<b>Keyport</b>

Blackfishing remained good on the <b>Down Deep</b>, Capt. Mario said on Wednesday. A trip on Thursday, Thanksgiving, was supposed to sail for striped bass, though striper fishing became slow. Charters are sailing, and see open-boat trips on the vessel’s website. Trips include open-boats for sea bass offshore, when weather is fair. Sign up for the <a href=" http://www.downdeepsportfishing.com/ddsf/76-2/" target="_blank">Short Notice List</a> on Down Deep’s website to be kept informed about open trips.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Not much was heard about striped bass, both from boaters and surf anglers, said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Small stripers must’ve been wormed from the surf, he’d say. Blackfishing was good, for the most part. Occasional cod were hooked among them. That will probably be the news, until ling fishing picks up, or weather freezes in. Weather might freeze first, by the looks of current weather. Few fished during weekdays, and weather wasn’t the greatest.

A trip was blackfishing today on the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>, though wind blew strongly at 20 to 25 knots, and weather felt cold, Capt. Tom said, when he gave this report in a phone call aboard at 10 a.m. The angling was off to a good start, and if that continued, the day would be good, he said. One big one 7 or 8 pounds was bombed, along the stern. Two anglers in the bow landed 10, including a few keepers, so far. Not all the trip’s anglers landed keepers yet, but all caught at least shorts, and the fishing picked away.  The Atlantic Star is blackfishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.

Forecasts for last Tuesday called for westerly wind 10 to 15 knots, not strong, and sunny skies, and Capt. Ron from the party boat <b>Fishermen</b> told anglers the day would be great on the striped bass trip aboard, he wrote in a report on the vessel’s website. But wind ended up 30 knots, and the sun never came out. Seas were nasty on the ocean in a huge swell from southeast. The current butted against the wind, and all of that made the day a living hell! “Worst day of the season!” he wrote about the trip. Fishing was no good, and he’s never one to throw in the towel, but the trip returned to port early at 1 p.m., he said. He hoped to be back at the fishing today through the weekend. The Fishermen is sailing for striped bass 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.

<b>Neptune</b>

<b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b> was supposed to fish next from today through Sunday, Capt. Ralph said. The boat last fished on Tuesday, for blackfish. A big swell was met on the ocean at first, and the tautog bit, “but not the numbers I was looking for,” he said. One angler limited out, and others bagged one to three. Lots of big blackfish were missed, he said. Space is available on an individual-reservation trip for blackfish on Sunday. The trips will also sail every Sunday, Tuesday and Friday in December and January when no charter is booked. Charters are available daily. <b>***Update, Saturday, 11/29:***</b> Took a few drops, but the trip Friday scooped up a decent catch of blackfish, Ralph wrote in an email. One angler boated five in no time, “(and) the group caught a good number to take home,” he said. Space remains for Sunday’s trip.

<b>Belmar</b>

Blackfishing was great on the ocean on the party boat <b>Big Mohawk</b>, Capt. Chris said Wednesday evening. The angling wasn’t as good on Tuesday as before, but was terrific on the recent days previously. The fish weighed up to 7 to 10 pounds, not huge, but good-sized. White leggers, available for sale aboard, caught well. Tiger crabs that customers brought worked. Green crabs supplied aboard worked fair. The Big Mohawk is blackfishing 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. However, today’s and this Sunday’s trips will depart at 6 a.m.

<b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b> will resume fishing today, Capt. Pete said. Trips will blackfish today and Sunday, and striped bass fish on Saturday. No trips sailed since the weekend, and he worked at his other job on Monday. After wind on Monday, Tuesday’s fishing was going to be no good, so Parker Pete’s didn’t sail. Wednesday was the storm, and Pete cancelled the trip on Thanksgiving, because too many of the anglers were from North Jersey and Pennsylvania, where snow fell. Blackfish trips are being booked for December, and a few choice dates remain.  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.

Steve Delaporteis from Wall’s 12-pound blackfish was the biggest this week at the shop, and blackfishing was good, “when weather cooperates,” Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> wrote in an email. Striped bass fishing was slow during the week, both for ocean boaters and surf anglers, but Bob hoped the angling would bounce back after the storm that peaked on Wednesday. Shark River’s winter flounder fishing was terrific, especially on sunny days, when the water temperature rose a degree or two. Happy Thanksgiving, Bob said. “See you (in) the surf,” he said. “We still have some fish to catch.”

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

Trips for striped bass sailed today and yesterday on the party boat <b>Gambler</b>, and the angling was really slow, Capt. Bob said. For whatever reasons, not many were caught lately, and he hopes the angling turns around by Saturday. If it doesn’t in the next days, trips might switch to fishing for cod or something. The Gambler is fishing for striped bass 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. Offshore trips for jumbo sea bass, reservations required, are set for 3 a.m. to 6 or 7 p.m. on:  Saturday and Sunday, December 20 and 21; Friday through Sunday, December 25 to 28; and Tuesday and Wednesday, December 30 and 31.

A 12-pound blackfish won the pool, and lots of big ones bit, on Thanksgiving, yesterday, on the party boat <b>Norma-K III</b>, Capt. Matt wrote in a report on the vessel’s website. The fishing was good, and a few other blackfish weighed in the double-digits on the outing. White leggers caught best, and a special striped bass trip was supposed to sail today. Blackfishing will resume aboard Saturday, and the Norma-K III is blackfishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. Green crabs are provided, and white leggers are sold aboard.

<b>Toms River</b>

Fishing was a little slow, but a few striped bass were reported banked from the surf on Thanksgiving at Island Beach State Park, “which is a good thing,” said Mario from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. A handful of throwbacks came from the surf in the park on Tuesday, but the fish on Thanksgiving, two days later, included somewhat better-sized, “nothing major,” he said. The fish lately were beached a little during both day and night, he said, and high, incoming tides were best. Lures like Bombers and Daiwa SP Minnows caught. Rumors said sand eels were around, so fish a teaser with the lures. Also fish skinny metal like those from A.O.K or Jetty Ghost to imitate the sand eels. Not much was heard about boating for stripers on the ocean in the weather this week. Anglers hope fishing will pick up this weekend in forecasts for calmer weather. 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>

Only throwback striped bass, not many, were yanked from the surf, said Phil from <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>. At any particular towns or locations? he was asked. Wherever they could find bars, throwing anything small and white, to fish the edge of the bars, he said. Some anglers hooked three or four, but the fishing was spotty. Anything heard about boating for stripers on the ocean? he was asked. One boater fished four times in four days, trolling 20- to 30-pound stripers on Tony Maja’s No. 4 spoons in white, Phil said. No boaters snagged bunker to liveline them for bait for stripers, because no bunker were around, unlike before. Any sand eels around?  Boaters marked none, he said.  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>Forked River</b>

Ocean boaters trolled and jigged striped bass, and started to catch them closer to Barnegat Inlet now, said Grizz from <b>Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle</b>. In other words, that was farther south than before. Grizz was hearing on the radio about the fish boated today. The boaters lately also ran into bluefish, but mostly came across stripers.  Blackfishers scored well on the ocean, and blackfish also hovered along Barnegat Inlet’s rocks. Baits stocked include eels.  

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

On the <b>Super Chic</b>, blackfishing was decent during the weekend, Capt. Ted said on Wednesday. Trips were supposed to fish for striped bass from Thanksgiving through Saturday. On a trip last Friday, a handful of keeper stripers and mostly throwbacks bit in the ocean. A trip Saturday on the ocean striper fished until mid-morning, and then switched to blackfishing. Stripers just weren’t there, and the blackfishing was pretty good, for the time spent on the angling, he said. The tautog weighed up to 6 or 7 pounds, not huge, but most were keepers, and healthy-sized. When the trips striper fished, bunker were snagged and then livelined for bait. Jigging was tried, but failed to catch.   

A few boaters fished today and yesterday, catching some striped bass, not a lot, on the ocean, said Vince Sr. from <b>Bobbie’s Boat Rentals</b>. Those who worked for the fish, caught. But from what Vince understood, stripers remained farther north. They should keep migrating south to the local area. Today was windy, but boating for stripers might be good on Saturday, in forecasts for calmer weather. Lots of blackfish hit along Barnegat Inlet’s rocks, on green crabs, sometimes on clams.  A few live spots, those that didn’t die from cold, are stocked. Plenty of green crabs are stocked. Bobbie’s features a complete bait and tackle shop, a fuel dock and, in season, boat and kayak rentals. The boats are used for fishing, crabbing, clamming and pleasure. The store is known for bait supply. Baits stocked currently include live spots and green crabs.

<b>Surf City</b>

Surf fishing for striped bass was slow, and the most recent striper entered in the Long Beach Island Surf Classic was on November 17, said Sue from <b>Surf City Bait & Tackle</b>. Wind and low temperature recently kind of didn’t cooperate, she said. Fewer anglers fished the beach on Thanksgiving than last year, but lots did today, making up for that, she said. The tournament, under way since October 6,  will last until 6 p.m. Sunday, and the shop’s annual customer appreciation barbecue will be held 12 noon to 7 p.m. that day. Stop by and enjoy sausage, burgers and chili. The store will remain open afterward, and its surf tournament will last until December 31.  Entry is $10, and all entry fees will be paid out for first, second and third prizes. First gets 50 percent, and second gets 30 and third gets 20. A prize for fourth place is new this year: a Tsunami Air Wave surf-rod that Folsom Corporation is providing. Stripers must be 28 inches or larger, the legal size, to be entered. In the LBI Classic, stripers must be 34 inches or larger. Boating for striped bass was up and down on the ocean. 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>Mystic Island</b>

Weather was atrocious, and the ocean was 7 to 10 feet, and nothing was heard about catches, including striped bass, said Scott from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. The weather even made certain baits unavailable, because bait boats couldn’t sail. Baits that were stocked included green crabs, bloodworms, eels and live grass shrimp. Weather was calm on Thanksgiving morning, when he gave this report in a phone call, but the ocean was still rough. One customer, experienced at fishing for stripers at Little Egg Inlet, bought clams and boated for the bass 4 hours at the inlet, catching none. But the angler said he was optimistic about the inlet’s striper fishing next year, because bars started to form, after Hurricane Sandy flattened the bottom two years ago. A handful of customers fished for white perch along Mullica River, scoring super. No reports rolled in about fishing for blackfish or sea bass on the ocean, because of seas. Any reports about shore-angling for blackfish came from Barnegat Inlet’s rocks. The reports had been good, but none was heard since the cold snap last week for a couple of days. Check out the store’s Black Friday sale, its biggest yet, today through Cyber Monday. <a href=" http://store.scottsbt.com/MakoDeals/BlackFridaySale.aspx" target="_blank">Click here</a> to visit the store’s Web page about the event, and watch the video on the page for details. Also see this <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFSjUMaZvaw" target="_blank">video about the Avet reels sale</a> that’s taking place, offering a 10-percent discount, though December 31.

<b>Absecon</b>

Striped bass were around, mostly in the ocean along the beach, sometimes thick on bunker, others days not as much, said Curt from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. Sometimes the bass could be jigged. Other times, livelined bunker had to be fished for them. The stripers were also trolled. A few stripers were heard about from the back bay, not many. A 15-pounder was weighed-in that was clammed from the bay. Plenty of blackfish were around, from the bay, like along bridges, to the ocean wrecks. If the water cleared in the bay, the tog should be able to be hooked. Water clarity isn’t as much a factor in the ocean. Curt, a white perch angler, hadn’t fished for the slabs in a couple of weeks. He caught them well then. But he heard about perch caught from Mullica River currently. Baits stocked include live spots, green crabs and eels. Fresh clams are on hand, and fresh bunker is carried when available. Keep up with the latest, including fish checked-in, on <a href=" https://www.facebook.com/AbseconBay" target="_blank">Absecon Bay Sportsman’s Facebook page</a>.

<b>Brigantine</b>

One angler reported banking a 30-inch striped bass from the surf, said Capt. Andy from <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>. Otherwise, surf fishing was slow, and no boaters really fished in past days. Not much happened, except the shop’s huge sale was on for Black Friday. But boaters whaled stripers on the ocean during the weekend. The fish were trolled, and Tony Maja’s bunker spoons were just stocked for the trolling, and mojo’s should be carried soon for trolling. But any usual tackle should catch, if fished along bottom, including eels, like with 3 ounces of weight. The annual Riptide Striper Bounty was up to $1,260. Sponsored by Hess Plumbing, the bounty awards the total entry fees to the angler who enters the season’s first striper 43 inches or larger from Brigantine’s surf. Entry is $5 and required before catching the fish. 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 derby includes monthly prizes, along with season-long ones, and no stripers were entered yet. If anglers beach a 34-inch striper or larger in the town, they should bring in the fish for the contest, as long as they’re registered beforehand.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

From Harrah’s Casino to Absecon Inlet to the surf, striped bass and blackfish thinned out, but were still reeled up, said Jeremy from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. Customers often fish on foot in those areas, near the shop. For the blackfish, green crabs were fished, and for the stripers, clams, eels or bunker were, or plugs were cast. A 29.8-pound 42-inch striped bass won first place in the weekend’s 48-Hour Striper Happy Hour, the Atlantic City surf-fishing tournament that One Stop and Ducktown Tavern in Atlantic City held. The fish was hauled from the surf in the town. Green crabs are $4 per dozen or three dozen for $10, and eels are $1.50 apiece or $15 per dozen. Baits stocked, a large supply, also include fresh bunker and clams. 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>

Trips crushed striped bass, whacked them, on the ocean Tuesday and Wednesday on the <b>Stray Cat</b>, Capt. Mike said on Wednesday. Thirty-two keepers were landed on Tuesday’s trip. Wind blew “the hammers of hell,” he said, on Tuesday, and the trip that day picked the fish. The trips jigged the stripers on Ava 40 and 47 jigs, and ones with green, yellow and white tails caught. The bass refused orange and red tails. If anglers are waiting for striper fishing to become better, it doesn’t get better, and Mike doesn’t know how long the fishing will last, so don’t wait. The stripers weighed up to 25 and 30 pounds, and only four weighed less than 12. No bluefish showed up. “Solid stripers,” he said. The bass were full of bunker, and gannets worked the water all over.  The bunker schooled near 3 miles from the coast, on the offshore, deeper edges of lumps, in 55 or 57 feet, recently. Striper fishing is closed beyond 3 miles, and previously, the baitfish schooled 2 miles out. The ocean was 48 degrees, and was 50 several days previously. Blackfish were reluctant to bite during the new moon’s strong tides, but started to chew again on Wednesday. Charters are fishing, and an open-boat trip is sold out on Sunday. More open trips are set for Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and possibly that weekend. If stripers are biting, the trips go after them. If blackfish are snapping, the trips fish for them. “It’s a full day,” he said.

<b>Ocean City</b>

The party boat <b>Miss Ocean City</b> is expected to fish for striped bass on the ocean today through the weekend, Capt. Victor said. The trips are slated for 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily through then.

Boaters lit into striped bass 1 ½ or 2 miles from shore about the past 1 ½ weeks, at least before Wednesday’s storm, said Ed from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. The fish were mostly trolled from Atlantic City to Wildwood on 9er umbrella rigs with rubber shads and Stretch 25 and 30 lures, because the fish were on bunker. Occasionally, the stripers were jigged or caught on cast lures, when anglers found the fish along the surface, chasing bait with birds working the bait. There weren’t a lot of stripers, and they were sort of scattered, but most boaters caught some, and many of the bass were good-sized.  Not many stripers were slid from the surf at all. A real pick, he said. A few tog were hooked along bridges and docks in the back bay and jetties along the surf. Inshore water like that might’ve been a little cold. The bay by mid-week was in the mid-40 degrees, not super cold, but cold, and had dipped below the 40s. Fishing there wasn’t finished for the season, but the cooler water knocked down fishing somewhat, he would say. Boating for blackfish and sea bass sounded decent on the ocean.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Fishing for striped bass was excellent on the ocean, said Mike from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. The catches, stripers up to 25 and 30 pounds, sometimes larger, were heard about from every usual spot he knew from Atlantic City to Cape May. The fish swam the whole stretch, and throwback stripers, and bluefish, began to be mixed in. The fish were mostly trolled on Stretch lures and 9er umbrella rigs with rubber shads. Not many stripers were beached from the surf at all. Blackfishing was okay on the ocean. It wasn’t hot and heavy, but anglers who put in time, worked, made a couple of moves, and so on, limited out.

Striped bass and blues, a great catch, were jigged aboard on the ocean on Thanksgiving under working birds, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b>, affiliated with <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. The stripers weighed up to 15 pounds, and the blues up to 10, and the fish fed on bunker. The stripers were somewhat smaller than before and included a couple of throwbacks. The ocean was 48 to 49 degrees, and seas were a little bumpy. Trips aboard will fish for the bass and blues today through the weekend. Don’t discount December for the fishing. Quitting on the angling would be a mistake, he said, and Joe expects the fish to bite until Christmas. Starting at Christmas, annual traveling charters will fish the Florida Keys, through Easter. At Florida, a large variety of catches, from speckled sea trout and redfish to tarpon and sailfish, can be targeted. The trips, often sailing on weekends, can be like a mini, fish-filled vacation. 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>

Striped bass fishing scored okay, caught some fish, on the ocean on Thanksgiving on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>, Capt. George said. The bass, up to 34 inches, none big, including a few throwbacks, were trolled on Stretch lures. The trip was just a short, 4-hour one, and more trips aboard will fish through the weekend. No bluefish were hooked on the Heavy Hitter, but a friend’s trip landed a small, 5- or 6-pound blue during striper fishing on the ocean. The ocean was 51 degrees on the Heavy Hitter’s trip, and Delaware Bay was reportedly 42. Striper fishing sounded slow on the bay, and the predominant westerly wind, often strong, must’ve pounded the bay lately. That wind direction roughs-up the bay. But land, during westerly wind, often protects the ocean close to shore, where the stripers have been boated. Blackfishing sounded okay at the ocean reefs. George knew people who rounded up the tautog.

A bunch of blackfish were swung in Sunday on the party boat <b>Porgy IV</b>, Capt. Paul said. The trip caught okay, and some of the anglers limited out. Saturday’s and Tuesday’s trips picked at blackfish. Tuesday’s fishing seemed slow because of a large swell after Monday’s wind. No trip sailed in the wind on Monday. One angler on Tuesday bagged five blackfish. Many bagged one or none on the trip. An angler with a rental rod that day won the pool with a 7-pound redfish or red drum. No trip fished in Wednesday’s storm, and no trip was scheduled for Thanksgiving. Fishing was expected to resume today aboard. The Porgy IV is blackfishing at 8 a.m. daily.

Boaters seemed to keep trolling striped bass from the ocean from Absecon Inlet to Hereford Inlet, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. Mostly Stretch lures were trolled, but sometimes umbrella rigs with rubber shads were. No bluefish were heard about from the area, and the west wind was rough on Delaware Bay striper fishing. Not many reports came from there, and maybe stripers were eeled along the Cape May Rips. Not much was angled from the surf. Blackfishing seemed to begin slowing down along the jetties. But fishing for blackfish and sea bass was pretty good at Cape May Reef and the offshore wrecks. Eels, fresh bunker, fresh clams and green crabs are stocked.

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