<b>Staten Island</b>

Fishing was weathered out in Saturday’s wind with <b>Outcast Charters</b>, Capt. Joe said. But a trip sailed Sunday, limiting out on blackfish to 6 pounds, though the angling was a tough grind. The trip moved around a lot, fishing different depths from 40 feet to 70. The water was 58 degrees, and the temperature is usually a few degrees lower this time of year. Outcast has already had good blackfishing this season, and the angling should keep improving as the water cools. Blackfish trips will stop to fish for striped bass on the way to and from the blackfish grounds, if birds are seen working the water. Trips are available from Staten Island, N.Y., or Sewaren, N.J.

<b>Keyport</b>

Striped bass fishing was “coming back” for the <b>Down Deep Fleet</b>, Capt. Mario said. The angling was pretty good Sunday aboard, and trips are fishing Raritan Bay and the ocean for stripers. He looked forward to blackfishing beginning today, because the blackfish bag limit became six starting today, from the previous limit of one. The Down Deep Bull, one of the company’s two boats, both 40-footers, will keep fishing for stripers. The Down Deep, the other boat, will now sail for blackfish. Charters and open-boat trips are 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.

Strong wind weathered  out striped bass trips Friday and Saturday on the <b>Vitamin Sea</b>, Capt. Frank wrote in an email. A trip fished Sunday for stripers, and the angling was slow in the morning. The anglers hung in there, and a bite developed. Seven stripers were bagged. “Bass fishing isn’t over by a long shot,” he said. “In fact, the ocean is alive with fish, but most are under 28 inches,” the legal minimum size. “Honestly, the farther south you go, the bigger the bass,” he said. But the blackfish bag limit was increased to six beginning today, from the previous limit of one. Anglers would fish for the tautog today aboard, and Frank expected great catches, but one never knows. A trip fished for stripers Thursday, “and the livelining never developed,” he said, “so we moved to a different area, and found very good bass fishing to 25 pounds.” None of the stripers was a throwback. “All solid, hungry fish,” he said. Many anglers are telephoning to fish for stripers and blackfish aboard. Frank’s had to turn many away, because the boat is booking as soon as he posts about open-boat trips. “The Vitamin Sea is restricted to only six passengers, so that’s why we are so highly sought out,” he said. He runs an email list that provides the open-boat schedule and fishing updates twice a week. Anybody can join, and that will give anglers a chance to jump on trips.  This is a great time of year on the water. “The crisp, chilly morning air makes you feel alive, and the crystal-clear water mesmerizes you,” he said. “Feeding birds will raise your blood pressure, and chewing tog will exhilarate you. Come on down and get your ‘dose of Vitamin Sea.’"

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Fishing began concentrating on blackfish today on the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>, Capt. Tom said in a phone call at 10 a.m. aboard. The angling so far wasn’t great, but was “a start,” and the tautog, mostly throwbacks but some keepers, were picked. The season was early for the fishing. Conditions were a little tough, and weather was good, but some wind blew, and the boat failed to lay on anchor just right. The same anglers kept catching, and Tom wanted everybody to catch. So he hoped the fishing became better today, though some blackfish were around to be hooked. We’ve got the action, he said. Green crabs are supplied aboard, and white crabs can be purchased aboard when the whites are available. The whites were available for today’s trip. Clams were no longer carried aboard, because abundant dogfish bit the clams. The Atlantic Star is blackfishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.

Three to five striped bass would be hung per drift, and then the <b>Fishermen</b> would need to be moved, on Sunday’s trip, Capt. Ron wrote in a report on the party boat’s website. He had to keep looking for readings and work them, and several anglers bagged two keepers, and some landed a bunch of shorts and a bonus-tag striper. Weather was great on the water, and he’d rate the fishing a 4 out of 10, only because of boat traffic and fishing pressure. Customers who could “work the rubber shads” caught much better. The trip fished some extra time to bag a few more stripers. One strong breeze blew on Saturday’s trip, and stripers were stacked up, and were found nearly everywhere in the morning, yet were tough to catch. Lots of throwbacks bit, so bring a bonus tag. A 15-pound striper won the pool. Life improved later in the day, after the tide changed, but the bass were still difficult to catch. One angler, fishing in the bow, got his game on, once Ron pushed him a little. The angler reeled in a keeper striper, a bunch of throwbacks and some bluefish. The Fishermen is fishing for striped bass 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and 6:30 to 11:30 p.m. every Monday through Saturday.

<b>Belmar</b>

Almost all trips limited out on “under” striped bass, and bagged a few “overs,” on the ocean with <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b>, Capt. Pete said. The bag limit is one striper 28 inches to less than 43, and one 43 inches or larger, per angler, per day. But the stripers averaged 30 to 40 inches, good-sized. The fish were hooked on livelined bunker in mornings, when bunker schooled, and sometimes were jigged or trolled. Tons of the bass schooled, and the angling was excellent, and should last a while, “as long as weather cooperates,” he said. Trips will also begin blackfishing today, because the blackfish bag limit was increased to six starting today, from the previous limit of one. The Sunday and Monday after Thanksgiving are available for charters. Spaces are available that Saturday, November 28, on a charter that needs anglers. Plenty of dates are available in December for trips for stripers or blackfish. 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, Tuesday, 11/17:*** Lots of anglers limited out on blackfish Monday on the <b>Big Mohawk</b>, and the fishing was great, the party boat’s Facebook page said. That was the season’s first trip for the tautog aboard, because the bag limit was raised to six of the fish beginning that day, from the previous limit of one. An 8-1/2-pound blackfish won the pool, and the Big Mohawk is blackfishing 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. The boat might depart earlier today, so be at the dock “nice and early,” it said.

Four striped bass 40 to 50 pounds were smashed, and striper fishing was crazy, on the <b>Golden Eagle</b> today, a report said on the party boat’s website. Many patrons limited out. Anglers aboard landed eight to 10 stripers apiece, “but they had to release some,” it said. Now is the time to come down, it said. All the fish were jigged, and Krocodiles caught better than diamond jigs. On Sunday’s trip, stripers were decked, and boat traffic made the angling difficult, but the catch was decent aboard. Lots of stripers broke the water surface, and lots of birds worked the water, but the traffic kept knocking that down. On Saturday, wind blew, but when the boat broke the inlet, stripers and big blues broke the water surface, and birds hit, up and down the beach. About half the anglers landed a keeper striper, and some drifts fished well, and others gave up just a few catches. The blues and a couple of keeper sea bass were also hooked.  Wind also blew on Friday’s trip, and no stripers bit, but a few big blues were jigged. The Golden Eagle is fishing for stripers and blues 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 or 3 p.m. every Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday through Thursday. Striperthons are sailing 6 a.m. to 3 or 3:30 p.m. every Monday and Friday.

Stripers, stripers, stripers, an email said from the party boat <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b>. Saturday’s trip jigged bluefish to 15 pounds and some keeper and throwback striped bass on the ocean along the beach to the north. Plenty of gannets worked the water. “Overall, it was a decent day,” it said. But striper fishing was super on Sunday’s trip. Plenty of stripers to 35 pounds were bagged on jigs and bunker that was snagged for bait and then livelined. Many customers limited out, and anglers with bonus tags bagged an extra. The trip began fishing just to the north, and worked south. That was the best striper fishing of the season aboard so far, and striper action is just getting started, the email said.  The Miss Belmar Princess is fishing for stripers and blues 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.

<b>***Update, Tuesday, 11/17:***</b> Boats scored well on blackfish Monday, Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> wrote in an email. That was the verdict, he said, and many limits were bagged, both on green crabs and white leggers. Six became the blackfish bag limit beginning that day, from the previous limit of one. Striped bass fishing was off the charts, some of the best in years, on the ocean off Ocean County the last few days for boaters, “thanks to the bunker,” he said. The baitfish are key -- “they move the fish,” he said. Livelined bunker, jigging and trolling spoons or Mojos all caught the stripers well. Surf fishing for stripers was great, and surf casters stopped at the store every day with keeper stripers or reports of landing multiple throwbacks. Don Walker from Jackson’s 19-pound 8-ounce striper, plugged in Belmar on a Bomber, was the biggest weighed from the surf this week at the shop. Some surf anglers, though, talked about poor fishing they had. The bass are feeding on small bunker and are always on the move. Surf anglers must be mobile and look for signs of stripers including birds working the water, swirls on the water surface, fish breaking the water or other anglers hooked up. Having friends to point you in the right direction helps. This has become a good fall for boaters and surf anglers fishing for stripers. “Good luck, and release all you don’t need,” Bob said. “They are our future.” <b>***Update, Wednesday, 11/18:***</b> Strong wind failed to keep boats docked Tuesday, Bob wrote in an email that evening. Captains said blackfishing was even better that day than on Monday, and white crabs caught better than green. Striper boats got into fair jigging and snagging and dropping, but had to sail south to Barnegat to catch. The run home was tough in north wind. Many good reports came in about surf-fishing for stripers Monday night at Asbury Park, Belmar, Spring Lake, Sea Girt and farther south. One young woman banked a striper heavier than 30 pounds at Spring Lake. A young man, just learning saltwater fishing, has released 10 stripers to 36 inches from Asbury Park’s surf. Bill Massey from Wall fly-rodded four stripers at Manasquan’s surf, saying the bass fed on lots of spearing. Daiwa SP Minnows were the top lure hooking stripers in the surf. More stripers seemed to be landed from the surf this year than last year, Bob thought. He didn’t think that meant the striper population was larger. He thought more of the fish just swam local waters this year. “Bait is most likely why,” he said.

<b>Brielle</b>

Tuna were still reeled in, mostly along Hudson Canyon’s West Wall, said Eric from <b>The Reel Seat</b>. Mostly yellowfin and longfin tuna were caught, on the chunk, mostly during daytime. But a few bigeye tuna were chunked, and bluefin tuna 250 to 300 pounds began to be chunked in the area. The bluefins gathered behind squid boats, feeding on the discard. Closer to shore, sea bass were bagged mostly in 100- to 120-foot depths. A few were landed closer in, and blackfishing seemed fairly decent in 40-foot depths farther north, like off Long Branch. This was before the blackfish bag limit would be increased to six today, from the previous limit of one. Striped bass fishing was excellent, for the most part, on the ocean for boaters. A spread of the fish, up to 40 pounds, swam from Monmouth Beach to Island Beach State Park. White was the hot color when jigging or trolling for them. All kinds of bait schooled the water, including bunker from peanuts to adults, rainfish and sand eels. Big bluefish seemed to dissipate that showed up in the area before last week’s storm. Surf-fishing for stripers was kind of sporadic, mostly producing in mornings and late afternoons, up and down the coast. Peanut bunker and adult bunker schooled the surf on occasion.  

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

<b>Mushin Sportfishing</b> scrapped plans to fish farther from shore this weekend, because of forecasts for wind and seas there, Capt. Alan wrote in an email. But seas in the westerly were comfortable to fish close to shore, so trips fished for striped bass there, and the angling was good.  Bunker was snagged and then livelined for bait on striper trips Saturday and Sunday aboard, “staying relatively close to (Manasquan Inlet),” he said. The fishing limited out on unders to 30 pounds early in the days, and the trips caught and released more afterward, looking for overs. Some overs were bagged, and a huge spread of large stripers seemed to school the coast. The fish should give up super fishing the rest of the month. Some boats trolled the stripers. An open-boat striper trip will sail Sunday, and green crabs will be carried aboard for blackfishing on trips, if the anglers limit out on stripers. Striper/blackfish combo charters are available. Six blackfish became the bag limit beginning today, from the previous limit of one. When weather allows, Mushin will push farther from shore for cod and sea bass. Jumbo sea bass and porgies should be snapping, he said. Mushin means a relaxed state of readiness. The crew pride themselves on sharing the concept on outdoor adventures.

<b>***Update, Tuesday, 11/17:***</b> The <b>Norma-K III</b> began blackfishing Monday, Capt. Matt wrote in a report on the party boat’s website. Great way to start! he said. The ocean was warm, seas were calm and some blackfish were beaten. Some anglers cranked up throwbacks and keepers, “were in the game.” Some couldn’t buy a bite. But that’s blackfishing, he said. High hooks limited out, and some anglers bagged a few, and some landed only throwbacks. Both green and white crabs caught, and the greens are provided aboard, and the whites are for sale on the boat. The fishing can only get better, he said. The blackfish bag limit was increased to six that day, from the previous limit of one. The Norma-K III is blackfishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

Good-sized striped bass and blues were beached from the surf last week, just not in the numbers they were during the previous week, a report said on <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>’ website. Clams and cut bunker caught, and clams began to work better, in rough seas. Bottle plugs and darters connected best in the roughest seas. But swimming plugs and popper lures sometimes hooked up. 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>Barnegat Light</b>

No trips fished Friday and Saturday on the <b>Super Chic</b>, because of forecasts for rough weather, though weather was better than forecast, Capt. Ted said. But striped bass fishing aboard Saturday was “very, very good,” on the ocean to the north, he said. The trip limited out on 13 unders, and a 37-incher was smallest, and 15 more unders were released. All were hooked on livelined bunker. “Really, really good,” he said. Trips are concentrating on stripers for now, though the blackfish bag limit was raised to six beginning today, from the previous limit of one. Blackfish trips are slated for after Thanksgiving.

Fishing for striped bass was frustrating Saturday on the <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b>, but on Sunday, what a difference a day made, a report said on the party boat’s website. Sunday’s fishing was one of the better days for quality stripers. Every striper boated was 32 to 42 inches, and a good number were lost, “due to pulling the bunkers away,” it said. Livelined bunker were fished, and the stripers and humpback whales foraged heavily on schooling bunker. The trip fished the same area, the ocean to the north, where bunker were fished on Saturday’s trip, but stripers were on the baitfish Sunday. The Miss Barnegat Light is fishing for stripers and blues 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday.

<b>Barnegat</b>

From an edited email from Capt. Dave DeGennaro from the <b>Hi Flier</b>: “Wow! Some of the best striper fishing I’ve ever seen has been going on since Saturday afternoon. I had a group out Saturday morning and we struck out completely. Trolled through blackout readings along the beach, and fished live bait in the bay, both in some trying conditions: a northwest gale and rough water. Not a touch. It was awful. I dropped off those folks, and picked up others for a steady bite on 10- to 15-pound bass along Barnegat Inlet’s north jetty. That night, I get some info that Manasquan Inlet boats had a good bite, so I had my Sunday morning group meet me early, so we could start a trek north. We got as far as Lavallette, and saw two center consoles, and a humpback whale breaching over and over, in tight to the beach. As we approached, we saw stripers swirling everywhere. We threw poppers and soft-plastics at 15- to 25-pound fish for 2 hours. When that slowed, we switched to snagging bunker, and that kept us busy for the rest of the morning. All boxed up, we headed in, so I could pick up my afternoon charter. We ran back to Lavallette, but the surface action had slowed. We put out the Tony Maja bunker spoons, and trolled three nice fish to 25 pounds. On Monday morning, I kept my two sons, Nick and Max, home from school, and along with their Uncle Hubie and cousin Jackie Cunningham of Brick, we got an early start, and made it to Lavallette by 6:30 a.m. As soon as we arrived, the gannets were diving, and in minutes, all five of us were hooked up with 10- to 25-pound stripers on 10-pound spinning tackle! It stayed like that for an hour. Back on the snag and drop with the bunker pods, we had non-stop action with fish to 30 pounds until 11:30. Watch the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9O5YE4bMe8" target="_blank">video</a> and <a href="https://youtu.be/klRq0QmXhGw" target="_blank">another</a>. Exhausted, we headed to the barn. Two epic days of bass fishing. On Tuesday, I got to sleep in, because I had a noon to 5 p.m. trip with anglers. Knowing that the hard northeast wind had the ocean and inlet all turned up, I gave them a realistic expectation: some action in the bay with slot-size fish and maybe a few over 28 inches, if we work at it. I started at the inlet, and there were bunker everywhere. We went on the snag and drop, boxing three nice fish, 12 to 14 pounds. When we couldn't find more bunker to snag, we switched to the light tackle and threw lures. For the next three hours, the two anglers connected with 24- to 32-inch bass on every cast or every other cast on slow drifts. Birds everywhere, fish breaking water.  This was now day three of insane bass fishing, and this time we didn't even have to leave the inlet! The striper run is on. Full on! Going back for more today through Friday. Same tide. Open-boat or charter. 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day. Three people max. All fish are shared. Looks like northwest winds are forecast through the weekend and beyond, so call for those trips, too. We have trophy tags, so each person can keep a 24- to less than 28-inch fish and a 28 or over. On the days we fish outside in the ocean, you can also take an over 43-inch fish.”

<b>Beach Haven</b>

Abundant bunker and mullet schooled during a striped bass trip last Monday on the <b>June Bug</b>, Capt. Lindsay said. In 30 feet of water, 20 of the feet were crammed with bait, as much as he ever saw. On a trip Thursday aboard, 10 percent of that bait was seen. The half-day trip sailed as far north as Surf City, covering the ocean out to 40-foot depths. A few bunker were snagged to liveline for bait, but no stripers bit, and none seemed to chase the few schooling baitfish. Wind kicked up at the end of the trip, and the inlet was rough on the sail back to port. No trips fished Friday and Saturday in strong wind. An angler at a charter-boat association meeting reported his trip boating six stripers off Ortley Beach, far north, on Sunday. Most were jigged, and a couple were hooked on livelined bunker. The stripers were sizable, and none was the smaller bonus-tag size, 24 inches to less than 28.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

A customer boated striped bass this morning on the ocean off Barnegat Light on livelined bunker snagged for bait, <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>’s Facebook page said. “Looks like a good bite, too,” it said. “Hopefully, they move a little closer to us.” Good catches of stripers were trolled on the ocean off the Red Tower on Long Beach Island on Saturday, but that turned off by 10 a.m., according to radio chatter. Stripers could be boated from Little Egg Inlet, though that would take work, and the ocean was the place to be, a report on the shop’s website said. At the inlet, fish an hour before or after high or low tides, when the current slows enough for a good chum slick. Fish drop-offs at ledges or bars, like somewhere that drops from 8 feet of water to 20 feet or deeper. Keep your line at the drop-off, because that’s where the fish hold. Sea bass fishing was good, and was best in 100-foot depths or deeper. Garden State South and Little Egg reefs, closer to shore, probably held a few sea bass, but dogfish were reportedly a nuisance. Atlantic City Reef, in deeper water, probably attracted sea bass and porgies, though no feedback rolled in. The blackfish bag limit was raised to six beginning today, from the previous limit of one, so trips will start targeting them.

<b>Brigantine</b>

Good reports were heard about big striped bass foraging on bunker and boated off southern Long Beach Island on the ocean, <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>’s Facebook page said. That’s a few miles north of Brigantine. “Would like to see the Brigantine beach light up with bass,” it said. A photo of a 38-pound striper was posted on the page today that was eeled along the Intracoastal Waterway. “Looks like at least some of the cows are taking the inland route south,” it said. “Don’t miss it.”

<b>Longport</b>

Good-sized striped bass were boated Sunday on the <b>Stray Cat</b>, Capt. Mike said. The fish were jigged along bottom just offshore of the bell buoy. Many boaters seem to run around looking for stripers, but they should fish instead. “Get off the radio,” he said, and fish! The trip also fished for blackfish, and that was a slow pick, and wind blew strongly in the afternoon.  Trips beginning today will concentrate on blackfish, because the blackfish bag limit was lifted to six today, from the previous limit of one. The trips might jig for stripers in mornings, and blackfish the rest of the day. Or the trips will stop on stripers if signs of stripers are seen. The outings include open-boat and charters, including an open trip Tuesday. Jump on an open trip 8 a.m. to 12 noon on Thanksgiving for only $40. Mike’s got plenty of green crabs for blackfishing. The stripers bit Ava jigs.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Striped bass fishing, on the troll, was tough Sunday morning with three anglers aboard, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. None was hooked, and the angling for boaters was sporadic. Some boats caught, and some didn’t. With Doug Gillespie aboard in the afternoon with Joe, stripers to 37 inches were trolled at sunset. The ocean was probably in the 50 degrees, and Joe hadn’t noticed on the trips. The back bay cooled considerably, and was 51 to 53 degrees, sometimes 56, depending on location, on a trip Wednesday aboard that jigged 10 stripers to 27 inches, covered in the last report here. No trips fished Saturday aboard because of weather.  Striper trips will continue in December, and Jersey Cape will also fish for blackfish or sea bass, if anglers want. The blackfish bag limit was hiked to six starting today, from the previous limit of one. Keep up with Jersey Cape’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s Blog</a>. Annual traveling charters to the Florida Keys will fish from Christmas to Easter. See <a href=" http://www.captainjoehughes.com/page3.html" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s traveling charters Web page</a>.

<b>Wildwood</b>

The striped bass migration was mostly located to the north, said Capt. Jim from <b>Fins & Grins Sport Fishing</b>. A trip aboard searched for them Saturday in rough, 6- to 8-foot seas on the ocean, but none bit. Wind roughing up seas was pretty relentless lately. Striper fishing should begin to pick up, because the migration should move south, before long. Blackfishing will become available now, because the blackfish bag limit was increased to six starting today, from the previous limit of one. Blackfishing should be good into January. Sea bass fishing is probably finished for the season aboard, because sea bass migrated farther from shore. The boat is booked on Thanksgiving Day and on the Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend. Openings are available that Friday and Sunday. Fins & Grins fishes every day, and reservations aren’t required but suggested. Telephone for availability.

<b>Cape May</b>

A charter on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> on Sunday, part of a two-boat trip booked some time ago, was originally scheduled to fish for striped bass, Capt. George said. But the trip fished for sea bass instead, loading up on the fish, a good catch, 30 miles from shore. Sea bassing’s been good aboard, and plenty of the fish held in the area. A couple of porgies and a big bluefish were also hooked. Seas were rough on the trip back to port. The ocean was 59 degrees near the beach and 62-1/2 to 63 on the sea bass grounds. The sea bass were warm to the touch. A few stripers were trolled on the ocean and bunker-chunked on Delaware Bay lately. George talked with anglers from a couple of trips who searched for stripers on the ocean as far north as Corson’s Inlet, but caught none. A friend chunked for the bass on the bay Sunday, but got “all sharked up.” Sharks swam abundant. The season was probably early for striper fishing locally. The migration arrived earlier years ago, but later in recent years. Six became the blackfish bag limit beginning today, from the previous limit of one. Trips will blackfish on the Heavy Hitter, and the angling became good around Thanksgiving last year aboard. Telephone if interested in any of this fishing.

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