Fish On
Stripers, blues keeping Shore anglers very busy
Ron Nuzzolo

The spring striped bass run is in full effect, and local anglers have definitely seen some terrific early season action.

From a boat or off the surf, reports are so heavy I can't fit them all in this article. Thank you all for your e-mails. I will continue to report as much information to keep you up to date on all the local fishing action.

Capt. Dave Charters from Atlantic Highlands reported a great week for fishing. The Chris Barbour party of Allamunchy opted for a try for stripers and fished the Romer Shoal area with fresh-shucked clams. They were rewarded with plenty of bass to 25 inches and lots of bluefish. The pool winner was Uncle Junior of Totowa. This was a great group of guys - all great fishermen, according to Capt. Dave.

The John Martin party of Burlington booked an eight-hour trip and off we went to the 11a buoy for a day of nonstop action. The ratio of keepers to shorts (around 1-to-1) was much improved on this charter. Bluefish were also on deck all day, and these guys practiced catch and release on the surplus fish. Michele, the only lady on the trip, brought her special bunker oil and proceeded to bait her hook and catch her fish without regard to her manicured nails, and was rewarded with a day of battling blues and bass. The pool winner on this trip was Brian Powell of Bordentown with a 30-inch bass.

The Vanderbrande crew decided to have Chris Vanderbrande's bachelor party aboard the Capt. Dave. A stiff east wind made it a bit bumpy and created challenging fishing conditions; but the crew stuck it out and was rewarded with a 34-inch bass, caught by Vanderbrande. Congratulations on your catches - both of them.

A group of 12 buddies boarded the Freddy C in Leonardo on Saturday night as part of Billy Baumann's bachelor party. With Capt. Ken and his crew leading the charge, the first hour saw furious action, with both blues and stripers keeping the boys busy. The bachelor himself wound up bringing home the pool winner, and what a catch it was - a 42-inch striper. Best man Danny Rapolla came in a close second, with a 36-inch striper, while several other anglers, led by Jerry "Call me Ishmael" Mendez, reeled in impressive keepers as the night wore on.

Special credit goes to groomsman Doug M. for providing the "extra chum" well into the trip.

Key words from NJSaltwaterFisherman.com - "Happy Hours" for those who can't get the weekends free. Angela Rose Charters of Point Pleasant reported nonstop action from the Manasquan River. Capt. Anthony had regular customers Chip (second time this week), Brad and first-timer Andrew out for a bluefish river run. They anchored up in 10 feet of water and started throwing metal. It didn't take but two minutes before the first fish was landed. It was a slow pick for the next hour with about 20 fish coming aboard. Capt. Anthony decided to pick up anchor and head up river where the current was a little slower. Anchored up in 15 feet of water, showing massive readings on the fish finder, and on the first cast, each of the crew was fish on and it did not stop for the next three hours. Between Chip, Brad, Andrew, Capt. Wayne, deckhand Matty and Capt. Anthony they had an easy 100-120 fish. Diamond jigs 017s with green tails and light tackle was the name of the game.

For most charters, Happy Hour trips have already started. Angela Rose Charters is targeting bluefish until the fluke season opens. Capt. Anthony is running seven days a week from Point Pleasant. Happy Hour times are from 6-10 p.m.

Wayne Smith grabbed a private charter with Capt. Steve Purul on The Reel Fantasea out of Barnegat Light. Right off the bat they hooked into a doubleheader of bass and boated six, up to 8 pounds (one keeper all on clams). Later, they got into a school of blues to have more double and tripleheaders on soft plastics. They even ended the day with a doubleheader tog up to 5 pounds as a bonus mixed into the bass and bluefish action. Next time you're in Long Beach Island be sure to look up Capt. Steve at (609) 290-1217

Did you know?

A 100-foot deck barge has been slated for deployment May 25, on the Ocean City Reef site located 7.4 miles southeast of Great Egg Harbor Inlet as part of the division's Artificial Reef Program. A marine contractor donated the vessel to the Reef Program from Atlantic City. Once the vessel is sunk, it will soon become a home for 150 species of fish and marine life, a fishing ground for anglers and an underwater attraction for scuba divers. The vessel will continue to serve the fishing industry for at least another 50 years. The target date for deployment of May 25 is subject to weather and sea conditions.

Recipe of the week

Our recipe of the week comes from Frank Vifcuso of Little Falls. Frank's fiancée Laura tells us this is one of their favorite recipes, and the first time they met, Frank prepared this dish for her.

Get the Net: 5 out of 5 nets

Difficulty: Simple

Comments: How can you not love it?

Frank's Teriyaki Salmon

2 tablespoon teriyaki marinade

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced

2 portions salmon fillets (about 12 oz)

4 cups mixed salad greens

1 tablespoon chopped oregano leaves

1 tablespoon fresh basil leaves, chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 lemon, halved

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Side dish of bruschetta - two tomatoes, cubed - add balsamic vinegar and garlic powder to your liking. Mix together and place on top of sliced bread.

1 Mix teriyaki marinade, garlic and parsley in a small bowl.

2. Preheat broiler. Lightly coat a broiler pan with cooking spray. Place salmon fillets on the pan, skin side down, and brush with the teriyaki marinade.

3. Broil salmon approximately 6 inches from the broiler until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork, about six to eight minutes.

4. While salmon is cooking, combine salad greens, basil, oregano, olive oil and balsamic vinegar in a bowl and toss.

5. Divide tossed salad between two separate plates.

6. Top salmon and salad with a squeeze of fresh lemon and freshly ground pepper.