<b>Staten Island</b>

<b>Frenzy Fishing Charters</b> motored to the upper yesterday, and the anglers stopped counting at 60 stripers hooked and released, all shorts, but non-stop action, great fishing, Capt. Tom said. Snow was falling, but seas were flat, a beautiful day on the water. The fish bit practically anything thrown, including diamond jigs and rubber eels. So striper fishing was good, lots of action. If anyone wants to get out, Frenzy will keep the boat in the water another two weeks.

Blackfishing was absolutely super today with <b>Outcast Charters</b>, Capt. Joe said. Slipperies to 8 pounds were hauled up, and quite a few 7-pounders were drilled, and the anglers limited out early and then played catch and release. What’s more, they jigged striped bass, shorts but plenty of them, on the way home. Outcast is predominantly blackfishing, a specialty on the boat, but sometimes trips stop along the beaches and mix in striper fishing if the linesiders are seen schooling.

<b>Laurence Harbor</b>

The boat was hauled from the water yesterday, and Capt. Kyle from <b>Evening Tide Charters</b> wrapped up his season, he said. He thanked all his customers and wished everyone Happy Holidays, and he’ll start chartering again early next spring, as soon as winter flounder season opens. Striped bass fishing will soon follow, and Kyle hopes for a good spring run with lots of opportunity for livelining. If interested in either species, call to book your dates.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Surf fishers grabbed short striped bass 4 to 5:30 p.m. yesterday on plugs, said Margaret from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Nothing was heard from boaters, and only a few customers were coming through the door. It’s that time of year.

High winds and the weather prevented the <b>Atlantic Stars</b>' blackfishing trips from sailing in the past days, Capt. Tom said. But the vessel is normally fishing for the tog 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily, and catches were good before the blow. Stay tuned, because an update might be posted if Tom is reached now that the weather is better. ***UPDATE, Friday, 12/7: The boat fished south of the Scotland Grounds today, and blackfishing wasn't as fast or consistent as before, but the high hook grabbed six keepers, and one patron only scored one, but the rest took home two to five. A few ling were boated, and one patron targeted the hake, dunking clams for a half-dozen before dogfish showed up. So he switched to fishing with green crabs, because clams can attract the dogs, and caught more ling, and also pinned down three blackfish on the crabs. A few more short blacks were biting than previously, but everyone scored some fish for dinner. The weather was a bit cold, but seas were smooth.

After three days of being kept tied to the dock during rough weather, the <b>Fishermen</b> headed out yesterday, and striped bass fishing was “absolutely excellent,” Capt. Ron said. “You wait all year for this.” Seas were flat calm despite the snowstorm, and the weather got a little cold toward the end, but striper fishing was the best of the year. There was life for miles, a huge area of fish from between the channels to the Shrewsbury Rocks and both inshore and offshore. Twenty-five nice keepers were taken, and patrons lost count of the number of shorts hooked. The fishing was all on jigs, and at one point the fish-finder marked solid stripers from 75 feet down to 40 feet, stripers schooling a huge, 35-foot space through the water column. Patrons dropped jigs to the bottom, lifted up, and fish on! A few blues were fought, but blues seemed to become scarce, apparently departing at long last, for the most part. Capt. Ron will stick with the fishing as long as possible, and striped bass trips are sailing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. Afternoon striper trips that had been running Fridays through Sundays are now finished for the year.

<b>Highlands</b>

Blackfish bit during incoming tide on a trip yesterday at small pieces between Sandy Hook Reef and the Mud Buoy, and they mostly turned off when the tide changed, and the anglers onboard wound up with 20 keepers to 7 pounds while dunking green crabs, said Capt. Derek from <b>Fisher Price Charters</b>. The bite was “weird,” he said. Snow fell all day, and winds were a little strong at first but then calmed, and seas were fine. The ocean was 45 degrees, and the river was 37, and loads of birds worked the ocean along the beaches, and tons of stripers could’ve been jigged underneath. Fisher Price is targeting blackfish and stripers, and the last trips of the season will probably run through this weekend.

<b>Sea Bright</b>

Capt. Fletcher Chayes from <b>Two Rivers Charters</b> deer hunted this week, but two friends said they jigged very good catches of stripers at the West Bank and between the channels, he said. Two Rivers will keep fishing, and the bite continued last year into January. The water now was very clear, so drop down to lighter lines and lighter leaders, and you’ll catch more stripers, he said.

<b>Neptune</b>

Ocean striped bass fishing was holding up very well for <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b>, Capt. Ralph said, and blackfishing outings were producing limits for the better anglers. Charters are on tap for both species, and space is available on individual-reservation blackfishing trips 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. December 12, 16, 23, 26, 30 and 31. A mid-range wreck-fishing trip has been rescheduled to December 19 that was previously slated for December 23, and two spots are open.

<b>Belmar</b>

Blackfishing trips sailed every day except Monday on the <b>Big Mohawk</b>, and the fishing was good, and some of the tog weighed up to 10 pounds, no huge ones, but the sizes were getting there, Capt. Chris said. More and more big ones will show up as the season progresses. Thirty-pound tackle and 8-ounce weights were the way to go. The Big Mohawk is fishing for blackfish 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. every day, and green crabs are provided for bait.

Striped bass were swarming all over the surf yesterday, and many were small, but some were 20-pound keepers, said Mike from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b>. Herring and sand eels were schooling, and Ava jigs, Bomber plugs and such were the trick for the stripers, and the shop is carrying fresh clams and eels, but the metal and lures were popular. Blackfishing was fantastic yesterday on the Belmar party boats, and most patrons limited out, and some of the fish were healthy sized. Green crabs and white leggers are stocked for the tog.

<b>Brielle</b>

Bottom fishing for ling to 4 pounds was very good at three wrecks that all held life on a Mudhole Marathon on Sunday on the <b>Jamaica</b>, an e-mail from the boat said. A few sea bass were mixed in, and the Jamaica will now resume trips farther offshore to the 60- to 80-mile wrecks. But the <b>Paramount</b> will bottom fish daily closer to shore, including on Mudhole trips at 6:30 a.m. every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. An offshore trip Saturday on the Jamaica produced sea bass, jumbo porgies, ling, cod and pollock. Tony Dudley, the pool winner, nailed a 42-pound cod, 20 jumbo porgies, 17 sea bass and several ling. Chris Phillips, the second-place angler, boated a 20-pound cod, a 4-pound lobster, porgies and sea bass. A dozen pollock were bagged on the trip on bait and jigs, and 10 cod were landed.  Cai Zhong was high hook with 22 sea bass to 5 pounds and 21 jumbo porgies. The migration of fish offshore had begun, and fishing was expected to improve each day. Visit both the Jamaica’s and the Paramount’s web sites for further info, or call the boats.    

<b>Point Pleasant</b>

Striped bass fishing was good in the ocean yesterday on the <b>Gambler</b> after the boat stayed tied to the dock since Saturday, Capt. Bob said. The weather had been rough during the week, but seas were calm yesterday, despite the snowstorm, and patrons found lots of action from south of Asbury Park almost to Sea Bright. Quite a few short stripers bit, but quite a few keepers were bagged, and a half-dozen blues were hooked. The fish were jigged, and one customer, Jeff Kay from Freehold, simply cast out a 3-1/4-ounce Krocodile, let it hit bottom, retrieved it back at a medium pace and drilled six keeper-sized stripers, releasing three. Bob thought a 15-pounder was Jeff’s biggest, if he remembered correctly. Customers were generally tossing Krocodiles and plain, 4-ounce Ava’s. The stripers were apparently feeding on peanut bunkers, and American eels, the full-sized, regular eels, not sand eels, were also in their stomachs. Saturday’s fishing was tough, and a few keeper stripers, some shorts and bluefish were reeled up. Capt. Bob thinks striper fishing should be good the rest of the month, and snow will usually drop water temps, but a few blues were still around, so time should be left before stripers leave. The Gambler is fishing for striped bass 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily. In January the boat will begin running 18-hour sea bass trips, leaving the dock at 1 a.m. twice weekly through the month.

<b>Bricktown</b>

Surf-fishing and other news was mostly quiet, said Ray from <b>Pell’s Fish & Sport</b>. Blackfishing was good in the ocean the last he heard, and green crabs are stocked for bait. Fresh and salted clams are also carried. The store is open full time but will be closed Mondays starting next week. Be sure to stop by for an end-of-season sale on all Bomber plugs, all Stretch plugs and a few other items, and load up while you can.

<b>Toms River</b>

A customer trolled the ocean yesterday and connected with four striped bass, including one keeper, on rubber shads in 40 feet a little north of Manasquan or around Sea Girt, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. No blues were around now, and a few pods of peanut bunker were schooling. A couple of the shop’s employees were surf fishing at night, reeling in short stripers here and there. A few keepers were supposedly beached now and then, and most surf anglers at night were fishing Bomber and Redfin plugs. A few anglers this morning fished Manasquan Inlet and fought sea herring on Sabiki rigs, fun on light tackle, and blackfish were sometimes hitting along the inlet rocks. Green crabs for blacks were no longer carried at the shop this season, and fresh clams will be stocked through this weekend for the final time this year. Salted clams are on hand. Be sure to take advantage of Murphy’s holiday sale that starts Friday, offering 20- to 50-percent discounts.

<b>Seaside</b>

A few anglers surf fished through the winds and then the snow, and one checked in a 28-1/2-inch, 7-1/2-pound striped bass that grabbed a teaser, and a couple of others reported landing shorts on plugs and clams, said the fishing report on <b>Grumpy’s Tackle</b>’s web site. Lots of stripers reportedly hit the Long Branch surf yesterday. No matter the inch or two of snow, water temps were still “pretty fishy,” the report said. New supplies of Gulps sand eels in “those lovely colors,” Ava jigs, neoprene waders and other items were arriving, and some cool rod and reel combos were offered. <a href="http://www.grumpystackle.com/fishingreports/" target="_blank"> Click here</a> for updates.  

Striped bass were going off in the surf at Long Branch yesterday, pinning peanut bunker against the beach, said the fishing report on <b>Betty and Nick’s Bait & Tackle</b>’s web site. The fishing was very good in the morning and slowed somewhat in the afternoon. A 15-pounder was checked in that smacked a needlefish lure at Brick Beach. The surf today was 1 to 2 feet, 46 degrees and clean. <a href=" http://www.bettyandnicks.com/fish.shtml" target="_blank"> Click here</a> for the latest.

<b>Waretown</b>

Radio chatter yesterday sounded like quite a few boaters fished the ocean, catching stripers at the usual spot between the Governor’s Mansion and the Coast Coast Guard Station, and seas were calm despite the snowstorm, said Dale from <b>L&H Woods & Water</b>. Trolling seemed to draw the big bass, but both trolling and jigging got the bites. News from Barnegat Bay dried up, although eeling for stripers along the sod banks previously had been good toward Barnegat Inlet. Nobody might’ve bought eels this week. But anglers were saying pretty decent sized blackfish were attacking baits along the inlet rocks, and green crabs are stocked for the tog. Most ocean anglers who targeted the slipperies seemed to limit out. No surf fishers checked in at the shop during the rough weather that finally cleared today.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

“Wow!” said Capt. Steve Purul from <b>Reel Fantasea Charters</b> in an e-mail. After spending an hour shoveling snow and ice off the deck of the boat today, he and his anglers made their way toward Barnegat Inlet. “It was absolutely, insanely freezing!” he said. Despite temps in the teens, 10 to 20 m.p.h. winds, 2- to 4-foot seas and ice freezing on every surface of the boat, they managed to clear the inlet, and immediately spotted gannets and gulls dive bombing the water. Seven short striped bass were hooked before one of the anglers fell seasick, and the trip had to return. More stripers definitely could’ve been boated, but Steve couldn’t be sure if any would’ve been keepers, he said. You go, Capt. Steve!

<b>Beach Haven</b>

Plenty of blackfish were boated Saturday on the <b>Miss Beach Haven</b>, and some of the fish were big and up to 10 pounds, nicer-sized ones on this day, Capt. Frank said. The boat fished 5 miles offshore, and no trip sailed Sunday in the snow. The Miss Beach Haven is fishing for blackfish 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday, and green crabs are supplied for bait.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

Saturday was the last time any customers fished, said Scott from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Strong winds kept them at bay afterward, but Saturday’s striped bass fishing was good. Clamming for the linesiders at Little Egg Inlet should still be happening, and trolling or jigging for them along the ocean beaches should continue to produce. Fresh clams are stocked, and a new supply will arrive tomorrow. Saturday’s forecast looks decent, and Sunday looks like rain, and air temps Monday are supposed to push 60.

<b>Absecon</b>

Striped bass were reportedly hooked at Absecon Inlet, but Capt. Dave from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b> was working on rumors, he said, because the weather kept customers scarce. Eels and Berkeley Gulps were probably the answer at the inlet. But the weather was now clearing, and the weekend forecast looked good for the first time in a long time, and he was probably going to test the waters himself today and definitely tomorrow. Striper fishing at the inlets and also the surf were probably the best bets, and Dave expects the fishing to keep going. He thought the shop’s live spots probably froze but had to check, and eels are carried, and so are fresh clams. The store will be open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily the rest of the month.

<b>Margate</b>

Striped bass were supposedly blitzing along the ocean beach front, and the <b>Jessie O’</b> stayed in port during the windy weather followed by yesterday’s snow, but Capt. Jay was anxious to get back out on daily trips chasing the linesiders, he said. Anglers onboard Saturday crushed stripers and monster blues on the troll. He was also excited to wreck fish for tog, especially before the current bag limit of eight drops to four at the beginning of the year. Tog trips could probably limit out on the fish within hours and then return to the beach front and chase stripers. Space is still available on a special, 10-hour trip that will sail Christmas Eve day for stripers and blues, and Christmas-week specials will also run.

<b>Longport</b>

Strong winds nixed trips on the <b>Stray Cat</b> early this week, but Capt. Mike heard that boaters walloped striped bass along the beaches of Margate yesterday during the snow but in flat seas, he said. Stray Cat should resume blackfishing on open-boat trips now, and space is available Sunday through Friday. Anglers on the boat have been getting into catches, and the sizes of the fish seemed to be creeping up, right on schedule for this time of year.  Open blackfishing is one of the boat’s specialties, and all trips the rest of the season will be open. No space is left on Saturday trips this month, but spots are available Sundays. Green crabs are supplied, and the bait is in good supply this season, no chance of a shortage. Mike is looking at scheduling offshore wreck trips for jumbo sea bass, pollock, cod and ling in late January and maybe into February, and give him a call to lock in space. The fishing will be a matter of keeping an eye on the weather, shooting out to the grounds during windows of opportunity. Short, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., open-boat blackfish trips will sail Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, and an 8-hour blackfish outing will depart New Year’s Day, and space is still available on these trips. Call to reserve all trips. 

<b>Ocean City</b>

The most recent reports rolled in Sunday and Monday, because of the strong winds followed by snow this week, but lots of stripers and blues bit back then, mostly for boaters chasing working birds in the ocean, said Dan from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. Surf fishers were complaining about seeing fish boated 150 or 200 feet off the beaches. Boaters and surf casters mostly tossed metal, and a few swam eels, and clam or bunker could be dropped down, but metal was most popular. Bluefin tuna were also appearing in the ocean at that time, and one boater said he hooked a bluefin Sunday morning 5 miles from shore until the speedster broke off the line on the motor. Nothing was heard about fishing the bay, and if any stripers were to be had in the back waters, they were probably far up the creeks. Nothing was also heard about tog fishing, but Dan thought a few green crabs were still stocked for bait, but no more will be stocked this season once the supply runs out. 

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Gibson’s Tackle</b> took a ride along the ocean beaches yesterday, and no fish or blitzes were seen, but fishing was definitely not finished, and he expects to find very good jigging for stripers or blues in the ocean this weekend, he said. Snow was falling yesterday, but seas were smooth, and the snow by no means meant an end to catches. Stripers should also still be able to be hooked in the bay, and bait will outfish artificials in the colder water of the bay at this time of year.

<b>Cape May</b>

The <b>Fishin’ Fever</b> was kept in port during several days of weather, but although the snowstorm rolled in yesterday, seas were calm, and striped bass fishing turned on at the Cape May Rips, Capt. Tom said. His friend ran two trips to the rips that day, scoring about 35 stripers in the morning and 25 in the afternoon, big fish, up to 35 pounds. So the bite was on, and the Fishin’ Fever will keep fishing through December 16. Space is available for either charters or open-boat trips in the mornings and afternoons this Saturday and next. Give Tom a shout if you want to catch stripers before the long winter closes in.

<b>Jaftica Sportfishing</b> wrapped up its season and pulled the boat from the water, Capt. Ray said. His final striped bass trips were awesome, and tons of the fish were swimming the Cape May Rips, and the bite in Delaware Bay was probably beginning to taper off. Ray thanked everyone who fished with him for a great season, and the boat will be ready to kick off next year’s fishing April 15. Charters will start with striper fishing and then will sail for drum.

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