<b>Staten Island</b>

Blackfishing came about two fish short of a limit on each of two trips Saturday and Sunday with <b>Outcast Charters</b>, and the angling was okay, Capt. Joe said. The fish on Saturday’s trip weighed up to 10 pounds, included a couple of other sizable and were larger than on Sunday’s trip. Sunday’s blackfish weighed up to 5, and the trips fished in 50 to 70 feet, the same depths as recently. No other fish were mixed in, and the ocean was 54 degrees, warmer than previously. That was unusual, but weather was beautiful. Joe knew that porgies were still caught, and that suggested water was warm. Other boats caught bluefish, also apparently because of the warmth. Charters with Outcast fish from either Staten Island, N.Y., or Sewaren, N.J.

<b>Keyport</b>

With the <b>Down Deep Fleet</b>, blackfishing was super during the week, a little slower this weekend, “but still respectable,” Capt. Mario said. Some striped bass showed up again, but trips are no longer fishing for stripers this year aboard. Sometimes blackfish trips will stop on stripers, if stripers are seen. Open-boat trips are blackfishing daily, and charters are available, and 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 open trips. Also see the site’s open-trips page about the outings.

On the <b>Vitamin Sea</b>, blackfishing was great this past week, except was slow Saturday, Capt. Frank wrote in an email. Blackfish can be finicky or reluctant to bite sometimes, of course. Still, when the bite is tough, anglers who fish hard seem to limit out or nearly limit. Blackfishing is like no other angling. Blackfishers need to be focused or concentrate, recognizing subtle bites. It’s no coincidence that the same anglers keep limiting. Recognizing bites will improve your catch dramatically. Blackfishers, during tougher moments, say things like the tog are scratching at the bait or just mouthing it. Anglers can’t blackfish lazy. When blackfish bite more aggressively, the fishing’s easy and fun. But usually, it’s “pick, pick, pick,” and a good catch is made by the end of the day. Frank won’t run trips this week, because he’s traveling to see his granddaughter in a competition. But he’ll run blackfish charters and open-boat trips through the end of the year, and might likely run them into January. The water is 53 degrees, at least, relatively warm, and warmer at some spots. Space is available on an open trip Wednesday, December 23, and he’ll announce more open trips for the year’s final week, once pending charters are confirmed.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Was another excellent day of fishing for striped bass and blues Saturday on the <b>Fishermen</b>, Capt. Ron wrote in a report on the party boat’s website. Weather was perfect, the ocean was flat and the fish were hungry. At first, the anglers picked away here and there at shots of the fish. At 10:15 a.m., all anglers were hooked up the next 2 ½ hours, like a switch was flipped on. Fish boiled along the surface, and bait flew from the water. The blues were big, and a few stripers were “legit” keepers. A whole bunch of stripers were able to be bagged with bonus tags. Jigs and rubber shads were the ticket. On Sunday’s trip, weather and the ocean were perfect, but fishing was less than perfect. A couple of shots at stripers and blues were had off the bat, once customers were acclimated to the fishing. Then the angling shut down the rest of the trip.  The Fishermen is sailing for striped bass 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.

The blackfishing trips sailed every day on the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>, Capt. Tom said. The angling during the weekend definitely wasn’t as good as he’d like, and wasn’t like the better blackfishing through Thursday aboard. On Friday’s trip, a few blackfish were copped, and the fishing definitely wasn’t as good as before. On Saturday’s, the angling was tough. On Sunday’s, it was a bit better, not great, but improved, compared with Friday and Saturday. Weather was super in past days, actually too nice for anchoring. Green crabs are provided, and white leggers are available for sale aboard. A quick shot of rougher weather was forecast for the next day or so, but that could change. The Atlantic Star is blackfishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.

<b>Neptune</b>

Fishing for striped bass on the ocean was good Sunday aboard until 9 a.m., said Capt. Ralph from <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b>. Then the angling dropped off, so the trip blackfished next, but that was slow. Weather made for a beautiful day for all aboard, he said, and space is available on an individual-reservation trip for blackfish Wednesday, and Ralph expects to catch. Individual-reservation trips for blackfish will also sail December 24, 27 and 31 and January 1 through 3. <b>***Update, Monday, 12/14:***</b> Capt. Nick ran the boat on a charter Saturday that tackled good blackfishing, and an 11-pounder was biggest, Ralph wrote in an email. The boat is chartered this coming Saturday and Sunday.

<b>Belmar</b>

Conditions were tough for blackfishing Thursday and Friday, but trips did pick away at the tautog those days aboard, said Capt. Pete from <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b>. Striped bass fishing was phenomenal Saturday morning for mostly throwbacks but a few larger than 28 inches. All the stripers bit that anybody could want, and huge bluefish, tons, took over at mid-morning. The anglers fought as many as their arms could handle, and that slowed in the afternoon. No trip fished Sunday on the boat, and Pete heard striper fishing was a little slower that day. Tons of fish are still around. 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, Wednesday, 12/16:***</b> Fishing was epic on Saturday aboard for “big Jersey blues with nice stripers mixed in,” an email from the party boat <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b> said. Weather was outstanding, and plenty of birds worked the water. On Sunday’s trip, fishing was slow, compared with the previous several days. “We had a couple of decent drifts in the morning,” it said, and nothing bit the rest of the trip, except an occasional fish. At times, birds worked the water, fish were marked and fish swirled along the water surface. Monday’s and Tuesday’s trips were weathered out, and the boat was expected to resume fishing today. The Miss Belmar Princess is fishing for stripers and blues 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.

All the 10- to 15-pound blues anglers could want were plowed aboard Friday on the <b>Golden Eagle</b>, a report on the party boat’s website said. Striped bass were hooked, but getting the jigs past the blues was difficult. Fishing for blues and stripers was good on Saturday’s trip, and the angling slowed on Sunday’s. Some were caught, but not enough. Weather was beautiful on the water during these days, couldn’t be better for December. The schedule’s being cut back this week aboard, and trips will sail at 7:30 a.m. this Friday through Sunday.

Marty Westerfield from Wall brought in a limit of big winter flounder, a 4-pounder and a 3-pounder, from Shark River on Sunday at <b>Fisherman’s Den</b>, Bob from the shop wrote in an email. The crew from the shop watched boaters and kayakers reel flounder after flounder from the river. Business was brisk in the weekend’s good weather, and Belmar’s party boats were railed. The boats sailed for either striped bass and blues or blackfish on the ocean, and the angling was good on both trips. On the trips for stripers and blues, anglers were happy with a showing of big blues and schoolie stripers. Blackfish anglers limited out on white leggers, and the crabs were a hot catcher the last couple of weeks. Great fishing, don’t miss out, Bob said.

<b>Brielle</b>

<b>***Update, Tuesday, 12/15:***</b> Excellent fishing for jumbo sea bass, porgies and cod continued this weekend on the party boat <b>Jamaica II</b>, Capt. Ryan wrote in an email. A good number of cod were clocked, and Wes Shourt from Manahawkin limited out on sea bass to 6 pounds and bagged 31 porgies and four cod. Everett Williams from Philly limited out on sea bass to 6 pounds and bagged 28 porgies and four cod. Billy Watson from Trenton won the pool with a 19-pound cod on Saturday’s trip. Trips for sea bass, porgies and cod are sailing 12 hours at 5 a.m. Sunday and December 23, 27 and 29, 14 hours at 3 a.m. December 26 and 30, 16 hours at 1 a.m. Saturday and 18 hours at 1 a.m. December 31. A special cod trip will sail at 2 a.m. December 28.

Striped bass were still boated on the ocean, and the fishing sounded best between Long Branch and Manasquan Inlet, said Eric from <b>The Reel Seat</b>. Almost more bluefish seemed boated on the trips, and the stripers were trolled and jigged. Rubber shads in white or chartreuse worked well on the troll, and mostly crocodiles caught while the anglers jigged. The fish foraged on bunker, herring and mackerel. Surf anglers picked away at stripers, no blues. The fishing was kind of up and down, good on some days, not on others. The bass were mostly smaller, and night seemed best. The fish were hooked on lures like Daiwa SP Minnows and Bombers. The stripers were scattered at different places, like the catches were reported from spots including Monmouth Beach, from Asbury Park to Bradley Beach and at Island Beach State Park. Winter flounder fishing was great on Shark River. Nothing was really heard about flounder from Manasquan River. Hickory shad and sea herring schooled thick at Manasquan Inlet this weekend. Throwback blackfish were landed at Point Pleasant Canal. Back on the ocean, blackfishing was kind of off the last two days for boaters, but was good during the week. Good catches of the tautog were made in 40-foot depths, and in 80-foot depths. They bit in a spread of depths. A key now was to fish for them at pieces that anglers were yet to pressure. Sea bass fishing was good offshore on party boats. A 9-pound sea bass was weighed in that was expected to become a state record. Lots of bluefish bit at the sea bass grounds. Farther from shore, boaters still tuna fished, and a few bigeye tuna were known to be chunked. Bluefin tuna fishing was hit and miss offshore. Smaller, schoolie bluefins were popper-plugged at the Fingers, closer to shore.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

Another spring-like weekend, Capt. Matt from the <b>Norma-K III</b> wrote in a report on the party boat’s website. Blackfish took the weekend off to enjoy the weather, and failed to bite well! he said. A few were hung here and there. But an 11-pounder won the pool Sunday, and a 10-pounder won Saturday. Plenty of blackfish are swimming locally, and fishing just needs to catch the right day, when they bite. Weather looked fine for today’s and Tuesday’s trips, too. On Saturday’s Magic Hour Ling and Cod Trip, fishing was slow. Some spots held a handful of ling, and fishing was dead at some. A few small cod were also decked, and dogfish were brutal. The fishing had to deal with current, but the conditions were completely fishable, generally. The Norma-K III is blackfishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. Magic Hour Ling and Cod Trips are sailing 3 to 9 p.m. every Saturday. Gift certificates are available for the holidays.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

Slot striped bass and throwbacks, no “keepers,” were eased from the surf Thursday, a report said on <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>’s website Friday, the most recent report at press time. The stripers gave up plenty of action. Swimming lures like Daiwa SP Minnows, rubber shads and thin metal with teasers caught. “Cut bunker and clams remain your baits of choice,” it said. For the holidays, all St. Croix and Tsunami rods are 15 percent off, and Penn Reel “blow outs” are available. Purchase a gift card, and get an additional 25 percent on the card, gratis. 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 year’s final trip fished Sunday, for blackfish, on the <b>Super Chic</b>, Capt. Ted said. The angling wasn’t so good, and unusually great weather was probably part of the reason. Striped bass fishing sounded slow that day, probably also because of the weather. But some boaters trolled a few stripers, and the fish just seemed uncooperative. Ted thanks all who fished aboard this year, and hopes to begin fishing again by May 1, at least, maybe a little earlier. Trips will probably begin with wreck-fishing. Some open-boat trips will probably tilefish offshore in May.

The <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b> is finished fishing for the year, a report on the party boat’s website said. A few throwback stripers and a blue were landed Saturday aboard, and a few bonus-tag stripers and a blue were on Sunday’s trip. So those were the year’s final fishing trips on the boat. The Larson family and the crew thank all who sailed on the trips this year, and wish everybody Happy Holidays. Trips will begin fishing again next year. Telephone for holiday gift certificates that can still arrive before Christmas: 609-494-2094.

<b>Brigantine</b>

Boaters still batted aboard striped bass from the ocean, Capt. Andy from <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b> wrote in a report on the shop’s website. One customer boated solo, tugging-in a striper and a large bluefish off the Revel. How long will the striper fishing last? Andy asked. “Something tells me that a lot of boats are going to be pulled this week,” despite the fish being here, and weather cooperating, he said. The customer on the solo trip said weather was beautiful on the outing. Surf fishing was slow, and anglers still fished the surf, maybe just because of the weather. Fresh bunker and fresh, shucked clams and eels were stocked.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Forty striped bass, mostly under 28 inches, but up to 24 pounds were landed on the ocean with three anglers aboard Saturday, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. Most were jigged, and some were trolled, and one bluefish was pulled in, if Joe remembered. About 25 stripers, mostly under the 28-inch keeper size, were reeled from the ocean Sunday with four anglers aboard, all on jigs, except one on the troll. A 12-pound blue and a 5-pound summer flounder were also angled. Joe’s been trolling 9ers, Stretch lures and Mojos. The sizes of stripers was becoming smaller, and that’s typical for the time of year. Bait schooling Sunday was mostly smaller or sand eels and spearing, and larger bait, bunker, was mixed in. Large bait like that wasn’t as thick as last week. The water was 52 to 53 degrees on the trips, somewhat warmer than previously, probably because the ocean is warmer farther from shore, where the trips fished, and maybe because of warm weather in past days. Weather was about as nice as could be for December. Grab gift certificates for trips to give for the holidays. Keep up with Joe’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>Avalon</b>

Customers hunted sea ducks aboard the ocean two days, and the shooting was great, bagging scoters, said Capt. Jim from <b>Fins and Feathers Outfitters</b>. The hunting was finished by 9 or 9:30 a.m., and was lots of fun. Trips will hunt ducks until February, and will hunt snow geese from February until April, with Fins. The trips hunt from the ocean and Delaware Bay to nearby states, following the migrations. Anglers can even enjoy a combo of striped bass fishing and duck hunting over a series of days aboard. Fins offers a variety of outdoor adventures, including saltwater fishing from the ocean to the back bay and Delaware Bay, and the waterfowling. Salmon and steelhead fishing are available on upstate New York’s Salmon River from Jim’s nearby lodge. Snowmobiling is on tap from the lodge, and Fins also guides fly-fishing for trout on Pennsylvania’s streams like the Yellow Breeches.

<b>Wildwood</b>

Ocean striped bass fishing was still good, not as phenomenal as previously, and now the fish had to be hunted, but it remained good, said Capt. Jim from <b>Fins & Grins Sport Fishing</b>. Bunker and whales didn’t swim as thick as previously. Last week, bunker was marked 20 feet deep. Also last week, Jim never so many whales before. Fins hasn’t blackfished a lot recently, because trips took advantage of stripers. But a trip this weekend blackfished at a couple of wrecks, after striper fishing, and the tautog were hooked at each. Trips will focus on blackfish, once the striper migration is gone. A trip is booked Tuesday, and space is available Wednesday. Saturday is full, and Fins fishes every day, and reservations aren’t required but suggested. Telephone for availability. <b>***Update, Tuesday, 12/15:***</b> A great day of striped bass fishing was had today aboard, Jim said in a voicemail. Lots of stripers still swam the water, and he was surprised, he said. Openings are available for a trip Wednesday. He texted photos that will be posted on this website’s photo pages.

<b>Cape May</b>

Boaters crowded the ocean, trolling for striped bass, so trips this weekend fished for stripers on Delaware Bay on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>, Capt. George said. He’d heard stripers were bunker-chunked on the bay, and Henry Engle’s charter on Saturday on the bay aboard bagged nine stripers to 41 inches and lost a couple. On Sunday aboard, Ryan Moore’s charter bagged four stripers to a pair of 44-inchers, and four or five got off, on the bay. If the bass weren’t hooked well at first, sometimes they got off.  So the fishing was good, and stripers were bigger on Sunday’s trip, including the two overs, than on Saturday’s. Saturday’s trip’s stripers bagged were all unders. Still, again, they were up to 41 inches. A throwback apiece was landed and let go on each of the trips, George thought. Both trips bunker-chunked the stripers. Boats that headed to the ocean for stripers this weekend were so abundant that police had to direct boat traffic at the free launch ramp near Cape May Canal. Weather was beautiful on the water during this unusually warm weekend. The bay was 52 degrees, relatively warm, on the Heavy Hitter’s trips, and bunker schooled the bay. Some anglers who chunked the bay caught no stripers who George spoke with. Stripers were also trolled at Cape May Rips in past days, George knew.

Back to Top