<b>Staten Island</b>

Customers were starting to pick winter flounder on the Jersey side of the bay off Keyport and Union Beach, said Dino from <b>Michael’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Nothing great, but a steady pick was possible, and no flatties seemed to be biting yet on the New York side. New York’s flounder season opened Tuesday. Worms, clams, mussels, chum and all the flounder supplies are stocked.

Flounder fishing sounded mostly slow, for whatever reasons, maybe cold water, maybe not, but strong winds weren’t helping, said Capt. Anthony from <b>Barbara Ann Fishing Charters</b>.The boat was in dry dock for a moment but should sail by Sunday, and daily, open-boat trips for winter flounder should begin then. Charters are also available.

<b>Keyport</b>

Striped bass fishing was starting to show signs of life in the local bay, and no big ones hit, but lots of shorts bit, said Chris from <b>Crabby’s Bait & Tackle</b> in a fax. The shop’s $25 gift certificate for the angler who weighs in the first striper 15 pounds or heavier was still up for grabs.  On the flounder front lots of boaters targeted the Keyport Flats or nearby and reeled up good-sized ones and lots of limits. One angler said the fishing on his trip was slow at first, but then he chummed heavily, and the bite was on. He and his four-man crew limited out while fishing with sandworms tipped with small pieces of clam while chumming with clams and mussels. The store is fully stocked for Saturday’s opening of trout season, and call or stop by for the latest scoop on any of this fishing or to confirm what supplies are on hand.

The boat will be launched for the season Tuesday, if the weather’s decent, said Capt. Joe from <b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b>. Then trips will immediately fish for winter flounder and/or striped bass, including on combos.  Open-boat trips will sail 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily when no charter is booked, and call to reserve. Joe heard little about flounder fishing during the strong winds this week, but mostly short stripers were supposedly biting in the bay. Lots of bunker were also reportedly schooling the bay. “Blackfish” Doug, known by many local anglers, will join the boat’s crew as one of the mates this season, bringing a world of experience to the team, Joe said.

Winds and weather were so bad that no trips fished on the <b>Lucky Carm</b>, Capt. Carmine said. West winds blew so strong that outgoing tide yesterday, along with effects of the new moon, pushed the bay a good 1/8 or 1/16 of a mile farther from shore than usual. People were walking their dogs where the water used to cover and also where Carmine sometimes fishes for flounder. But the boat’s first trip of the season, an open-boat outing, scored winter flounder on Sunday off Keyport. See the previous report for details. Open trips and charters are under way, chasing flatties for now, and stripers whenever the linesiders turn on.  The open trips are running every day when no charter is booked, and call ahead.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Flounder were caught on some days and not on others, both in the bay and in the rivers, said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>, but he did hear about limits sometimes bagged, and he himself limited out a number of times. He’s hooked no striped bass so far, though he always put out a striper rod, but others reported a few striper catches, mainly from along the bayshore. More bunker and herring than Jimmy had ever seen were swimming the bay and rivers. The Scotland Grounds were giving up ling. Sandworms, bloodworms, clams, mussels and all the baits are stocked.

The <b>CRT II</b> was splashed, and both flounder and striper charters are available, Capt. Mick said. Flounder were sometimes pulled from the bay and rivers, and stripers, not many keepers yet, hit in the bay at times. Flounder trips will be possible until the season closes after May 21, and stripers should bite through June, and last year they were hooked almost until July.

A winter flounder trip Monday morning was the only one that sailed on the <b>Atlantic Star</b> since the weekend, and patrons boated a few flatties, a slow pick, in the Shrewsbury River, Capt. Tom said. Howling winds that created a chill and sometimes rainstorms that rolled through one moment and disappeared the next seemed to keep anglers away and make the fish slow to feed. A few from the party boat fleet fished Monday, but none sailed Tuesday and Wednesday, and not many anglers showed up at the docks, probably because of the forecasts.  But on the trip that fished on the Atlantic Star, the boat made three or four drops, and although slack tides can be best for the bite in the strong currents of the river, the change of tides was producing no better action than when tides were moving so far this season. So Tom hoped that the weather would straighten out so the mudbacks would come alive and anglers would return to port and fish. He’ll keep trying to sail every day.  The Atlantic Star is fishing for winter flounder twice daily from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. <b>***UPDATE, 5 p.m.***:</b> This morning’s trip on the Atlantic Star produced a bit of improvement, and 24 flounder were bagged, and a few shorts were released. Not great fishing, and a pick instead, but encouraging. No change of tide took place during those hours, so there was no word from the trip about whether the change seemed as productive as it can be, though the slack water was making no difference in the bite previously. The boat started off fishing far back in the Shrewsbury, past the Sea Bright Bridge, but nothing bit there, so the vessel moved downriver, and catches picked up. But that doesn’t mean the fish left the back of the river, and the maybe the cold nights were keeping them too chilled to become active. This afternoon’s trip was tough, and there was a change of tide, but when the water became incoming, it pushed against the south winds and kicked up crummy conditions, difficult to lay on anchor for flounder fishing. A few fish were bagged, but unlike during the morning.

Striped bass fishing will kick off the <b>Fishermen</b>’s season on daily trips starting Saturday, Capt. Ron said. Patrons will clam for the bass in the bay until moving to the ocean for larger, migrating stripers around May. Small stripers were currently holding along the 8- or 10-foot shallows of the bay, and lots of bunker were schooling the bay. The Fishermen will target striped bass 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. every day.

<b>Highlands</b>

A trip headed out for winter flounder today with <b>Fisher Price Charters</b> and scored 20 of the fish in 4 ½ hours in the Navesink River, a pretty good catch, Capt. Derek said. He had to chum heavily, and the tide was outgoing the whole time. No striped bass were hooked, and bunker and herring sometimes flipped around. But a friend loaded up on a bunch of stripers today in the bay off Cliffwood Beach, so striper trips are probably possible. Fisher Price is chartering for flounder and stripers, and dates remain through June but are filling by this point in the season, so if you want a date, better reserve.

Fourteen flounder were picked up on a trip with <b>Sandy Hook Fishing Adventures</b> this past week, and so were two short striped bass to 22 inches that were released, Capt. Bob said in an e-mail. He didn’t mention where the trip fished, but he’s been hitting the Shrewsbury and Navesink rivers lately, and he said schools of bunker were swimming the Navesink. He hoped that meant big, migrating stripers were coming soon. Charters will keep concentrating on flounder until the bass show up.

<b>Belmar</b>

The <b>Big Mohawk</b>’s season got under way this past week, but the weather wasn’t allowing the boat to sail yet, Capt. Chris said. But he planned to try to launch his first trip today. He’ll try to concentrate on blackfishing before the tog season closes in May. A few ling or other bottom fish might be mixed in, but blacks should be the focus. Crabs and clams will be supplied for bait, and trips will sail 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

Winter flounder in the Shark River were mostly hooked between the bridges, said Mike from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b>. Herring were jigged on Sabiki rigs in the bay, and a few small striped bass were sometimes played from the surf, including on clams. People were talking about bunker schooling farther north in Raritan Bay and farther south, and none was showing up locally, but the menhaden should mean migrating stripers will appear soon. The party boats were weathered out in the past days, and they were fishing today but hadn’t returned yet. They were targeting ling and blackfish lately, but before the weather, some trips got into surprising numbers of cod, including three, four or five per person, lots more than in years.

<b>Brielle</b>

Offshore wreck-fishing trips on the <b>Jamaica</b> on Friday and Saturday produced 20 to 30 fish per angler, a mix of ling, sea bass and a few cod and pollock, so catches were good, an e-mail from the boat said. Saturday’s fishing gave up mostly sea bass, including some limits, and ling were mixed in. Pool winners from the trips included Ray Rosco with a 6-1/2-pound sea bass, a limit of the humpheads and six ling; Vince Williams with a 25-pound pollock; Roland Headley with a 12-pound pollock; and Kostas Konias with an 8-pound cod. The crew expects the good bite to continue through the month, and trips are running to the offshore wrecks every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday nights through April until striped bass trips begin. Tilefish and wreckfish trips will head out on the Fridays of April 25 and May 2 and 9. <b>Bogan’s Boating School</b> is offering the boating safety course required in New Jersey, and the next classes take place 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 5, 13, 19 and 27 at Bogan’s Basin. Private classes are available for a minimum of eight students, with a discount for 10 or more students, at your location. Simply choose two 3-hour blocks of time and arrange an instructor, but one-day private classes are also available when instructors can schedule them. The test-out option is available 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. every Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday.

<b>Point Pleasant</b>

The <b>Voyager’s</b> trips were weathered out this past week, said Brian from <b>Fisherman’s Supply</b>, where the boat is docked. Those were supposed to be the vessel’s last trips before it underwent annual painting until later this month, but now another trip is slated to run for cod for 12 hours at 6 a.m. Sunday, so grab your chance while you can. The boat last week was supposed to fish for cod on one trip and for sea bass at the offshore wrecks on two trips. Winter flounder fishing might’ve picked up a little in the Manasquan River. A few stripers were taken from the surf at Ortley Beach and Seaside. Fisherman’s Supply is open every day. 

Strong winds, cooler water and the new moon ground winter fishing to a halt in the northern Barnegat Bay area by Sunday, when a half-day, shared charter fished for the flatties with <b>Angela Rose Charters</b>, Capt. Anthony said in e-mails. Only one of the fish was boated on the trip, and the crew could do nothing to trigger a better bite, and the high hook among the fleet in the area was four keepers, according to the radio and phone calls that the crew made to other vessels. On Monday the water, almost 50 degrees, and air were warmer, and winds only blew 5 knots, but fishing improved just slightly, with two flounder, including a 16-incher, boated on a half-day charter. That was the best catch among the four boats fishing the bay near the Point Pleasant Canal, and the blackbacks were still “digging down.” A half-day charter with one angler on Tuesday braved 30-plus knot winds on the upper day, and after several drops with no fish, the boat moved to the river for shelter from the blow. But still no cooperation from the flatbacks, and torrential rains rolled in by mid day. The charter, “being the trooper that he is, battled it to the last second,” the e-mail said. “It’s not always the number of fish you catch, but (it’s) the people you’re around that makes the fishing fun,” the charter reportedly said. “Aye aye!” Anthony said. Anthony thought the fishing will turn around again after the moon phase and with rising temperatures. The Angela Rose crew also congratulates “Bill C.” for winning the monthly pool in March for a 2.1-pound flounder. He received free passes for a spot on two shared charters, two T-shirts and an assortment of Mai Tai rigs. Angela Rose is outfitted with custom Mai Tai tackle this season. The crew also congratulated anglers who won the pools for the rest of the Top Five flounder for the month on the boat’s trips. ***UPDATE***: A shared charter hit the flounder grounds today on the Angela Rose in warm weather, no winds, awesome conditions, with a beautiful sunrise. They set up at the usual spot, chummed heavily, and fish on! Fifteen flatties were bagged, and about five more were missed on good bites. “After a slow week, a day like today was needed!” Capt. Anthony said. Two anchor adjustments were made, a decent pick was maintained. Not a single fish that came up was a questionable keeper or had to be measured, and every one ranged 14 to 15 inches. Water temps were about 50 degrees on both tides.

Fishing was generally slow, as anglers waited for waters to warm, but some were saying striped bass were running around the Mantoloking Bridge on northern Barnegat Bay, and a few said a 17-pound keeper was landed, said Rob Sr. from <b>Gates Bait & Tackle</b>. That was unconfirmed, but more than one person talked about it. Winter flounder fishing on the bay seemed to slow for a moment during windy weather early in the week, but on the whole, catches were starting to come around. Customers on party boats might’ve had a harder time catching the flatties in the cold water, but anglers on small boats and charter boats seemed to connect well at times. Lots of bait was starting to move up Manasquan Inlet, and not much was happening with local surf fishing, but Rob was at a shop at Seaside, and customers there were starting to beach a few small striped bass on small plugs, though a minimum of people were fishing. Bottom-fishing party boats came back with good numbers of ling and some cod. Gates Bait & Tackle is open 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., and the hours will be extended when fishing picks up. Bait is in full supply and includes sandworms, bloodworms, fresh clams, mussels and chum. The Gates Motel, located on the grounds, is open full time and is popular with anglers, who stay the night to avoid driving early or late before charter, party boat or private boat trips. Later in the season many anglers will make a fishing vacation out of a visit, throwing a line in the water anywhere from the boats, to the inlet to the surf. Both the tackle shop and the hotel are within walking distance of the charter and party boat fleet, Manasquan Inlet and the suds.

The crew from <b>Andrea’s Toy Charters</b> took a shakedown trip, the first of the season, on northern Barnegat Bay at the Mantoloking Bridge and on the Manasquan River and caught a dozen winter flounder to 16 inches on Friday, Capt. Fred said. The fishing was very hit or miss and produced only on incoming tide, not on outgoing and slack. Incoming is unusual, because outgoing with warmer waters is usually best in the early season, instead of cold, in-flowing currents from the ocean. But incoming seemed best for everyone at the time. The crew planned to attempt to sail to the Mudhole today for ling, cod and maybe blackfish at the wrecks in 100 feet. Andrea’s Toy is now offering open-boat trips to the canyons for tilefish that will also push inshore for ling and cod on the same day. If interested, call Fred, and he’ll keep you in the loop on possible days and weather windows. During the last week of April the boat will move to Raritan Bay to striped bass fish till returning to Point Pleasant in June for shark season and other action. 

On the <b>Dauntless</b> anglers bottom fished Saturday through Tuesday but not on Wednesday, Capt. Butch said. Catches were alright, mostly ling, but a few blackfish and a few cod. Small, undersized sea bass started biting, probably fish that remained on the grounds through the cold months and were waking up in warmer water, not fish that migrated from offshore. Trips fished in 90 to 150 feet, and last week the fish were starting to appear in shallower water, but that ended, maybe because of a cold shot of water. The water was 44 degrees nearly everywhere, even in the Manasquan River. If mackerel migrate close enough to shore to target this year, the boat will go after them, and 48- to 52-degree water is ideal. If the water warms gradually, they usually swim close enough, but if not, they usually pass the coast farther offshore, and then anglers will only see bluefish close to shore that migrate behind the Bostons. A gillnetter yesterday morning said a few mackerel showed up in his bunker nets, and those were the first macks Butch heard about this year. But recreational anglers don’t start catching mackerel until the bunker boats pull up like a 100 pounds of mackerel. The Dauntless is bottom fishing 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. every day.

Capt. Bob from the <b>Gambler</b> wasn’t reached for a report this week, but previously he said the boat’s season will launch Saturday, and then trips will fish Thursdays through Sundays. On Thursdays and Saturdays blackfish will be targeted on the inshore grounds, and on Fridays and Sundays ling, pollock and cod will be the focus at the mid-range wrecks from 20 to 40 miles off. 

<b>Bricktown</b>

Winter flounder fishing was slow to pick up in northern Barnegat Bay, like around the Mantoloking Bridge, after cold days and lots of winds, said Jason from <b>Pell’s Fish & Sport</b>. But anglers were picking away at them, and shallow water was key, and the flatties started being hooked in the Manasquan River, beginning a move toward the ocean. Striped bass normally bite in that area of the bay at this time of year, but nothing was being heard about catches this season. Maybe anglers were tight lipped, but a friend who targets the linesiders said he hooked them last week but not this week. A few customers were trying to find a striper in the surf, but nobody reported success, and the season’s a little early. Forge Pond offered up plenty of white perch, and nobody said they saw herring migrating at such places yet. The shop will open early at 5 a.m. for the opening of trout season on Saturday, with free coffee and donuts. The shelves will be filled to the gills with trout supplies, including nightcrawlers, meal worms, fathead minnows, salmon eggs, Power Bait and ultralight rods and reels. Normally the shop is currently open 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays.

<b>Toms River</b>

On the Toms River at Island Heights winter flounder fishing was slow, probably approaching the end of the run there, and the weekend will probably give up the last catches for the year, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. The high hook now would be about three. But one angler hit the river from the docks at the Island Heights and bloodwormed 11 stripers including three keepers. Barnegat Bay off the Water’s Edge Restaurant was giving up a few flounder, nothing special, and so was Double Creek Channel. Oyster Creek, where the nuclear power plant dumps in warm water, was doling out a mix of stripers, holdover blues, a few speckled seatrout and black drum. Striper fishing there was slowing down compared with before, and the water was warm, and look for them at the mouth. Nothing was biting in the surf, but anglers were trying every day. If you want to be one of the first to score a surf striper this season, sandworms or bloodworms are best in the cold, and clams will also connect. Trout tackle will be in complete supply for the opening day of the season on Saturday.

<b>Seaside</b>

“Got wind?” the fishing report on <b>Grumpy’s Tackle</b>’s web site asked yesterday. Winds disappeared today, but practically nobody was surf fishing so far, and the shop’s Polar Bear Tournament, a fishing contest held during winter, sort of for laughs but a real tournament, was extended to April 15. “There better be some bass (in the surf) by then, or I’m selling my fishing gear and buying a metal detector,” one of the shop’s staff wrote. The wash was in the upper 40s. However, on Tuesday the report said the surf was in the upper 50s, and 14- to 18-pound stripers slammed the coast. “Happy April Fool’s Day!” it said. But seriously, winter flounder fishing in the bays sounded hot and cold, and some reports called the bite a slow pick, and others called it a great day with limits caught. Plenty of clams are stocked. <a href="http://www.grumpystackle.com/fishingreports/" target="_blank"> Click here</a> for updates.  

A father and son beached short striped bass, 23- to 24-inchers, in the surf on Sunday on clams, and they returned Monday, but the weather took a dive, the report on <b>Betty and Nick’s Bait & Tackle</b>’s web site said. Afterward a few anglers tested the wash, but no catches were mentioned. The surf yesterday was 43 degrees, 1 to 3 feet and clean in west winds. <a href=" http://www.bettyandnicks.com/fish.shtml" target="_blank"> Click here</a> for the latest.

<b>Waretown</b>

A few winter flounder and plenty of small striped bass were biting around Barnegat Bay, but the area’s fishing really takes off toward the end of April or beginning of May, and <b>Perfect Drift Sport Fishing</b> will start running trips then, Capt. John said. By that time flounder should still be hitting, and bluefish will migrate to the coast and the bay, and big, tiderunner, spawning weakfish will head into the bay, and fishing for better-sized stripers will start. It all happens at the same time, he said. He might also take a couple of trips for mackerel, if mackerel migrate close enough to shore this year, and load up on the Bostons for bait for blues, sharks and even fluke, because fluke like strips of mackerel in the early season. From what John heard, flounder fishing in the bay was mostly slow so far, and boaters landed one or two or none per trip, and the water was cold. The flatties were there, but they needed to warm and wake up. A buddy was commercially netting lots of the blackbacks in the bay until the commercial season closed in winter. The flounder should be carpeting the back of the bay now, and by the time Perfect Drift starts fishing, they’ll probably be caught along the Inland Waterway and then move to Meyer’s Hole, near Barnegat Inlet. Perfect Drift will chase fluke as soon as the season opens May 24, and the bay’s fluking is usually best early in the season. 

Fishing for winter flounder sounded slow in nearby Barnegat Bay, and winds and storms kept rolling through during the week, said Dale from <b>L&H Woods & Water</b>. He and buddies tried for flounder in the bay in 8 feet between the BI and BB buoys, almost directly off the Oyster Creek power plant, on Monday in rains and winds and only bagged one keeper. Today brought better weather, but regardless, nobody on the radio was reporting luck with the flatties. One customer fished for the blackbacks at the 55 marker in the bay off Harvey Cedars, usually a good spot, caught nothing and moved off Oyster Creek and had no luck. Dale also fished at the 55 last week and found a slow bite. One customer, a good angler, was fishing off Oyster Creek since 8 a.m. today, and by noon, when Dale gave this report, he’d yet to score a catch. That spot was previously best for flattie fishing, but nowhere seemed productive now. Another customer even took the trip north to Shark River, landed no flounder and only saw two caught. But small striped bass kept biting in Oyster Creek on sandworms, bloodworms and small, pink Fin-S Fish. There was also supposedly a good bite around the mouth of the creek late at night, like 10 or 11. Nobody mentioned reeling in keepers, but the action was supposed to be quick at times. Little was heard about flounder pulled from the creek, but maybe stripers were grabbing baits before flounder could hit. Surf fishing seemed yet to take off. A couple of customers were keeping the beach honest at Surf City, like at 26th Street, but they reported no catches so far. Fresh clams, frozen, unsalted clams in pints, quarts and 5-pound bags, sandworms and bloodworms are stocked. The store will be fully supplied for the opening of trout season on Saturday, with nightcrawlers, meal worms and all the other trout treats on hand. L&H’s store in Wall Township will hold its annual Kids Fishing Day on the opening, and kids 5 to 11 accompanied by an adult will be able to throw a line for trout stocked in the shop’s pond. Dale believed that browns, brooks and rainbows were stocked, and so were a few big breeders, and prizes will be awarded for the top-three trout reeled in. The pond also holds sunnies, pickerel and the usual suspects.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Long Beach Island surf casters were sometimes clamming striped bass, shorts, but respectable ones, 26- or 27-inchers, said Nick from <b>Barnegat Light Bait & Tackle</b>. Robbie and Josh from the shop were reeling them in almost every day. A rumor made the circuit about a 22- or 26-pound keeper bass plugged in Barnegat Bay behind the shop. Nobody talked about winter flounder catches recently, but Nick was seeing boaters lined up and fishing for flounder along the channel of the bay when he drove to work. Bunker were schooling the bay, and no herring were apparently appearing locally, but they were starting to show farther south. Vacuum-packed blueback herring were stocked, and so were clams, bloodworms, sandworms and flounder chum. Nick and his business partner’s other store, Oceanside Bait & Tackle, on southern Long Beach Island in Brighton Beach, should open for the season in a couple of weeks.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

Anglers finally started reeling in striped bass Monday from the banks of Great Bay, said Scott from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. That was a late start that followed painfully slow fishing, but it really came on this week, and Scott heard about catches including 19 and 13 fish, few keepers, but action. One angler grabbed five including one keeper. Most of the fish were 20 inches, and Graveling Point and Pebble Beach near the end of Radio Road in Mystic Island are the two popular spots. Bloodworms and clams are the baits to toss in the cold water at this time of year, and both were in decent supply. During some years the bite begins in early March, even if catches only trickle in, but this year there was barely even a catch until now, but boy did it start. Scott heard no news about the fishing today, probably because he hardly manned the counter. Outgoing tides are usually best, because they push out warmer water from the rivers and creeks, unlike the incoming cold water from the ocean. But Scott wasn’t asked whether any tide was more productive now. White perch fishing seemed alright on the Wading River from the Route 542 Bridge. A neighbor was fishing for winter flounder in the bay at Manahawkin and scoring fair catches. The flatties used to hug bottom in Tuckerton Bay but became scarce, and customers looked for them there last year but found none, and they were probably discouraged from trying this year, especially when they could simply head up to places like Manahawkin. Few flounder ever show up in Great Bay. Green crabs are stocked for tog fishing, and anglers were talking about sailing for tog this coming weekend, but the weather was looking questionable. Trout supplies—including small minnows, live grass shrimp, meal worms, red wigglers and some of the Power Baits--will be on the shelves for opening day of the season Saturday.

<b>Brigantine</b>

***BREAKING NEWS***: Fifteen minutes after Riptide Bait & Tackle gave the below report and it was posted, Capt. Andy called back and said the first keeper striper of the season from the Brigantine surf was just weighed in. Pat Cooke nailed the 16-pound 35-1/2-incher and won the shop’s $300 gift card, and a bunch of other stripers were supposedly flooding the waters. No other keepers were heard about, but it was a start! Keep an eye on the report on</i>  <a href="http://riptidebaitandtackle.com/index.php" target="_blank"> Riptide’s web site</a><i> for updates.

Surf casters sometimes beached short striped bass, and that was about the only action at the moment, said Capt. Andy from <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>. The shop’s bounty for the angler who checks in the season’s first keeper striper from the Brigantine suds was still unclaimed. But the lucky angler will win a $300 gift card and other goodies. The ocean was somewhat dirty, and maybe that didn’t help, but then again, when they bite, they bite. Bloodworms seemed the best bait in the cold wash, but clams also did the trick, and lots fished the beach over the weekend. The water there was about 48 degrees, and one angler said the bay was 49 to 50 degrees at his dock far in the back. Boaters were trying to buy a bite from a striper in the bay while dunking clams and bloodworms on anchor, but nothing was doing.  Loads of bunker were schooling the bay. Andy was hearing about tons of working birds following the Cape May Ferry across the mouth of Delaware Bay, because the ferry was chopping up bunker. One angler tried looking for striped bass under the birds and marked fish but only reeled in dog sharks. Bloodworms, clams and high-quality, vacuum-packed herring were stocked, and anglers were beginning to catch herring for bait on the Great Egg Harbor River at Mays Landing.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

One customer was plugging small striped bass off Harrah’s Casino, said Noel from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. But otherwise few anglers were around, maybe because of the weather. Still, winter flounder and ling were sometimes reeled from the surf, like off the T-Jetty and Pacific Avenue, and just a few tog were taken along the jetty rocks. Try bloodworms and clams for the flounder and cut bait like mullet or clams for the ling, and green crabs or clams for the tog. All the baits are stocked, and so are minnows, and Noel plans to carry live spots this year for a change.

<b>Absecon Bay</b>

Herring started to be caught from the Great Egg Harbor River at Mays Landing, said Ray from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. Last week he reported no herring migrating, so this was a start. Capt. Dave, the shop’s owner, netted 150 of the baitfish yesterday, and live and fresh herring are now stocked. Striped bass were occasionally hooked in the Egg Harbor and other rivers, but fishing news was mostly scarce, and not a lot of people were trying. Ray took a trip to the back bay this morning, scored a solid bite that was definitely a striper and not a skate, but the fish got off. The first three keeper stripers of the season were checked in some time ago, but no more were weighed in since then. The shop’s two awards of a $100 gift certificate apiece for the anglers who check in the first keepers over 20 and 30 pounds were still available. Customers were sometimes perch fishing with success in the rivers. Clams and bloodworms are also stocked. No green crabs are on hand for tog fishing, and none will likely be carried, considering tog season is shutting down in May. The shelves will be fully supplied for the opening of trout season on Saturday, with baits including wax worms, butter worms, meal worms, red wigglers and Gulp artificial baits.

<b>Margate</b>

Striped bass are starting to stir around in the back bay, so the <b>Jessie O’ Fleet</b> will launch it’s season this weekend. Open-boat trips on the fleet’s pontoon boat, the <b>Fish N’ Fun</b>, will target the linesiders in the bay every weekend at least through April starting Saturday, Capt. Jay said. Just show up at the dock and jump aboard. Charters for this season are also being booked both on the Fish N’ Fun and on the 65-foot Jessie O’ for everything from stripers to sea bass to flounder from the bay to the ocean, and dates are going fast. Both boats also offer pleasure cruises such as bachelor parties, bachelorette parties, any special occasion or sight-seeing tours, like Atlantic City skyline trips. Catering and a D.J. are available.

<b>Longport</b>

Three anglers on an open-boat tog trip yesterday limited out on the fish at Ocean City Reef on the <b>Stray Cat</b>, Capt. Mike said. A couple of 8-pounders came up, and so did a bunch of 6-pounders, and the water was 47 to 48 degrees. An open tog trip Monday also scored plenty at the OC Reef. So tog were snapping, and if you were waiting for spring fishing, wait no more, because the chew is on. Open trips are fishing for the blackfish daily, and call to ensure a spot. When seas are calm enough to jig for mackerel, fishing for the Bostons might be mixed in. A few were already jigged on a trip, but seas were too stiff this week. The boat might also head offshore for sea bass, cod and pollock on open trips if anglers are interested.

<b>Ocean City</b>

Herring, apparently the first appearance of the fish locally this year, were caught from the Great Egg Harbor River at Mays Landing over the weekend, said Bill from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. A handful of striped bass, mostly shorts, were sometimes reeled in near the 9th Street Bridge and the Parkway Bridge, usually taken on bloodworms. Nobody tried surf fishing in the past days, and the weather was blowing. Anglers were scarce in general, actually, maybe because of the relentless winds and sometimes rainstorms. Fresh clams and bloodworms are stocked. The shop’s hours will be extended this weekend to 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays.

<b>Cape May</b>

Few customers were showing up yet, and strong winds made fishing difficult, so nothing much was heard about any action, but one angler on the Unreel was striped bass fishing on Delaware Bay, said Jim from <b>Jim’s Bait & Tackle</b>. He was boating mostly small striped bass, but he bagged a couple of keepers northwest of Bug Light on clams one day. Unconfirmed rumors were flying around about stripers plugged in the shallows of the bay, but nobody told about a catch first-hand. Clams and bloodworms are stocked, and the shop is open every day. 

Striped bass were probably swimming the shallows, the flats, of Delaware Bay, though the windy weather probably kept most boaters from trying to hook them, so not much was heard about anyone trying, said Capt. Ray from <b>Jaftica Sportfishing</b>. Likewise, Ray knows fishing guides who chase the linesiders as the fish run up the Delaware River this season to spawn, but he was hearing no word from them yet about catches. A few of the fish might’ve been roaming the lower river, but Ray doubted that they  reached the upper river yet, like around Scudders Falls, a little north of Trenton. But striper fishing will pop open soon enough, and Jaftica will start charters for the bass and also black drum in Delaware Bay on about April 15. At that point, stripers might be moving to deeper water in the lower bay, and Ray’s charters will clam for them and also drum. The drum can be mixed in with stripers at the same places. At first, small, puppy drum usually dominate, but with bigger ones sometimes showing. But the big ones usually push into the bay toward the beginning of May. A few dates, not a ton, remain for striper and drum charters. So don’t delay to book.

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