<b>Keyport</b>

Difficult to beat the current striped bass fishing, Capt. Frank from the <b>Vitamin Sea</b> wrote in an email. The fishing’s lasted three weeks, and trips aboard lit into the bass in different ways. Casting rubber shads pounded the fish in light boat traffic. Trolling the shads whacked much bigger stripers. Livelining bunker worked great on stripers to 35 pounds when bunker schooled. All trips except one aboard limited out on stripers and filled every bonus tag anglers brought. “Not sure it can really get any better than that,” he said. On some days, scores of the fish were netted. As more bunker show up, gorilla bluefish are becoming more abundant. “And I mean gorilla,” he said. They provide great battles, “and usually win,” he said! “Big bass, and I mean big, are right there with them,” he said. Charters and open-boat trips are fishing, and every open trip is filling, because of the catches. All open trips were full through next Thursday, and the next with spaces available was that Friday, November 13. Blackfishing will begin aboard once the blackfish bag limit is hiked to six starting November 16. The boat is already full that day. No surprise, he said. But trips will continue to fish for stripers through November, as long as the fish remain. “Don’t miss out on this epic bite!” he said.

Striper fishing was super, said Capt. Mario from the <b>Down Deep Fleet</b>. “I mean, real good,” he said. “Craziness, almost.” Trips pummeled them on Raritan Bay on jigs, rubber shads, eels and bunker chunks aboard. Charters and open-boat trips are fishing for the bass, including open trips at 6 a.m. and special open trips in the afternoons to evenings this Friday and Saturday. Sea bass fishing was good aboard farther from shore. Sea bass to 4 pounds and porgies to 3 pounds were swung in. Charters are fishing for them, too, and so are open-boat trips. Those trips are marathons that sail 5:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. to reach the grounds farther from the coast. Down Deep runs two 40-foot boats. 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>

Trips fished every day on the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>, and after crummy weather Sunday, weather was great on the water since, Capt. Tom said. Monday’s trip scooped up porgies, sea bass and a few blackfish, a nice day, he said. Tuesday’s trip picked up sea bass and porgies, fewer keepers than before, and no blackfish. Action was good with sea bass, and anglers worked through shorts for keepers. On Wednesday’s trip, fish gave up less action, but some of the sea bass, not a lot, were bigger. Just a few porgies bit, and fewer blackfish were claimed than on Monday. It’s been nice fishing, he said. Not great, but all anglers boxed a few fish, and weather was great. Anglers had to work through shorts to grab keepers. Porgies began to migrate away, and most were gone. Fewer and fewer were hooked. Clams are provided for bait, and crabs for blackfish began to be supplied, when crabs were available. Crabs were currently available, and Tom expected them to be during the weekend. Some anglers fished the crabs for blackfish, and sometimes that paid off. Dogfish were a nuisance, not terribly on Tuesday, but bad on Wednesday. Trips will concentrate more on blackfish starting November 16, when the bag limit increases to six, from the current limit of one. The Atlantic Star is fishing for sea bass, porgies and blackfish 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.

Big striped bass were smashed on Raritan Bay every day, said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Lots of stripers and bait flooded the water, and the bass were pasted on trolled and cast rubber shads and trolled Mojos, umbrella rigs and bunker spoons. Stripers were jigged at the channels. “All the bait is in the bay,” he said. Not many stripers were found in the local surf. Some were reportedly beached farther south, like maybe around Sea Bright and Monmouth Beach. Bluefish schooled certain spots in the bay. Not much was doing in Shrewsbury and Navesink rivers. Blackfishing was great. Some sea bass and porgies were tugged in. Cod and ling were landed at 17 fathoms. All baits are stocked.

Much better fishing today, Capt. Ron from the party boat <b>Fishermen</b> wrote about today’s striped bass trip aboard. A hundred-percent better, and the bass were hungry, he said. A bunch of youngsters sailed on the trip, because schools were on break. Once all anglers got dialed in, action was good. Keepers were just keeper-sized, 28 to 30 inches, perfect for eating. Lots of throwbacks bit, and rubber shads caught best currently, and a few of the bass bit jigs with tails lately.  Yesterday’s striper fishing was tougher aboard. The fish were picked on a few shots at them. If the trip would’ve caught a third of the stripers marked and seen, the catch would’ve been banner. When life did pop up, boat traffic sent it down. On last night’s trip, on Wednesday, a large crowd eeled 40 keeper stripers. Striper fishing began tough on Tuesday’s trip. When the fishing finally turned on, staying with the fish was difficult. A whole bunch of shorts and a handful of keepers were totaled for the day. Monday’s trip slugged away at stripers in the morning. Fewer were hooked than were read, but the bass were there. Later, all heck broke loose, on the change of tide. Several areas held stripers all over the water surface, and birds working. Many of the anglers top-water-plugged the stripers, kicking butt! No really big stripers swam, and a 14-pounder won the pool. Rubber shads in white and green, top-water lures and poppers caught best, when that bite was on. Fewer bluefish bit on the trip, after more did previously. Switch the hooks on lures to singles from trebles. Trebles are hazardous, and get especially tangled in the nets. Take advantage of the great weather. It won’t last long. 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>Highlands</b>

Making the trip from <b>Twin Lights Marina</b>, Ed and Tony on the Hammerhead limited out on striped bass at Reach Channel on jigs Wednesday, Marion wrote in an email. Rich and Steven Scherer and “Jersey” Joe from North Carolina on Wednesday trolled three stripers at the Reach on shad rigs. On Sunday, Paul Hess on the Boudicca eeled a 38-inch striper at the Reach. On Saturday, Jeff Olander, Gary and John Pearson, and Wayne Wilcox limited on stripers to 39 inches at the Reach on trolled shad rigs. Also on Saturday, Paul and Becky on the Second Home trolled a 37-inch striper at Flynn’s Knoll. 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. Baits like live bunker are carried when in demand. The fuel dock is available 24 hours a day with a credit card. 

<b>Neptune</b>

Good fishing continues, Capt. Ralph from <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b> wrote in an email Wednesday morning. Striped bass fishing on the ocean was good one day, slow the next. Wreck-fishing aboard was productive for sea bass and other catches recently, he said in previous reports. An individual-reservation trip for wreck-fishing is full November 18 for sea bass, porgies, pollock and cod. Space is available on individual-reservation trips for blackfish November 16, 20, 25 and 27. “Get your blackfish reservations in: Days are filling fast,” he wrote. The blackfish bag limit will be increased to six beginning November 16, from the current limit of one.

<b>Belmar</b>

“Phenomenal striper fishing, crazy striped bass fishing!” Capt. Pete from <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b> said. Stripers moved in, he said, in some of the biggest numbers he saw in years. Trips on the ocean on the boat nailed them from sunup to sunrise, with lulls between. Wednesday’s trip limited out on unders and picked a few overs on livelined bunker. Beautiful fish, he said. Other boaters sometimes caught on artificials or on the troll. Excellent fishing, he said, and he hopes the stripers stick around. Stripers were still landed farther north, so that was a good sign, he said. 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.

Capt. Scott from <b>XTC Sportfishing</b> had just gotten back from Hudson Canyon, when he gave this report in a phone call Wednesday evening, he said. The trip bagged a dozen good-sized longfin tuna and three small yellowfin tuna. All the fish were chunked, mostly during daytime, when the trip arrived Tuesday at the canyon, and after sunup Wednesday. Two of the yellowfins were chunked at night. Closer to shore, XTC fished for striped bass previously, bagging 17 in two trips Friday, 10 on one trip Saturday, two and a bunch of blues on a trip Sunday, and two and a bunch of blues on an outing Monday. Striper fishing sounded off the charts on the ocean in past days, while XTC sailed for tuna.

Five yellowfin tuna, two swordfish and a couple of big mahi mahi were boated at the canyon on the <b>Katie H</b> on a trip Tuesday to Wednesday, Capt. Mike said in a voicemail. The fishing seemed to slow a little on some boats, compared with before, and some scored well, during the trip. The tuna on the Katie H bit mostly deep or down 220 feet. “The fish didn’t come up very long,” he said. Another trip for the fish is slated for this coming Tuesday to Wednesday, and Mike’s not giving up on the fishing yet, “because the fish are definitely there,” he said.

Bluefishing whipped a good catch of big ones today and super catches of the large fish Monday through Wednesday on the <b>Golden Eagle</b>, a report on the party boat’s website said. Sea bass and cod were also copped on today’s trip. Monday’s trip spent some time looking for striped bass. None showed up, but bluefish were clobbered on the outing.  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.

Another excellent day of fishing today on the <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b>, an email from the vessel said. Bluefish 12 to 17 pounds were crushed. A good number of sea bass and a few cod were tied into. Some anglers limited out on both blues and sea bass. Fish bit as soon as the angling began, northeast of Shark River Inlet, “and (we) held them on all drifts,” it said. Now’s the time to fish. “It’s red hot,” the email said. The Miss Belmar Princess if fishing for striped bass and blues 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. A few stripers were hung aboard Monday. On Veterans’ Day, Wednesday, the fare for veterans will be $40, a $27 discount.   

The following report was posted as an update Wednesday and is being re-posted in case anybody missed it: Epic striped bass fishing south of Manasquan Inlet on Tuesday, Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> wrote in an email. Big stripers took a beating, he said, from boaters snagging and 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 then. 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>

Catches of sea bass and porgies, and some cod on most trips, were good on the party boat <b>Jamaica II</b>, Capt. Ryan wrote in an email. Jesse Crudup from Watertown, Md.’s, 31-pound cod was a highlight of the week. Carly Walters from Philly during the week iced 14 sea bass and 31 porgies. The boat will wreck-fish for sea bass through December, and a few blackfish trips will sail beginning November 16, when the bag limit is raised to six of the tautog, from the current limit of one. The sea bassing includes 10-, 12-, 14- and 18-hour trips. Check the <a href=" http://www.jamaicaii.com/component/option,com_eventcal/Itemid,33/" target="_blank">schedule</a> online. The blackfishing will include trips 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 16, 23 and 30 and Dec. 4, 7, 11 and 14, and 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Dec. 1, 8, 15 and 22.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

Bottom-fishing picked away on the party boat <b>Dauntless</b>, Capt. Butch said. The angling wasn’t so good Wednesday in strong current. But the fishing’s been fairly decent. Mostly sea bass and porgies were tossed aboard, and were the fish targeted. A few cod and a couple of blackfish were sacked. A few winter flounder still bit, and this was the season for them to migrate to bays and rivers. Stray bluefish showed up. Anglers usually averaged 15 to 25 fish apiece. They averaged five to 25 on Wednesday’s trip in the current. “But that’s why it’s called fishing,” Butch said. Every day is different. Trips fished in 100 to 150 feet. The ocean was 59 to 60 degrees. The water was warmer on the way to the fishing grounds Wednesday. But that was the surface temp, Butch thought, and the water usually hovered around 60. The Dauntless is bottom-fishing 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily. Starting November 16, when the blackfish bag limit is hauled to six from the current limit of one, trips will still fish for sea bass and porgies. But blackfish will be able to be caught at the same places, if anglers try for them.

Can’t believe this was November! Capt. Matt from the <b>Norma-K III</b> wrote in a report on the party boat’s website. The temperature felt like late August or September. Trips picked sea bass and a few porgies at most spots fished. Bergals had to be dealt with, but if anglers were patient, waiting for the right bite, they hooked sea bass or porgies. Some anglers scored well, “and some had a tough day,” he said. A 7-pound sea bass won the pool on Wednesday’s trip. A few cod were snatched up on trips. The Norma-K III is fishing for sea bass and porgies 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. Trips will bluefish 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. this Friday and Saturday, and big blues are biting.

<b>Toms River</b>

Striped bass fishing woke up, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. Boaters beat up the catches on the ocean off Ortley Beach and Lavallette. The fish seemed finally to migrate south, and most of the boaters snagged bunker then livelined them for bait. But some trolled or jigged the bass. Surf casters also got into the fish. Bunker pushed into the surf at Seaside Park on Wednesday, and anglers beached stripers to 20 pounds among them. Rubber shads caught well in the bunker. Spearing and rainfish schooled the surf lately. Daiwa SP Minnows seemed the most popular plug fished in the surf. Many anglers cast the new 5-1/8-inch SP, a smaller version than the original. Lots of were sold at the store. Most action with stripers has been along Barnegat Bay’s sod banks. The fish were eeled at night, and 300 eels a week must’ve been sold at the store. The eeling was good Sunday and “off” Monday. The catches turned on and off, but the angling was beginning and was pretty good. A few stripers were clammed at the mouth of Oyster Creek, near the Forked River power plant. In the Toms River, crabs were still trapped at Island Heights, and the water was warm. Nobody reported first-hand fishing the river. A rumor said one angler landed a couple of winter flounder from the river at Island Heights. In past years, flounder began to be nipped from the river on Election Day, this past Tuesday. The fishing began later in the season in recent years, and the river seemed warm for flounder currently. But flounder began to be angled at the southern end of Point Pleasant Canal three weeks ago. Flounder biting currently in the Toms seemed possible. At the canal, flounder still chewed at the southern end. Blackfish were picked along the canal, and stripers were eeled there.  Murphy’s, located on Route 37, also owns <b>Go Fish Bait & Tackle</b> on Fischer Boulevard in Toms River.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

Many striped bass and bunker deluged the ocean the last two days, said Tom from <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>.  Boaters were “kicking it,” he said, catching the bass on bunker snagged and then livelined for bait, jigs and popper lures. He boated for the stripers today and yesterday, nailing them both days, including walloping the bass to 32 pounds today on Ava 47 jigs with green tails, snagged and livelined bunker and popper plugs. Today was outstanding, like the spring bunker run, he said. Kayakers waffled the stripers well, fishing near shore. Surf anglers were into mediocre fishing for the bass, because the bunker swam just within casting. The surf casters connected on metal-lipped swimmers, poppers, clams and bunker. Baits stocked include fresh clams, fresh bunker, eels and green crabs. 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>

“Bass, bass, bass,” said Grizz from <b>Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle</b>! “That’s all I’ve got to say.” Striped bass were boated on the ocean from Holgate to Seaside on bunker snagged and then livelined for bait. “It’s something you only pray for,” he said. The fish began to be hooked Wednesday afternoon and continued to be today. Stripers were also boated on Barnegat Bay on livelined spots, pinfish and eels and swimming lures and popping plugs. “They’re here,” he said!

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

So many striped bass schooled the ocean the last two days, it wasn’t funny, said Vince Sr. from <b>Bobbie’s Boat Rentals</b>. Boaters ripped into the catches on bunker snagged and then livelined for bait, sometimes on trolled bunker spoons. Lots of live pinfish were bought from the shop that also plowed the bass. The pinfish also pancaked stripers from Barnegat Inlet and Barnegat Bay, especially the inlet. Sea bass fishing was great on the ocean, and all anglers seemed to limit out on them. Customers bought fresh clams from the store for the angling. Blackfishing was good, and green crabs were carried for them. Bobbie’s features a complete bait and tackle shop, a fuel dock and, in season, boat and kayak rentals. The boats are used for fishing, crabbing, clamming and pleasure. The store is known for bait supply, including live baits in season.

The year’s final tuna trip steamed Wednesday to today on the <b>Super Chic</b>, Capt. Ted said. An okay catch, eight tuna, five yellowfins and three longfins, and a couple of mahi mahi were landed, all on the chunk, south of Hudson Canyon. Half the tuna were chunked early in morning in the dark, and half were chunked in the middle of the day. Though that was the final tuna trip, the fish will be caught some time yet this season, he thinks. Weather was great, the best on any tuna trips aboard this year. “First time we didn’t get our butts kicked,” he said! Striper charters will fish Friday through Sunday, and the angling was super on the ocean locally the last three days. Ted hopes it still will be. Long Beach Island surf anglers who frequented the beach dragged in a few big stripers lately.

<b>Barnegat</b>

<b>***Update, Saturday, 11/7:***</b> From an edited email from Capt. Dave DeGennaro from the <b>Hi Flier</b>: “We’re catching every size class striper right now. Over the last few days, we’ve snagged and livelined bunker along the beach for 20- to 35-pound fish, trolled bunker spoons and Mojos for 10- to 20-pound fish and cast soft-plastics under birds for 26- to 28-inch fish. What a variety of size class and techniques going on right now! The weather’s been extraordinary, wearing T-shirts in November. Sea condition have been great, and looking at the NOAA forecast right now, we’re going to have light and variable winds through Wednesday, at least. This is the fishery we’ve been waiting for, and the weather and sea condition are a bonus.
I have one spot open on our Monday open-boat trip. Available for charter or open-boat Tuesday, Wednesday (Veteran’s Day), Thursday and Friday. We’re sailing seven days a week through December.”

<b>Beach Haven</b>

Four striped bass charters, the season’s first, are booked to fish next week on the <b>June Bug</b>, Capt. Lindsay said. Quite a few stripers schooled the ocean from Belmar to Point Pleasant Beach early this week. He’d think they’d reach Beach Haven in the next week or hoped so. A tuna trip was weathered out Sunday, and another is slated for this Sunday to Monday.  Yellowfin and longfin tuna still swam the offshore canyons.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

At least two big striped bass per day were checked-in, except none was today, said Brian from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b> this afternoon in a phone call. The fish, mostly boated on the ocean, mostly weighed 25 to 40 pounds, and a 40-pounder was weighed-in Monday. A 36-pounder was brought in Wednesday that was boated from the ocean off the red tower on Long Beach Island. Two were clammed at Little Egg Inlet. One, a 25-pound 41-1/2-incher, came from Great Bay, and was eeled at Pebble Beach from shore. The fish from the ocean were hooked on bunker snagged and then livelined for bait and were trolled, including on Tony Maja bunker spoons and 9er rigs. That was from the red tower to Ship Bottom. Farther north, stripers were Mohawked on the ocean the past day or so. A customer’s trip with four anglers who boated there off Seaside Park or Island Beach Park hooked at least 50 stripers, landing 27. They limited out on overs and unders, eight stripers, and none was smaller than 40 inches. They threw back 30-pounders. Another customer’s trip in that area with four anglers hooked nine, limiting out on unders, releasing the rest, also unders, and no overs bit. The bag limit is one striper 28 inches to less than 43, and one 43 inches or larger, per angler, per day. No stripers were reported landed from Mullica River, and the fishing slowed in the last month or so. Nothing was heard about white perch from the river in recent days. But one of the crew from the shop last week on Tuesday gathered a good catch of the slabs from the river, taking some to the store, where the fish were cooked for fish fingers for lunch. Sea bass fishing was good on the ocean. A customer’s trip limited out on them 30 miles from shore at a wreck. Another customer’s trip limited out on sea bass 12 miles from shore Saturday, saying the fish were hooked non-stop. Fresh clams in the shell and shucked, fresh bunker, eels and live grass shrimp are stocked. Catch a rep from Avet Reels 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the store who’ll hold a question and answer session and educate about the products. All Avet Reels from the SXJ series to the EX will be available.

<b>Absecon</b>

From <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>, striped bass fishing was definitely on the upswing, Capt. Dave said. The fishing wasn’t like a few miles north, but was turned on, giving up plenty from the back waters. Dave’s charters got into them well every day, usually landing a keeper. Two 28-inch keepers, the legal minimum size, were boated on today’s trip. Dave’s got a limited supply of bonus tags that allow an angler to bag a striper 24 inches to less than 28, using them on one or two days, trying to “stretch them out.” He usually fished far in the back, and heard about most stripers from there, but decked a keeper near the Brigantine Bridge. Another angler boated a 30-pounder inside the bridge yesterday. Dave heard about a 25- or 30-pounder from the back near Absecon Inlet today. The only bad news, he said, was that live spots for bait ran out at the store today, and no more will be available this season. The supply of other baits is in good shape, including eels. This was striper time, and that was most of the news, and anglers should be thinking about stripers anyway, he said. But water was very clear for blackfish that bite in the conditions, and blackfishing was good at Brigantine Bridge and along jetties. Plenty of green crabs will be stocked for blackfish bait this weekend. Ling were nabbed along jetties and the sea wall.

<b>Brigantine</b>

Customers had some big striped bass, said Capt. Andy from <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>. Not a lot, but big, and Dan Daley boated a 43-pound 49-1/2-incher, with a 26-inch girth, on the ocean off the tip of northern Long Beach Island Tuesday. Andy had been showing him the Mojo rig, and that’s what Daley trolled the fish on. On Wednesday, Daley fished farther south on the ocean, though the fleet fished north, and he trolled a 27-pounder on a Mojo. Tyler Shisler, 15, landed a 36-pound 46-1/2-inch striper on a Mojo on a trip with his grandfather on a buddy’s boat the Jamie Louise. Another angler sent Andy a photo of a 36-iinch striper the angler beached from the surf on Brigantine’s north end last night on a bunker chunk. John Bolton banked a 32-1/2-pound striper from the island’s surf during the weekend on a chunk of fresh bunker. He bought the bunker at the shop that morning, returning an hour later with the fish. The line broke when he was landing the fish, but he jumped in the water and shoved the striper onto the sand. The Cooke Plumbing Riptide Striper Bounty was up to $780 and will be awarded to the entrant who weighs-in the season’s first 43-inch striper or larger from Brigantine’s surf. Customers already beached stripers that big this season but weren’t entered. Entry is $5, and all the cash is awarded, so the bounty will grow. Anglers must sign up 24 hours before entering a catch. The Riptide Fall Striper Derby is also under way with prizes for the biggest stripers and blues from the town’s surf this season. Entry includes a permit to drive Brigantine’s entire beachfront, when accompanied by a Brigantine beach-buggy permit. Without the tournament’s permit, not the entire beach can be driven. 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, and anglers can register up to next Thursday.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

Lots of throwback striped bass, but some good-sized keepers, were tabbed from shallow waters near Harrah’s, the train trestle and Venice Park, said Noel from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. Boaters and anglers on foot winged them, including on clams, eels and Fin-S Fish. Boaters on the ocean ran into big stripers, and a buddy boated a 42-incher and a 46- or 48-incher that weighed 42 pounds from the ocean, trolling the fish on Stretch lures. He bagged the 42-incher and released the bigger striper. A good supply of Stretches and bunker spoons are stocked for striper trolling. Anglers on foot hammered blackfish along jetty-lined Absecon Inlet on green crabs. Catches included double-headers, like a double of 16-inchers today. One is the bag limit, so the angler released one. Six will become the limit starting November 16. Ling were toggled-in from the inlet on cut bait, including mullet, bloodworms and clams. All baits mentioned and more, a large supply, are stocked.

<b>Egg Harbor Township</b>

Four striped bass heavier than 30 pounds apiece were weighed today from the ocean at <b>24-7 Bait & Tackle</b>, Austin said. The anglers never said much about where the fish were caught, but said two of the bass were trolled on plastics, and two were caught on bunker and clam. Previously, news went quiet about striper catches like this. But before then, one or two stripers like these were weighed-in here and there. The fishing was just starting for the season, and seemed to pick up today. Smaller stripers were clammed or bunker-chunked from the bay, like at bridges, lately. Nothing was heard about other fishing, except lots of white perch crammed brackish rivers. Baits stocked include fresh bunker, fresh clams, eels and green crabs. <b>The company also owns 24-7 Bait & Tackle in Marmora</b>.

<b>Longport</b>

Anglers on the <b>Stray Cat</b> shoveled up sea bass, a pretty good catch, lots of good-sized, Wednesday, Capt. Mike said. Good action, he said, and the trip fished 20 miles from shore. Big porgies also swam the water. So did blues and false albacore. Very good fishing, he said. An open-boat trip would sail for the angling today. Looks like the next of those trips will run Sunday, and space is available. Trips took advantage of the especially fair weather for boating. Other anglers boated a few striped bass on the local ocean. Mike saw many gannets and chick birds working the water inshore of 40-foot depths Wednesday. Open trips for sea bass will pretty much wrap up aboard after next week. That’s because charters and open trips for blackfish will begin November 16, when the bag limit is lifted to six, from the current limit of one. A handful of spaces are available for open blackfish trips November 16 and 20. Quite a few charters are booked for the first week of blackfishing. Those will be the only open trips for blackfish then.

<b>Ocean City</b>

Big striped bass swam 8 to 10 miles from shore, said Justin from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. Striper fishing is closed beyond 3 miles, and small stripers, an occasional keeper, were beached from the surf, mostly on bait. Baitfish seemed to attract the stripers far from shore, and lots of silversides reportedly swam along the shore. A few corn cob mullet were heard about from along the shore, and Justin kept seeing 10-inch bunker with tails bitten off, floating past at Corson’s Inlet from shore. Beach replenishment was about to begin on the island’s north end, and that will cover the jetties. Anglers won’t be able to fish along the striper-attracting jetties, and won’t be able to fish for blackfish that were caught along the jetties lately. Blackfish catches were still reported from along bridges, and the back bay was 60 degrees, so the fish will probably bite a while. Small stripers were played along the bridges. Big hickory shad were fought at places like that. Tons of bluefish 10 inches, all small – one 17-incher was heard about – schooled from the surf to the bay, nearly everywhere. Some were so small the other night that they wouldn’t bite soft-plastic lures. Sea bass were bagged from the ocean in deep, 100-foot depths. So like the far end of Atlantic City Reef needed to be fished for them. Sea bass were small closer to shore, and not a lot of keeper blackfish held in those areas, but tons did.     

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Ocean striped bass fishing was sporadically good, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b>, affiliated with <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. Some boaters beat a good catch, and some caught nothing. Depended on the day, too. The fish were all trolled, because not a ton were around, and the stripers were spread out. The season was early for the fishing, and Joe expected to sail for the bass today, but might also do other fishing. Back-bay fishing was good for smaller stripers on spots, eels and soft-plastic lures. Sea bass fishing produced well 20 or 30 miles from shore. False albacore swam those grounds.  Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s Blog</a>.

Some big striped bass 30 to 50 pounds were bombed on the ocean, said Mike from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. No numbers of the fish were, and one trip might heave in one, and another might none, and another might three, all big. When the fish were boated, it was exciting. All were trolled, on nearly any of the usual tackle, including Stretch plugs, Mojos, umbrella rigs and bunker spoons. Back-bay fishing jumped on lots of stripers, some good numbers, maybe 1 in 6 or 8 a keeper, plugging along the sod banks. Or anglers worked under the lights at night on the bay, catching similarly: throwbacks, plenty, but some keepers. Surf-fishing picked 1- to 3-pound blues, not the numbers like two weeks ago, and an occasional keeper. Mike saw no stripers larger than the low 30 inches from the beach. Blackfish bit, and reports were less frequent about them, since striper interest picked up. But Mike was about to post a photo from a father and son who boated blackfish at Townsend’s Inlet on the shop’s Facebook page and blog. Good catches of sea bass were reeled aboard, when trips fished farther from shore. Depths 100 to 140 feet, 25 or 30 miles from shore, gave them up. Sea bass were hooked closer to shore, but lots of throwbacks were culled to bag keepers. Fishing’s been pretty good, and so has weather. About 75 live spots, scarce bait by this time of season, were stocked. Fresh bunker, fresh clams, eels and green crabs are on hand.

<b>Wildwood</b>

Some big striped bass were boated, said Capt. Jim from <b>Fins & Grins Sport Fishing</b>. The fishing “didn’t set the world on fire,” but friends tackled the fish. So these were confirmed reports, and the migration seemed to begin. The boat will get after them. Fins is also sea bass fishing, and the catches were good farther from shore. Sizable sea bass held there, and small sea bass gathered close to shore. Because the deep was where to fish, sea bass trips are sailing 10 hours, working 30 miles from the coast. The boat will begin blackfishing once six becomes the bag limit starting November 16, from the current limit of one. Trips will also sail for a combo of stripers and blackfish starting then, including on a 6-hour trip at 6 a.m. Thanksgiving Day. Some openings are available then and throughout the holiday weekend. Fins fishes every day, and reservations aren’t required but suggested. Telephone for availability.

<b>Cape May</b>

The <b>Heavy Hitter</b> was supposed to fish for sea bass today, Capt. George said last evening in a phone call. The angling’s been good aboard, including last weekend, covered in previous reports here. George talked with a friend who had good fishing for sea bass yesterday. Trips needed to fish deep water, 30 miles from shore, for sea bass. Sea bass would be caught shallower, but were undersized. Plenty of keepers swam the deep. A few large, migrating striped bass were boated on the ocean toward Sea Isle City. George’s friend ran a trip that trolled a 55.7-pounder this past week in the area. A trip would troll one, a couple or none, and this didn’t seem the arrival of the main migration. But it seemed a beginning, and the arrival’s been later and later in recent years. George whaled stripers in mid-October at the Cape May Rips years ago. Stripers didn’t really show up that early, and didn’t really gather at the rips, in recent years. But they showed up in Delaware Bay later in fall in recent years, and the season’s first trips for stripers aboard seemed likely to chunk bunker aboard the bay for the bass – the usual way to fish for the bay’s stripers in fall. In recent years, trips on the Heavy Hitter found the bay angling the best striper fishing at first in fall. Later in fall, they trolled good numbers of stripers on the ocean. George reported clamming them on the ocean in years past. A couple of friends on two boats chunked bunker at the Cock and Balls in the bay during the week, and only sharks and skates bit. The striper migration seemed yet to arrive there. But anglers hope the run is impending in the bay. The Heavy Hitter will also fish for blackfish starting November 16, when the bag limit is increased to six, from the current limit of one. Telephone if interested in any of this fishing. Reserve preferred dates.

If trips sailed 25 or 30 miles from shore, and weather was fair, plenty of sea bass could bite, said Capt. Paul from the party boat <b>Porgy IV</b>. Anglers picked keepers from among throwbacks, and there was action. Some anglers bagged more than others. Some limited out, and some bagged seven or 10, and that wasn’t bad. Enough anglers to sail that far didn’t show up for every trip. On Wednesday’s trip, two anglers from Bridgeton limited out. Also on the outing, Jerry Levine from Cape May Court House and Gary limited. Gary was from Wildwood, if Paul remembered. Fred Nelson from Philly limited on Tuesday’s trip. Small blues were hooked on some days. Lots of blues bit off lines Tuesday, but not Wednesday, and the two trips fished at different locations. One big blue was taken Wednesday. Porgies, mostly throwbacks, sometimes hit. The Porgy IV is fishing for sea bass at 8 a.m. daily. Trips will fish for blackfish starting November 16, when the bag limit is jacked up to six, from the current limit of one.

Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b> sailed on a charter for sea bass, probably 30 miles from shore, Wednesday on the Common Sense, he said. The trip bagged not quite a limit, but a coolerful. The trip scoped the water, moving around, exploring, and Nick would say 25 miles from shore, at least, was where to fish for sea bass. Not much was happening closer in. Sounded like a few striped bass began to be boated. The fish were trolled on the ocean from about Ocean City to farther south, like off Corson’s Inlet, Stone Harbor and Wildwood. Reports were heard about thresher sharks chasing bunker in the area. A couple of boats seemed to begin eeling stripers at the Cape May Rips. Nick heard about a couple that bunker-chunked stripers on Delaware Bay. Surf-fishing for stripers was pretty slow, and scattered catches of throwbacks and keepers were reported, but nothing concrete. Anglers fished bunker and clams from the beach, and some threw lures.  Blackfishing was good at inlet jetties. On the back bay, fishing for smaller stripers was good, like chumming for them at creek mouths, and fishing for them along bridges. Fresh bunker, fresh clams in the shell and shucked, eels and green crabs are stocked.

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