Striper season has opened.

A quick look at the thermometer this morning led me to believe it must be broken. After all, we are only several days from the unofficial open of striper season and it is tacking south of the 10-degree mark.  But for some, that does not matter, the back waters, where most striped bass are found this time of year, will reopen and fishermen will be back on the hunt. One quick reminder for you Delaware River anglers, from Trenton through the Salem River and its tributaries, the season remains closed until March 31^st.  The waters are still on the chilly side but the fish are there. Slow down your retrieve and match the hatch if you plan on playing. But we have made it through another winter and it’s nothing but good times on the horizon. Every week will get better. Soon we will be targeting not only bass but weakfish, blowfish, fluke and a variety of other species. Hopefully you have heeded the advice of Ed and me and you have your gear ready for this season’s trials and tribulations.  I know the people who run the many tackle shops and charter boats have been working hard to prepare for this day. Time to get some scouting reports from the real pros.

If you find yourself catching a chill on Saturday and looking for a place to warm up in Atlantic County, I may have the perfect suggestion Team Tackle Direct in Egg Harbor Township is holding another one of their “Canyon Clearance Sales” this Saturday and Sunday. If it’s anything like their last one, you can fill up your tackle box for a fraction of what it will cost you come the dog days of summer.

Mike Cunningham of Sea Isle Bait and Tackle will be open come Saturday barring some unforeseen weather. And furthermore, he should have some fresh calms for those of you looking for bait to chase striped bass on opening day in the back. Mike also asked me to remind everyone to make sure they have updated their NJ Saltwater Registry to bring it up to date for 2014. You can register for free at http://www.nj.gov/dep/saltwaterregistry/ .

I ran into Dave Arbeitman of the Reel Seat in Brielle last Saturday at the big Surf Day extravaganza.  He told me the new shop at 707 Union Ave (Rte. 71) in Brielle is open and ready for business.  Their new space is at least twice the size of the old shop and has rooms for seminars. Not to mention the ability to carry more of the best inventory in the area. The guys are still doing custom offshore rigs as well.  If you get a chance, stop in and check it out.

The Ocean City Intermediate School Fishing Flea Market takes place this Saturday on Bay Avenue. The doors open at 9 and close at 1. Admission is 4 dollars with reduced pricing for children and students.

If you are into bottom fishing, this time of year may be one of the hardest to catch a ride to the action. Captain are trying to get a leg up on the maintenance for the upcoming spring run and sailing with less than a full boat isn’t a good business model. But if you are looking for some bottom fishing action, boats like the Ocean Explorer in Belmar are sailing when they get a window. Reports I have been seeing from OE tells me that they have been on the blackfish and also picking up some nice cod. I would recommend calling ahead or checking their website before making the trip.

The gang at OTW sends out a big “get well soon” to Captain Pete Sykes of the Parker Pete Charter boat. We understand that he is on the mend and gearing up for another tremendous season on that incredible charter boat in Belmar. Great to hear you are doing well Pete.

For you freshwater guys out there, I know it has been an especially tough winter. Too much ice to fish some spots and not enough ice to go ice fishing. I just received this email and though I would pass it along.

The NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife will be holding its annual Trout Stocking Public Meeting on Saturday, March 8, in the Centenary Theater (aka The Little Theater), located in the Seay Building, Centenary College, Jefferson Avenue, Hackettstown, Warren County. The meeting begins at 10 a.m.

Division biologists will present information on the proposed policy regarding management of the furunculosis disease at the Pequest Trout Hatchery. Information on the proposal to alter spring trout stocking in order to protect the state’s fisheries resources from the disease while providing quality fishing opportunities will also be presented.

This important meeting will have a comment period for anglers to ask questions, voice their opinions, and give suggestions regarding the proposed changes to the 2014 trout stocking program.

Information about the proposed policy and proposed trout stocking plan and allocations, as well as directions to the meeting location can be found HERE.

The 19^th Annual Berkeley Striper Club Flea Market takes place this week (Sunday March 2) at Toms River Intermediate North Campus.  This is one of the better fishing flea markets in northern New Jersey and always has a fine contingent of custom plug carvers and tackle vendors. If you are looking to spruce up your collection, you won’t want to miss this one. The doors swing open at 9 am sharp and admission rice is only four dollars. Well worth the investment.

Captain David Showell of Absecon Bay Sportsmen’s Center is ready willing and able come this Saturday.  In fact he has been for most of this long, hard winter. Dave tells me has all the prime baits for striper including clam, eels and bloodworms. He did inform me that due to the hard freeze up north where the blood worms come from, the supply have been limited to a degree. For you perch anglers out there, Dave even has put up a supply of grass shrimp. The Mullica is starting to give up some nice sized perch and Dave tells me it will only get better. Don’t forget his first striper of the spring contest. Be one of the first three weighed in and win an in-store gift certificate. Check out his Facebook page for details.

Best Bets for the Weekend

I guess it goes without saying that the best bet this weekend is to hit the backwaters and take a shot at linesiders. The water is still pretty cold so bundle up and use a slow retrieve if you are throwing lures. Match the hatch is the best suggestion I can offer and they will be looking for anything with a blue back. If you are going to soak some bait, it would pay to have a little of each in your bag as no one can say for sure which will be the winning lottery ticket. I would use worms but that is just a personal preference. Plus, the same spots holding bass will also hold perch. So don’t forget to pack a few smaller rigs and set up for them as well. Not as much fight as a striper but damn fine eating. Saturday definitely looks like the better day for the weekend so if you are going, that would be the prime day. Sunday the weather starts to deteriorate, especially in the northern reaches of the state. We are in the home stretch now. In a few weeks we won’t even remember the cold and snow. Whichever option you choose to go with, please be careful out there. The waters are still cold. You only get so many days in the game, spend them wisely. See you on the incoming.