<b>Staten Island</b>

Striped bass packed the island’s surf, said Pat from <b>E-Z Catch Saltwater Traps and Tackle Co.</b>. That included at the nearby Arthur Kill, and New York’s striper season opened Sunday. Worms and clams swiped them, and bunker began to. Bluefish started to trickle into the surf along the south shore, but none really swam locally.  Fresh clams, sandworms, nightcrawlers and frozen bunker and herring are stocked.  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>South Amboy</b>

<b>Reel World Charters</b> steamed for striped bass Tuesday and Wednesday, Capt. James said. On Tuesday the fishing was slow for the Burns party. They tried clamming at the back of the bay, Romer Shoal and Flynn’s Knoll, managing a few stripers. They headed south along the ocean, because birds were reported working the waters. But on arrival, the action had moved ½ mile beyond 3 miles from the coast, where striper fishing is prohibited. The anglers landed a total of 12 stripers, including five keepers, all on clams. On Wednesday the fishing dished up a slow, steady pick of stripers for the Andrew party. They clammed 30, including 10 keepers, at Romer and Flynn’s. Active and retired military, first responders and law enforcement get a $50 discount on charters. To receive the discount, call ahead and let Reel World know.

<b>Keyport</b>

Limits of striped bass were zonked on Raritan Bay aboard every trip with <b>Andrea’s Toy Charters</b>, Capt. Fred said. Stripers could also be clammed or trolled on the bay and clammed or jigged on the ocean. Andrea’s Toy will fish from Keyport probably another couple of weeks. Then the boat will be moved to Point Pleasant Beach to fish for stripers on the ocean.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Striped bass, good catches, were pasted from the river to the bay to the ocean, said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. In the river, the bass were hooked on worms as the fish fed on worms along the surface the other night. The bass were hit in the river at night on rubber shads or whatever lures anglers preferred. In the bay, for boaters, stripers were mostly winged on bunker. But they were also clammed, and were trolled, wherever anglers liked to troll, like Reach Channel. Anglers from shore on the bay beached plenty of stripers on clams. In the ocean, boaters clammed stripers at the clam beds and jigged the fish wherever the bass popped up. Surf fishing on the ocean was good for striped bass. The angling was excellent at Sandy Hook’s south beach Wednesday morning. Lots of sizeable stripers were nailed. Not many bluefish were heard about yet. But a friend found a few in the back of the bay and at Romer Shoal. “So they’re coming,” Jimmy said. Ocean bottom fishing for ling was fair and for blackfish was okay. Blackfishers had to fish shallow for warmer waters. Winter flounder migrated off the ocean beaches. All the baits including fresh bunker, fresh clams, sandworms and bloodworms are stocked.

“Working hard to get it done,” a report about Wednesday’s striped bass fishing aboard the party boat <b>Fishermen</b> said on the vessel’s Web site. The best drift of the day produced three keepers. Still, several anglers limited out “on some beautiful (stripers),” it said. Two areas were seen with unreal stripers, bait and birds working the waters, but that was ½ mile beyond 3 miles from the coast, where striper fishing is prohibited, and the Coast Guard patrolled to enforce. No report was posted for Tuesday, but Monday’s striper fishing aboard was a “homerun,” the report said. “Anchor Joe had the hot hand, landing four great fish,” it said. The fishing slowed as boat traffic became heavy, “(but) very good action while it lasted,” the report said. Check out a <a href=" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RerYHEZlxnE&feature=player_embedded" target="_blank">video of Monday’s trip</a>. The Fishermen is sailing for striped bass 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.

A couple of anglers had already limited out on striped bass, and the fishing was off to a good start, on this morning’s trip on the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>, Capt. Tom said at 9:45 on the outing in a phone call. The catches, with a small crowd aboard, were a pleasant surprise, and the angling was unpredictable trip to trip. On Wednesday afternoon, the trip sat a while at a spot, then the fishing developed. Everyone went home with fish, some of the anglers who limited passing off catches to those who hadn’t yet. That morning trip’s fishing was tough. So was Tuesday morning’s and afternoon’s. Monday afternoon trip’s fishing was good, a complete turnaround from the morning trip’s slow catches. Every day was different, and all the trips clammed the stripers. The Atlantic Star is fishing for striped bass on two trips daily 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 6 p.m.

<b>Highlands</b>

With <b>Fisher Price Charters</b> striped bass fishing was good, Capt. Derek said. Trips livelined and chunked the bass to 25 pounds on Raritan Bay this week. Stripers also schooled the ocean, but the bay’s fishing went well, so Fisher Price stuck with it. The season’s first few bluefish, up to 8 or 9 pounds, were reeled aboard.  Striper charters are available through May and June. The fish are here now. Stripers are getting ready to spawn, and the angling will explode afterward.

Boaters from <b>Twin Lights Marina</b> docked striped bass, Wayne said. Matt and Paul Hess today trolled the bass on Rapalas, probably on the ocean. Wayne knew that birds worked the ocean all over. Rich Scherer today limited out on stripers, probably on clams, because he bought a bushel, and he probably fished the bay off Belford, where he headed on his last trip. The charter boat Hyper Striper’s trips kept clamming good catches of stripers. Bluefish were around. One customer planned to bottom fish Friday, reserving clams for the angling. That was all that was heard about bottom fishing. Everybody was striper fishing. Bushels of clams and 2 and 4 gallons of clam bellies are stocked. So are all the frozen baits. The live bunker tanks will be put together this weekend. 

<b>Neptune</b>

The ocean’s striped bass fishing exploded Wednesday, said Capt. Ralph from <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b>. Big bass were bombed, and one space is available on Saturday and three spaces on Sunday on individual-reservation bottom-fishing trips aboard. The trips mix in striper fishing when the angling is on, and are fishing each Saturday and Sunday this month. The last trip, on Saturday, did a number on ling, covered in the last report. A few blackfish and winter flounder were shoveled in. 

<b>Belmar</b>

Trips aboard split fishing between blackfish and striped bass on the ocean, and catches were good, said Capt. Chris from the party boat <b>Big Mohawk</b>.  Ling and sizeable winter flounder were also decked. Tiger crabs hooked most blackfish, and green crabs are supplied for bait. Krocodile spoons and rubber shads clubbed the stripers. The Big Mohawk is fishing 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

Fishing beat striped bass on the ocean on the party boat <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b>, Capt. Alan said. Catches were mostly super, and a tough day was scored once in a while. Krocodiles worked especially well, and diamond jigs also nabbed them. Both are sold on the boat. Bluefish began to show up. Five or six blues were fought aboard Wednesday, and a couple of dozen were on Tuesday. The Miss Belmar Princess is fishing for striped bass 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. Trips will also sail for stripers 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays through Saturdays starting this Friday.

Boating the ocean for striped bass, including on head boats, was a slow pick Wednesday and this morning, said Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b>. But the fishing was sometimes feast or famine. Some days the fish were there, others, not. Though a couple of reports said this morning’s striper fishing was slow, it could break open later today. Stripers to 45 pounds were weighed in from the boats. One of the party boats, the Big Mohawk, was blackfishing and striper fishing on each trip, and the blackfishing was reportedly good. A few blues began to show among the stripers for boaters. Surf fishing for stripers was improving, and produced catches every day. The fish were clammed, and none was big, like on the boats, but keepers were banked. No blues were heard about from the surf. Winter flounder fishing was just about finished for the season. A few of the shop’s rental boats have been available in the river since flounder  season opened, and all the boats will be splashed for the opening of fluke season May 5. Quite a few fluke were caught and released in the waters already. In freshwater, lots of big trout were angled from Spring Lake.

<b>Brielle</b>

<b>***Update, Saturday, 4/21:***</b> Ling, lots of big ones, bit their heads off on a trip aboard Friday, Capt. Ryan from the party boat <b>Jamaica II</b> said in an e-mail. “Coolers were full!” he said. “Chimney” Pete Lacour, Spring Lakes, was high hook with 103. George Ohm’s group, Staten Island, iced 45 to 75 apiece.

On the <b>Big Kid</b> striped bass trips kept limiting out on the ocean, Capt. Ken said. Trips trolled them mostly on rubber shads, but some on bunker spoons. The bass hooked were all keepers, including a 35-pounder and a 32-pounder. The stripers could be jigged, if the bass were chased, but trolling limited out. One bluefish was hooked aboard at the Shrewsbury Rocks. The last Sunday of the month, April 29, is available for charter. The first two Saturdays of next month, May 5 and 12, are available. Some mid-week dates are open.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

Ling, steady, good catches, were piled aboard the party boat <b>Dauntless</b>, Capt. Butch said. Not a lot of other fish were bagged, but a few blackfish and sometimes cod were clocked. But anglers averaged 15 to 30 fish apiece, and catches were somewhat better on Wednesday’s trip, giving up 50 fish for some anglers. A 12- or 15-pound cod was boated on the outing. A few out-of-season sea bass were released, and the ones that bit were sizeable. Trips fished in 90 to 120 feet, and deeper waters held far too many dogfish and silver eels. Waters on the grounds were 48 to 52 degrees. They were slowly warming again. Waters earlier this season had begun to warm, reaching 54 degrees. Then the weather turned cold again, and waters dropped to 47. Now they were inching up again. No bluefish were seen, and the season was early for them. A few gillnetters ran into a few blues locally, and a few blues were reported caught from Raritan Bay. But a thousand miles of striped bass seemed to swim waters beyond 3 miles from land, where fishing for them is prohibited. Coast Guard Cutters sailed the waters to enforce the law. The Dauntless is fishing 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily.

Ocean boating for striped bass was the big story, said Gary from <b>Gates Bait & Tackle</b>. The fish were whaled, including on party boats, to the north. Krocodile spoons 7 to 9 ounces were key. Anglers needed a wide profile lure like that because the bass fed on bunker and herring. A few striped bass were beached from the surf on clams. The catches were spotty, but were there, and included keepers.  Manasquan Inlet anglers, fishing from the wall, tugged in winter flounder and blackfish, The flounder bit sandworms, and the blackfish grabbed green crabs. Gary saw four blowfish together in the inlet, and one was netted. Another angler landed a blowfish from the surf. So the puffers should be heading toward Barnegat Bay. Bluefish, 3- to 6-pounders, started to arrive in Manasquan Inlet, a few showing up on every slack tide. Eight or 10 were caught on Wednesday morning’s slack. Gary landed one that afternoon, another at dark that day, and another, a 6-pounder, this morning. Better numbers of blues reportedly swam Point Pleasant Canal, but that was unconfirmed. This morning one angler supposedly tackled 12 and another 7. Sporadic blues also swam Manasquan Inlet. The population of blues should build, but anglers could find a few currently on slack tides. The shop’s grounds also feature the Gates Motel, popular with anglers, within walking distance of the charter and party boat fleet, the inlet and the surf. <b>***THIS TACKLE SHOP IS FOR SALE! CALL: 732-899-5760.***</b>

<b>Toms River</b>

Boaters on the ocean bailed striped bass, lots, usually jigging them, said Jeff from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. Most seemed to sail north for the catches. The fish were there all winter and never left. A few bluefish were heard about from the ocean. Surf casters beached a few stripers, more and more every day, mostly on clams. Big blowfish were plucked from the surf toward the south end of the island. Lots of bunker schooled Barnegat Bay, but no fish chased them. A few stripers and blues swam Oyster Creek. Not much was heard about winter flounder. Crabs began to be trapped. Fresh clams, fresh bunker, bloodworms, sandworms, killies and more baits are stocked.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

Ortley Beach surf anglers ran into striped bass Wednesday night on chunked bunker, said Scott from <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>. Surf fishing for stripers was a little better every day, and the anglers caught on bunker and clam. No bunker really swam the surf, except an occasional, spotty pod. Bluefish were cracked from the Ortley surf the other day. Boating for stripers on the ocean was very good in 30 feet on trolled Stretch 30 lures. Nothing was heard about bluefish among them. Lots of blackfish snapped along the jetties, including Barnegat Inlet’s north jetty. Nothing was heard about winter flounder. Fresh clams and fresh bunker are stocked. Green crabs should arrive Friday.

<b>Forked River</b>

The ocean churned out striped bass for boaters, on Ava jigs or rubber shads, sometimes on the troll, said Jana from <b>Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle</b>. Some said a few of the bass, the first of the season, were smacked farther from shore on bunker that was snagged and livelined. In Barnegat Bay winter flounder fishing seemed to be getting spotty. But not many fished for them. No bluefish really entered the bay, but probably would within a week or two. A few blues, stripers and white perch could be found in Oyster Creek. The perch also swam Cedar Creek. Unconfirmed, second-hand reports said weakfish were caught at Barnegat Inlet. Fresh clams are stocked on weekends. Sandworms, killies and all the freshwater baits, including nightcrawlers, trout worms and meal worms, are carried. 

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Fishing will launch at the beginning of May on the party boat <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b>. The angling begins each year with bluefish trips on the ocean each weekend through Memorial Day. Then the bluefish trips begin to fish daily.

<b>Surf City</b>

Surf casting was somewhat skimpy, said Sue from <b>Surf City Bait & Tackle</b>. But a keeper striped bass 30 inches was heard about that was bunker-chunked from North Beach Wednesday night. Keepers and shorts were sometimes clammed at Ship Bottom. No stripers yet bit plugs or metal. Blowfish were reported to appear in the surf. Blackfish were green-crabbed at the jetties. A 12-pound blue was wrestled in from a Surf City bulkhead during the weekend. That was the only blue heard about. Fresh clams, fresh bunker, sandworms and green crabs are stocked.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

“It’s kind of weird,” said Scott from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. A handful of people caught striped bass, and lots looked for the fish. A few stripers were taken from Mullica River to Great Bay to the ocean. But the fish never seemed to light up in one place two days in a row. They busted loose at Wreck Inlet two Saturdays ago, then apparently never did again. Graveling Point shore anglers pulled in occasional stripers and blues, and high tides were best lately. Nothing was heard about drum recently. Gnats appeared Sunday, and the bluefish population usually builds then. Blues 3 pounds showed up off Big Creek. Blues 1 to 3 pounds should school the bays soon. Blackfishing was on from the ocean to the banks of the bay, including at the Fish Factory, the Coast Guard Station and Little Sheepshead Creek. That was because winds kept boaters from blackfishing previously. The 15-inch size limit was tough, and many of the tog were throwbacks. But a catch could be made. White perch fishing was good, and lagoons around Beach Haven West and Manahawkin were the talk. Perching produced on the Mullica. Fresh, shucked clams, bloodworms, grass shrimp, and green crabs are stocked.

<b>Absecon</b>

Bill Lake checked in a 35- or 36-inch striped bass, probably 15 or 16 pounds, that he clammed today on the back bay, said Capt. Dave from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. The bay’s striper fishing’s been like that: Anglers caught one or two in a trip. But a pick up in striper fishing was probably close, and the new moon should bring in more bait. The netter reported a good catch of bunker off Brigantine today, so bunker will be stocked for the weekend. Bluefish reappeared in Lakes Bay. Blackfish anglers were still “going to town,” Dave said, during the weekend. Lots of the fish seemed small at the Brigantine Bridge, but whether small ones moved in, or big ones got caught, was opinion. Still, lots of the tog bit. White perch seemed finished spawning, dropping a bit farther downstream. The Lower Bank Bridge was a place to clean up on them. But they still gathered upstream at the Mays Landing bulkhead and the train trestle on Great Egg Harbor River. In freshwater, trout fishing was hopping at the pond at Heritage Park, and sizeable ones swam the waters. In addition to the fresh bunker that will be stocked for the weekend, the shop is carrying fresh clams, bloodworms and minnows.

<b>Brigantine</b>

Surf fishing was slow, said Capt. Andy from <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>. Still, fish were weighed in from the beach every day. The surf’s striper fishing should be coming on soon. Many of the bass remained in the rivers, and will drop back to the ocean in a moment, after spawning. Today Joe Karinga and buddy checked in two stripers 19 and 15 pounds, and Skip T. brought in a 24-pounder. On Wednesday Matt Walker showed up with two stripers to 10 pounds and a 12-pound drum, and Rich Blair appeared with an 18-pound striper he clammed on the island’s north end. On Sunday Vince Zoppini hauled in a 12-pound striper and three drum to 20 pounds, and Fady Said put a 12-pound drum on the scale. Ninety-five percent of the surf’s fish were clammed. Fresh clams are stocked, and fresh bunker are carried when available, and aren’t available a lot. White leggers are on hand for blackfishing, and fishing for the tog had been good at the bridges. “But I don’t know if they cleaned them all out (at the Brigantine Bridge),” Andy said.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

Surf and back-bay fishing jammed striped bass and blues, said Noel from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. Lots of bunker schooled both places. Blackfish were jabbed at the jetties, including the T-jetty and off the Flagship, Melrose Avenue and Caspian Avenue. The stripers were fresh-clammed and -bunkered. The blues were bunkered, mulleted and mackereled. The blacks were green-crabbed and clammed. All the baits mentioned and more, the full supply, are stocked.  Catch deals on three bunker for $5, a dozen bloodworms for $10, a dozen green crabs for $4 or three dozen greenies for $10.

<b>Ocean City</b>

Shore anglers picked striped bass on the ocean and back bay, said Bill from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. They used clams and bunker in the ocean and lures and bloodworms in the bay. Stripers seemed to be spawning in Great Egg Harbor River. Occasional bluefish were around, here and there, from the ocean to the bay. Lots of blackfish were plowed along the bay bridges and piers. Not much was heard about blackfish from the ocean. White perch fishing was good, became better, on the Great Egg. Bait was abundant from the ocean to the bay. Lots of bunker swam. Someone today reported lots of bait, mostly bunker, at one of the ocean shoals or ridges, like Avalon Shoal or Sea Isle Ridge, Bill forgot which, and no fish were on the bait. Not much was heard about the herring migration, since herring became prohibited this year. Fresh clams, fresh bunker, bloodworms and frozen baits are stocked.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Weakfish turned up, said Mike from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. Photos of a bunch of 5-pounders were seen, and several 8- to 10-pounders were heard about. The trout were axed in the back bay and the inlets during daytime, but also at night under the lights. Mostly small plastic lures, especially Bass Assassins, waxed them, but so did a variety of plastics like paddle-tailed Gulps. Whites and pinks were popular. Bluefish, including sizeable ones to 6 pounds, ran the surf, swiping mullet for bait. Fishing for them was probably best there, but the blues also roamed the bay. They seemed to swim in small schools. Striper fishing slowed compared with previously, but they were clammed at the inlets and in the surf. A few were fought in the bay on plastics like Bass Assassins and Fin-S Fish and swimming plugs. Not a lot was heard about blackfishing, but a few anglers crunched the tog at the inlets on green crabs. None was large, but some were keepers. Catch-and-release summer flounder fishing was phenomenal on the back bay. The season for them opens May 5, and spring is a great time for the flatfishing. Fresh clams, bloodworms, green crabs, white crabs and frozen baits like mullet and herring are stocked. Minnows will probably be carried in the next week.

Back-bay fishing did the job on blues, summer flounder, striped bass and occasional weakfish aboard, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b>, affiliated with <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. The flounder, out-of-season, were released, but the population was there, boding well for the opening of the season for them May 5. Space remains for trips for them on opening weekend. All the species were landed on soft-plastic lures on jigs, bounced slowly along the bottom. Fly fishers could catch them on Clouser Minnows on sinking lines. Sometime in May, Joe’s trips begin popper-plug and –fly fishing for the blues and stripers, a specialty aboard, for exciting, visual attacks. The bluefishing was currently great on the right tides. The striper fishing was good on outgoing tides. The weakfish weighed up to 6 pounds and were released. Weaks were scarce in recent years, and anglers hoped the population was rebounding. Joe saw the trout to 8 pounds hooked. Fishing was happening now, and anglers shouldn’t wait to go. Take advantage of after-work special trips, fishing 4:30 p.m. to dark, a good time to catch. The bay was 62 degrees. Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s blog</a>.

<b>Cape May</b>

Lots of blackfish were pancaked Friday to Sunday on the party boat <b>Porgy IV</b>, Capt. Paul said. The angling slowed aboard Monday and Tuesday. Maybe the wrong places were fished.  Things like that happen on occasion. But on the trips Friday to Sunday, lots of the tog, some of them sizeable to 7 or 8 pounds, and lots of limits were creamed. A few sea bass were released, and sea bass season will open May 19. Anglers with blackfish limits included: Randy Barbolini, Wildwood Crest, a limit to 8 pounds, on Saturday; Shawn Pottichen, Philadelphia, on Sunday; and Matt Lamelza, Ocean City, and Carl Keehfus, Villas, on Monday. The Porgy IV will keep blackfishing 8 a.m. daily through April. The season for the tog closes May 1.

The <b>Heavy Hitter</b> will next fish on the weekend, probably for blackfish, unless striped bass show up in big numbers, Capt. George said. The last trips, on Saturday and Sunday, limited out on blackfish early, covered in the last report. Drum charters usually begin in May on the boat.

The surf around the Cape May ferry jetties was the place to be for striped bass catches, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. First light, dusk and the top of the tides produced, mostly on lures, especially Bombers. But stripers were hung at other spots from the surf around the same times. A 35-inch striper was clammed from the shore at 2nd Avenue. So was a 30-inch drum. Not much was heard about bluefish. Most of the week was windy for boating on Delaware Bay. But party boats, larger vessels, sailed for stripers on the bay. Boating for the bay’s drum and stripers should pick up after the weekend’s new moon. Good blackfishing was clobbered from along the Cold Spring Inlet jetties on green crabs, sometimes on clams. Fresh clams, bloodworms, green crabs and a few eels are stocked.

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