Bob Matthews, at Fisherman's Den in Belmar Marina, reported the first 50-pound striper of the year. It was boated on a live bunker on Capt. Eric Kerber's On A Mission by Nick Alfonse of Hamilton. Three bass were taken while fishing bunker schools close to shore off Ocean County. Capt. Howard Bogan reported lots of bluefish up to a 14-pounder by Ryszard Wieliki from N.Y. on Sunday aboard the Jamaica from Brielle. Monday got off to a slow start, but got better during the day with 7-to-15-pound blues on Crocs and jigs. Bogan is running his first Magic Hours livelining trip on May 18 at 3:30 p.m. Reservations for the $80 trip  that's limited to 28 anglers can be made by calling 732 528-5014. The Cock Robin from Point Pleasant reported the best jigging of the season Monday for blues that were all "gators" and hit all day. I thought the river fishing for big blues might be over, but after doing nothing the last two mornings in the Bradley Beach surf, I tried upriver in Manasquan River late in the afternoon and saw a few choppers taken in brief flurries despite a howling west wind. I first hooked a real surprise on a Jerry Lasko "Lasher" swimming plug -- a fluke right around keeper size when the season opens on Saturday. Then I released a 5-to-6-pound blue that was smaller than anything I had seen in the river -- before one of at least 12 pounds was the next catch before leaving. It felt like winter on the surf this morning, and I was glad I had left my wool cap in the car. My hands were also cold, but that should improve by tomorrow. Joe Melillo, at Castaways Tackle in Point Pleasant, reported that the cinder worm hatch in the river and Point Pleasant Canal is over. Stripers had been gorging on those tiny worms, and usually refused all lures. At Seaside Park, the bite of big blues in the surf that made Sunday's Governor's Surf Fishing Tournament such a success continues. The results of that contest were posted in a previous blog today. There were 245 big blues and three stripers entered by about 600 anglers.