<b>Brooklyn</b>

Strong winds finally calmed enough to sail yesterday, and a trip on the <b>Big M Express</b> got into “super, super” blackfishing, and the eight patrons limited out by 11 a.m., Capt. Steve said. The water was 55 degrees, a prime temp for blackfishing, and Steve said he hadn’t seen blackfishing that good in a while, and there were double headers. Northwest winds were still a little strong, and seas were somewhat rough, but nothing the 40-foot boat couldn’t handle. Green crabs were the bait, and afterward the anglers tried jigging for stripers briefly and hooked six or seven shorts. Steve couldn’t say how striper fishing was going, because the weather kept the boat from sailing recently. But he said fall fishing was now in full swing, and open-boat trips are running for blackfish 7 a.m. every day when no charter is booked, and open striper trips are fishing 5 p.m. every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday when no charter is sailing.  The Big M Express is docked at Tamaqua Marina in Gerritsen Beach, Brooklyn.

<b>Staten Island</b>

Blackfishing was very good today on the <b>Barbara Anne</b>, and the three anglers onboard limited out on the tog to 6 ½ pounds with no problem, and they probably released twice as many, Capt. Anthony said. Prime blackfishing was beginning to happen with cooler water, and the water today was 56 degrees. Fishing for blacks is the focus on the boat the rest of the season, but nighttime striper trips are available if someone requests. Open-boat blackfishing trips are sailing every Tuesday, guaranteed to leave the dock with a minimum of two anglers.

Trips on the <b>Kayla Rose</b> were bailing blackfish whenever the weather allowed the boat to sail, and patrons limited out on every outing during the past 2 ½ weeks, including yesterday, Capt. Darrin said. Yesterday’s fish weighed up to 7 pounds, and most ranged 5 to 7 pounds, and green crabs were the bait. Both open-boat trips and charters are blackfishing, and an open trip will target the blackfish 6 a.m. to 12 noon Thanksgiving Day. Be back in time for dinner and football, and have some blackfish with your turkey. No trips sailed for striped bass recently, because of the weather and because everybody wanted tog, but open-boat striper charters are sailing every Wednesday and Friday evenings when the weather is decent. Striper charters are also available, and some of the mates from the boat striper fished at Romer Shoal and did well, and the fishing was picking up. If interested in any of the open trips with Kayla Rose, call Darrin and give him your dates, and he’s got other anglers he’ll try to coordinate with. The Staten Island Tuna and Marlin Club is holding a blackfish tournament this Sunday, and if interested in entering, you can call Darrin for info, because he’s a member. His boat is full for the tournament, but you can enter your own.

Fishing for blackfish was probably the best bet, and most anglers who targeted them scored well at the inshore pieces, said Vinnie from <b>Michael’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Striped bass fishing was still hit or miss, and blues were supposedly all over. Staten Island surf fishers were picking at blues and sometimes a striper here or there, "but in between these weather fronts it's been slow,” he said.

<b>Bayonne</b>

Striped bass had been biting in the East River on eels for charters with Capt. Akira from <b>True World Tackle</b> and <b>True World Tackle Charters</b>, but no news was heard about the river the past couple of days because of cold and sometimes windy weather, he said. The shop was fairly quiet at that time. But previously catches were good, and none of the fish were the big migrators that should arrive, but Akira’s charters were bagging keepers. He thinks the bigger fish should show up any day because of colder water and the weather.

<b>Keyport</b>

Capt. Carmine from the <b>Lucky Carm</b> fished with two friends on one of the friend’s boat Sunday night or Monday night, and they eeled 19 stripers to 38 inches at the Sandy Hook Rips in 4 hours, Carmine said. Most of the fish were shorts, but a few were keepers, and all were released. Carmine also took another trip on the friend’s boat, and they bunker chunked a couple of stripers and some dogfish at Round Shoal during the day. A group of Catholic sisters were supposed to fish for stripers today on the boat.

A friend fished several place in Raritan Bay in the past days and said striped bass were everywhere, Capt. Joe from <b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b> said. So that was encouraging, and a charter will target them Sunday. Three spots are available for an open-boat striper trip this coming Wednesday. Open-boat trips area also sailing every day when no charter is booked, and call to reserve the open trips. A charter is also available Thanksgiving Day from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., so anglers can enjoy a morning on the water and be back in time for turkey. Call to reserve quickly if interested, and the trip might be one of the last of the season, because the boat might only fish until the end of the month this year.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Striped bass fishing started happening, and it’s time to come down, Capt. Ron from the <b>Fishermen</b> said. He’s always given both the good reports and the bad, and when he says it’s time, it’s time. The boat got out every day recently, mostly in the ocean, and fishing the past couple of days was very good. On Tuesday stripers to 22 pounds bit all day, and more than a half-dozen of the fish that were boated weighed 15 to 18 pounds, and tons of shorts gave up action. Fishing yesterday kind of shut down by 12 noon, but stripers were picked all morning, and the high hook landed 14, including a couple of keepers. A 42-incher that weighed about 22 ½ pounds was the pool winner. All the stripers were being clammed still, and the fishing was pretty much one drop all day. But lots of bait was in the water, and gannets were beginning to appear, and some herring were seen, so jigging for the stripers will start any day, and birds will be working the water all around. Some birds were being seen in the bay, and things were shaping up. The Fishermen is fishing for striped bass 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and 3:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Fridays through Sundays.

Eeling for striped bass was very good on the <b>Teal</b>, and trips were fishing at several areas off the Rockaways and off Sandy Hook, Capt. Rich said. Water temps dropped to 57 or 58 degrees, and the bite was turning on. The Teal is fishing for stripers 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.

Charters on the <b>CRT II</b> were weathered out through the past week, and the boat is scheduled to charter for striped bass this weekend, Capt. Mick said. Stripers are the target on his trips, and the CRT II will fish until about Thanksgiving this season.

Clamming for striped bass was good, and sometimes eeling for stripers was pretty decent, especially at night, said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. A few bass were beginning to appear in the bay. Surf fishing was productive for mostly stripers, and sometimes blues swam into the wash. Bottom fishing was good for porgies, a few sea bass and lots of tog.

Bottom fishing was improving for porgies on the <b>Atlantic Star</b> each day since Sunday after the storm, Capt. Tom said. Monday was better than Sunday, and Tuesday was better yet, and no trip sailed Wednesday because of lack of anglers, though the weather was fine. The boat was out this morning when Tom gave this report, and the weather was beautiful, and the fishing was pretty nice. Some big porgies were coming up, and small ones were mixed in. The boat was fishing at Sandy Hook Reef each day, and Tom tried fishing at the Mud Buoy on one trip previously, but he wasn’t impressed, and the fish were bigger at the reef. The boat’s trips will certainly put more effort into tog fishing starting next Thursday, when the tog bag limit increases to eight fish from the current limit of one. Green crabs will be carried for bait for the blackfish at that time, but clams will also be kept onboard for porgy fishing, and some places will produce both fish. The Atlantic Star is bottom fishing from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.

<b>Highlands</b>

The <b>Fisher Price</b> sailed for striped bass Monday at the mouth of the bay, and clamming for the fish was good, and the anglers didn’t limit out, but they bagged six keepers to 15 pounds and released two dozen shorts, Capt. Derek said. Seas at first were like a pond, and the weather was beautiful, but winds kicked up later. Charters on the boat will keep concentrating on stripers, but Derek was tying tog rigs when he gave this report last night, and tog charters will begin next Thursday, when the bag limit gets hiked up to eight fish from the current limit of one. The vessel will also run open-boat trips during the week: either striper/blackfish combos or trips for one or the other.

<b>Long Branch</b>

Surf casters started to beach more striped bass, and the fishing seemed to be picking up, said John from <b>Jim’s Bait & Tackle</b>. He reeled in six this morning, and two were close to keeper-size, and one might’ve been big enough, but all were released. John was throwing poppers, pencil poppers and swimmers, and the fish were mostly chasing peanut bunker, and pods of peanuts reappeared. No sand eels were seen. Sharpies at West Long Branch yesterday evening got into a load of small, 12- to 14-inch stripers that suddenly appeared in the suds, for some reason. Big, slammer blues 10 or 12 pounds were also storming the wash lately. The Shrewsbury River was giving up a bunch of big, 20- and 30-pound stripers, and lots of bait filled the river, but the bait was probably beginning to move out.

<b>Neptune</b>

Striped bass fishing was sometimes good and sometimes slow, said Capt. Ralph from <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b>. An individual reservation trip produced a few Sunday, maybe because of rough weather the previous two days, but a trip last Thursday produced five keepers to 18 pounds and more than 20 to 30 shorts. Space is available on individual-reservation striper trips that will fish the next two Sundays. An individual-reservation blackfish trip will run this coming Thursday, when the bag limit increases to eight from the current limit of one, and spots are open. Those blackfish trips will also sail November 21, 23 and 26, and space is available on all. A mid-range wreck-fishing trip is full Sunday, but two spots are open for another slated for November 18.

<b>Belmar</b>

A trip on the <b>Nan Sea J</b> headed out to the ocean Monday, and the water was dirty, apparently making jigging for stripers and blues difficult, so the boat moved to the Mud Buoy, where bluefishing was good on bait for 2- to 10-pounders, Capt. Tom said. The water was 56 degrees at the Mud and 55 closer to shore, so temps had dropped. A trip Thursday jigged some stripers and lots of blues in the ocean. Charters will keep targeting these fish and will also go blackfishing when the bag limit increases to eight of the tog next Thursday from the current limit of one.

Lots of tuna trips had been sailing on the <b>Bandit</b>, but rough weather kept the boat docked the past 2 ½ weeks, so the vessel will move to its winter home in Delaware on Black Friday to fish for tog through the season, Capt. Scotty said. The boat fished there for slipperies last year and had a great season, and lots of Jersey anglers especially headed down after the first of the year, because Jersey’s tog bag limit then drops, but Delaware’s is still a good number. The vessel will sail on open tog trips every Thursday through Sunday by reservation only, and the trips are limited to 25 people to allow space. Tog charters will be available Mondays through Thursdays. An arrangement is available from a hotel that is working with the Bandit that offers a discount on rooms for the boat’s patrons, and the accommodations are modern and good quality, Scotty said. 

Striped bass fishing was very good both in the surf and from boats in the ocean, said Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b>. There was just lots of the fish, and none was huge, but many were keepers 28 to 30 inches. Bob thought a 27-pounder and a 24-pounder were weighed in this week. Surf casters were casting clams or plugs, and boaters were jigging Krocodiles or Avas off Belmar and north and south. A few blues were around but weren’t prevalent, and anglers were happy about that, because they wanted stripers. On the party boats bottom fishing was very good for sea bass, blackfish and big porgies. The blackfish bag limit increases to eight next Thursday from the current limit of one, so party boat anglers were looking forward to that. A few porgies, not a ton, could be bagged at Shark River Inlet, and blackfish could be found there, and blackfishing was good at Point Pleasant Canal.

<b>Brielle</b>

Strong winds kept charters from fishing on the <b>Katie H</b>, Capt. Mike said. But friends jigged a mess of blues and striped bass a couple of miles off Manasquan Inlet and off Asbury Park this week, and at Asbury Park they fished the same place Mike found the fish on a previous trip. Charters on the boat will probably chase striped bass this weekend, and trips have been trying to wait for a window of decent weather to fish offshore for tuna but with no luck. Mike looked at temperature charts recently and saw 64-degree, cool water all the way south to areas like Baltimore Canyon, and that didn’t necessarily bode well. Offshore reports have also been scarce, and Mike and crew wouldn’t want to commit to an offshore trip with no reports about the fishing. One charter was interested in tilefishing, and if the weather opens up, those anglers might take the run to Hudson Canyon. Mike thought he might also head out to look for big bluefin tuna that usually show up by now at places like the Texas Tower, the Bacardi wreck and the Hudson. Nobody’s been out there, so nobody knew if the fish were there. The Katie H will also target tog when the tog bag limit is pulled up to eight fish this coming Thursday from the current limit of one, and the boat will sail till early December.

<b>Point Pleasant</b>

Anglers with <b>Andrea’s Toy Charters</b> took advantage of somewhat of a break in the windy weather yesterday and ran north in the ocean on a jigging trip for striped bass and blues, Capt. Fred said. And the fishing was “all going off” from Shark River Inlet north, he said. A mix of 20 blues and 20 stripers—an even split—hammered Ava 47 jigs in 45 to 55 feet, and the anglers limited out on bass to 20 pounds. The fish were spitting up sand eels, and birds worked the water, and the action was as good as it gets. The water was 57 degrees, and northerly winds blew 20 knots, kicking up pretty tight seas 3 to 4 feet. Only three or four other boats were seen, and no boaters were fishing in the past days because of the winds. Andrea’s Toy will now sail on combo trips for stripers and blackfish, because the blackfish bag limit jumps to eight next Thursday from the current limit of one. Charters on the boat specialize in mixed bags for greater fun, better chances of hooking up and more variety for dinner.

<b>Bricktown</b>

Surf anglers this morning started landing lots of striped bass, and the fish were on sand eels, so diamond jigs, Deadly Dicks and any thin-profiled lures were getting hit, said Jason from <b>Pell’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Pencil poppers and small needlefish lures, both in stock, also drew strikes, and it was good to finally see sand eels, and they’ll stick around a while. The bass were often just out of casting range, but sometimes they moved in, and customers reeled in ones from 24 inches to the mid 30 inches, so they were good-sized. Blues 4 to 8 pounds were also mixed in and hit metal, plugs and mullet. The fish in the surf lately were hooked throughout the day from mornings through evenings. Boaters were scoring well on stripers and blues while trolling stretch plugs and umbrella rigs in 55 to 70 feet in the ocean from the local area to the Shrewsbury Rocks. The bass were quality fish 15 pounds and larger, and some boaters were also running and gunning, chasing working birds and jigging Ava A67’s to land the bass and blues. Short stripers were biting along the mouth of the Point Pleasant Canal, and customers were going there to fight them for fun on Fin-S Fish. But John Murphy eeled a 34-inch keeper there, and his friend Brian eeled three shorts to 25 inches there. Nothing was heard about tog fishing in the canal, because most anglers there tog fish between fluke season and the striper run, but Jason assumed tog could still be hooked at the canal, because they were before. Lots of boaters were also drifting along the Dog Beach at Manasquan Inlet and scoring pretty well on stripers on Fin-S Fish and eels.

<b>Toms River</b>

Surf fishing started taking off in the past couple of days, and striped bass and blues were beached, and there was definitely a bite, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. The water was 62 degrees, and so conditions were finally becoming good. The blues weighed up to 7 pounds and showed up mostly in the mornings, and striped bass moved in during afternoons on incoming tides. The fish were spitting up sand eels, so anglers were targeting the blues with metal jigs like Avas or needlefish lures. Eighty percent of the bass were hooked on clams. Stripers finally started being checked in, and customers who weighed-in the fish this week included: Phil LaGrossa, 23-1/2-pounder, Island Beach, bunker head; Keith Sleezer, 19-1/2-pounder, Island Beach, clam; Vince Colletti, 13-pounder, Island Beach; Joe O’Brian, 9-1/4-pounder, Island Beach; Barbara Dietlmeir, 16-pounder, Seaside Park, clam; Mark Chamberlain, 13-1/4-pounder, Ortley Beach, swimming plug; and Kevin Kennedy, 9-3/4-pounder, Ortley Beach.  Few boaters looked for fish in the ocean because of winds, but winds started calming yesterday, and boaters got back out. Nothing was heard about trolling or jigging, but boaters eeled bass off Manasquan yesterday, and that was the only news heard about boating in the ocean. In Barnegat Bay a few anglers picked up a short striper now and then at the Route 37 Bridge on rubber shads, and boaters in the bay were anchoring and landing bass off the power plant on clams. A few shorts were taken in the Toms River on shads, and anglers in the river also still picked up occasional weakfish or blues.

<b>Seaside</b>

John Bushell Jr. fished the surf at Ocean Beach today and saw sand eels covering the bottom, more sand eels than anglers had seen in quite some time, and peanut bunker also filled the water, said the fishing report on <b>Betty and Nick’s Bait & Tackle</b>’s web site. He beached a 12-pound striper, and anglers there were fighting tons of big blues. Diamond jigs and sand eel imitation metals were hooking them, and nobody was seen throwing a needlefish lure, but John bet they would become popular soon. The site listed stripers from 8 to 13 pounds that were checked in, and the fish were biting in the afternoons this week. The surf was 1 to 2 feet, 58 degrees and clear. <a href=" http://www.bettyandnicks.com/fish.shtml" target="_blank"> Click here</a> for the latest.

After disappointing surf fishing Sunday from the effects of the storm, Monday’s fishing got better as the day progressed, and clamming for bass was good in the suds, and the bite took place from late afternoon to evening, and ocean boaters also connected with the linesiders, said the fishing report on <b>Grumpy’s Tackle</b>’s web site. Stripers from 7.8 pounds to 23 pounds were weighed in from the surf, and three linesiders 6.9 pounds, 21.4 pounds and 27.2 pounds were checked in from boats, and two were trolled on umbrella rigs, and one was jigged on a Krocodile. By yesterday the surf had cleaned up nicely, and plenty of stripers continued to be listed in the report that were clammed in the wash. The fish also kept rolling in today, and most were still landed from late afternoon to the evenings, but that’s also when most anglers fish. Little was known about mid-day action, because few fished then, and early mornings didn’t seem good, but again few people fished at that time. Although clams accounted for most of the weigh-ins, a few shorts hit Stetzko Mr. Wiggly plugs and small Stillwater lures. <a href="http://www.grumpystackle.com/fishingreports/" target="_blank"> Click here</a> for updates. 

<b>Waretown</b>

A striped bass charter with <b>Perfect Drift Sport Fishing</b> was blown out yesterday from windy weather, and the weather often kept trips from fishing lately, Capt. John said. Striped bass had been clammed in Barnegat Bay, and some had been trolled or jigged in the ocean toward Seaside, but not much seemed to be caught at either place since the nor’easter at the end of last week. Maybe the water was dirty, or maybe the weather pushed the fish offshore. The best bet recently was probably to head north toward Sandy Hook, because stripers seemed to be caught there. Fishing for the linesiders down south at Cape May seemed to give up mixed reports, and John was reading about some captains saying the bite was on, and private boaters saying it wasn’t. Forecasts were saying the weather was again about to go bad Friday to Saturday, so Perfect Drift will probably try to sail for stripers Sunday. Perfect Drift’s striped bass season is in full swing, and charters will either clam the bay or jig and troll the ocean, and tomorrow’s another day, and the fishing could change. Stripers won’t stay in the bay too long, and John tries to avoid the bay on the weekends because of boat traffic. He prefers to fish the ocean and get away from crowds.

Barnegat Bay anglers finally seemed to start clamming striped bass again today along the sod banks, and there was lots of chatter on the radio, and one customer said he clammed seven on the change of tide, said Dale from <b>L&H Woods & Water</b>. Previously the fishing sounded slow for a while, and Dale himself tried Tuesday but found no fish, though others hooked a few, and he saw one landed. Clams were the most popular bait, but spots were also working well. Slack low tide was supposedly the time to fish. Nothing was being heard about any success at trolling for stripers in the ocean, though boaters were out trying yesterday and today after rough weather Tuesday. Surf fishing was the only other action, and surf casters landed a few stripers here and there and sporadic bluefish, and nobody reported any blitzes. One of the shop’s surf anglers said a 47-pound striper was beached in the suds and entered in one of the tournaments.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Lots of striped bass showed up in the surf and started jumping mostly on clams and sometimes bunker, said Josh from <b>Barnegat Light Bait & Tackle</b>. A few blues were seen leaping from the water in the distance and beyond casting range. A mess of bass also turned back on in Barnegat Bay at Double Creek and Oyster Creek channels and along Barnegat Inlet after a lull in the action from last week’s blow. Some anglers landed 8, 10 or 12 of the fish, and fishing with live bait or anchoring with clams nabbed them. One customer said he still landed big, 24-inch weakfish off the fuel dock on live spots. Plenty of blackfish were hitting along the rocks around the inlet on green crabs. A bunch of boaters headed back out into the ocean today after rougher weather kept them docked previously, and nothing was heard back from them yet. Last week they were hooking 30-pound stripers in 55 or 60 feet. One of the local party boats pointed the bow offshore today on a trip that Josh thought was probably the fleet's last tuna fishing of the year.

<b>Brighton Beach</b>

Surf fishing for striped bass just turned back on today, and previously the fishing shut off for a moment because of an 8-degree water temperature drop from the low 60s to the low 50s, said Basil from <b>Oceanside Bait & Tackle</b>. The fish were biting as he gave this report this evening, and all the bass today were good-sized and about 33 inches like a cookie cutter. At first, Basil said that not much was heard about blues except some cocktails that showed up in the suds, because of the water temp drop. But as he gave this report, a customer stopped by to weigh in a big blue and said the slammers were in the surf.  Weakfishing in Barnegat Bay seemed to be ending, and maybe a straggler could be landed here or there. A couple of boaters headed out to try for tuna, but nothing was reported back from them yet. 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 own the shop and also own Barnegat Light Bait & Tackle.  

<b>Beach Haven</b>

The <b>June Bug’s</b> offshore fishing season was wrapped up for the year, and the vessel will move to its winter home at Oregon Inlet, North Carolina, any day, Capt. Lindsay said. The boat as always will undergo winter maintenance until it starts fishing from North Carolina in March. At that time lots of yellowfin tuna should bite, and schoolie bluefin tuna 40 or 50 pounds should be found, and some remaining giant bluefin tuna might also swim the waters. A bunch of false albacore, called Fat Alberts there, should also be around, and king mackerel are usually fought. Sometimes white and blue marlin show up, but not in the numbers like summer. But some seasons have produced good catches of the marlin on the boat. The June Bug usually does no striped bass fishing in North Carolina, but striper fishing can be good there along the ocean front from December to early February for 30- to 50-pounders, if the water cools. The water never cooled enough last year, so stripers never pushed farther south than Chesapeake Bay. The June Bug each year fishes from North Carolina until Memorial Day and then heads back to Jersey to fish starting in June, of course! Then the mainstay is offshore fishing, but inshore trolling trips for speedsters like bonito and bottom-fishing trips for fluke and such are mixed in.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

Striped bass fishing was good at Little Egg Inlet, though the weather was awful, but that’s striper fishing, said Scott from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. The bite wasn’t always on, and the fish came in waves, but anglers scored. Low tide was best Sunday and also produced yesterday, and the white water at the inlet’s sandbars was best, and clams, clams, clams were the ticket, and clams were well stocked. A 41.7-pound linesider was the biggest of the week at the shop and was checked in yesterday morning. Pebble Beach was also giving up activity, and high tides seemed best, and high tides were coinciding with evenings. A 30-incher and a 28-1/2-incher were weighed in from there. Nothing was heard about boating in the ocean because of stiff winds and seas. Ocean fishing will especially draw interest starting next Thursday, when the tog bag limit increases to eight fish from the current limit of one. An angler Sunday drilled 13 tog along the banks of the bay, and all were shorts, but it was a sign that the blackfish were still hanging along the banks. Little was heard about bluefish except one 19-incher landed over the weekend, but clams won’t attract blues, and more blues would probably show up if anglers were tossing bunker or mullet. The cold weather pushed out all the little fish from the bay like porgies and blowfish that were common before. Stripers were about the only thing to target this week, but no anglers were complaining about that.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

The <b>AC Lady</b> left port on a bottom fishing trip yesterday in the ocean after rough weather kept trips from sailing, and customers boated sea bass, blackfish and big blues, Capt. Rich said. The AC Lady is bottom fishing 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. every Wednesday and every Friday through Sunday.

Striped bass fishing was a little slower in the past couple of days or so because of the effects of previous rough weather, but it should pick back up, and plenty of shorts and a few bigger ones were around, said Jack from <b>Offshore Enterprises Bait & Tackle</b>. The stripers were everywhere, including in the back bay and surf. Plugs, live bait or chunk baits worked in the bay, and clams and various things connected in the surf. Lots of stripers were supposedly swimming farther north, and they’ll migrate south to local waters. Not too many bluefish were around, but that was a good thing, so the blues didn’t attack an angler’s $3 spot meant for stripers. Blackfish were tearing it up around the rocks at Absecon Inlet and the jetties, and a humongous, 18-1/2-pound tog, the biggest tog heard about on this site so far this season, was weighed in that was hauled from the inlet. The shop is now offering a 17-foot Angler rental boat with a 50 h.p. Merc for fishing the bay and inlet until Christmas. Just about every type of bait is stocked, including fresh and frozen bunker, live clams, salted clams, green crabs, frozen herring, frozen mackerel, live spots, live eels, bunker chum and mackerel chum. The <b>Carly A</b>, the shop’s charter boat, was weathered out lately but is still available for offshore charters, and the vessel will sail on a number of striper charters this fall.   

<b>Absecon</b>

<b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b> was being geared up for its annual Do It All Night Striper Tournament that will take place noon Friday to noon Saturday, Ray said. Striper fishing was decent in the back bay, and lots of shorts bit, but anglers could find keepers if they put in the time. Capt. Dave, the shop’s owner, was landing the fish on every one of his charters so far, mostly on live spots, and a charter Monday with four anglers limited out. Cathy Schoenstein weighed in a 40-inch, 27-1/2-pound striper that she eeled in the bay, and Frank Schaefer checked in a 34-inch 13-pounder from the bay. Mike Mangan and grandson clammed a 33-inch striper apiece in the back. Mostly stripers were around now, and Ray heard little about blues or weakfish anymore. Surf fishing for stripers was also pretty good, and the owner of Linwood Roofing nailed a 33-pound striper in the suds on the northern end of Brigantine. Again, Ray heard about few other fish besides stripers in the surf. Perch fishing turned back on at the Mullica and Great Egg Harbor rivers.

<b>Margate</b>

Striped bass were starting to bite in the back bay, and tog were grabbing baits in the bay, and trips were targeting both on the <b>Fish N’ Fun</b>. The trips run twice daily from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Jay’s bigger boat, the <b>Jessie O’</b>, was bottom fishing daily in the ocean, and private charters are also available with Jay’s fleet. The fleet is now offering a special on Mondays and Wednesdays: Buy one fare and get half off a second fare if you bring a friend. Openings are still available for a trip that will compete in Captain Andy’s Marina’s Annual Striper Tournament on Saturday, 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 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>

Sea bass and tog were coming up on the <b>Stray Cat’s</b> daily bottom-fishing trips, although the boat was docked during rough weather this week, Capt. Mike said. But the trips will now resume, and openings were available tomorrow, but this Saturday and Sunday were sold out. Porgies were pretty much gone. Striped bass fishing was apparently decent along the ocean front and at the inlets on live spots, porgies and croakers. The vessel should soon start running open-boat striper trips twice weekly. Mike’s customers were chomping at the bit for next Thursday, when the tog bag limit jumps to eight fish from the current limit of one. Tog fishing is a big thing on the boat, and trips will target the slipperies daily starting Thursday. Stray Cat had a great tog fishing season last year at South Jersey’s wrecks and pieces with less pressure than up north. Mike hopes for a repeat.

<b>Ocean City</b>

Good numbers of stripers were showing up from the ocean to the surf to the inlets, said Ed from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. Fishing was knocked out for several days early in the week from the effects of the end of last week’s storm, but catches were picking up in the past day or two. No huge stripers were around, but more would likely arrive as the fish migrate from the north, and many of the stripers were currently 34 or 35 inches, and a bunch were 24 or 25 inches. Fishing for them at the inlets was pretty consistent on eels and other baits. Surf fishers were claiming the fish on clams and bunker, and boaters were jigging or trolling and were beginning to find a few birds working the water. Ed was hearing about a few stripers taken in the bay, mostly at night. Not much was reported about any bluefish caught, and the water was becoming chilly. Tog could be found along the jetties. That was about everything happening now.

<b>Wildwood</b>

Striped bass fishing started picking up, and back-bay catches were more frequent, and the fish were a little bigger, said Fred from <b>No Bones Bait & Tackle</b>. Lots of 24- to 26-inchers bit, and previously most of the fish were 18 to 22 inches, so a new size class moved in, and Fred knew about five keepers bagged Sunday and Monday after the storm. More stripers and larger ones should continue to push into local waters from up north, and the bite was happening farther north. Clams are the most popular bait in the back, but eels will also do the trick. Fred was talking with boaters who had run-offs from stripers in the bay but lost the fish, and he stressed that when anglers leave the rod in a rod holder, they should lock up reels instead of leaving them on free spool with the clickers on. The fish will hook itself if the reel is locked, but if it’s on free spool, the striper will feel the resistance and drop the bait. A stripers mouth isn’t made to nibble the bait. Delaware Bay’s striper fishing started to open up, and Fred heard about 10 stripers in the 40-pound class boated in Delaware Bay on Monday. The weather deteriorated afterward, but today’s weather was good. Bunker chunks were the bait of choice there, and a few boaters scored decent striper catches at the Cape May Rips, where eels and spots are the usual baits. Surf fishing around Wildwood was slow, and a friend surf fished 4 hours at Hereford Inlet and North Wildwood and got no bites and saw no fish landed. But things should be changing now, and local striper fishing starts later than farther north, but the tradeoff is that it lasts longer, probably into January. Fred also talked with a couple of surf anglers at the Wawa who said they landed no fish this morning. The shop’s rental boats, 17-foot Carolina Skiffs, are available for striped bass fishing in the back bay through December 31. Clam bellies are well stocked for the fishing or anchoring, chumming with clams and fishing with the clams, one of the best ways to go in those waters.

<b>Cape May</b>

Delaware Bay’s bunker chunking for striped bass sounded like it was starting to take off at 60-Foot Slough, Tussy’s Slough, 20-Foot Slough and Bug Light, said Nick from <b>Hand’s Too Bait & Tackle</b>. Stripers were also eeled at the Cape May Rips, and a few blues might’ve still been hooked at the rips, but they seemed to scatter. Surf fishing was a little slow, and that was odd, because it should’ve been happening. But it’ll pick up, and a few short stripers were beached. Little was heard about back-bay fishing, but anglers could always search for stripers in the back bay, and try fishing early in the mornings before boat traffic increases, and throw popper lures, soft plastics, eels or nearly anything, and the fish aren’t too picky when they’re hungry. Last year Electric Chicken was the hot color for soft plastics. Bunker, clams in the shell, shucked clams, bushels of clams, eels and spots are stocked. Customers can reserve bait over the phone, and it’s always good to know bait is being put aside for you, and demand is always high at this time of year, another reason to reserve. 

<b>Legal Limit Charters</b> fished the Cape May Rips for striped bass Monday with eels and spots, but the fishing was a slow pick, and not many stripers were biting there, Capt. T.J. said. He probably heard about four or five caught all day. Hearsay sounded like a few stripers were getting bagged in Delaware Bay, probably around the bottom of 60-Foot Slough, but that was unconfirmed and not first-hand. The water at the rips was 57 degrees in the morning and warmed to 59 or 60 later in the day, still warm water. A striper charter on the boat yesterday had to be cancelled because of strong winds.

A charter on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> was on the books to striped bass fish tomorrow, and a bite supposedly took place at the Cape May Rips yesterday, Capt. George said. But that was unconfirmed, and previously striper fishing was slow at the rips so far this season. Striper fishing was better in Delaware Bay but wasn’t dynamite. George knew about a charter who sailed on three boats and fished the same place at the same time, and one of the boats came back with 3 stripers, and another landed 11, and another found none. “So go figure,” George said. If anglers hear mixed reports about one person reporting good striper fishing off Cape May and another reporting slow fishing, and so on, it’s probably because one angler caught a few fish and said there was a good bite. George hoped the fishing would keep improving, and charters on the Heavy Hitter are concentrating on stripers the rest of the season.

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