<b>Staten Island</b>

A super catch of sea bass was clocked Saturday with <b>Outcast Charters</b>, Capt. Joe said. The charter socked lots of the sizeable lumpheads to 3 pounds and a by-catch of about nine blackfish. A blackfish/sea bass combo charter Sunday banged out 22 sizeable blackfish, mostly 4- to 7-pounders, in the morning for a couple of hours. Then a healthy catch of sea bass to 3 pounds was coolered. New York’s blackfish season opened October 1, and Outcast is going after them and sea bass.

Plenty of sea bass were pounded with <b>Barbara Anne Fishing Charters</b>, and blackfish, fewer of them but catches, were pelted on the boat, Capt. Anthony said. Bigger blackfish to 8 pounds were looted on a trip Saturday. One opening is available on a trip Tuesday, and always call Anthony if you want to fish, no matter whether you’ve only got one to several anglers instead of a full charter, because he can usually tell you dates with openings. Blackfishing will gain steam as the season progresses, until they become the exclusive focus on the vessel. But they were already chomping, and lots of sea bass were. Barbara Anne pays bridge tolls with a receipt.

<b>Bayonne</b>

A friend fished for striped bass on the East River and found slow catches during the weekend, but the angling’s usually been productive, said Capt. Akira from <b>True World Tackle</b> and <b>True World Tackle Charters</b>. Akira is focusing on the fishing on charters, eeling for the linesiders, and is also bottom fishing on his trips, but the charters were weathered out lately. Striper fishing was also good around New York Harbor, including from the bulkhead at places like Bayonne Park and the Hoboken Pier. Most anglers tossed bunker to them, and some said big linesiders were tackled at times. 

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

A short shot of striped bass was finally run across on Friday’s trip on the <b>Fishermen</b>, Capt. Ron said in an e-mail. The six customers aboard reeled in five keepers and a couple of shorts while fishing with clams. Lou Ciavatti, 84, nailed a 22-pounder to win the pool. That was the boat’s first striper of the season. More of the fish were marked on the bottom and were sluggish to bite, but colder temps “will turn things on for sure,” he said. Trips are looking for stripers daily but are mixing in bottom fishing and bluefishing until striper fishing heats up. Ron also heard about stripers that were eeled and wormed. The Fishermen is sailing for striped bass 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and for blues 3:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

Bottom fishing was tough on Thursday in winds against the tide on the morning trip and a screaming current on the afternoon trip, said Capt. Tom from the <b>Atlantic Star</b>. But a mix of porgies, sea bass and blackfish were clubbed when catches were made lately. The porgies were mixed sizes from small to large, and many of the sea bass were shorts, but some were sizeable. Sometimes anglers brought their own crabs to catch the blacks, but sometimes the tog bit the clams that are supplied for bait on the boat. No trips left port on Friday, but both of Saturday’s trips sailed. Winds against the tide made angling difficult on the morning trip, but conditions and catches improved on the afternoon trip.  Fishing was slow on Sunday morning’s trip, but the catch improved on the afternoon trip, maybe because of better conditions. A few more blackfish than before were boxed on that outing to go along with the sea bass and porgies bagged. Porgies and sea bass were landed so far when Tom gave this report an hour into this morning’s trip, and the tide was probably coming to an end, so the fishing would probably pick up. Winds were supposed to drop off and stop bouncing the boat around so much later today. Trips fished between the channels and sometimes a little farther out between the channels. The Atlantic Star is bottom-fishing on two half-day trips daily 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. One three-quarter-day trip daily from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. will probably take over the schedule this coming Monday, but call the boat later in the week to confirm: 732-291-5508.

<b>Highlands</b>

Fishing was starting to pick up, and water temps dropped, said Capt. Bob from <b>Sandy Hook Fishing Adventures</b> in an e-mail. His trips wormed striped bass to 34 inches in the Shrewsbury and Navesink rivers and at the Sandy Hook Rips and the channels. Fall fishing was here and ready to explode. The weather was a challenge, and four of his last charters were blown out. Bluefish flooded Raritan Bay, feasting on peanut bunker. Full- and half-day charters are sailing for stripers and blues. Night charters are running for stripers, and good dates remain for charters.

Catches of striped bass improved on trips, and up to 20-pounders were boated, said Capt. Derek from <b>Fisher Price Charters</b>. Anglers aboard eeled and trolled the fish. Bluefin tuna fishing turned back on, after a lull, and they were close to shore, a 30-mile run. Derek sailed for them Sunday, a slow day for the fishing, but the trip went 1 for 5 on the tuna to 50 pounds. So he’s offering bluefin trips again, and this could be the last call, so act quickly. Bottom fishing was good for sea bass, porgies and blackfish, and lots of blues tore around, and trips were heading out for both types of fishing.

<b>Neptune</b>

Anglers on both boats from <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b> slammed blues Saturday, Capt. Ralph said. Plus they both trolled about an hour, and two keeper striped bass per boat were bagged. Four short bass were released on one vessel, and three were let go on another, and most of the fishing took place at the Mud Buoy. On a trip on one of the boats Sunday bluefishing was slower, but large porgies ended up picked up. Inshore bluefin tuna fishing started back up, and Last Lady is running for them on charters. Canyon tuna fishing looks like it will give up a late shot at the fish on the chunk. Special, one-day chunking charters are sailing, and two anglers are interested in a make-up trip. Call if interested, and a trip will head out if enough want to go. Cod fishing was the best in years at the offshore wrecks for Last Lady, and charters were going after them, and individual-reservation trips will chase them if enough are interested, so give a call. Upcoming individual-reservation trips are slated for November 4 for striped bass and November 16, 24 and 29 for blackfish. Striper fishing should kick off at the end of the month, and 10 were already bagged when a trip got lucky. Ralph will try to schedule more of the blackfish trips daily including on weekends when no charter is booked, once the blackfish bag limit increases to six of the fish on November 16 from the current limit of one.

<b>Belmar</b>

Solid catches of bluefish were cranked in on the <b>Golden Eagle</b> on daytime trips, Capt. Greg said in an e-mail. False albacore were sometimes mixed in, and not many striped bass were, but stripers should get more active. Nighttime trips also smoked big blues, sometimes furious action, other times at least steady. Day trips banged the blues on jigs and bait, and night trips got them on bait. Canyon tuna trips were cancelled today and Tuesday, and the boat will run for blues and stripers instead. But space is available for canyon trips this month, and more will be added to the schedule in November. The Golden Eagle is bluefishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. daily. See the boat’s Web site for the tuna schedule.

<b>Brielle</b>

On the <b>Katie H</b> a charter took advantage of a window of weather on Sunday for a day trip to Hudson Canyon, after the originally planned overnight trip was nixed on Saturday because of forecasts, Capt. Mike said. The trip steamed to the canyon, but waters ended up 65 degrees or cool and not good-looking. So they threw in the towel on tuna fishing, going tilefishing instead. Seventeen tiles to 22 pounds were shellacked, one of the better tile trips Mike’s seen. Then they pushed inshore to try for bluefin tuna, but the fleet caught few bluefins that day. Though the trip turned out different than anticipated, it worked out in the end, and the anglers were happy, Mike said. They went home with lots of meat. More canyon trips are slated, and bluefin tuna fishing is an option. The bluefins turned back on lately, even if Sunday was slow. Striped bass fishing and tog fishing are coming up on charters later this fall.

A six-person charter limited out on sea bass Saturday, a great trip, the eighth in a row to limit on the fish, said Capt. Jerry from <b>Fish Monger Charters</b> in an e-mail. Seven porgies, three blackfish and two triggerfish were also knuckled in. The fishing started off picky in a swell leftover from a windy Friday, and the boat was moved around a lot, but fish were found at every spot. But catches picked up when winds increased, blowing from northwest instead of west earlier, and the last few spots were drop and reel, and a bunch more of the sea bass were keepers. Fewer porgies bit this day than usual, but phenomenal sea bassing continued within state waters or no more than 3 miles from the coast, where sea bassing remained open. On Sunday the season’s first catch-and-release blackfish trip set sail, as anglers warmed up for the bag limit to increase to six of the tog on November 16 from the current limit of one. An all-star cast of anglers were aboard, and the fish took a half-hour to start feeding, but then it was on! The angling got better and better, until the bite was mad dog for 2 hours. Sea bass and porgies were mixed in, and a couple of triggerfish and a big weakfish were clubbed. The tog weighed up to 7 pounds, and many were 3 to 5 pounds, and a little more than half of the slipperies were keeper-sized. The fishing finally slowed down, and the boat was bounced around to new spots, and the last location gave up a great hour of blackfishing. The anglers had a good time catching and releasing the tog, Jerry said, kept their one-fish limit apiece, and went home with healthy bags of fillets including the other fish. Give a buzz to go fishing.

The ocean was chock full of weakfish close to shore from Manasquan to Seaside, said Chuck from <b>The Reel Seat</b>. He bailed a bunch in 1 ½ hours Sunday, and the trout, from small to 23 inches, will hit nearly anything dropped to them, including jigs. A mess of false albacore showed up close to shore Saturday, and not many bonito swam among them. Striped bass got scarce for boaters in the ocean since bunker disappeared a week ago. But stripers were sometimes clammed around Flynn’s Knoll farther north off Sandy Hook. Large blues also disappeared from the local ocean with the bunker, but the baitfish should return, drawing in fish again. Local surf fishers also found a lack of bass, but sharpies farther north at Deal and Long Branch beached some early last week. Even bluefish except tiny ones were missing from the local suds since the bunker left. A mess of sea bass but not many keepers filled the ocean in state waters or within 3 miles from the coast, where fishing for them is open. Bluefin tuna anglers scored fairly well through Saturday, but the fishing was slow Sunday, and  a big fleet fished the waters, mostly at the Oil Wreck and the Arundo Wreck. When fleets build up, the opportunity to catch seems to drop off, because of all the bait in the waters. Canyon tuna fishing sounded slow, and anglers were heard from who headed to Carteret and Lindenkohl canyons with no luck. Fishing on Manasquan River appeared quiet, but lots of tog were yanked in from the Point Pleasant Canal. Practically all who tried could catch as many of the blackfish as they wanted, including 14- to 16-inch keepers.

<b>Point Pleasant</b>

A combo bluefin tuna/bottom-fish trip steamed Sunday with <b>Andrea’s Toy Charters</b>, first landing two 46-inch and 40-inch bluefins on sardines, Capt. Fred said. Although two of the fish were plowed, the tuna fishing was slow for most that day, and few were caught. Bluefin fishing’s been good on some days and slow on others. Then the trip moved inshore for sea bassing that’s been incredible. Trips will keep sailing for both fish and will also hunt tuna and big game at the canyons if a weather window opens up. Striped bass charters will begin in two weeks at the earliest. 

By far the best tuna catch of the year was plundered on the <b>Sea Devil</b> on an overnight trip Friday to Saturday at Hudson Canyon in 600 feet in 68-degree waters, the report on the boat’s Web site said. A mad blitz of yellowfin tuna took off non-stop for 2 hours at 5 a.m., and all the anglers hooked up, some of them landing multiple fish, and some losing the tuna, but all going home with yellowfin to eat. Jigs caught most, but some were hooked on bait. Leif Pettersen, 13, landed five yellowfins, his first-ever tuna, keeping no more than his limit of three. Some patrons limited out, and quite a number decked multiple catches of the fish. False albacore were occasionally fought. The first tuna were scored at 3 a.m., when two were hooked, one that was landed and another that got off. Then nothing happened until the fishing exploded for the couple of hours. A trip to Carteret Canyon on the previous Sunday in 600 feet was slow. Space is available on canyon trips into November, and check the schedule on the boat’s Web site for dates and availability.

<b>Seaside</b>

Cool nights helped get the heat out of the surf, sometimes dipping the waters into the low 60s, said the report on <b>Grumpy’s Bait & Tackle</b>’s Web site. Can’t be long until fishing kicks into gear. Bluefish were sometimes beached, and striped bass were occasionally weighed in from the suds. Today was the day of the 34-inch striper, because three anglers weighed in a 34-incher apiece, all caught on Grumpy clams. Two stripers 19 pounds and 15 ½ pounds were checked in Saturday, and both were belted on Grumpy clams. A couple of 2-pound blackfish were weighed in by two anglers on Friday that were landed at the south jetty at Barnegat Inlet on crabs. <a href="http://www.grumpystackle.com/fishingreports/" target="_blank"> Click here</a> for updates.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

“Game on!” said Capt. Steve from <b>Reel Fantasea Charters</b> in an e-mail. Striped bass were beaten on all his trips this past week, and fall fishing was under way. Weakfish 8 to 14 inches filled the 30- to 40-foot depths in the ocean, responding well to jigged metal with teasers. Bluefish were on tap but were only 5 to 7 inches, but look for that to change overnight. Fluke kept being caught and released while trips jigged for blues, stripers and weakfish. But first he gave his opinion about the closing of sea bass fishing in federal waters or beyond 3 miles from shore. The closing was “unjust, uncalled for, and just plain unfair,” he said. The sea bass stock is actually “projected as being 103 percent rebuilt,” he said. In fact, he believes the population is even greater, because sea bass are piled up 20 and 30 feet above most wrecks, and even thinks some wrecks are overcrowded. The artificial reef system is a great success for the sea bass, porgy and blackfish population … “but governing agencies continue to discourage the recreational sector with little thought to the impact to all who participate and the revenue they generate,” he said. “Okay, I am off my soap box for now.” (Editor’s note: Two of the 15 reefs off New Jersey are in federal waters, and the reefs were primarily funded by and built for recreational anglers to boot.) An open-boat trip with Sean Castle, Karl Steffan and Village Harbor Fishing Club member Joe Folice got into a mix of stripers, weaks and blues. First they creamed weakfish non-stop before mixing in catching stripers and blues. Sean landed three stripers on live bait, keeping one. On another trip Jay Simmons scored his first-ever grand slam, tackling four stripers, a bunch of weaks and some blues and fluke. Reel Fantasea will kick off Friday Night at the Fights on October 23 on open-boat trips and charters sailing 4:30 pm. to 8:30 p.m., fishing with both artificials and live baits. Charters are available October 18, 25 and 30, and one spot is available on an open trip October 29 for a combo of stripers and blues. Call for details.

<b>Surf City</b>

The surf served up kingfish up and down the beaches, said Barbara from <b>Surf City Bait & Tackle</b>. Bloodworms were gobbled, but she hooked two on squid on Sunday on a trip that gave up probably a total of six large ones, the rest on bloods. Blues, very small ones, were around in the suds, and Barbara heard about four striped bass that were entered in the Long Beach Island Surf Fishing Classic during the weekend. Waters were warm, and Barbara checked the surf temp during the weekend. Early in the day she saw 63-degree temps and was optimistic, but later in the day the suds were 67. The shop’s source who had been blowfishing on the bay hadn’t fished for the puffers recently, so no word was heard about the bay’s angling. But crabbing was good, and some said the blueclaws were big.

<b>Atlantic  City</b>

“What are they catching in the surf?” Noel from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b> was asked. “What aren’t they catching?” he asked back! Plenty of big kingfish, not small ones but 17- to 20-inchers to 2 pounds, were hung from the surf on bloodworms. A 17-inch 2-pounder and a 16-inch 1-1/2-pounder were checked in. A 31-1/2-pound 41-inch striped bass was weighed in from the T-jetty, and stripers began to appear in the wash, getting hooked on fresh bunker, fresh clams and plugs. A monster 12-pound 26-inch tog was heaved in from along a jetty, and tons of the blackfish littered the jetties. Anglers could pick the one to keep, and mostly green crabs got the slipperies to crunch, but clams also worked. Small blues schooled along the sea wall, attacking spearing or top-water popper lures. Plenty of fish swarmed around, and fresh bunker, fresh clams, green crabs, minnows, all the frozen baits and more are stocked.

<b>Longport</b>

Croakers, weakfish and snapper blues were the catch on daily, open-boat trips on the <b>Stray Cat</b> on the ocean, Capt. Mike said. “Cooler fillers!” he said. “We’re filling the coolers.” Depths from 40 to 60 feet gave up gobs of the fish. Waters were 65 degrees, getting cooler. Today’s outing was sold out, but the trips are fishing except when a charter is booked. Ducks flew past in droves Sunday with the cold front coming, just in time for the annual Cast and Blast Trips for a combo of fishing and duck hunting. Mike had predicted they’d arrive around Columbus Day today and might set up a shoot on Thursday around the Cuma Lumps. Jig for weakfish and blues on the front of the boat and gun for sea ducks on back. Coming up, the daily, open-boat trips will switch to tog fishing on November 16, when the bag limit is hiked up to six of the tog from the current limit of one. Stray Cat gets all over the slipperies each year.

<b>Somers Point</b>

At the reefs croakers swam abundant, and so did sea bass, though sea bass fishing was closed in the federal waters, said T.C. from <b>Brennan Marine</b> in a fax. Croakers were also boated in 30 to 40 feet closer to shore, and they Hoovered clams at both locations. Striped bass began to be caught in greater numbers, and some were trolled in 30 to 40 feet in the ocean on Stretch 25 lures or were taken on snagged and dropped bunker when the menhaden could be found, when anglers could get the baitfish past bluefish. Stripers were also nabbed from the back bay from the docks and piers at night on mackerel. Anglers early last week drilled all the snapper blues they could handle at Great Egg Harbor Inlet. Schools of bunker drew them in, and birds worked the waters. Tog were abundant, were pulled from along the inlet, rocks and the bridges. Green crabs almost exclusively were the bait. A big, 13-1/2-pound, 28-inch sheepshead that Jim Solinski stuck at Longport was one of the more interesting catches seen at the shop. Reports said bluefin tuna fishing turned on at the Mudhole farther north. Several customers loaded up on butterfish and sardines to try for them.

<b>Ocean City</b>

A trip today left port for the ocean at 7:30 a.m. and returned by 9 a.m. because of somewhat rough seas, said Capt. Craig from <b>Fish Tale Charters</b>. A little fishing was tried but not much. A trip Sunday put out good fishing on a calm ocean. Lots of croakers were bagged, and many weakfish, lots of them shorts but five keepers to 20 inches, were rustled in. Small blues 10 or 12 inches, not the blues to 4 and 5 pounds that were around before, were hooked, and they weren’t worth keeping because of the size, but some were cut up for strip baits that grabbed the bigger croakers. Fish were caught pretty much in all depths tried, but 50 to 55 feet, between 4 and 5 miles from shore, offered up the bigger fish. Fish Tale Charters will make the annual move to Cape May for striped bass fishing any day. Forecasts looked like northeast winds would blow too hard this week, but Craig hoped to bring the boat to Cape May at least by early next week. Afterward charters will fish for stripers in and around the Cape May Rips as soon as the action begins until mid December. Some dates were already booked, but some choice dates remained, and now was the time to reserve. The ocean cooled to 65 degrees by Sunday, and Craig was glad to see the dropping temps. Bait was everywhere, and cooler waters, the bait, and bunker that will come down will attract the linesiders.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Gibson’s Tackle</b> fished on an annual trip to Woods Hole, Massachusetts, on Saturday and Sunday with father and son Jay and Luc VonCzoernig, Joe said. Windy weather hampered the angling, but mornings were calmer, and mostly schoolie striped bass were fly-rodded on chartreuse and white Clousers on sinking lines. False albacore were sporadically seen, and a few shots were able to be taken at them, but they were skittish, even for albies. Youngster Luc got to jig and release big sea bass on the trip. Back at Sea Isle, high tides in the evenings this week will create ideal conditions for popper fishing for striped bass on flies and lures on the back bay, a specialty for Jersey Cape. The season’s been especially productive for popper fishing, with explosive, visual hits, and a couple of trips are slated for this week. Croakers and weakfish will surely continue to give up catches on the ocean for Jersey Cape. Surf fishing remained good at Sea Isle for schoolie striped bass and a few blues on poppers and swimming plugs. Joe’s hooked the fish on every outing, fishing along the jetties around sunrise and sunset. He’ll continue weekend trips to Montauk that he’s been running for the migration of striped bass, blues and albies, offering traveling charters. If you’ve ever wanted to go, here’s the chance. Visit <a href=" http://www.gibsonstackle.com/page6.html" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s Web site</a> to see more about traveling trips that Joe offers.

<b>Avalon</b>

The weather was “killing us,” an e-mail from <b>Over Under Adventures</b> said, but offshore trips sailed when the weather allowed. Trips had been fishing warm, 71-degree waters moving south from Lindenkohl Canyon to Wilmington Canyon, not red-hot fishing, but managing to land three to eight yellowfin tuna per outing. Then the waters slid farther offshore to 500 fathoms near the Wilmington, and a trip fished at the East Bite in 67-degree waters for a few yellowfins caught. But the good news was that another eddy was filtering into Toms Canyon that could be fished. Better yet, a major eddy formed at Block Canyon farther north, and those waters are expected to move down to the canyons off New Jersey in the coming weeks, keeping catches going into November or December. The weather was forcing trips to sail during short windows of calm, and Over Under would love to put open-boat trips together on a day’s notice.  <a href="mailto:info@overunderadventures.com" target="_blank">E-mail Over Under Adventures</a> to get on the list.

<b>Cape May</b>

On the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> a canyon tuna trip set out Saturday evening but turned back to port because seas were rough, Capt. George said. He heard about catches and will keep tuna fishing a moment, but fitting a trip between windy weather’s been tough. Striped bass charters will begin soon, and the first is slated for October 24. The trips will bunker chunk on Delaware Bay and later will liveline eels at the Cape May Rips. The rips fishing usually begins later, and fishing for the linesiders in the ocean sometimes happens late in the season on clams or on the jig or the troll.

An overnight canyon trip was cancelled Saturday because of weather, said Capt. Bob from the <b>Down Deep</b>. A friend attempted to sail to the waters but returned to port. When boaters could get out, they bagged tuna at the grounds. Another tuna trip and two trips that will probably fish for croakers and blues are on the books to sail on the Down Deep this week. The vessel’s first striped bass charter of the season is scheduled for October 24. Dates are available for charters.

A few striped bass started to be boated at the Cape May Rips on live spots, said Jim from <b>Jim’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Some also started to be bunker-chunked on Delaware Bay, and that fishing for stripers usually takes off first, so the number caught there should pick up soon. Bob Grimm fished the bay near one of the lighthouses for tog but latched into seven drum, including two 70-pounders. A good striper bite happened along the jetties from the surf on spots and eels. Occasional linesiders were beached from the suds on bunker or clam. But quite a few blues and some kingfish were angled from the surf. Bunker, mullet and mackerel took the blues, and bloodworms or clams claimed the kings. Tog hovered along the jetties, for those who wanted to land a limit of one or play catch and release with more. Jordan Hail plugged a keeper striper and a short along the Intracoastal Waterway on the back bay. Boaters on the ocean whaled away at croakers, kingfish, small weakfish and blues off the Wildwood Ferris wheel and Hereford Inlet. Many jigged a Sabiki rig with metal like a Hopkins or a Deadly Dick attached for productive catches. False albacore were sometimes tackled at the East Lump. Offshore boaters sailed for big game on Sunday, when the weather finally cleared, but were yet to give results. Previously one customer fished 60 fathoms at Poorman’s Canyon, muscling in a blue marlin, a couple of white marlin and something like 17 gaffer mahi mahi. A few others leadered whites at the same area.

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