<b>Keyport</b>

Was a good week of blackfishing aboard, said Capt. Mario from the <b>Down Deep Fleet</b>. Many of the anglers landed more than a limit apiece, keeping no more than their quotas, and the fish included sizable, up to 9 pounds. Open-boat trips, reservations required, will fish for them daily through the weekend, except no trip will fish on Christmas, and charters are available. Striped bass catches were on and off or better on some days than others. Down Deep runs two 40-foot boats, and 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.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

One angler bagged four blackfish, and another bagged three, so far today on the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>, Capt. Tom said at 11 a.m. in a phone call aboard. Another, among the small crowd, bagged two, and the trip picked at the tautog, including some throwbacks, so far. The fishing was nothing great, but a couple of the fish were good-sized, “especially for inshore,” he said. Weather was calm, though the ocean held a roll. Some of the blackfish were sizable on Sunday’s trip, too. That outing scooped up a few blackfish, nothing great. One angler limited out, including on some better-sized, and another heaved in a blackfish just under 10 pounds. Some anglers bagged three, and some landed no keepers, typical blackfishing. No trip fished Saturday, and Tom opted not to sail, because of wind. Friday’s trip picked up a few keeper blackfish and mostly shorts, not good angling. Tom expects tomorrow’s trip to sail, and rain might fall, but wind isn’t supposed to blow harder than fishable. The Atlantic Star is blackfishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. No trip will fish on Christmas, but the daily trip will fish on New Year’s Day. January 3 will be the final trip, and the boat will go on winter break afterward. 

The year’s fishing is finished on the <b>Fishermen</b>, Capt. Ron wrote in a report on the party boat’s website today. He posted no report Sunday, and wanted to give the angling another shot today. The fishing was slow Sunday, and only five people showed up to fish today, so he threw in the towel. No trip fished Saturday, because of wind, and Friday’s trip had a couple of shots at striped bass that were caught in the morning. Then only bluefish bit, and the day was nasty, uncomfortable, including in rain in the morning and a pretty good swell. The water then was 52 degrees, warmer than usual, and still held tons of bait. Ron thanks all who fished aboard this year, says Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, and looks forward to running fishing on the boat again in spring.

<b>Neptune</b>

Capt. Ralph from <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b> was away this weekend, ran no fishing trips, he said. But individual-reservation trips for blackfish will sail Thursday, Sunday and January 1 to 3. A few dates are available for charters during that time, and these trips might be the final aboard for the season. <b>***Update, Monday, 12/21:***</b> Blackfishing is great now, and weather is unusually warm, Ralph wrote in an email. The boat will fish through early January, running daily for blackfish, and charters are available every day. Ralph, Mary Ann and crew wish everybody Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, and thank those who fished aboard this year.

<b>Belmar</b>

Wow, is it really December 21? Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> wrote in an email. You wouldn’t know by the fishing and weather, he said. Surf anglers nailed some of the best fishing in years for striped bass and blues in southern Ocean County. The angling on boats was similar, off Monmouth and Ocean counties on the ocean. The large number of anglers who jumped on boats sailing for those fish was surprising for the time of year. Blackfishing was nothing less than great for boaters on the ocean, he said. The fish bit close to shore, and blackfish 10 pounds and heavier were commonly pasted. Weather forecasts look like “more of the same,” he said, so top-rate fishing should continue. Shark River’s winter flounder fishing was strong, and get after them before flounder season is closed beginning January 1. Three cod, including a 24-incher, were actually reeled from the river, and Bob saw a photo of them. Merry Christmas! he said.

<b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b> blackfished almost every day lately, and the angling was good, Capt. Pete said. Some of the blackfish were big aboard, up to 12 pounds. A charter sailed for striped bass Sunday on the boat, but no stripers and blues were hooked, and the anglers decided to blackfish in the afternoon. During the striper fishing, birds worked the water all around, and herring schooled. 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.

Fishing for striped bass and blues was disappointing Sunday on the ocean on the <b>Golden Eagle</b>, a report on the party boat’s website said. That was the only report posted recently, and the boat will next fish beginning Saturday, the day after Christmas, on daily trips through New Year’s Eve day, Thursday, December 31.

No trip fished today on the <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b>, because of weather, an email from the party boat said. The next trip is slated for Thursday, Christmas Eve day. No trip will fish on Christmas, but daily trips will resume the next day, Saturday. The Miss Belmar Princess is fishing for striped bass and blues 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

<b>Brielle</b>

Blackfishing was pretty consistent for boaters on the ocean, just suffering when conditions were nasty, said Dave from <b>The Reel Seat</b>. Catches of sea bass were good offshore.  Nothing was heard about striped bass boated from the ocean since two weekends ago, when stripers were trolled off Spring Lake on Mojos. But surf fishing for schoolie stripers was good in the past week. The fish were banked from Sea Girt to Manasquan in early mornings and late afternoons, mostly on plugs like Daiwa SP Minnows. Spearing schooled there, and some surf-casters who fished farther south, at Seaside and Island Beach Park, had the best fishing for the schoolies they ever had. The fish there were hooked on artificials like S&S Bucktails Rock Hoppers, white rubber shads and wide-profiled metal like Hopkins, because herring, bunker and even some mackerel schooled there. Bluefish were also banked from the surf. Winter flounder were nabbed from Shark River, and surely also swam Manasquan River. Little was heard about the Manasquan, because access is limited there, except for boaters. The store will be open daily through Christmas Eve, probably until 4 p.m. that day. It’ll be reopened daily beginning Saturday through New Year’s Eve day. Then the shop will be open Thursdays through Sundays the rest of January and in February.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

Though wind made feeling bites tough, Saturday’s trip managed to catch blackfish on the <b>Norma-K III</b>, Capt. Matt wrote on the party boat’s website. The handful of hardy anglers aboard picked the fish, “and lost a few good ones,” he said.  Weather was much better on Sunday, but blackfishing was no good on the day’s trip. A few of the tautog were decked, including a few large, and the pool-winning blackfish weighed more than 10 pounds. Back at it today! Matt wrote. The Norma-K III is blackfishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. Thursday’s trip will sail 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for Christmas Eve. No trip will fish on Christmas.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

Island Beach State Park was the place to be Thursday, a report on <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>’ website said Friday, the most recent report posted at press time. Slammer blues were fought from the surf in the park, and keeper striped bass were hooked, if anglers could fish through the blues, that day. Clams, cut bunker, swimming plugs like Daiwa SP Minnows, popper lures, metal and teasers caught. A few shopping days are left before Christmas, and holiday specials at the store include 15 percent off all St. Croix and Tsunami rods in stock, “blow-out” prices on select Penn reels, with free line, and 25 percent added to gift cards, 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>Longport</b>

The <b>Stray Cat</b> arrived in the Florida Keys, Capt. Mike said. The boat is docked at Smugglers Cove Marina at Islamorada and will begin fishing next week for winter, until returning to home port in Longport to resume fishing in New Jersey in spring.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Wind blew terribly, but six or seven striped bass were jigged from the ocean Saturday with Peter Himmereid and nephew aboard, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. The fish weighed up to 18 pounds, if Joe remembered, and bigger stripers, a half-dozen, to 22 pounds were jigged from the ocean Sunday with Jay Brown, his son and Jay’s buddy aboard. Seas began a little bumpy on the trip but were beautiful later, when wind calmed. The fish on the trips foraged on bunker, and whales swam the water. The angling wasn’t fast and furious, but was good. Both trips had periods when it seemed no stripers were going to bite. Then good angling for them was found an hour or 1 ½ hours apiece. This December has been one of the best for striper fishing aboard. Joe will begin annual traveling charters to the Florida Keys this weekend that fish from Christmas to Easter, mostly on weekends. The trips can be a mini vacation, sailing for a large variety of catches from redfish, speckled sea trout and snook to sailfish, tarpon and blackfin tuna. See <a href=" http://www.captainjoehughes.com/page3.html" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s traveling charters Web page</a>. He’ll still also fish for stripers from New Jersey, as long as the fish remain. Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s Blog</a>.

<b>Avalon</b>

Trips duck hunted all week aboard, said Capt. Jim from <b>Fins and Feathers Outfitters</b>. Wind blew Saturday, so the day’s trip waterfowled tight to shore on the ocean, on that opening day of brant season, limiting out on one per hunter. The trip before that shot buffleheads and scoters. Jim would now do no fishing or hunting through Christmas to spend time with family. But he’ll guide duck hunting afterward, throughout next week. Trips will goose hunt later in winter to early spring. Anglers can even do a combo of striped bass fishing and duck hunting over a series of days. Fins offers a variety of outdoor adventures, including saltwater fishing and duck and goose hunting. The waterfowling hunts from the ocean to Delaware Bay and nearby states, following the migrations. Salmon and steelheading on upstate New York’s Salmon River, and snowmobiling, are offered from Jim’s nearby lodge. Fly-fishing for trout on Pennsylvania’s streams like the Yellow Breeches is also available.

<b>Wildwood</b>

Fishing for striped bass on the ocean was somewhat more of a hunt now than before, but was still excellent, said Capt. Jim from <b>Fins & Grins Sport Fishing</b>. The bass were spread out more than before, and a few more bluefish than before, not a lot, were mixed in. Trips aboard hooked a few of the blues, and few were heard about that were fought on other boats. Fins will also fish for blackfish, if anglers want, and trips will sail right into the New Year. Fins fishes every day, and reservations aren’t required but suggested. Telephone for availability.

<b>Cape May</b>

Wind blew strongly, from northwest, on Saturday, and many people, including Capt. George from the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>, ran no fishing trips that day, he said. He sailed Sunday, and three stripers bit, and each was landed, on the ocean. They were good-sized, 38 to 40 inches, and were trolled. The trip trolled the whole time, and the fishing was slower than before for him and most boaters that day. But he saw stripers caught on other boats on the outing, and a kid at the dock’s trip totaled seven or eight bagged that day. A fair number of boats fished that day, and northwest wind blew somewhat in the morning, and calmed afterward. Wind blew again in the afternoon. Lots of birds worked the water, and plenty of whales swam, and George is sure stripers are yet to migrate away for the year. Sea bass fishing was good, and trips for them are available, too. George is supposed to fish on a sea bass trip next week. Telephone if interested in either type of trip. He heard about no striper fishing on Delaware Bay, though trips with George scored well on stripers on the bay on bunker chunks the previous weekend, covered in a previous report here. Westerly wind like this weekend’s can rough up the bay. Land can protect the ocean on the striper grounds, close to shore, from westerlies.

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