<b>Perth Amboy</b>

Striped bass, good catches, were slugged from Raritan Bay on clams Monday and Tuesday on the <b>Vitamin Sea</b>, Capt. Frank said. A trip Wednesday was weathered out. But more bunker schooled the bay than before, and trips now will fish with both clams and bunker. Others caught well on the baitfish. Charters and open-boat trips are running, and telephone about the open trips. The Vitamin Sea also fishes from Staten Island. “Get your dose of Vitamin Sea!”

<b>Keyport</b>

A trip limited out on striped bass to 22 pounds Monday with <b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b>, Capt. Joe said. The anglers, Walter Leika and two friends, both named Bob, fished with clams “toward the ocean,” Joe said. Bluefish, the first he encountered this season, chopped off five or six lines. Waters were 55 or 56 degrees, if he remembered. Fishing is booked aboard through Sunday. Otherwise, open-boat trips are available daily when no charter is booked, and call to climb aboard.

Weather was potentially rough for striped bass fishing Wednesday, the crew from <b>Andrea’s Toy Charters</b> told anglers who wanted to sail, a report on Andrea’s Toy’s Web site said. But because the trip could stay in Raritan Bay, “we could make it happen,” the crew said to the charter. First, bunker were castnetted for bait in a few throws. Then stripers began to be boated. Some of the anglers reeled in their first-ever. A 90-year-old aboard was told the trip wouldn’t leave until he bagged a fish. He pulled in a 30-pounder, the season’s largest for Andrea’s Toy, and the trip’s final. Another trip earlier in the week limited out on stripers on live and chunked bunker to 22 pounds “in short order,” the report said. That was the year’s first trip aboard that fished with bunker. Andrea’s Toy will fish from Keyport a moment longer, until moving the boat to Point Pleasant Beach, like every year, to sail for stripers migrating along the ocean, then other catches, from bottom fish to tuna.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

They’re bailing them, said Joe Sr. from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Striped bass fishing was good, Jimmy from the shop said, after Joe passed the phone to him for this report this morning. Boaters on the bay clammed and bunkered stripers, Jimmy said. When bunker was fished, mostly chunks, instead of livelined, caught. Bluefish started to become more abundant in the bay, and weakfish were reeled from the bay here and there. Stripers were jigged on the ocean on some days. Fishing for stripers and blues was also good in the rivers, mostly on worms, but on clams in certain areas. Out-of-season fluke swam the bay, and fluke season will be opened in two Saturdays, May 18. Baits are fully stocked.

For anglers on the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>, striped bass fishing was best on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons’ trips in past days, but was pretty good in general, Capt. Tom said. Monday morning’s trip anchored and clammed on the ocean or “down the beach,” clocking a mix of throwbacks and keepers, right away. Then catches dropped off, and skates and dog sharks bit. The boat was moved to Raritan Bay, and stripers were picked. The afternoon was similar. The trip began fishing down the beach, clubbing stripers right away, until skates and dogs bit. The boat was moved to the bay, and stripers were picked. Tuesday morning’s trip ran down the beach, and a few stripers, that’s all, were nabbed. The boat was moved to another spot on the ocean, and fishing was no good. The trip was moved to the bay, and stripers were picked. Tuesday afternoon’s trip didn’t bother sailing to the ocean, staying in the bay, and striper fishing was good, not fast and furious, but most anglers, not everyone, caught them. Wednesday morning’s trip didn’t sail, and the afternoon’s had just enough anglers to go. The boat, fishing the bay, was limited out on stripers by 5 p.m., a great afternoon. Not all anglers caught their limit, but some anglers were able to hand off the fish to others, so everybody left with a limit. A few also bagged bonus-tag bass. Most stripers were keepers that were hooked on the afternoon trips Tuesday and Wednesday. The fish were better-sized on those outings. All trips fished with clams. 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. The trips will begin fluke fishing when fluke season is opened in two Saturdays, May 18. <b>***Update, Saturday, 5/11:***</b> Striper fishing was a little slow on Friday morning’s trip, but good on the afternoon’s, and today was similar. This morning’s angling was a little slow, not as good as Tom would like, but some of the bass were caught, and this afternoon’s was a turnaround. It was good, and most anglers limited out, and a couple bagged bonus-tag stripers. Only a few people showed up at the docks to fish, because of forecasts. But only a spritz of rain fell, and most weather skirted around the area. Both trips will sail on Sunday, Mother’s Day.

Angling for striped bass was excellent Monday and Tuesday on the party boat <b>Fishermen</b>, Capt. Ron wrote in a report on the vessel’s Web site. Monday’s trip began with plenty of throwback and keeper striped bass mugged. The fishing slowed, so the trip was moved, and a slow pick began. Lots of fish were read, “but the conditions just weren’t right,” he said. He waited for things to become right, and striper fishing became “lights out,” he said. Stripers to 24 pounds were drilled. Many anglers, including some first-timers, limited out on the trip. “Excellent spring run so far!” Ron said. Clams were fished for bait.  Watch a <a href=" http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=EP6DwHynQmA" target="_blank">video of Monday’s trip</a>.  On Tuesday’s trip, many customers limited out on stripers, and the fish weighed up to 23 pounds. But don’t think the fishing will last forever, Ron said. Get them “while the getting is good!” he 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.

<b>Highlands</b>

Outstanding striped bass catches continued on the <b>Hyper Striper</b>, Capt. Pete wrote in an e-mail. Each trip limited out the past few weeks, and the angling was super the last few days. That included on trips for Eric Krugel’s party on Tuesday morning, Danny Mariano’s that afternoon, Huston Lumber’s on Wednesday, and Craig Vanhorden’s this morning. Vanhorden’s was already limited out by 8:30 this morning, when Pete sent the e-mail. “Very good fishing,” he said about striper trips.

Fishing for striped bass was phenomenal, limiting out every day, on Raritan Bay with <b>Fisher Price Charters</b>, Capt. Derek said. All trips anchored or drifted while fishing chunked bunker. Livelining bunker was tried, hooking a couple of stripers, but the stripers preferred chunks. The bass weighed up to 31 pounds, and most were 15 to 25 pounds. A couple of blues were hooked now and then. A big body of stripers swam the coast. Charters are fishing, and open-boat trips are sailing when possible. Call to jump aboard or to be kept informed about the future open schedule.

From <b>Twin Lights Marina</b>, Frank Rella on the 2F’s limited out on striped bass at Romer Shoal on clams, Marion wrote in an e-mail. On the 2F’s at Romer on another trip, Dan and Mark Rella and Mike Rose clammed five 30-inch stripers. John Cuozzo and Jerry Corso on the Elsea Nora limited on stripers to 31 inches at Flynn’s Knoll on clams. Gary Topche on his Flash saw a whale off the Coast Guard Season on Sunday afternoon. Twin Lights includes a marina, including boat slips and rack space, a bait and tackle shop, ship supplies and a fuel dock. Marion didn’t mention bait stocked, but bushels of clams usually are, and live bunker is usually carried when the menhaden become available and in demand. Maybe that’s now or soon.

<b>Neptune</b>

Trips are supposed to launch for the season this weekend with <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b>, Capt. Ralph said, and he hopes they get the weather to sail. Lots of dates are booked in the near future. Morning and afternoon charters are available. An individual-reservation trip for stripers is set for Wednesday, and space is available. Then the trips will sail every Tuesday from May 21 through June 18, until the trips switch to fluke and sea bass fishing on June 25, until the seasons for the fish are closed. On the fluke and sea bass trips, kids under 12 will sail free, limited to two per adult host.

<b>Belmar</b>

<b>***Update, Saturday, 5/11:***</b> Lots of striped bass were beached from the surf, Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> wrote in an e-mail. Most “average(d) on the small size,” he said, and were clammed. Boaters scored plenty of stripers 25 pounds, some up to 35, “mostly on bunker,” he said. That apparently meant stripers in the ocean on bunker snagged then livelined for bait. All the blues anglers could want schooled Shark River Inlet and Manasquan Inlet. The fish averaged 3 to 6 pounds, and Ava 17 jigs with colored tails caught them best. The river was paved with out-of-season fluke, many of them 18 to 22 inches, and fishing for them should be good when the season is opened next Saturday.

On the party boat <b>Big Mohawk</b>, striped bass fishing was very good on the ocean, Capt. Chris said. The bass were jigged and just began to be livelined on bunker. Bring treble hooks to snag the bunker. Don’t use braided line for livelining, because it can’t be seen well enough on a party boat. The Big Mohawk is fishing for striped bass 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. The daytime trips will switch to sea bass fishing when sea bass season is opened May 19. But striper trips will sail in evenings then.

Striped bass fishing was “off” Monday on the party boat <b>Golden Eagle</b> on the ocean, a report on the vessel’s Web site said. That was the most recent report posted, and plenty of bunker schooled on the trip, and stripers crashed through them, and plenty of stripers were marked, “(but) did not want to cooperate,” the report said. A handful of stripers were caught. So were a couple of dozen bluefish. Striper fishing improved Sunday aboard, after the fishing was slower the previous couple of days.  On Sunday, the bass to 24 pounds were picked in the morning and late in the trip. Striper fishing on deck was decent to excellent before all of this. The Golden Eagle is sailing for striped bass 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.

None of the striped bass trips sailed Wednesday and today on the party boat <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b>, Capt. Alan said. The fishing during the weekend was slow in strong east winds, but was good the last two trips. Stripers and sometimes bluefish mixed in were axed. Everything caught the bass: jigs, spoons like Krocodiles, sometimes clams, and recently livelined bunker. Bunker schooled, and the baitfish began to catch. 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. The party boat <b>Tropical Adventure</b>, Alan’s other boat, will probably begin striper fishing next week, running earlier at 6 a.m. Fluke trips, fishing the ocean, will start in late May or early June, after waters warm.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

A couple of striped bass trips were weathered out during the week with <b>Mushin Sportfishing</b>, Alan, the boat’s owner, wrote in an e-mail. East winds roughed up the ocean. But the boat’s mate, Jason Szabo, fished Manasquan River on the Mini Mushin, Alan’s smaller boat, whaling bluefish consistently in evenings on lures and jigs. Mushin is sailing for stripers on the ocean, and recently piled up tilefish on an offshore trip, covered in a previous report. Mushin means a relaxed state of readiness. The crew pride themselves on sharing the concept on outdoor adventures.

Ling, a few cod and occasional pollock were slung aboard the party boat <b>Dauntless</b>, Capt. Butch said. A few bluefish and, when trips fished close to shore, striped bass were decked. Ling fishing remained a little slow, and a few more out-of-season sea bass were hooked than before, and let go. Most were small, but some were better-sized, and Butch looks forward to targeting sea bass when the season for them is opened in two Sundays, May 19. Trips fished shallow for ling, no deeper than 130 feet. Depths to 150 feet were tried one day, but dog sharks were ferocious. Big, female dogs showed up. Waters were chilly or 49 to 52 degrees on the fishing grounds. The ocean close to shore was somewhat warmer, like 54 degrees that Butch saw when a trip motored out one day. The Dauntless is bottom-fishing 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily. Nighttime bluefish trips will be added probably starting Memorial Day weekend or a week or two later, depending on demand, like every year. At first, the bluefish trips will sail Fridays and Saturdays, and later, daily.

Weather was supposed to be crummy, so minor maintenance was begun on the party boat <b>Norma-K III</b> in the middle of the week, a report on the vessel’s Web site said. Fishing aboard will resume Friday, and the Norma-K III is sailing for striped bass 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. Bluefish trips will begin Friday, May 17, from 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. Fluke trips will start Saturday, May 18, opening day of fluke season, from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 to 6:30 p.m. daily.

<b>Toms River</b>

Lots of blues swarmed Toms River at Island Heights, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. Anglers battled 3- to 5-pounders, but sometimes up to 10-pounders, from bulkheads on bait. Good-sized ones were in. One customer bunker-chunked a bunch of the river’s blues. Sometimes striped bass were swung in from the same area. Most plugged for them, having fun, but Virginia Murphy bunker-chunked a 14-pound striper from the river’s docks. In Barnegat Bay, Dennis kept trolling pony tails and plugs from Route 37 Bridge to the river, hooking blues, but only two blues were the most in a trip. Conditions weren’t good, and the bay was 61 degrees at the bridge, and the river was 64, on his trips. Blues swam the bay off Seaside Heights near the bridge, and a few stripers held around them. Bait caught them, and both kayakers and anglers on foot hooked stripers, a good number, along the bridge. Kayakers plugged them, and an angler on foot pummeled a 36-inch striper along the bridge on bait. Farther south on the bay, David Firupski clammed an 18-1/2-pound striper near the Forked River nuclear plant. More and more bluefish gathered in the area, off Oyster Creek, the plant’s warm-water discharge. Weakfish were sometimes wrangled there on Fin-S Fish and sandworms, and a few drum came from there. Nobody boated for stripers on the ocean during the weekend, because of winds. Surf anglers toggled in stripers, a decent amount, and blues. The bluefish population increased a little in the surf. Mostly bait caught both. Plugging caught plenty of stripers from shore previously, but winds made that difficult lately.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

Some good catches of striped bass and bluefish were made from the surf, said Mario from <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>. Many of the stripers were throwbacks, but some were keepers, and the blues were mixed in. Lots of cocktail blues schooled Barnegat Bay behind the shop, and Mario watched some this morning. Throwback stripers swam back there, and both were hooked on bunker chunks. Nothing was heard about weakfish and out-of-season fluke, like fluke caught by mistake and released from the bay. Fluke season will be opened in two Saturdays, May 18. A few crabbers set out pots so far, managing an occasional blueclaw. The Dock Outfitters features bait and tackle, docks to fish and crab from, once the docks are repaired since the hurricane, and, in season, boat and jet ski rentals. The boats and skis usually become available starting Memorial Day weekend. The end of June is the target date to complete the crabbing pier’s rebuilding.

<b>Forked River</b>

Barnegat Bay anglers boated striped bass on clams along the sod banks and Double Creek Channel, Jana from <b>Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle</b> said. They hooked weakfish at the BB marker and off Oyster Creek, the warm-water discharge from Forked River nuclear plant, before dark on pink Fin-S Fish and sandworms. Bluefish were trolled around the bay, and lots of out-of-season fluke carpeted the bay. Fluke season will be opened in two Saturdays, May 18. Commercial crabbers began to trap a few blueclaws. Fresh clams, bloodworms, sandworms, killies, frozen baits for saltwater, including bunker, and freshwater baits like nightcrawlers and trout worms are stocked.

<b>Barnegat</b>

From an edited e-mail from Capt. Dave DeGennaro from the <b>Hi Flier</b>: “Got out fishing Monday with friends Nick Honachefsky and Sean Reilly. The ocean was still rough, so we opted for Barnegat Bay. The morning tide was perfect for clamming (for striped bass), so I grabbed a bunch of fresh clams, and got on the anchor by 7:30 a.m., for the start of outgoing tide. We sat sideways to the anchor line in Oyster Creek Channel for 45 minutes, without a hit, before the tide started running, and then we started chumming. The first few raps were small bluefish that spit the hooks at the surface. A few minutes later, Nick sets up on a fish that puts a nice bend in the rod, and soon after we net a 14-pounder, to break the ice. Sean gets the next hit, and after feeding it back to the fish a few times, he hooks a fish that doubles the rod and dumps line. Then the hook pulled. Ouch!  We caught another short striper, and headed over to the west side of the bay for Plan B, to try and catch weakfish and bluefish on the spinning rods. We fished at the outflow of the nuclear plant, where the water temp spiked to 62 degrees. No weakies, but non-stop action with 2- to 3-pound blues on 10-pound spinning tackle. We were throwing Fin-S and BKD soft plastics. We did that for about 2 hours, and left them biting. I’m going to run open-boat trips this Saturday and Sunday. I’ll try to get out to the ocean, but if it’s too rough, I’ll be packing plenty of fresh clams to anchor up and fish with them in the bay. If everyone’s game, we’ll mix in some light-tackle casting for the bluefish. If we’re going to fish the bay for stripers, I’d like to be anchored at a very specific time to catch the tide I have the most confidence in: the high water slack and the first few hours of outgoing. For the area I’m fishing, that would be 12 noon Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday. That means we would start around 9 a.m. each day, and wrap up around 3 p.m. Starting with the light tackle blues first. If the forecast looks okay for the ocean, then we’d meet at 6 a.m., and get back around noon, or later, or much later … until I find some fish! If you fished with me before, you know I have no north or south boundaries. Topped with fuel, my Sea Cat can run for two full days. So pack some rations! We’ll be looking for bunker or birds. Limited to three passengers. Everything is provided. All fish are shared. Call to reserve a spot.” <b>***Update, Saturday, 5/11:***</b> From an edited e-mail from Dave today: “I took two people out Friday afternoon for a bay trip. I tried clamming the stripers in Oyster Creek and Double Creek for 3 1/2 hours, without a hit. No problem – ‘I know where we can get some action with bluefish’ – so I took them over to the outflow of Oyster Creek, where blues have been stacked every day … Yeah, not today. Desperate to catch these guys anything, I put two plugs out on the light spinning rods, and we trolled some 2- to 3-pound blues by the BB buoy. Not a good report, I know, but the whole time I was on my tour of the bay, I was listening to multiple boats catching big stripers on the troll off Island Beach State Park. This is what I’ve been waiting for. This was the silver lining to an otherwise dismal afternoon. I sat today out because of the unstable weather, but I have a full boat Sunday, and now I’ll be running an open boat or charter Monday. The wind is coming around to the west/northwest, and the big stripers are here. That is a winning combination. I’ll also be running trips Tuesday through Friday in the afternoon, targeting these same fish, 12 noon to 6 p.m. Call for more info.”

<b>Surf City</b>

Surf casters beached striped bass and bluefish, said Bruce from <b>Surf City Bait & Tackle</b>. The stripers sometimes included “decent-sized,” and the blues Bruce caught were tailors 1 to 3 pounds. Many of the catches came on clams and bunker. Some tossed metal for the blues. But anglers seem to miss out on fishing with mullet on mullet rigs. This is a great time for catching blues on that. If anglers want to catch, that’s a way. Bruce’s girlfriend fished mullet on a mullet rig, and caught. In the bay, stripers and blues, from tailors to 10 pounds, were rustled up. Weakfish supposedly swam the bay, but Bruce saw none, and until he does, he won’t say weaks are in. Frozen mullet and mullet rigs are stocked. Bait also includes fresh clams, and fresh bunker should arrive for the weekend. When the season gets rolling, keep up with the news in <a href="http://www.surfcitybaitandtackle.com/" target="_blank">Surf City Bait & Tackle’s fishing reports</a> on the shop’s Web site. Keep in touch on <a href=" http://www.facebook.com/pages/Surf-City-Bait-and-Tackle/207533229268619
" target="_blank">Surf City Bait & Tackle’s Facebook page</a>.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

From Graveling Point from shore, bluefish, a few striped bass, not many, and occasional drum were waxed, said Chris from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Maybe 1 in 20 fish was a striper. Baits like mullet, mackerel, herring and bunker were fished for blues, and clams were usually dunked for stripers. But some fished bloodworms for stripers. Stripers could be boated from Great Bay toward Oyster Creek Point, but early in mornings, before daylight. A customer clammed a 20-pound striper there, saying the angling shut off an hour after daylight. Chris wouldn’t be surprised if a striper were boated at Grassy Channel on the bay, but maybe 1 in 100 bites was a bass there. Blues schooled Grassy, and sometimes a drum was boated there. Bluefish and lots of sharks and skates gathered at Little Egg Inlet. One weakfish was reported caught in 10 days. The trout was big, 29 or 30 inches, but maybe anglers didn’t talk about weaks they hooked. Out-of-season summer flounder began to swim the bay, and Chris released a couple on a trip. Flounder season will be opened in two Saturdays, May 18. Blowfish hovered in the bay, and were spawners that appear a moment then disappear, returning later, in summer. Long Beach Island surf anglers picked up stripers. White perch fishing was good on Mullica River, like at Lower Bank and Green Bank bridges. Fresh, shucked clams and bloodworms are stocked. Minnows were difficult to net and keep stocked, because of freshwater runoff from rains. Live grass shrimp were a little spotty to net and keep on hand. All the flounder baits like different types of squid were arriving for flounder season.

<b>Absecon</b>

On the bays, striped bass fishing was hit or miss a little, said Curt from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. Capt. Dave, the shop’s owner, had a keeper aboard when Curt gave this report around 12 noon over the phone, released a couple of shorts and got lines bitten off from a couple of blues. Curt was sure Dave would return with some fish. Dave prefers to fish for stripers with live bait, and spots, from a supplier to the south, were recently stocked. Boaters fished with them and eels for stripers drifted in the bays, rivers and along structure, like rocks at Absecon Inlet at night, and under lights. But they also kept clamming the bass in bays during daytime. The fish were sort of everywhere, and anglers searched for them. Stripers were also grabbed on pink Zooms or Fin-S Fish along jetties and bridges. Blues schooled Great Bay, and a few weakfish were heard about from Great Bay earlier this season, not recently. But one report talked about weaks on pink Fin-S at night. Curt, a white perch angler, said the slabs were spawning, so they held far up rivers like the Mullica. For crabbing, the season was a little early. Catch the annual    <a href=" http://www.abseconbay.com/customerappreciation.html" target="_blank">Grand Slam Customer Appreciation Sale</a> and Tournament. The sale, from Friday through the following Friday, May 17, features 25 percent off almost all tackle. The free <a href=" http://www.abseconbay.com/fishingtournaments.html" target="_blank">tournament</a>, on Saturday and Sunday, May 18 and 19, awards prizes for the biggest summer flounder, striped bass, bluefish, weakfish and black drum.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

Fishing on foot at Absecon Inlet beat bluefish, striped bass, weakfish, kingfish and blowfish, said Noel from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. From the T-jetty to a little beyond the Flagship gave up most. The angling was phenomenal, actually, difficult to put in words, Noel said. Lots of blues and a good number of stripers gathered. At least 40 weakfish were lifted from along one jetty each night the past several nights. The blues swiped mullet, mackerel and fresh bunker. The stripers chomped clams, bloodworms and mullet. The weaks were mostly bloodwormed, but also hit lures, including Daiwa SP Minnows, Zooms and Bass Assassins. The kings and blowfish nibbled bloods. Fresh bunker is supposed to be stocked today, and all the other baits mentioned, including fresh clams and bloodworms, and more are carried. Absecon Inlet is nearby and is lined with jetties.

<b>Brigantine</b>

Northeast winds made surf fishing for striped bass slow in past days, but lots of bluefish were beached, said Joe from <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>. But winds now switched to southwest, and five or six stripers to 19 pounds were weighed in from shore today. A 4 pound weakfish was checked in today that was the shop’s second of the season from the surf. Two kingfish were brought to the store from the beach this season, but not in past days. Bunker or mullet were fished for the blues, and clams were soaked for the bass. Winds made fresh bunker and clams unavailable, but frozen was on hand, and fresh clams are hoped to be stocked Friday morning. If the bunker supplier sails tonight, the fresh menhaden could be carried starting Friday. 

<b>Ocean City</b>

A good number of bluefish schooled the back bay, said Ed from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. In mixed sizes 12 to 30 inches, they were fought at places including along the Causeway Bridge and Beesley’s Point on nearly anything, including cut bait and clams. Until about Wednesday, the bay was practically the only fishable place, because of winds. A few striped bass were clubbed from the bay. A weakfish caught here and there was heard about from the bay. A healthy population of summer flounder blanketed the bay, and flounder season will be opened in two Saturdays, May 18. The surf couldn’t be fished because of winds in about a week. A few kingfish were cranked from the ocean pier, about the only ocean place that could be fished in the weather. But a few kings were nipped up and down the coast lately. White perch fishing sounded productive on Great Egg Harbor River. A few small stripers were landed among them. Plenty of fresh clams are stocked, and usually are. Fresh bunker is trying to be stocked at least for weekends, and the weather kept bunker boats docked about a week, but better weather now was hoped to allow them to sail. Minnows and eels will be stocked Friday, and the minnows are part of the shop being readied for flounder season. 

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Though winds made fishing tough through the week, winds switched on Wednesday, and lots of striped bass were reported smashed from the surf, and angling took off on the back bay for weakfish, blues, summer flounder and striped bass, said Mike from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. The flounder are out of season and must be released, but the season will be opened in two Saturdays, May 18, and the bay was flooded with them. One angler, fishing for weakfish, released five flounder, and a 20-incher was smallest. Back to the surf, stripers were clammed, and no drum from the beach were heard about in four or five days. Drum were occasionally banked previously. Blues probably ran the surf, but none was reported. On the bay, anglers usually fished soft-plastic lures like Zooms or Bass Assassins. Fresh clams, bloodworms, minnows and all frozen baits are stocked.

Bluefish and summer flounder were tugged from the back bay Tuesday evening with Doug Gillespie aboard, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b>, affiliated with <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. The out-of-season flounder were released. With Mike Jones aboard Wednesday evening, blues to 7 pounds and flounder were also nailed from the bay. The hook was also pulled on a large weakfish for Mike, and this trip’s flounder were also let go. Bluefish were larger than usual that evening, and blues usually ranged from 1 ½ to 7 pounds, and anglers never knew the size that would bite. Weaks caught lately were larger, weighing 3 to 8 pounds, from the bay. Flounder to 6 ½ pounds were caught and released aboard the bay so far, and fishing for flounder should be phenomenal when the fluke season is opened in two Saturdays, May 18. Fish for them in the early season, when the shallow, relatively warm bay attracts them. Later, many of the fluke will depart to the cooler ocean, when the bay becomes warm. Weather was windy and rough lately, but fish bit anyway. The population seemed healthy. Striped bass could be landed from the bay, though Joe concentrated on the other fish recently. But stripers should become willing to jump on popper lures and flies along the surface any time, because of warmer waters, and Joe specializes in the popper fishing, for exciting, visual attacks. The blues, flounder and weaks were hooked on soft-plastic lures bounced slowly along bottom, and the bite was subtle. Take an afternoon, after-work trip, a great time for the angling, when waters are warmest, and hardly any boats fish the bay. Further ahead, inshore shark trips will begin on the ocean in late June. Sharks from browns and duskies, both required to be released, to blacktips are wrestled on light tackle. The fishing is a chance to fight large fish without the long trip offshore. Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s blog</a>.

<b>Wildwood</b>

Blitzing bluefish 1 to 2 pounds were reported from the back bay Wednesday afternoon and today from Sea Isle City to Cape May, said Fred from <b>No Bones Bait & Tackle</b>. Little else was heard, because of winds. That included from the surf, because of the northeasterlies, though striped bass were wrenched from North Wildwood’s surf previously. Anglers waited for striper fishing to kick in on the bay. They’ll fish and chum with clam bellies on anchor for them. But customers also waited for summer flounder season to be opened in two Saturdays, May 18. Flounder already swam the bay for a month. The store’s rental boats became available for the season to fish the bay, especially for flounder. Baits stocked include frozen quarts and pints of salted clams, bulk bags of clam bellies, mullet, herring, mackerel and all the usual. Fresh clams are carried when they become in demand. Minnows will be stocked when flounder season opens.

<b>Cape May</b>

Two open-boat trips for drum will steam Delaware Bay on Friday and Saturday on the <b>Down Deep</b>, and space is available, Capt. Mario said. He said in previous reports that drum began to show up. Also 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 for special sea bass or wreck fishing trips. Sea bass season will be opened May 19. Also see the site for a schedule of open-boat tuna trips that will be posted soon. The trips will probably begin in late June or early July.

Fishing is supposed to sail for drum on Delaware Bay this weekend on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>, Capt. George said. Drum were sometimes eased in, but George thought hardly any boats fished for them in weather. When weather was better a couple of days in the past week, a few boats shot out for them, catching a few. Trips aboard will sail for sea bass when sea bass season is opened May 19. Call to grab dates for drum or sea bass fishing.

The party boat <b>Porgy IV</b> remained docked since blackfish season was closed May 1, Capt. Paul said. The boat had been blackfishing until then, and might keep being tied up until trips can run for sea bass on the ocean, when sea bass season is opened in two Sundays, May 19. But if striped bass, in either Delaware Bay or the ocean, or drum, in the bay, become more abundant, trips could sail for them before sea bass season. When the boat fishes, trips sail at 8 a.m. daily.

Surf fishing was excellent, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. Striped bass were beached from both the ocean side and Delaware Bay side around Cape May, and tailor bluefish were banked, like around Poverty Beach. Occasional drum were heaved in from shore. One customer clammed a 25-pound 41-inch striper from the ocean surf today. A 40-pound 35-inch striper, a whopper, was reportedly dragged to the beach from the bay at North Cape May today on clam. Whether clams or bunker were fished for stripers from the surf seemed personal preference, and both probably caught equally. More people fish clams, so more is heard about clams. But anglers might want to bring bunker for the blues. Drum inhaled clams fished for stripers, and one customer eased in a 30-pounder. Weakfish could be plucked from along Cape May’s jetties on bloodworms on float rigs or bucktails. Few boaters fished Delaware Bay, because of winds. But a couple of photos of drum were seen from boaters, and a few seemed to bite in the bay. Stripers were sometimes boated on the bay, and Nick would say try for them at places like the cove, Bug Light and Bayshore Channel. The cove is the area around Reed’s Beach or Bidwell Creek, or where the creeks flow into the southern bay. The bottom is flat near the shore there, but baitfish always seem to attract the bass. Anglers on smaller boats can fish the shallows there, and do catch. Larger boats like charters can’t really fish the skinny waters. Fresh clams and bunker are stocked when available. The supply will be questionable for the weekend, because winds probably kept boats from sailing for them. Bloodworms and all the frozen baits are on hand.

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