<b>Keyport</b>

<b>***Update, Wednesday, 10/26:***</b> Striped bass fishing broke open Monday and Tuesday, Capt. Mario from the <b>Down Deep Fleet</b> wrote in an email. As many throwbacks to 20-pound keepers could be landed as anglers wanted. Book now, and trips are filling rapidly. Trips include a special open-boat at 2 p.m. Saturday.

Howling wind canceled striped bass fishing on Raritan Bay Saturday to today on the <b>Vitamin Sea</b>, and might cancel the angling tomorrow, Capt. Frank wrote in an email. “With all the bait in our bay, once the bass arrive in mass, they will stay,” he wrote. The wind might’ve drawn the stripers to the bay already, and Frank will know once trips resume. Charters are fishing, and the next open-boat trips with space are on Thursday and next week on Tuesday. Telephone to reserve.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Fishing sailed today for the first time since a trip Thursday on the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>, Capt. Tom said at 10 a.m. on today’s trip in a phone call. Trips Friday through Sunday were docked in forecasts for wind. Sunday’s trip probably could’ve sailed, but Tom didn’t want to “beat anglers up.” Sea bass season was opened beginning Saturday, and today’s trip picked mixed sizes of sea bass, so far. Porgies were also bagged, and wind still blew, but the trip was out and catching. The trips will now target sea bass and previously targeted porgies. The Atlantic Star is fishing for sea bass, porgies and blackfish 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.

The <b>Fishermen</b> fished today for the first time in three days, a report said on the party boat’s website. Seas were a little cranky in breezy weather against tide, and loads of throwback sea bass with keepers mixed in were pitched aboard today’s trip. Big porgies, blowfish and a couple of blackfish were mixed in. Weather looks breezy tomorrow, but fish are biting, so come on down, the report said. The trips will switch to striped bass fishing soon, and nighttime trips are already fishing for stripers. The Fishermen is bottom-fishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and is fishing for striped bass 6:30 to 11:30 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.

<b>Belmar</b>

Anglers had hoped for better weather on opening day of sea bass season Saturday, Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> wrote in an email. Extreme wind blew, but from west. One of the Belmar party boats that sailed for the fish Saturday and Sunday fished close to shore, where land protected the ocean from some of the wind. The trips landed decent catches, and the catches will probably be much better when the wind calms and trips can sail farther from the coast. The wind also plagued boaters who trolled for striped bass on the ocean, but they boxed some large. Surf fishing for stripers was fair, on clams during daytime and plugs at night. Shark River’s fishing was great for blackfish and winter flounder. Most anglers limited out on the fish who tried for them. The limits are one blackfish and two flounder per day, per angler.  <b>***Update, Tuesday, 10/25:***</b> Wind seemed to keep boaters from fishing the ocean, but stripers seemed there, if anglers could make the trip, Bob wrote in an email. Ron Anderson from Jackson from the boat Rita Too from Belmar Marina weighed-in a 34-pounder today.

On today’s trip, the <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b> fished close to shore, because of wind and seas, an email from the party boat said. The anglers picked a few small blues and a few weakfish, very slow fishing, and forecasts look like conditions will be the same tomorrow. The crew hopes conditions improve Wednesday, and the boat can be headed farther from shore to fish for big blues found previously aboard. The Miss Belmar Princess is fishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.

Fishing picked monster bluefish yesterday on the <b>Golden Eagle</b>, a report said on the party boat’s website. “… very windy and rough conditions out in the ocean,” it said. Bait caught the blues and sometimes sea bass and false albacore. Sometimes weakfish and bonito were jigged on the trip, and lots of dolphins and some whales were seen. Trips are fishing for striped bass and blues 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.

Some anglers bucketed a good mess of sea bass Saturday on the <b>Big Mohawk</b>, and the angling wasn’t as good as the captain expected, and a stiff breeze blew, the party boat’s Facebook page said. That was opening day of sea bass season, and jumbo porgies were mixed in. Sunday’s trip was canceled because of wind, and conditions were much better on today’s trip, and the fishing was good. Many of the anglers managed a good mess of sea bass, and there was lots of action. Triggerfish and porgies were mixed in, and trips are sailing for sea bass 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

Despite the wind, striped bass fishing was decent on the ocean, said Capt. Pete from <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b>. He expects the angling to be especially good as the wind calms. The fish held north and south: they were in. This wasn’t the peak of the migration, but Parker Pete’s began catching the fish to 40 pounds before the blow, mostly on the troll, a few on bunker snagged and then livelined for bait. Trips that sailed for sea bass were forced to fish close to shore on this opening weekend of sea bass season, because of the wind. But they scored well. Don’t have enough anglers for a charter? Contact Parker Pete’s anyway about individual spaces available on charters. Sign up for the email blast on <a href=" http://www.parkerpetefishing.com/" target="_blank">Parker Pete’s website</a> to be kept informed about the spaces.

<b>Brielle</b>

Catches of sea bass included limits throughout the weekend on the <b>Jamaica II</b>, an email from the party boat said. That was opening weekend of sea bass season, and weather “sure was windy,” making porgies “a bit skittish,” it said. But the wind failed to keep sea bass from chomping. Just a few of the anglers with limits of sea bass were Roy Williams from Philly, Dave Nelson from Trenton, Ray Bryant from South Orange, Tucker James from Philly, Tom Paige from Philly and Curtis Watson from Bristol. No customers limited on porgies, “but that should break open this week,” it said. Sea bass fishing should be excellent, too. Wind is calming, and the ocean is already calm, it said. “This is the fishing everybody has been waiting for since last fall. Let’s get ‘em.” Seven-, 10-, 12- and 14-hour trips are sailing. Reservations aren’t required but suggested for groups of four or more. <b>***Update, Tuesday, 10/25:***</b> Sea bass fishing was excellent yesterday aboard, Capt. Ryan wrote in an email. A bunch of anglers limited out, and some porgies and big triggerfish were swung in. Sea bass 4 pounds or heavier won pools lately. Sometimes big triggers won the money. Trips are sailing for jumbo sea bass and giant porgies offshore, including a 14-hour trip at 3 a.m. Saturday and a 12-hour one at 5 a.m. Sunday.

Before the blow, decent catches of 70-pound yellowfin tuna were chunked at the West Wall and the 100 Square at Hudson Canyon, said Eric from <b>The Reel Seat</b>. Three a.m. to sunup sounded best, and swordfishing was good there at night. Closer to shore, tons of blackfish swam relatively shallow water. One is the bag limit, but quite good fishing for them was located in the Shrewsbury Rocks area. Anglers also beat up on sea bass in the area, and wind kept them from fishing farther from shore for them, on this opening weekend of sea bass season. Trolling for striped bass was good on the ocean near shore from Mantoloking to Seaside Park on spoons and Mojos, and green was the hot color this past week. The fish were also trolled farther north, but those were smaller or 20 to 40 inches. Up to 40-pounders were cracked from Mantoloking to Seaside. In the northern waters, the bass were trolled on spoons and Mojos, and also rubber shads. Some were hooked on bunker snagged and then livelined in the northern waters. A handful of false albacore were still around for boaters running and gunning along the beach. Small blues also swam there, so boaters targeting albies dealt with them. In the surf, anglers scored kind of a pick of striped bass, when the bass came in on peanut bunker. Sandy Hook seemed most consistent. The fish were also tackled from Asbury Park to Manasquan and at Barnegat Inlet’s north jetty. Mostly daytime produced, and not much was heard from nighttime. The fish were plugged but also clammed. No bluefish were reported from the surf. Shad were reported fought from the surf at Sandy Hook. Manasquan River at bridges and Point Pleasant Canal held plenty of stripers that bit on the changes of tides during daytime and nighttime. The larger were eeled, but plenty were caught on shads and small plugs. Good blackfishing was claimed at the canal and Manasquan Inlet. Tons of hickory shad filled the inlet.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

Yellowfin tuna 25 to 75 pounds were fought aboard in shots from 6:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. on a 36-hour trip Wednesday to Thursday on the <b>Gambler</b>, the party boat’s Facebook page said. The catch was decent, and a couple of the anglers cranked in 12- and 15-pound tilefish who dropped deep. A couple of blue sharks and a couple of pup swordfish were also released in the dark. Once the sun rose, the bite shut off, so the trip fished lobster-pot buoys, smashing great action with mahi mahi. Some of the mahi weighed 25 pounds, and at the end of the trip, a wreck was drifted in deep water, but only one 10-pound grouper was heaved in. Good trip overall, the page said. <a href="http://www.gamblerfishing.net/offshoretrips.php " target="_blank">Tuna trips</a> are slated through mid-November and are mostly booked. Striped bass trips will fish in November.

Fishing for sea bass Saturday on the <b>Norma-K III</b> picked through small “but you were greeted with a few nice ones!” a report said on the party boat’s website. That was opening day of sea bass season, and a few anglers limited out on them. Porgies and triggerfish were in the mix, and on Sunday’s trip, sea bass fishing was also decent. Again, small were picked through to catch keepers. A few anglers limited out, and a few blackfish, triggers and porgies were also hung on the trip. Back at it today! the report said, and weather looked good for the angling throughout this week. The Norma-K III is fishing for sea bass 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and is bluefishing 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Saturday’s bluefish trip was canceled because of wind, and Friday’s bluefishing apparently was also docked, because nothing was mentioned about the angling in the report.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

Surf anglers picked striped bass last week, and boaters began to troll large stripers on the ocean that week, a report said on the <b>Dock Outfitters</b>’ website. “All good signs of things to come,” it said. “… things are starting to happen,” and boaters were the first to score stripers locally this season, as usual. Surf anglers also banked small blues at moments. Small stripers were also plugged on Barnegat Bay behind Island Beach State Park. The fish were also played at bridges at night. One of the crew from the shop trapped 13 keeper crabs from the dock Friday, a good catch for this late in the year. The Dock Outfitters, located on Barnegat Bay, blocks from the ocean surf, features a bait and tackle shop, a café, a dock for fishing and crabbing and, in season, boat rentals and jet-ski rentals.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Five tuna were nailed quickly when a trip Thursday to Friday arrived at the offshore canyons on the <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b>, the party boat’s website said. Then the anglers picked 30- to 70-pound tuna, mostly yellowfins, throughout the night. They totaled 30 tuna caught, and lost as many. A 250-pound swordfish was subdued after a long battle. Fish stopped biting once the sun rose. That was a trip rescheduled to beat the gale forecast to begin Friday night. Another is slated for this coming Friday to Saturday, and another has been added for next Sunday to Monday. That was the season’s final scheduled aboard at press time, and <a href="http://www.missbarnegatlight.com/TunaFishing.html" target="_blank">click here</a> for reservations and info about the trips. The boat will jig for striped bass in November.

<b>Brigantine</b>

The season’s first striped bass from Brigantine’s surf, a 10-pound 32-incher, was weighed Sunday at <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>, the store’s Facebook page said. “Does this mean that the migration has finally made their way?” the page asked. The angler won the store’s $25 gift card for the first, and a photo of another striper from the town’s surf was posted on the page Friday. That was another angler’s first striper of the season and was plugged off 8th Street. Another customer beached three throwback stripers from the surf on fresh bunker on a trip, keeping a 27-incher with a bonus tag. The angler also reeled in several bluefish and a couple of sharks on the bunker on the outing. A captain looked for stripers Friday on the ocean within a mile straight off Absecon Inlet, “and the fish were in 13-18 feet of water,” a report said from the captain that the store posted on the page. The captain hooked and fought a big one 5 minutes until the fish spit the hook, the trip’s only striper. The ocean was 67 degrees there, and on the way in, the captain saw lots of baitfish jumping for their lives in the back bay’s grassy coves. Some the coves were only 1 to 2 feet deep.  “Was fun to watch,” the captain said.

<b>Longport</b>

Wind weathered out sea bass fishing on the <b>Stray Cat</b> during this opening weekend of sea bass season, Capt. Mike said. Two trips were booked to sail for the fish Saturday and Sunday. Today would also be weathered out in wind, and fishing might’ve been possible close to shore, where land protected the ocean from the westerly. But the trips need to push far from shore off South Jersey to make a catch. Charters are sailing, and open-boat trips for sea bass are full Wednesday and Friday. But space is available on another Sunday.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b> trailered to the boat back to Sea Isle City from Montauk, N.Y., this weekend, he said. Wind weathered out his final traveling charters to Montauk that were supposed to fish this weekend, and he’ll now concentrate on fishing from Sea Isle. Rumors said a few striped bass began to be found migrating the ocean locally. A few large bluefish, too, but Joe will have to fish the waters and see for himself, and wants to do that, as soon as the weather calms. He boated false albacore on the waters this time last year, so he wants to look for them, too. His trips will also fish for sea bass on the ocean, now that sea bass season opened Saturday. The Montauk trips are annual charters that fish the migrations of stripers, blues and albies from late September to late October. His next traveling trips will be annual charters to the Florida Keys in winter, and   see the <a href=" http://www.captainjoehughes.com/page3.html" target="_blank">traveling charters’ page</a> on Jersey Cape’s website. Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s Blog</a>.

<b>Cape May</b>

Sea bass fishing was weathered out Saturday and Sunday on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> on this opening weekend of sea bass season, Capt. George said. Wind blew strongly while he was at the slip Saturday. “Blow you off the dock,” he said, and none of the fleet fished in the wind that day. That included the local party boat that was tied to the dock. Whether the head boat sailed Sunday was unknown. George spoke with someone who was at the marina Sunday who said wind was less strong but still strong. Wind is supposed to blow all week, according to forecasts George saw. The ocean cooled to 67 degrees in the weather. The temp was according to the TV news, and that’s fairly accurate, usually.

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