<b>Port Elizabeth</b>

Customers tried hard to find striped bass but only picked up shorts, and no big ones moved in, said Sharon from <b>The Girls Place Bait & Tackle</b>. Rumors were heard about a 35-pounder caught, probably in the lower bay. Many anglers fished for a variety of species, putting out a couple of rods for stripers while also targeting fish like croakers and weakfish, until fall striper fishing kicked in. Some big croakers swam deep water and off the ocean beaches, and a few weakfish were around, but that action was slowing down. Plenty of blues could be hooked. The shop is fully stocked with fresh bunker and clams for striper bait, but a couple of striper tournaments are coming up this weekend, and demand will be high, so to help guarantee a supply of the bait, call ahead and order. The Girls Place is located on Route 47 just after Route 55 ends, and it’s the long, one-story, yellow building on the right. There’s a large parking lot with plenty of room for trailered boats. 

<b>Fortescue</b>

The <b>Buccaneer</b> left port on a trip to look for striped bass, but only blues were found, and the water was 70 degrees and warm, Capt. Ralph said. He searched all over, including at Bug Light, the Horseshoe and 14-Foot Light. Ralph talked with commercial netters who said they found no linesiders either, and commercial boaters weren’t even finding bunker so far. Anglers are probably in store for a late striped bass season this year, maybe as late as mid November and December. An occasional striped bass was caught, but it was nothing to speak about. When the striper run does start, the Buccaneer will target them full steam ahead.

<b>Bivalve</b>

No striped bass were checked in at <b>Longreach Marina</b>. “Still waiting,” Connie said. But Ross DelRossi Sr. and Jr. got out and bagged 6 croakers and 12 kingfish, and Ed Holtzhauer and Mike Croce picked up a few croakers, 15 kings and a blue. Kevin Bouldin and Joe Dunne boated 2 weakfish, 2 croakers, 20 kings and 2 blues. Customers were catching these fish near the 2 and 3 buoys. Fresh bunker is stocked for striper bait, and Longreach’s Striped Bass Tournament is under way and takes place through November 15. The entry fee is $30 per boat, and the crew from the boat who checks in the heaviest striper wins 80 percent of the fees, and anglers can still enter. The Atco Hookers Striper Tournament is slated for this Saturday at the marina.

<b>Cape May</b>

Striped bass were yet to migrate to the Cape May Rips or the bay, and the bay was 69 degrees over the weekend, said Capt. Bob from the <b>Down Deep</b>. The water needed to cool, but eventually stripers are going to move anyway, because of the shorter days and time of year. So a couple of charters bottom fished along the ocean front and landed plenty of blues, croakers and weakfish. The boat’s tuna charters are finished for the year.

Capt. Mike from <b>Copacetic Sportfishing</b> took a fun trip Sunday and tried for striped bass at the Cape May Rips for four or five hours with his dad, even though Mike knew the water was warm, he said. They swam spots and eels and also threw rubber shads, but no stripers showed up. Some fish were marked, so Mike thought they were probably waiting for the water too cool. The water was 68.5 degrees, and the temp needed to drop a few degrees. The water was very dirty after the blow at the end of the week, and before the blow, the boat sailed on bottom-fishing trips, and tons of croakers were reeled in from 30 to 40 feet off the ocean beaches. Fewer weakfish bit than during previous weeks, and sea bass were also hooked at Cape May Reef and Wildwood Reef, but probably 1 in 10 was a keeper.

<b>Fine Line Fishing Charters</b> attempted to head up Delaware Bay to test the waters for striped bass Saturday, but west/northwest winds were too strong, so Capt. Dave sailed to the ocean beach front instead, he said. A bunch of croakers were boated off the Cape May beaches, even though the fish should be gone by now. The water was 67 degrees and warm.

A charter on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> on Sunday reeled in 15 blues that were 12 inches apiece at the Cape May Rips, and fishing seemed slow for everyone, although the weather was beautiful, Capt. George said. The charter also fished Cape May Reef and landed croakers and small sea bass but no keeper sea bass. There was lots of action all day, but not a lot of keepers. Charters on the boat were supposed to start striped bass fishing this coming weekend at the rips or in Delaware Bay, but no stripers were biting so far. Traditionally charters on the vessel always start striper fishing the last weekend of October.

Not much changed in the past week, and the water was very warm, and striped bass were yet to arrive at the Cape May Rips or in Delaware Bay, said Matt from <b>Jim’s Bait & Tackle</b> in a fax. The best striper fishing was at the bridges and along the inlet jetties at night on plugs or live spot, mullet or eels around the top of the tides. The rips were home to loads of bluefish, and the waters at Hereford Inlet held plenty of big croakers, weakfish from 13 to 19 inches and blues. Schools of false albacore were starting to show up around the buoy off Hereford. Surf fishers were mainly finding bluefish, but some smaller striped bass were appearing, and kingfish bit at Poverty Beach.

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