This report was posted on a Tuesday instead of the usual
Monday because of Memorial Day.

<b>Staten Island</b>

A combo striped bass/sea bass trip sailed Wednesday from Perth Amboy with <b>Outcast Charters</b>, Capt. Joe said. Outcast offers trips that pick up anglers from Perth Amboy, New Jersey, along with trips from Staten Island. The trip fished for stripers on Raritan Bay in the morning, copping a slow pick of stripers, but good-sized ones to 20 or 25 pounds, on livelined bunker. Lots of big blues were mixed in. At 11 a.m. the trip ran for sea bass, crushing fast action on good-sized ones, a super catch. A striped bass trip fished Saturday on the bay with livelined bunker. A slow pick on stripers, smaller ones this time to 13 and 15 pounds. Even the blues were smaller that were mixed in again. Outcast pays bridge tolls with a receipt. Call for info about the Jersey trips.

<b>South Amboy</b>

Striped bass to 35 pounds, “a nice pick,” Capt. James from <b>Reel World Charters</b> said, were clubbed from the ocean Saturday with the Zimmerman party, catching on jigs, clams and bunker chunks. The Serrano party sailed for fluke on Raritan Bay on Sunday, each angler icing three or four keepers, fish to 4 ½ pounds. The Collins party on Monday bagged fluke to 6 ½ pounds on the bay. “Another decent day,” James said. The fluke trips fished with killies with squid. 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>

<b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b> did a job on big bluefish that filled Raritan Bay, Capt. Joe said. Kevin Morley’s trip Friday, with Kevin Kennedy, Ricardo, Tom, Paul and Jim, bailed 38 blues to 10 pounds, fishing 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Dale Stone’s trip Saturday, with Rick, Dan, Wilson, Tabby and Amanda, lambasted 48 blues to 15 pounds, fishing 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. It gets better: Howie Frankel’s trip Sunday, with Terrence, Brendan, Chris and Charlie, pancaked 75 blues to 15 pounds, fishing 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. The anglers on the trips, keeping some of the fish, releasing the rest, fished with bunker and clams. The slammers kept wearing them out, and some went home early, had enough. Papa’s Angels is fishing for striped bass, blues and summer flounder. Space is available on an open-boat trip Wednesday in the morning or afternoon. Open trips are available 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. daily when no charter is booked. Call to reserve.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

In weather last week, the party boat <b>Fishermen</b> was “pretty much tied to the dock,” Capt. Ron said in a report on the vessel’s Web site. But a trip got out Thursday, the last time a report was posted, at press time. A handful of anglers jumped aboard, braving nasty weather and fog “to finally catch some big (striped bass)!” Ron said. A good bite on stripers to 24 pounds was beaten in the morning. The angler with the 24-pounder limited out, and several other anglers “also boxed up two beauties,” Ron said. No bluefish attacked, “as we really didn’t look for them,” Ron said. Check out a <a href=" http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=0iHRSBq4BJA" target="_blank">video of the trip</a>. The Fishermen is sailing for striped bass 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and 3:30 to 9 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

After the best fluke fishing aboard in some time on Saturday morning’s trip, and tough fluking on the afternoon’s trip, both covered in the last report, fluking was slow on both of Sunday’s trips, Capt. Tom from the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b> said. The fishing lately was inconsistent. Some of the outings found better fluking, and others found fluking that was tough. A trip might return to the same area where catches were better on a previous trip, and this time the angling might be slow. Though Saturday morning’s catches were better than in some time, the angling could be better, definitely. One angler limited out, and some bagged two or three, on the trip. “No great shakes,” Tom said. On Sunday morning’s trip, despite the slow fishing, Patrice Lessor, Gillette, nailed a 7-pound 2-ounce fluke. Some sizeable fluke were around. On Friday afternoon’s trip, covered in the last report, a 10-pound 9-ounce fluke, the biggest aboard this season, was whaled. That was after a 7-pounder was tackled on the same trip, and was for a moment the biggest aboard this season. On some trips Spros worked better than bait. But an angler on a recent trip fished a bucktail, caught nothing, switched to a rig, and caught two keepers. Gulps or killies seemed an advantage. The 10-pounder was bagged on a Gulp with spearing. Sometimes anglers fished a Gulp with spearing or a killie. The Atlantic Star is fishing for fluke twice daily 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 6 p.m. Check out the <a href=" http://www.atlanticstarfishing.com" target="_blank">Atlantic Star’s re-vamped Web site</a>, including new photos. Sign up for the new e-mail list on the site. <b>***Update, Tuesday, 5/29:***</b> Fluke fishing aboard both of Monday’s trips was “a little better,” Tom said. “Not much.” But fluke, shorts and keepers, were hung every place the boat fished. Plus, another 7-pounder was mugged. Tom Kearney from Summit sacked the fish on the afternoon’s trip. A few more keepers might’ve been caught on the afternoon’s trip than on the morning’s.

<b>Highlands</b>

Three trips bottom fished at Sandy Hook Reef from Saturday to Monday with <b>Raritan Bay Charters</b>, Capt. Dave said. Each shoveled up ling, sea bass, fluke, out-of-season blackfish that were released, a couple of out-of-season porgies that were let go, and even a few small pollock, surprising that close to shore. The catch was similar on each charter. Trips are also targeting striped bass and fluke. Open-boat trips are available when no charter is booked.

<b>Neptune</b>

A mako shark larger than 200 pounds was drilled Monday on the season’s first shark trip with <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b>, Capt. Ralph said. “Anyone wants makos,” he said, “you’ve got to do it <i>now</i>,” he said. “The time is now.” A few dates are available for shark charters. A striped bass trip limited out on the fish Friday morning. Another that afternoon rocked a very good catch of the bass to more than 35 pounds. A bunch of spaces are available on an individual-reservation trip for stripers Wednesday. Bottom-fishing slugged sea bass and ling, super catches, on two trips Saturday and Sunday. An individual-reservation trip for sea bass is full Sunday. Space is available for an individual-rez trip for cod offshore at 2 a.m. Monday, June 18. Individual-reservation trips for fluke and sea bass will sail every Wednesday starting June 13. Reserve a spot now.

<b>Belmar</b>

Anglers on the ocean Sunday on the <b>Katie H</b> first fished for striped bass, and lots of the fish were marked, but none bit, Capt. Mike said. The group switched to sea bass fishing, scooping up a good catch. Mike was pleased with the sea bass. Lately, sometimes stripers bit, and other times did not. Miles of bait schooled, a problem sometimes. Difficult to get a bass to mouth a hooked bait among all the other bait. But the fishing took off at times. Right place, right time. The Katie H’s season’s first shark fishing at the moment is slated to compete in Mako Mania on June 23 and 24.  An angler at the docks this weekend returned with a good-sized mako, and the trip landed a couple of others. Sharking looked promising. After shark fishing, tuna trips will begin on the Katie H.

Fishing for striped bass was somewhat tough, a pick, on the ocean Sunday with <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b>, Capt. Pete said. But the bass caught were large, and included a 40-pounder, on livelined bunker. Sea bass fishing was very good, and fluke fishing began to pick up, on the ocean this weekend. Some trips barreled up good catches of fluke. Striper fishing remained good, and should. Parker Pete’s fishes for all species available. Charters and open-boat trips are running. For availability on the open trips, see <a href="http://parkerpetefishing.com/belmar-fishing-trips/open-boat-trips" target="_blank">Parker Pete’s open-boat page</a> online, and sign up for the e-mailed newsletter on the site. Dates are announced in both places.

Two striped bass, and probably 25 blues, were fought aboard from the ocean Sunday with <b>Fin-Ominal Sportfishing</b>, Capt. Jared said. Striper fishing was tough that afternoon, and Fin-Ominal seemed to catch as well as anyone, Jared thought, and he knew about a couple of trips that bagged one. But a trip Saturday with Fin-Ominal loaded up on stripers and blues. Fin-Ominal ran lots of striper trips on the ocean through the past week, jigging most of the fish, sometimes trolling them. The trips sometimes mixed in bottom fishing. Sometimes fluke were dredged up during the bottom fishing. Eight or ten fluke were bagged in the past five or six trips. A couple were large or 22 to 24 inches. Fluke held in deeper waters, like 70 feet, typical in the early season’s cool ocean. Most fluke for Fin-Ominal bit around the Shrewsbury Rocks or the Mud Buoy. Fin-Ominal will begin shark fishing soon, and space is available, including for the shark tournaments. Fin-Ominal won major shark tournaments in recent years, including last year’s Brett T. Bailey Mako Rodeo. An angler from the docks this weekend caught a mako larger than 200 pounds. The season was early, and waters were cool or 63 degrees, where the shark was socked. Fin-Ominal usually begins catching sharks when waters reach 67 degrees. Fin-Ominal’s new, larger, 50-foot boat was working out well. Larger groups than before were taking advantage. While the previous boat was licensed for six passengers, the new boat is inspected for 23. Up to that many can join cruises, and up to 12 to 15 can fish comfortably. Nine anglers jumped aboard Sunday’s trip, and 12 joined a trip Thursday. Ten were slated to fish aboard today. Jared was finding that customers who fished with him with six anglers in the past were now inviting more anglers on charters. But small groups are still welcome to charter the boat. The cruises available include ones to see weekly fireworks off Point Pleasant Beach and Long Branch, bachelor parties or simply sight-seeing outings. Even the anglers were enjoying the spacious salon, lounging on couches in air conditioning.

Fluke fishing was picking up in both Shark River and the ocean, and good catches were sometimes made during the weekend, Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> said in an e-mail. Dave Seigel and daughter totaled nine keepers on the river. One of the Belmar party boats reported a good catch of fluke and a great catch of sea bass on a trip on the ocean. Boaters on the ocean had the best striped bass fishing, compared with surf anglers. Many boaters bombed stripers larger than 45 pounds, and a 51-pounder was the largest known about. Livelined bunker worked best.

<b>Brielle</b>

Striped bass fishing was “eh,” said Eric from <b>The Reel Seat</b>. The fishing was slow on the ocean during the daytime Saturday, but a couple of reports were heard about catches to the north on the ocean that evening. Boaters mostly snagged bunker and livelined them for bait or trolled white bunker spoons. Tons of blues swam the waters. Sea bass fishing was excellent, including at Axel Carlson Reef, Sea Girt Reef and the Mudhole wrecks. Many were hooked on jigs like tailless Ava’s. Ling fishing was good, “holding steady,” Eric said. He took a trip that filled a cooler with ling. Chartreuse Gulp shrimp worked well. Fluke fishing was slow, and a few were plucked from Manasquan River. A few keepers supposedly gathered off Sandy Hook. Fluke were “filtering in, I guess,” Eric said. Bluefish swam the river, but the population was dwindling. Striper fishing at Point Pleasant Canal was a slow pick on jigs. Lots of bait or bunker filled the canal. Yellowfin tuna were trolled at the southern canyons on usual tackle like ballyhoos or Green Machines. Bluefin tuna were around but were “squirrelly,” Eric said. He saw a few bluefins when ling fishing. But anglers weren’t consistently catching bluefins. Wahoo Baitfish Bucktails and Stingo jigs are on sale at 30 percent off to celebrate the shop’s 30 years in business. The shop’s fluke tournament for Manasquan and Shark rivers kicked off on Memorial Day and will run to Labor Day. Entry is $10, and half will go to Save the Summer Flounder Fishery Fund, and the other half will go to Shark River Surf Anglers Kids Trout Tournament. The store makes no money on the event, and prizes will be awarded for the first and second heaviest fluke from each river, the heaviest fluke from a lady entrant, and the heaviest from a kid age 16 or younger.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

With <b>Andrea’s Toy Charters</b> a sea bass trip steamed Sunday, a report on Andrea’s Toy’s Web site said. At first, tons of dogfish nipped at wrecks in deep waters. The trip moved inshore to the reef, and good fishing for sea bass was socked. About two-thirds that bit were keepers, and a half-dozen ling were landed. On the way home, the anglers tried striped bass fishing at bunker pods, “but no love,” the report said. A striped bass charter sailed Friday. Bunker were caught for bait, then the trip motored north, like the last couple of trips. Numerous places were fished, and only blues swiped the livelined bunker. Bunker spoons were trolled, and one striper was bagged. The trip tried fishing bunker chunks, and more blues and dogfish bit. “Pulled the plug to end a tough, long day,” the report said. Another striper trip that day, apparently in the morning, bagged two of the fish to 30 pounds, and managed a few other bites, on livelined bunker. A striper trip on Thursday bagged five stripers to 32 pounds. Lots of runoffs and misses were had, “a decent pick,” the report said. Then the anglers fished for sea bass, landing 50, half of them keepers to 2 pounds, in an hour.

<b>Waretown</b>

Two trips limited out on striped bass Sunday and today on the ocean with <b>Relentless Sport Fishing</b>, Capt. Dave said. The fishing busted loose, and the bass were good-sized, all 30-pounders. They were bagged 10 miles north on livelined bunker snagged from the waters. Bunker schooled, and bluefish were on some of the pods. But Relentless was able to get on pods that held stripers. Charters and open-boat trips are striper fishing.

<b>Barnegat</b>

From an edited e-mail from Capt. Dave DeGennaro from the <b>Hi Flier</b>: “Here we go. The liveline bunker fishing broke open the last few days. The fish (striped bass) bit in the morning and afternoon. Last June the afternoon trips were stellar. We will be running open-boat trips Thursday 5:30 AM to 11:30 AM and 12:30 PM to 6:30 PM; Friday and Saturday 12:30 PM to 6:30 PM (both of those mornings are already booked); and Sunday 5:30 AM to 11:30 AM and 12:30 PM to 6:30 PM. Three-person max. All fish are shared. This is one of the most exciting visual fishing experiences you can have. Everyone helps look for the rippling and flipping pods of bunker schools on the surface. Often you will see or even hear the ‘whoosh’ of big stripers spraying the bunker into the air. Sometimes there are thresher sharks terrorizing the same schools, especially in June. Dolphins and whales round out the scenery. These are all 20- to 40-pound stripers, the biggest of the season. When they pick up your live bait, it is panic. Give him a few ‘Mississippis,’ and then ‘hit 'em!’ It should last all June, but this is definitely a good time to react and go get one. Also, Nick Honachefsky featured the Hi Flier in his bonito/albacore story in the June issue of Salt Water Sportsman, if you care to check it out. On July 1, we will start running chartered and open-boat to Barnegat Ridge and beyond! Last year, we had three weeks of bluefin tuna mixed in the catch, along with small mahi mahi. Hoping for a repeat of that.”

<b>Mystic Island</b>

Summer flounder were here, and good catches were boated on the bay Friday and Saturday, a report on <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>’s Web site said. Small bluefish 2 pounds bit among the flounder. Flounder fishing on Sunday “seemed to fall flat,” the report said. Maybe winds were too strong. One angler bagged a 5.3-pounder that day, and others “picked up a fish or two … in between all the grass,” the report said. But on Saturday a good number of flounder were weighed in. None was huge, but they averaged 3 to 5 pounds, and many anglers reeled in multiple keepers “that just made the cut,” the report said. “So there (was) enough to bring home dinner.” The fish were found all over Great Bay, including at the clam stakes, off Cape Horn, between the sand bars behind the Fish Factory, and from the 134 to 139 markers. Friday’s flounder fishing sounded similar, according to the report. Eeling for striped bass went well on Mullica River. Bluefish biting the eels in half were the only problem. Blowfish swam around Graveling Point. Good catches of sea bass were cranked from the ocean wrecks. Rumors talked about boaters starting to sail for tuna offshore. Back inland, crabbers trapped plenty of the blueclaws during the weekend. Most reports came from lagoons at Mystic Island.

<b>Brigantine</b>

Several anglers called and texted saying striped bass were getting pounded from the surf Monday morning from the Seagull Motel to Ken’s Hole, a report on <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>’s Web site said at 7 a.m. that day. “Almost identical to (Sunday),” the report said. One angler Monday morning had already landed three, and another had banked a good-sized keeper and released a throwback. Another that morning had seen six stripers caught, and was back at the shop to pick up more clams for bait.  Some good catches of summer flounder were checked in. No location for the catches was mentioned, but the top of the tides gave up the flatfish best, the report said.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Back bay slam. That’s what Mike Spaeder and son Mike caught Saturday aboard, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. They reeled in summer flounder to 4 pounds, bluefish and striped bass. That was three of the four species anglers target in the bay this time of year. A weakfish in the mix would make a grand slam, but more on weaks in a moment. On the Spaeder trip, the flounder were caught on a rig with a Gulp on a bucktail on bottom and a minnow on a plain, red hook on a trailer tied above. The blues and stripers were popper plugged, a specialty for Jersey Cape. Weakfish could also be found in the back waters. Joe joined a trip with a friend, the second time he did at the friend’s invite, and, once again, they slammed the weaks on fly rods, releasing them. Probably 12 to 15 of the trout were landed in a couple of hours. They weren’t huge or were 1 to 4 pounds, but were good-sized. Clouser Minnows in Electric Chicken on sinking lines caught. Weakfish, lots, could be seen chasing the hooked ones. Joe hadn’t seen a population like that in 20 years. Not all areas held weaks like that, and not all trips could go after them. Joe fished the waters at the friend’s invite. But Joe’s trips were also picking up weakfish in the mix, and a grand slam was possible. This was the time of year for slams and grand slams in the bay. On Sunday Ryan and Brady Gaudet aboard wanted to catch big sand sharks that swam the bay. They fought 10- to 15-pounders and a blue. In offshore news, yellowfin tuna were in. A friend trolled eight, and another angler trolled 11, and both left them biting. Joe should sail for tuna soon, and if anglers want tuna, don’t wait. The fish are here. Tuna might be here later, but they’re here now. Another friend landed an 80- or 90-pound blue shark and a couple of brown sharks fairly close to shore. Back along the coast, surf anglers beached striped bass.  Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s blog</a>. Take an After Work Special Trip from 4:30 p.m. till dark, a convenient, productive time. High tides will coincide with dusk this coming week, ideal for Joe’s popper fishing for striped bass on the bay with either spinning or fly rods.

<b>Cape May</b>

Trips sailed for drum on Delaware Bay and sea bass on the ocean on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>, Capt. George said. A trip Sunday so far had boated one 50-pound drum, when George gave this report that evening over the phone on the outing. Big, cownosed rays were fought. A trip Saturday evening cracked three drum to 50 pounds. A charter loaded up on sea bass Friday. A shorter, 4-hour trip Saturday morning sailed for sea bass close to shore, because of limited time. Probably a dozen sizeable ones were bagged, and lots of throwbacks were released. Deep waters farther from shore were best for sea bassing. Good tuna fishing was happening offshore. A friend’s trip smoked 14 yellowfin tuna 40 to 50 pounds. George heard nothing about summer flounder.

The bay’s drum fishing was slow toward the weekend, but one or two managed to be boxed per trip, said Capt. Bob from the <b>Down Deep</b>. Trips aboard fished for them on the Delaware side of the bay, and Bob was aware about no substantial drum catches on the New Jersey side. Large cownosed rays bit on drum trips. Most of the drum were small, but Jack McQuinn’s 75-pounder was a highlight aboard. Bill DeMoore’s charter last week on Monday hauled in “some nice drum,” Bob said. Randy Rosch’s trip eased aboard a few. Sea bass fishing on the ocean was outstanding, some of the best in years. Nothing was heard about summer flounder. In offshore waters, lots of yellowfin tuna were trolled at Baltimore Canyon. Someone from the dock ran a trip that axed 10 or 11 on Saturday. Nothing was heard about sharks. 

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