The weather is warm, the boats are in, let's fish.

Barry Gibson of Seven Fields, Pa. shows off his 37-pound drum caught while fishing on the Top Shelf.

Have your gear ready? It’s time to fish!

Here we are in May and there are no more good excuses not to get out and fish. The bait and tackle shops are waiting for you. And so are the many experienced charter boat captains we have in the county.

Marie Smith of Clayton New Jersey with a bluefish caught behind Wildwood on a popping plug. She was fishing with Captain Ray, Tide Runner.

Here we are in May and there are no more good excuses not to get out and fish. The bait and tackle shops are waiting for you. And so are the many experienced charter boat captains we have in the county.

Captain Ray, Tide Runner, Cape May is back and reports that the Cape May Inlet areas and back bay have come to life. Bluefish, 19 to 22 inches, provided great fly rod and light tackle action. These are a great size for eating. Clouser and bunker flies worked for fly anglers and smack-it poppers and rapala and Yo-Zuri plugs for the spin anglers.

There is much excitement with this column these days. The Herald has set up a special Web site www.seemybigfish.com where you can post your pictures and show off how great fishing is in the county. Actually the site will be available to anyone, anywhere who has Internet access. It will also lead folks to this column.

Jack Jaskell, Wildwood (a.k.a. Monday Mornin' Jack at Sterling Harbor), landed this 31 inch snook off the beach in Marco Island, Fla. in March. Rumor has it, the smile is still on his face.

There is much excitement with this column these days. The Herald has set up a special Website www.seemybigfish.com where you can post your pictures and show off how great fishing is in the county. Actually the site will be available to anyone, anywhere who has Internet access. It will also lead folks to this column.

You can make this Website a success by posting pictures of your catches with a short cutline (a little information). Some of the photos may appear right here in print.

More and more boats are back in the water and despite tough economic times, everyone seems really positive about a great season of fishing in Cape May County.

The new Gone Fishin’ had a successful first trip out this year bringing back six fish. Frank caught this beauty.

More and more boats are back in the water and despite tough economic times, everyone seems really positive about a great season of fishing in Cape May County.

Bucktail Willie is back and fishing out of Whale Creek Marina in Strathmere where he found some summer flounder. He caught 16 last week, all tagged and released, including one 26 inch fluke. He says the striped bass bite has been a little slow so far.

The Wildwood Boat Show was certainly a great way to get everyone’s engines running. It’s a great kick-off for the new season. Several of our regular ‘reporters’ are back in the water and just waiting to take you out fishing.

Ready to go is the Elliott crew from Gone Fishin’ at Utsch’s Marina.

Captain Fred at Harbor View bait & Tackle is reporting improved striper fishing on those days that the weather cooperates. Some fish have gone up to 25 pounds. A few drum were also landed last week and sea bass continue in the 6 pound range offshore. Blackfish are still showing up on the wrecks.

The Miss Chris, Cape May, also reports improved striper action. Jack Williams, Philadelphia had a ice striper at 24 pounds, Tony Moreland brought in one at 22 pounds, and Sam Castillini, Philadelphia, had one at 18 pounds.

Regulations still are the hot topic around town and after a lot of hard work and cooperation, ASMFC withdrew the New Jersey tautog noncompliance finding.

The Atlantic Star, Wildwood Crest, had a lot of happy fishers March 29.

As reported last week, New Jersey notified the Commission on March 25 that it implemented measures to achieve a 25.6 percent reduction in exploitation as required by Addenda IV and V of the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Tautog.

The measures, which include recreational bag limits and season closures for both the recreational and commercial fisheries, are consistent with those previously reviewed and approved by the Commission's Tautog Technical Committee and Management Board.

It’s going to be tricky for the recreational fisher to keep up to date with the fishing regulations this year.

Please be sure to check with your bait and tackle supplier for the latest information before you head out.

As I write this, the NJ Marine Fisheries Council has sent a proposal to the state and the federal regulators proposing new guidelines to accomplish a 25.6 percent reduction in the tautog catch, hoping to stop the ban on tautog fishing due to go into effect April 1.

The proposal for recreational fishers will go into effect the day after it is officially approved. So until that happens, the ban is in effect April 1.

NOAA to close NJ tautog fishing April 1.

Back in November Jinxy White caught this 34-pound striped bass aboard the UnReel with Capt. John Peterson.

This press release supercedes anything else on my desk today. NOAA’s Fisheries Service found that the State of New Jersey has failed to implement measures necessary to fulfill its responsibilities under the tautog interstate fishery management plan and as a result NOAA will close New Jersey’s commercial and recreational fishery for tautog on April 1.

The season is picking up on the water and off. Fishing reports are coming in from local captains and there’s more reaction to the Magnuson-Stevens Bill.

Yung Pak, Queens, NY, caught a 25 pound Golden Tile Fish while fishing aboard the Atlantic Star out of Wildwood Crest on March 3.

The season is picking up on the water and off. Fishing reports are coming in from local captains and there’s more reaction to the Magnuson-Stevens Bill.

Captain Adam, Adam Bomb Sport Fishing, Cape May, was out scouting and reports there is a ton of bait in the Delaware Bay and predicts that fishing will take off within the next week or two. He is beginning daily striper open boat and charter trips. He has some good early season spots marked out where he saw some nice fish and tons of bait.

Give him a call at 846-7396 or 602-6834 and get out there soon.

Boat shows and fishing flea markets in the area are a sure sign that the fishing season is picking up. Now is the time boats are uncovered, checked out and prepped for that first day on the water.

A favorite flounder photo.

In the meantime, there are some charter and party boats still going out whenever they can. Call ahead and get out there soon.

The Atlantic Star, Wildwood Crest, reports they had to cancel three trips last week due to the weather but had good success when they got out with most fishers catching their limit of sea bass. Chi Young Hwan, Rochelle Park, won the pool with a 7.5 pound sea bass caught on jigs; Tim Polijczuk, Camden, a pool winner with a 7 pound sea bass; Tom Fidz, Union, pool winner with another 7 pound sea bass.

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