Striper fishing has been rather slow, but anglers are finding success with slowly-retrieved swim shads or bloodworms in the rivers and back bays.

Heavy wind and weather made for some challenging striped bass fishing this week, and only a handful of winter flounder catches have been reported so far.

This week saw a steady start to striper season in the back bays and rivers, meanwhile some anglers focused their efforts on winter flounder fishing.

Tautog season is closed until April, but striped bass are already biting well in the back bays and rivers, and freshwater fishing has also been hot.

Freshwater fishing is productive, tautog fishing has been quiet, and shops are stocking up on bloodworms for the striped bass season opener next week.

Tautog and white perch are biting well through warm and calm conditions, while freshwater ponds are giving up bass, crappie, perch and pickerel.

White perch, blackfish and the usual freshwater suspects provide the most consistent fishing opportunities this week.

Keeper tautog bite in deep water and white perch feed in the back bays, while largemouth bass and crappie entertain anglers in the ponds.

There's decent tautog fishing to be had around the wrecks, white perch fishing is good in the rivers and the ponds fish well for pickerel and bass.

A few anglers are picking away at bass in the surf and tautog on the wrecks, but freshwater fishing is the hottest action available right now.