<b>Staten Island</b>

<b>Outcast Charters</b> launched its first combo striped bass/sea bass trip of the season yesterday, Capt. Joe said. A pick of stripers to 18 pounds were bunker chunked on the bay during a few hours in the morning. Afterward a pretty good pull of sea bass, none huge, but decent-sized fish to 2 pounds, came up in 50 to 70 feet in the ocean. Eight or 12 healthy sized ling were also bagged, and more than a dozen out-of-season blackfish were released. The combo trips will continue, prime time for catching both species. A couple of strictly striper charters were running in the next days, and another combo will sail Monday.

<b>Laurence Harbor</b>

“Oh my goodness was it blowing,” Capt. Kyle from <b>Evening Tide Charters</b> said. He was talking about Monday, when a trip managed to get out regardless. The charter, the Anthony Stankovich group, included anglers from Montreal who were only here a day, so they fished. They tried to stick to the back of the bay to escape the winds, and they jigged seven blues and trolled five short bass. Other anglers found that fishing with bunker for bass failed to pan out in the winds, so Evening Tide went on the troll, dragging shad rigs in chartreuse, and stripers started to get picked up right away, so it worked out. A slower day of fishing, and winds didn’t help, but the anglers ended up happy, Kyle said. Bunker were a little scarce lately, he said. Kyle’s definitely looking forward to the opening of fluke season Saturday, and he heard about large ones caught by mistake on bunker chunks that anglers dunked for stripers, and he hoped that was a good sign. Fluke charters will be available, and striper trips will also continue, probably through June or early July. Evening Tide often fishes with livelined bunker for big bass, even taking anglers to the bunker grounds in the beginning of trips to catch the menhaden, an experience itself.

<b>Keyport</b>

John Wester and friends Tom and Ken jumped aboard an open-boat trip Tuesday with <b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b>, nabbing 11 blues, probably to 9 or 10 pounds, and a 32-inch striped bass on the bay, Capt. Joe said. On Wednesday Wester returned for an open trip with friends Andy and Allen and got into a “small pick” of blues, slower fishing, at several spots on the bay. On the first trip the weather was cloudy with some rains but light winds, and on the second skies were sunny with a slight breeze. Clams were fished in a bunker chum slick, although Wester also brought fresh bunker that was used. Open-boat trips are sailing every day when no charter is booked, and call to reserve. Father’s Day, June 15, is available for either an open trip or a charter.

<b>Andrea’s Toy Charters</b> kept busy with striped bass charters, including through last evening, when Capt. Fred gave part of this report on the waters, but he had to get back to taking care of the charter. So the latest news about his trips was grabbed from the boat’s web site. On Tuesday, the site said, bunker were netted for bait at Great Kills Harbor at the beginning of a charter. One throw of the net, and more than enough of the menhaden were caught. Then live ones were drifted in the bay for a slow pick of three good-sized keepers to the mid 20 pounds. Next the anglers went on the chunk, and 40 bluefish in a row were caught. Then they drifted live bunker again and battled lots more blues. On Monday a repeat charter flew in from Miami for striper fishing, and he added a new twist, wanting to plug a striper on his new travel rod. They left Keyport Harbor and first surfaced plugged more than 20 blues in the bay nearby. Then they ran to Great Kills Harbor, netted bunker for bait, and plugged many more gator blues to 12 pounds, but found no stripers. Bunker were livelined, and a striper more than 20 pounds was landed. But the goal was still to plug a striper. The boat moved to rock piles, and the charter drilled a 32-inch beauty on a plug. Mission accomplished. On Sunday striper fishing was very slow on the bay for a charter, like it was on many boats, and after scoring a donut, the anglers decided to give sea bassing a try. They boated two dozen to 4 pounds in an hour at a wreck in 50 feet, and threw back at least 20 good-sized, out-of-season tog to 5 pounds. On Saturday Fred, his sons and friends competed in the ASA Striper Tournament and won! Three stripers to 27 pounds were hooked on the first drift on live bunker that were netted. The crew tried to escape windy weather a moment by heading up the Hudson, but nothing bit there. Back on the bay, they fought non-stop blues to 15 pounds, sailed to weigh in, and discovered the 27-pounder was the winner. Congratulations! Andrea’s Toy will keep striper fishing from Keyport until June, when the boat will move to Point Pleasant to start shark fishing, sea bassing and maybe other types of fishing, like sailing for stripers, if the linesiders are chasing bunker up and down the beaches, or fluke fishing.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Winds and currents that were too calm actually made conditions troublesome for bottom fishing at Scotland on yesterday morning’s trip on the <b>Atlantic Star</b>, difficult for the boat to lie on anchor, Capt. Tom said. So catches were tougher, but mostly ling and a few sea bass came up. But everything came together on the afternoon trip at Scotland, and winds held the vessel tight on anchor, and catches were a lot better, again mostly ling and a few sea bass. The boat was back on the grounds a few minutes this morning when Tom gave this report on the waters, and an east current against west winds was making anchoring tough this time, but catches were already being made. But the fishing wasn’t even bad during the slow times, though was slower than super fishing that was common on a lot of the boat’s recent trips, and Tom guessed that the crew was spoiled. So ling fishing was apparently holding up, and anglers will have one more chance to catch them tomorrow on the boat until its trips switch to fluke fishing on opening day of the season Saturday. Fluke are the meat and potatoes, the heart and soul, of the boat’s fishing, and the time is finally here. The Atlantic Star is sailing on two trips daily from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. 

Jigging took the place of bait fishing for striped bass yesterday and produced excellent catches on the <b>Fishermen</b>, Capt. Ron said in an e-mail. Customers had to fight past bluefish, but when they did, they were sometimes rewarded with good-sized stripers. Chriss Zotti, Mark and Nick DePianno and Chief Valentine all bagged two keepers. The bite turned right off on the change of tide, so the moved to other spots, but nothing was doing. But the day on the water was great, with lots of action, and not one striper was hooked on bait. The Fishermen is sailing for striped bass from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. Magic Hour Trips are running for stripers 3:30 to 9:30 p.m. Fridays through Sundays.

Customers scored good catches, mostly striped bass and big blues on the bay, said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. But the fish were also pulled from the surf, and bass, blues and weakfish also swam the rivers. He limited out on all three on the Shrewsbury River. He also tested the waters for fluke but came up with none, probably because he had no live bait. But plenty of fluke should bite when fluke season opens Saturday, and the shop will try to stock killies for the opening, though the minnows were scarce, and a full supply of other fluke baits is stocked. Bottom fishers got into excellent fishing for ling and other bottom dwellers. Jimmy looked forward to good weather coming on Memorial Day Weekend.

<b>Highlands</b>

Striped bass trips on the bay got weathered out from winds since the last report until Wednesday afternoon, when the boat was back on the bay, said Capt. Mike from <b>Tuna-Tic</b>. When he gave this report early that evening, blues had attacked, and blackfish actually grabbed the herring baits when the vessel drifted over a patch of rocks, but no stripers showed up yet. Previously lots of stripers were taken on trips. A zillion 20- to 25-pound stripers chased herring off the Barnegat Inlet jetty Tuesday, so Mike expected them to head to the Sandy Hook area. Two more striper trips were slated to fish the bay today. The Tuna-Tic will striper fish from the Highlands through early June before moving to Waretown to start shark fishing from Barnegat Inlet, but bluefish trips will run in between. Eventually the boat sails on a heavy schedule of tuna trips. 

“Up and down.” That’s how Capt. Derek from <b>Fisher Price Charters</b> described Raritan Bay’s striper fishing in the past days. Twenty-one linesiders to 26 pounds were reeled in on a trip Tuesday. Another trip headed back to the same area Wednesday morning and landed three. Then another trip hit the bay again in the afternoon and picked a few. The fish seemed to chase bait around to different places each day, probably the reason for the varied catches. That caused Fisher Price to cover the whole area, fishing from Breezy Point to Sandy Hook to Keansburg. Plenty of blues slammed baits, and bunker, probably even more than before, schooled the harbors like at Great Kills and Atlantic Highlands and up the rivers. Derek knew a couple of anglers who crushed big stripers to 40 pounds in the ocean toward Seaside, and he hoped the fish were headed to Raritan. The bay was 58 to 60 degrees. Fluke season opens Saturday, and Derek heard about anglers who pre-fished the bay and scored lots. Fluke charters will be added to the menu, and striper trips will continue to mid July, and the bass fishing should only get better. A few openings remain for charters.

<b>Long Branch</b>

Nothing was really happening in the surf, and the weather was hurting, but Kim Daniels clammed six short stripers from 24 to 26 inches in the suds, said John from <b>Jim’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Bites should pick back up when the weather straightens out. The bay gave up catches, like Brian Crosby’s 16.8-pound striper and George Larso’s 13.4-pound blue. The Shrewsbury River offered up blues and bass, and the river’s weakfishing kind of pooped out. The shop will try its best to stock killies for the opening of fluke season Saturday, and all the other fluke baits and tackle are stocked. Fresh and frozen clams and sandworms are also carried.

<b>Neptune</b>

A charter will break the inlet on a striped bass trip that will fish the ocean during the weekend with <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b>, Capt. Ralph said. Fishing was fantastic for stripers to 25 pounds in the ocean on three of four trips that fished on Last Lady’s two boats Saturday. A few spaces remain on an individual-reservation trip for stripers on Wednesday, May 28. Last Lady is also bottom fishing in the ocean, and sea bass to 5 pounds were boated on a charter Monday, and out-of-season fluke and blackfish were caught and released. Fluke season, opening Saturday, looked promising, and individual-reservation fluke trips will sail every Wednesday starting June 11.

<b>Belmar</b>

Sea bass, very good catches, including big ones to 4 pounds, were pulled from 45- to 70-foot depths on the <b>Big Mohawk</b>, Capt. Chris said. A few ling and an occasional cod were taken, but the focus was on sea bass. That focus will now switch, because the boat will begin targeting fluke in the ocean on daily trips Saturday, opening day of the season. Squid and spearing will be supplied for bait. The Big Mohawk is fishing 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

Jigging pinned down excellent catches of blues to 10 pounds on the <b>Golden Eagle</b> Tuesday in the ocean from just north of the Shark River Inlet to Manasquan Inlet, Capt. Greg said. “It was a slammer,” he said. The gators chased schools of herring south, and one keeper, 18-pound striped bass was jigged. The Golden Eagle is fishing for striped bass and blues 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. Nighttime bluefishing trips will run 7:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. Friday through Sunday and will probably begin sailing daily on Tuesday, after the holiday.

Boaters throttled striped bass and blues in the ocean today, and one of them totaled 10 of the stripers on bunker, and bunker schooled the ocean, but you had to be on a boat to find them, said Dave from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b>. If anything was going to attract a striper in the surf, clams were it. Blues 3- to 5-pounds stormed Shark River Inlet this morning. The shop’s rental boats are ready for fluke fishing on Shark River on Saturday’s opening of fluke season, and all flattie supplies are stocked.

<b>Brielle</b>

Good catches of blues were boated yesterday on the <b>Jamaica</b>, mostly on jigs, an e-mail from the vessel said. The first half of the trip produced best, and striped bass fishing so far was sporadic, though blues and bass held at several areas. A few stripers were taken on Saturday’s trip, and fishing for the bass was expected to improve, now that the full moon had passed. Weather forecasts looked great for the weekend, and good fishing was expected to keep up. The Jamaica is fishing for bass and blues at 7:30 a.m. every day. Nighttime bluefish trips will run 7:30 p.m. daily starting tomorrow. A special, discounted pass is available for 6 or 12 trips for striper and bluefish season. <b>Bogan’s Boating School</b> is offering the boating safety course and certificate required in New Jersey. The next one-day classes take place 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 7 and 22, and the next two-day classes take place 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. June 25 and 26, all at Bogan’s Basin. Private classes are available for eight or more students, with a discount for 10 or more, at your own location. Simply choose two 3-hour blocks of time and arrange an instructor. The test-out option ends June 1 but is available until then from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at Bogan’s Basin for those born before 1979.

<b>Point Pleasant</b>

Striped bass 20 to 30 pounds got boated on bunker a couple of days or Monday and Tuesday in the ocean off Barnegat and Spring Lake and at the Shrewsbury Rocks, said Ron from <b>Fisherman’s Supply</b>. Surf fishers sometimes clammed short striped bass at Point Pleasant Beach, Deal and Long Branch, but catches weren’t great, and more stripers bit in the back waters or bays like Raritan Bay. Blues 2 to 3 pounds pushed up Manasquan Inlet yesterday. Quite a few fluke scurried along the bottom of Manasquan River, and the shop is stocked for Saturday’s opening of fluke season, carrying spearing, Peruvian smelts, sand eels, squid, Gulps, which work great, and all the rigs. The <b>Voyager</b>, docked at the shop, will start running two half-day fluke trips daily on opening day. Nighttime bluefish trips are also slated for tomorrow and next Friday and Saturday.

Fishing tapered off somewhat or was touch and go, said Rob Sr. from <b>Gates Bait & Tackle</b>. Blues became less prevalent at Manasquan Inlet, and the farther up Manasquan River anglers fished, the more blues they found. Keeper striped bass could be landed at the Point Pleasant Canal on rubber shads or live herring, and fishing for bass and blues was fairly solid there. Rumors were heard about weakfish lurking in nearby northern Barnegat Bay at the Mantoloking Bridge. Local surf fishing was spotty, off and on, but better farther south toward Seaside. A customer yesterday beached short striped bass toward Seaside, and others bagged keepers at times, and dunk clams to connect, or throw shads or metal. Blues were mostly scarce in the suds, but boaters picked them up in good numbers in the ocean farther north, well above Spring Lake. Bunker schooled all over local waters, and springtime fishing around Point Pleasant, especially for stripers, usually kicks off with May’s full moon that took place this week. Good numbers of sea bass were taken on the party boats. The Gates Motel, located on the grounds, is open full time and is popular with anglers. They spend the night to avoid early or late drives before or after trips on the charter and party boats or simply to take a fishing vacation. The motel and tackle shop are located within walking distance of Manasquan Inlet, the charter and party boat fleet and the surf.

Bottom-fishing trips on the <b>Dauntless</b> got out every day recently, and pretty decent catches of sea bass came up, so far the best start of springtime sea bassing in five years, Capt. Butch said. Quite a few patrons managed to limit out. The boat fished in relatively shallow waters from 55 to 80 feet, and too many dogfish, overwhelming numbers of the sharks, bit in deeper areas. A few ling were also hitting in the shallows, and a few cod still turned up, and maybe a couple of dozen dog sharks per trip swallowed baits, but not enough to be a bother. Actually a healthy variety of fish grabbed hooks, including a bunch of out-of-season blackfish, and sometimes out-of-season fluke, no keepers yet, but an encouraging population. Out-of-season fish were released, of course. Outdoor writer Nick Honachefsky and friend Sean Reilly from Waterfront Marine joined a trip Tuesday and “lambasted the sea bass,” Nick said. They combined for 28 keeper lumpheads to 3 pounds, a mess of throwbacks, 17 ling to 3 ½ pounds and a 2-pound, out-of-season winter flounder that was released. “A nice day out,” he said. Butch said water temps dropped once again and were 51 degrees, compared with 55 degrees some time ago. Rains, clouds and south winds were the culprits. But he was glad about the chill, because it could cause the fish to stick around instead of departing too quickly. The Dauntless will target sea bass probably another month, until warm waters cause small ones to become predominant, and then the vessel will fish deeper and concentrate more on ling. The season’s first nighttime, weekend bluefishing trips will be added to the schedule this weekend, running 7:30 p.m. to 1 p.m. The Dauntless is bottom fishing 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily.

<b>Bricktown</b>

Boaters finally started to connect with big striped bass in the ocean, said Jason from <b>Pell’s Fish & Sport</b>. Mike Barone checked in two to 20-pounds that hit trolled umbrella rigs, and another customer trolled three to 22 pounds on umbrellas, and others beat a bunch on snagged bunker tight to the beach at Island Beach State Park, close enough for surf casters to reach. Bunker had schooled up and down the beaches but became scarce in the past day or so, and the shop is stocking fresh bunker. Vinny Weasel clammed a keeper striper from the beach yesterday. Bluefishing was sporadic in the wash, but mostly mullet got the strikes. Blues 2 to 3 pounds and a few stripers swam northern Barnegat Bay at the Mantoloking Bridge. Jason’s been nailing a mess of stripers at the Point Pleasant Canal on Gibbs Polaris Poppers at dusk, and he found 2- to 3-pound blues blitzing on anything thrown to the them at the canal last night. A bunch of customers were landing very good catches of sea bass, and Rich Andrus limited out on them around Sea Girt Reef. Lots of customers were stopping by to gear up for the opening of fluke season Saturday, and the shop will open early at 5 a.m. for the occasion, carrying a full line of baits, including squid, killies, Peruvian smelts, spearing and Berkley Gulps. Many customers were buying Spro jig rigs for flattie fishing, and Jason suggests looking for the fish in the Manasquan River, like off Clark’s Landing, at this time of year. But if anglers head to the ocean, they should fish tight to the beaches in maybe 25 to 30 feet, where the flatfish will seek warmer waters.

<b>Toms River</b>

Fluke season opens Saturday, and the flattie anglers fishing Barnegat Bay will score best at this time of year, though some will head to the ocean, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. The stretch from Oyster Creek and Double Creek channels to the BI, BB and 40 markers will be most popular. The shop will stock as many killies as possible for bait, but the supply’s been tough. All the frozen baits and rigs are ready to go for the flatbacks. Bluefish continued to bite in the bay, and Dennis trolled a bunch to 3 pounds, small ones, yesterday around the 40 on ponytails in yellow and green, not typically colors he’d use, but they worked. Striper fishing in the bay was mostly slow, and some got grabbed on bunker chunks along the sod banks, but the action was pretty quiet. Unstable weather was the biggest problem, and the waters needed to warm, and another few degrees will make a big difference. Bunker was the happening bait all around for stripers lately, and a fair number of bunker schooled the ocean, some days more than others. Few were around yesterday, and they pushed offshore, so few fish were also hooked. But on the previous day or Tuesday bunker schooled everywhere, and lots of bass were taken. One boater recently checked in a 31-pound striper and a 29-pounder he trolled in the ocean on a bunker spoon. Another angler drilled an 18-pounder and a 16-pounder on snagged bunker fished off Barnegat Inlet’s north jetty. A surf sharpie yesterday bunker chunked an 18-pound bass. Big, tiderunner weakfish, spawners that arrive in the bay at this time of year, kept showing up. Eight or nine of them to 13 pounds were weighed in that were landed behind Barnegat Inlet on pink Fin-S Fish or 4-inch Gag’s Grabber lures. Weaks could also be found both by boaters and bulkhead anglers at Berkeley Island Park from 5 to 6:30 a.m. on Fin-S or small, rubber shads. Crabbing got better and better, and customers put together catches in overnight pots.

<b>Seaside</b>

A huge population of bunker schooled the ocean Tuesday, and boaters weighed in big striped bass caught among them, said the fishing report on <b>Grumpy’s Tackle</b>’s web site. Eleven of the fish from 15 to 28 pounds were checked in, and although the action sounded best Tuesday, boaters kept weighing in sizeable bass through today. Bluefish seemed to be missing or at least nobody talked about them. Ocean temps were 57 to 58 degrees and reluctant to rise, but the sunny weekend should warm up the waters considerably. <a href="http://www.grumpystackle.com/fishingreports/" target="_blank"> Click here</a> for updates.

<b>Waretown</b>

<b>Perfect Drift Sport Fishing</b> is geared up to start fluking in Barnegat Bay with the opening of the season Saturday, Capt. John said. However, he’ll avoid the Memorial Day Weekend boat traffic and launch the flattie trips afterward. Fluking is best in the bay in the early season, when enough of the fish carpet the bottom to specifically target them there. By about the Fourth of July many of the fish, and the boat’s fluke charters, move to the ocean to escape the warming waters. Flatbacks are still caught in the bay all summer long but become more of a by-catch, not a targeted species, on trips for other suspects like weakfish. In the early season in the bay John fishes the shallower, warmer waters along structure like the edges of sandbars and flats. He simply searches for fish, and when a couple are hooked, he keeps drifting over the area, maybe moving a little to the left, a little to the right, maybe starting the next drift a little ahead of the previous one and so on. His charters fish about a 5-mile stretch from Forked River to Barnegat, but only because that’s closest to port and holds as many of the fish as anywhere. As water temps rise, they’ll start fishing the edges of deeper, cooler holes in the bay, including the Intracoastal Waterway, the deepest spot. His anglers mostly fish the bay with light bucktails, like 3/8- or ¼-ouncers, or even large shad darts, impaling the full range of usual fluke baits on them, including squid, spearing, killies, mackerel strips, fluke belly strips, bluefish belly strips, weakfish belly strips, and Gulps, using combos, such as squid and spearing, or one of the baits alone, until something works. The belly strips are used because they work but also because the belly is usually cut away and discarded on fish that are kept anyway. But instead he keeps the bellies, cuts a few strips from them and uses them for bait. The light bucktails are used because the bay is shallow and also because large bucktails can act like a vacuum cleaner for grass and other debris. Bucktails can also attract other fish that lurk, including blues and weaks. The anglers will toss out the bucktails and bounce them lightly along the bottom, or they might just let them drift, and both work. But the boat’s charters will sometimes also fish simple fluke rigs on a three-way swivel or a fish-finder with a single hook on a 36-inch leader. John prefers mostly plain hooks on the rigs without the whistles and bells like spinners. He might throw a bead, a simple bucktail skirt or an Octopus in front of the hook, but he likes to keep it simple. He thinks the fish mostly prefer the bait over all the gimmicks, and that the gimmicks can sometimes attract anglers more than fish. But that’s his preference, and everybody’s got their own preference. Perfect Drift trolled the bay for blues a week ago today and landed 15 from 2 to 4 pounds. The weekend’s weather was terrible, so trips were nixed. A few weakfish were biting in the bay in the early mornings on Fin-S Fish and such.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Boaters slammed striped bass inside Barnegat Inlet and along the north pocket on snagged bunker and on the troll the past three days, and lots of bunker schooled, said Josh from <b>Barnegat Light Bait & Tackle</b>. Boaters anchoring and clamming for bass in Barnegat Bay were picking smaller ones, not usually the big fish like at the inlet. Surf anglers sometimes got into stripers, including last night, and a 23-pounder was checked in from the suds today. Nothing was heard about bluefish from the bay to the ocean. Loads of fluke covered the bottom of the bay, and plenty of minnows and squid are stocked for the opening of fluke season Saturday. Fresh bunker and fresh clams are also carried.

<b>Beach Haven</b>

Patrons on the <b>Miss Beach Haven</b> bagged sea bass, excellent fishing, including good-sized fish, on Saturday and Sunday in 70 to 80 feet, Capt. Frank said. Many caught numbers in the teens, and a few ling were landed, but otherwise only sea bass hit. Sea bass trips will sail 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday through Monday for the holiday weekend. Otherwise the trips are running the same time on Saturdays and Sundays. Eventually the boat sails daily in summer. When sea bass fishing drops off, the boat will probably run for fluke.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

A boater weighed in two 23.7-pound and 23.3-pound striped bass today that he trolled in the ocean off Beach Haven, said Scott from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. But whether the catch was an anomaly or meant that stripers were finally arriving in the area remained to be seen. Scott talked with someone from a tackle shop at Seaside who said striper fishing was wild in the ocean there on Tuesday and some were also hooked Wednesday, and maybe that body of fish slid down the coast to waters closer to Mystic, but anglers would see. Local bay fishing was tough with water temps that dropped to the low 50s, lots of freshwater, and mud, all from the windy and stormy weather. Even today started calm but ended up blowing. The conditions lately pushed out blues and the few weaks that were around. No drum catches were heard about from the bay, and the prime time, the full moon in May, just passed, so drum fishing seemed like it wasn’t going to happen. Delaware Bay’s drum fishing was unbelievable. Anglers hoped flounder would give up lots of bites for the opening of flounder season Saturday in Great Bay and the other nearby bays. The early season usually produces the biggest flatties, and squid and minnows will be the way to go. A few minnows are stocked, but the bait is scarce everywhere, probably because of the low, constantly fluctuating water temps. But lots of other flounder baits are carried, including sand eels, all different varieties of squids, and two different types of spearing, one that’s silver, and another that’s gold. Eels are also stocked and are the main bait for the few striped bass hooked in the back waters. Plenty of perch could be reeled in from the rivers, and the Wading River Bridge remained a hot spot, although the bite did drop off a little. Maybe the slabs were beginning to drop down to the Mullica, the main river. Grass shrimp, the favorite perch bait, were in good supply, and bloodworms, another perch preference, are also stocked. Sea bass fishing was phenomenal in the ocean, and Scott heard about sea bass charters that limited out in two hours. Not everyone caught like that, but you get the picture.

<b>Port Republic</b>

Fishing somewhat slowed down on Great Bay and the Mullica River, and the windy weather could stand to calm down, and the forecast for the weekend looked good, said Jerry from <b>Chestnut Neck Boat Yard</b>.  But a few blues swam the bay and the river’s mouth, and a striper was landed here or there in the bay toward the mouth and up and down the river. The striper anglers fished clams, bloodworms or herring strips, and the herring run seemed finished. But bunker were schooling, including up the whole river system. A bunch of bunker were around at one point, including a mess of them off Viking Yachts, and big stripers and large blues were fought among them. Plenty of white perch bit in the river on bloodworms, grass shrimp or even minnows. Bloods and minnows are stocked, and no shrimp are carried, but anglers can net their own shrimp. No catches of weakfish were heard about since the stormy weather. Anglers hoped for a blueclaw crab shed soon that would produce shedder crabs that are the favorite food for weakfish. They also looked forward to the opening of flounder season on Saturday, and as was already mentioned, minnows are stocked, and they’re a favorite flounder bait. Mackerel and squid are also carried for flounder bait, and flounder rigs are on hand.

<b>Absecon</b>

Winds kept blowing, and rains kept pouring, “but we’re ready for the opening of flounder season, and that’s about the report,” said Capt. Dave from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. Nobody really fished all week because of the weather. But he ran a charter Monday that reeled up a keeper striper and a half-dozen shorts in the back bay and ran into a school of blues at Main Marsh Thorofare. Berkley Gulp jerk shads scored the fish, even though herring and spots were livelined, and a few of the blues were fought on top-water poppers. The shop’s live herring supply is officially tapped out, but farm-raised, live spots are on hand, and wild spots might arrive next week. All the flounder baits, including minnows, are fully supplied, and even shedder crabs are on hand. The shop carries practically every bait available, an especially large supply. The annual <a href=" http://www.abseconbay.com/abseconbay/Tournament/grandslam/grandslam.htm" target="_blank">Grand Slam Customer Appreciation Tournament</a> takes place at the store this weekend, featuring prizes for the biggest flounder, weakfish, blues and stripers. Visit the tournament’s web page for details.

<b>Brigantine</b>

Surf sharpies started hitting striped bass on bunker instead of clams the last couple of days on the island, said Capt. Andy from <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>. But no bunker schools were really seen, and even boaters in the ocean seemed not to see any substantial bunker or fish. Right after high tides were best for striper fishing in the suds, and drum were as usual a by-catch for those dunking clams for stripers. Eric Gilchrist hammered a 45-pound drum from the wash. Not many blues swam the surf, but plenty schooled the back bay. The bay also started giving up a few stripers, and Fred from the shop landed a couple on live spots. The bay was chock full of flounder, good news for the opening of flounder season Saturday. Some anglers already caught and released 30 or 40 of the fish. Minnows will be stocked for the flatties, though the minnow supply was tough. Berkley Gulps will be the bait du jour for the fluke, and they work great, and Andy gives a money back guarantee if anglers don’t like them, and nobody’s ever returned them. Fresh bunker, fresh clams, live spots, live eels and frozen mackerel, herring, squid and other baits are in full supply.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

Striped bass were occasionally the catch everywhere from the ocean to the surf to the back bay, said Joe from <b>Offshore Enterprises Bait & Tackle</b>. Some were beached from the surf on the north end of Brigantine. Bluefish could be found everywhere, and anglers scouting out flounder in the bay for the opening of flounder season Saturday wailed on the fish, including big ones, so the opening should be awesome. Minnows, squid, mackerel, fresh bunker and fresh clams are stocked. The shop’s offshore charter boat, the <b>Carly A</b>, will splash June 12. A few striped bass or bluefish trips will probably fish on the vessel before it begins shark fishing and then tuna fishing.

<b>Margate</b>

<b>Fine Line Fishing Charters</b> wrapped up its drum fishing on Delaware Bay and is set to start chasing flounder on the opening of flounder season Saturday, Capt. Dave said. The boat runs lots of charters for the flatbacks through the season. At first anglers will target the back bay for the best catches, and the bite will probably move to the ocean by the third week of June if not sooner. In the bay anglers onboard will dunk minnows with squid, if minnows, currently scarce, are available. They’re fished on a fish-finder rig with a single bead in front of the hook, a red bead in the shallower bay, and a green bead in deeper waters. Red disappears in deep waters. If no minnows are on hand, mackerel strips will be the choice.

A dozen drum to 70 pounds were hauled aboard with <b>O-Beth Sportfishing Charters</b> at Tussy’s Slough on Delaware Bay last night on a trip from 3 to 9, Capt. Eric said. Practically all boaters there seemed to catch, and the bite was really turned on. The crew will now move the boat to Margate to concentrate on flounder fishing the next few weeks in the back bay. This is the best time of year for the flattie fishing in the bay, and Eric talked with anglers who landed a bunch by mistake in the waters while fishing for stripers. His anglers will flounder fish with minnows and probably white bucktails with strips of mackerel. Shark charters, one of O-Beth’s specialties, will begin from Margate the first or second week of June, when the ocean warms enough. 

<b>Longport</b>

Sea bass fishing ended up pretty slow on a daily, open-boat trip for the knuckleheads yesterday for some reason, said Capt. Mike from the <b>Stray Cat</b>. The boat fished three pieces, and the fish were found on one. One angler scored 20 keepers, and another took down 17, but none was big, none more than 2 pounds. Currents were strong, but Mike couldn’t say that was the reason for the drop-off in action, and when the fishing’s been good, it’s been good, when it’s been right, it’s been right, he said. Patrons have reeled up impressive catches at other times recently. Right now is usually the height of the season. The daily trips will become combo sea bass/flounder ones when flounder season opens Saturday. Open trips will continue daily until June 7, when charters will dominate the schedule for the summer, but open trips will still sail on Thursdays and Sundays at that time.

<b>Ocean City</b>

Very, very good fishing for flounder will go down in the back bay with the opening of the flattie season Saturday, said Dan from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. Anglers who pre-fished knocked the heck out of them, including on Shimano’s new Lucanus jigs, especially in the red and purple pattern. The jigs are pricey, but they’re the hottest new ticket. Gulp twister-tailed mullet in chartreuse or white and Gulp shrimp in any color will also work, and so will strips of bait like mackerel and squid and also whole squid. Minnows, the old favorite flounder bait, were apparently in short supply, because of storms that kept rolling through. Flounder anglers this year will use big baits for big fish because of the new, 18-inch size limit. A few stripers were around, including at Corson’s Inlet and along the island’s north-end jetties. No beach access is available for surf fishing for stripers at mid island at 12th street because sand was being pumped onto shore.  Fish clams or bigger, soft-plastic lures like 5- or 6-inch swim shads to cop the linesiders. Kingfish could sometimes be pulled from the wash on bloodworms, and bloods are stocked. Little was heard about bluefish, and freshwater from rains forced many of them to the ocean to places like the Table Top, but the weather was so windy that nobody was looking for them there. Same deal with sea bass: Bigger vessels like party boats, but not small boats, were able to sea bass fish in the weather, and plenty of the lumpheads could be pulled at spots like the OC and GE reefs. Bait is in full supply, including shelled clams, shucked clams, all types of squid and frozen bunker, herring, spearing and more.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Surf fishing put out very good catches of stripers, but the ones who connected were anglers like the old timers who arrived early in the mornings and did things right, said Wes from <b>Gibson’s Tackle</b>. The fish weren’t turning on till the changes of tides the first hour or so after sunrise, but the key was that the anglers were set up and fishing well before then. They nailed stripers to 15 pounds on whole surf clams, and Wes also believed that some could be tackled on plugs worked along the jetties. Kingfish also grabbed bloodworms in the surf, especially on low tides during good weather. Cast the bloods out to the sandbars and reel back slowly. Blues sporadically popped into the surf and swallowed mullet or mackerel. But more blues filled the inlets, also hitting mullet or mackerel, but also lures like leadheads with rubber like paddletails or curly tails fished along the bottom. Sporadic blues, stripers and a few weakfish could be hooked in the back bay in the early mornings on 3/8- or ¼-ounce leadheads with the same types of rubber. The weaks could also be tricked on bloodworms on a float rig like a pink float. They would also hit pink rubber like Gulp swimmers or the paddletails, and the old timers also trolled them on bucktails with similar lures in the early mornings, a great way to fish for them, cover ground. Flounder season opens Saturday, and the bottom huggers will be found in the back bay, not yet at the inlets, at this time of year, in the chilly waters. They’ll push to the inlets soon. Minnows, the popular bait for the fluke, are in short supply and will surely run out first thing in the mornings. But other baits like spearing and squid are on hand, and so is fresh bunker, and strips of bunker or other oily fish can grab the attention of the bigger flatties. The biggest flounder on opening day last year was taken by an angler who fished the bay with a big bucktail and a strip of bunker. That type of fishing sacrifices quantity for quality but can be well worth it. All other baits are well supplied, including fresh and frozen clams and fresh herring. The shop tries to stock any kind of fresh bait that can be found.

Windy weather kept trips from fishing the back bay this week, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b>, also affiliated with <b>Gibson’s Tackle</b>. But bluefish still swam the back, though fewer than earlier in the month, not unusual at this time of year. Soon striped bass will start to dominate the bay’s fishery again, as blues head to the ocean. That kicks off one of Joe’s specialties: top-water popper fishing for stripers while poling the flats of the bay from June through August, when waters become warm enough for the linesiders to smack surface lures and flies. People travel a thousand miles for flats fishing, like trips to tropical destinations. But it’s available right here at Sea Isle in summer, exciting action with visual strikes on the beautiful, summer flats and natural surroundings of the back bay. Joe’s also looking forward to flounder fishing on the bay when the flattie season opens Saturday. Lots of the fish swam the waters already, sometimes grabbing soft plastic lures meant for blues. The early season is the best time for the bay’s flounder catches. The shallow bays behind the area’s barrier islands will afterward become warm for the best action. Joe will kick off the flatfish season with fishing with minnows or strip baits such as squid, mackerel or bluefish. In past years, when the flounder season was open earlier, “meat” or strips of mackerel, blues or other oily flesh was definitely best for catches at first. But the season is now opening late, during the traditional time when minnows become the favored bait, but Joe will use both. His favorite rig is a three-way swivel with a 36-inch leader with a plain hook tied to one leg and a white or chartreuse bucktail on a 12-inch leader tied to the other leg. He fishes a minnow on the plain hook and a strip bait on the bucktail, so all bases are covered. Joe this weekend also plans to catch the hot drumfish bite that’s going down in Delaware Bay. He also might throw in a sea bass trip in the ocean, because decent numbers of the lumpheads were biting when conditions were right. But he’ll certainly also continue to chase blues in the back bay with soft plastic lures and flies, like he’s been focusing on during the past weeks.

<b>Cape May</b>

The tub was filled early with fish on a drum trip yesterday afternoon on Delaware Bay, and one was laid on the deck, and the anglers were happy, so they came home early, said Capt. George from the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>. They kept a dozen, loading up on 50- to 60-pounders, and lots of the behemoths kept biting straight through the week, with no let up since the bite took off late last week, not even a slow down for the full moon early this week. All times of day seemed to produce on the Jersey side of the southern bay, and George connected or knew about catches mornings, afternoons and nighttimes. This trip—Ryan Moore’s charter with Greg Clemens, Jim McWhorter, Ed Fisher, Bill Levens and Fred Fabrizo—got back to the dock by 6 p.m. No striped bass bit, but sharks and skates did. Drum fishing was great, and cash in now if you want to go. Flounder charters will be available starting Saturday, when the flattie season opens, though anglers all wanted to drum fish.

Outstanding catches of drum were made on Delaware Bay, failing to let up even during the week’s full moon, and Capt. Bob from the <b>Down Deep</b> was surprised, he said. His charters were usually coming home early after a couple of hours or so because catches were so good, though not everybody was always loading up, and one charter scored a blank. But others bailed the fish. Groups on the boat that nailed 60- to 70-pounders, keeping some and releasing quite a few, included Joe Janconski’s, Charlie Kennedy and Dennis DeSatnic’s and Tim McCarty’s charters. Bill DeMore’s gang fought all big fish, 60- to 70-pounders, and on David Flood’s charter, his son, Will Flood, 14, tackled a 76-pounder, and Bob thought he reeled in four of the fish alone. Anglers are now hearing about very large numbers of the drum caught, and Bob noted that boaters should only keep what they will eat, and he recommends keeping only one fish, huge beasts that provide a ton of meat. If trips keep large numbers like 18, there won’t be any drum left for your kids to catch. His anglers were typically in favor. His trips connected with drum  in the southern bay only five or six miles from the inlet.

Twelve drum, all big monsters to 90 pounds, were decked on Tuesday, and 15 of the boomers to 70 pounds were wrestled aboard Wednesday, all on Delaware Bay on the <b>Fishin’ Fever</b>, Capt. Tom said. The trips fished incoming tide, leaving the dock around 4 p.m. and coming back around 10 p.m., on the southern, Jersey side of the bay, and Tom was staying away from the fleet as much as possible. Winds and rough seas were often terrible on the bay. Not everybody was lambasting the fish, and some on the radio talked about struggling, catching one, two or none. But others really pounced on catches. Buddies on other boats Monday night nailed 27 on one vessel and 19 on another. Both daytimes and nighttimes produced, and nights seemed no better, like they do sometimes. Sharks and skates bit, sometimes worse than others. No stripers were landed on the Fishin’ Fever’s trips, but Tom heard about stripers caught along the ocean beaches, and he thinks the fish should then be swimming the Cape May Rips. A shared charter will actually try striper fishing at the rips on Monday morning, and space is available. Space is also available on a 6-hour, shared charter for flounder on the back bay Sunday morning, the day after the season opens for the fluke. Tom knows anglers who pre-fished the back and loaded up on the flatties.

Neal McPeak’s gang from Wachovia Securities boated drum to 40 pounds, nothing big, yesterday on Delaware Bay with <b>First Cast Sport Fishing</b>, Capt. Rob said. The Jersey side of the southern bay was producing catches, and even Delaware boats were seen there. Another drum trip was headed out today with First Cast, though winds were honking. Drum trips will continue, and a charter Friday will try striped bass fishing on the bay, because the anglers wanted to look for the linesiders. But if the bass are scarce, they’ll switch right to drum fishing. A couple of trips will also fish Sunday, one for drum, but the other for sea bass. Sea bassing seemed hit or miss, depending on the weather. Winds that push up seas and a swell often put off the lumpheads. But when conditions are right, the fish are giving up catches.

Drum charters fished every day this week on the <b>Legal Limit</b> on Delaware Bay, and the fishing was going well, producing from six fish to limits on the trips, Capt. T.J. said. Eighteen or 19 were reeled in Monday, and 12 were landed Tuesday, and most weighed 50 pounds. The charters fished the southern end of the Jersey side of the bay. “Can’t miss the fleet,” T.J. said. Sharks and skates continued to bite. “Won’t get rid of them,” he said. No striped bass showed up, but lots of bunker schooled. The bay was 59.6 degrees last evening. Legal Limit will keep drum fishing, and T.J.’s smaller boat will start flounder fishing from Tuckerton with the opening of flounder season Saturday.

Poverty Beach offered up great striped bass fishing for surf casters, with some catches on clams, others on bunker, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. A 20-pounder was weighed in that ate bunker, and a 41-incher was checked in that sucked down clam. Cape May Point’s action dropped off, seemed like ever since the winds and rains murked up waters. Even the back bay seemed affected and only put out occasional small stripers. A few blues were found in the suds, including at Higbee’s Beach. A few weaks, but not many, were plucked from along the shore jetties, but clear weather, like the weather forecast for this weekend, should bring them back. Stripers in Delaware Bay got boated far north, like at Blake’s Channel, all on fresh bunker. The number of drum caught on the bay was unbelievable, and boaters slammed the heck out of them. Tussy’s Slough, a little west of there, Brandywine and the Pin Top were main areas. Even party boats limited out on the fish. One party boat trip with nine anglers filled a quota of three drum apiece for the patrons. The shop is ready to roll for the opening of flounder season Saturday, with plenty of minnows, mackerel, squid and flattie rigs stocked. Fresh clams and high-quality, frozen bunker are also on hand.

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