<b>Keyport</b>

Striped bass fishing “can’t get any better,” said Capt. Mario from the <b>Down Deep Fleet</b>! Trips aboard bunker-chunked the fish and trolled the bass on rubber shads. Mario said in a previous report that his trips fished for stripers mostly on Raritan Bay. Charters are sailing, and open-boat trips are fishing for stripers daily on the Down Deep Bull, one of two 40-foot boats the company runs. Big sea bass, a great catch, were crushed on a trip Saturday. The next open trips for sea bass will fish Wednesday and Thursday.  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.

Limits of striped bass were pounded on every trip this weekend on the <b>Vitamin Sea</b>, Capt. Frank wrote in an email. Limits of additional stripers were also bagged on every trip, using bonus tags. Dozens of stripers were also released. Fantastic fishing, just great action, he said. “The jig bite is on fire.” Jigging was insane Sunday. “This is fall fishing at its best,” he said. Bait filled the water, and stripers were all over the bait. The stripers will remain as long as the bait does. Stripers caught ranged from 18 inches to heavier than 30 pounds. Come down and get in on great fishing. Open-boat trips with space available are on November 9, 12 and 13, unless those dates become chartered. All other dates are full in the near future. Don’t wait to book, because dates are filling quickly. Those dates are the only available for charters in the next two weeks. Blackfish charters will begin on November 16, when the blackfish bag limit is increased to six, from the current limit of one. Some dates are left. 

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Jigging for striped bass whacked great fishing Sunday on the <b>Fishermen</b>, Capt. Ron wrote in a report on the party boat’s website. That was the season’s first day of good jigging for the bass aboard, and bluefish were also jigged on the outing. Stripers – slots, throwbacks and keepers – were jigged at first, and the high hook jigged seven. After the tide changed, big blues to 15 pounds took over, smacking nearly everything cast. The bird life was incredible, and boat traffic was horrendous. 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.

Anglers picked away at sea bass, porgies and blackfish this morning on the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>, Capt. Tom said in a phone call at 12:30 p.m. aboard. The fishing wasn’t great, but landed a mix of all three species, and all anglers bagged a few. One customer totaled a few sea bass, a couple of porgies and a blackfish, so far. The day was beautiful, and weather is supposed to be good this week, so jump aboard. The fishing was tougher Saturday in good weather, and maybe rough weather Wednesday and Thursday affected the angling still that day. Seas held some roll Sunday, and a few more better-sized sea bass were taken than before, and a few blackfish and a couple of porgies bit. Tom had hoped then that the current better weather that was forecast would improve the fishing. Clams are provided for bait, and trips began to carry crabs for blackfishing, when crabs were available. The crabs weren’t always available, and if anglers want to be sure to have crabs, pick up about a dozen at a tackle shop on the way to a trip.  The Atlantic Star is fishing for sea bass, porgies and blackfish 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.

<b>Neptune</b>

<b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b> sailed for striped bass Friday and sea bass Saturday, boating good catches of both, Capt. Ralph said. Seas were too rough to push farther from shore for sea bass Sunday, so a trip fished for stripers that day, but the angling was slow. Two stripers to 22 pounds were bagged. One space is available for an individual-reservation trip November 18 for sea bass, porgies, cod and pollock at mid-range wrecks. Space is available on individual-reservation trips for blackfish November 16 and 20. Six will become the blackfish bag limit beginning November 16, from the current limit of one. Space is open for individual-reservation blackfish trips that were just added for November 25, 27 and 28.

<b>Belmar</b>

No trip fished Thursday with <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b>, Capt. Pete said. On Friday, striped bass fishing was great on the ocean. The fish swam everywhere, getting hooked on jigs, on the troll and on livelined bunker. On Saturday, Parker Pete’s picked at the stripers on the troll. On Sunday, seas were somewhat sloppy, but a trip aboard did troll some of the bass. Bunker were found, but no stripers bit the livelined menhaden. A good number of stripers swam the ocean currently, and on some days, they bit well, and on others, they didn’t. Anglers just need to get out and give them heck. The run looks promising. 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.

Big bluefish were tackled Sunday on the <b>Golden Eagle</b>, a report on the party boat’s website said. The catch, all on jigs, was decent, and several cod and some sizable sea bass were also swung in. Bluefishing was super Saturday for 10- to 18-pounders on both bait and jigs. Some sea bass to 3 pounds were also slung in. Striped bass are beginning to show up, so trips will begin to concentrate on them. Bring striper tackle like Krocodiles, popper lures and swim shads.  The Golden Eagle is fishing at 7:30 a.m. daily.

<b>***Update, Tuesday, 11/3:***</b> Fishing was excellent for blues 10 to 20 pounds Saturday on the <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b>, “east of our inlet,” an email from the party boat said. All the fish were jigged, and Sunday’s trip, in somewhat rough seas, picked at blues, including big to 16 pounds, the whole time, east of the inlet. The fishing lulled a few times, but was good overall, and some sea bass were mixed in. Monday’s trip fished near shore, north of the inlet. Bluefishing was excellent for 12- to 15-pounders on jigs. A few striped bass were also landed, and a good number of stripers swam in different areas. Plenty of bunker schooled at times. “Fishing is red hot right now, and now is the time to come on down for a nice day of good fall fishing,” the email said. Weather looks good this week. The Miss Belmar Princess if fishing for striped bass and blues 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. On Veterans’ Day, Wednesday, November 11, the fare for veterans will be $40, a $27 discount.   

<b>***Update, Tuesday, 11/3:***</b> <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> is almost finished being moved, Bob wrote in an email. “Small things still working on, but looks good,” he wrote. The shop was moved to a double-wide trailer at Belmar Marina, just across from the old store. A new building is being constructed where the shop was previously, and the store will be moved back to the building, when construction is complete. The season’s first big striped bass was weighed at the new location. The heavier than 52-pound bass was boated on the Celtic Storm from the marina. Boating for stripers was great, when weather was calm enough for the trips to sail. Boaters trolled bunker spoons and snagged bunker then livelined the menhaden for bait, catching many large stripers. From the surf, the number of stripers banked was increasing in Monmouth and Ocean counties, and plugging in the dark seemed best. Belmar’s party boats racked up giant bluefish that fed farther from shore. Anglers weighed 17- and 18-pounders at the shop daily. On Shark River, winter flounder dominated catches, and most anglers limited out on them with little effort.  <b>***Update, Wednesday, 11/4:***</b> Epic striped bass fishing south of Manasquan Inlet yesterday, Bob wrote in an email. Big stripers took a beating, he said, from boaters snagging then livelining bunker for bait, trolling bunker spoons and jigging. Bluebird weather and Election Day brought crowds of boaters to the water. Most of the bass were large. “Remember,” he said, “they are the fish keeping our bass future going. Only take what you will consume.” Bluefishing was similar farther from shore, and Belmar’s party boats were “railed” with anglers, because of the weather and the day off from work. Blues to 20 pounds “did not disappoint,” he said. Again, take only the fish you’ll eat. Surf fishing for stripers was quiet during daytime at most places. Or the angling was okay for those fishing with clams. Metal like Ava 17 or 27 jigs or Deadly Dicks caught during daytime at some spots, especially Island Beach State Park. But surf fishing was much better at night, when plugs with teasers worked best. Fishing for sea bass and some huge porgies was good, farther from shore. Take advantage of the great-tasting fish. On Shark River, winter flounder fishing was hot the last few days. Most of the flounder were keepers, and double-headers were often hooked. Stick with the two flounder bag limit, and game wardens worked the river every day. “Fishing and weather are at their best,” Bob said. “Go before that changes.”

<b>Brielle</b>

Tons of huge sea bass was slapped aboard a 14-Hour Super Sea Bass Marathon on Saturday on the party boat <b>Jamaica II</b>, Capt. Ryan wrote in an email. Jumbo porgies and 50 cod were also caught, and large bluefish were a nuisance, “as usual,” he said. Chris Molinari from North Haledon’s 6-pound 9-ounce sea bass was biggest, and he limited out on sea bass. Anglers who also limited on big sea bass included Ralph Molinari, Frank Pogue, Dale Isaacs, Wes Shourt, Bob Plasket, Bert Lee, Young Park and a bunch more. Too many to mention, Ryan said. “Really super fishing,” he said, and all anglers left with big bags of fillets. The Jamaica II is fishing on 14-Hour Super Sea Bass Marathons at 3 a.m. every Saturday and on Sunday, Nov. 29; 12-Hour Sea Bass Marathons at 5 a.m. Sunday and Nov. 11, 15, 18, 22 and 25; 10-hour sea bass trips at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, Thursday, next Monday and Nov.  12, 13, 17, 19 and 20; and three-quarter day sea bass trips today, Wednesday, Friday and Nov. 10.

Tuna fishing remained pretty steady, said Eric from <b>The Reel Seat</b>. Sounded like Hudson Canyon’s West Wall was the place to be, he said, and the fishing picked away at longfin tuna to 50 pounds and yellowfin tuna to 80. All were chunked, and none was trolled, and a few swordfish were cranked in at night, no great shakes, but worth fishing for. Sea bass fishing seemed fairly consistent at wrecks in 60 to 80 feet. Clams, squid, Gulps, diamond jigs and all the usual caught them. Anglers plucked away at porgies to the north, and some of the fish were real jumbos to 18 inches this past week. Porgy fishing should hold up, because of warm weather. Boating for striped bass was good on the ocean during the week from Avon to Shrewsbury Rocks on green bunker spoons and shad umbrella rigs. The spoons belted the biggest, and the umbrellas hooked the most but smaller. Striper fishing was very good on Raritan Bay at Romer Shoal and Old Orchard on chartreuse shad umbrella rigs and bunker spoons, especially Spoon Fed bunker spoons in chartreuse. Bluefishing was okay at Shark River Reef at night, and no blues schooled inshore. Only stripers did. In the surf, stripers seemed “kind of scattered,” and surf-casters picked the fish, 19 inches to 32 or 33, in early mornings, late in the day and throughout night. The bass were keyed in on teasers, because small baitfish schooled. A concentration of stripers held in the surf at Monmouth Beach and Sea Bright. Another shot of the fish swam at Point Pleasant Beach and Bay Head. They also held at other spots. A pile of hickory shad gathered in the surf from Spring Lake to Bay Head, if anglers wanted to fight them. They swiped Ava 007s, small Hopkins and teasers at first light and night. Striper fishing slowed on Manasquan River and at Point Pleasant Canal. Some were eeled at the Railroad Bridge on the river, but the fishing quieted. Blackfishing was good in the canal, and good-sized blackfish 17 and 18 inches bit along Manasquan Inlet.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

Weather made reaching the canyons difficult to fish for tuna aboard, Capt. Alan from <b>Mushin Sportfishing</b> wrote in an email. But when the boat’s been able to sail to the canyons, the fish have been there. Closer to shore, sea bass fishing was phenomenal. A trip Saturday loaded up on jumbos to 5 pounds, mostly between 4 and 5 pounds, big porgies to 4 pounds and a handful of cod to 15 pounds.

For anglers on the <b>Norma-K III</b>, sea bass fishing was picky during the weekend, Capt. Matt wrote in a report on the party boat’s website. But today’s trip fished “a little deeper … and had decent action with some big porgies and (the anglers) picked at good size sea bass,” he wrote. A few cod were also decked. On the weekend’s trips, small sea bass gave up plenty of action, but fewer keepers were hooked than trips caught previously aboard. On Friday’s and Saturday’s nighttime trips, lots of big bluefish 12 to 18 pounds were whaled, mostly on bait. A few anglers fished jigs, also nailing the fish. Because bluefishing is great, the bluefish trips will continue. The Norma-K III is fishing for sea bass and porgies 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and is bluefishing 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. every Friday and Saturday.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

Surf fishing slowed somewhat the past couple of days, a report said Sunday on <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>’ website. Small to keeper-sized stripers were still beached on clams, cut baits, swimming plugs like Daiwa SP Minnows, metal, rubber shads and eel imitations at all stages of tides. Baits including eels, sandworms and green crabs will be stocked through the end of the fishing season. 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>

The season’s first striped bass trip fished Sunday on the <b>Super Chic</b>, Capt. Ted said. The fishing, along Barnegat Inlet on live spots in sloppy seas, was okay, not great. Bluefishing was good Friday, and sea bassing was good Saturday, aboard. The bluefishing bombed 12- to 17-pounders on the ocean to the north, and the sea bassing worked 90-foot depths on the ocean. A tuna trip is slated for Wednesday.

Tuna trips were wrapped up for the season this weekend on the <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b>, and trips will begin Saturday that will jig for striped bass and blues aboard, the party boat’s Facebook page said. Tuna fishing was great on a trip Saturday to Sunday aboard, picking at yellowfin tuna the whole night. A few were also caught once the sun rose, on livelined spots and on sardines on light, fluorocarbon leaders. Tuna fishing on a trip Thursday to Friday gave up a few good-sized yellowfins from 10:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. A lull happened from 1 to 3:30 a.m. Then tuna fishing was good until sunrise. Tuna trips sailed throughout October on the boat, and the crew was happy with the fishing. The trips will fish again next year. Starting Saturday, trips will jig for stripers and blues 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday. The trips might fish on other days, depending on how the angling goes. Two charters mugged unbelievable bluefishing last week aboard. “There were reports of (striped) bass being caught yesterday, so it looks like things are on track for this time of year,” a report on the boat’s website said Friday.  Obtain a <a href=" http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/bonusbas.htm" target="_blank">striper bonus tag</a> to bag an extra bass.

<b>Barnegat</b>

From an edited email from Capt. Dave DeGennaro from the <b>Hi Flier</b>: “Had to go to Plan B to fish this past weekend. The ocean was a little rough for my taste. We fished live bait in the inlet and hammered away at 26- to 27.99999-inch stripers. We did put a 28- and 32-inch fish in the box on Saturday's trip, and three 28- to 29-inch fish on Sunday's.  Had a dozen fish for three anglers on Saturday and 23 for two busy guys on Sunday. The forecast is for light and variable winds all week. We'll be running out the inlet and combing the shoreline for birds, readings and bass. Casting light tackle with soft plastics or diamond jigging is always our first choice, but I’ll also bring the trolling gear, because some heavyweight fish have been trolled in the deep on bunker spoons. With a calm ocean, we can run as far as we need to find fish. Running open-boat or charter every day through December.”

<b>Mystic Island</b>

Photos of two striped bass 40 pounds and 23 pounds boated today were posted on <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>’s Facebook page. The 40-pounder, a 47-inch fish, was clammed at Little Egg Inlet, and the 23-pounder was trolled on the ocean off Barnegat Light on a chartreuse Stretch 30 plug. Stripers were weighed-in, and anglers sent photos of stripers landed, on Saturday, and none of the fish was smaller than 42 inches. The fish included a 37-pounder trolled on the ocean on a 9er umbrella rig, a 26-pounder hooked on bunker and clam at Little Egg Inlet, a 24-pounder trolled on a Tony Maja spoon on the ocean off Surf City and a 24-pounder eeled from shore at Pebble Beach on Great Bay. “This is a great sign for us,” the report said. Lots of bait schooled the ocean close to shore. Anglers reported terrific sea bass fishing on the ocean, and a few customers limited out on the fish.

<b>Brigantine</b>

A 33-1/2-pound 44-1/2-inch striped bass was hauled from Brigantine’s surf Saturday morning, a report on <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>’s website said. Earlier that morning, the angler, John Bolton, bought fresh bunker for bait from the shop. Then he caught the fish and moved into second place in the Riptide Fall Striper Derby with the catch. The angler wasn’t in the Cooke Plumbing Riptide Striper Bounty. The bounty was up to more than $680 and will be awarded to the first entrant who weighs-in the season’s first striper 43 inches or larger from Brigantine’s surf. Entry is $5, and all the cash is awarded, so the bounty will grow. Anglers must sign up 24 hours before entering a striper. The Atlantic City Press’s outdoor article said Long Beach Island “started to see some (striper weigh-ins from the surf), so this should be the beginning of the run,” Riptide’s report said.

<b>Longport</b>

Fishing cleaned up on sea bass Saturday on the <b>Stray Cat</b>, 20 miles from shore, Capt. Mike said. Sea bass, a tremendous number, including lots of 2- and 3-pounders, made up almost all the catch. “Solid sea bass,” he said. But a few porgies and blues came in. Open-boat trips will fish for sea bass 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday through Friday at deep water like this. Should be a good week for the fishing, he thinks. The water was 62 degrees and gin clear in an easterly swell. A few spaces are available on open trips for blackfish November 16 and 20. Those trips will sail 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., the usual hours, and the sea bass trips are leaving an hour early to reach deeper water farther from shore. Six will become the blackfish bag limit starting November 16, from the current limit of one. Trips will chase striped bass as soon as numbers of the fish school the ocean along the beaches. Combo striper/blackfish trips will sail then, too. Annual Cast and Blast Trips, hunting sea ducks and fishing for stripers on the same outing, will run later this season.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b> trolled for striped bass on the ocean Saturday, but none bit, he said. The season was early for the fishing, but good catches flared up at moments already, locally. The angling was sporadically good, but when the bass weren’t there, they weren’t. Joe likes to fish for the stripers with cast artificials: soft-plastic lures on lead jigheads. He also fly-rods for them. He’ll troll for the bass when necessary, and also to locate the bass if necessary. Then the trip will stop and cast to the fish, if possible, and Joe prefers the fish to be hooked with rod in hand. He heard about no bluefish around, and likes to fish for the fall migration of them on the ocean, too. Though the season was early for the migration of both near Sea Isle, November is usually a peak month, and the angling could explode quickly. Don’t wait until the fish arrive to book spaces aboard, because that can be too late for the best dates to be available. Striper fishing was good on the back bay, like it has been, on livelined spots and lures, and trips can fish for them, too, aboard. Sea bass fishing was pretty good on the ocean farther from shore, in deep water, and Joe will also sail for them.  Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s Blog</a>. Looking ahead, traveling charters to the Florida Keys will fish from Christmas to Easter.  A large variety of catches can be targeted, from speckled sea trout, redfish and snook to tarpon, sailfish and tuna.

<b>Avalon</b>

Capt. Jim from <b>Fins and Feathers Outfitters</b> just finished scouting waterfowl at upstate New York’s Finger Lakes, and the birds were definitely migrating south from Canada, he said. He was also hunting deer and turkeys to stock the freezer for the year. Jim thought his season’s first duck-hunting trip on Delaware Bay was scheduled for the week before Thanksgiving. Customers also want to fish for striped bass at the Cape May Rips, where the bay meets the ocean, that week. Fins even offers customers a combo of striper fishing and duck hunting on the bay over a series of days. The company offers a variety of outdoor adventures, including fishing on the ocean, Delaware Bay, and the back bay near Avalon, duck and goose hunting on Delaware Bay and in nearby states, following the migrations, salmon and steelhead fishing on upstate New York’s Salmon River from Jim’s nearby lodge, snowmobiling from the lodge and fly-fishing for trout on Pennsylvania’s streams like the Yellow Breeches. Salmon still swam the river, but were mostly spawned out and dying. But steelheads definitely arrived in the river, and fishing for them lasts all winter and part of spring there. 

<b>Cape May</b>

Sea bass fishing was dynamite Saturday on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>, Capt. George said. The anglers, Philly fireman Bob Lewandowsky’s crew, limited out on the fish 30 miles from shore. Get the fish while the angling lasts, because the fishing’s good. Trips need to fish the deep, farther from shore, like this. Small sea bass will bite closer to shore. No boats seemed to fish Sunday, because of forecasts for strong wind. A few striped bass were trolled on the ocean off Stone Harbor, here and there. George spoke with anglers who fished for stripers on Delaware Bay with bunker chunks, but only sharks bit. The Heavy Hitter’s striper trips in recent years began with chunking for them on the bay, and the trips trolled for them on the ocean later in the season. Striper trips are impending on the boat, will kick off when more of the fish arrive. Blackfish trips will begin aboard when the bag limit is increased to six starting November 16, from the current limit of one. Telephone if interested in any of this fishing.

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