Note: This report resumed being fully updated twice weekly, every Monday and Thursday, today. The report, in winter through early spring, is fully updated once weekly, every Monday, with a few additions on other days, mostly Thursdays.

This has been one of the slower starts to fishing along the coast, in cold waters. This report usually starts being updated twice weekly a week earlier, and was delayed, because of the fishing.

But welcome to the fishing season!

<b>Hudson River</b>

Striped bass, smaller fish, but quite a few, were seen aboard in the river, said Capt. Chuck from <b>Angler Sportfishing Charters</b>. Small pods of herring schooled, and all of this seemed good signs, and Chuck was excited. The stripers were 18 to 22 inches or maybe a little smaller. Better-sized striped bass should migrate up the river within a week, he thinks. “It’s really coming right along,” he said, and that was good news, considering rough weather this season. Weather now was warmer than before, and nights were no longer so cold. The river was 44 to 46 degrees.  Chuck’s been fishing the river’s springtime migration of striped bass, the spawning run of large, breeding fish, for many years, and is about to fish it again on charters this season. The angling is traditionally one of the best chances to catch trophy stripers, and is about to take off.

<b>Perth Amboy</b>

No good news about winter flounder, Capt. Frank from the <b>Vitamin Sea</b> wrote in an e-mail. Only one of the fish was boated on a trip that fished 10 drops. But Frank hopes the week’s warm weather improves the angling. Striped bass fishing was similar. Very few, if any, were tied into. Warm waters will improve the fishing, for sure, he added. Trips will fish again Thursday through Monday, and charters and open-boat trips are running. Telephone about the open trips. Vitamin Sea also fishes from Staten Island. “Get your dose of Vitamin Sea!”

<b>Keyport</b>

Capt. Joe from <b>Papa’s Angels</b>, the boat’s mate and the mate’s father fished Raritan Bay on Sunday for 6 hours, Joe said. One winter flounder was sacked, and a couple of run-offs were scored that seemed like striped bass, but the fish got off. The bay was 45 degrees or cold. With weather approaching 70 degrees, and warmer nights than before, Joe would think fishing should pick up. The trip fished with clams and bloodworms, and three other boats were seen on the bay through the trip. Charters are fishing for striped bass, and open-boat trips are available for stripers 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily through Sunday. Telephone to jump aboard.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Fishing began for the season on the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b> during the weekend, on trips fishing for striped bass, Capt. Tom said. But the angling was no good, and waters were 43 to 45 degrees, and no stripers were landed. Maybe warmer weather will warm waters this week, picking up fishing, Tom hopes. Saturday morning’s trip fished the ocean near a clam boat and other spots. The afternoon’s trip also fished outside, and hit several areas at Flynn’s Knoll. On Sunday the boat fished the back of Raritan Bay and Sandy Hook Bay in shallows at places like off Keansburg, Port Monmouth and Belford. The trips fished with clams, and no jig stripers – or stripers busting the water surface, feeding on baitfish, that could likely be caught on jigs – were seen. Some of the anglers dead-sticked for winter flounder while striper fishing, but reeled in none. Last year, flounder were sometimes hooked among stripers on the ocean on trips aboard. So, fishing was off to a slow start, but trips will keep trying. 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.

One striped bass was decked on Saturday’s striped bass trip on the party boat <b>Fishermen</b>, Capt. Ron wrote in a report on the vessel’s Web site. That was the season’s first trip aboard, and it fished several areas before the catch was made. Not many fish or much bait was seen anywhere the boat sailed, and Sunday “was pretty much the same situation,” Ron said. The back of the bay was 43 degrees on the trip, and the next trip will sail Friday for stripers from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Anglers fishing from shore beached a few striped bass, both from the ocean and the bay, but none to speak of, said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Boaters hardly reeled in any, and the fishing should pick up by Wednesday, because of warmer weather, Jimmy thinks. A few winter flounder, not many, were managed. By the time waters warm enough for flounder to bite, maybe they’ll be migrated to the ocean. One of the charter captains bottom-fished on the ocean, and the trip only hooked one keeper blackfish, some throwbacks and two ling. The captain decided to lay off bottom-fishing, and went striper fishing today. All baits are stocked.

<b>Highlands</b>

<b>Fisher Price Charters</b> fished Saturday in Raritan Bay’s shallows, and catches were slow, Capt. Derek said. Only a couple of throwback striped bass and one winter flounder were cranked in, and waters were 42.5 to 46 degrees. That was cold, but a trip could sail one day, hardly catching anything, and a trip could run the next day and bail them. “It’s weird,” Derek said, and he never saw fishing like this during this time of year. Clams were used for bait, and he hopes fishing picks up after this moon. Bait schooled. “Everything’s there,” he said.  No bluefish were heard about yet this season. This writer told Derek that a tackle shop farther south reported unconfirmed rumors about the year’s first blues at Little Egg Inlet. But Derek would find the arrival of blues difficult to believe, because he saw no signs that usually coincide with the arrival of blues, like certain birds that show up when blues migrate, or the fact that bunker were known about that schooled the other day, but no fish chased them. Charters are fishing, and the next open-boat trips were set to run today, Tuesday and Friday through Sunday. Call to climb aboard or to be kept informed about the future open schedule.

<b>Belmar</b>

Blackfishing was a bit slow Saturday on the party boat <b>Big Mohawk</b> on the ocean, but more throwbacks bit than before, a sign of improvement, a post on the vessel’s Facebook page said. Plus, more photos of blackfish caught aboard were posted from today’s trip than before. At press time, the trip was underway, and a report was yet to be posted on Facebook about today Weather was beautiful on the trip Saturday. Nothing was posted about Sunday. The Big Mohawk is blackfishing 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

<b>Brielle</b>

All winter flounder bagged locally came from Barnegat Bay, from Point Pleasant Canal to Mantoloking Bridge, not from Manasquan River, that Dave from <b>The Reel Seat</b> heard about, he said. The fish were yet to migrate to the river, apparently, on their way to the ocean. Small striped bass were clammed from the surf at Spring Lake early last week. Boats were heard about that sailed for blackfish last Monday, opening day of blackfish season, and none was heard about since. The anglers socked a few, and nothing was heard about fishing for ling and cod on the ocean. Space is available on a tilefish trip for beginners that Dave chartered on the Point Pleasant Beach party boat Voyager from Tuesday to Wednesday, June 4 to 5, limited to 21 passengers. The trip includes a free seminar at the store on the fishing on Sunday, June 2. Anglers can call or stop in the store for details or to sign up. Dave is an avid tilefisher, and introduced probably the first-ever  off-the-rack tilefish rod this past year. The Reel Seat is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

A trip bottom-fished Sunday on the ocean on the party boat <b>Norma-K III</b>, Capt. Matt wrote in a report on the vessel’s Web site. The trip fished inshore, and Matt was “surprised with some of the life we had,” he said. The fishing wasn’t great, but better than expected. At the first couple of drops, anglers picked a few keeper blackfish and some throwbacks. Winds picked up from the south afterward, and only a handful of throwbacks bit then. Sue Matysik from Sayreville won the pool with a 4-pound blackfish. Another trip was supposed to sail for blackfish 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. today.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

Schoolie striped bass seemed to chomp around the mouth of Mullica River, including at Graveling Point, Oyster Creek Point, Deep Point, the Cuts and Ballanger Creek, Chris from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b> wrote in a report on the shop’s Web site Saturday. That was the most recent report, and the fish gave up more action farther up the river. A couple of keepers and some throwbacks were banked at Graveling on Thursday, Maureen from the shop posted in the report. An angler posted a report on the site from a trip Thursday, saying he landed a 32-inch keeper and a 26-inch short, and lost another striper, at Graveling, in howling, cold winds. Weather was cold then and during the previous days, but was warm today. A few anglers began to fish Little Egg Inlet, and rumors said a few bluefish began to appear there, Chris said. But that was unconfirmed. They fished for stripers and blues, if blues were around. The store’s annual $100 gift certificate was up for grabs for the angler who checks in the year’s first blue caught from Graveling Point from shore. If anglers want to fish for blackfish at ocean wrecks, “all I can say is go!” Chris said. A friend of Scott, the shop’s owner, showed photos of lots of large blackfish on Saturday. When 8-pounders get thrown back, that’s a good day, Chris said. 

<b>Absecon</b>

Back-bay fishing for striped bass amped up well, from the sod banks, said Capt. Dave from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. Warmer weather now will “make things happen,” he thinks. The fishing got lots of attention from Lakes Bay from Route 40 at Pleasantville. Clams were the favorite bait on the bays, and a better percentage of keeper stripers were cranked from Mullica and Great Egg Harbor rivers than before. Bloodworms seemed top bait there, though some anglers used clams. Keeper stripers caught were heard about from far up the Great Egg, all the way to Mays Landing. One angler fishing for crappies there chanced into a keeper striper. White perch were plucked from the rivers, but nobody bailed lots. Dave thinks the fish were spawning far upstream, beyond where anglers looked for them. Blackfish catches were definitely heard about from along the jetties at Absecon Inlet in Atlantic City. Customers were out this morning trying for the tautog along Brigantine Bridge, so Dave would hear whether any bit. The shop’s bait supply is in good shape and includes bloodworms, fresh clams and green crabs.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

After running annual, traveling charters to the Florida Keys from winter to Easter, Capt. Joe Hughes, from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>, was transitioning to New Jersey fishing, he said. He painted the boat bottom and tidied up the vessel, will splash the boat on Tuesday, and will fish hard from Sea Isle from then on, he said. The first trips will fish for striped bass on the back bay, and Joe in a previous report said the fish were surely around. He fishes soft-plastic lures on jigheads on outgoing, warmer tides in the early season, working them slowly, because of cool waters. Places like creek mouths are a place to intercept them, and afternoons are best for the fishing, because of warmth. Bluefish should invade the bay soon, and weakfish, large ones to 8 and 9 pounds, began to reappear in the bay this time last year. Weaks had been scarce, and Joe hopes the population will keep building. The large ones are so-called “tiderunners,” spawning fish that show up early in the year. Anglers like to release them. By the end of the month, all three fish should thrive in the bay, and fishing for them should be good.  Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s blog</a>.

<b>Cape May</b>

Striped bass fishing remained poor, and the <b>Down Deep</b> sailed for them on Delaware Bay, but nothing good could be reported, Capt. Mario said. But with warmer weather this week, the fishing should pick up, he thinks. Trips will keep fishing for stripers, and drum charters are also being booked that will fish the bay later this spring. Blackfishing is also available. Also, sign up for the <a href=" http://www.downdeepsportfishing.com/ddsf/76-2/" target="_blank">Short Notice List</a> for special open-boat, wreck-fishing trips.

Capt. George from the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> joined a trip on a friend’s boat that fished for striped bass on Delaware Bay on Saturday, he said. Four stripers – two keepers and two throwbacks – were caught, and one or two probably bit but were lost. The trip fished with clams, and catches seemed slow for everybody that day. The trip got lucky, George figured. Birds worked the waters all over, feeding on bait, and gannets dive-bombed. George heard from someone who talked about landing loads of stripers, throwbacks in the 20 inches, from shore on Delaware River south of Salem River. The fish turned on suddenly at once on the trip. Charters on the Heavy Hitter are available for stripers and blackfish. Drum charters usually begin on the bay in May, and call if interested in any of this fishing.  

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