<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Hardly anyone fished in a few days in weather, said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Bottom fishing had been good for sea bass, porgies, triggerfish and blackfish. Farther from shore, ling were zonked from the Mudhole. Back closer to the coast, striped bass had been eeled, biting on occasional days. Stripers were there, but waters were warm. A few stripers were banked from the surf. Lots of blues plowed into the surf. Boating for blues had been good on the ocean. Winds are forecast again for Friday, and Sunday looks like clear weather. All baits are stocked.

None of the bottom-fishing trips ran since Monday on the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>, because of weather, Capt. Tom said. Fishing was okay on Monday aboard for mostly porgies. One blackfish was bagged, and lots of small sea bass bit. Winds kept anglers from showing up today, and only enough arrived for one boat to sail from the fleet. Winds were supposed to diminish Friday, but forecasts changed, saying winds will blow Friday. Anglers can call the boat for an update on whether the vessel will fish. Anglers shouldn’t hesitate to fish weekends on the boat, because crowds aren’t big. The boat will bottom-fish on two half-day trips daily through Sunday, but on Monday will begin to bottom-fish on one ¾-day trip daily. The reason is that the fish will probably move deeper, farther from port, because of weather. The schedule is changed like that each year. The Atlantic Star through Sunday will bottom fish on two trips daily 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 6 p.m. Starting Monday the boat will bottom fish on one ¾-day trip daily 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. <b>***Update, Friday, 10/12:***</b> Forecasts ended up calling for calm winds, and this morning’s trip sailed, Tom said in a phone call at 10 o’clock on the outing. So far, anglers picked away at a good catch of sizeable porgies, a couple of sea bass and a couple of blackfish. Currents ran strong, but anglers adjusted. This afternoon’s trip probably wouldn’t sail, because forecasts called for winds gusting to 30 knots. Winds were already building to 20 on this morning’s trip, but in outgoing tide, weren’t bad. If the fishing held up like currently on this morning’s trip, anglers would put up a healthy catch. <b>***Another Update, Friday, 10/12:***</b> After the fishing got off to a productive start on this morning’s trip, it slowed, Tom said. Everyone bagged a few fish, but if catches had continued like earlier, the trip would’ve totaled a good catch. Forecasts for Saturday sounded all right so far. Forecasts lately changed quickly.

<b>Highlands</b>

At <b>Twin Lights Marina</b> boats were kept in slips, Wayne said. But the charter boat Hyper Striper, sailing from the docks, headed out for striped bass today. The trip, the first to sail after the weather, was supposed to return this evening. Fresh clams and eels are stocked. All the frozen baits for inshore are carried, including frozen pints and quarts of clam bellies. All the offshore baits are on hand, including flats of herring, sardines and butterfish. The full-service marina features boat slips and rack storage, ship-store supplies, a full line of bait for inshore and offshore, tackle and a fuel dock, and is located on Shrewsbury River. No bridges before the bay. Convenient, fast access to fishing.

<b>Neptune</b>

Fishing was tied to the cleats in the weather with <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b>, Capt. Ralph said. Space remains for a bottom-fishing trip Sunday, the final day of sea bass season, until the season reopens November 1 to December 31. Bottom fishing couldn’t have been better on the last one of the trips last weekend, covered in the last report. Sea bass, lots of big ones, large triggerfish, and porgies were pummeled. One space is available on an overnight tuna trip to the canyons Monday to Tuesday, because of a last-minute cancellation.

<b>Belmar</b>

A charter bottom-fished on the ocean Monday with <b>Fin-Ominal Sportfishing</b>, Capt. Jared said. Lots of porgies, 15 triggerfish, including a big one, 5 pounds, and a dozen keeper sea bass were piled up. Plenty of throwbacks were released. Seas were calm, and the day was beautiful. Charters Friday to Sunday will sail for bluefish and bottom fish. The 50-foot boat can accommodate large to small groups, up to 23 passengers on cruises and 14 on fishing trips.

Fishing stayed in port the last days, but blues, big, and false albacore were smashed on the ocean on the party boat <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b> previously, Capt. Alan said. The fishing was very good, and the trips are running 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. The boat is also bluefishing 7:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. When the striped bass migration arrives, both the Miss Belmar Princess and the party boat <b>Tropical Adventure</b>, Alan’s other vessel, will fish for stripers daily. One will sail at 6:30 a.m., and the other will run at 7:30 a.m., both returning at 3 p.m.

The boat was docked in weather, said Capt. Pete from <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b>. But currently sea bass bit, and the season for them will close on Monday. Porgies chewed, and blues and false albacore schooled. The season’s first striped bass was bagged aboard, covered in the last report. Pete looks forward to fall fishing hitting the wall as waters cool. Parker Pete’s sails for all species available, and charters and open-boat trips are running. For availability on open trips, see <a href="http://parkerpetefishing.com/belmar-fishing-trips/open-boat-trips" target="_blank">Parker Pete’s open-boat page</a> online, and sign up for the e-mailed newsletter on the site. Dates are announced in both places.

Better reports rolled in about surf fishing for striped bass, said Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> in an e-mail.  The number of keepers caught increased. Clams and lures grabbed them, including poppers, Bombers, Daiwa SP Minnows and swim shads. Striper fishing should pick up considerably as waters cool. Lots of blackfish were nabbed from Point Pleasant Canal and along jetties. Most blackfishers bagged one, the limit. Few boaters sailed in the weather.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

Trips with <b>Mushin Sportfishing</b>, inshore and offshore, were cancelled because of weather, Alan, the boat’s owner, said in an e-mail. Offshore trips are available to cash in on tuna that party boats, larger vessels that could sail in recent forecasts, pounded. Bluefish and false albacore trips are running, and the crew looks forward to upcoming striped bass fishing and bottom fishing for tautog and cod this season. Call to reserve.

All anglers or nearly all limited out on yellowfin tuna 60 to 80 pounds, good-sized, on an open-boat, overnight trip offshore Monday to Tuesday on the party boat <b>Gambler</b>, Capt. Bob said. Longfin tuna 60 pounds and mahi mahi to 15 pounds were also nailed. Excellent action almost the whole trip. The mahi were caught when the trip fished lobster pot buoys during somewhat of a lull in tuna fishing during daytime. On the previous trip, a tuna charter Friday to Saturday with Jersey Coast Shark Anglers, fishing was also good, not as good as on the open trip Monday to Tuesday. But a good catch of big yellowfins was drilled. Spaces are available on open trips for tuna this month, but anglers shouldn’t wait long to reserve.  See <a href="http://gamblerfishing.net/offshoretrips.html" target="_blank">Gambler’s offshore tuna schedule</a> online. The year’s final open, offshore tuna trip is slated for the first Saturday in November. Afterward daily striped bass trips will begin.

Waters were cooling, and lots of fish swarmed, said Chuck from <b>Gates Bait & Tackle</b>. A mess of baitfish, shad and herring swam Manasquan River to Manasquan Inlet. Bluefish schooled Point Pleasant Canal and nearby northern Barnegat Bay. Blowfish remained in the southern bay near Barnegat Inlet. Striped bass were landed from the surf at night or in early mornings, probably from Brick Beach to Island Beach State Park. Most were plugged, and anglers began to eel for them. Bluefish and false albacore popped into the surf and were boated on the ocean. Sea bass were swiped from the ocean, but sea bass season will close on Monday. Even crabbing held up.  The grounds include the Gates Motel, popular with anglers. The store and motel are within walking distance of the charter and party boat fleet, Manasquan Inlet and the surf. <b>***THIS TACKLE SHOP IS FOR SALE! CALL: 732-899-5760.***</b>

<b>Toms River</b>

Small striped bass, none big, were managed from Barnegat Bay, said Jeff from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. A few larger stripers 33 and 35 inches were hooked on Toms River at Huddy Park on bloodworms meant for fish like spots that swam the river. Nothing was heard about stripers from the ocean, but few boated the ocean. Blowfish chomped in the bay at the BI and BB markers, along with other fish including spots and croakers. A few weakfish were reported from that area and near Berkeley Island Park in evenings on Rat-L-Traps and pink Fin-S Fish. In the surf, mostly blues were yanked. An occasional striper was lifted from the surf in mornings and evenings. Kingfish, spots, croakers, blowfish, sea robins and skates were sometimes tugged from the surf.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

Lots of cocktail blues ran the surf, said Scott from <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>. A striped bass was sometimes toggled from the surf, mostly on plugs at first light. Good runs of mullet schooled the surf Tuesday and Wednesday. Whether mullet hit the surf today was unknown. Lots of stripers began to be winged at night from Point Pleasant Canal south through Barnegat Bay. Many were eeled in the canal and in the bay at Barnegat Inlet. One weakfish was heard about: a 4-pounder live-spotted from the bay. A few blowfish, not many, skittered around the shop’s docks, Scott said when asked whether fish gathered there. The store rents different types of boats for fishing, crabbing and cruising, and features the full supply of bait and tackle, a free pier for fishing and crabbing, and more.

<b>Forked River</b>

Blowfish hovered in Barnegat Bay from the BI to BB markers in about 4 and 5 feet, said Kyle from <b>Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle</b>. Weakfish could’ve remained in the bay, but not a lot was heard in the weather. No striped bass were really caught yet. When striper fishing kicks in, the catches on the bay are clammed on anchor or, at night, eeled on drifted boats near the sod banks. On the ocean the fish are jigged or trolled.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Another great weekend of bluefishing, a report on the party boat <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b>’s Web site said. Blues 8 to 15 pounds, 5 to 10 per angler, were smoked on the ocean aboard Saturday, and weather kept Sunday’s trip from fishing. The Miss Barnegat Light is bluefishing 8 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays.

<b>Surf City</b>

A few striped bass were dragged from the surf, said Sue from <b>Surf City Bait & Tackle</b>. The fishing was slow, but catches, including keepers, began. Only two stripers were checked in for the season-long Long Beach Island Surf Fishing Classic so far. But 34 inches is the minimum size, and keepers like a 33-1/4-incher and a 33-incher were weighed at the shop. For the store’s season-long surf striper tournament, stripers only need to be the 28-inch legal size. Though striper catches were only beginning in the surf, surf casters were all trying for them. They fished with plugs and bunker. Kingfish and blues roamed the surf. A big run of mullet stormed the surf today. In the bay, small sea bass swam, and so did blowfish and weakfish. Blackfish were around. Fresh bunker, mullet and clams are stocked. Eels and green crabs are on hand.  The shop’s surf striper tournament is under way until December 2. Entry is $10, and all proceeds are awarded for the entrants with the top three fish. Fifty percent will be awarded for first, and 30 for second, and 20 for third. The Long Beach Island Surf Fishing Classic is also running to December 2. The shop will hold a free barbecue that day to thank customers for the season. Keep up with the news in <a href="http://www.surfcitybaitandtackle.com/" target="_blank">Surf City Bait & Tackle’s fishing reports</a> on the shop’s Web site. Or keep in touch on <a href=" http://www.facebook.com/pages/Surf-City-Bait-and-Tackle/207533229268619
" target="_blank">Surf City Bait & Tackle’s Facebook page</a>.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

Baitfish including spots and peanut bunker remained in the bay, but the population was dropping off, said Scott from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. The fish weren’t nearly as abundant as before, and anglers were seeing “a shift in fish,” Scott said. In cooler weather, anglers were all thinking about striped bass. None was weighed in, and only rumors and speculation rolled around. Few fished in rough weather, and none boated the ocean for sea bass. Forecasts for Saturday look calm, and boaters will likely head out. Blackfishing was great along the sod banks. Blackfish reportedly snapped along Barnegat Inlet’s rocks. Not a lot seemed to be keepers. Weakfishing on the bay sort of “dried up,” Scott said. He wouldn’t doubt weaks were still around in the bay, but waters became cool. That meant weakfish should gather along the ocean front in 18 feet like they do when that happens. Nobody mentioned fishing for white perch in brackish waters. Crabbing was probably finished for the season. Fresh clams, eels, bloodworms and green crabs are stocked. Live spots are no longer carried this season.

<b>Absecon</b>

Striped bass action, just the beginning, was starting, said Capt. Dave from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. No stripers were weighed at the shop, but he’ll begin his striper charters next week, and signs of better striper fishing were happening. Catches were reportedly made at the Brigantine Bridge, and a few of the bass were reportedly taken from the back bay. A few schools, not many, chased mullet in the surf, and anglers had to put in time to land a bass from the beach. But Dave found small stripers active in holes far back in the bay. A trip he ran landed and released 25 or 30 stripers, mostly 15 inches, on 6-inch Gulps on jigs. The fish were only up to 24 inches, but they jumped all over the jigs, a good sign. “Everything seems to be starting to get heavy,” Dave said. A good shot of weakfish remained in the bay. Blackfishing was picking up at the bridges and jetties. Many were supposedly 14 inches, an inch undersized. Anglers probably needed to be mindful about size. But a few more keepers than before seemed around. Lots of kingfish swam the surf and began to push into the bay. Anglers could grab good dinners. Lots of small fish like that swarmed the surf. But kingfishing was the “hot ticket,” Dave said. In brackish waters, white perch must’ve been in some sort of “transition,” Dave said, because nothing great was heard about fishing for them. But perch certainly swam waters like Mullica River. Crabbing was “still hanging in,” Dave said, was good. Waters were cooling quickly, so that could change any day. Waters were in the low 60s. All live baits are stocked. Lives spots, peanut bunker, mullet, eels and green crabs are on hand. Fresh clams are carried, and the supply will probably start to be increased.

<b>Brigantine</b>

Striped bass usually weren’t seen at the shop, but the fish were livelined on eels and spots at the Brigantine Bridge and Absecon Inlet, said Capt. Andy from <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>. The season’s first striper from the Brigantine surf was checked in, covered in the last report. Linda Davoli beached the fish, winning the shop’s $105 bounty for the first. Now a bounty is available for the season’s first striper 43 inches or larger from the Brigantine surf. Entry is $5, and the angler who checks in the fish wins all the cash. Anglers must enter 12 hours before catching, and must land the fish from the island’s front beach. The season’s first run of stripers crashed the surf at Atlantic City, Ventnor and Margate an hour. None showed up at Brigantine, but anyone fishing those towns with bait or plugs caught them then. Spots and kings remained in the Brigantine surf. Blues swam all over the waters. John Cooper crabbed a 3-pound tog at the Brigantine jetty. Fresh clams will be stocked Friday. Fresh mullet and eels are on hand.  Riptide’s annual Striped Bass Derby is under way, awarding cash prizes for the biggest stripers beached from Brigantine’s surf, until December 23. Weekly and monthly prizes are also awarded, and entry is only $20. What’s more, with a Brigantine beach buggy permit, entry allows anglers to drive the entire Brigantine beach, unlike the permit alone.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

For anglers fishing at Absecon Inlet on foot, blues and weakfish swam plentiful, said Noel from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. Lots of blackfish held along the inlet rocks. Many striped bass scurried the waters. They were small, but gave up lots of action, 2 hours before and after high tides, on plugs, bunker, mullet and clams. Kingfishing started to pick back up for the anglers, after the fishing had become slower a couple of days in the weather. Bait including mullet and bunker were abundant. Fishing was definitely going on, Noel said. All the baits mentioned and more, the full supply, are stocked. One Stop opened a second store at Gardner’s Basin at 800 North New Hampshire Avenue. The original, remaining open, is at 416 Atlantic Avenue.

<b>Ocean City</b>

Kingfish, a few, were picked from the surf, but began to disappear, said John from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. But bluefish 3 to 5 pounds, occasionally bigger, became more abundant in the waters. Most were hooked on fresh mullet or spot. An occasional 30-inch striped bass, not many, were pulled from the surf, mostly on mullet or spot, sometimes on plugs along the jetties. Good catches of blackfish were pumped in from the Longport Pier, mostly on green crabs. Bluefish schooled around the back-bay piers and other structure. Small sea bass schooled the bay. Weakfish were whacked in the bay at night at the bridges along the shadow lines on lures, mullet or spot. Some anglers scored well on them. Nobody was heard about who boated the ocean, including at the wrecks to the offshore canyons. Anglers said a 50-foot boat was needed in the seas. Today’s seas looked better, at least within 5 miles from shore, according to online data.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Fishing was much better, wasn’t off the charts, but was very good Monday on one of the traveling trips to Montauk, New York, aboard, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b>, affiliated with <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. The angling had been slower Saturday and Sunday, covered in the last report, after it was good last week. But on Monday’s trip Mike Roth nailed a slam of false albacore, striped bass and blues on a fly rod. A slam is a catch of the three main species anglers target along the coast this time of year. Well into double digits of albies were caught, and probably six or eight stripers to 14 pounds were, and so were several blues. Most were hooked on flies, and some were jigged, and the 14-pound striper was fly-rodded. Jersey Cape will fish the migration at Montauk this weekend and maybe the following weekend, before turning attention to the migration of large stripers and blues on the ocean at Sea Isle. Sea Isle’s migration usually begins in late October, is great in November and could last longer. Reserve charter dates. Back at Sea Isle this week, Dave and Trish Bartlett aboard jigged two striped bass on the back bay Wednesday evening. In other news, anglers fought bluefish at Townsend’s Inlet, mostly on bait. A few striped bass were banked from the surf around Sea Isle, usually on bait, but fishing for them with popper plugs was good. One angler popper-plugged 15 of the stripers in a trip, and none on the next trip, Joe thought. “So if the fish are there, they’re there,” he said.   Weakfish schooled the ocean in 40 feet, and croakers probably gathered in similar areas. Book dates for annual weekend trips to Florida in winter. The trips can fish for a large variety of catches including redfish, speckled sea trout and tarpon in the back country to king mackerel, blackfin tuna and sailfish out front. See info about Montauk and Florida on Jersey Cape’s <a href="http://www.captainjoehughes.com/page4.html" target="_blank">Traveling Fisherman Charters</a> Web page. Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s blog</a>.

Weather was even rough for many boaters to reach the ocean during the weekend, said John from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. So nothing was heard about fishing there, but croakers probably schooled the waters. He saw birds working the ocean near the bell buoy off Townsend’s Inlet every evening. Lots of mullet schooled the surf. Blues 2 to 4 pounds were chunked at the inlet on mullet. A few small striped bass were plugged along the jetties in early mornings. Spots and kingfish nipped in the surf. A few bigger kings were seen from the surf near the inlet during the weekend. Weakfish were hung from the surf. So surf fishing wasn’t bad. Good catches of weaks and stripers were axed from the back bay at night at the bridges and lights. A few blues were mixed in.

<b>Cape May</b>

Not a lot of fish were bagged on the bottom-fishing trips aboard, and weather was rough, said Capt. Paul from the party boat <b>Porgy IV</b>. One of the trips got out Wednesday with a small crowd, and the ocean held a large swell. Winds must’ve blown strongly Tuesday. Sea bass, porgies, triggerfish and blues were landed, but few were keepers. No trip sailed in the weather Tuesday. A trip fished Monday, and the boat was docked Sunday in heavy rains. The vessel steamed Saturday, running across a couple of “pops,” Paul said, of fish, and a lot of “dry holes.” Waters were warm, and triggerfish, the warm-water species, still bit on trips. Maybe waters would need to cool to get fish “moving,” Paul said. But if anglers want a chance at dinner or a few fish bagged, the boat is bottom fishing through Sunday, the final day of sea bass season. The season is slated to reopen November 1 through December 31. After Sunday, trips might take a break until either sea bass season reopens or striped bass show up. Maybe waters will be colder when sea bass season reopens, or maybe stripers will be jumping in the boat by then. Not a lot of stripers showed up locally last year, though a good run swam farther north toward Barnegat Light. The Porgy IV is bottom fishing 8 a.m. daily through Sunday and afterward might be on break until sea bass season reopens November 1 or the striped bass migration arrives.

No fishing sailed in weather on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> in past days, Capt. George said. Two trips Saturday, covered in the last report, trolled blues, a load, at the Cape May Rips. Tuna trips are fishing, and sea bass season will close on Monday. But sea bassing is available until then. Striped bass trips are being booked for this season. The trips usually begin in late October. Stripers usually begin to be bunker-chunked on Delaware Bay then. During some years stripers begin to be caught at the Cape May Rips a week later. Charters aboard fish for them at the rips with chunks, eels, spots or bucktails. Call if interested in any of this fishing.

In the back bay small striped bass really began to feed on spearing at night, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. Snapper blues and weakfish were socked from the bay. The same fish, pretty much – small stripers, weaks and snappers – were angled from the surf. No stripers were weighed in from the surf this week. But in last week’s report, Nick mentioned a couple weighed in. Nothing was heard about sea bass fishing on the ocean in the weather. But good chunking for yellowfin tuna was sometimes heard about from Lindenkohl Canyon at night. Nick joined a trip that trolled good fishing for yellowfins and mahi mahi at the Elephant Truck on Friday. Fresh clams and mullet are stocked. Bloodworms and all the frozen baits for inshore are carried. Offshore baits include flats of butterfish and sardines and trolling ballyhoos and squid.

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