<b>Brooklyn</b>

Wreck fishing improved during a few days through Monday, when an open-boat trip on the <b>Big M Express</b> produced short and keeper sea bass that were flying over the rails, the report on the vessel’s web site said. Keeper porgies were also landed, and short tog were released, and the high hook took home 17 fish. On Tuesday a charter battled false albacore and blues at the Mud Buoy until winds and seas suddenly built, and then fishing slowed, so the charter called it a trip early. Open-boat trips are sailing for blackfish and sea bass at 7 a.m. daily and for striped bass from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays. The Big M Express is docked at Tamaqua Marina at Gerritsen Beach in Brooklyn.

<b>Staten Island</b>

Some blackfishing took place with <b>Kayla Rose Charters</b>, and catches were starting to pick up a little, Capt. Darrin said. New York’s blackfishing season opened October 1, though Jersey’s season doesn’t really kick off till November 15, when the Garden State’s big limit jumps to eight from the current limit of one. Waters were warm for the best blackfishing, but the slipperies were coming up for customers. Sea bassing and porgy fishing was going pretty well on the boat, and Darrin’s been finding the fish in shallower water, but he planned to fish deeper on a trip Sunday and see if there’s a difference. Bluefin tuna fishing from mid range to somewhat farther out was now decent, if anyone wants to charter for this great fish without having to run all the way offshore. Kayla Rose will keep bottom fishing, including on open-boat trips, and striped bass fishing will begin when the fall run of bass starts. If interested in the open trips, call Darrin and tell him the date or dates you can go, and he’ll put a trip together if others on his list can make the schedule.

Mainly bluefish were the catch for customers, said Vinnie from <b>Michael’s Bait  Tackle</b>. Striped bass fishing was spotty, and weakfish were found here and there, and he was hearing about most of them coming from around the Verrazano Bridge. False albacore fishing toward Breezy Point was a big attraction, and Staten Island surf fishers were mostly beaching blues that chased peanut bunker. Offshore fishing was good for yellowfin and longfin tuna when boats could take trips between rough weather.

<b>Laurence Harbor</b>

The bay was full of blues, easy pickings, and water temps were too warm for the best striper fishing, said Capt. Kyle from <b>Evening Tide Charters</b>. Small stripers start biting when the water drops to 67 or 68 degrees, and that was already happening. But larger, migrating stripers arrive when temps dip to 65 or 66 degrees. When the run begins, charters with Evening Tide will chase stripers with clams, jigs or on the troll, or every way, really. Kyle trolled the Mudhole over the weekend and fought false albacore to the boat. Something big was hooked twice, and word had it that bluefin tuna were swimming the Monster Ledge and the south side of the Mudhole, so maybe those bites were tuna. A buddy chunked at the Monster Ledge on Monday, and he caught nothing, but commercial tuna boats were working the area. The friend also saw a boater hooked up to a fish a half-hour, obviously something big. There are “plenty of bookings, if anyone’s looking,” Kyle said.

<b>Keyport</b>

Lots of blues, and good-sized ones, were still the main fare in the bay, and anglers should have no trouble catching them, Capt. Joe from <b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b> said. Anglers onboard were heading out this weekend to see what they could bag, and the vessel is fishing on open-boat trips every day when no charter is booked, and call to reserve.

A friend, Lenny from Palumbo Oil Company in Clark, eeled five keeper striped bass Monday, a good sign, said Capt. Carmine from the <b>Lucky Carm</b>. Carmine also stopped by the party boat Atlantic Star this week and saw big porgies that were caught. In the last report Carmine talked about a monster-sized smooth dogfish that his charter hooked and weighed, and since then Carmine found out that the sandshark was apparently a record. Carmine and crew weighed the fish on the boat’s scale, and the 44-incher pegged down at 21 to 22 pounds, and the current record is 19 pounds. The fish was released, because Carmine never imagined that dogfish were eligible for a record. The Lucky Carm is available for charters for stripers, blues and bottom fish. Striper fishing was just beginning, and plenty of blues roamed the bay. Bottom fishing produced sea bass, porgies and other deep dwellers.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

The Mud Dump put out blues for a charter on the <b>CRT II</b> Sunday, and the action wasn’t heavy, but the fish were good-sized and 4 to 8 pounds, Capt. Mick said. He hoped to start striper fishing this weekend, and a few were biting, and maybe the cool weather will jump start the fish. Some dates remain this month for striper charters, and plenty are available in November. Weekday discounts are always available for charters, and if sea bass decide to migrate offshore when the water cools, charters will also drop down baits for them.

No trip sailed yesterday on the <b>Fishermen</b>, and apparently the weather forecast kept anglers home, and a trip the previous day returned early, because the weather started kicking up, Capt. Ron said. But some stripers were caught until the weather that day, and a few of the linesiders were beginning to show up in general. Ron was sure that with the weather that was coming now, including cooler temps, striper fishing would begin an upswing. Plenty of blues could be caught on trips, and the boat was currently looking for stripers, but if none were found, the anglers would switch to bluefishing. Evening bluefishing trips were also sailing several days on the weekends, and they were excellent. The Fishermen is fishing for striped bass and blues 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. Afternoon bluefishing trips are running 3:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Fridays through Sundays.

Customers were catching lots of blues in the bay and ocean, and sometimes they reeled in stripers, but the water needed to cool just a little for stripers to “break through,” said Dolly from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Surf casters also dragged in blues and a few stripers. Bottom fishers were boating sea bass and porgies.

When conditions were right, fish were caught, said Capt. Tom from the <b>Atlantic Star</b>, talking about bottom fishing trips on the boat this week. The vessel started running one ¾-day trip daily instead of two half-day trips daily, although Tom was unsure whether the schedule would be half- or ¾-day this weekend, and call the boat to confirm. The vessel will definitely run the ¾-day trips starting Monday and lasting the rest of the season. The ¾-day schedule allows the boat either to fish more places or target fishing grounds farther away, like the Scotland Grounds. And the Scotland Grounds gave up some larger sea bass. Yesterday’s trip produced nice fishing, and catches were made on every drop. Good-sized porgies were bagged in the morning, and lots of sea bass that bit were small, and that’s been the case. The boat was the only one in the fleet that was fishing, and the weather forecast scared off anglers, but the weather turned out calm. On the previous day fish bit in the morning, but then 25-knot winds quickly picked up, and conditions became horrible, shutting down the bite in the ocean. So the boat moved to the bay, and small fish hit, but there was action, and everybody at least caught. For now, the Atlantic Star is bottomfishing on two trips daily from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.

<b>Highlands</b>

Bluefin tuna fishing is now good at the Mudhole on both the troll and the chunk, said Capt. Brian from <b>Jersey Devil Charters</b>, and if you want to get in on tuna action without having to make the long trip to the canyons, give him a call while it lasts, and it might last briefly. Canyon tuna fishing was also producing plenty of catches, mainly on the chunk. Striped bass were beginning to get reeled in, but striper fishing will probably turn on in another week or two, depending on the weather. Stripers are a specialty for Jersey Devil, and trips on the boat have either placed or won a number of striper tournaments each season in recent years. Charters bunker chunk or troll for trophy bass. Bottom fishing is also a current option, and sea bassing along the bottom pieces was pretty decent. Blackfishing was a little spotty so far, but charters will go after blacks when the fishing should pick up later this season as the water cools.

Striped bass fishing was apparently up and down in the early mornings and in the evenings at the confluence of the bay and ocean from Sandy Hook Point to Rockaway, said Capt. Derek from <b>Fisher Price Charters</b>. He hoped that the storm that was rolling in and the cooler weather would get things moving. Lots of big blues were jigged or caught other ways in both the bay and ocean. Striper trips are being booked for the impending fall run, and tog charters are being accepted for later this season when the fishing takes off.

<b>Long Branch</b>

Very few striped bass were taken from the surf, and there were no weigh-ins since last week’s report, and the 68- to 69-degree water needed to cool, but big, monster bluefish slammed the surf on the west end of Long Branch yesterday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., all day long, said John from <b>Jim’s Bait & Tackle</b>. All the different bait was there, and the blues were mostly spitting up peanut bunker, but mullet, spearing and rainfish were there. Maybe the current storm would do something to help striper fishing. Plenty of blues were in the Shrewsbury River and the bay, and boaters fishing those waters were sometimes picking up stripers. Snapper blues were abundant in the back waters, and crabs were still caught.

<b>Sea Bright</b>

<b>Two Rivers Charters</b> fought lots of blues and a few small striped bass in Sandy Hook Bay and along the Shrewsbury and Naveskink rivers in the northeast winds Tuesday, Capt. Fletcher Chayes said. The fish were busting on peanut bunker, large ones 4 and 5 inches, and the mayhem made getting the anglers lures through the blues and down to the bottom for striped bass challenging, but it was great, and good fishing, he said. All different types of lures were tossed, and Fletcher also saw 6-pound blues and a couple of keeper bass beached in the surf in a blitz at Long Branch yesterday. He also saw mostly blues and a few stripers invading the wash at the first parking lot at Sandy Hook the same day. So things were at least starting to happen, even if the migration of bigger stripers was yet to begin. A charter is supposed to look for false albacore this week, and the albies popped up on the New York side of the bay Sunday, and they should still be around.

<b>Belmar</b>

The <b>Bandit</b> was headed out on a bluefishing charter at the Mudhole 16 miles from Shark River Inlet last night when Capt. Scotty gave this report, and he said there was a definite ground swell, but otherwise seas were smooth. Bluefishing’s been excellent on the boat, and the vessel was also sailing on open-boat tuna trips. In the past eight days the tuna fishing went like this. The most recent trip fished 96 miles east of the inlet and produced 40- to 45-pound longfin tuna. The previous trip took the long run to the southern canyons 131 miles from the inlet and came back with yellowfin tuna to 90 pounds. The trip before that bagged 41 yellowfins to 108 pounds. A tuna charter is booked for this Sunday to Monday, and space is available on open tuna trips next week.

Charters took a couple of sea bass trips on the <b>Nan Sea J</b>, and lots of little ones but some keepers came up, and the number of porgies caught seemed to increase, and the porgies were definitely good-sized, Capt. Tom said. The boat fished from 40 to 70 feet, and the sea bass were in the deeper water, and the porgies were shallower. No blackfish were biting yet, and crabs for bait for the tautog were being kept aboard. The Nan Sea J is also doing a lot of canyon tuna fishing and will keep targeting the big game through the end of the month.

Bottom fishing was up and down, said Capt. Chris from the <b>Big Mohawk</b>, and some trips were good, and some weren’t. Some big porgies were showing up, and sometimes healthy sized sea bass were taken, and blackfish even made appearances. The boat fished anywhere from 20 feet to 60 feet. “It depends,” Chris said. “We’re waiting for a change,” he added, saying the water temp was 70 degrees. The Big Mohawk is bottom fishing 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. every day.

A few stripers were mostly clammed in the surf, and porgies bit along Shark River Inlet, and weakfish were taken in the back of Shark River in the evenings, said Mike from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b>. On the party boats lots of blues could be nailed, and bottom fishing wasn’t bad, and some days were better than others.

<b>Brielle</b>

Space is available on tuna trips Saturday and Sunday and on most trips this coming week on the <b>Jamaica</b>, an e-mail from the boat said. A trip last night produced a slow pick, and plenty of tuna were marked under the boat most of the night, but they never really turned on. Yellowfins and a few longfins made up most of the catch. But tuna fishing was very good on a trip Friday, and a number of tuna were picked that night until the action became very good at 3:30 a.m. Three to seven tuna from 65 to 80 pounds were hooked constantly at times, and they weighed 65 to 80 pounds. Mike Torrisi limited out on yellowfins to 78 pounds, and a number of patrons caught two to three yellowfins and some longfins. Saturday night’s fishing wasn’t as good but still produced catches, and the boat stopped at lobster pots for a chance to land mahi mahi on the way home, but the dolphin weren’t cooperating. The water temp on both trips was 73.4 degrees. Trips are running to the canyons at 5 p.m. every day this month when the weather cooperates, and many of the trips are sailing in November. The 110-foot <b>Atlantis</b> will run a Mudhole tuna trip 3 a.m. Sunday, October 21, and charters are also available on the vessel for any species on tap inshore or offshore. <b>Bogan’s Boating School</b> is offering the boating safety course required in New Jersey, and classes are also available for private groups at your own location, and the test-out option is also offered. For info and the schedule check out bogansboatingschool.com.

<b>Bricktown</b>

Boating for bonito, false albacore and bluefish was good within about a mile from the coast, and quite a few customers were reporting catches from Sea Girt to farther south, said Ray from <b>Pell’s Fish & Sport</b>. One said he got into the albies off the Seaside Pier. Most anglers who stopped by today were buying trolling tackle for the fish. A customer who’s a surf fisher was plugging the wash practically every day and said he was catching nothing, and he was only seeing bait fishers dragging sea robins and dogfish from the suds. No news was rolling in about sea bass fishing, and the last tuna report that Ray heard came from his son, who took a day trolling trip Friday and ended up with eight mahi mahi and six or seven longfin tuna, and Ray was unaware about the location of the catch.

<b>Toms River</b>

Surf fishing was starting to show a little action, and the water was still warm and 68 degrees, but east winds pushed in fish, although the best catches were a ways ahead, because of the warmth, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. Blues 5 to 7 pounds hit the suds from Brick Beach to Lavallette on Monday 1 ½ hours, not long. Smaller 2- to 3-pounders chased mullet against the wash at Island Beach State Park yesterday, and one customer beached eight on mullet bait. The mullet run was slowing down, but there were still lots, and they were all over Tuesday morning, and they still swam Barnegat Bay. Peanut bunker were in the surf, bay and even up the Toms River A few striped bass were plugged in the surf, but again, the water was warm. Weakfish continued to bite in the bay at the BB and BI markers, and 1- to 2-pound blues also hit, and so did a few out-of-season fluke. Peanut bunker was the primary bait, and weaks also gathered off Berkeley Island Park in the bay, and anglers flung out Fin-S Fish, sandworms or peanuts to catch them. The bay was 68 to 71 degrees, and kids were still swimming in the waters earlier in the week. Some blowfish were reeled in at the bay, and one customer was headed to the northern bay to try for blowfish at the Mantoloking Bridge today. Bay fishing was actually fantastic, and if you couldn’t land fish in the bay now, maybe you’d want to hang it up. The Toms River was full of 1- to 2-pound blues, and anglers pulled them up from any of the local docks, sending out peanut bunker on all different rigs, whether free-lined, impaled on a high-low rig or whatever. Four anglers grabbed 30 of the blues on a trip, and one guy hooked blues, a couple of fluke and a 20-inch striper in the river. Crabbing was great the past couple of days, and one crabber took home big ones including 7-inchers from the north side of the Rouge 37 Bridge.

<b>Seaside</b>

The Barnegat Inlet pocket was loaded with mullet and 4- to 5-pound bluefish this morning, but the surf was almost impossible to fish by 1 p.m. in the storm, said the fishing report on <b>Betty and Nick’s Bait & Tackle</b>’s web site. Reports were heard about lots of blues yesterday in the Island Beach State Park surf. The wash today was 3 to 4 feet and 67 degrees. <a href=" http://www.bettyandnicks.com/fish.shtml" target="_blank"> Click here</a> for the latest.

Blues and a mess of mullet filled the pocket at Barnegat Inlet yesterday evening, but very few people except a handful of bathers were on the beach that day, said the fishing report on <b>Grumpy’s Tackle</b>’s web site. Expect a gradual cool down of the water from the chillier, seasonable weather that was arriving. Earlier in the week haphazard bluefish attacks sometimes hit the surf late in the day and into the might, and maybe daytime was too warm for them. Croakers at the beginning of the week were reported caught from the suds at night. <a href="http://www.grumpystackle.com/fishingreports/" target="_blank"> Click here</a> for updates.

<b>Waretown</b>

Capt. John from <b>Perfect Drift Sport Fishing</b> was mostly laying low until fall striper fishing kicks in, but he took a bottom-fishing trip with a friend yesterday. “Stunk,” he said. Although sea bass and a few porgies put out lots of action, the fish were small, and bottom fishing seemed like that this season. His friend does a lot of bottom fishing, and they targeted wrecks in 80 or 90 feet 10 or 12 miles from shore. But six out-of-season, big, 24- to 28-inch fluke were reeled in and released. If fluke season hadn’t closed early, fishing for the flatties would be red hot now, John said. Catches of the flatties were good when the season closed, too, and on this trip, the flatbacks were hitting clams and mackerel meant for bottom fish, not the traditional fluke baits, if that indicates how willing the summer flounder bit. Strong winds kicked up seas by 11 a.m. and forced John and friend to return to shore. They also passed a couple of bird plays with false albacore, bonito and bluefish underneath on the way out. Weakfish were still biting in Barnegat Bay, and so were blowfish. “When will striped bass arrive?” John was asked. “December,” he joked. Incredibly warm, 68- to 70-degree water might push off the striper run for a while. But traditionally the season was a little early for striper fishing in the area anyway. Plenty of small, resident stripers were around, though.

No chatter was being heard about Barnegat Bay’s weakfishing on the radio today and yesterday,  and that was unusual, but the trout were biting at least through Sunday, although the fishing seemed slower than before, said Dale from <b>L&H Woods & Water</b>. Blowfishing in the bay was pretty good, even though lots of small ones had to be weeded through. A bunch of kingfish also hung around in the bay, and porgies were biting toward the inlet. A couple of customers were catching big blues in the surf at Ship Bottom, and one nailed slammers to 12 and 13 pounds that were hammering a school of 15- or 16-inch bunker,  the adult bunker a good sign themselves for fall fishing. But the ocean was warm and 68 or 70 degrees, and fall fishing will pick up when the waters cool, and striped bass fishing will begin to improve, and the cold front that was arriving should begin to help. A few stripers were picked in the surf, and a couple of anglers said shorts were sometimes landed, and one angler said he bagged a keeper on clam. Lots of bait was everywhere from the bay to the ocean, and even the mullet run still seemed strong. Customers were castnetting plenty of mullet in the bay, and surf anglers were seeing a bunch. Peanut bunker, spearing and other baits were also plentiful. A 10.85-pound blackfish was weighed in Sunday, and although the location of the catch was unknown, the angler had another smaller but nice one in his bucket. Skipjacks, false albacore and bonito were supposedly appearing close to shore in 30 feet from Lavallette to Island Beach State Park. The only thing heard about offshore fishing was that boaters who came back from the canyons said they came back with six or eight tuna and were apparently doing well. Crabbing was probably slower than before, but crabbers were still picking up good catches, and the ones that were being caught were big.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Surf fishers pulled 5- and 6-pound blues and mostly short striped bass from the wash, and bunker was the bait, said Josh from <b>Barnegat Light Bait & Tackle</b>. He heard about no mullet schooling the local suds, but the bait fish hit the surf on Long Beach Island farther south, and they also balled up in Barnegat Bay near Barnegat Lighthouse. Blackfish and sea bass bit near the lighthouse, and lots of weakfish were boated in the bay on mullet. Josh heard about no false albacore or bonito locally, and no news came in about offshore fishing, because of strong winds.

<b>Brighton Beach</b>

Blues blitzed the beaches, especially along the island’s south end, and they invaded from Brighton Beach to Beach Haven today and Monday or Tuesday, so things were beginning to come alive, said Basil from <b>Oceanside Bait & Tackle</b>. Striped bass fishing was just beginning, but they were few and far between in the surf. Still, he heard about a couple of larger ones, including a 14-pounder, entered in the Long Beach Island Surf Tourney in the past days. Basil was going to hit the beach tonight because of the northeast winds that could trigger action. Near the northern end of the island weakfishing was still out of control in Barnegat Bay. Sometimes anglers were netting peanut bunker in the bay and fishing them to pick up weakfish or an occasional striper. In the ocean sea bass fishing was improving, and tuna reports were scarce because of winds. Oceanside opened this spring and is located at 8201 Long Beach Boulevard on the southern end of Long Beach Island. Basil and his business partner Nick own the shop and also own Barnegat Light Bait & Tackle.   

<b>Beach Haven</b>

The <b>June Bug</b> overnighted at the tip of Wilmington Canyon from Friday to Saturday, Capt. Lindsay said. Lots of squid schooled and were caught for bait. A 60-pound longfin tuna bit 10 minutes after anchoring toward dusk. Then two yellowfins zoomed off with lines, and one was landed. Things were slow for a while, until swordfish started showing up. Several mouthed the baits softly, and one big one hung itself on a hook, was fought an hour and got off. At midnight a huge fish hit, and eventually it came up, and it was a 10- or 12-foot wide manta ray, an amazing site, and the anglers cut the line and let it go. A couple of more longfins were reeled in after daylight. The water was 75 degrees and clear, and seas were calm. Fog was like pea soup all night and on the way home, until 5 miles from the beach, but otherwise the trip was good. Outdoor writer Jim Hutchinson Sr., Fisherman magazine Executive Editor Jim Hutchinson Jr. and their hunting buddies were the anglers. The June Bug will fish offshore the rest of the month before moving to its winter home in North Carolina. Then winter maintenance will be done until the boat starts to fish from the Tarheel State in March. Plenty of yellowfin tuna are usually caught, and so are bluefins, usually schoolies, and giant bluefins are usually gone by then. False albacore, or Fat Alberts as their called there, are also common, and so are mahi mahi. Lindsay’s also gotten fair numbers of blue and white marlin during some years. The June Bug then returns to Jersey in—when would you think? June of course!

Bottom-fishing trips on the <b>Miss Beach Haven</b> went well during the weekend, and lots of sizable sea bass and plenty of porgies were pulled aboard, Capt. Frank said. Blackfishing actually was also good, and some patrons hooked eight or nine keeper-sized ones, though of course they had to throwback all but their limit of one, until the bag limit increases to eight November 15. The slipperies ranged 5- to 7-pounds, and “Blackfish Doug” won the pool with one of them. Sunday’s trip was about the same, except lots of the sea bass were small. But the porgies were big pork chops, and blackfish were again tearing it up, pretty incredible blackfish action this weekend for this time of year. On Monday a special offshore wreck trip left the dock for grounds 35 miles from shore, and patrons boated monster-sized, 5- and 6-pound ling. Frank never saw such big baseball bats before. Probably a half-dozen cod also came up, and Capt. Brant drilled a 22-pounder, and two 20- and 25-pound pollock were also hauled aboard. Another offshore wreck trip will sail Veterans’ Day, Monday, November 12, and some anglers already booked spots, but openings are available, and reservations are required. The vessel also accepts tuna charters, and a tuna charter today was weathered out.  The Miss Beach Haven is bottom fishing 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday. Trips will strictly begin targeting tog when the bag limit jumps up November 15, sailing 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

Kingfish and blowfish were the best bets for anglers, and they were biting in the bay, even tough they normally show up six weeks earlier, said Scott from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. The kings were big and were mostly hovering around the clam stakes on the Mystic Island side of the Fish Factory. The blows were also good-sized and seemed to mostly gather 100 yards off Pebble Beach. Chumming with clams and fishing with bits of clam was the way to go for both fish. Weakfishing was actually the best it’s been all year, and anglers were catching most on high outgoing tides from the mouth of the Mullica River and along the west side to Motts Creek and Oyster Creek. High outgoing flushed out food like a natural chum slick, and the weaks could also be found at the mouth of Big Creek on those tides for the same reason. Gulps, bloodworms and live or fresh peanut bunker were the baits, and keep in mind that the weakfish bag limit dropped on October 1 to six from eight. Striped bass were occasionally hooked in the Mullica River or at the mouth of the river on eels, and sometimes they were found from the 120 marker to Little Sheepshead Creek, and Scotty heard that anglers plugged some, probably all shorts, there yesterday. But large, migrating stripers were yet to arrive, and the water was too warm. The bay was 70 to 72 degrees, and migrating stripers turn on best from 55 to 60 degrees, so there was a ways to go. Blues grabbed the eels once in a while. Blues 1 ½ pounds turned on at the inlet for an hour at dawn and then shut down. Reports from the ocean were limited, but a couple were heard about boaters fishing Little Egg Reef, and they were focusing on nice-sized porgies. Keeper sea bass and sometimes triggerfish were occasionally boated there. Plenty of croakers were closer to shore, mostly from along the beaches to the reef, and anglers said the fish gathered in clusters, and boaters had to circle around and use the fish finder to locate them. Crabbing was okay, because the water was warm, and there was less participation, and therefore less pressure, and it was worth the effort.

<b>Absecon</b>

Weakfish ran thick in the bay, and fishing for the trout is usually best around this time of year, said Ray from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. That’s despite the fact that weakfishing drops off at other bays in the state by now. But even though weakies were plentiful near Absecon, not everybody will catch them. Anglers have to persevere, learn the water and such, and those who know what they’re doing load up on the fish. Gulps were the best baits, so much so that anglers using live bait would get frustrated. One problem was too much bait in the water, too much competition for any hooked baits. Mullet, peanut bunker, spearing and other bait was abundant, and the mullet run had slowed down for a moment but seemed to come back again. Ray wasn’t hearing much about mullet or peanuts in the surf. A few 1- to 3-pound bluefish, enough to keep things interesting, swam the bay, and not much was being heard about blues in the surf. Striped bass, mostly shorts and few keepers, were hooked in the back waters like along the sod banks or up the creeks, and some anglers would be surprised at the number of the bass that can be landed up the tiny creeks during high tides while the fish fed on bait. But the waters in the bay were warm, and Ray saw 71-degree temps the other day, and 68 was the lowest he saw recently, and that’s too hot. But rains that were falling, the weather and cooler air should drop the temps a few degrees. Keeper stripers were plugged at the inlet at night, like on Bombers. Porgies seemed to be around, because a young angler reported taking home 15 good-sized pork chops from the bay. Plenty of out-of-season flounder hugged the bottom of the bay, and Bill Lake the other day reeled in seven that would’ve been keepers. Ray was fishing with a friend who drilled a 6-pounder that had to be released. Surf anglers were landing lots of kingfish, but mostly small ones. They were also picking short stripers. News about the ocean was fairly scarce, such as word about croakers or sea bass, but one customer boated six or seven keeper sea bass.

<b>Brigantine</b>

Offshore fishing was scheduled for this weekend on the <b>Fishin’ Fever</b>, and Capt. Tom was hearing about a number of boats that were definitely catching tuna along the 100-fathom line, mostly on the chunk, but a few on the troll, he said. The boat is chartering for the fish this weekend, but some open-boat trips will run the weekends of October 20 and 27, and space is available. The bite is good, and the season’s coming to a close, so this is your last chance. Charters will probably sail for tuna through this month, and then the boat will likely be docked at Cape May for fall striped bass fishing at the Cape May Rips and Delaware Bay. 

<b>Atlantic City</b>

Anglers seemed to be waiting for the fall migration to kick off, but the run of sea bass was already officially here, so come on down and catch them, said Capt. Jay from the <b>Jessie O’</b>. Open-boat trips are sailing daily for mixed bags of sea bass, porgies, triggerfish and blues, and charters are also available. Jay’s bay boat the <b>Fish N’ Fun</b> will run open trips for striped bass twice daily every morning and evening when stripers turn on. The hours will probably be 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Tog were tearing up green crab baits along the jetty rocks, and lots of blues were swimming around the surf and everywhere, said Noel from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. Mullet was a good bait for the blues, and the fall mullet run was slowing down, but this year’s run was the best in a long time. Peanut bunker were now schooling the surf and continued to fill the back bay, and spots were plentiful. A few kingfish bit in the suds, and there weren’t many, but they were being caught. Porgies were everyplace, and bloodworms were the baits for both. Not too many stripers were hitting, and the water was too warm. But small, resident stripers could be plugged with black Bombers or Rebel lures. A bunch of weakfish, including keepers, were in the bay, and drop down bloods or mullet to bag them. The inlet, including off Captain Starn’s, was also a good spot to find many of these different fish. All the baits mentioned are stocked.

<b>Longport</b>

Open-boat sea bass trips started running daily on the <b>Stray Cat</b>, and lots of sea bass and porgies were around, but most were shorts, Capt. Mike said. Sundays are all sold out, and call for reservations to book other days. Nine good-sized sea bass were boated on a trip the other day that fished at a reef 23 miles offshore. A few nice tog were landed Monday at Mike’s “secret” spots. The open trips will begin strictly fishing for tog on November 15, when the bag limit hikes up to eight fish from one. Open striped bass trips will begin when stripers arrive, probably sailing twice during the week and once on the weekend. Tuna fishing was fantastic, and both tuna and wreck-fishing charters are available.

<b>Ocean City</b>

A bunch of blues, 1 to 3 pounders, harassed the waters of the bay, and a few stripers were there, but with 70- to 72-degree water, at least three weeks were left before the push of migrating stripers turned on, said Dan from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. The ocean was too rough for fishing, but previously croakers kept getting boated in 20 to 30 feet off Ocean City, and weakfish were mixed in, but a big one was 10 or 11 inches. Dan did hear about one angler landing bigger weaks in Great Egg Harbor. Wreck fishers in the ocean were starting to request a lot of green crabs for tog bait, because tog were hitting, even though the bag limit is one for now. Tuna fishing was very good when boats could get offshore, and double digits of the fish were landed on trips. Most were yellowfins, and longfins were sometimes hooked, but most of the anglers were chunking, and more longfins bite on the troll. One boater trolled a 300-pound bigeye tuna at Hudson Canyon, and the water seemed warmer up north toward the Hudson, and the warm eddies seemed to be coming down from the north.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Bluefish to 3 pounds ran along the ocean, and various sizes of the choppers also bit along Townsend’s Inlet, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Gibson’s Tackle</b>. His anglers were fighting the fish on jigs and soft plastics. A trip yesterday also lifted up a bunch of blues to 2 pounds and a half-dozen amberjacks at an area a little farther from shore in the ocean at a spot Joe was keeping unnamed. Striped bass were still hitting in the back bay on popper lures and flies, and the mullet run in the bay and ocean was beginning to thin out, but the bait fish were around. But peanut bunker were schooling the bay and ocean. Small spearing and rain bait, probably bay anchovies, also gathered in the ocean. Joe explained that “rain bait” means any small, unidentified bait fish, schools of the bait that are seen but are too small to identify easily without cast netting or catching them. “Rain” must come from the appearance like rain drops hitting the water when the bait showers the surface when pursued by other fish from below, though Joe didn’t mention that, and that’s just this writer’s thought. Blues were also in the bay, and so were porgies. The water in the bay yesterday was an incredible 73 degrees, the warmest Joe probably ever saw there at this time of year. Joe’s got openings for charters this weekend, because he was originally supposed to run someone’s boat south for the winter, but that trip was postponed. He probably hasn’t had a Saturday off since March, so take advantage if you want to stalk the waters of the bay or ocean around Sea Isle. In other news, offshore fishing was still giving up good tuna catches this weekend, and Lindenkohl Canyon produced. Dusty Laricks fished Wilmington Canyon over the weekend and boated yellowfin tuna to 80 pounds and a bunch of nice-sized mahi mahi, and some unexpected wahoos were hooked but bit through the monofilament line. The tuna were chunked, and the mahi were chunked and trolled, and the wahoos attacked live peanut bunker that were thrown to grass mats in attempt to score mahi. Wahoo fishing’s been great this year.

<b>Wildwood</b>

The bay and inlet were overloaded with small fish or baby tog, small porgies, short sea bass and sand sharks, said Fred from <b>No Bones Bait & Tackle</b>. So striped bass anglers were getting their clam baits wiped out by those fish, and the water was very warm, and today’s storm and the cooler weather that it brought might help fishing. Striper anglers were looking for water to drop to the low 60s to bring in migrating linesiders, but that wasn’t even the issue. The issue was getting rid of the small fish that were stealing baits, because some stripers, mostly shorts, were around. Some anglers mentioned keeper stripers, but Fred saw none so far. He heard about no stripers in the surf yet. Surf anglers caught little porgies, spots, some kings and small blues. Blues about a pound apiece were everywhere anglers tried to catch anything, but again, they were small. Things will change, though, and when they do, No Bones especially provides all needs for striped bass fishing, so the shop is about to come into its own with the fall run. Rental boats are also available, especially for striper fishing. Two of the 17-foot Carolina Skiffs have electric starts and steering, and the others include 9.9-horsepower outboards, and they’re available through December 31.

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