<b>Keyport</b>

Two striped bass 18 and 23 pounds were eeled last Thursday with <b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b>, Capt. Joe said. The short, 4-hour trip was covered in the last report, and one striper was decked on a trip Saturday, and crowds from a tournament filled waters, and nobody was seen catching. Striper fishing is under way with Papa’s, including on open-boat trips 7 a.m. To 1 p.m. daily, when no charter is booked. Call to reserve.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Daily striped bass trips will kick off Friday on the party boat <b>Fishermen</b>! Capt. Ron said in a report on the vessel’s Web site. “Clamming, jigging, whatever we gotta do to catch them,” he said. “Looking forward to a good fall run.” Starting Friday, the Fishermen will sail for striped bass 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.

Trips fished every day on the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>, looting lots of porgies, though fewer keepers than Capt. Tom would like, he said. All anglers caught, and sorting through small ones to bag keepers was the thing. A few blackfish were reeled in, and some anglers brought crabs to fish for them. When trips could fish an area with both porgies and blackfish, that was preferred. Otherwise trips tried to split up time fishing separate areas for each. Monday’s trip tried for blackfish at first, and the angling wasn’t so good. Then the trip fished for porgies. Tuesday’s trip also tried for blackfish at first, and quite a few throwbacks and some keepers bit. Then the trip porgy fished, and the catch of them was better than on the previous day. Wednesday’s trip sailed directly to the porgy grounds. A mix of sizes chomped, like usual. The trip ended with blackfishing, and a few of the tog were hung. Porgy fishing seemed better, seemed to produce more keepers, when the boat could be drifted, instead of anchored. Covering ground was the difference, Tom guessed. Porgies are a good-tasting fish, and the crew will fillet them up, so anglers can take home only meat, no bones. Though some people like porgies whole, such as to grill them. Are many ways to serve them. The government announced that sea bass season will not be opened in federal waters this year, though it was slated to be opened November 1. Whether sea bass season will be opened in state waters was yet to be known, when Tom gave this report in a phone call Wednesday.  The Atlantic Star is bottom-fishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.

Striped bass fishing really started to “go,” said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Many charter boats limited out on the fish on the ocean, jigging or trolling for them. A trip was heard about that limited on one drift on jigs. Stuff like that, Jimmy said. Sometimes stripers were eeled. Bluefish were whacked on the ocean. In the surf, stripers were clammed and bunkered. Stripers also swam the rivers. Bottom-fishing piled up good catches of porgies on the ocean. Farther from shore, nothing was heard about ling fishing. A friend planned to ling fish Friday, before weather is supposed to deteriorate. The ocean will likely hold a roll even then, Jimmy figured. All baits are stocked.

<b>Highlands</b>

A 19-pound 35-inch striped bass was eeled off Sandy Hook on a trip from <b>Twin Lights Marina</b> for Steve Manobianco and dad, an e-mail from the marina said. John Cuozzo’s nephew Ryan Fischer on Cuozzo’s Elsea Nora eeled a 34-1/2-inch striper down the beach. Tracy Amarosa, out-fishing husband Jay and Johnny Beer on the Par Tee, docked a 31-inch striper eeled at the 11 buoy. Ed and Tony on the Hammerhead fought big blues and throwback stripers at Shrewsbury Rocks. Fresh clams, eels and frozen baits, including pints and quarts of clam bellies, are stocked. 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>Belmar</b>

<b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b> limited out on striped bass to 30 pounds, larger than 40 inches, on the ocean on jigs Wednesday, Capt. Pete said in a phone call just after the trip that evening. Afternoons produced more stripers than earlier in the day, and Parker Pete’s is now offering afternoon trips. Bluefish swarmed all over. Trips can also sail for porgies. 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.

Five to eight striped bass a day began to be clubbed on bluefish trips on the ocean on the party boat <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b>, Capt. Alan said. But many stripers, a very good catch, most customers limiting out on two apiece, were axed on Wednesday’s trip. A 30-pound striper won the pool, and tons of bluefish were also crushed. Fishing’s been good aboard. All the fish were jigged, including on Krocodiles and Jersey Jay’s. “All the metal,” Alan said. The Miss Belmar Princess is fishing for striped bass and blues 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. The party boat Tropical Adventure, Alan’s other vessel, on Friday, November 2, will begin to fish on Striperthons 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 or 3 p.m. daily. So both boats will fish for stripers then.

Just when fishing was likely heating up, “the Perfect Storm is aiming at us,” said Bob from <b>Fishermen’s Den</b> in an e-mail. Striped bass fishing broke open for boaters and surf anglers north of Shark River Inlet the last few days. Both limited out on the fish to 30 pounds. Surf casters caught on popper lures and swimming plugs, and the bass fed on bunker.  The massive storm couldn’t come at a worse time, Bob said. “(We’ll) hold our breath until it’s over (and) see how fast (the fishing) will bounce back,” he said. “Hope for the best.”

<b>Brielle</b>

Big striped bass to 40 pounds were boated, and currently were mixed in with large, chopper blues, on the <b>Big Kid</b>, and the striper migration seemed to be starting, Capt. Ken said. The boat was sailed north to Shrewsbury Rocks for the catches, but a bite was also found farther south on the ocean. The blues to 15 pounds were jigged aboard. Trolling rubber shads grabbed stripers in the morning. Later in the day, stripers to 40 pounds were trolled on No. 4 Tony Maja bunker spoons in white and chrome. All the bass were full of large bunker. Charter dates remain on weekdays, and maybe a couple are left on weekends. After striper fishing, trips will sail for blackfish, and the dates do fill. The crew loves bottom-fishing, including blackfishing.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

A trip limited out on striped bass to 22 pounds Tuesday on the ocean with <b>Andrea’s Toy Charters</b>, and the fish went wild on the waters since, Capt. Fred said. Charters are doing a combo of jigging stripers and lots of big blues, “to keep the rods bent,” Fred said, and bottom fishing for porgies and blackfish. Andrea’s Toy specializes in mixed-bag fishing for greater fun, better chances of hooking up and more variety for dinner.

On the party boat <b>Dauntless</b> fishing for porgies was pretty good, Capt. Butch said. The fishing on Wednesday was very good, and the porgies were sizeable. Anglers averaged 20 to 50 porgies apiece, and a few blackfish were bagged, when anglers brought crabs for bait. Most blackfish hooked were small, but a few were keepers. A few striped bass and bluefish were landed. Many small blues a pound or two were decked Wednesday. Lots of stripers were seen schooling these days. Sometimes lots of small ones were seen. Sometimes larger ones showed up, and Butch hooked a 15-pound striper Wednesday that got off on a porgy rig. The striper population will probably really take off once a cold shot of weather hits, Butch thinks. Bait was plentiful. Lots of out-of-season sea bass were released. Trips fished shallow in 50 to 70 feet, and waters were 58 to 60 degrees, the same as recently. The Dauntless is bottom-fishing 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily.

Conditions were lots better for ling fishing Wednesday, and good catches were slung aboard, a report on the party boat <b>Norma-K III</b>’s Web site said. A flat-calm ocean and picture-perfect day didn’t help the angling Tuesday, and the linging was slow, on many stops in 140 to 220 feet. But on Wednesday the high hook looted 40, and most caught 10 to 20, and a few cracked more, at two spots fished the whole trip. Weather looked good for the fishing today and Friday. “Saturday is still up in the air!” the report said. The Norma-K III is sailing for ling and cod 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and for bluefish 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. every Saturday. The blues trips will continue through November 3. Daily striped bass trips will launch next Thursday, running 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Magic Hour Ling Trips will fish every Saturday starting November 10, steaming 3 to 9 p.m. through winter.

Rambling catches of small striped bass came from the surf, said Chuck from <b>Gates Bait & Tackle</b>. The fishing seemed to slow, but he guessed the bass were banked from Seaside to Belmar. But stripers started to be pumped in from Point Pleasant Canal at night a lot. Good blackfishing was clubbed at the canal. Plenty of small stripers schooled around Mantoloking Bridge. Porgy fishing was good on the ocean. A Point Pleasant Beach party boat captain talked about healthy catches of sizeable ones. Crabbing tapered off a lot. 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>

Surf fishing was spotty, tossing up small blues 1 or  1 ½ pounds, mostly on bait, but striped bass catches were gradually improving from the beach, mostly on clam, a few on bunker, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. Most of the bass were throwbacks, and occasionally one was a keeper. Water temperature was the main issue, and the storm that’s coming should cool waters and create cuts in the surf, helping the fishing. No stripers were really boated on the ocean locally yet. Bunker schooled, and a striper was boated among them on occasion. Striper fishing was good at the sunken end of Barnegat Inlet’s north jetty on livelined spots. It was fairly consistent on plugs at night at the inlet jetties. Blackfish were clammed and crabbed along the inlet jetties. In Barnegat Bay, small stripers were played off Berkeley Island Park on rubber shads, Fin-S Fish or small hard lures. The same-sized stripers, 12- to 18-inchers, sometimes a 20-incher, were landed on Toms River from boats and land, on the same lures, at Island Heights. Crabs and spots were caught there and along Route 37 Bridge on the bay. Stripers only just began to be eeled from the bay along the sod banks at night. Stripers were eeled from Point Pleasant Canal at night. Blowfish remained in the bay at the BB marker. So did a mix of fish like spots, small sea bass and sometimes weakfish. Customers reeled in 30 blowfish there on a trip Monday. Black drum 5 to 8 pounds were clammed on the bay off the Forked River power plant on anchor. A mixed bag of fish also bit there.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

Large bluefish crashed bunker in the surf almost all day today north and south of the Seaside Heights pier, said John from <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>. “As we speak,” he said at 2:30 p.m. over the phone. A few striped bass were picked from the surf early and late in the days on clams, “but real hit or miss,” he said. The body of stripers seemed farther north off Monmouth County. Not much bit in Barnegat Bay. But throwback striped bass were caught and released at bridges at night on plugs. “But nothing to speak of,” John said. The hatches were being battened down for the big storm coming. 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>

Big striped bass were pounded on the ocean starting the past two days, said Grizz from <b>Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle</b>. The fish weighed up to 30 and 40 pounds, and some trips landed four or five. Big blues also raced, and lots of sand eels schooled, the waters. Big stripers always show up at first in the season, then smaller ones move in, then big ones come again, “in my option,” Grizz said. When the large ones come at the end, most boaters have already finished fishing for the year. But large ones also come at first, “and they’re here now,” Grizz said. Blues and a few small stripers swam Barnegat Inlet. Blowfish practically departed Barnegat Bay for the year.

<b>Surf City</b>

Surf casters beached a random striped bass, said Sue from <b>Surf City Bait & Tackle</b>. Stripers mostly swam farther out, and a 33-pounder was weighed in from the ocean today from a boat. Anglers hope the coming storm pushes stripers into the surf. Fourteen stripers were entered so far in the season-long Long Beach Island Surf Fishing Classic, in its third week. Cocktail blues swam the surf, and larger blues held farther north. Anglers waited for them to migrate south. Kingfishing was okay in the surf, and lots of weakfish were hooked from the beach Tuesday at Barnegat Light on metal. Blackfish, including keepers, were snatched up at the condos at Barnegat Light. All baits are stocked. 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>

Ocean striped bass fishing usually begins on the weekend before Halloween near Little Egg Inlet, said Scott from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Boaters in past days ran up and down the coast looking for stripers, finding none. The best angling was blackfishing along the banks at the Fish Factory, the Coast Guard Station and Little Sheepshead Creek. Grabbing a keeper 15 inches or larger wasn’t easy. Bluefish 1 ½ pounds schooled mostly the inlet off Little Beach. But some popped up at the mouth of Mullica River at Motts and Oyster creeks on outgoing tides. Dogfish and skates swam the inlet.  A couple of anglers tried for white perch on the bay but hooked spots and small sea bass, no perch. Waters were warm enough for spots and sea bass, and those two fish might’ve been too much competition to hook perch. Fresh, shucked clams, bloodworms, green crabs and live grass shrimp are stocked. 

<b>Absecon</b>

Every back-bay striped bass angler reported catching small ones, sometimes a larger bass, said Capt. Dave from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. But the fishing was slow, and Dave hopes the coming storm won’t be too strong, but a storm was probably just what was needed to pull stripers south to local waters. Forecasts for the storm ranged from “nothing,” Dave said, to a disaster. A few weakfish remained from the surf to off the sod banks. A shot at weaks was definitely available. Blackfishing was very good at Brigantine Bridge, probably other bridges, along the banks and at the jetties. If the storm dirties waters, the angling could slow a moment. Curt from the shop, a white perch angler, had small stripers 12 or 14 inches keep jumping on his perch hooks. But perch anglers talked about catches, including good-sized, moving more toward the bays and saltwater than farther up the brackish rivers. Baits are fully stocked, including live spots, peanut bunker, mullet, eels and green crabs and fresh clams and bunker. Dave ordered an extra supply of fresh baits because the storm might prevent suppliers from catching early next week, and anglers will probably want the baits.

<b>Brigantine</b>

A customer who frequents the back bay caught striped bass with sea lice the past three nights, said Capt. Andy from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. Sea lice on the fish are believed a sign of migrating stripers, fish from the ocean, and the angler, experienced, believes the migration has begun, when he sees stripers with lice. “So, we’re getting there,” Andy said. The shop’s bounty for the season’s first striper 43 inches or larger weighed in from the Brigantine surf was up to $235. Entry is $5, and anglers must enter 12 hours before catching. Bluefish ripped all around the surf the other evening, and anglers landed scores apiece. Fresh clams, bunker and mullet, bloodworms and all baits are stocked. 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>

Anglers from shore at Absecon Inlet cranked in a few striped bass, not many, more weakfish, blues, big kingfish and sometimes blackfish, said Noel from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. Many of the weaks and stripers were plugged on Daiwa SP Minnows. Lots of bait, mostly herring, abundant peanut bunker and a few mullet swam the waters. The full array of bait including fresh clams, fresh bunker, eels and green crabs is 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>

Mostly small bluefish scurried around, in the surf and back bay, said John from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. Occasional small striped bass were dragged from the surf on clam or finger mullet. A 1-pound kingfish was weighed in from the surf, so kings and spots seemed to remain there. A few weakfish were tugged from Corson’s Inlet at night. Rumors said a few redfish were banked at Corson’s. A handful of striped bass, throwbacks, were managed from along bridges. But mostly blackfish were taken at bridges. Keeper blacks were bagged at Longport Bridge and the new 9th Street Pier. Few boaters fished the ocean, so no news came from the waters.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

One trip on the ocean trolled five or six bluefish and a striped bass, said John from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. The blues, 5 pounds, weren’t huge, but the catch was good to see. Mostly blues were angled from the surf, but redfish showed up in the surf like before. Small jigheads with curly tails hooked the reds, but a few were clammed when anglers fished for stripers. Not a lot of stripers were beaned from the surf, and more were lifted from the back bay along the sod banks or, at night, under bridge lights. A few were popper plugged at the sod banks Wednesday evening. Good fishing for blackfish was crunched from the rocks at Townsend’s Inlet, the 8th Street jetty, bridges and deep holes in the bay on green crabs. Weakfish 15 or 16 inches reportedly schooled at the jetty, swiping clam, mullet or nearly any bait on high-low rigs. Nothing was heard about tuna in some time. Tuna probably remained, but news about fishing for them became scarce. 

Back-bay fishing socked good catches of striped bass aboard, and high tides in evenings were ideal, so the success was no surprise, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. Soft-plastic lures on jigheads caught, but so did popper plugs. Waters were warm enough for stripers to attack poppers along the surface. These were smaller, younger stripers that lived in the bay, were yet to migrate. They were a lot of fun. Good catches in a short time, in a fun way to land them, on poppers or the plastics on light tackle. Joe also fly rods for them. The migration of large striped bass and blues will slam the ocean in the next weeks, and Joe will focus on them then. Reserve dates for the best fishing of the year. On Wednesday evening, Rich Linus and Fred Jacobs aboard the bay landed 10 stripers on plastics and poppers. On Tuesday evening, Joe briefly snuck out solo, long enough to fly-rod a striper on the bay then go home. On Monday evening Dave Bartlett and wife Trish on the bay landed four or five stripers to 26 or 27 inches on jigs and poppers, missing others. Was a good week of fishing aboard.   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 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>.

<b>Cape May</b>

The party boat <b>Porgy IV</b> had been slated to resume fishing next Thursday, November 1, when sea bass season was supposed to be reopened, Capt. Paul said. But now the government was considering not opening the season. The government reportedly announced this week that federal waters would not be opened. Whether state waters will be opened was apparently yet to be decided. If sea bass season is not opened, the boat will sail for striped bass when the migration arrives. Trips might begin fishing for blackfish on November 16, when the bag limit is increased to six from the current limit of one. The boat fished for the tog into winter last year. Trips this season were docked since sea bass season was closed two Mondays ago. Paul had been expecting to resume trips when sea bass season was reopened.

One boater bunker-chunked a 36-pound striped bass on Delaware Bay, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. That was the only striper caught on the trip. But a few stripers probably swam the bay. Weakfish and small stripers were toggled in from the back bay and along the jetties in the ocean surf. Bluefish and a few redfish, not as many reds as previously, sometimes came from the surf. Blackfishing was good along the jetties. A couple of anglers looked for mullet in the surf, finding none. Only frozen mullet are stocked, and fresh are no longer available. Bluefish schooled Cape May Rips. Fresh clams, fresh bunker, eels, bloodworms, green crabs, the frozen mullet and all the frozen baits are stocked.

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