Note,Monday, 9/28: Strong easterly wind weathered-out most fishing along the coast since Thursday's report.

Welcome to autumn!

No fully new report was posted today, Monday, because of that, but a few updates were posted today to Thursday's report below.

This report is usually updated fully every Monday and Thursday.

Though wind can be tough on fishing this season, autumn’s rough weather will trigger the fall migration that will make fishing the best of the year along the coast before long. 

<b>Keyport</b>

Fishing will probably be weathered out, because of wind, the rest of the week on the <b>Vitamin Sea</b>, Capt. Frank wrote in an email. Saturday is the final day of fluke season, “but that’s how it goes,” he said. Tuesday looks like great weather for fishing, in west wind, after strong northeasterly, and an open-boat trip will fish that day for striped bass and bottom fish. Telephone if interested, and bring a striper bonus tag. <b>***Update, Monday, 9/28:***</b> No trips fished in more than a week aboard, because relentless wind made sailing the ocean impossible, Frank wrote in an email. Tuesday looks like the only fishable day this week, and an open-boat trip will fish that day. “The goal will be to jig under bird life in the morning,” he said. If that ends up no good, the trip will bottom-fish. “If you need a saltwater fix, like I do, Tuesday is your only chance,” he said. After Tuesday, strong easterly wind will resume, and Frank expects that to cancel trips aboard this weekend. No charter boats will probably fish after Tuesday this week, and none might resume fishing until next week. This easterly should blow bait into the bay, the only silver lining, he said. He hopes that will draw striped bass and blues into the bay.  Only a few weekend dates remain for striper and blackfish charters on the Vitamin Sea. Better act now.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

The party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b> fished for fluke Wednesday for the first time since Sunday morning’s trip sailed, because of weather, Capt. Tom said. Wind kept the fleet docked Monday and Tuesday. On Wednesday morning’s trip, seas were somewhat rolly at first, but conditions became better and better throughout the day. The trip found a few fluke, a couple of keepers and some shorts, at Flynn’s Knoll. On the afternoon’s trip, a half-dozen keepers and some shorts were swung in, so far, he said at 3 p.m. on the outing, in a phone call for this report. The ocean held a bit of a roll, but Flynn’s was calm on the trip, and weather was beautiful. “As nice as you want,” he said. The day’s fishing wasn’t great. “Don’t get me wrong,” he said. But fluke bit, despite days of weather previously. Forecasts looked okay for today’s trips to sail, and Tom during the phone call was unsure about forecasts for Friday through Sunday. Through Saturday, the final day of fluke season, the Atlantic Star is fishing for the summer flounder 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 6 p.m. daily. Starting Sunday, trips will fish for porgies and blackfish during the same hours. <b>***Update, Monday, 9/28:***</b> Both the morning and afternoon trips fished for porgies Sunday, Capt. Tom said. The trips fished Raritan Bay, because the ocean was rough. The angling wasn’t great, but both trips landed the fish. Anglers kept busy, and each bagged a few, and the conditions were comfortable on the bay. The angling was best on the morning trip. This morning’s trip stayed docked, and so did the rest of the fleet this morning, because of lack of anglers. Tom would see whether this afternoon’s trip would sail, he said this morning in a phone call, when he gave this report. Tuesday’s weather looks good for fishing, and the rest of the week’s weather doesn’t. If anglers want to fish, Tuesday’s the day, he said.  The Atlantic Star is fishing for porgies and blackfish 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 6 p.m. daily, and clams are supplied for bait.

Boaters picked up fluke down the ocean beaches Wednesday, after wind kept them from fishing on previous days, said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. They’d catch them again today, he guessed, before wind is supposed to blow back up in the next days. A boater from the shop headed to eel for striped bass this morning. Outgoing tide most of the morning was right for the angling, and Jimmy would see how the fishing fared. Boaters landed some stripers at night recently. When trips last sailed, porgies were decked.

Tom the Vet won the season-long fluke pool with a 9.2-pounder on the party boat <b>Fishermen</b>, Capt. Ron wrote in a report on the vessel’s website today. Fluke season will be closed starting Sunday, but weather will keep fluke trips docked aboard through Saturday. Tom caught the fish Saturday, covered in the last report here, and Tom “The Hammer” Krako came in second place with an 8.14-pound fluke. Fluke bigger than these were plowed aboard this season, but the anglers never entered the pool. Today’s trip sailed for fluke, running all over the ocean, and a bite was found at the end of the outing, on the change of tide. Just a handful of keepers were managed. Daytime trips will be tied to the dock about a week. Then daytime trips will fish for striped bass and bluefish daily, and keep an eye on reports on the boat’s website for the start date that will be posted.  Trips are fishing for striped bass 6:30 to 11:30 p.m. every Monday through Saturday aboard.

<b>Highlands</b>

Heading out from <b>Twin Lights Marina</b>, Frank Rella and Ray Pharo on the 2F’s bagged four fluke, including a 7-pounder and a 5-pounder, Saturday on Raritan Bay on bucktails with chartreuse Gulp Minnows, Marion wrote in an email. On the same day, David Schnall on his 28-foot Regulator smashed a 10-1/2-pound fluke on the bay on a bucktail with the same type and color of Gulp. On Friday, Roy Wurst limited out on five fluke to 25 and 26 inches at Ambrose Channel on killies, Gulps and squid. 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. The fuel dock is available 24 hours a day with a credit card. 

<b>Belmar</b>

<b>***Update, Monday, 9/28:***</b> A tuna trip was expected to sail at 5 p.m. Sunday on the <b>Golden Eagle</b>, a report said on the party boat’s website that day. See the <a href=" http://goldeneaglefishing.com/tuna-reservation.html" target="_blank">tuna schedule</a> online. Bluefish trips were weathered out on previous days.

<b>***Update, Monday, 9/28:***</b> No trips fished in the last week on the <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b>, because of weather, an email from the party boat said. A trip will sail for bluefish 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, and that looks like the only day possible to sail this week, because of weather.

<b>***Update, Monday, 9/28:***</b> The strong northeast wind, with no rain, lasted longer than any Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> remembered before, he wrote in an email. It made a sad ending to a mediocre fluke season, he said. Fluke season was closed starting Sunday, and some anglers braved the wind, fishing Shark River. Three anglers fished the river on one of the shop’s rental boats, landing more than 100 fluke, including eight keepers, on fresh spearing. Other anglers had less success, and the wind drifted boats fast, sometimes forcing the anglers to anchor. Drifting is usual when fluking. Bob saw law enforcement nab three anglers who possessed 13 throwback fluke, mostly 13- to 15-inchers. Eighteen inches was the legal minimum size. Good job, Bob said about the law officers. They’re stretched thin, and do necessary work, he said. Surf anglers fished for striped bass with clams with some success. One of the surf casters beached a 32-inch keeper and two throwbacks. The store will be moved to a trailer at the marina within the next couple of months, because a new building will be constructed for 12 to 18 months. “We are doing business as usual – come on down,” he said.  <b>***Update, Tuesday, 9/29:***</b> Bluefishing and bottom-fishing boats sailed today, Bob wrote in an email. That was the first time they fished in a week, and probably the last for a few days, at least. Striped bass were slid from the surf, but not in the numbers before the blow. “What happens next is anyone’s guess,” he said. Shop regulars fished Shark River for spots, porgies, kingfish and whatever bit. Some anglers scored well on blackfish at Shark River Inlet and Point Pleasant Canal in the bag limit: one-blackfish 15 inches or larger. “What can I say?” Bob asked. Fluke and sea bass seasons are closed, one is the blackfish limit, and winter flounder are yet to migrate to the river. Ling and cod might bite, but weather kept boaters from sailing for them. “Keep the faith,” he said. “This weather pattern will pass, and all will be right in the fishing world.” 

<b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b> probably won’t fish again until next week, when things settle, Capt. Pete said. No trips sailed since the wind began. Trips will probably fish for the captain’s choice, like for porgies, a limit of one blackfish per angler, blues, false albacore or whatever bites. The boat had been fishing for fluke, and fluke season will be closed starting Sunday. Striped bass and blackfish trips are being booked that are “right around the corner,” he said. Don’t have enough anglers for a charter? Contact Parker Pete’s anyway about individual spaces available on charters. Jump on <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>Neptune</b>

Fluke season will be closed starting Sunday, but looked like the season was already finished for <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b>, Capt. Ralph wrote in an email. That’s because of wind that prevented trips in past days, and more wind that will probably keep the boat in port until Monday. Wind is supposed to be calmer then. An individual-reservation trip for fluke is already canceled Friday, and Ralph will decide whether charters booked can fish Saturday and Sunday. Fluking was good aboard recently, so the wind was unfortunate. “Better weather is coming!” Ralph said. Individual-reservation trips with space available include those that will fish inshore wrecks October 4, offshore for cod October 20 and for sea bass October 27. Book now, because the spaces are filling. Charters are available daily.

<b>Brielle</b>

<b>***Update, Monday, 9/28:***</b> Fishing was mostly weathered out because of wind in the past week, said Eric from <b>The Reel Seat</b>. But during a window of better weather, a Brielle party boat fished offshore, landing a bunch of yellowfin tuna and longfin tuna, and a bigeye tuna, at Hudson Canyon. Tuna seemed to remain at the Hudson, like before. Striped bass and bluefish swam Manasquan River and Point Pleasant Canal. The bass were eeled in the river at Route 35 Bridge.

<b>***Update, Monday, 9/28:***</b> What a way to end fluke season: blown out! an email from the party boat <b>Jamaica II</b> said. The season was closed starting Sunday. Frank Pogue won September’s monthly pool with a 9.6-pound fluke. He won the money and a year of free fishing aboard. The boat will fish for sea bass when sea bass season is opened starting October 22. Until then, Deep-Water Mudhole Wreck-Fishing Marathons will sail 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. October 2, 4, 9, 11, 16 and 18, and no reservations are required. Trips will sail for tuna, false albacore and bonito 4 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. October 5, 12 and 19, and reservations are required, because the number of passengers is limited. Cod trips will run 2 a.m. to 5 p.m. October 10 and 17, and telephone for reservations for those trips, too.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

<b>***Update, Monday, 9/28:***</b> The boat was tied to the dock in the past week, like most charters, because of wind, Capt. Alan from <b>Mushin Sportfishing</b> wrote in an email. Tuna fishing was solid at the offshore canyons for yellowfins, longfins and bigeyes, before the blow. That’s expected to continue, and space is available on open-boat tuna trips overnight October 3 to 4, 10 to 11, 11 to 12 and 17 to 18. Tuna charters are still being accepted. Sea bass charters will fish when sea bass season is opened starting October 22. Striped bass charters will run in late October through November, and deep-water sea bass and cod charters will sail in early December.

Trips for fluke, on the ocean, were expected to fish today on the <b>Norma-K III</b>, Capt. Matt wrote in a report on the party boat’s website. Wind was supposed to calm for a day. Fluke trips are slated for 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 to 6:30 p.m. through Saturday. Starting Sunday, trips will be scheduled to fish for ling and cod on one ¾-day trip daily from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Bluefish trips are slated for 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. every Friday and Saturday. <b>***Update, Friday, 9/25:***</b> On Thursday aboard, the ocean had cleaned up, but fluking was tough, probably because of a swell, Matt wrote in a report on the boat’s website. The boat’s drift became much faster throughout the morning, making bucktailing difficult. He hopes the cleaner water will draw bigger bluefish in. Today’s fluke and bluefish trips were cancelled, because of forecasts for wind and seas to be become rough again. Matt will watch Saturday’s forecasts, but trips that day looked like they’d be weathered out, too. <b>***Update, Monday, 9/28:***</b> Forecasts looked like wind would calm, and trips would be able to fish aboard today and Tuesday, Matt wrote in a report on the boat’s website.

<b>Toms River</b>

After days of wind, a few anglers beached a few bluefish and striped bass from the surf Wednesday afternoon, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. The surf began to “turn around,” after the wind roughed-up seas, and all the fish were hooked from 4 p.m. to dark. The anglers fished Ava 27 jigs or other metal with some weight, and a few managed to fish mullet, landing some blues. In the Toms River, snapper blues still schooled, but began to depart. The fishing slowed, compared with before. Baby black drum and crabs held in the river. One customer trapped crabs at a lagoon Wednesday. In Barnegat Bay, snappers and blowfish swam along Route 37 Bridge and Good Luck Point. But the fish began to migrate south in the bay. Blowfishing was better at the BB marker in the bay, farther south. A mix of fish bit there including kingfish and small croakers. A couple of anglers took advantage of that angling Wednesday, because conditions prevented other fishing. Virginia Murphy, who works for the store, but is no relation to the store’s name, and kids fished Barnegat Inlet the other day, reeling up blowfish, triggerfish and small blues, another mixed bag. Small striped bass were played behind Island Beach State Park on small swimming plugs and popper lures in evenings, the shop’s Facebook page said. Fresh mullet was stocked Wednesday, and fresh clams will arrive Friday. Murphy’s, located on route 37, also owns <b>Go Fish Bait & Tackle</b> on Fischer Boulevard in Toms River. <b>***Update, Monday, 9/28:***</b> Bluefish 2 to 3 pounds were reeled from the surf Sunday, mostly on metal, but some on mullet, when anglers could hold bottom, Murphy’s Facebook page said.  The metal needed to weigh enough to deal with wind or seas. Wind is somewhat calmer today, so anglers should get out there. The bay’s blowfishing “did not disappoint” on Sunday. Neither did crabbing.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

The surf was big, full of weeds and not fishable in the northeast wind, said Phil from <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>.  Mullet had begun to migrate the water, until the northeast. Customers fished the dock in the weather, but not much bit, except some blowfish. Crabbing was slow, too. 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>***Update, Monday, 9/28:***</b> The easterly made surf fishing challenging, to say the least, a report on the shop’s website said. Plenty of bait still schooled “all that mess, but finding the fish, and being able to get to them, is another matter,” it said. Small to medium blowfish, and snapper blues, were still hooked from the dock. Keeper crabs were still plucked from the dock sometimes, too. Catch the store’s blowout sale on Penn Reels. Time is still left to win the monthly $50 gift certificate to the store that’s awarded to each angler who weighs-in the month’s biggest fish from the surf.

<b>Forked River</b>

Some blowfish still hovered near the 40 can in Barnegat Bay in 4 feet of water, said Kyle from <b>Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle</b>. Nothing was heard about fluke fishing in the wind this week. Fluke previously gathered in the bay near Barnegat Inlet and in the ocean in deep water, farther from shore than boaters wanted to sail. One good report about fluking was heard from Axel Carlson Reef, farther north, last week. Bluefish and striped bass were popper-plugged in the surf, before the weather.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

<b>***Update, Monday, 9/28:***</b> Saturday was the final day of fluke season, the party boat <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b>’s Facebook page said. The boat had been fishing for fluke on the ocean daily, but that day’s trip fished from Barnegat Inlet to Barnegat Bay for 2- to 4-pound blues, small, out-of-season sea bass released and a few throwback fluke. That was apparently because of weather, and the boat will next fish for tuna in October, and some spaces remain. See the <a href="http://www.missbarnegatlight.com/TunaFishing.html" target="_blank">tuna schedule</a> online. Trips will fish for blues and striped bass beginning in November.

Barnegat Bay anglers still boated fluke, said Vince Sr. from <b>Bobbie’s Boat Rentals</b>. Though more of the flatfish might’ve gathered in Barnegat Inlet before, the inlet was too rough to fish in the week’s wind. Blackfishing’s been good along the inlet’s rocks. Weakfishing was productive, on grass shrimp, mostly at Meyer’s Hole. Blowfish, mostly small, swam the bay. A couple of anglers caught ling in the bay, though that was unusual. Nobody was seen crabbing in a week, because of weather. Crabbing had been the best in a long time, not great, but okay, and began late, in August. Clamming’s always good in the bay. Bobbie’s features a complete bait and tackle shop, a fuel dock and 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. Baits stocked currently include minnows and green crabs. Live grass shrimp are available, and should be ordered ahead.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

The weekend will be a blowout, because of wind and seas, said Brian from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Summer flounder season is essentially ended, because of the weather, though the season closes starting Sunday. The crew was storing away flounder tackle and replacing it with striped bass tackle, for the impending striper migration. A few stripers and blues began to be reported caught toward Barnegat, farther north, so anglers hope stripers begin to bite locally within two weeks. Mullica River’s striper fishing began to come to life, for experienced anglers.  White perch fishing was good in the river. Blackfish chomped along the sod banks toward Little Egg Inlet. A variety of fish, plenty, including baby black drum, blues, croakers and kingfish, roamed the bay. They appeared randomly, at no definite place, but were there. A bazillion baby sea bass schooled the bay. Stop at the shop to see the owner from S&S Bucktails from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, October 3, for discounts, education, giveaways and more. S&S designed a custom jig for the shop, named the Raging Rattler, with hackle along the tail for action and easier casting than a jig with artificial or natural bait on the tail. Check it out at the event. <b>***Update, Monday, 9/28:***</b> Some anglers fished creeks, escaping the wind, a report on the shop’s website said. The anglers hooked fish like white perch, blowfish, baby black drum, small weakfish and small striped bass, mostly on bloodworms and clams on perch rigs the store sells. A similar variety of fish bit in Mullica River at certain places, like at Roundabout Creek, Nacote Creek, Bass River, the Fingers, Deep Point and near the Parkway Bridge. In evenings, the river’s striper fishing turned on a little in deeper holes near the Parkway Bridge or even farther upstream. Eels that are stocked could be fished for them, or S&S umbrella rigs could be trolled for them that the store carries. Blackfish could be found along Seven Bridges Road and in Little Sheepshead Creek, and slack tides fished best for them. Crabbing began to slow down, but the blueclaws will probably be able to be trapped another two or three weeks. Once nighttime temperatures dip into the 50 degrees consistently, “then the crabs will start to go away,” the report said.

<b>Brigantine</b>

Bob Faillace smoked a 28-1/2-inch striped bass from the south jetty pocket on a plug Tuesday, said Capt. Andy from <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>. He checked-in the fish, returned to the pocket, and plugged another striper a half-hour later that he released. On the same day, Linda Davoli tackled a 9-pound bluefish from the surf, taking the lead in Riptide’s Summer Tournament that ends Saturday. Surf fishing was tough, because of the wind. But the northeast wind shoved in some big fish. Linda also held the lead in the tournament’s flounder division with a 3-pounder. Mike Amici was in the lead in the kingfish category with a 12.6-ouncer. The kingfish category offered the biggest prize, more than $300, because anglers can enter one, two or all three categories, and all the entry fees are awarded per category, and the kingfish category was most popular. Kings were most abundant or easiest to catch. The Fall Riptide Striper Derby is under way, and includes a new category for bluefish, awarding cash for the three heaviest. The contest is for stripers and blues caught from Brigantine’s surf. Entry includes a permit that allows beach buggies to drive the entire Brigantine front beach, when accompanied by a Brigantine beach-buggy permit. Without the tournament’s permit, not all the beach can be driven. The Brigantine <a href=" https://www.facebook.com/events/101452876877022/" target="_blank">Elks Fall Fishing Classic</a> will take place November 13 to 15. Click the link for more info.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

Bluefish, probably 2 feet, a big school, stormed into Absecon Inlet this afternoon, said Noel from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. Lots of mullet ran the water, and customers nailed the blues on every cast on diamond jigs or cut bait from the T-jetty to the Melrose Avenue jetty. Customers fish the jetty-lined inlet and nearby surf on foot, and this week caught fish there including blues, a few striped bass and summer flounder, lots of blowfish, a few croakers – lots of panfish, he said – and blackfish. Blackfishing began to come on heavily. All the fish were sacked along the inlet at the T and the jetties off the Flagship and Melrose Avenue. For the stripers, the anglers fished mullet, and lots of mullet schooled the surf. For the other fish, they dunked bloodworms, minnows and mullet. For the blackfish, they soaked green crabs. The surf was rough, because of the northeast wind. But the wind’s been “pushing everything in,” he said. All the baits mentioned and more, a large supply, are stocked. Bloodworms are two dozen for $20 on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Minnows are only $8 a pint or $15 a quart. Catch the special on bucktails at $1.79 for 1/8 ounce, $1.85 for ¼ ounce, $1.89 for 3/8 ounce, $2 for either ½ or 5/8 ounce, $2.20 for 1 ounce, $2.29 for 1 ½ ounce, $2.99 for 2 ounce and $3.49 for 3 ounce. The bucktails come in white, pink-and-white, yellow-and-white, chartreuse-and-white and red-and-white. 

<b>Margate</b>

Summer flounder fishing will sail the back bay Saturday morning on the party boat <b>Keeper</b>, and that will be the final trip of the year, Capt. John said. Flounder season will be closed starting Sunday, and the boat fishes exclusively for flounder on the back bay, throughout flounder season. A trip sailed for flounder on the bay aboard last Saturday morning, and the angling wasn’t good, or the 11 anglers totaled 30-some throwbacks and a keeper. But the trip was fun, and flounder still swam the bay. The trip got on them in the final 2 hours. Many boats will probably be weathered out Saturday, because of wind. But the Keeper can be more likely to sail, because of the protected bay. After Saturday, the Keeper will resume fishing, for flounder, when flounder season is opened in spring, like every year. John thanks everyone who fished aboard for a great season. He spends winters commercial fishing in the Florida Keys, and sometimes posts photos from the angling on the <a href=" https://www.facebook.com/KeeperFishing" target="_blank">Keeper’s Facebook page</a>. Like the page to follow the photos and also the boat’s flounder fishing during flounder season.

<b>Longport</b>

A charter is booked to fish Saturday on the <b>Stray Cat</b>, and trips were blown out the rest of the week, Capt. Mike said. He’ll be away next week, and the boat will fish next the following week on Tuesday, October 6. The next open-boat trip will fish Thursday, October 8. Open trips then will fish for whatever bites, including weakfish, croakers, porgies and blackfish from off the ocean beaches to the ocean reefs. The year’s final trip from Longport will be on December 5. Mike will sail the boat to the Florida Keys afterward to fish in winter for a variety of catches. “Fun fishing,” he said.

<b>Ocean City</b>

Before the weather, the surf was alive with northern and southern kingfish, pompano and silver perch, said John from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. The water practically couldn’t be fished this week, because of strong, northeast wind. Some anglers said they couldn’t hold bottom with 8 ounces. The back bay held seas 1 to 3 feet. A few out-of-season sea bass sometimes bit along the Causeway Bridge. Not many striped bass were heard about. One or two anglers scored schoolie stripers along the sod banks on maybe one of three nights of fishing. 

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Fishing was docked aboard in past days, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b>, affiliated with <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. But the back bay harbored striped bass, and high tides this week coincided with dusk, ideal conditions to hit them with popper-plugs and -flies. That’s a specialty on the boat, and the conditions happen every two weeks. The ocean couldn’t be fished in the week’s weather and seas, but small bluefish are schooling there. Joe kicked off annual traveling trips to Montauk, N.Y., last weekend that fish the fall migration. The trips mugged a few false albacore and non-stop, huge bluefish and sea bass, covered in the last report here. Joe had been planning to return this weekend, but might not, and weather might be rough. How Montauk’s fishing went this week couldn’t be known, because weather was tough there, too.   Visit <a href=" http://www.captainjoehughes.com/page3.html" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s traveling charters Web page</a>. Annual traveling charters also fish the Florida Keys each Christmas to Easter. Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s Blog</a>.

Customers who wanted to fish were sent mostly to Corson’s Inlet for all kinds of fish including porgies, croakers and sea bass that bit bloodworms and Fishbites artificial worms, said Mike from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. That was because the inlet was fishable in the wind. Mike tried surf fishing along jetties the other day, and white water was everywhere, and wind blew. But if anglers really tried, they could probably find a striped bass in the surf, because conditions, northeast wind and migrating mullet, were right. Anglers who fished for stripers along bridges at night said the number of catches jumped way up recently. Maybe that was because mullet schooled, or the water cooled, but the reason couldn’t be known. They saw the stripers previously, but now the fish were actually caught. Nobody reported fishing for stripers with popper plugs in the back bay this week, and Mike couldn’t know whether that was because of weather or another reason. But high tides at dusk were ideal for the angling this week, coming around every two weeks. Crabs were trapped, despite the weather. Some customers plucked pretty good catches of the blueclaws.

<b>Cape May</b>

Summer flounder fishing was weathered out in past days on the party boat <b>Porgy IV</b>, Capt. Paul said. He didn’t expect to sail today and Friday, because of weather. Wind howled through Tuesday, preventing fishing on the ocean, where the boat’s been sailing. Wind might’ve calmed Wednesday and today, but the previous wind probably affected the fishing. Forecasts currently predict wind Saturday, though better weather was forecast previously. Maybe the forecast will change, and Saturday’s trip probably won’t sail, but Paul will decide. That’s the final day of flounder season, and afterward, the boat will probably be docked, until fishing for sea bass, when sea bass season is opened starting October 22. If trips get the weather to sail, the Porgy IV is fishing for summer flounder at 8 a.m. daily through Saturday.

Was lots of wind, but surf anglers seemed to beach 1- to 3-pound bluefish previously, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. They fished with mullet or, when birds worked the water, lures. A few striped bass began to be landed from the surf, though fishing was slow in the wind. Outgoing tides seemed to produce the bass best, because baitfish began to pile into the surf, leaving bays. Surf casters waited for the wind to pass, and water to cool, expecting a few more stripers to bite then. Lots of bait still schooled the back bay, so stripers were hooked along bridges at night or were popper-plugged along sod banks in mornings, when wind wasn’t too strong. Ocean summer flounder fishing had been picking up pretty well at reefs before the wind. A few customers boated six to eight keepers per trip. One heaved in an 11-pounder at Cape May Reef. Fresh mullet is stocked when available. Fresh, frozen bunker was put up, so that was available.

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