<b>Staten Island</b>

Sea bass, a super catch, were socked Monday with <b>Outcast Charters</b>, Capt. Joe said. The trip, sailing from New Jersey, limited out with no problem, and caught and released a few more. Outcast offers fishing from either Staten Island, New York, or Sewaren, New Jersey. Sizable porgies were mixed in, and Joe expects to fish again this weekend, in forecasts that look good, after the storm this week.

<b>Keyport</b>

Bottom-fishing was weathered out Wednesday on the <b>Vitamin Sea</b>, Capt. Frank wrote in an email. But a charter is booked for the angling Saturday, and space is available for an open-boat trip Sunday for the fishing. Catches have been good, and a trip Monday slammed the biggest kind of porgies, and large sea bass and blackfish mixed in, covered in the last report. Striped bass fishing was up and down, or the stripers bit on some days. On others, they were “like ghosts,” he said. Anglers had to work for stripers, but that will change, as water cools. Charters are fishing, and telephone for the open-boat schedule. Trips are being booked for stripers and blackfish later this season, and stripers in spring. “Get your dose of Vitamin Sea!”

Fishing smashed sea bass to 3 ½ pounds and porgies to 4 pounds, great angling, on the <b>Down Deep</b>, Capt. Mario said. Space is available on an open-boat trip for sea bass Sunday. Open trips are eeling for striped bass 5 to 11 p.m. every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, and that fishing started to pick up. Charters are sailing, and see the <a href=" http://www.downdeepsportfishing.com/ddsf/special-trips/" target="_blank">open-boat schedule</a> on the Down Deep’s website. Sign up for the <a href=" http://www.downdeepsportfishing.com/ddsf/76-2/" target="_blank">Short Notice List</a> on the site to be kept informed about open trips.

Throwback striped bass and small blues were dragged from the surf on Raritan Bay at Cliffwood Beach, Keyport and Keansburg, before this week’s storm, said Bob from <b>Joey’s Bait Shack</b>. Nothing was heard about catches in the weather. Short stripers were played from the surf at Sandy Hook, too, before the blow. Surf anglers fished bunker, clams and eels.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Surf anglers banked striped bass at Sandy Hook Point, said Joe from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. That was about all that was heard about fishing in the weather, and boats were all tied to the dock. But when boats last fished, the trips docked sea bass and porgies. One party boat captain said the angling for both was good on a trip early in the week. One of the head boats is eeling for striped bass at night, and those trips were also canceled in the weather. But when the fishing last sailed, the catches were good, Joe heard. The bass were boated between the channels, he heard.

Fishing sailed Monday and Tuesday on the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>, Capt. Tom said. Good-sized porgies were cranked up, and sea bass were bagged. Sea bass were a little more plentiful at some places than others, and usually, when the boat made a stop, sea bass, mostly throwbacks, were hooked, but sizable ones were mixed in, and porgies came up. Sometimes a spot gave up no sea bass. On Tuesday’s trip, both species were hooked at every place fished, and fishing was a little better on that day than on Monday. The porgy fishing was probably a little better that day, and most were good-sized or 10, 11 or 12 inches, sometimes bigger. Just a couple of blackfish were thrown aboard from the trips, and weather was good on both outings, and the trips were enjoyable, Tom said. The boat’s ¾-day trips worked out well that began fishing daily on Monday, after two trips daily fished previously. The boat each year around now switches to the longer, ¾-day trips, so it can travel a little farther from port to fish. The fishing Wednesday and today was weathered out, and Tom would see if the weather settled by Friday to resume fishing. The Atlantic Star is fishing for sea bass, porgies and blackfish 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.

<b>Belmar</b>

On the <b>Big Mohawk</b>, sea bass fishing was super, Capt. Chris said. It was consistent, excellent, and a bunch of anglers limited out. The Big Mohawk is fishing for sea bass 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. However, this Saturday’s trip will depart at 6 a.m., and angler need to telephone to reserve to jump on that outing.

The party boat <b>Golden Eagle</b> was docked in the storm, but weather looks like it’s clearing, a report on the vessel’s website said today. Bluefishing aboard’s been great, and the crew expects that to continue, and also heard about striped bass moving into the area. “So be ready for anything tomorrow,” it said. “See you in the morning.” The Golden Eagle is fishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and 7:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

Lots of porgies, huge, like dinner-plate-sized, were crushed from the ocean aboard early in the week, before the storm, with <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b>, Capt. Pete said. Sea bass fishing was decent during the angling, and was tough at some places, because porgies jumped on the hooks before sea bass could. But then the boat was moved offshore for sea bass. Winter flounder and blowfish also chewed, so a good variety of fish was caught. The bottom-fishing was excellent, and throwback-sized, out-of-season fluke also bit. Striped bass were sometimes reported boated during daytime and decked on livelined bunker in afternoons or before dark. Pete hopes this storm picks up striper fishing. Don’t have enough anglers for a charter? Jump on <a href=" http://www.parkerpetefishing.com/" target="_blank">Parker Pete’s website</a> to subscribe to the emailed newsletter to be kept informed about last-minute, individual spaces available to fill in charters. Look for the place to sign up on the right side of the page.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

The ocean looked like it calmed a lot since the wind yesterday, and weather looks great for fishing aboard Friday through the weekend, Capt. Matt from the party boat <b>Norma-K III</b> wrote in a report on the vessel’s website. Sea bass fishing was excellent aboard Tuesday, the last time the boat fished, because of the weather. Anglers had to pick through throwbacks, but most limited out. There were plenty of keepers, and a few anglers came just shy of limiting. The fish gave up lots of life everywhere the boat stopped, and a few triggerfish were slapped aboard. The Norma-K III is fishing for sea bass 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and for bluefish 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. every Friday and Saturday.

<b>Toms River</b>

Small blues 1 or 2 pounds hit in the surf, mostly on mullet or bunker, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. A token striped bass was clammed from the surf, and a few sharks and skates bit in the surf before dark. Water was warm, and was 63 degrees the other day. Anglers hope the current storm helps trigger fall fishing. A few boats trolled striped bass 20 or 25 pounds on the ocean off Island Beach State Park’s north end on Sunday or Monday. That was the season’s first decent report about stripers on boats locally. In Barnegat Bay and the Toms River, most catches from earlier this season and summer migrated away. A few snapper blues remained, and not many blowfish did. A couple of customers tried for blowfish on the bay, only managing one here and there. A few crabs but not many were trapped. Winter flounder might swim the bay or river already, and flounder season is open for the first time in years. Two per angler can be bagged per day, and Election Day was traditionally the start of flounder fishing in the Toms at Island Heights. Flounder season is open through December 31, and opens back up on March 1. The shop is holding a tournament for stripers, blues and winter flounder. Murphy’s, located on Route 37, bought <b>Go Fish Bait & Tackle</b> on Fischer Boulevard in Toms River this year, and is running both shops now.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

Be patient, John from <b>The Dock Outfitters</b> wrote in a report on the shop’s website. No run of striped bass arrived in the surf, but that could change any day. The migration was coming. A few stripers, shorts and keepers, were beached at dawn and dusk, and clams caught best, but small swimming plugs claimed a few. Small blues tumbled the surf here and there. Strong northeast wind, turning northwest, was forecast for today, and that was expected to churn the surf. Big rods, heavy sinkers and clams would be best to fish. But heavy metal or bottle plugs could be an alternative, if anglers wanted to fish artificials. While waiting for weather to calm, get your rod and reel serviced, or simply add a new outfit to the arsenal. Get 25 percent off your choice of line on your spool, when the shop services your reel. Take advantage of 20 percent off selected rods for surf and boat fishing. The Dock Outfitters, located on Barnegat Bay, blocks from the ocean surf, features a bait and tackle shop, boat and jet ski rentals in season, a café and a dock for fishing and crabbing.

<b>Barnegat</b>

<b>***Update, Sunday, 10/26:***</b> From an edited email from Capt. Dave DeGennaro from the <b>Hi Flier</b>: “Mayday! Mayday! Bass on bunker! Open-boat stripers. Throwing the ropes at 6:30 a.m. Monday. We’ll be snagging and livelining bunker. Fifteen- to 30-pound fish. They caught them this morning and yesterday morning. Now we're going to catch them tomorrow. Heavy west winds are forecast, which means it’ll be a flat ocean. Sailing from Manasquan Inlet. Three people max. All fish are shared.”

<b>Surf City</b>

A 23-pound 13-ounce striped bass was weighed-in from the surf on Tuesday, said Joe from <b>Surf City Bait & Tackle</b>. The shop’s Facebook page said the 43-incher was beached at Loveladies on bunker, and was the shop’s first of the season entered in the Long Beach
Island Surf Fishing Classic. A 22-incher was landed in the surf at Holgate this week. Though that was a throwback, a few stripers began to bite in the surf. Blues 6 inches to 1 ½ pounds, once in a while 2 pounds, swam the surf all over. Kingfish began to chomp again on the island’s north end, and were big. Joe reeled in a 19- or 20-incher. Blackfish, plenty, littered the jetty at Barnegat Inlet, and included keepers. Most who fished for them bagged a limit of one. Like <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Surf-City-Bait-and-Tackle/207533229268619" target="_blank">Surf City Bait & Tackle’s Facebook page</a>. <b>***Update, Thursday, 10/23:***</b> Another striper, 20-pounds-even, was entered in the LBI Classic today at the shop, the store’s Facebook page said! The 37-1/2-incher was tackled at Harvey Cedars on bunker.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

The migration of striped bass is usually in when the water is 50 to 56 degrees, usually peaking at 50 degrees, said Chris from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. The water currently was in the low 60s, and the fish usually start showing up when it dips to 55. The first usually appear around Halloween, but have showed up anytime between about October 14 to November 5. So, now was in the middle of that period. Nothing was really heard about stripers yet, except about a few caught toward Barnegat Light, farther north. Nothing was really heard about fishing, for that matter, because of weather. But a few blackfish hooked were also heard about from toward Barnegat. If anglers wanted to try for stripers anywhere locally, along Seven Bridges Road, throwing a lure or popper plug, was probably a best bet. Anglers before the weather sometimes worked Atom poppers for throwback stripers 20 or 24 inches there. White perch swam Mullica River, and anglers, like usual, had to be at the right place at the right time to land them. One angler will say the fishing was no good, and the next will say 30 were clocked on a trip. Tuna were boated at Hudson Canyon when boats had the weather to sail offshore.

<b>Absecon</b>

Striped bass fishing remained in a holding pattern, and quite a few throwbacks bit in the back bay, but was definitely picking up, said Capt. Dave from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. As much as anglers might not prefer nasty weather like today, it’s necessary for striper fishing, considering the warm water. Weather like that, and the prevalent northerly weather in the forecast, will draw the migration of larger stripers south, toward local waters. Dave’s been fishing for the bay’s stripers, keeping an eye on the angling for his charters that will fish the migration. He’s even offered anglers to climb aboard for a discounted rate, only to cover expenses, to enjoy the angling for the smaller bass. Anglers took him up on that, and the trips fished livelined spots and Gulps on jigheads. The fish, mostly 20 to 24 inches, swiped them equally. A television show will film the angling with Dave on Friday, and he hopes the fish cooperate after the storm. The bay’s population of small blues seemed to thin out, and at least the spots could be fished for stripers a longer time, before the blues tore them up. All fish like the blues – species from summer and earlier this fall – seemed mostly to depart the bay, and Dave imagined that the storm would probably shove them out more, or complete their migration away. Blackfishing was good, or the tautog were certainly around. Along the jetties, many weren’t quite keeper-sized. A charter captain, a veteran bottom-fisher, reported good fishing for large sea bass on the ocean, as good as the captain’s seen, on Saturday and Monday. The captain didn’t say where, but that was probably within 10 miles from shore, or not far off, Dave thought. White perch fishing was good in rivers. Anglers on Mullica River began to nab quality catches of decent-sized perch, finally. Baits stocked include live spots, peanut bunker, green crabs and bloodworms.

<b>Brigantine</b>

Two anglers plugged an 11-pound striped bass and a 9-pounder from the surf at the Absecon Inlet jetty on the island Wednesday, said Capt. Andy from <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>. The lures were Bombers, according to the store’s Facebook page. Otherwise, not much happened from the beach in the weather. Nothing was really heard about bluefish from the surf lately. Back-bay striper fishing, though, was good from Brigantine, on livelined eels or spots or lures. Anglers could hook all the throwbacks they wanted. The annual Riptide Striper Derby is under way until December 23, awarding prizes, and allowing beach-buggy access to Brigantine’s entire length, when accompanied by a Brigantine beach-buggy permit. Otherwise, not all the beach can be driven. The annual Riptide Striper Bounty was up to $835 and growing. Sponsored by Hess Plumbing, the bounty awards the total entry fees to the angler who enters the season’s first striped bass 43 inches or larger from Brigantine’s surf. Entry is $5 and required before catching the fish. The Brigantine Elks Fall Striper Classic will be held November 14 to 16. Proceeds from the tournament, for boaters and surf anglers, will benefit the Elks’ veterans programs.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

Anglers on foot tied into blackfish, lots, along Absecon Inlet’s jetties, on green crabs and clams, said Noel from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. The nearby inlet is lined with jetties, and the T-jetty, at the ocean end of the inlet, fished best for the tautog. Striped bass, residents, were clammed, eeled or plugged at the inlet, and sunrise and sunset gave them up best. Wooden top-water lures, like small Polaris poppers, were the best plugs. No big schools of stripers migrated in yet. Bluefish 12 to 18 inches were fought along the sea wall at Gardner’s Basin, near the inlet, on spearing and mullet. Green crabs are $4 per dozen or three dozen for $10, and eels are $1.25 apiece. Bloodworms are two dozen for $20 on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Otherwise, the worms are $10.75 per dozen. Baits stocked, a large supply, also include fresh bunker, fresh clams and all the frozen baits, like mullet and head-on shrimp. A vending machine dispenses bait afterhours. Friend <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/One-stop-bait-tackle/362952943747080?rf=151870514855225" target="_blank">One Stop on Facebook</a>.

<b>Longport</b>

The <b>Stray Cat</b> will go under maintenance in the next days, before fishing again, Capt. Mike said. Sea bass are swimming offshore, so he’ll try to put an open-boat trip together to load up on the jumbos. Telephone if interested, and sea bassing was no good within 25 miles from shore locally. Only small sea bass swam there, and about eight keepers were flung aboard Saturday, and four were on Wednesday. Small weakfish and blues also schooled the area. Besides planning to run offshore for sea bass, Mike is waiting for the migration of striped bass to fish for. The ocean was 64 degrees, and the temperature was dropping like a stone, he said. Blackfishing aboard will kick off on November 16, when the bag limit is jacked up to six of the tautog, from the current limit of one.

<b>Ocean City</b>

Fishing last sailed Saturday on the party boat <b>Miss Ocean City</b>, Capt. Victor said. That trip swung in sea bass, triggerfish, porgies, blues and mackerel from the ocean, covered in the last report. Weather was tough for trips to get out lately, but the weekend’s forecasts look good. The Miss Ocean City is wreck-fishing 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily for catches like that. Take advantage of the Group Special, offering a discount for groups of 10 or more.

A few keeper striped bass, and a bunch of throwbacks, were found in the surf, along the blocks around 43rd Street, early in the week, before the weather, said John from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. A few stripers, mostly throwbacks, were lifted from the back bay, and more of that, than the catches from the surf, was heard about in past days, because the bay was more fishable in the weather.  But the surf’s action was more active than the bay’s when surf conditions were better. A few keeper stripers were reeled from the bay at the mouths of rivers. Fishing for white perch and stripers was good at Jeffers Landing on Great Egg Harbor River, near the mouth. Blackfishing was good along bridges and piers, both for anglers on foot and boaters, on green crabs. Small blues schooled Corson’s Inlet. No news came from ocean boaters, because of the weather. 

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

<b>***Update, Friday, 8/24:***</b> Boaters sailed while weather was calmer through the beginning of the week, reporting good sea bass fishing at numerous places, said Mike from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. That included at Great Egg Harbor Reef, the Offshore Reef and spots 20 miles from shore. Sometimes triggerfish were boated, too. The back bay turned out good striped bass fishing, mostly at dawn and dusk on popper lures, during the weekend and beginning of the week, before the weather. The stripers also began to be hooked at night on live bait for the first time this season. The fish were eeled, and none caught on livelined spot were reported. Maybe that was chance, but enough anglers said spots failed to work, to make that sound unusual. Nobody mentioned trying for stripers in the surf in the weather. When Townsend’s Inlet was fishable last, plenty of blues were grabbed on mullet for bait. 

A buddy’s wreck-fishing trip mopped up a mess of sea bass from the ocean Tuesday, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. Joe did no fishing in the weather, but the back bay’s popper fishing for striped bass, with lures and flies, is good. That’s a specialty aboard, and Joe’s charters will fish the migration of large stripers and blues on the ocean by mid-November, maybe earlier, into December. Those trips should be booked to ensure a date. Annual traveling charters to the Florida Keys will fish from Christmas to Easter. Run mostly on weekends, the trips can be a mini, fish-filled vacation. They can target a large variety of fish, from speckled sea trout and redfish to tarpon and sailfish. Anglers can arrive on a Friday, fish all day Saturday and part of Sunday, and be back to work on Monday, or go on a different schedule. See <a href="http://www.captainjoehughes.com/page3.html" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s traveling charters Web page</a>. Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s blog</a>.

<b>Cape May</b>

Sea bass fishing sailed a few days, between weather, on the party boat <b>Porgy IV</b>, and the angling wasn’t real consistent, Capt. Paul said, but sea bass were bucketed on every trip. Some places held the fish. Some didn’t, and that was unusual. Some held small sea bass, but Tuesday’s trip nailed some big ones. No trip fished Wednesday, because of weather. Other fish were mixed in, including a bunch of small blues and a few porgies and triggerfish. A blackfish was bagged on Tuesday’s trip. The boat will keep sea bass fishing, unless enough striped bass migrate in to fish for stripers. The boat usually fishes for blackfish later in the year. Not much was heard about striped bass yet. Plenty of small stripers, sometimes a keeper, bit along jetties, piers, bridges and marinas. The Porgy IV is sailing for sea bass at 8 a.m. daily.

Mostly wind and rough weather filled the last week, said Capt. George from the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>. Telephone if interested in fishing for striped bass, and the season’s first striper charter is currently booked for November 1, and the trips will begin earlier, if the fish show up then. Sea bassing is available aboard, and was weathered out last weekend. Winds ended up not bad on Saturday, but roared on Sunday. Blackfishing aboard will begin on November 16, when the bag limit is lifted to six of the tautog, from the current limit of one.

Surf casters beached throwback striped bass, scored well, off the Cape May Lighthouse on fresh clams, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. Two keepers were heard about from the North Wildwood surf the other day. Small bluefish swam all around in the surf, jumping on mullet for bait. A few kingfish were still plucked from the surf on bloodworms or clams. Fishing for blackfish was good along the jetties. Many of the tautog were throwbacks, but they gave up steady action. Triggerfish still hugged jetties, so clam was fished to hook them, along with the blackfish. In the back bay, lots of small stripers bit along the sod banks on soft-plastic lures or popper plugs, or while boaters chummed with bunker or clam, and fished with small pieces of bunker or clam. Not much was heard about Delaware Bay, but boaters at the Cape May Rips played stripers, just under keeper-sized, occasionally a keeper, in early mornings or evenings, or at night. Party boats docked sea bass, not setting the world on fire, but pretty good catches, from the ocean.

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