<b>Staten Island</b>

Blackfish were lit up, an outstanding catch of the tog to 5 ½ pounds, on a trip Wednesday with <b>Barbara Anne Fishing Charters</b>. A mix of sea bass were also sacked. New York’s blackfish season opened October 1, and Barbara Anne is jumping on them. Sea bassing can be better than blackfishing for the first couple of weeks of October, but the togging was happening at times already. If tog are less reluctant to feed on a trip, sea bassing will fill in the gaps. Got too few anglers for a full charter? Call Anthony, because he can usually arrange individual spaces on a trip. Barbara Anne pays bridge tolls with a receipt. 

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

The nor’easter forecast to slam the coast and the cooler weather should get fall fishing a little more active, said Capt. Ron from the <b>Fishermen</b> in an e-mail. Trips on the boat began clamming for striped bass during the middle of last week. Friday produced the first shot of the fish, including a 21-pounder. No trip left port on Saturday, and a few stripers were wrangled in on trips Sunday and Monday. On Monday’s trip Mike Brown and son were aboard for his son’s birthday, and last year on the same day 41 keepers were boated among the passengers, and Mike and son tackled five. They scored fewer this year, but Mike at least won the pool. So, again, the fishing should get more active from the weather. Ron’s been going nuts since fluke fishing ended on the boat when the fluke season was closed early, “(and) to say I’m disappointed with the way that went is an understatement,” he said. The future for anglers is in the hands of others. “Keep sending those letters, get involved in an organization, do something … (other than) waiting for a miracle to happen,” he said. Next year will be tougher yet, with new issues coming down the pipe. “Even a personal vent or blog gets people going, and keeps important issues in the public’s eye.”  The Fishermen is sailing for striped bass 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. Evening bluefish trips are finished for the season.

Bottom fishing was consistent, said Capt. Tom from the <b>Atlantic Star</b>. That was the bottom line, he said, and good catches of porgies, sea bass and sometimes blackfish were waffled at Scotland and inshore of Scotland on the boat. Both the morning and afternoon trips sailed Monday and Tuesday, and only the morning trip fished Wednesday. Forecasts now looked like the stormy weather would prevent fishing clear through Sunday, and that Monday or Tuesday would be the next opportunity to sail, but check forecasts, because that could change. At some drops more porgies bit than anything, and then the boat would move to other spots for sea bass and blackfish, when anglers had their fill of porgies. Better-sized porgies and sea bass came up on some trips, and even sizeable blackfish were hauled aboard at times. If the weather happens to allow trips to run, two ½-day trips will continue to sail daily through Sunday, and the boat is scheduled to switch to one ¾-day trip daily starting Monday. That allows time to reach grounds a little farther out than the boat fished before.  So the Atlantic Star through Sunday is bottom-fishing on two ½-day trips daily 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. On Monday the boat will begin one ¾-day trip daily 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Boaters eeled striped bass at the channels on certain parts of the tide, said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. A few boaters trolled and jigged the fish on the ocean, and the storm will surely improve the fishing. Lots of big, nasty, hungry blues could be jigged on the bay. Surf casters battled slammer blues and some false albacore along the length of Sandy Hook. A few stripers were dragged from the surf in the last couple of days, and Jimmy thought that included this morning. The river was loaded with bass and blues, and many stuck them on peanut bunker, but worms and eels also worked. Bottom fishing turned out lots of porgies ands sea bass, and blackfish were also pumped in from the bottom. Now anglers just had to wait for this storm to pass.

<b>Highlands</b>

Striped bass fishing started to pick up, and a trip Wednesday ran across the stripers busting the ocean surface down the beach, not far from the tip of Sandy Hook, said Capt. Brian from <b>Jersey Devil Charters</b>. So he’s switching to striper fishing, after he had concentrated on bluefin tuna trips on the inshore ocean. The tuna fishing sort of dropped off in the past week. Big blues also schooled the waters around the stripers, and striper fishing was also turned on in the rivers, if people were interested in that fishing, like if they’d rather stay closer to shore on a charter or if children were coming. Fun fishing! Brian said. Jersey Devil specializes in trophy striped bass fishing and is a frequent tournament winner. Catch Brian’s striper seminar hosted by New Jersey Angler Magazine at the New Jersey Boat Show in Edison at 2 p.m. Saturday. Check the show’s schedule to confirm the time.

A trip was on its way out for striped bass at dusk Wednesday when Capt. Derek from <b>Fisher Price Charters</b> gave this report over the phone on the waters, he said. Striped bass fishing was improving for him on the New York side toward the mouth of the bay, and he also heard about good catches along the ocean beaches off New Jersey in the past days. The charter that night was headed to eel for the fish off New York, and the cool weather seemed to make bait start to leave the bay and turn on the bass fishing along the coast. A bottom-fishing trip Monday beat plenty of sea bass and porgies and a limit of blackfish to 8 pounds around the boat, and released more blacks. The tog fishing should be good when the bag limit increases to six of the fish on November 16 from the current limit of one. Derek fished for bluefin tuna 30 miles from shore Sunday, going 1 for 5 on the fish on a slow day for the fleet, covered in the last report. But more catches were made on the previous days. <b>Update, Today:</b> Four keeper stripers to 23 pounds and maybe a half-dozen shorts were eeled on Wednesday night’s trip, and a bunch of bites were missed. A 4-1/2-foot, 50- or 60-pound sturgeon grabbed one of the baits, was reeled in and was released!

<b>Belmar</b>

Daytime bluefish trips ran every day, catching the slammers, big ones, on the <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b>, Capt. Alan said. False albacore were also nailed, were beginning to thin out but were still around in large numbers. Occasional striped bass were boated on the trips, and more and more appeared, not tons, but two or three bagged a day on the vessel. Daily trips should concentrate on stripers within a few weeks or around the first of November. The boat’s nighttime bluefish trips last fished on Saturday, grabbing plenty. The Miss Belmar Princess is fishing for blues 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and 7:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays.

Fishing for porgies smoked the catches on the <b>Big Mohawk</b>, Capt. Chris said. Sea bassing was slower than before on the vessel, but difficult to complain with all the porgies, and quality blackfish to 10 pounds got socked on board. Wednesday’s porgy fishing was so good that the trip could’ve returned by 1 p.m. Sea bass, blackfish and triggerfish were also boxed, quite the variety. The Big Mohawk is bottom fishing 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. 

More than a limit of blues for the six-man group was fought on the Dave Young trip with <b>Last One Charters</b>, Capt. Rob said. No more than their limit was kept, and the gang chummed and fished chunks for the catch. Last One is also bottom fishing.

A couple of 16-pound striped bass and an 8-pounder were weighed in from the surf this morning, said Jessie from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b>. Surf anglers this morning also fought false albacore, and the action happened from Shark River Inlet to Bradley Beach. Striper fishing lately was spotty in the surf but produced at times on all the usual baits and lures including clams and pencil poppers. All kinds of bait worked this morning. Stripers recently were landed at Belmar and Spring Lake in the wash, and a few customers who traveled north said they connected at Sandy Hook’s surf. A mess of blues stormed Long Branch’s beaches, and stripers were mixed in. Not a lot bit in Shark River, but schoolie stripers were sometimes clubbed in the river at night. On the party boats bluefishing seemed okay. Bottom fishing seemed good on the boats for lots of big porgies, sea bass that could be bagged in state waters where sea bassing was open, and blackfish, including big ones, that kept spicing up the catch.

<b>Brielle</b>

“En fuego,” said Capt. Jerry from <b>Fish Monger Charters</b> in an e-mail. On fire! Two trips Monday and Wednesday were the ninth and tenth  in a row to limit out on sea bass, fishing in state waters within 3 miles from shore, where sea bassing is open. The five anglers on Monday’s trip had to work a lot harder than usual for the catch, but they met their quota of sea bass and spanked 29 porgies including jumbos, one blackfish and a triggerfish. A sizeable, out-of-season fluke was let go. Winds dropped out at noon, and then the fishing picked up until it became drop and reel. All went home with a big bag of fillets. The six anglers on Wednesday’s trip also had to work hard but knocked out their quota of sea bass, squeezing in the trip before the nor’easter. Fewer porgies, 21 of them, were bagged, but they were jumbos, and the gang again went home with big bags of fillets. Another hefty fluke was reeled in and released.  Action started out fast and furious, and then the anglers picked away at catches the rest of the day. Seas were bouncy in the morning but lay down later. Trips will get back at it after this big storm clears. Give a buzz to go fishing.

<b>Point Pleasant</b>

Keeper sea bass were picked around the boat, and anglers weeded through plenty of small ones, said Capt. Matt from the <b>Norma K</b>. Not many porgies were plucked, because trips fished the local spots for sea bass. But some of the places held a few porgies, and a few blackfish were netted. Night  trips for blues copped good fishing. The Norma K is fishing for sea bass and porgies on two 1/2-day trips Saturdays and Sundays 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and one ¾-day trip Mondays through Fridays 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. One ¾-day trip might start to do the fishing daily after October. Bluefish trips are sailing Fridays and Saturdays 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. 

<b>Toms River</b>

Big blues 9 to 11 pounds occasionally raced the surf, no great numbers, but a pick for anglers, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. Water temps, currently 64 degrees, needed to drop to 60 for surf fishing to break loose, but catches gradually improved. A few striped bass in the teens were banked every day when anglers dunked clams or worked Bomber plugs, and a scattering of croakers and kingfish were mixed in along the suds. Hickory shad sometimes showed up, too. This storm should drop water temps a couple of degrees, and surf angling should be good by Tuesday, maybe Monday, depending on the weather, like if forecast northwest winds happen that day. Fishing from boats was mostly slow, and the surf was better, but small weakfish were boated on Ava jigs along the ocean front. In Barnegat Bay snapper blues could be located, and a handful of blowfish remained at the BI marker, but the puffers will soon depart, especially with this storm. They might be gone by mid week. Short striped bass were played on the flats of the bay on 3- and 4-inch rubber shads, and a keeper was once in a while eeled along the sod banks.

<b>Seaside</b>

Surf striped bass began to respond somewhat more in the cooler waters, and four of the fish--weighing 7.9, 8.2, 12.4, 13.3 and 26.8 pounds--were checked in Wednesday, said the report on <b>Grumpy’s Tackle</b>’s Web site. Two were snatched on bunker, and two were dusted on mullet, including a live corn-cob mullet that the angler snagged for bait. A few blues got walloped in the suds on mullet and popper lures that day. The surf began to creep down to the low 60s. <a href="http://www.grumpystackle.com/fishingreports/" target="_blank"> Click here</a> for updates.

<b>Forked River</b>

Barnegat Bay held fewer blowfish than before, but some were picked, said Dave from <b>Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle</b>. Anchor at places like Tice’s Shoal, the 40 buoy and the BI and BB markers, drop a chum log to the bottom and fish with small pieces of clams or worms next to the chum. Striped bass were eeled at night at Barnegat Inlet, and anglers hoped migrating stripers arrived soon. Weakfish seemed to leave the bay, and crabbing slowed down.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Large striped bass started getting creamed in the Long Beach Island surf at times since Saturday, said Josh from <b>Barnegat Light Bait & Tackle</b>.  A couple of 40-pounders were tackled, and so were a couple of 30-pounders. A 20-pounder and a 17-pounder were drilled Wednesday, and so were two blues 12 pounds and 9 pounds. No big blitzes of blues happened, but the gators were found here and there. Fresh bunker would be a bait to toss for the bass, but no bunker boats will sail in this storm, and nobody will have the bait in stock. But fresh clams or frozen mullet or mackerel could be used. Nobody mentioned boating the ocean in the past days. Blowfish and weakfish mostly departed Barnegat Bay. But small stripers to 30 inches were hooked on the bay behind the Dike. Bucktails or maybe clams will draw them in. Lots of blackfish, including healthy-sized ones, littered the rocks and the Barnegat Inlet jetty. Live spots, eels, green crabs and frozen baits are stocked.

<b>Beach Haven</b>

Bottom angling served up plenty of fish through the weekend on the <b>Miss Beach Haven</b>, Capt. Frank said. Porgies and blackfish were coolered, and lots of weakfish swiped baits, but the trout were all small. Trips will go all out for blackfish when the bag limit increases to six of the tog on November 16 from the current limit of one. The Miss Beach Haven is bottom-fishing 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

A 31-pound striped bass was checked in from the Long Beach Island surf, said Scott from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Mark Reimann landed the fish at Surf City, and such stripers started to be angled from the LBI suds, so they seemed to begin migrating down. Little Egg Inlet boaters hung no stripers but only blues, sharks and skates. But maybe this nor’easter will be the trigger to kick off the striper run in the local area. Scott’s been saying that October 28 is the traditional beginning, but he hoped for an early run. Bank anglers at Pebble Beach and Graveling Point supposedly picked a few stripers last week but came across none this week. An avid white perch angler lucked into two 32- and 28-1/2-inch stripers at the mouth of the Mullica River on a perch rig, so the linesiders seemed to be there. He probably caught them on bloodworms, and bloodworms can be used for the bass in the river, and so can clams, plugs and eels. The angler shellacked a load of the perch on the trip, and the shop is now carrying live grass shrimp, the favorite perch bait. Boaters on the ocean found lots of tiny weakfish, occasional keepers, and a few croakers. More croakers were previously around, and 40-foot depths off the Red Tower had been a place to get them. Tog angling on the bay was definitely a viable fishery. Double anchor over ledges like at Shooting Thorofare. Blues 1 ½ pounds schooled the bay, popped up inconsistently but were a fish to play with, like on Rat-L-Trabs. Crabbing continued to be on, surprising because of the time of the year. Few people crabbed, but the blueclaws could be gathered. In addition to the live grass shrimp, the shop is stocking bloodworms, eels, green crabs, fresh herring and other baits. Fresh shucked clams ran out for the moment, and not so much fresh bunker is being carried until demand picks up. Only larger quantities can be ordered from suppliers.

<b>Port Republic</b>

Customers pelted a few striped bass from the Mullica River since yesterday, said Mary Ann from <b>Chestnut Neck Boat Yard</b>. One busted two of the fish that were just barely keepers last evening, and one of the fish hit a plug, and the other inhaled a bloodworm. Another customer tackled a larger striper today, and Mary Ann thought he had bought clams for bait. Stripers were being found at the Parkway Bridge and at the cuts on the river. Three anglers bailed 60 tog along the edges of the cuts, and remember that only one apiece could be kept until the bag limit increases later this season. Plenty of white perch swam the river. Live eels, fresh clams, bloodworms and frozen baits are stocked. Live spots might be carried later.

<b>Absecon</b>

Fishing for striped bass started to take off in the back bay, said Capt. Dave from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. He got a report about John Fish whacking stripers on every cast at the Intracoatal Waterway on Tuesday on the bottom of the tide on rubber baits. So Dave snuck out Wednesday, hooking a couple of fat, 26- and 27-inch shorts on peanut bunker. In the afternoon Joe Ficetola and Sean Fox went looking for the fish, putting the breaks on a 30-incher at the Intracoastal and three bass more than 20 pounds a apiece at Absecon Inlet, limiting out. Once this storm passes, the catches should coming on Steady reports about striper catches came from the Mullica River, always an early season spot. Many of the fish were eeled, and sometimes white perch anglers hooked shorts by mistake on bloodworms or grass shrimp meant for perch. Perch fishing up rivers like the Mullica was better than anyone remembered in a long time. Weakfish schooled the ocean close to shore before the storm, and anglers will see if they stick around afterward. Not much was heard about croakers in the same area lately, except a few of the fish, smaller ones. They seemed to be moving out for the season. The shop is fully stocked with live spots, loaded up because the baitfish are probably going to be difficult to find later this season. Not many spots were around in the South Jersey area this year. A few live mullet are stocked, and they were also scarce this season, and frozen mullet is on hand. Peanut bunker are in the tanks, and a large variety of other baits is always carried.

<b>Brigantine</b>

The current nor’easter is the weather anglers wanted, said Capt. Andy from <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>. They hoped the blow pulled in stripers to Brigantine’s surf. Big stripers including 30- and 40-pounders were landed from the wash farther north at Long Beach Island, and the wait was on for them to come down. When the striper bite takes off, anglers will fish with clams or bunker, and some will swim live spots or eels along the jetties. But blues 2- to 3-pounds and kingfish were already all over Brigantine’s surf. For the blues, sling out frozen mullet or mackerel or cast metal like A.O.K or Hopkins lures. For the kings, bloodworms out-fished Fishbites artificial worms. Finger mullet and corn cob mullet schooled along the beaches. Tog including sizeable ones could be lambasted left and right along the jetties. The annual Riptide Striper Derby started Monday and lasts through December, and all proceeds are donated to charity. Cash prizes will be awarded each month and at the end of the tournament for the biggest fish. Entry in the tournament allows beach buggy access to the entire stretch of Brigantine during the event for those with a Brigantine permit. No bass were entered so far, so bring in the catches and get on the board.

<b>Margate</b>

<b>O-Beth Sportfishing</b> was set to make the annual move to Cape May for striped bass fishing, Capt. Eric said. The boat should be steamed down when the storm finishes, maybe by Tuesday. Charters will mostly bunker-chunk on Delaware Bay for bigger bass. But trips will fish the Cape May Rips for the linesiders when anglers want. If tuna fishing seems to continue, trips will keep running for them from Cape May, and tog fishing will begin on the boat when the bag limit gets jacked up to six of the blackfish on November 16 from the current limit of one. See <a href=" http://www.obethfishingcharters.com/
" target="_blank">O-Beth’s home page</a> for info about specials on striper charters and open-boat trips that will sail for the bass every Friday and Saturday starting October 30.

<b>Longport</b>

The boat was in the yard for a Coast Guard hull inspection and checked out okay, and trips will resume every day whenever the weather clears, Capt. Mike from the <b>Stray Cat</b> said. Daily, open-boat trips are barreling up weakfish and croakers, and the weaks are bigger than before. The open trips will switch to tog fishing when the bag limit is cranked up to six of the blackfish on November 16 from the current limit of one, and don’t wait to reserve spots, because the schedule was already filling. Stray Cat is a serious tog boat. Coming soon, annual Cast and Blast trips, a combo of fishing and duck hunting, are set to launch. Ducks were definitely on the move, like Mike had predicted they would be by Columbus Day. Fish for blues and weaks in the front of the boat, and gun for sea ducks in the back. 

<b>Ocean City</b>

Lots of small blues schooled everywhere from the surf to the back bay, said Ed from <b>Fin-Atics</b>.  A few small striped bass got rapped in the surf, and the waters were 62 to 64 degrees, approaching the right temp for better striper fishing. Many of the bass, small fish, gathered in the bay at structure including bridges, docks and the sod banks. Fishing for them at night with swimming plugs and soft-plastic lures produced most. No boaters seemed to fish the ocean in three or four days. But previously they locked up on croakers, small blues and small weakfish in 50 feet. Fall fishing should break open soon.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

On the beaches anglers scored consistent striped bass catches at dawn and dusk along the jetties, said Wes from <b>Gibson’s Tackle</b>. They bought lots of swimming plugs and popper lures for the angling, and blues were also around, smacking the same lures. Live surf clams that are stocked could also be used for the bass, if anglers wanted to fish bait. Baits like mullet or mackerel could be soaked for the blues, too. One angler talked about boating weakfish on the ocean near the shore before the storm. Nobody mentioned croakers around the same waters in a week. Whether that simply meant nobody tried in the weather couldn’t be known. Small blues to 4 pounds could be fought around the ocean buoys on cast bucktails or paddletails. False albacore should be able to be trolled a few miles from shore when the weather clears. Waters were warm enough, probably around 65 degrees, and northeast winds, including from the current nor’easter, warm the ocean near land. In the back bay striper fishing was okay, and many anglers fished spots or eels for them, but some worked popper lures at the creek confluences. Tog fishing was steady at the bridges, and lots of green crabs and rigs were bought to mug them.

Back-bay fishing kept banging out striped bass on poppers this week, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b>, affiliated with <b>Gibson’s Tackle</b>. Both popper lures and flies connected, but most of the fishing was with lures to cover ground. The season’s been hot for the fishing, a specialty for Jersey Cape. Joe poles his flats boat along the shallows while anglers cast to the fish, a unique trip. The popper fishing offers explosive, visual attacks on the surface. Charters will eventually focus on the ocean this season for the migration of big striped bass and large blues along the shore. The catches began last year during the third week of October, but November 1 is usually action, and the month of November is excellent. Sea Isle’s surf fishing turned out striped bass and a few blues like it’s been doing. The fishing wasn’t gangbusters, but gave up the fish on every trip for Joe. Swimming lures and popper plugs were the choice for him, fishing along the jetties. Dusk and dawn were most productive, but daytime also put out. Joe cancelled one of the trips to Montauk this weekend that he’s been offering on traveling charters. The forecast storm was too much, and if that’s what Joe says, it’s true, because he goes in weather when it’s fishable. Montauk is one of the more weather-friendly areas, usually providing someplace to tuck in for shelter from any wind direction around the point of land. But he’ll continue running the charters for the migration of striped bass, blues and false albacore at the legendary fishing location. If you’ve ever wanted to go, here’s the chance. Back at home, Jersey Cape is offering after-work special trips on the back bay in the afternoons to dark, a great time to fish, when nobody else is on the waters, and action can be best.

<b>Wildwood</b>

On the <b>Adventurer</b> croakers, blues and weakfish were dialed up during the weekend’s trips, Capt. Gary said. Most of the catch was half croakers and half blues, and the weaks were scattered in. When striped bass fishing takes off, the boat will go after them on Delaware Bay and at the Cape May Rips. Sometimes the ocean close to shore will serve them up later in the season. The Adventurer is fishing on open-boat trips 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fridays through Sundays, and call to confirm, making sure no charter is running instead.

A sound population of striped bass chomped in the back bay, said Mike from <b>Canal Side Boat Rentals</b>. Fish clams for them, and out-of-season summer flounder pounced on the baits here and there and were released. Seeing the flounder in the waters this late in the season was something. Joe Parson on the bay whaled a 14-pound 4-ounce sheepshead, if Mike remembered the size, and the catch was submitted to the state for recognition. A 4-pound black drum came from the bay, and one angler yanked a tog from open waters on the bay, unusual to see the blackfish in open waters. Crabbing was decent even if the blueclaws started to become slow moving from cooler waters. Crabbers who headed out on two of the rental boats came back with a couple of dozen good-sized ones. Be sure to take advantage of Canal Side’s 2-for-1 sale on all tackle except rods and reels this week starting today. No mixing and matching of the tackle is allowed, or the two items have to be the same, but what a deal! Minnows and frozen shedder crabs, whole and filleted mackerel, various types of squid, fresh-frozen clams, salted clams, frozen mullet and bunker, including for crabbing, and more baits are stocked. Live blueclaw crabs -- currently $20 per dozen for number 1’s and $12 per dozen for number 2’s, depending on the market price -- are carried for eating. Canal Side rents canopy boats and kayaks for fishing, crabbing and sightseeing. The shop will be open daily through Saturday and closed on Sunday. Afterward Mike will remain at the shop, but call ahead to make sure he’ll be there. The season was winding down, but he’s got work to do, and if he’s working, the doors will be open.

<b>Cape May</b>

Anglers left for the canyons Saturday with <b>Jaftica Sportfishing</b>, despite rough seas, Capt. Ray said. They overnighted toward the Wilmington, and fishing was somewhat tough in the seas, but two longfin tuna 50 to 60 pounds were decked, and so were mahi mahi that came through. A swordfish probably pushing 200 pounds was fought 1 ½ hours until the line wrapped in the sea anchor, and the bruiser broke off. A shot at trolling in the morning was unproductive, except for lots of skipjacks that knocked down baits. A white marlin came crashing through the spread but never got hooked. Fish still seemed around at the canyons, and good waters seemed to be pushing down, so the boat will probably fish the canyons another week if the weather gives an opportunity. The season’s first striped bass trip is slated to fish in two weekends. Striper charters probably will mostly bunker chunk on Delaware Bay until the first or second week of November.  Then they’ll probably target the Cape May Rips more, swimming live bait or working bucktails. At that point stripers might also be able to be chased along the beach front through late in the season. 

Lots of 6- and 8-inch blues crammed the surf, gobbling mullet, said Danny from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. Mullet could hardly be kept stocked because of customer demand. Only a few striped bass were claimed from the surf, and everyone waited for the migration to begin. Croakers were sometimes beached, and triggerfish were sometimes pulled from along the jetties. But tog fishing was on full-blast at structure like the jetties and bridges, even though only one could be kept until the bag limit increases. A buddy reeled in 18 or 19 tog at the Wildwood Crest Bridge, ran out of green crabs for bait, threaded clam on the hooks, and angled in two striper 16 and 18 inches. Small stripers like that swam the back bay. A 21-inch, out-of-season winter flounder was hooked under the Cape May Bridge, unusual to see at this time of the year and that far south at any time. Boaters tried striper fishing at the Cape May Rips and occasionally landed them, but the season was early to expect much.

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