<b>Keyport</b>

Blackfishing was spectacular, Capt. Frank from the <b>Vitamin Sea</b> wrote in an email. All trips limited out, and some anglers landed double a limit. Sometimes a cod was mixed in, but the cod were usually throwbacks. Blackfishing will last into January, if the water doesn’t cool too much. Charters are fishing, and the next available open-boat trips are on Friday and Saturday, and Sunday is full. The bag limit will be decreased to four blackfish starting on January 1, from the current limit of six. Frank thanks all who fished aboard this year, and wishes everybody Happy Holidays.

On the <b>Down Deep</b>, blackfishing was good, Capt. Mario said. The fish weighed up to 10 pounds, and charters are fishing, and sign up for the <a href=" http://www.downdeepsportfishing.com/ddsf/76-2/" target="_blank">Short Notice List</a> on the Down Deep’s website to be kept informed about open-boat trips. Also see dates on the site for the trips, and the boat will fish all winter.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Blackfishing wasn’t as good on Sunday’s trip as on Saturday’s on the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>, Capt. Tom said. A 10-1/2-pound blackfish was creamed on Saturday’s trip. On Sunday’s, some drops gave up okay catches, and some didn’t. Blackfish lately seemed to bite, and then stop, and so on, for unknown reasons, like maybe tide. The Atlantic Star is blackfishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. No trip will sail on Christmas, but the fishing will sail on New Year’s. January 4 will be the final day of the fishing aboard, and the boat will go on winter break afterward. <b>***Update, Friday, 12/26:***</b> Blackfishing resumed today aboard, and the angling wasn’t that good, and a few of the fish were managed, and the trip fished different areas, Tom said. But weather looks good for Saturday, and he’ll see how the catches go this weekend, after the rough weather this week.

Surf anglers played small, throwback striped bass hooked on nearly anything, including clams and worms, said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. On boats, blackfishing was pretty darn good Sunday on the ocean. Offshore boating rounded up sea bass and, at some places, porgies. Fishing was generally good, as long as weather was. All baits are stocked, including fresh clams, sandworms and bloodworms.

<b>Highlands</b>

Limits of blackfish or nearly limits were the norm in the past 1 ½ weeks on the <b>Hyper Striper</b>, and the angling was good overall, Capt. Pete wrote in an email. This will be the final week of fishing on the boat for the season, and he’ll head to Costa Rica to charter for winter on the Dream Girl after New Year’s, like every year. If anyone’s interested in booking a trip on the Dream Girl, telephone or email Pete. Spring striped bass charters have also been booking for some time on the Hyper, so anglers should secure dates as soon as possible. Pete thanks customers for a good year with Hyper Striper, and wishes Happy Holidays to all.

<b>Neptune</b>

Some anglers landed more than a limit of blackfish Saturday on an individual-reservation trip for the tautog, and the fishing was good, with <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b>, Capt. Ralph wrote in an email. On a charter Sunday, blackfishing was a slow bite, and the fish were more difficult to catch. Charters are fishing, and the next individual-reservation trips for blackfish are available on Friday through Sunday. Ralph, Mary Ann and crew wish everybody Merry Christmas and a great New Year.

<b>Belmar</b>

With <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b>, blackfishing was decent, Capt. Pete said. The angling was tough the last few days, in strong current because of the new moon, but the trips aboard did put together catches. No huge blackfish were hooked, but all anglers caught, and left with good amounts of the fish. More throwbacks bit inshore recently than before, but lots of blackfish were around to be had. 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>***Update, Wednesday, 12/24:***</b> Individual spaces are available to fill-in on blackfish charters on Sunday and Monday, an email from Parker Pete’s said. Those might be the final spaces available before the blackfish bag limit is decreased to four starting on January 1, from the current limit of six. See more info above about individual spaces available on charters.

An 18-pound 12-ounce blackfish was smashed Saturday on the party boat Big Mohawk, Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> wrote in an email. The fish was released, and Jimmy Chambers from Edison, a regular on the boat, landed it. Blackfishing’s been great on the ocean, “(and) white crabs are on the menu, if you want to put a good catch in the boat,” Bob said. Winter flounder kept Shark River’s bulkhead anglers happy. Go every day, and the two-flounder bag limit adds up, he said. Small striped bass began to show back up in the surf. Anglers banked four or five apiece on an afternoon tide on small plugs or small rubber shads and teasers. Bob wishes Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all. <b>***Update, Saturday, 12/27:***</b> Another year has passed, and its fishing had ups and downs, but is still going at a good pace, Bob wrote in an email. So don’t give up. Blackfishing is the “top game,” and some impressive blackfish were checked in on Friday: a 14-pound 5-ouncer and a 13-pound 1-ouncer. The anglers were in a hurry to release the fish, and many anglers seemed to want to release old blackfish like that. Striped bass began to bite in the surf the past couple of days in Monmouth and Ocean counties. The stripers were small but could be hooked on small plugs. Winter flounder were landed from Shark River, and the flounder season will be closed on January 1 and reopened on March 1.

<b>Brielle</b>

Blackfishing remained pretty steady, said Dave from <b>The Reel Seat</b>. The fish bit in 50 to 60 feet in the ocean, both north and south of Manasquan Inlet. Sea bass fishing was good offshore, and occasional cod and pollock were decked on the trips. A few bluefish showed up, and a few ling were bucketed, on the outings. Commercial rod-and-reel anglers ran into bluefin tuna at Hudson Canyon, but the bluefins were smaller than the 73-inch minimum size. The anglers sometimes boated a bigeye tuna or a couple of longfin tuna. In the surf, striped bass weren’t really caught anymore this season. After the holidays, the shop will be open Thursdays through Sundays in January and February.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

A good number of keeper and throwback blackfish were pitched aboard, and the fishing was good Saturday on the party boat <b>Norma-K III</b>, Capt. Matt wrote in a report on the vessel’s website. High-hooks limited out, and some anglers bagged three to five, and just a few bagged one. Two anglers only hooked throwbacks. There were lots of swings and misses, and a blackfish heavier than 10 pounds won the pool. White crabs caught best, and plenty of whites and green crabs are carried aboard. Too few anglers showed up for the Magic Hour Ling and Cod Trip to sail that night. “We shall see what happens next Saturday!” Matt wrote. No report was posted for Sunday’s blackfishing trip, at press time, but the trip was expected to sail. The Norma-K III is blackfishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. Magic Hour Ling and Cod Trips are fishing 3 to 9 p.m. every Saturday.

<b>Longport</b>

The <b>Stray Cat</b> blackfished the last three days, and the anglers averaged two to six keepers, a limit, apiece, Capt. Mike said. Plenty of small blackfish gave up action, and the trips fished in 60 to 70 feet. Ocean City Reef held most of the life, and wrecks offshore from there didn’t hold much. The water was 45 degrees, and charters are sailing, and the next available open-boat trips are on Friday and Sunday, and Saturday is sold out. Mike will try to run an open trip for cod and pollock on Saturday, January 17, at wrecks 40 miles from shore, and sign up if interested. He hears that a few cod are swimming the wrecks.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

<b>***Update, Wednesday, 12/24:***</b> No trips fished aboard in past days, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. But he posted <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">an update on his blog</a> about current fishing from Sea Isle City and about his annual traveling charters to the Florida Keys that are about to begin. Also see the blog’s posts from last winter about the Florida trips’ catches that year.

<b>Avalon</b>

<b>Fins and Feathers Outfitters</b> didn’t fish, but hunted waterfowl in South Jersey on Friday and Saturday, Capt. Jim. The hunting wasn’t good, and the birds seemed to vacate the area at the time. Clients hunted with Fins on the trip Friday, and Jim hunted with one of his guides on the trip Saturday. The guide bagged a northern shoveler, and was happy, because he wanted the bird for his collection. Fins is finished fishing for the season, but guides duck and goose hunting during the bird seasons, along South Jersey’s back bays and Delaware Bay, and in surrounding states. Saltwater fishing will kick back off with Fins with trips for striped bass and drum in spring. Steelhead fishing is also offered along upstate New York’s Salmon River from Jim’s lodge in spring. That angling lasts all winter, but most anglers focus on spring. Snowmobiling is on tap from the lodge currently. Fins also guides fly-fishing for trout on Pennsylvania’s streams like the Yellow Breeches.

<b>Cape May</b>

The <b>Heavy Hitter</b> was hauled from the water for the season, Capt. George said. But he fished for sea bass far offshore on a friend’s boat on Saturday. The angling scored okay, not great, but okay. Bluefish and dog sharks were also hooked. Most boats now are fishing for sea bass or, closer to shore, blackfish. George thanks anglers who fished aboard this year, and wishes everybody Happy Holidays. Telephone if interested in blackfishing in April or drum fishing starting in May.

<b>***Update, Wednesday, 12/24:***</b> Good blackfishing was pounded on Friday’s and Sunday’s trips, and the angling was slower on Saturday’s trip, on the party boat <b>Porgy IV</b>, Capt. Paul said. None of the trips fished since, because few were interested in the fishing, maybe because of the holidays and sometimes rain. But the trips are expected to resume daily on Friday, after Christmas on Thursday. On Friday’s trip, some of the anglers limited out, and Paul guessed that some bagged one or two. Every day of the fishing can be different, and the blackfish “aren’t everywhere,” he said. No fishing is scheduled for Christmas aboard, but starting Friday, the trips are slated to resume at 8 a.m. daily, probably through January 4. Weather will likely cancel some of the trips, and whether the trips fish also depends on whether enough anglers want to sail. After January 4, Paul will assess whether the fish are still biting, deciding whether to continue the trips.

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