<b>Brooklyn</b>

Despite honking winds that made feeling bites difficult yesterday, some very nice sea bass came up on a trip on the <b>Big M Express</b>, the report on the boat’s web site said. The anglers hit three drops, and each produced life, and blackfishing was only picky, and the last drop gave up a few keeper blacks and shorts. Open-boat trips are bottom fishing for blackfish and sea bass at 7 a.m., and open striped bass trips are running 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Charters are also sailing. The Big M Express is docked at Tamaqua Marina in Gerritsen Beach, Brooklyn.

<b>Staten Island</b>

On the <b>Kayla Rose</b> anglers hit the tog hard yesterday, despite rough seas, not a day for those with weak stomachs, Capt. Darrin said. All the anglers limited out, and most of the blackfish weighed 5 to 8 pounds. The boat is now running quite a lot, and the fall season is in full gear. Both open-boat trips and charters are targeting tog, and open-boat striped bass trips will begin to sail every Wednesday and Friday starting this Friday. Charters are also fishing for stripers. Open trips for either species are also available on a flexible schedule, and if interested, call Darrin, and he’ll contact his other anglers who are up for open-boat fishing and put a trip together. Kayla Rose was also bailing weakfish near the Verrazano Bridge before the storm, and no anglers on the boat looked for weaks in the weather, but the trout fishing is probably still an option.

A blackfishing trip was on the books yesterday with <b>Outcast Charters</b>, but stiff winds and seas made the crew ask the anglers whether they wanted to fish, and three said yes, and three said no, Capt. Rob said. So they decided not to sail, especially because strong east winds blew Friday, and strong south winds were the scene Saturday, and the water was all riled up, decreasing the chances of connecting in the blustery north winds that followed yesterday. If winds had only blown yesterday, the trip probably would’ve sailed, because dealing with newly rough seas would more likely promise a successful catch. Outcast is mostly concentrating on blackfishing now, and blackfishing is one of the boat’s specialties. Striped bass fishing probably won’t start until the water considerably cools.

<b>Bayonne</b>

Anglers took a trip yesterday despite breezy weather and rough seas, said Capt. Akira from <b>True World Tackle</b> and <b>True World Tackle Charters</b>. They first looked for false albacore or striped bass off Breezy Point, and maybe 10 other boats were there, and nobody was catching anything. Next they stopped near the Verrazano Bridge to look for weakfish that had been stacked up there, but again rough seas seemed to prevent action. Then they sailed to the East River and bagged two keeper stripers on eels.

<b>Keyport</b>

One charter was weather out because of winds, and another was cancelled because of rains, said Capt. Joe from <b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b>. He heard about nobody fishing during the rough conditions, but the storm might’ve been what was needed to drop water temps and begin to pick up striped bass fishing, and this week will tell. Several openings remain on a 6-hour, open-boat trip that will target stripers November 14. Open trips are also sailing every day when no charter is booked, and call to reserve the open trips.

No trips could fish during the storm on the <b>Lucky Carm</b>, but Capt. Carmine hoped the weather and the cool temps would now change fishing around, he said. Charters are booked this weekend, and the crew will probably get out during the week and scope out the fishing. Carmine’s friend Jimmy surf fished in the storm and beached a keeper striper in the Point Pleasant area, and Carmine wasn’t sure about the size, but he thought Jimmy said the fish was 36 inches, and he probably clammed the fish, because he usually does. The Lucky Carm’s baseboard heating system was readied during the weather, so the cabin’s heat is now available. Dates are still available for charters in November.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Tony Conte’s charter on the <b>CRT II</b>, a birthday present for Tony’s son, absolutely crushed striped bass Saturday at the Sandy Hook Rips, the clam beds and Romer Shoal, Capt. Mick said. Very few boats were on the water, apparently because of forecasts for bad weather, but the weather wasn’t too bad, and the trip turned out incredible. Tony, his son and his son’s friends had a great catch, leaving the dock in the morning in the dark and fishing with clams. Little was heard about such catches Saturday, but very few boats sailed. The CRT II is concentrating on striped bass, and discounts are always available on weekday charters. 

The <b>Atlantic Star</b> finally resumed fishing yesterday after the party boat fleet was weathered out since Thursday, and nice, big porgies were bagged at Sandy Hook Reef, Capt. Tom said. Keepers outnumbered shorts, and everybody went home with fish, despite winds that were still blowing 25 or 30 and made feeling the bites challenging. No sea bass or blackfish were really looked for because of the good porgy fishing and the weather. The Atlantic Star is bottom fishing from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.

Striped bass fishing was some of the best in a long time yesterday on the <b>Teal</b>, Capt. Rich said. A dozen keepers and scores of shorts were reeled in around some of the sandbars near Sandy Hook. The fishing seemed like a good sign that striper fishing might start coming together after last week’s storm, even if the fishing was beginning somewhat later than usual because of warm water. The water did cool down a little after the nor’easter, and Rich thought the temp was 61 degrees. Only a few of the party boats fished yesterday, the first day after the storm, and winds were still honking. The Teal is sailing for stripers on two trips daily from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 3:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. every Wednesday and every Friday through Sunday.

Winds were far too strong and blew against the tide yesterday, so fishing conditions were nasty, and a few striped bass and a few blues were boated, but the fishing was nothing to talk about, Capt. Ron from the <b>Fisermen</b> said in the report on the boat’s web site. The weather was completely better today, but the fishing was slow. Lots of bait schooled, and fish were seen rolling around all day but were difficult to catch. Some blues and a couple of short bass were landed. But the colder temps throughout this week should help striper fishing, and Ron knew a couple of boaters who fished during the storm and scored excellent catches. He’s looking forward to a good run. The Fishermen is fishing for striped bass and blues 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily, until all attention is turned to stripers. The boat previously was also bluefishing on trips 3:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Fridays through Sundays, and now those trips will also sail for stripers

<b>Highlands</b>

Although the weather forced charters to be cancelled, <b>Sandy Hook Fishing Adventures</b> managed to fish the Shrewsbury River two nights for very good catches of striped bass to 33 inches, Capt. Bob said in an e-mail. Most were 24 to 27 inches, and they were hooked on drifted eels and peanut bunker. The river was also alive with chopper blues to 10 pounds, and Bob was checking the boat Saturday morning and saw a blitz under the Highlands Bridge. He motored over to try to see if any stripers were underneath, but the blues hit anything thrown in the area, and getting through them was impossible. Now that the weather turned cooler, Bob hoped striper fishing would turn on. Trips are booked the rest of this week, and “the proof will be in the pudding,” he said. 

A trip with <b>Fisher Price Charters</b> was able to target striped bass today after the storm and clammed a bunch of shorts and a couple of keepers, and some trolling was also done and produced a couple of more stripers, Capt. Derek said. Blues were also hooked throughout the day, and seas were a little choppy in the morning but flattened out later. The water was in the mid to low 60s and very clean. Fisher Price will concentrate on stripers as the run gets better and better, targeting the fish with clams, jigs, worms or on the troll, or whatever it takes. Blackfish will also become a target starting November 15, when the bag limit gets hiked to eight from the current limit of one.

<b>Sea Bright</b>

<b>Jersey Shore Fishing Charters</b> fished for striped bass on Wednesday night before the storm at the Sandy Hook Rips and eeled two keepers and two shorts and missed a couple of fish, Capt. Jake said. Charters are fishing for stripers and sea bass, and one more trip will probably target bluefin tuna around the Mudhole this weekend before tuna fishing, including canyon fishing, ends for the year on the vessel.

<b>Neptune</b>

Seas were rough, but striped bass moved in, and <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b> knocked the heck out of them in the ocean Saturday and Sunday, Capt. Ralph said. Probably 1 in 6 was a keeper, and they were trolled and jigged, though when seas are calmer, patrons will also clam them. Seas were actually calmer Saturday during the storm than yesterday afterward, because winds were stronger yesterday. Last Lady will sail on individual-reservation striper trips the next three Sundays, and a few spots are available. Last Lady was running its final open-boat tuna trip of the season today, and the weather forecast looked good. The tuna fishing was also good this year. An open-boat, mid-range wreck-fishing trip was weathered out earlier this month, but another will be scheduled.

<b>Belmar</b>

The <b>Nan Sea J</b> weathered out the storm at the dock, but Capt. Tom heard about short striped bass and occasional keepers trolled and clammed in the ocean, he said. The boat is supposed to take a course offshore on one final canyon trip this season Tuesday to Wednesday, and afterward charters will target striped bass and blackfish through the rest of the year.

Open-boat canyon tuna trips on the <b>Bandit</b> will resume this week after being weathered out since the beginning of last week, Capt. Scotty said. The fishing was good until a slow trip last week on Sunday before the storm. Openings are available on the tuna trips this week, and when the fish move farther south, the boat will even dock in Delaware to fish the southern canyons, and stay tuned for details.

<b>Brielle</b>

Surf casters were the main anglers who fished during the storm, and they clammed striped bass in Manasquan yesterday morning, but they also beached lots of skates, said Dave from <b>The Reel Seat</b>. Nothing was heard about bluefish in the surf in the past few days, but blues would probably return once the effects of the nor’easter settled down. Conditions in the suds yesterday morning weren’t bad, and the water was clearing up. Sea herring were jigged at Manasquan Inlet on Sabiki rigs, and during the middle of last week stripers to 35 inches and big, 30-inch weakfish were sometimes taken at the inlet, but no word was heard whether they continued to bite over the weekend. Smaller stripers could still be fought in the Manasquan River on rubber shads and such, and fishing for bigger stripers weighing from the mid teens to low 20s sounded good at the Point Pleasant Canal on soft plastic lures like the shads. When offshore boaters could get out before the storm tuna fishing wasn’t bad, and most catches came from the southern canyons.

Capt. Larry from the <b>Reel-Ality</b> stayed in port and worked on the boat during the rough weather this weekend, he said. But he said anglers talking on the radio yesterday seemed to find terrible fishing in the ocean both north and south of Manasquan Inlet and stiff seas beyond a half-mile from land. Charters on the Reel-Ality will now start targeting striped bass in the ocean.

<b>Point Pleasant</b>

Manasquan Inlet anglers were pulling in small blues, striped bass, porgies and blackfish, said Rob from <b>Gates Bait & Tackle</b>. Clams and green crabs were the preferred baits, and both are stocked. Gates is within walking distance of the inlet, the surf and the local charter boat and party boat fleet. The Gates Motel is also located on the premises and features rooms popular with anglers who stay overnight to avoid getting up early or driving home late for fishing trips or those who make a fishing vacation out of staying there.

The <b>Dauntless</b> got out yesterday after the storm, and bottom fishing was good for mostly sea bass, and some porgies were taken, Capt. Willie said. Patrons averaged a dozen sea bass to a limit of 25, and some hooked and released additional ones. So the weather seemed to help fishing, stirred up things and got the fish moving. The water temp dropped a couple of degrees to about 62. The boat will probably be slated to go bluefishing on weekend trips in the evenings one more time this week before bluefishing probably ends for the year. Bluefishing’s been good, but demand tapers off at this time of year. If the bluefish trips sail, they’ll take place 7:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Friday and Saturday. The Dauntless is bottom fishing 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. every day.

Fishing was tough in the ocean yesterday, said Capt. Allen from <b>Reel Class Charters</b>. Four anglers were aboard in the morning and first ran north into the teeth of the northwesterly winds. A few working birds were found off Asbury Park, but so was incredibly dirty water. The anglers dropped their lines at a couple of spots, and one of them had a small bluefish or a striper follow the hook to the boat, but nothing bit. Conditions got nastier, and Allen spoke with other anglers who were catching nothing at the Shrewsbury Rocks, and another buddy called and said he hooked a few fish off Ocean Beach, so the anglers with Reel Class headed south, also on a search for cleaner water. They stopped at many great-looking marks with diving gannets and a few small groups of working birds from Manasquan Inlet to Lavallette. The water was clearer, and sometimes acres of bait appeared, but no fish showed up. Northern winds started to crank by 11 a.m., so the trolling rods were put out. The boat pulled shad rigs and stretch plugs and worked its way back north, but again nothing bit. The anglers called it a trip at 12:30 p.m., and this was a “real, real tough day,” Allen said. Some reports were heard about fish trolled later in the day at the Shrewsbury Rocks, when the tide was right, but the winds would’ve prevented Reel Class from making it there. “The windburn feels great right now,” Allen said. “Some days you’re the bug; some days you’re the windshield,” he said.
“It <i>will</i> get better.” Steve Magyari, Brian O’Shea, Fin-S Bob and Bluefish Steve were the anglers. Reel Class is jigging and trolling for striped bass and blues the rest of the season.

<b>Seaside</b>

A number of good-sized striped bass were weighed in from the surf Saturday, including one angler’s 15-pounder and another’s 15-pounder and 8-pounder, the report on <b>Betty and Nick’s Bait & Tackle</b>’s web site said. Conditions were perfect for surf fishing by Sunday morning, and stripers were again weighed in. One customer checked in his first-ever stripers from the surf, an 8-pound 5-ouncer and a 7-pound 14-ouncer that he clammed at Seaside Park. Another walloped a 22-ounder and a 14-pound 8-ouncer at Island Beach State Park. Yet another scored five blues to 15 inches on mullet at Island Beach. This morning also produced surf stripers, including three fish that weighed 8 to 10 pounds that three different anglers claimed. Another angler released a 27-inch short that hit a plug, and that was good news. Conditions and the weather were perfect today. The surf was 1 to 2 feet, 62 degrees and cleaning up. <a href=" http://www.bettyandnicks.com/fish.shtml" target="_blank"> Click here</a> for the latest.

By Friday surf fishing was a washout, because rains and winds kept everyone home, said the fishing report on <b>Grumpy’s Tackle</b>’s web site. But by Saturday the weather was starting to make a difference, and striped bass were nailed in the surf. Lots of customers pulled shorts from the wash on salted clams, because fresh clams had become scarce from the storm keeping clam boats from sailing, and a few keepers were bagged. The water was dirty and bumpy, so plugging was practically impossible, but winds were starting to swing around from east to west and were only supposed to blow 5 to 10 knots Saturday night, so the suds were expected to start cleaning up. On Sunday morning the shop reported that four keepers were checked in Saturday night that weighed 7.6 to 10.8 pounds, and no report was posted afterward on Sunday. By today things were looking up, the report said, and the weather was finally more like fall than summer. Six-year-old Mark Iannacone III showed off a 13-pound striper, and five other stripers from 7.9 pounds to 21.9 pounds were checked in. All the fish today were clammed, presumably on salted clams, but later today the site reported that fresh clams were now stocked again. <a href="http://www.grumpystackle.com/fishingreports/" target="_blank"> Click here</a> for updates. 

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Striped bass 28 pounds and 25 pounds and a bunch in the teens were weighed in from the Long Beach Island surf Saturday in the storm, and that was the big bass day, and the fish now seemed to be moving through, said Chris from <b>Barnegat Light Bait & Tackle</b>. A 30-pound striper that was bagged in the southern end of the bay was the only big one he heard about that was taken from the bay. That fish was the prize winner in Beach Haven’s Sea Shell Club Striped Bass Derby. The only other stripers that he heard about from the bay were small fish. 

The storm made the weather wet and windy but seemed to be the shot in the arm that was needed to jump start fall fishing, said Capt. Steve from <b>Reel Fantasea Charters</b> in an e-mail. The fishing was no slam fest, but a new push of bass definitely arrived from up north, “and it is just the beginning,” he said. When anglers put in the time and fished the right areas, they caught a few striped bass, blues and even leftover weakfish. Three straight days of 20 to 35 m.p.h. winds and stinging rains tested the perseverance of both Steve and his clients, but stripers were nailed on all but one trip.  The anglers could only fish Barnegat Bay, because the ocean was a fury. The action started with a previously reported trip on Thursday, when Tony Schirro and friend jumped aboard despite the weather, and Tony bagged a 35-inch striper and a 31-incher. The friend had a few bites but never connected, and the guys also got into an all-out bluefish blitz, caching one after another as fast as their lures hit the water. On Friday the conditions were almost the same but with a little less wind for a trip with Mike Satt and Jerry Kronemeyer of Sea Shore Food Distributors of Rio Grande, who landed three stripers on live spots and lost apparently the biggest one of the day when the hook pulled at the boat. Ken Purvis, daughter and son Lauren and Lance and Uncle Bart were also out, and Ken started the action by landing an 18-pound striper, his biggest ever. After a little looking around and a few missed bites, Uncle Bart grabbed a 9-pounder, and Lance was next with a fish that pulled the hook. Ken also reeled in a small bass that hit a bucktail. Chris Spring was aboard on the last trip, when skies finally became sunny, but a hard northwest wind blew against outgoing tide and made drifting difficult. Only a few spots got bitten off by blues, and a couple of blues were boated on a bucktail. A couple of spots just became available for charters November 1 and 2, and space is also open November 18, 25 and 29.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

Rumors were starting to be heard about bigger, migrating striped bass possibly showing up in the Great Bay area, so a call was made to Scott at <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b> to get the scoop. He said the reason people were hearing about stripers was because every single one that was hooked was being reported, and some larger stripers were checked in at the shop, but only four in the past five days. A 39-inch 20-pounder was the largest, and a 36-inch 12-pounder was also weighed in. Some of the fish were long and skinny like resident fish, and some were round and plump like migrators, and it was impossible to tell whether any were definitely new fish. But the upshot was that the nor’easter and the weather that followed was definitely a turning point, and it’s time to start looking for stripers. But fishing was tough today because of lots of grass and debris that filled the water from the storm, and previously hardly anyone fished in the weather. But the storm dropped water temps, and frost covered the ground this morning for the first time this season. Colder temps will also push out the little fish like baby sea bass and porgies and also the weakfish that were in the bay and creeks, although one customer reported landing each of these fish from the banks of Little Sheepshead Creek. But those fish should leave soon. “It’s coming,” Scott said.

<b>Brigantine</b>

The weather was a mess and kept <b>Fishin’ Fever Sportfishing</b> from running any trips, Capt. Tom said. The vessel’s offshore fishing season is at long last finished this year. Although tuna were still biting at the canyons, the crew will now move the boat to Cape May to fish for striped bass at the Cape May Rips and Delaware Bay. Those trips are ready to go, so book now. Fishin’ Fever always begins its season in spring in Cape May on trips for stripers and drum. Then it moves to Brigantine to fish offshore for big game during the summer and early fall. Finally the boat returns to Cape May for stripers through the rest of fall.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

Surf anglers were landing more striped bass after the storm than before, and kingfishing in the suds became off and on, even though it was a lot better before the nor’easter, said Noel from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. The water was cleared up by this morning. Clams and eels were drawing the bites from the stripers, and surf casters also landed plenty of tog along the jetty rocks on crabs and clams. They also tackled blues on cut mullet and mackerel, and Noel was hearing about no porgies caught after the blow. All the baits mentioned are stocked.

The surf was a bit too big to break through and go bottom fishing through the weekend, said Capt. Rich from the <b>AC Lady</b>. Customers wanted to go, but the crew decided conditions were too rough. But previously catches were becoming decent and were made up of sea bass, porgies and blackfish. The AC Lady is bottom fishing 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. every Wednesday and every Friday through Sunday.

<b>Margate</b>

The <b>Fish N’ Fun</b> started sailing for striped bass, and two trips sailed Saturday, and small blues were landed, and one striper was hooked but broke the line, Capt. Jay said. Sand sharks were also hooked. The trips were a good start to the fall season, and anglers had a good time trying for the linesiders and caught other fish besides, and the best striper fishing was yet to come, and everybody was waiting for water temps to drop. The boat will continue running for stripers daily, and call the vessel for the schedule. Jay’s bigger boat the <b>Jessie O’</b> is wreck fishing daily in the ocean for tog, sea bass, blues and croakers, both drifting and anchoring, including double anchoring. Charters are also available. Be sure to sign up for a trip that will compete in Captain Andy’s Marina’s Annual Striper Tournament on November 17. The fare includes the tournament entry fee, a T-shirt, a buffet at Maynard’s Café, and of course a chance to win the prizes for the three heaviest linesiders. Reservations are also being accepted for a special Thanksgiving Day open-boat striped bass trip that will take place 6 a.m. to 12 noon, getting anglers home in time for turkey and football.

<b>Longport</b>

Capt. Mike from the <b>Stray Cat</b> called from the water this morning because anglers were pulling aboard good numbers of keeper sea bass in 75 feet at a piece of wreck 11 ½ miles from shore. The fish seemed to move a bit because of the moon, he said, and bluefish were also fought over the rails. The boat also sailed yesterday for the first time after the storm, and patrons landed sea bass and croakers, staying close to land because winds were still howling. Open-boat sea bass trips are taking place daily, and call to reserve. Stray Cat in November is going to offer a number of Cast and Blast Trips, a combo of bottom fishing and duck hunting. The vessel will anchor at an inshore wreck for sea bass and tog, and decoys will be spread out, and when the ducks appear, patrons will level a bead on them, and then they’ll go back to bottom fishing in between. The crew will retrieve the docks on a small boat accompanying the trips. Open-boat trips will target striped bass every Tuesday and Sunday when the linesiders appear, and the ocean yesterday was 65 degrees, so it would take a while before temps reach an ideal of 52. Daily open-boat trips will target blackfish beginning November 15, when the bag limit jumps to eight from the current limit of one. Patrons were already hooking a few blacks, and Stray Cat had a great blackfishing season last year at the reefs and pieces that get less pressure than up north.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

The weather kept charters from getting out with Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Gibson’s Tackle</b>, he said. But he took a ride yesterday, and seas on the ocean were hairy, but friends still landed croakers and weakfish along the beach front. The water was 64 degrees, and Joe’s charters will keep fishing for striped bass in the back bay with popper lures and flies, and lots of bait continued to school the bay, and conditions were good for catches. But things will start to transition to an ocean bite. The season looked like it would be a late but great one, probably producing plenty of catches through late November and December. Eventually Joe’s trips will target stripers and blues in the ocean with diamond jigs, soft plastic lures and flies on sinking lines. Striper fishing near Cape May seemed slow this weekend, and a friend of a friend only boated one striper in two days of fishing from there, and Joe heard about another angler who got blanked while fishing from Cape May, and both were good fishermen.

Trips had to be cancelled since last Monday on the <b>Captain Robbins</b>, but the boat resumed bottom fishing yesterday, Capt. John, the boat’s owner, said. When he gave this report yesterday afternoon, he hadn’t heard back yet from the captain who was running the trip. Patrons previously were taking home mixed bags of sea bass, porgies, triggerfish, weakfish and small blues. On the two trips that did sail last week, Joe Sullivan won the pool Sunday with a 4-1/2-pound triggerfish, and Bob Moore took the money Monday with a 4-pound sea bass. The Captain Robbins is bottom fishing 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day.

<b>Cape May</b>

<b>O-Beth Sportfishing</b> is docked at Cape May for the fall striper run after fishing from Margate earlier this season, and no trips sailed during the weather, but anglers onboard will probably start trying to bunker chunk for striped bass in Delaware Bay this week, Capt. Eric said. He heard no first-hand reports about good striper catches recently. But the water and air was finally starting to cool, so he hoped the fish would cooperate soon. In Margate O-Beth was doing a lot of offshore fishing until now, and the boat will offer fall shark charters from Cape May in addition to striper trips. Sharks migrate past the coast while heading south at this time of year, and catches can be just as good as in spring, when the fish push in the opposite direction.

The weather kept <b>Jaftica Sportfishing</b> from striped bass fishing this weekend, Capt. Ray said. He talked with anglers who competed in Utsch’s Marina’s Striper Tournament over the weekend, and they said a number of stripers to 19 pounds were landed, apparently all in lower Delaware Bay on bunker chunks. Jafica will now concentrate on striper fishing both in the bay on bunker and in the Cape May Rips on live bait and bucktails.

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. If anyone’s interested in striper fishing, the season is here, and the Heavy Hitter will now concentrate on the linesiders.  

Fishing was horrible during the week 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, he said. Jason Burbick fished Ship John on Saturday and nailed three stripers to 18 pounds on live spots. Surf fishing for small blues was okay 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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