and open-boat trips will sail. Anglers can call Derek to be kept informed about the open-boat schedule. After the open-boat trip Friday, Derek this weekend will man the Shimano and G. Loomis booths at the Saltwater Fishing Expo in Somerset. He’ll do that at least Saturday and probably Sunday, and stop and see him. Derek and crew in the past days were prepping the boat for the season.

Fishing will likely kick off on April 15 for the year with <b>Raritan Bay Charters</b>, Capt. Dave said. Trips at first will clam for striped bass on Raritan Bay, and will liveline bunker for stripers from the bay to the ocean when the migration of the baitfish arrives. Little was heard about striper fishing, and anglers sometimes seemed antsy about whether the fishing had started. But that happens every year around now, and few fished for them yet, so not much news rolled in. Waters were 5 degrees warmer this year, because of the warm winter. Blackfish trips will be available when the season for the tautog opens in April. Like every year, charters will fish aboard, and open-boat trips will run when no charter is booked. Reservations are being taken for charters. Dave visited Puerto Rico recently, but 6- to 9-foot seas kept fishing trips from sailing.

<b>Belmar</b>

<b>***Update, Thursday, 3/15:***</b> The <b>Katie H</b> will probably begin chartering in April, Capt. Mike said. Striped bass trips on the ocean will be some of the first aboard, and the crew will probably chase the bass soon, when moving the boat to Belmar for the season from the Shrewsbury River, where the vessel was kept in winter. Stripers never departed from along the ocean beaches this season, because of the warm winter. Blackfishing will also be available aboard on the ocean when the season for them opens in April. Looking ahead, shark trips will likely start in June on the ocean. That’s the traditional month for makos to migrate through. But Mike wouldn’t be surprised if sharking begins early, because of warm waters this year. Tuna trips will begin afterward, and bluefin tuna could swim along the coast in May. Yellowfin tuna fishing usually starts in July at the offshore canyons, but could begin earlier. One never knows. The Katie H is an offshore specialist, but hunts the full slate of inshore fish, too.

<b>***Update, Thursday, 3/15:***</b> Tons of striped bass schooled the coast, and daily trips for them will launch aboard in two Fridays on March 23, said Capt. Alan from the party boat <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b>.  The vessel was being painted and readied for the season, including for a Coast Guard inspection. Stripers never departed this winter, because of warm waters, and hardly anyone sailed for them. Waters were so warm that mackerel never migrated from the coast. Waters were 48 degrees 20 miles from the coast, and that was warm for the time of year. Boats currently bailed macks, big ones, better than all winter, and fishing for them was good this winter. The Miss Belmar Princess will sail for striped bass 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily starting Friday, March 23.

<b>***Update, Thursday, 3/15:***</b> Wasn’t a lot happening, typical of mid March, said Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b>. Hardly anyone surf fished for striped bass like before. One of the Belmar party boats sailed almost daily, catching ling and a few cod. Anglers now had options other than fishing along the local coast. They headed north to fish for stripers from shore at Raritan Bay, once striper season opened in bays and rivers on March 1. Some traveled south to shoot for stripers at Oyster Creek, the Forked River power plant outflow that attracts the fish. Or they looked for white perch at Forge Pond, now that the weather was improved, or fished in freshwater, for the same reason. Previously a few anglers fished the ocean surf for stripers a few miles north, like at Asbury Park and Long Branch. The bass kept biting through winter, “a special thing,” Bob said, to catch stripers in February. The bass might still be able to be banked, but nobody is talking about trying. But this will all change soon. Winter flounder season will open March 23, and the shop’s rental boats will be in the waters for fishing for them on Shark River. Blackfish season will open April 1, and freshwater trout season will open April 7. Just wasn’t a lot of feedback currently, an in-between moment. But that will change in a short time.

<b>Brielle</b>

Fishing was hot and cold in the past week, mostly because of weather and full-moon tides, Capt. Joe from the party boat <b>Jamaica II</b> said in an e-mail. Catches were good on a couple of days, and slower on a couple. Mostly ling were scooped aboard, but, on a trip Saturday, a decent showing of better-sized cod was copped. Anglers and their catches during the week included: Omar Richardson, Tabernacle, 57 ling and 2 cod; Morris Petty, Philly, 39 ling and 1 cod; Josh Cranston, Paterson, 44 ling; Ronald Simko, Trenton, 29 ling and 2 cod; and Ken Foster, Feasterville, 12 ling and 2 cod to 18 pounds. Trips for ling and cod will sail 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and Sunday, and a cod trip, with pollock and ling also targeted, will run 3 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. No reservations are needed.

A customer on Sunday reported that ling fishing was consistent, good on some days, very good on others, on the ocean, said John from <b>The Reel Seat</b>. A few cod were mixed in, and so were out-of-season blackfish that had to be released. Not much was heard about striped bass boated on the ocean. Few anglers launched boats yet this season, and John knew about a trip that was supposed to boat for the bass this weekend, but heard no results. Surf anglers picked away at stripers to the north, mostly at Long Branch, Asbury Park and Deal. John believed they mostly fished with plugs, because the stripers fed on herring. Anglers picked away at stripers on Raritan Bay, John believed both from boats and the surf, mostly on clams, sometimes on worms. Stripers were hooked in the Toms River area and at Oyster Creek, the warm-water outflow from the Forked River power plant, on worms and Fin-S Fish. The Reel Seat will begin spring hours this week, opening from Wednesdays to Sundays, previously opening on weekends. New tackle is arriving at the shop for the fishing season, like Yozuri Sashimi tuna lures like the Slider and the Bull popper. Bluefin tuna fishing is supposedly off the hook at North Carolina.  The store is a new dealer for Phenix rods. Space remains on four buses that the Save the Summer Flounder Fishery Fund is providing for anglers to travel for free to the rally in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, March 21. Recreational and commercial anglers will march on the city to support reform of the Magnuson Stevens Act. To sign up for the buses, visit the <a href="http://www.ssfff.org" target="_blank">SSFFF’s Web site</a>.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

<b>***Update, Thursday, 3/15:***</b> Ling, somewhat slower catches than before, were booted aboard the party boat <b>Dauntless</b>, Capt. Butch said. Still, catches remained alright, and anglers bagged about a dozen apiece. High hooks slapped two-dozen to 30 in the cooler. A few cod, even a few mackerel, and some herring were hooked. Out-of-season sea bass and blackfish were let go. Probably a couple of dozen mackerel, mostly small, were tugged aboard Wednesday’s trip. The fish seemed never to migrate far from where they were caught earlier this winter. They were the same small size as before on the bottom-fishing grounds. Water temps there were currently perfect for mackerel: 47 to 48 degrees on Wednesday’s trip. The ocean will probably get no colder this season, and will probably warm soon. Trips fished in 130 to 180 feet. The boat tried fishing a little deeper, but too many eels, and lots of dogfish, bit. Dogs were plentiful in shallower waters fished, but were worse in deeper. In other news, few striped bass were seen lately, unlike earlier this winter, when the bass schooled close to shore. No birds were seen working the waters, and no stripers were seen rolling along the surface, in the past week, though sometimes fish were marked that could’ve been stripers. But stripers will probably begin to be seen close to shore again soon. The Dauntless is fishing 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily.

<b>***Update, Thursday, 3/15:***</b> The boat was in the yard, and will be splashed back in the waters by next Thursday, said Capt. Matt from the <b>Norma K</b>. Then the party boat’s trips will probably bottom-fish for ling and cod. But the trips will run for striped bass as soon as fishing for them kicks in. Stripers never left the coast during this warm winter, so the ones that remained, and others that will arrive from the south, could give up a fishery any time. Trips at first this season will sail 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays and 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays and Fridays.

<b>Toms River</b>

Barnegat Bay turned out a few striped bass at the Route 37 Bridge at night for a few boaters who kept fishing there, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. Waters were warm, so action was starting already. A 34-incher was the biggest heard about, and bloodworms nabbed the catches. Bait began to be seen in the bay, including big spearing that were spawning. Small stripers to 20 inches were played on the Toms River on bloods fished on bottom with a river striper rig or a sea bass rig. A few out-of-season winter flounder were landed and released from the river from the Island Heights docks. The river’s white perch fishing was sporadic, producing on one day, not on another. Anglers tried for them with bits of bloodworms on a small perch rig with floats. Stripers were angled from Oyster Creek, the warm water outflow from the Forked River power plant. One customer landed 12 shorts on Fin-S Fish and Mister Twisters there. A few anglers soaked clams for the fish. Rumors talked about occasional keepers from the creek. A few anglers surf fished, and the last catch heard about from the suds was two weeks ago. One angler then beached a 28-inch striper and a 20-incher at Brick Beach on plugs. The surf was 44 or 45 degrees, the bottom range for stripers to bite. But the warm winter should help surf striper fishing to become more consistent by the end of the month. Bloodworms, fresh clams, shiners, killies, nightcrawlers and all the frozen baits are stocked. Murphy’s is open daily.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

<b>***Update, Thursday, 3/15:***</b> The Toms River around Island Heights doled out small striped bass and white perch on bloodworms, said Scott from <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>. Out-of-season winter flounder were released there. Small stripers and small drum were scooped from Oyster Creek, the warm-water outflow from the Forked River power plant. The bass were bloodwormed during daytime and plugged in evenings. Scattered stripers were hooked at other places in the area. Nothing was heard about the surf. Bait including bloodworms and fresh clams is stocked.

<b>Forked River</b>

<b>***Update, Thursday, 3/15:***</b> A little off everything bit in Oyster Creek, the Forked River power plant’s warm-water outflow, said Grizz from <b>Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle</b>.  Short stripers offered plenty of action there around dark. Pink Fin-S Fish were popular for catching them. For anglers who dunked bait in the creek, most bought bloodworms and clams. Out-of-season winter flounder grabbed bait in the creek when fished on bottom, and were released. Small black drum chomped in the creek. Grizz’s is open about 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

Winds and cold met anglers at Graveling Point on Saturday, but short striped bass and good-sized white perch bit, a report on <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>’s Web site said. Some anglers dropped hook sizes down considerably to land the fish that nibbled. The season’s first keeper striper was weighed in from the point on Thursday, covered in the last report. Several anglers during the weekend said they expected striper fishing to turn red hot at the point by the end of this week, because of warm weather forecasted for mid week. Not much happened at the point on Sunday morning, maybe because of a chilly start to the day, or maybe because “the fish just didn’t swing by the point (then),” the report said. <b>***Update, Thursday, 3/15:***</b> Wednesday was summer, and today was winter, Scott from the shop said in a phone call. Lots of catches of white perch and striped bass were heard about from Graveling Point on Wednesday, when weather was warm. But nobody mentioned fishing there today when weather turned cold. But perch and stripers, mostly throwbacks, bit at the point lately. The year’s second keeper striper from the point was heard about this week. An angler mentioned bagging the fish. Bloodworms were best bait at the point. Clams will start to work equally well when waters warm, probably by April. The metabolism of the stripers will speed up in warmer waters, making them grab clams. The year’s first bluefish usually arrive at the point by the third week of April. The annual $100 gift certificate will be awarded to the angler who checks in the first blue from the area.  Perch were also pummeled on the Mullica River at the Lower Bank Bridge, and anglers began to line up there. Live grass shrimp, a favorite perch bait, are stocked. So are bloodworms, fresh, shucked clams and small minnows.

<b>Absecon</b>

<b>***Update, Thursday, 3/15:***</b> The year’s fourth striped bass was weighed in this week at <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>, Curt said. The 15-pounder was bagged near Brigantine. Small stripers were landed and released in the rivers on bloodworms. Curt saw no visible signs of herring migrating in the rivers, like the baitfish flipping along the surface, the last time he was out. Curt, a white perch angler, had been away at Florida, but heard perch fishing was consistent then on the rivers. But the angling was tougher the last couple of times he targeted them afterward. “I know they’ve been moving up the rivers, though,” he said. Bloodworms, fresh clams and eels are stocked.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

<b>***Update, Thursday, 3/15:***</b> Striped bass were bloodwormed and clammed  from the back bay, said Jeremy from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. An occasional striper was angled from the ocean surf. But the bay gave up most catches. One Stop is now open daily for the season, and all baits, including bloodworms and fresh clams, are stocked.

<b>Ocean City</b>

Striped bass were pulled from the back bay at Beesley’s Point and from Corson’s Inlet, mostly from shore, said Bill from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. Few anglers splashed boats yet this season. The bass were caught on bloodworms, soft-plastic lures and hard lures. Small stripers, none larger than the 28-inch keeper size, but a few close to the size, were reported landed from the Great Egg Harbor River. Anglers waited for the migration of large, mature, breeder stripers to arrive in the river from the ocean for spawning. Nothing was heard about the migration of herring that the large stripers follow. But nobody fished for herring, because angling for them was shut down in the state this year. Bill was sure herring probably swam along waters like the back bay bulkheads at least by now. Nothing was heard from party boats since blackfish season was closed on the first of the month. The shop’s hours were increased this weekend to 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Mondays to Saturdays and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sundays. Bloodworms are stocked.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

A few striped bass were belted from the surf, mostly on clams, said Becky from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. Nothing was heard about striper fishing on the back bay so far this season. The local party boat was likely weathered out from winds on Saturday, but the vessel was bottom fishing on the ocean when possible, probably targeting ling and cod. Fresh clams are stocked at the store, and bloodworms will probably begin to be stocked this weekend. The shops is open a moment in mornings this week when the weather’s fair, and full-time hours will be launched this weekend for the season.

Fishing aboard usually kicks in during April, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b>, affiliated with <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. By then, his anglers are usually tackling striped bass from the back bay. By mid April, bluefish usually invade the bay, and trips then usually crack both fish, and the angling can become “absurd!” Joe said. He was sure stripers could currently be hooked in the bay, but he usually hears little about the angling this time of year, and was still running weekend getaways to the Florida Keys that he offers each winter. When trips aboard begin to hone in on stripers, they fish the back bay around Sea Isle City with soft-plastic lures like Bass Assassins and Gulp Shrimp, slowly bounced along the bottom. Joe looks for warm waters, usually on outgoing tides, in spring. When trips fly rod for the bass, they fish with small Clouser Minnows, imitating grass shrimp and small spearing the fish feed on. The Florida trips were going well, whaling a variety of species from redfish, speckled sea trout and snook to tarpon, and will last through early April. Anglers can arrive on a Friday, fish all day Saturday and part of Sunday, and get back to work Monday morning. The trips can be a mini, fish-filled vacation. For more info on the Florida trips, visit <a href=" http://www.captainjoehughes.com/page4.html" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s Web site</a>. To keep up with Joe’s fishing, visit <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s blog</a>.

<b>Cape May</b>

The boat and tackle were being readied for the season, said Capt. Dave from <b>Relentless Sport Fishing</b>. That was going as scheduled, and the vessel should be fishing by the beginning of April. Trips at first will fish for striped bass on Delaware Bay, clamming and jigging for them. Most anglers clam for them on the bay in spring, but the bass there can be jigged, when schools of them are found. Dave, who lives in Fortescue, heard little about keeper stripers caught locally so far this season. Lots of shorts were around. Big white perch swam the rivers. After striper fishing, Relentless will start drum fishing on the bay around May. Tuna and shark charters will kick off in May and June. Bluefin tuna often swim the offshore canyons in May. June is traditionally the month when sharks migrate to the coast. But maybe they’ll arrive early because of the warm winter.

Capt. George and crew from the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> were getting the boat ready to fish for the season, he said. A friend fished for striped bass on Delaware Bay during the weekend, getting no bites. Nothing was heard about others sailing, and the weather was somewhat breezy, but hardly any boaters were seen around Cape May yet. Charters on the Heavy Hitter will sail for stripers as soon as the angling turns on, clamming for the fish on the bay. Last year the fishing busted loose by the third weekend of March, but one never knows when the fishing will begin. Drum charters will fish the bay probably starting in May. Reserve preferred dates while they’re available.

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