<b>Staten Island</b>

Super striped bass fishing was smashed Thursday evening on Raritan Bay with <b>Outcast Charters</b> on live and chunked bunker, Capt. Joe said. The trip limited out early and released more, and a good number of bluefish were fought to boot. The stripers were large, up to 30 pounds, but most were 15 to 20. On a trip Saturday evening, lots of stripers were marked, but refused to bite. Seven were pasted, and even bluefish chomped less than before. So fishing seemed up and down. That trip also fished with chunked and live bunker, and lots of bunker schooled the bay. The season’s first sea bass trip is set for Saturday aboard the ocean, sailing from Sewaren, New Jersey, because the state’s sea bass season was opened Sunday. Outcast also sails from Sewaren, and telephone for info. Sea bass are around, Joe knows, and he wasn’t going to say the angling should be great, but he expects to catch.

<b>Perth Amboy</b>

Raritan Bay’s striped bass fishing was good until Sunday, when catches seemed to drop off, Capt. Frank from the <b>Vitamin Sea</b> wrote in an e-mail. Many bluefish now schooled the bay, “adding to the challenge of getting bass to bite,” he said. Trips fished with both clams and bunker, depending on location, and bigger stripers were yet to migrate to the local area, so much remained to look forward to with striper fishing. Fluke season was opened Saturday, and friends tied into good catches of them. “The back of Raritan should be holding some real nice fluke very soon, if not already,” Frank said. Fluke trips are available aboard, and the boat will keep sailing for stripers. Charters and open-boat trips are running, and telephone about the open trips. Vitamin Sea also fishes from Staten Island. “Get your dose of Vitamin Sea!”

<b>Keyport</b>

Scott Boyer’s trip Saturday on Raritan Bay clammed striped bass, bluefish and fluke, a mixed bag, with <b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b>, Capt. Joe said. One fluke was a keeper, and the rest were throwbacks. Blues began to school all over the bay. Open-boat trips are available daily when no charter is booked, and telephone to jump aboard.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Fishing for striped bass turned back on Saturday on the party boat <b>Fishermen</b>, Capt. Ron wrote in a report on the vessel’s Web site. The angling had been slower in previous days, because stripers pushed to rivers and back waters to spawn a moment, Ron wrote in a report last week on the site. But on Saturday, “we got it done,” he said, after the boat was moved a few times. Some places produced better than others, and the bass “turned on hard at one point (for 40 minutes),” he said. Stripers to 22 pounds were hung. Bluefish were sometimes in the mix, “(but) weren’t a problem,” he said. Several anglers limited out, and three others caught their first-ever stripers. On Sunday’s trip, a few stripers were boated, but the fishing was slow again. Clouds filled the sky, and winds blew, and rains fell. Fishing aboard “will give it hell (today) once again with the Monday crew,” Ron said. Today, if stripers marked on previous trips “are hungry … watch out!” Ron said. The Fishermen is sailing for striped bass 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily, 6:30 to 11:30 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 3:30 to 9:30 p.m. Sundays.

Raritan Bay’s temperature dropped by Sunday, apparently because of weather, Capt. Tom from the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b> said. Fluke fishing aboard wasn’t great, but wasn’t bad, considering cool waters, on this opening weekend of fluke season. On Saturday morning’s trip, the first to sail for fluke, the flatfish were hooked at usual places the boat sails for them on the bay. Probably 1 in 5 was a keeper, and some anglers bagged two keepers, others one, and some none. Probably a 3-1/2-pound fluke was the pool-winning fish, and the bay was chilly at 61 degrees. Again, the angling wasn’t bad, considering, and the afternoon’s trip was about the same, and a 4- or 4-1/2-pound fluke was the pool-winner. Fluking was slower on Sunday morning’s trip, and the bay dipped to 56 or 57 degrees by that day. On Sunday afternoon’s trip, the fishing wasn’t as good as the previous afternoon’s, but fluke fishing wasn’t off to a bad start for the early season this weekend. Sunday was a raw, cold day on the waters. Pool-winning fluke weighed maybe 3 to 4 ½ pounds, or weren’t big, throughout the trips. Spearing is supplied for bait, and anglers who brought their own killies said they definitely caught better with them on Sunday morning’s trip. Some anglers fished bucktails on the trips, and was difficult to say whether bait or bucktails caught better through the weekend. But bait probably held an edge Saturday, and killies seemed to catch better on Sunday morning, and bait worked better on Sunday afternoon. Tom is suggesting anglers pick up killies at a tackle shop on the way to trips, and the tackle shop at the harbor is closed.  Though weather was raw this weekend, all trips sailed. The bay was protected from southeast winds, and trips are fortunate to have the bay to fish, Tom said, when winds like easterlies could build ocean seas. The Atlantic Star is fishing for summer flounder on two trips daily 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 6 p.m. <b>***Update, Monday, 5/20:***</b> Fluke fishing was a little better on this morning’s trip than on Sunday aboard, Tom said. More keepers were swung in, and throwbacks gave up more action than before. The day began foggy, but that improved. Only a few anglers showed up for this afternoon’s trip, apparently because of weather forecasts, and they picked some fluke. The boat wouldn’t drift at one point, so it was moved to a place where it would drift better, and some moves were made on the trip, adjusting to winds that shifted several times. Waters remained cold, and fluking was nothing great or exciting, but improved somewhat. Some anglers bagged a couple of keepers or one, and one angler landed 15 fluke, and none was a keeper. But at least that showed fluke were migrating in. <b>***Update, Tuesday, 5/21:***</b> On this morning’s trip, fluke fishing was slow, not good, Tom said. A few keepers and some shorts were pulled in, not fishing like Monday afternoon’s pretty good action. But fluking turned around on this afternoon’s trip, giving up lots of action, and more keepers than before. All anglers at least landed fluke, though not everyone caught a keeper, Tom thought. A couple bagged two keepers apiece, and short action was much better than in the morning. Was difficult to say which trips would serve up better catches.

<b>Highlands</b>

With <b>Fisher Price Charters</b>, striped bass fishing was very good on Raritan Bay, though slowed Sunday, for some reason, Capt. Derek said. Lots of bluefish to 10 pounds moved in during past days, and trips fished with either chunked or livelined bunker. Whether one caught better than the other was day to day. Charters are fishing, and a couple of spots are available on an open-boat trip for stripers Tuesday afternoon. Call to climb aboard or to be kept informed about future open dates. Fluke season opened Saturday, and fluke charters are also available.

The Ron Battersby trip Friday limited out on striped bass on Raritan Bay on clams with <b>Raritan Bay Charters</b>, Capt. Dave said. A half-dozen blues were also caught on the clams. On Saturday, in the same area, Rob Rommel’s charter managed three stripers on the bay with clams, and blues invaded. So the anglers filled the cooler with blues, happy to bend the rods at least, Dave said. Many stripers seemed to migrate up rivers to spawn, making stripers tougher to catch for the moment. Fluke season was opened Saturday, and the mate dropped a bucktail down while the boat was anchored, and nabbed some. Fluke were around, and trips are also available for them. A striper trip Sunday was cancelled because of weather. Open-boat trips are available when no charter is booked.

<b>Neptune</b>

Fishing for striped bass slowed down, and Capt. Ralph from <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b> expects it to pick back up soon, he wrote in an e-mail. The fishing isn’t over by any means, he said. In the meantime, he switched to wreck fishing that’s very good when “wind isn’t too bad,” he said. Great fishing was cranked in on a wreck trip today. Another wreck trip Sunday was tough, because of winds and rough seas. A trip Saturday tried for stripers, but the angling wasn’t good. But the season’s first keeper fluke was slugged aboard on that opening day of fluke season, and the trip wreck fished afterward “to save the day,” he said. Another wreck trip will sail Tuesday, and space is available. Charters are available in mornings and afternoons, and individual-reservation trips for stripers or wreck-fishing are slated for May 29 and June 3, 11 and 18. Individual-rez trips for fluke and sea bass will sail every Tuesday starting June 25, and kids under 12 will sail free, limited to two per adult host. 

<b>Belmar</b>

<b>Fin-Ominal Sportfishing</b> began fishing for the season, Capt. Jared said. A couple of striped bass trips fished the ocean Tuesday and Thursday, and the angling was okay. Most of the bass were jigged, and some were trolled on bunker spoons and Stretch plugs. Bluefish sometimes bit, including when umbrella rigs were trolled. On Tuesday’s trip, six or seven stripers were boxed. On Thursday’s, fishing was tougher, and only one striper was waxed. Another trip fished previously, lambasting stripers, lots, on the ocean. Sea bass season was opened Sunday, and trips should be able to sock them on the ocean. Fluke season was opened, and the ocean was probably cold for fluke to snap much. A pleasure cruise was cancelled Saturday night because of rainy weather. The 50-foot boat can host small to large groups, up to 23 passengers on cruises and 12 or 13 anglers on fishing trips, for comfort. Even inexperienced anglers can come out and have fun fishing, Jared said. Cruises can include trips along Shark and Manasquan rivers, the ocean coast, the Manhattan skyline or whatever customers can imagine. In summer, cruises can enjoy weekly fireworks from the ocean.

Early in daytime was terrible for striped bass fishing on the ocean, but afternoons were phenomenal, said Capt. Pete from <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b>. Maybe warmer waters from Raritan Bay on outgoing tides sparked up the fishing in afternoons, or maybe something else about afternoons caused the change. But waters rose 10 to 15 degrees on outgoing. Some morning trips were terrible for striper fishing aboard. But the fishing was like the flip of a switch in late afternoons to evenings on the boat. The bass were livelined on bunker or trolled on Stretch lures and bunker spoons. The population of bunker was spotty, and the menhaden could be snagged for bait, but too few swam to be castnetted. If trips sailed in early mornings, before boat traffic, the baitfish could be snagged. Bluefish, skinny ones typical this time of year, were sometimes hooked. Ocean fluke fishing supposedly served up lots of throwbacks and a few keepers since fluke season was opened Saturday, Pete heard. But Shark River’s fluke fishing went well. Sea bass season was opened Sunday, and party boats sailed for them that day, but no results were heard. Charters are fishing, and <a href=" http://www.parkerpetefishing.com/fishing-reports" target="_blank">subscribe to Parker Pete’s e-mailed newsletter</a> to be kept informed about individual-spaces available on charters and for the latest fishing reports. Click on that link to Parker Pete’s fishing reports online, and newsletter sign up can be found on the right side of the page. Or go to the site’s Contact page, and e-mail, asking to subscribe.

Shark River’s fluke fishing was “as good as we thought it was going to be,” Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> wrote in an e-mail Saturday evening, opening day of fluke season. Actually, the opener was one of the best in many years. The fish to more than 6 pounds hammered nearly any bait anglers fished. Jeff Rogers, Trenton, axed a 6-pounder off the bulkhead, and many bulkhead anglers landed the summer flounder. Rental boaters and private boaters totaled as many as 15 keepers per trip, and many of the fish measured up to 27 inches. Also on Saturday, a 4-pound 8-ounce weakfish was weighed in from the river, and six striped bass to 32 pounds were checked in from boats on the ocean. A great day for fishing for most anglers, Bob said. <b>***Update, Tuesday, 5/21:***</b> Another good day of fluke fishing on Shark River, Bob wrote about Monday in an e-mail. The fish fed like no tomorrow, he said, and spearing, killies and Gulp, especially Gulp 3-inch shrimp, were prime baits. Rental boaters sometimes limited out, and their fluke weighed up to a 6-pound 8-ouncer. Shore-bound anglers tugged in good numbers, and also hooked lots of blowfish, mostly on worms or clams. In the surf, fishing for stripers and blues slowed somewhat in the past few days, but should pick up “with some north winds,” he said. <b>***Update, Wednesday, 5/22:***:</b> Large striped bass were dragged from Monmouth County’s surf Tuesday, and two 40- and 37-pounders were weighed in, Bob wrote in an e-mail. Bunker and stripers were reported to swim in large populations, spread throughout the coast.  Several stripers to 10 pounds were also reported clammed from the surf “in our area,” he said. Fluke fishing was great on Shark River that day, and improved on the ocean. On the river, a kayaker plugged a 20-inch fluke on a Redfin on Tuesday. “Get in on the action before the crowds come,” Bob said.

Anglers picked away at bluefish Saturday on the party boat <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b> “on nice, long drifts all day,” an e-mail from the vessel said. Brian Henderson, Philly, won the pool with a 25-pound striped bass. Customers also picked away at blues on Sunday’s trip in the same area, and two fluke, keepers, were jigged. Fluke season was opened Saturday. The Miss Belmar Princess is fishing for striped bass 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and 4 to 10 p.m. Fridays through Sundays.

<b>Brielle</b>

Good-sized striped bass swam the ocean, and the big ones are moving in, Capt. Ken from the <b>Big Kid</b> said. Fishing for them was slow at first on Saturday aboard, but picked up in the afternoon. Then the angling was banner aboard Sunday. Both trips fished white Tony Maja bunker spoons in size 4, and a Bomber lure was run down the middle of the trolling spread Sunday. Mid-week specials are available on charters. Many dates are booked, but afternoon trips are also offered. Sea bass season was opened Sunday, and trips can fish for them. Big Kid sails for any species available, from inshore to offshore.

On the party boat <b>Jamaica II</b>, a combo fluke and striped bass trip on Saturday scooped aboard a decent pick of fluke, but stripers “did not cooperate,” Capt. Joe wrote in an e-mail. Ed Nolan, Manasquan, bagged three fluke, including a 4-pound 14-ouncer, taking the lead in the monthly pool with the fish. On a sea bass trip Sunday, opening day of sea bass season, catches were okay, but could’ve been better. Rough seas somewhat slowed the fishing in the morning, “but those that stuck with it did okay,” Joe said. Donnito Patrick clocked a dozen sizeable sea bass and a couple of big ling. John Cartison, Hamilton, scored a cooler full of sea bass and ling. The Jamaica II is sailing for sea bass 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. through next Monday, Memorial Day. On that Tuesday, May 28, two half-day trips will begin to run daily for a combo of fluke and sea bass at 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. On June 3, All Day Fluke Trips will begin to fish every Monday at 7:30 a.m.

Striped bass, quite a few, were boated at Shrewsbury Rocks on Saturday, said Dave from <b>The Reel Seat</b>. Quite a few large stripers, like in the high 20 pounds to high 40s, were boated farther south, like off Lavallette and Seaside. Trolled bunker spoons caught the bass, and too few bunker seemed to school to snag then liveline them for stripers. Bluefish were jigged on the ocean, mostly from off Manasquan Inlet to Shrewsbury Rocks. Fluke season was opened Saturday, and fishing for them was slow on the ocean, but very good on Manasquan and Shark rivers. Someone e-mailed Dave, saying the shop’s new jigheads, made for Gulp soft-plastic lures, worked well on the flatfish. The jigs, designed by The Reel Seat, feature a lead head made to fit Gulps, with a coil to hold the soft-plastic lures, and colors that match all Gulp colors. The ocean was rough in weather Sunday, opening day of sea bass season, but a few party boats headed out for the fish. Results were yet to be heard. Ling fishing had begun to pick up on the ocean, and would probably keep improving, including because the fish would probably be pressured less, now that sea bass season was opened. In Manasquan Inlet, bluefishing slowed compared with great angling for them previously. But some were caught there, and healthy numbers of 2- to 3-pounders now ran Manasquan River. Striper fishing was so-so at the inlet, not as productive as Dave would expect this time of year. Weakfish to 8 pounds were hooked in the river in healthy numbers. Along the surf, anglers picked at stripers on both bait and lures, and not much was heard about bluefish in the local surf. Back on the ocean, a 263-pound mako shark was boated Saturday that was the season’s first weighed in at the store. The year’s first bluefin tuna was also checked in, and bluefins were decked from Lindenkohl to Baltimore canyons. The one weighed in was trolled on a Reel Seat mini green-machine spreader bar. Tilefishing was good offshore for Dave on a trip last Monday to Tuesday.  Three spaces remain for a tilefish trip for beginners that he booked on the party boat Voyager from Point Pleasant Beach. Set for Tuesday to Wednesday, June 4 to 5, the trip is limited to 21 passengers, and includes a free seminar at the store on the fishing on Sunday, June 2. Anglers can call or stop in the shop 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.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

Five anglers fished for striped bass two days in a row with <b>Andrea’s Toy Charters</b>, a report on Andrea’s Toy’s Web site said Saturday. The fishing began at Raritan Bay, but by the end of the second day reached Point Pleasant Beach, where the boat would now sail from for the rest of the fishing season, like every year. On the first day with the anglers, bunker were caught for bait, and the trip “went to work,” it said. The group had to fight through 50 bluefish to land two 20-pound stripers. On the next day, the decision was made to fish the bay, the report said, “and work our way south.” After bait was made, 50 blues were slugged through again, to land one striper. Then the trip moved to Shrewsbury Rocks on the ocean. Fishing was dead there, and the trip moved to some “favorite lumps,” the report said. Two good-sized fish were hooked but lost. The trip sailed south to Seaside on the ocean, and bunker pods were fished, “with no love,” the report said. Tough, long day, “but cool guys made the trip easier,” the report said. Now the boat will fish from Point, starting with mixed-bag trips for stripers, blues, sea bass and fluke, all in one outing, fishing that customers enjoy, the report said. Andrea’s Toy Specializes in mixed-bag fishing for greater fun, better chances of hooking up, and more variety for dinner. Shark fishing will start aboard soon, and tuna fishing will begin afterward on board.

Nighttime bluefishing launched Friday for the season on the party boat <b>Norma-K III</b>, and fluke fishing kicked off aboard Saturday for the season, Capt. Matt wrote in a report on the vessel’s Web site. Saturday was opening day of fluke season. First, the bluefishing: On Friday night’s trip, lots of 4- to 8-pound blues were pummeled on jigs and bait. A 10-1/2-pounder was the pool-winning slammer, and the boat was the only on the fishing grounds. Bluefishing was decent on Saturday night’s trip, somewhat slow at first, but better as the night went on, in the same area as the previous night. Blues 4- to 8-pounds were wrestled in, and all anglers left with fillets. Fluke trips sailed through the weekend, and fishing was a little slow, and waters were a little cold. But the fish should hit better when waters warm. A handful of keepers were cracked, and some throwbacks were let go. Eddie Mackin took the lead in the monthly pool with a 6-pound 1-ounce fluke. The Norma-K III is fishing for fluke on two trips daily 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 to 6:30 p.m. The next bluefish trip is set for Friday, then bluefish trips will sail daily 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

The <b>Super Chic</b> was motored out for sea bass on the ocean Sunday, Capt. Ted said. That was opening day of sea bass season, and seas “were a little bumpy,” he said, but anglers probably averaged 12 keepers apiece. So the fishing, mostly in 80 feet, in 55-degree waters, was good, and some ling were thrown in. The boat is slated to sail for bluefish this coming week. Waters need to warm a bit for bluefishing. In other news, boaters trolled striped bass on the ocean, mostly on bunker spoons and Stretch plugs. Catches weren’t “super great,” he said, but the fish were taken. Sometimes the bass were livelined on bunker, when conditions were right. The 56-foot boat can accommodate up to 25 anglers on inshore trips and 10 on overnight, offshore trips. The vessel sleeps 10 passengers.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

Boaters reported excellent summer flounder fishing on Great Bay on opening day of flounder season Saturday, Chris from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b> wrote in a report on the store’s Web site. Grassy Channel and from markers 133 to 139 along the Intracoastal Waterway were the main places turning out the fish. Bluefish also popped up there. Striped bass could be found locally, but more were caught farther north, like toward Barnegat Inlet. But locally, Mullica River shoveled up the better striper fishing, early in mornings, before sunrise. White perch bit well in the river at places like bridges at Green Bank and Lower Bank. Lots of blowfish gathered toward Graveling Point, at the confluence of the river and bay.

<b>Brigantine</b>

At <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>, striped bass were weighed in from the surf, and a good population of kingfish began to appear in the waters, a report on the shop’s Web site said. The surf’s drum fishing seemed to be kicking back in by Sunday. One angler released two that day that were 26 and 29 inches. The bounty was up to $1,770 for the angler who weighs in the season’s first striper 43 inches or larger from Brigantine’s surf. Entry is $5, and anglers must enter 24 hours before the catch to win.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

A 253-pound mako shark was landed on an offshore trip, Mike from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b> wrote in an e-mail. He included photos of Jimmy Crudele with the 6-foot 6-inch fish, saying the shark was boated on a trip Jimmy took with Jimmy’s dad. A bunch of whales and dolphins filled waters from 30 fathoms to 200 fathoms along the Continental Shelf. “The amount of life was impressive,” the e-mail said. No tuna bit when the trip trolled for them, but Jimmy was sure tuna fishing would turn on shortly. He planned to head back out the next day “that is fit,” the e-mail said.  In other news, an angler with a 5.7-pound summer flounder won a tournament at the store for opening day of flounder season Saturday, the shop’s Facebook page said. The heaviest stringer weighed 11.4 pounds, and entrants also caught blues and weakfish. The tournament was another great one, the Facebook page said, and is planned to be even better next year.

Summer flounder fishing remained good through the weekend, after the season for them was opened Saturday, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b>, affiliated with <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. Trips aboard had already caught and released plenty before the opener, including on Friday. Bill Barto on a trip that evening released flounder to 22 inches on the bay. Fishing with soft-plastic lures on a lead jighead, he also pumped in a bunch of bluefish, six weakfish to 5 pounds and an 8-pound striper from the bay. The jigs are bounced slowly along bottom in cool waters this time of year. But once flounder season is opened, Joe’s trips usually fish with bait on flounder rigs for the flatfish. On Saturday, opening day, Patrick Miliken and friends landed 30 flounder to 4 ½ pounds and some bluefish to 8 pounds from the bay. They fished with a rig with a three-way swivel with a bucktail with a Gulp on bottom and a minnow on a plain hook on a trailer above. The blues also pounced on the flounder rig. On Saturday evening, Chase Kneeland aboard fly-rodded blues and flounder on the bay on Clouser Minnows bounced slowly along bottom on a sinking line. Speaking of fly fishing, Joe Gallagher and buddy on Thursday aboard fly-rodded blues, weaks and fluke on the bay on Clousers, and also spin-rodded the fish on jigs. Back to the weekend, on Sunday, Darrel Cooper and his son and daughter on the bay beat flounder to 4 ½ pounds, a weakfish, a striper and a blue on the flounder rigs, on deck. Locations that gave up fish before the opener became busy with boat traffic, though not as busy as Joe expected, for whatever reasons. But he adjusted, in order to catch, and that’s typical each year. Weather was rough. A fly-fishing trip on the bay was cancelled Sunday evening because of weather. Joe will probably popper-fish for stripers on the bay this evening, and expects the fish to be aggressive enough to hit them, in warmer waters. His log book showed the fish already smacked poppers this time last year, and Joe was eager to try for them that way now. He fishes both popper lures and flies. Take an afternoon, after-work trip, a great time for fishing the bay, when waters are warmer, and boat traffic is lighter. Looking ahead, inshore sharking trips will fish the ocean starting by late June. The angling is a chance to fight large fish without the long trek offshore. Joe looks forward to the arrival of a new boat he’s adding to his fleet, a 24-foot custom center console that Eastern Boat Works is building. The vessel will include everything Joe wants, and nothing he doesn’t, so it’ll be perfect for his fishing. He’ll use that to fish the ocean closer to shore, including for sharks. On the bay, he runs a flats boat, and offshore, he sails a couple of larger boats. Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s blog</a>.

<b>Cape May</b>

Drum fishing was good on Delaware Bay, and bigger ones than before, up to 70 and 80 pounds, were sometimes hauled up, said Capt. Mario from the <b>Down Deep</b>. A marathon, open-boat sea bass trip on the ocean was cancelled Sunday, opening day of sea bass season, because of rough seas. The next open marathon for sea bass will steam next week on Wednesday, May 29, and book now. Charters are available, and sign up for the <a href=" http://www.downdeepsportfishing.com/ddsf/76-2/" target="_blank">Short Notice List</a> on Down Deep’s Web site to be kept informed about special open-boat trips.

Three drum, a 70-pounder and two 30-pounders, were heaved aboard from Delaware Bay on Friday evening on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>, Capt. George said. No drum were landed on a trip for them Saturday evening aboard, and other boaters sometimes caught the fish then. Both trips fished on the Delaware side of the bay, and a trip attempted to sail for sea bass on the ocean Sunday, opening day of sea bass season, on the Heavy Hitter. But seas were rough, probably up to 5 feet, so the trip turned back. Some of the party boats headed out for the fish that day. Summer flounder season was opened Saturday, and anglers who boated for them on the back bay, no place else, like Delaware Bay, were heard about. The trips seemed to bag two or three keepers sometimes, and some bagged none, George thought. Drum and sea bass charters will continue, and telephone if interested. The Heavy Hitter usually fishes for flounder later in the season at places like Reef 11 or the Old Grounds on the ocean, when the ocean becomes warmer. But if flounder are currently available on Delaware Bay, and anglers want to sail for them aboard, they can.

Back to Top