<b>Port Elizabeth</b>

Resident striped bass to 20 pounds could be reeled in, and the cooler weather should jump start the migration of larger stripers soon, said Sharon from <b>The Girls Place Bait & Tackle</b>. She talked with someone who said big fish were now running off Long Island. So that was a good sign. The week was mostly slow because of the storm, but Sharon did hear about a few catches, including one angler who landed four stripers from the Port Norris area, and a Port Norris charter boat that supposedly landed some. She thought maybe 30 stripers were weighed in during Utsch’s Marina’s striper tournament during the storm over the weekend. Most of the stripers lately seemed to come from the southern bay toward 60-Foot Slough and Brandywine.  A few weakfish still swam the bay, and triggerfish and such bottom fish were biting along the jetties around Avalon. Fresh bunker is being stocked daily for striper bait, and lots of anglers are now buying the menhaden, so it’s best to order ahead, especially because this weekend will probably be hectic. Live eels are also stocked, and so are bloodworms, and minnows and lots of other baits are on hand. 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>Newport</b>

UPDATE: Mike from Sundog Marina was asked to send news if any stripers started biting after this report was posted. On the next day he e-mailed this news: “Just wanted to drop you a note that we had a boat run yesterday out to buoy 34 and had two nice keeper stripers. We will be getting fresh bunker on Thursday and should have a nice supply for the rest of the season as long as the boats can get out. We still have all the frozen baits as well as bloodworms. We are open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. I have a couple of boats out today and will keep you posted.”

Here’s the previous report from Sundog:

The storm last week and cooler temps should get striped bass fishing going quickly, and big stripers were few and far between so far, said Mike and Mickie from <b>Sundog Marina</b> in an e-mail. But there was lots of action with other fish, including big croakers and blues that swam all over the bay. Small stripers, baby sea bass and puppy drum were also hooked, and Nantuxent Creek was giving up perch that were bigger than before. Duck hunters who launched from the marina were also coming back with limits. Boaters fished through Monday last week before the storm and found snapper blues, small sea bass, puppy drum and small stripers, and shedder crabs and vacuum packed bunker were the popular baits. Despite continued rough weather on Saturday Lewis Patrick and crew fished at the 32 buoy and reeled up small stripers, and anglers on two of the marina’s rental boats that day reported good catches of perch. Slips are available for striper season starting at $50, and the docks should be kept in the water till December 15, unless the water freezes, but that seemed unlikely. Launch passes for the entire duck season are available for only $50. Space is available for both indoor and outdoor boat storage for winter, and winterization including maintenance, power washing and shrink wrapping are available at great prices. Fresh bunker is now stocked for striped bass bait, and call ahead to reserve.

<b>Fortescue</b>

Only blues were biting, although a few short striped bass could be caught, said Capt. John from the <b>Karen Jean</b>. But he was gearing up for the striper migration, and charters were supposed to start sailing for the linesiders on a steady schedule beginning the end of this week.

None of the fleet fished since the storm, said Capt. Ralph from the <b>Buccaneer</b>. But no migrating stripers arrived yet, and reports might be heard about the fish being hooked in the northern bay like around Ship John, but those are resident fish that can be found all year. Charters on the boat are booked to striper fish next week, and stripers will certainly be the target the rest of the season.

<b>Bivalve</b>

The weather kept customers from fishing, but Pat at <b>Longreach Marina</b> hoped the water temperature dropped so striped bass would come in, she said. The ocean was apparently still 64 degrees. Some reports were heard about stripers supposedly starting to be hooked farther north around Barnegat Bay and Great Bay. The Atco Hookers Striper Tournament was supposed to take place last Saturday but was postponed to this coming Saturday at the marina. Longreach’s Striped Bass Tournament is under way and takes place through November 15, and no fish were weighed in so far for the event. 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. Fresh bunker is stocked for striper bait.

<b>Cape May</b>

The <b>Heavy Hitter</b>’s first striped bass charters of the season had to be cancelled this weekend because of the weather, Capt. George said. The boat’s charters traditionally begin striper fishing this past weekend. But George heard about nobody sailing except anglers who were entered in Utsch’s Marina’s Striper Tournament. He heard that they got beat up in the seas from Thursday through Saturday, and many even declined to fish by the time Saturday rolled around. He also heard an unconfirmed report that only about a dozen stripers were entered in the event, and the fish had to measure at least 34 inches to be entered.

Fishing was horrible through the weekend because of the weather, and most boats were kept in the slips, said Matt from <b>Jim’s Bait &Tackle</b> in a fax. A few anglers anchored in the back creeks and along the bridges and landed mostly short striped bass and bluefish. A few “brave or crazy” anglers motored to northern Delaware Bay near Ship John and found a few stripers. Jason Burbick fished Ship John on Saturday and nailed three stripers to 18 pounds on live spots. Surf fishing for small blues was okay last week on the Delaware Bay side of Cape May Point, because of east winds. A few small stripers were also hooked around the jetties, and the fishing should get better and better as water temps drop.

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