<b>Keyport</b>

Fishing was docked in rough weather this week, said Capt. Mario from the <b>Down Deep Fleet</b>. Trips will resume Friday, and the Down Deep Bull, one of the company’s two boats, both 40 feet, is fishing for striped bass. The Down Deep, the other vessel, is running for blackfish. Open-boat trips are fishing daily, and charters are available. 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>

Blackfish bit all week, said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Tuesday was the only day weather kept boats from the fishing. The angling was great, and so was striped bass fishing for boaters jigging rubber shads and trolling along the ocean beach. Boaters were back out for the fish this morning, he said at 6:50 a.m. in a phone call for this report, though wind was going to blow today. Stripers hit the surf, too, and they’d be there this morning in the west wind, he thought. The weekend looks good for fishing. Lots of fish around, he said. All baits are stocked.

The party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b> blackfished today, Capt. Tom said at 10 a.m. aboard the outing in a phone call. That was the first of the daily trips to sail since Sunday’s fished, because of weather. Weather on today’s trip was windy, so far, but completely fishable, and the anglers tugged in a couple of keepers and picked away at throwbacks, so far. Anglers who knew how to hook the tautog caught. Friday’s trip will fish, and wind was supposed to build this afternoon and then calm. The Atlantic Star is blackfishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. <b>***Update, Friday, 12/4:***</b> Blackfishing was better on today’s trip, not great, but better, and Tom hopes it holds up, he said. Weather was better, and one angler landed more than limit, keeping no more than his quota. “He can catch them,” Tom said, and some anglers bagged two or three, and some landed only throwbacks. A cod was also drilled. Weather is supposed to be good through Monday, at least, and Tom expects to take advantage.

None of the striped bass trips fished Tuesday and Wednesday on the party boat <b>Fishermen</b>, Capt. Ron wrote in a report on the party boat’s website. He expected to shape up today, but no report was posted through this evening about today. Rubber shads hooked stripers best the past two weeks aboard. Ava 47 jigs without tails clocked the fish best in strong current or when deeper water was fished. The boat will fish for stripers as long as the fish stick around.  The Fishermen is sailing for striped bass 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.

<b>Neptune</b>

Weather looks great for an individual-reservation trip for striped bass Friday, Capt. Ralph from <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b> wrote in an email. Light wind is forecast for Saturday and Sunday, too, and skies will be sunny every day. Saturday is chartered, and an individual-reservation trip will blackfish Sunday. Individual-reservation trips will also blackfish December 13, 19, 20, 24, 26, 27 and 31 and January 1 through 3. Charters are available daily.

<b>Belmar</b>

The weather kept fishing from sailing the past two days on the party boat <b>Big Mohawk</b>, but blackfishing’s been good aboard, Capt. Chris said. Patrons on each trip included those who limited out, an 11-pound blackfish won the pool Monday. Many of the tautog on the outings were hung on white leggers. Green crabs are provided, and white leggers are available for sale aboard. The Big Mohawk is blackfishing 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. However, Saturday’s trip will depart at 6 a.m., and Tuesday’s will be a special trip where reservations are required and the number of anglers is limited.

Striped bass were still around in the ocean, and the <b>Golden Eagle</b> was expected to sail for them today, a report said on the party boat’s website. No reports were posted about trips during weekdays this week, maybe because the outings were weathered out. The boat fished throughout the weekend, covered in the last report here. The Golden Eagle is fishing for striped bass 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. An offshore trip for sea bass, porgies and cod has been rescheduled for 8 p.m. Sunday.

<b>***Update, Friday, 12/4:***</b> Excellent striped bass fishing today aboard, an email from the party boat <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b> said. The fish swam numerous areas, and boats were spread out, fishing for them. “So there are plenty to be caught,” it said. Stripers rolled on top, and fish were marked from top to bottom sometimes. Plenty of birds worked the water, and big bluefish were mixed with the boat’s catches. The Miss Belmar Princess is fishing for stripers and blues 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.

Enough is enough, Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> wrote about the week’s weather in an email. Most boats were docked in the wind and storm, but Nick Alfonse and Bob Vallone boated Wednesday, limiting out on blackfish, including three heavier than 9 pounds. A 10-pound 8-ouncer was heaviest, and the anglers had departed with a bushel of white leggers for bait. “Lesson learned – you snooze, you lose,” Bob said. Blackfishing was great before the blow, and should be afterward. In the surf, striped bass swam, foraging mostly on peanut bunker. The bait in the water could change. Sand eels are bait that can remain all winter. “This is why surf fishermen prefer sand eels,” Bob said. He fished the surf Wednesday morning, and seas pounded, but the water was clean, and the conditions were fishable. He banked one schoolie striper on metal. “(Today) should be better with the NW wind,” he wrote. Shark River’s winter flounder fishing was good, and some of the fish bagged this week weighed 3 pounds. Clams were the best bait available for the flatfish. Sandworms and bloodworms are scarce this time of year. “See you on the beach,” Bob said.

<b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b> will resume fishing Friday, Capt. Pete said. Fishing for striped bass and blackfish has been phenomenal, so take advantage of the good December weather. Plenty of dates are available for trips. 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>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

The party boat <b>Dauntless</b> did no fishing the past two days, because of weather, but angling was pretty decent aboard otherwise, Capt. Butch said. “Were pretty happy with it,” he said, and porgies, sea bass, blackfish and a few cod were pitched aboard. The anglers averaged 10 to 30 fish apiece, and the porgies were all big jumbos. Not a lot of sea bass were hooked, but the ones that were, were usually keepers. A few more blackfish began to be landed than before, in the deeper water the trips fished. A dozen to two dozen cod were angled per trip. Trips fished in 100 to 120 feet, and the ocean was 56 to 58 degrees there. The Dauntless is bottom-fishing 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily.

Weather kept the <b>Norma-K III</b> in port the past two days, Capt. Matt wrote in a report on the party boat’s website. He expected the blackfishing trips to resume today, and strong wind was forecast, but from northwest, so seas should be fine, where the boat is fishing. Land protects the ocean from sea-building wind, when wind is from west. Weather looks great for the next days, and 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.

<b>Toms River</b>

Surf fishing for striped bass was actually pretty good, on bait and plugs, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b> in Toms River. Fewer anglers than before fished the beach the past few days, but weather or conditions for the angling weren’t bad. A few bluefish, not a lot, were mixed in for surf anglers. Peanut bunker showed up somewhere in the surf every day since Monday, like at Island Beach State Park, Seaside Park and Ortley Beach. When boaters had the weather to sail, fishing for stripers was good on the ocean for them, including off Ortley, Seaside and Beach Haven. The fish were trolled, jigged or hooked on bunker snagged and then livelined for bait. A couple of anglers tried for winter flounder on the Toms River at Island Heights, and one of the flatfish caught, on a nightcrawler, was heard about Monday or Tuesday. Fresh clams are stocked that could be dunked for the flounder, and no bloodworms or sandworms are carried this time of year. Freshwater worms like the nights are. Baits stocked also include fresh bunker, and the bunker was a couple of days old, but bunker might be re-stocked Friday.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

A couple of striped bass blitzes erupted in the surf this week, said George from <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>. On Monday, peanut bunker rushed the surf, and a striper blitz lasted 1 ½ hours there, at Island Beach State Park. On Wednesday, around the same spot, at Island Beach and Seaside Park, a blitz took off a half hour. Stripers to 38 inches were beached then. No huge stripers were weighed from the surf, and the fish were up to 34 inches. Surf fishing for stripers slowed a little, compared with before. Still, stripers will probably be caught from the shore a while yet this month, George feels. Lately, mostly bunker chunks and clams hooked the fish, and the bass weren’t often plugged, except during the blitzes. Friends landed four bluefish in the surf while bunker-chunking for stripers three nights ago. Striper fishing remained good on boats on the ocean recently, like off Long Beach Island. Stripers were boated off Ortley Beach on Friday or Saturday. Lots of good weather is coming up, a big plus, he said. Fresh clams, fresh bunker, eels and green crabs are stocked. 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>

When ocean striped bass fishing was last reported, the fish were boated south of Barnegat Inlet, off Long Beach Island,  said Kyle from <b>Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle</b>. Nothing was reported about the angling in the week’s weather.  Stripers reeled from Barnegat Bay were heard about a little, when boaters last sailed, though most boaters fished for the ocean stripers. One trip reported eeling four stripers form the bay last week. Eels and green crabs are stocked. Killies are carried for freshwater.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

<b>Bobbie’s Boat Rentals</b> was closed because of weather since the shop was open Saturday, and it’ll be closed for the season beginning this Saturday, Vince said. It’ll be reopened starting April 1. The shop’s green crabs will be available free on Friday. 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.

<b>Barnegat</b>

From an edited email from Capt. Dave DeGennaro from the <b>Hi Flier</b>: “We fished Thanksgiving Day through Sunday, and caught bass every day. We made the right turn each day, and found life from Harvey Cedars to Ship Bottom. Readings, bunker and bass! Trolling bunker spoons and Mojos were top producers. On most days, we’re still snagging bunker and connecting. Whether trolling or fishing bait, we’re still into 15- to 25-pound fish, and on Thursday morning, we even had a solid 30-plus-pounder on a green Maja spoon. This was one of three nice fish that made it in the boat for the anglers, who sailed with me on a ‘make good’ trip from the week before. I wrote about them in my last report. After a pic, the angler released the fish. We had good striper fishing Thursday through Sunday. Anywhere from 15 feet of water to 45 feet. The water temp was hanging-in at 51 degrees. They're still catching fish from Long Island and New England. This is going to keep going. I'm planning on Christmas stripers at least. The first of our migration size fish, 8- to 12-pounders, are just starting to show up in numbers to the north of us. These will be our casting and jigging fish on the light tackle. The front-running 15- to 30-pound fish are a bonus, and they don't seem to be leaving anytime soon. This is the third fall in a row we’ve had this bunker and big-fish run. Let's hope it's a trend. The hard west wind was starting to kick in last night and today. Friday will be a light NW wind and air temps in the 30- to 50-degree range. Looks like a great day to run an open-boat. 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Three people max. All fish are shared. Saturday is calling for a 10- to 15-knot, north wind, but keep an eye on it. That velocity is not bad, and I think it's going to be fishable. If it looks good, we'll sail Saturday open-boat, too. On Sunday, I’m hosting a fishing flea market at Park Avenue Elementary School at 280 Park Avenue, Freehold, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. See <a href="http://www.hiflier.com" target="_blank">HiFlier.com</a> for more info. On Monday, I have a gentleman who chartered the boat for himself, but is open to sharing the boat with one other angler, if anyone wants to split the $500 charter rate with him. Beyond that, we’re sailing every day the weather allows, seven days a week.” <b>***Update, Friday, 12/4:***</b> From an email from Dave: “The ocean was alive with migration stripers today. Twenty-four to 30-inch fish under birds. The finest kind of fishing: casting lures on light spinning tackle. I have two guys signed on for Saturday’s open-boat, and room for one more. Beautiful forecast: light winds, calm seas and warm air.”

<b>Mystic Island</b>

Customers from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b> were into phenomenal striped bass fishing on the ocean this weekend, Brian said. So many of the fish were weighed in, and the bass were found from off the red tower on Long Beach Island to Brigantine. But stripers were reported boated from the ocean off Raritan Bay to Ocean City, from north to south off the state. During the weekend for customers, trolling a Mojo or rattling Mojo with a bunker spoon could hardly miss. Lots of bunker schooled, and the bass were also hooked on bunker snagged and then livelined for bait. Stripers will probably be around through late December. Chris from the shop blackfished on Thanksgiving on a trip that scored nine keepers among 100 of the tautog hooked. He fished an S&S Magic Meez Jig, saying it snagged on the ocean wreck far less than rigs did. Fresh, shucked clams are stocked, and fresh bunker will be stocked for the weekend. Green crabs and eels are on hand.

<b>Absecon</b>

Striped bass fishing’s been good on the ocean, and weather looks like it’s coming together for the weekend, said Capt. Dave from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. And he expects some of the best-ever fishing for them off South Jersey. The fish have been staying inshore of 3 miles, and an amazing number of bunker have been schooling for the bass to forage on. The fishing was pretty steady from Little Egg Inlet to Corson’s Inlet, and has been good somewhere every day in that stretch since Thanksgiving at least. Weather in past days kept Dave’s charters from fishing the ocean, and he fished the bay instead. The trips still picked at stripers, didn’t crush them, in the bay. Saturday and Monday are available for charters, and the next four days might be the best ocean striper fishing, period, he said. He’s got plenty of dates available, and will keep sailing, as long as the weather allows, and the fish remain. Stripers in the ocean were mostly trolled, and Mojos began to be especially popular for that. But the fish, especially the big stripers, were also wire-line trolled on Tony Maja bunker spoons. A few more blackfish caught were seen than before, and plenty of green crabs are stocked for bait for them. Fresh clams are on hand, and Dave hopes to stock fresh bunker. An amazing pile of Mojos is carried. All trolling gear is in supply. Some of the Majas had run out, but replacements just arrived.  

<b>Brigantine</b>

A 50-pound 49-inch striped bass was weighed from a charter boat at <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>, Capt. Andy said. Twenty stripers, all big, were trolled from the ocean on Mojos on the trip, and all were released, except the 50-pounder.  Forty were landed on the next trip, yesterday, and the outing fished from Great Egg Harbor Inlet to Brigantine on the ocean. Boating for stripers was good on the ocean, usually for stripers to 28 or 32 pounds. Not many stripers were angled from the surf, but some were. Probably eight to 10 were known about that came from the surf during the weekend. Surf anglers were elbow to elbow that Friday, Black Friday. Stripers from the surf recently included Victor Richardson’s 17-pounder and David Reabe’s 33-inch 14-pounder. Three other surf anglers totaled three stripers to 37 inches on a trip. Fresh bunker will be stocked Friday. Whether fresh clams would be available was unknown. Eels are on hand, and another load of Mojos will be stocked today or Friday. The shop is Mojo central, Andy said in past reports. Gift certificates are available, and any over $50 get a 10-percent discount.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

Customers snatched up blackfish and ling, especially blackfish, said Noel from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. More blackfish were around than any other catches, and were good-sized. Crabs and clams nabbed them, and the ling bit cut bait like mackerel, mullet and bunker. The anglers fished on foot at the T-jetty and along jetty-lined Absecon Inlet, including off the Flagship and Melrose Avenue. The T is at the ocean end of the inlet. All the baits mentioned and more, a large supply, are stocked. 

<b>Longport</b>

No fishing sailed on the <b>Stray Cat</b> in the weather in past days, and Capt. Mike expected a trip to fish today, he said. Trips aboard most recently hooked striped bass from the ocean, and previously cranked in blackfish, covered in previous reports here. The vessel’s fishing for either, and space is available on open-boat trips Friday and Sunday. Saturday is sold out.

<b>Ocean City</b>

Good catches of striped bass were trolled on the ocean, said Justin from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. An unreal amount of bait schooled the ocean off Ocean City yesterday, and whales swam the water. The shop’s owner saw them on a trip that fished for stripers 5 hours, without a touch. He saw a few stripers picked in the area, but the best striper fishing was off Sea Isle City that day, he wrote on the shop’s Facebook page.  Watch a video of a whale beating it’s tail on bunker to forage on the baitfish near the bell buoy from Bill’s trip. Nothing was heard about surf fishing. Whether that was because of a lack of participation or no fish was unknown. Just nothing was heard. Lots of small stripers 15 to 22 or 24 inches bit in the back bay, mostly along bridges, like the 9th Street Bridge, and at Corson’s Inlet. Soft-plastic lures in pink or white hooked them, and a couple of the bass 28 ½ inches, just over keeper-sized, were caught on bait, bunker or clams, in these places. Not much was heard about blackfishing. Blackfish landed behind Longport last week were the only news. That seemed the only place that gave them up, for some reason, and other spots like the 9th Street Bridge and the Ocean City pier seemed to serve up none. 

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

From <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>, Mike sailed for striped bass on the ocean 3 hours yesterday on a trip that landed 15, he said. The fishing was good, and the anglers experimented with different tackle, catching on trolled bunker spoons, Mojos, Stretch plugs and umbrella rigs, and on jigs. Lots of bait was seen, including bunker and blueback herring. Sand eels that hold along bottom were also around lately. Fishing was all about boating for stripers on the ocean now. Nothing was heard about blackfishing, because although the weather was conducive to stripers biting, it wasn’t so much for blackfishing. Plus, most boaters chased the stripers, while the bass were in. Live spots were just stocked that are exceptionally scarce this time of year. A few stripers were picked on the back bay on the livelined spots. Not crazy fishing, but catching. Surf fishing was a slow pick for stripers, beaching one here and there, nothing super exciting. In addition to the spots, baits stocked include eels, fresh clams, fresh bunker and green crabs.

Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b>, affiliated with <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>, last fished during the weekend, for striped bass on the ocean, he said. The fishing remained good this week, and Mike from the store boated for the bass Wednesday, and the trip scored well. Seas were a little bumpy, but a bunch of stripers were boated up and down the beach that day.  Trips with Joe during the weekend included one that landed more than 30 of the bass and another that reeled in 18, covered in the last report here. A trip last Thursday, on Thanksgiving morning, only decked one aboard, but a 15-pounder, and the fishing improved as the weekend went on.  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>Cape May</b>

No trips fished since last weekend on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>, and weather was lousy since, Capt. George said. But his trips tied into striped bass on the ocean last weekend, especially on Sunday, when the fish blitzed off Sea Isle City, and some boaters ran back out for the fish Wednesday. They nailed the fish a mile off Hereford Inlet. A friend was in on the bite, saying all the stripers bit that anglers could want. Today was supposed to blow, and the Heavy Hitter will fish again this weekend. Trips are running for stripers, blackfish and sea bass. A sea bass trip also fished aboard last weekend, catching well, and the boat’s trips last weekend were covered in the last report here.

Blackfishing on daily trips last sailed Friday to Sunday on the party boat <b>Porgy IV</b>, Capt. Paul said.  Weather kept trips in port since, and some days fished better than others, but some of the tautog were around. The trips were a chance to bag some dinner. Friday’s trip fished in a big swell and strong current, and blackfish didn’t bite that well, though some anglers caught. The slower bite was too bad, because a good-sized crowd jumped aboard for that Black Friday. Saturday’s trip was better, and a few anglers limited out, and the fish were hooked around the boat, among a healthy-sized crowd. Sunday’s trip fished in rough weather and rain, and a few anglers limited. Dan Stinsman from Atco fished on Saturday’s and Sunday’s trips, limiting out on both. Not all anglers limited on trips, and some bagged a few, and some were skunked. No especially large blackfish bit yet, and a 7-pounder was taken on these trips. Some bigger usually show up somewhat later in the fishing season. The Porgy IV is blackfishing at 8 a.m. daily.

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