<b>Keyport</b>

On the <b>Vitamin Sea</b>, striped bass fishing on Wednesday was a little tough, Capt. Frank wrote in an email. Four stripers, including two keepers, were landed. “Previous trips have been very good,” he said. The fishing seemed best in rough weather, and slower on calm, beautiful days. Tomorrow is another day, he said, and he expected the fishing to bounce back. That was including because plenty of bait schooled. Charters are fishing, and open-boat trips will fish every day next week, including on Halloween, Saturday, October 31. This is the time for striper fishing, so come out to get some, he said. <b>***Update, Thursday, 10/22:***</b> This morning’s trip already limited out on stripers, including on bonus-tag stripers, awesome fishing, Frank wrote at 10 a.m. in an email.

Bottom-fishing was good aboard, including for porgies, said Capt. Mario from the <b>Down Deep Fleet</b>. He looked forward to keeping sea bass on the trips, now that sea bass season opened today. Plenty of sea bass were around, and beautiful blackfish also chomped on the trips. Striped bass fishing was becoming pretty good aboard. Charters are being booked for fishing for sea bass, stripers and blackfish, once the blackfish bag limit is increased to six, starting November 16, from the current limit of one. Open-boat trips are bottom-fishing and striper fishing. Join 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 special open trips. Also see the site’s open-trips page for available dates.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Sea bass season opened today, and a mix of keeper and throwback sea bass and porgies, and a couple of blackfish, were reeled in, so far, on this morning’s trip on the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>, Capt. Tom said at 9:30 aboard the outing in a phone call. Anglers who brought crabs for bait landed the blackfish, and clams are provided aboard. He hoped to bounce around to different spots to catch “all around the boat,” he said. Anglers on one side were catching at the moment. He had just moved the boat, and a porgy was bagged, and so was a good-sized sea bass, and a throwback, at the new spot. Sea bass, porgies and blackfish were usually found together, currently. The Atlantic Star is fishing for sea bass, porgies and blackfish 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. <b>***Update, Thursday, 10/22:***</b> Today’s trip bounced around to a handful of places, maybe more, Tom said, and the fishing was fair. Every spot gave up fish. Big porgies, a few throwbacks, but mostly keepers, were claimed. Sea bass were picked, and quite a few were throwbacks, but some were beauties. A couple of blackfish came in at a couple of places, and none chomped at a couple, for those who brought crabs for bait. All anglers had fish to take home, some more than others, “a mix of everything,” Tom said.

The party boat <b>Fishermen</b> will bottom-fish for porgies, sea bass and blackfish beginning on Saturday, until striped bass fishing improves, Capt. Ron wrote in a report on the vessel’s website. The boat had been striper fishing, and the trips will sail 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.

Raritan Bay boaters sometimes trolled striped bass on rubber shads, sometimes eeled them and, yesterday, jigged them a while, said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. “Then they went down,” he said. Stripers were sometimes slid from Sandy Hook’s surf. Stripers were also eeled from the river. No bluefish, really, were around locally. Yet, he said. Sea bass season opened today, and catches should be good. Blackfishing was great, and porgies were pulled in. Ling fishing was good at the Mudhole. All baits are stocked. 

<b>Highlands</b>

Sailing from <b>Twin Lights Marina</b>, Greg Hanna on the Annie H trolled a 32-inch striped bass at Reach Channel on Raritan Bay today, Marion wrote in an email. Rich Scherer also fished the Reach today, trolling a 28-inch striper. On Wednesday, Roy, Brian, Billy and Frank limited out on one blackfish apiece to 8 pounds at the reef on green crabs. On Saturday, Paul and Becky on the Second Home trolled a 31-inch striper at the West Bank. Twin Lights, located on Shrewsbury River near Raritan Bay and the ocean, with no bridges before them, includes a marina with boat slips, dry storage, a fuel dock, and a combined bait and tackle shop and ship’s store. Baits stocked include the full offshore selection. The fuel dock is available 24 hours a day with a credit card. 

<b>Belmar</b>

All the anglers whipped good catches of sea bass today on the party boat <b>Big Mohawk</b> on the ocean, Capt. Chris said. That was opening day of sea bass season. “We had a full contingency of fish,” he said. At least today, he said. That was a special trip that required reservations, and two more of those will sail for sea bass Friday and Saturday, and are sold out, like today’s was. Open-boat trips will resume Sunday, sailing for sea bass 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

Striped bass fishing on the ocean was kind of spotty, better on some days than others, said Capt. Pete from <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b>. The fish were sort of spread from north of Belmar to … boaters from Staten Island scored well on them Wednesday, he said. Parker Pete’s that day picked at the fish, landing some to 35 pounds. The angling was tough, “for us, at least,” he said. The trip hooked the bass on bunker livelined among bunker schools. If anglers could locate bunker pods, fishing for bigger stripers was good there. Stripers seemed to be trolled better at certain areas. So stripers began to show up. “It’s one of those things,” he said. “Get out there, and give it hell.” Bunker were scattered on Parker Pete’s trip, in the morning, Wednesday, were difficult to “get on.” Huge bluefish popped up on Wednesday for a short time, and some boaters fought them. The fall migration of stripers and blues was beginning. Stripers definitely held to the north, and began to migrate south. Also, sea bass season opened today.  Don’t have enough anglers for a charter? Contact Parker Pete’s anyway, about individual spaces available on charters. Visit <a href=" http://www.parkerpetefishing.com/" target="_blank">Parker Pete’s website</a> to subscribe to the email blast to be kept informed about the spaces. Look for the place to sign up on the right side of the page, where it says Join Our Newsletter.

<b>***Update, Friday, 10/23:***</b> Forty keeper sea bass and 20 throwbacks were totaled for the four anglers on opening day of sea bass season Thursday on the <b>Katie H</b>, Capt. Mike said. So the day was good, he said, and the ocean was 62 degrees. The trip fished off by itself, away from other boats, and seas became somewhat snooty, compared with the forecast. Tuna trips were weathered out aboard recently. But the boat will keep tuna fishing and is a specialist in the offshore angling, but sails for all available species. Striped bass fishing sounded pretty slow the last couple of days

Big striped bass swam within reach of surf casters at northern Monmouth County this past week, Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> wrote in an email. Stripers to 40 pounds were banked, and many of the anglers landed multiple stripers, mostly on big swimming plugs and pencil poppers. Many anglers joined the fishing within a short time, anglers on the scene told Bob. Smaller stripers were sometimes beached in southern Monmouth County and Ocean County, mostly on Daiwa SP Minnows and metal. Boaters whacked large bluefish to heavier than 20 pounds and false albacore. They also found lots of weakfish 14 to 20 inches. In Shark River, winter flounder fishing kept improving, and many 15- to 17-inchers were bagged. Clams and worms caught best. A fair number of blackfish swam Point Pleasant Canal and inlets. Green crabs were scarce for blackfish bait, and anglers hoped that changed soon. Sea bass season opened today, and the shop was prepared with all the supplies. Anglers showed great interest in the fishing, and catches were expected to be good. <b>***Update, Friday, 10/23:***</b> Sea bass fishing was good on opening day, Bob wrote in an email. Many anglers limited out, they reported, and plenty of throwbacks bit. Party-boat fishing was fair for sea bass, patrons of the boats reported. Large crowds made the fishing difficult, they said, but all the patrons took home the fish whom Bob spoke with. Bill Mayfield from Manasquan’s 4-pound 8-ounce sea bass was the biggest Bob saw. Mayfield limited out on the fish. Shark River’s winter flounder fishing was great the last two days. Most anglers who fished for them landed several, keeping a limit of two.

Bluefish 15 to 18 pounds were smashed on Wednesday’s trip from the get go, an email said from the party boat <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b> said. The fish were stacked up at hills east of Shark River Inlet, where the boat’s been fishing, and Ava 47 jigs, with and without tails, caught best. The Miss Belmar Princess is fishing for striped bass and blues 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.

Blues, all big, 10 to 18 pounds, plenty, were crushed Wednesday on the <b>Golden Eagle</b>, great fishing, a report on the party boat’s website said. Angling for big blues as good Monday aboard, and no report was posted for Tuesday. Maybe weather canceled the day’s trip. Weather looked good for the next days, the report said, and the Golden Eagle is fishing at 7:30 a.m. daily. A tuna trip is slated for Sunday to Monday.

<b>Brielle</b>

<b>***Update, Friday, 10/23:***</b> Good-sized sea bass and some porgies, cod and winter flounder were picked every place fished on opening day of sea bass season Thursday on the <b>Jamaica II</b>, the party boat’s Facebook page said. “Not the best life, that’s for sure,” the page said. Most anglers left with fish bagged, and Ralph and Chris Molinaro totaled 19 sea bass, 48 porgies, two cod and a winter flounder bagged. Beautiful day on the water. Ten-hour sea bass trips are sailing at 7:30 a.m. today, Wednesday and November 3, 5 and 9.  Twelve-hour sea bass trips are sailing at 5 a.m. Sunday and November 1, 8, 11 and 15. Fourteen-hour sea bass trips are running at 3 a.m. every Saturday, and telephone to reserve those trips. Three-quarter-day sea bass trips will sail 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, next Friday and November 2, 4, 6 and 10.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

Sea bass season would open today, and the party boat <b>Dauntless</b> would get after them, Capt. Butch said. Anglers already threw back enough on trips, he said, and porgy fishing was good the past three or four days, and the porgies were big. The boat will fish for both porgies and sea bass at the same places. A few blackfish bit, and most were undersized. A couple of keepers were bagged a day. More should be seen as water cools. The ocean was 61 to 62 degrees on trips, and the Dauntless is bottom-fishing 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily.

<b>***Update, Friday, 10/23:***</b> Was good to see sea bass bucketed on the trip Thursday, opening day of sea bass season, “after throwing all of those nice fish back during fluke season,” Capt. Matt from the <b>Norma-K III</b> wrote in a report on the party boat’s website. Patrons boxed sea bass on the outing. Some limited out, some bagged a few, “and some just had a tough day,” he said. “We did have a good crowd, so it was tough to get everyone in the action with keepers.” Big porgies, a healthy number, and a few cod were cracked. Water was warm for sea bassing, so the fishing should improve. Was a beautiful day. Seas were somewhat choppy, “but the air temp was just right,” he said. The Norma-K III is fishing for sea bass 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and for blues 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. every Friday and Saturday. Bluefishing was great Saturday night aboard.

<b>Toms River</b>

The surf was 60 or 61 degrees, “a good starting point,” said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. Rainfish schooled all over and small herring swam the water. But not a lot of fish were caught from the beach locally. Two-pound blues and an occasional striper sometimes were. Surf casters threw fresh clams and bunker and frozen mullet. Stripers were beached farther north at Deal and Asbury Park, along jetties. They were yet to migrate south to local waters. A 45-pound striped bass was trolled on the ocean yesterday on a bunker spoon, the only bite the trip had. A photo of the fish was expected to be posted on the store’s Facebook page. Eeling for stripers was great at Point Pleasant Canal. The shop sold many eels, and the canal’s anglers picked away at blackfish. Winter flounder were sometimes reeled from the canal on slack tides. Those were a by-catch, and anglers were yet to target the flounder. Bloodworms are stocked for bait for the flatfish. Stripers were picked along Barnegat Bay’s sod banks behind Island Beach State Park on eels. Blowfish were boated on the bay near the BB marker and off the Forked River power plant, but would depart soon. Crabbing slowed but still caught in the Toms River at Island Heights. No customers fished the river in recent days. Sea bass season opened today, and many anglers sailed for them on the ocean. Murphy’s, located on Route 37, also owns <b>Go Fish Bait & Tackle</b> on Fischer Boulevard in Toms River.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

The surf was quieter in past days, said George from <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>. Small bluefish sometimes popped into the surf, and no striped bass were heard about from the water. Lots of bait had swum the surf, but not during the past couple of days. Previously, rainfish and spearing schooled. Hickory shad swam the surf previously a few days. Anglers bought bait and supplies for surf fishing. They seemed to work the water. Most fished fresh clams or bunker and Daiwa SP Minnows. Baits stocked include both of those and eels. The Dock Outfitters, located on Barnegat Bay, blocks from the ocean surf, features a bait and tackle shop, boat and jet ski rentals, a café and a dock for fishing and crabbing.

<b>Forked River</b>

Ocean boaters began to troll striped bass sometimes from Seaside to the north in 60-foot depths on umbrella rigs and bunker spoons, said Grizz from <b>Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle</b>. Stripers were eeled in Barnegat Bay and were caught on lures and eels in Barnegat Inlet. A few bluefish ran the inlet. Some blowfish remained in the bay. Sea bass season opened today, and no reports came in yet about the angling. Crabbers setting overnight pots still caught the blueclaws well. Most people thought crabbing was finished for the year, because air cooled. But water was warm. Eels and fresh clams and bunker are stocked.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Wind, rain, sleet, snow and thunder made for extreme weather at times, but anglers made the most of opportunities to catch tuna on a two-day trip for the fish Saturday to Monday on the <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b>, a report on the party boat’s website said. They decked 20, working hard for the catches in difficult conditions. “We had some really nice (yellowfin and longfin tuna),” it said. Trips are exclusively fishing for them throughout October aboard. See the <a href="http://www.missbarnegatlight.com/TunaFishing.html" target="_blank">tuna schedule</a> online.

From <b>Bobbie’s Boat Rentals</b>, striped bass catches were pretty good again today, Vince Sr. said. Boaters socked the fish on the ocean and along Barnegat Inlet’s rocks on livelined spots and pinfish. Both are stocked, and small stripers were landed from Barnegat Bay. Few were keepers, and most were “on the edge” of keeper-sized. Blackfish were tugged in along the inlet rocks and from many ocean wrecks on green crabs, also stocked. Sea bass season opened today, and many boaters were fishing for them on the ocean for the opener. Bobbie’s features a complete bait and tackle shop, a fuel dock and boat and kayak rentals. The boats are used for fishing, crabbing, clamming and pleasure. The store is known for bait supply, including live baits in season.

<b>Barnegat</b>

<b>***Update, Saturday, 10/24:***</b> From an email from Capt. Dave DeGennaro from the <b>Hi Flier</b>: “I will start striper fishing Halloween weekend and will offer 7 day a week availability thru November into mid December for as long as the bass and weather cooperates. It should be interesting. Our neighbors to the north are already in fish. Snagging bunker, casting lures, jigging metal, and trolling have all been working on everything from 10 to 30 plus pound fish. The last few seasons have given us a shot of bunker and 20 to 30 pound bass in November. The early look appears to have more of that in store again for this Fall. Starting Saturday, October 31, we are available open boat or charter every day until mid December. 7AM to 1PM or any 5 or 6 hour daylight window that you prefer. Call to reserve a date. See you on board.”

<b>Mystic Island</b>

Good reports came from the ocean about sea bass catches today, opening day of sea bass season, said Chris from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Anglers bought bait for the fishing, and all the striped bass reports from the ocean came from north of Shark River Inlet.  Mullica River’s striper fishing was slow, but some anglers tried eeling for them. Lots of eels are stocked. White perch fishing was strong in the river and any of the creeks. Fish the bends, because water’s deeper there, and fresh grass shrimp and live bloodworms are stocked for the perch. Fresh bunker and fresh clams, in the shell and shucked, will be stocked this weekend. False albacore and weakfish swam the ocean. Boaters said they saw 50-pound bluefin tuna bust the water surface close to shore. Yellowfin tuna fishing was supposedly good offshore. One trip, sailing from toward Manasquan Inlet, reported a good catch.

<b>Absecon</b>

The season’s striped bass fishing was on schedule, as close as Capt. Dave from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b> could figure, he said. He caught them in back waters every day, on his charters or fishing on his own. He couldn’t not fish when weather was perfect for the angling. Fewer anglers seemed interested in the fishing since the hurricane in the fall of 2012. Anglers in recent years seemed to wait for an all-out blitz. That’s not the way to think about it, he said. The angling seemed on schedule for maybe a 10-year average, though that seemed not the case for a couple of years after the hurricane. Dave’s trips didn’t always land a striper 28 inches or larger. But plenty of the fish were to be had. Photos on the shop’s Facebook page showed that his charters often bagged a striper with one of the boat’s  <a href=" http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/bonusbas.htm" target="_blank">bonus tags</a>. Plenty of dates are open for the charters, and are expected to fill. Another angler bagged a 26-pound striper just inside from Absecon Inlet on an eel. Dave’s trips hooked the bass on the Gulp Nemesis, a new bait that connected well, and live spots and mullet. The store is loaded with bait for stripers, including plenty of live spots and eels. No more spots are available from suppliers that Dave’s aware about, so once they run out, no more might be available. Baits stocked also include fresh clams, and fresh bunker will probably arrive Friday afternoon or evening. Most stripers from the back waters that Dave heard about were sacked on live bait or lures, and few were hooked on clams or bunker-chunks yet. It’s just good fishing, Dave said. He expects the striper fishing to especially break loose with next week’s full moon. High tides early in morning and at dusk from this moon traditionally fish particularly well for the bass.  Blackfishing seemed to improve somewhat at jetties and all usual places. Dave saw a couple of throwbacks landed at the Brigantine Bridge today when just passing by. Seemed some action there. Sea bass season opened today, though not a lot of anglers seemed interested locally.

<b>Brigantine</b>

Back-bay boaters angled striped bass on eels and 6-1/2-inch Gulp Nemesis baits, said Capt. Andy from <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>. The Nemesis were new and hot, and none of the bass was big. One was 29 inches occasionally, and many were throwbacks. But all anglers said the fishing was good. Eels and live pinfish are stocked. Fresh clams and bunker are arriving daily. Nobody angled striped bass on the ocean locally. A few stripers were reported boated on the ocean farther north toward Barnegat Bay. Andy saw a photo of one bagged near the Seaside Heights Casino Pier. The Cooke Plumbing Riptide Striper Bounty was currently $560. The bounty is awarded for the season’s first striper 43 inches or larger weighed-in from Brigantine’s surf. Entry is $5, and all the cash is awarded, so the bounty will grow. It reached almost $2,000 when awarded last season, and anglers must enter 24 hours before checking-in a catch. The <a href=" https://www.facebook.com/events/101452876877022/" target="_blank">Elks Fall Fishing Classic</a> will take place November 13 to 15 at Brigantine. Click the link for more info.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

More blackfish were yanked from along Absecon Inlet’s jetties than in 10 years, said Noel from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. Customers fish the nearby, jetty-lined inlet on foot, at spots including the T-jetty on the ocean end, and off Caspian Avenue near the bay end.  Sometimes the anglers rounded up a keeper right away, and other times they had to work for a keeper. Sometimes they landed 17 or 18 blackfish in a trip, and they fished green crabs and clams. Bluefish were sometimes fought from the inlet. Stripers were on occasion. Small weakfish 12 inches, almost the 13-inch keeper size, bit in the inlet. A boater eeled a 26-pound striper on the bay near the inlet, and a photo was posted on <a href=" https://www.facebook.com/onestop.ac?fref=ts" target="_blank">One Stop’s Facebook page</a>. So were plenty of photos of blackfish from the inlet. Friend the page to keep informed. Fishing was definitely on, Noel said. All baits mentioned and more, a large supply, are stocked.

<b>Egg Harbor Township</b>

A couple of boaters said striped bass moved into the local ocean, said Collin from <b>24-7 Bait & Tackle</b>. Some were trolled on Stretch 25 lures. False albacore swam all over the ocean, and some bluefish were mixed in. Lots of life appeared in the ocean. Really nice, he said. Blackfishing was awesome both in the ocean and along jetties, bridges or other structure like that. White perch fishing was unbelievable in Great Egg Harbor River. Anglers talked about nabbing loads on every trip. Nothing was heard about sea bass, because sea bass season opened today. Collin expects to know how sea bassing went by the end of the weekend. Baits stocked include green crabs, fresh clams in the shell and shucked, fresh bunker and eels. Live spots ran out, and whether more would be available was unknown. The 24-7 in Marmora is stocking plenty of the spots. <b>The company also owns 24-7 Bait & Tackle in Marmora</b>.

<b>Longport</b>

Trips for sea bass would be launched today, opening day of sea bass season, on the <b>Stray Cat</b>, Capt. Mike said. The trips are sold out through Sunday, and a few spaces remain for an open-boat trip for the fish on Monday, and some are available on Tuesday and Wednesday for more of the trips. The trips are limited to about 12 anglers, and will fish wherever necessary. So if the fish migrate farther from shore, the trips will leaver earlier than usual. A few white leggers were trapped in the crab hotel, if anglers want to fish for blackfish with the bait on the outings. The trips are carrying crabs, clams, squid and mackerel. Dog sharks showed up the other day, so some are probably around.

<b>Ocean City</b>

Ten-hour trips will now sail for sea bass and ling on the ocean at 7 a.m. daily on the <b>Captain Robbins</b>, limited to six anglers, Capt. Victor said. Reservations are required, and the fare is $110. Sea bass season opened today.

False albacore were actually boated on the ocean and caught from the surf, said Bill from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. The fish aren’t so common locally, but they suddenly schooled the water. A whale swam that the albies gathered around. When boaters found the whale, they fought the albies. One angler landed 30. Some bluefish were in the mix. The only striped bass boated on the ocean heard about were a few among the albies. But a few keeper stripers were angled from the surf, on lures like Daiwa SP Minnows. A 42-incher was the biggest Bill knew about. Lots of small bluefish roamed the surf. Lots of stripers hugged the sod banks and bridges in the back bay. Only a few keepers seemed among them, and many were shorts. Lures hooked them at night, and a few anglers fished eels, picking up a few of the stripers. Blackfishing was actually pretty good along bridges and jetties. Many were small, but some were keepers. A 7-pound blackfish was weighed-in from Corson’s Inlet. Sea bass season opened today, so reports about them should roll in from the ocean. A few keeper-sized sea bass were seen in the back bay before the opener. Anglers would see whether any were hooked now. Little was reported about tuna fishing offshore, except rumors that the fish were caught farther north at Hudson and Lindenkohl canyons, but that was unconfirmed. A few locals tried for tuna, but most locals were finished with the fishing for the year. Green crabs are stocked, though the bait is scarce. Fresh clams and bunker are carried.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Fishing was pretty darn good, said Mike from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. Not a lot of anglers might’ve known, but catches were plowed in the ocean, surf and back bay. False albacore fishing was lights out on the ocean. “And if you don’t have Deadly Dicks, don’t go,” he said. Anglers were shoulder to shoulder on the local party boat to fish for sea bass this morning, opening day of sea bass season. Preliminary reports were that the fishing should be terrific, and the boat will sail for them every day. In the surf, a couple of albies were fought, though most were wrestled from boats on the ocean. But surf fishing was a ton of fun. Striped bass blitzed the surf Saturday for 3 or 4 hours. Most of the bass were 24 or 26 inches, but a few were keepers. Bluefish 1 to 4 pounds raced the surf consistently the past 10 days. Some anglers landed more than 20. A few weakfish showed up for shore anglers, mostly at Corson’s Inlet. The weaks were mostly small, but good to see. Blackfishing was excellent at any structure like jetties and rocks, and the shop is loaded with green crabs for them. The bait only ran out 48 hours while the crabs were scarce recently, and Mike’s working to keep them carried. The best fishing was probably for striped bass on the back bay. They were caught several ways, and the largest were hung on live spots and eels, and both are stocked. The bay’s stripers were plugged and jigged, mostly at dawn and dusk, pretty consistently. The greatest numbers of stripers from the bay were clocked at night under lights, like at bridges and docks, on soft-plastic lures like Bass Assassins, but on a hodgepodge of baits, including a few on Fin-S Fish and Zooms.

False albacore fishing lit up on the ocean from the weekend into this week, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b>, affiliated with <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. The catches, on metal and flies, were tremendous. “Montaukian,” he said. Albie catches are common off Montauk, N.Y., in fall, but not so much off Sea Isle. The fish seemed a harbinger of the fall migration of fish off Sea Isle, and Joe was excited. Maybe the run was starting early. Joe’s been running annual traveling charters to Montauk that fish the migration of albies, blues and striped bass, and will sail on those trips this weekend for the final time this year. He’ll concentrate on fishing from Sea Isle afterward. That will include fishing the migration of striped bass and blues from Sea Isle. That usually peaks in November, but could happen earlier. The angling was surprisingly good last year. Reserve the trips, because choice dates fill up. Sea bass season opened today, and trips aboard will also fish for them from Sea Isle. Looking ahead, annual traveling charters will fish the Florida Keys from Christmas to Easter. 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 season was opening today, and daily trips for the fish would be launched today on the party boat <b>Porgy IV</b>, Capt. Paul said. The trips sail at 8 a.m., and fishing aboard was on break since daily summer flounder trips ended, once flounder season was closed in late September. Paul expected a good-sized crowd on today’s trip, because plenty of anglers expressed interest.

Trips are supposed to sea bass fish Saturday and Sunday on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>, Capt. George said. Weather might be somewhat windy, but looked fishable, and sea bass season became opened today. Maybe the striped bass migration will begin locally within a week or so. Private boaters were known about who planned to bunker-chunk for stripers on Delaware Bay this coming weekend, but none of the catches was heard about. Striper fishing was usually best aboard in November in recent years, but anglers never know when the fish might show. The season’s first striper charters aboard will probably chunk bunker on Delaware Bay. Later in the season in recent years, the bass were trolled on the ocean, toward Stone Harbor to Ocean City. Striper trips are being booked, and reserve them while dates are available. Anglers tend to want weekends. Telephone if interested in sea bass, stripers or blackfish. Blackfishing will begin once the bag limit is raised to six of the tautog starting on November 16, from the current limit of one. George is probably finished tuna fishing for the year. Hudson Canyon, too far north from Cape May, was the only place that seemed to give up tuna. Tuna fishing lately from Cape May seemed best in late May and June. Afterward, bigeye tuna swam canyons within range from Cape May. But fishing for bigeyes can be a matter of hooking one or two in a trip. Whether anglers could land the big fish, once hooked, was also the thing, taking know-how.

Surf anglers began to drag in a few striped bass, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. A couple of anglers landed throwbacks, and one pasted a keeper off Cape May Lighthouse. Clams and bunker were dunked for stripers from the beach, and bluefish ran around the surf. Back-bay striper fishing was great for steady action with throwbacks and sometimes a keeper. Chumming, anchoring and fishing with small pieces of bunker at bridges and creek mouths was good for that. Nobody was heard about who tried chunking bunker on Delaware Bay for stripers yet this season. But a couple of anglers bought eels today to swim for stripers at the Cape May Rips. Blackfishing was productive at jetties and on the ocean at places like Cape May Reef. Fresh bunker will be stocked today. Fresh clams, in the shell and shucked, are on hand. Eels, green crabs and bloodworms are carried.

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