<b>Staten Island</b>

A charter on the <b>Barbara Anne</b> gave blackfishing a shot yesterday, because New York’s blackfishing season opened Monday, and the fishing was tough, and the water was a little warm, Capt. Anthony said. So the anglers switched to porgy fishing and bagged a bunch of jumbos. Blackfishing will pick up as the water cools, and Capt. Anthony will keep an eye on the blacks and will also sail for sea bass and porgies in the meantime. Open-boat trips leave the dock every Tuesday when no charter is booked, guaranteed to fish with a minimum of two anglers.

Blackfishing became the focus for <b>Kayla Rose Charters</b> on New York’s opening day of the season Monday, and an open-boat trip that day put two dozen keepers in the box, Capt. Darrin said. The fish were reeled aboard all week, and catches were pretty good. Sea bass and porgies were a by-catch, and many dates for blackfishing charters are already full, and open-boat trips will target the tog every day when no charter is booked.

<b>Frenzy Fishing Charters</b> fought false albacore throughout the week, and a trip Tuesday with three anglers brought 12 to the boat, Capt. Tommy Verderosa said. The fish were popping up quickly and moving fast, and Frenzy was bouncing all over to find them, including along Ambrose Channel, off Breezy Point and around Long Island. The albies even showed up near Staten Island, but again, they were quick moving. Sometimes the fish even appeared, and anglers would be in the thick of them, and none would be hooked. But Frenzy was scoring pretty good luck with them. Still, water temps dropped 4 degrees in the past week, so act quickly if you want to catch them. Besides charters for the albies, Tommy has anglers who will go on open-boat trips, so call him if you want to be added to the list. Most of his anglers were casting with spinning rods to fight the fish, like with Deadly Dicks, but Tommy will also fly fish for them. He had a couple of fly rods onboard the other day, but winds were too nasty to use them. Anglers on the boat sometimes reeled in striped bass when the fish were marked on the bottom on the albie trips, and bucktails dropped to the bottom did the trick. A 30-inch keeper was also caught and released on a fly. Blues were also sometimes landed, such as a 10-pounder claimed on the trip Tuesday.

Lots of blues were busting on peanut bunker at Great Kills Harbor and along Staten Island’s beaches, and that seemed to be the “thing,” said Vinny from <b>Michael’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Schoolie stripers were mixed in here and there, but mostly blues were the catch. Some of the charter boats were sailing for sea bass, and they were picking blackfish, but blackfishing wasn’t great yet. They were fishing at places like Sandy Hook Reef and Rockaway Reef. False albacore fishing was popular toward Breezy Point, and normally albies are tough to rely on, but the fish seemed to be feeding pretty well. Weakfishing looked like it might be starting a few weeks ago but now was spotty. No locals reported fishing offshore, probably because of the weather and the fact that offshore trips just weren’t as common by this point in the season. Last week a group of customers took a charter offshore and scored a good catch, including a 200-pound bigeye tuna, another bigeye and a bunch of longfins.

<b>Bayonne</b>

Anglers onboard tried for false albacore and blues at the Mud Buoy on Sunday, but winds were strong, and no fish showed up, so they moved to the Shrewsbury Rocks and landed a few keeper sea bass, said Capt. Akira from <b>True World Tackle</b> and <b>True World Tackle Charters</b>. On Monday winds blew but not as much, and a trip caught 10 keeper weakfish, good-sized ones over 20 inches apiece, near the Verrazano Bridge, where the fish were marked.

<b>Laurence Harbor</b>

John Counterman’s charter fished on the <b>Evening Tide</b> today and put lots of blues in the box, Capt. Kyle said. The trip started early in the morning and trolled 2- and 4-pounders till those fish disappeared. Then the boat headed to Reach Channel, where blues were jigged, and afterward peanut bunker baits were drifted, and more blues were picked little by little. Toward the end of the day the speedsters started busting on the top and were nailed on both jigs and peanuts. So it was a good day, and the first-time charter seemed very pleased, and the largest blues were 6 to 8 pounds. The water was very warm and 72 to 73 degrees and was even 77 at the slip.  

<b>Keyport</b>

A crew trip on the <b>Lucky Carm</b> fished a short time Tuesday night and landed a few striped bass between the 1 and 3 buoys in the bay, and the fish were 20- to 24-inch shorts, but they were a good sign, Capt. Carmine said. A few bluefish, no big ones, also bit. Peanut bunker hooked the fish while the boat was anchored at drop-offs, and the water was still warm and 69 degrees. Trips will fish on the boat this weekend, and charters will now concentrate on striped bass and bottom fish.

Bluefish could be boated in the bay, said Capt. Joe from <b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b>. The water needed to cool down for the best striper fishing, but bookings are being accepted for striped bass charters this month and next. The vessel is also available for either open-boat trips or charters this Saturday and Sunday, and open trips are on tap 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily when no charter is booked.

Bluefish were all over the bay and along any beach on the bay, said Chris from <b>Crabby’s Bait & Tackle</b> in a fax. Cut bunker or metal would get them to bite, and striped bass, mostly 29-inchers, started appearing at the Route 35 Bridge and the train bridge, and try dunking sandworms. Some of the biggest porgies seen in a long time were coming up from Sandy Hook Reef and the Shrewsbury Rocks. Chris Rice boated a 3-pound porgy and a 6-pound blue.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Trips on the <b>CRT II</b> were mostly bluefishing, and that was the best option at the moment, but striped bass fishing was supposed to begin on the boat this weekend, Capt. Mick said. The water’s warm, though. When stripers turn on, they’ll certainly be the target, and bottom fishing will take place if it picks up. Discounts are always available on weekday charters.

October started with a bang, and anglers on the <b>Fishermen</b> limited out on striped bass, decent-sized fish to 15 pounds, the past three days, Capt. Ron said. Easterly winds and somewhat cooler weather dropped water temps 5 degrees, and that seemed to trigger the bass to feed, because they were aggressively inhaling patrons’ clam baits, even swallowing circle hooks.  The action was taking place early in the season, and such catches are more typical in November than October. So if it keeps up, the season could be good, and Ron sounded like a happy captain for now. The Fishermen is fishing for striped bass and blues 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. Striper season is early, so if no stripers show up, patrons jig for blues, and sometimes they bottom fish for sea bass, porgies and such. Afternoon bluefishing trips are running 3:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Fridays through Sundays, and that action’s usually been great.

Shrewsbury River anglers picked up some weakfish, and lots of big blues were in the river and ocean, said Joe from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Not many striped bass were biting, but surf anglers sometimes plugged stripers in the early mornings, and fresh bunker or clams would probably work. Sea bass were holding along the Shrewsbury Rocks, and all kinds of out-of-season fluke were around. The warm water was holding back fishing somewhat.

On the <b>Atlantic Star</b> patrons were bagging porgies, and some days were better than others, and lots of small sea bass were biting, but only a few were keepers, Capt. Tom said. The anglers Monday morning scored a pick of porgies, but everybody took home at least a few. No trip sailed in the afternoon, and on Tuesday morning the fishing was pretty nice. Anglers who had a feel for it might bag eight or 10 keepers, and others might pick up six or eight, and so on. In the afternoon seas against the tide created nasty conditions, and the boat couldn’t fish the ocean, so mostly throwbacks were hitting, but a few keepers were taken, through really not enough. Action was constant, though, so nobody was bored. The next morning was about the same as the previous morning, and the fishing was pretty good, and those who had a feel for it caught the most. The boat will continue bottom fishing the rest of the season, and eventually blackfish will start showing up, when waters cool down enough. Two half-day trips a day will continue to sail, but eventually one ¾-day trip will sail daily. The half-day trips will continue at least through this weekend, and afterward anglers can call the boat to confirm the schedule. 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>

Lots of false albacore were jigged with <b>Jersey Devil Charters</b> near Coney Island on Tuesday evening on rubber lures including Calcutta foil shads and Storm 4- and 6-inch peanut bunker, Capt. Brian said. Striped bass were mixed in, and four were reeled in, and one was a keeper. Cocktail blues were also hitting. A trip over the weekend looked for inshore tuna at the Bacardi wreck and the Texas Tower, but little was happening, so the boat moved farther inshore, and a small mako shark was nailed on the troll. Jersey Devil also fished Hudson Canyon last week on Wednesday to Thursday and bailed 20 tuna, mostly longfins but also four yellowfins to 80 pounds. Most of the fish were chunked at night, but several longfins were trolled in the morning. The boat only trolled a short time because the fish box was mostly full. The water was in the mid 70s but cooled since then.

Some striped bass fishing seemed to be picking up in the ocean on clams, said Capt. Derek from <b>Fisher Price Charters</b>. Anglers found bass to 16- and 18 pounds, so Derek will probably start concentrating more on striper fishing. He was mostly bottom fishing for sea bass and porgies before, but he’ll also continue to bottom fish. The bottom trips will chase blackfish more and more as the season progresses. Waters were still warm, and the ocean near the beaches was 68 degrees, and the Mud Dump was 72. Cooler weather was supposed to move in next week, and maybe that will jump start fishing. Derek was hearing about false albacore caught, but catches seemed spotty. He’ll fish for the albies if somebody wants, and the fish sometimes stay till November, and Derek wouldn’t be surprised if they stuck around that long this year, because of all the bait in the water.

<b>Sea Bright</b>

<b>Two Rivers Charters</b> reeled in a bit of everything: false albacore off False Sandy Hook Point, big blues and keeper weakfish in the Shrewsbury and Navesink rivers, sea bass including keepers at Ambrose Channel and striped bass at the channels, Capt. Fletcher Chayes said. So the fishing was very good, and lots of the albies were swimming around and were caught yesterday on peanut bunker and flies. The blues were big monsters and abundant in the rivers, and the weaks hit peanut bunker and sandworms and were starting to move out, because they were staged in the channels and locations where they make the push. A 3- or 4-pound black drum was also hooked in the river, and that was an unusual catch, but a big blue chomped the fish in half. The stripers were taken on eels, peanuts and jigs.  

<b>Long Branch</b>

Striped bass fishing was starting to pick up somewhat in the surf, John Allen from <b>Jim’s Bait & Tackle</b> said. He beached a 12.4-pounder in the suds this morning on a plug. Wendy Morrison clammed a 12-pounder in the wash, and Herb VanNote hit the surf and clammed two: a 10.4-pounder and an 8.13-pounder. No blues were really invading the surf lately with the easterly winds, but they should reappear when the winds shift in the next day or so. Snapper blues and larger ones were all over the Shrewsbury River and the bay, and crabbing was slowing down a little in the river.

<b>Belmar</b>

The number of sea bass caught was starting to increase, and the fishing wasn’t bad at all and was better, said Capt. Chris from the <b>Big Mohawk</b>. Only a few porgies bit, but nice-sized triggerfish came up, and sometimes decent blackfish were boated yesterday. The blacks weighed 3, 4 or 5 pounds, and no big ones were around yet, and blackfishing will pick up as the water cools. The boat will target the tog starting November 15, when the bag limit hops up to eight fish from the current limit of one. The Big Mohawk is bottom fishing 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. every day.

Surf fishers were beginning to score small striped bass, and blues were also fought from the beaches, said Tom from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b>. The stripers could be clammed or plugged, including on Bob Hahn lures carried at the shop, and some anglers were starting to throw needlefish lures. Porgies could be found along the jetties and in the Shark River, and snapper blues and a few croakers were also in the river. Tom heard about no weakfish in the river. On the head boats patrons lifted up sea bass, porgies and blackfish, and catches were decent if not great. A 12-pound tog was nailed on one of the boats, so tog fishing was starting to show signs of life. Bluefishing was excellent on the party boats, and tuna fishing was also good on the boats for fish from 60 to 100 pounds, and sometimes 120 pounds.

<b>Brielle</b>

A tuna trip was good on the <b>Jamaica</b> on Tuesday night, and 70- to 80-pound yellowfins made up almost all the catch, and a couple of longfin tuna were gaffed, an e-mail from the boat said. The action started 2 a.m. and continued through daybreak, and at times readings were 100 feet thick, and tuna were often seen swimming through the slick. With the number of fish seen, a wild bite would’ve been expected, but instead anglers picked the fish through the night on bait and jigs. Jose Perez took home three yellowfins, and so did Solomae Cruz. Space is available on upcoming trips through this month and November, sailing at 5 p.m. For info call the boat or visit its web site. The <b>Atlantis</b> will run for Mudhole tuna 3 a.m. Sunday, October 21. The <b>Paramount</b> is fishing for bluefish 7:30 p.m. every Saturday and this coming Sunday.

<b>Bricktown</b>

Maybe a few blues were landed in the surf, but the water everywhere was generally 70 degrees, and striped bass weren’t going to show up in that, and anglers probably didn’t know what to fish for, said Ray from <b>Pell’s Fish & Sport</b>. Stripers were starting to bite off Sandy Hook at the channels, and they could also eeled at the Shrewsbury Rocks at night, but those were resident fish and not the fall migrators. Steve Magliacane eeled the rocks and boated two stripers 23 pounds and 30 pounds. A buddy fished southern Barnegat Bay and reeled in nine nice weakfish and 12 throwbacks. Small stripers and small blues were in the Manasquan River. 

Surf fishers were starting to pick up a few striped bass on clams, said Bob at <b>Jersey Coast Bait-N-Tackle</b>. Lots of out-of-season fluke also filled the wash. Cocktail blues and sometimes weakfish were cranked up from northern Barnegat Bay near the shop, and the blues and weaks were also in the Manasquan River. Weaks and a bunch of blackfish were hovering around the Point Pleasant Canal and Manasquan Inlet. Crabs were still getting trapped, and bottom fishers were taking porgies from the ocean. The shop offers clams 24 hours a day on an honor system.

<b>Toms River</b>

Weakfish, some of them keepers, snapper blues, some big ones to 1 pound, tiny black drum and a even a few keeper striped bass were pulled from the Toms River, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. The stripers bit near the Beachwood docks at night on small plugs. Sandworms were the bait of choice for the weaks and drum, and spearing took the snappers. The river was loaded with bait including spearing and peanut bunker. Barnegat Bay still gave up 10, 12 or 15 weakfish per trip at the BB buoy, where Fin-S Fish and sometimes Rat-L-Traps mostly scored. One customer hit the bay yesterday and got eight weaks to the boat, landing three of them, while drifting sandworms on a jighead. He also caught about five different species including sea robins, snappers and one big blowfish. Two short, out-of-season fluke were also hooked. Anglers were starting to catch striped bass along the sod banks near Barnegat Inlet on eels at night, and one customer tried clamming for bass near the sod banks during the day Sunday. But small sea bass kept tearing up the baits, so he moved to a hole in 20 feet and hooked a pretty big bass that he saw, but it got off. Surf fishing was slow this week, and surf casters needed 5 or 6 ounces of weight to hold bottom. Small, 2- to 3-pound blues were sometimes found, and larger ones, were rarely fought. A few stripers, but not many, also bit, and the water was warm, mostly 66 or 67 degrees. Big blues were boated 2 miles off the beaches until Monday, and then seas became too rough. Bonito had been popping up close to shore, but then seas prevented boaters from fishing for them this week.

<b>Seaside</b>

“Just got back from the beach, and it’s just not a very nice day,” John Bushell Jr. said on the report yesterday on <b>Betty and Nick’s Bait & Tackle</b>’s web site. He said he guessed anglers knew it was going to be like that, because the town and island were deserted. Still, he saw mullet spraying and watched Lance Erwin catch a 6-pound blue at the Barnegat Inlet pocket. On the previous day, Tuesday, surf casters got into great action with bluefish a couple of hundred yards from Barnegat Inlet’s north jetty before dark, and at that time most of the action was bluefish that invaded early in the mornings and before dusk. The surf today was 2 to 3 feet, 68 degrees with jellyfish along the northern beaches and clean water at the pocket. <a href=" http://www.bettyandnicks.com/fish.shtml" target="_blank"> Click here</a> for the latest.

Surf fishing seemed to shut off Tuesday, said the fishing report on <b>Grumpy’s Tackle</b>’s web site. The tip of Barnegat Inlet’s north jetty was the only hot spot and gave up a good catch of blackfish, a reasonable number of blues and a few stripers. None of the local beaches were producing much except scattered blues. Not a lot was happening Wednesday, and few anglers were around, and the surf was heavy, but what was driving the seas was unknown. The water was warm, but maybe the unsettled conditions would put a few striped bass along the beach. A few blues were around but seemed scarce, according to the few reports. On Monday blues were on a tear in the suds, and late afternoons into dark seemed the best time lately, but there was a pick on and off all day. The Governor’s Surf Fishing Tournament takes place Sunday at Island Beach State Park, and call the shop right away if you want to order a bushel of clams, so you won’t be disappointed. <a href="http://www.grumpystackle.com/fishingreports/" target="_blank"> Click here</a> for updates.

<b>Waretown</b>

Barnegat Bay’s weakfish kept biting, and anglers on the radio this morning said catches were decent, said Dale from <b>L&H Woods & Water</b>. The fish lately were also nice-sized, such as a 4.81-pounder that Tom Kowitsky weighed in. Blues and croakers were also in the bay, and so were blowfish, but a ton of small blowfish had to be weeded through to bag one big enough to eat. Lots of mullet were still around, and one angler reported seeing a ton in the surf. A buddy caught big blues in the surf on Long Beach Island yesterday on mullet, so the slammers seemed to be there sometimes. No striped bass were really biting yet. Fishing was kind of between seasons, and water temps were warm, and 80-degree days contributed. Few seemed to fish the ocean, and fog was prevalent. Bonito supposedly appeared close to shore near Manasquan last week, and some reportedly showed up off Island Beach State Park, but nobody said they found any this week. Nothing was heard about tuna fishing during the week, and most boaters seemed to head offshore for tuna from Fridays to Sundays at this time of year, so news during the week becomes scarce. Crabbers were scarce since the summer crowd left, but a few were still buying bunker baits, and they seemed to catch quite a few.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

<b>Reel Fantasea Charters</b> this week launched a new boat, a 26-foot Jones Brothers center console that’s “all that and more,” Capt. Steve Purul said in an e-mail. Its power, speed, comfort, stability, dryness and quietness were all amazing, he said. Fishing was also great on several trips this week, and charters scored non-stop action with weakfish, blues, bonito, false albacore and even a striped bass now and then. Wreckfishing was also hitting its stride for catches of sea bass, blackfish, porgies and triggerfish. Steve thinks fall is going to be one for the record books, because of all the bait that’s around. On Sunday he took a solo trip to get a feel for the boat, and his first stop produced non-stop fights with blues on popper lures. Then he caught weakfish after weakfish on the mainland side of Barnegat Bay on soft plastic lures. Regular customer Jay Simmons hopped aboard Monday for a slam of good-sized weaks to 4 pounds, false albacore, bonito and blues. On Tuesday Tony Shirro, owner of the Philly restaurant Latest Dish, and friend walloped blues at Barnegat Inlet on popper lures. Then they scored outstanding weakfishing on soft plastics, landing more of the fish and bigger ones than they ever had before. This month is almost booked up for charters, and only a few 3-hour trips remain, and only a handful are left in November, so don’t delay and book your dates.

Tons of weakfish swam Barnegat Bay at Meyer’s Hole and Double Creek Channel, pinning down mullet, Fin-S Fish and worms, said Josh from <b>Barnegat Light Bait & Tackle</b>. Some schoolie striped bass started showing up in the bay, and spots were a good bait. Kingfish were also in the bay, and so were blues, and nice-sized tog could be tricked on green crabs along the rocks at Barnegat Lighthouse. A combo of all these fish and more were holding at Barnegat Inlet. Surf fishers were dragging in croakers and 2- or 2-1/2-pound blues. A few striped bass were taken from the surf, but the fishing was nothing steady yet, and eels, plugs, clams, metal or bunker would attract a strike. Bonito, false albacore and sea bass were at Barnegat Ridge, and tuna fishing was going well at the canyons. Baits in stock include live spots, live eels, fresh bunker, live clams and all the frozen baits.

<b>Brighton Beach</b>

A few striped bass were tugged from the surf, and bluefish sometimes showed up, said Basil from <b>Oceanside Bait & Tackle</b>. The mullet run was about finished, but the peanut bunker run was on. Weakfishing was good in Barnegat Bay toward the north end of the island the past two days on drifted sandworms and bloodworms or on cast Fin-S Fish. Striped bass were sometimes plugged on the flats of the bay, and spots would also catch them. Kingfish were swimming the bay but were starting to push out to the ocean. Basil heard about bonito popping up off Seaside at times, but nobody reported seeing them closer to the shop. He was sure bonito and false albacore could still be found at Barnegat Ridge. Wreck fishing for sea bass was pretty good, and news about tuna fishing was mostly quiet because of strong winds, but the fish were certainly there. Plenty of big, out-of-season fluke were biting, and anglers picked up 4- and 5-pounders while tossing Fin-S Fish for weakies, and the early closing of the season was a shame. 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>Mystic Island</b>

A mix of porgies, kingfish and blowfish finally started biting in the bay, and although porgies had turned up some time ago, the kings and blows began appearing a few days ago, said Scott from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. They were two months late and usually arrive in mid August. Go figure, he said. The fish gathered at three spots: Graveling Point, the clam stakes on the Mystic Island side of the Fish Factory and Grassy Channel from the 132 to 134 markers. Clam baits and clam chum were the way to go. Weakfish were caught, and Scotty wished he could say the bite was consistent, but the fish could be hooked from high tide to outgoing, specifically at that time, and most came from Marshelder Channel. Peanut bunker and bloodworms got them to hit, and customers were buying quite a few 3-inch, chartreuse Berkeley Gulps. Good tog fishing was going down along the banks near the Coast Guard Station and Fish Factory, and the bag limit is only one till later this season, but a 7-pounder was checked in, and so was a 4-pounder. The ocean was too rough for boaters, so there was no news from there. Croakers, good numbers of them, were boated in the ocean from the shallows to 45 feet before the weather last week. Sea bass fishing in the ocean’s been tough anyway, and mostly shorts were holding along the reefs and wrecks. Bluefish anglers could only boat the inlet and not the ocean, and the inlet gave up ¾- to 1-pounders. Nothing could be said about bigger blues that might’ve roamed the ocean, because of the weather. The fall run of striped bass would normally be expected during the second week of October or next week, but the water was very warm, so the migration might get pushed later. However, more and more reports about stripers were being heard about resident fish anywhere from the Mullica River to along the banks of the bay to the inlet, and eels were the bait, and clams will become favorite later in the season.

<b>Absecon</b>

Weakfishing turned on pretty well in the back bay, and none were real monsters, but plenty were up to 20 inches, said Ray from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. He fishes for them with Berkeley Gulp shads and thinks the Gulps are the best baits, and different colors work best on different days. But the trout also hit peanut bunker and mullet. The weaks usually stay in the bay for some time yet, and some of the best weakfishing Ray ever saw took place last year during the shop’s annual Do It All Night Striper Tournament on November 1. This year’s Do It All Night contest will start 12 noon November 9 and end 12 noon November 10. Baitfish were starting to thin out a little, and that seemed to make fishing better, because anglers’ baits didn’t have to compete with the real thing so often. Tons of blues from 10-inchers to 3- or 4-pounders roamed the bay, and the waters were full of porgies, sea bass and such small fish. Striped bass anglers were hooking catches the past several weeks along the inlet and jetty, and many of the fish were small, but keepers also turned up. Customers usually plugged for the fish, but one kept buying Gulp eels, so apparently they were working. Surf anglers pulled kingfish from the wash, and one day they’d knock them loose, and another day would be slow, and kingfishing’s been kind of inconsistent like that this year. Ray also heard that many of the kings were small. Small stripers sometimes came from the surf, and blues were also hitting the suds, and if the mullet were there, so were the fish. The mullet run was slowing down somewhat, but plenty of peanut bunker schooled. Boaters were picking at croakers along the beach front, and good-sized, out-of-season flounder were hugging the bottom. Nothing was really heard about sea bass. The Mullica River kept giving up white perch.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

Surf casters plucked kingfish and weakfish from the wash on bloodworms and mullet, said Noel from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. Mullet were running like crazy. Occasionally striped bass were plugged in the suds on black or white Bombers or Yozuri poppers. Plenty of tog were chomping down on green crabs along the jetty rocks. Porgies could be yanked up from the back bay on bloodworms. Fishing was good, and if you can’t catch anything this month, you might as well hang it up. All the baits and also the striper plugs mentioned are stocked.

<b>Margate</b>

Fishing was kind of an in-between period when not a lot of anglers were heading out during the week, especially because flounder season closed early this year, said Capt. Jay from the <b>Jessie O’</b>. His trips were probably half the number compared with last year because of the closure. But the vessel is sailing every day for bottom fish in the ocean on open-boat trips, and the catch includes sea bass, porgies, croakers, triggerfish and blues. Things will pick up soon, as fall fishing gets under way. Charters are also available, and Jay’s back-bay boat, the <b>Fish N’ Fun</b>, will start sailing for striped bass on open trips twice a day in the mornings and evenings when the striper migration begins, and stay tuned for details. The Jessie O’ will also run open-boat jigging trips for stripers in the ocean during the fall run, and open tog trips will begin when the bag limit increases to eight on November 15 from the current limit of one.

<b>Longport</b>

Capt. Mike from the <b>Stray Cat</b> this week was busy sailing a boat from down south to Jersey, but he saw water temps of 73 degrees at the bell buoy off Great Egg Harbor Inlet yesterday morning, and that’s incredibly warm, he said. Temps should normally be 63 degrees, and no real movements of fish for the fall migration were taking place yet. Previously he took a break from fishing and did maintenance to get the boat ready for fall trips, especially because the early closing of flounder season left little fishing available. But now he’s going to resume fishing, starting with bottom fishing this weekend. Sea bass fishing wasn’t gangbusters yet, but the humpbacks could be bagged along with triggerfish and other bottom dwellers. Trolling for bonito, false albacore and Spanish mackerel was an option anywhere from 3 to 25 miles offshore, and wahoo were also on tap. Small feathers and weighted Clark spoons would do the trick. Stray Cat’s fall open-boat schedule will launch in less than a week, starting with bottom fishing for sea bass on October 10. By November 15, when the blackfish bag limit jumps to eight fish from the current limit of one, open trips will focus on the tog. Stray Cat had a great tog season last year, sailing late into the winter until the cold was just too much, producing catches on South Jersey’s reefs with relatively little pressure compared to North Jersey. Capt. Mike hopes for a repeat.

<b>Ocean City</b>

Lindenkohl Canyon was alive with big yellowfin tuna 70 pounds and larger right now, said Bill from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. All were being fought on the chunk. Closer to shore, the reefs were holding good catches of sea bass and not a lot of tog. Tog were tight to shore or along the jetties and also at the bridges. Bluefish were everywhere and were a pound or 1 ½ pounds or smaller, but Bill did hear about a school of 4- and 5-pounders. Croakers and very small weakfish were covering the bottom in the ocean in 20 to 30 feet. The back bay was giving up blues and also lots of small striped bass that bit artificials.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Lots of blues swam the inlets and just off the ocean beaches, and blues also covered Sea Isle Lump, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Gibson’s Tackle</b>. Striped bass fishing in the back bay was good on popper lures during the day and on swimming plugs fished with a slow retrieve at night. Surf fishers could tackle lots of blues, including along Townsend’s Inlet, and sharpies were also dragging striped bass from the suds. For the stripers throw poppers during the day and toss black Bombers or lures in other dark colors at night with a slow retrieve along the jetties. Joe was hearing nothing about croakers along the beach front, but his attention was on stripers and blues, and if croakers were biting off Wildwood like reports were saying, then they’re also in the local ocean off places like Spinnakers in Sea Isle or the fishing pier in Avalon.

<b>Wildwood</b>

Small blues swam the surf and bay, and anglers were lucky to find a 1-pounder, and warm, 72-degree water was the reason all species were mostly small, and 80-degree air temps weren’t going to change things, said Fred from <b>No Bones Bait & Tackle</b>. But one angler drilled a 35-inch striped bass in the bay behind north Wildwood on Saturday, and another bagged a 32-incher Monday in the bay. The bay was the only place to hook stripers, and fresh clam bellies that the store carries were the bait of choice. Frozen clams are also stocked, and so are frozen mullet, and live eels and live spots will start to be carried next week. The shop specializes in striped bass, though it covers all fishing from the bay to the suds. One great feature is that the shop offers 17-foot rental boats, especially for striper fishing, through December 31. The Carolina skiffs with 9.9-horsepower outboards are rented 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Triggerfish were sometimes grabbing the clam baits meant for stripers in the bay. Hereford Inlet was giving up decent catches of kingfish but only during an hour on the last of incoming tides, and bloodworms were the bait, and the shop carries no bloods. Incredible numbers of mullet had been schooling recently but were beginning to thin out. Boaters in the ocean near Wildwood were reeling in croakers and weakfish. The croakers close to shore were small, but bigger ones schooled 3 miles offshore, and a large majority of the weaks were undersized. Of course, out-of-season flounder were all over.

<b>Cape May</b>

Everyone was trying to catch stripers, and the anglers seemed to connect sometimes with small ones in the back bay in the mornings and evenings, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. Spots, eels, clams and bloodworms would probably work. Tons of snapper blues, fun to catch for now until fall fishing takes off, were everywhere, and larger blues filled the Cape May Rips. A few weakfish could probably be lifted from the surf at Higbee’s Beach and Cape May Point, and tog could be bagged along the jetties on green crabs or shedder crabs. In Delaware Bay, 20-Foot Slough was a likely spot to catch weakfish. Boaters in the ocean were reeling up kingfish and small, spike weaks along the beach front. News about offshore fishing was scarce, and it was that time of year. The shop just started stocking live spots, and other baits on hand include bloodworms, eels, fresh-shucked clams, salted clams and Berkeley Gulp artificials. When fall striper fishing kicks in, the shop will carry fresh bunker and live clams.

An overnight tuna trip is slated for this weekend on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>, Capt. George said, and he saw somewhat of a satellite shot of the water temps, because clouds obscured some of the chart, and the warmest water seemed to hold from Spencer Canyon to water near Baltimore Canyon. The weather kept people from fishing this week, but boaters were heading out to the canyons today and tomorrow, and they were all talking about going to Wilmington Canyon. Supposedly nothing was biting at Baltimore Canyon, and the fishing’s all been on the chunk, and trolling’s been slow all season. Last year George’s trips were trolling 7 to 10 yellowfin tuna with longfins mixed in, but almost no tuna were hooked on the troll on trips this year. A friend his friend was fishing from Ocean City, Md., and started chunking tuna during the day and not only at night, and George was thinking he might try chunking during daylight in addition to throughout the night on this trip. In other news, a mess of bluefish were schooling the Cape May Rips and could be trolled or bucktailed, and bottom fishers could pick up croakers and weakfish off Wildwood and along the beach front. The water was warm and 71 degrees, and the croakers should hang in there a while, but the weaks usually split after the first big storm.

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