New Jersey Fishing Reports

The boat was tied to the dock through the storms, said Capt. Anthony from Barbara Anne Fishing Charters. But one space is available each day on trips Tuesday and Sunday. Trips are blackfishing, now that New York’s blackfish season is open, and had been mixing in sea bassing when blackfish were less reluctant to chew. But blackfish should become fully responsive, because the season is wearing on, and Anthony expects to target the tog exclusively starting this week. Don’t have enough anglers for a full charter? Call Anthony anyway, because he can usually arrange individual spaces on a trip. Barbara Anne pays bridge tolls with a receipt.

Trips were weathered out, but Outcast Charters is blackfishing, and will keep sea bassing as long as the lumpheads remain in state waters within 3 miles from the coast, where the fishing is open, Capt. Joe said. When sea bass move out, blackfishing will continue on the vessel, and sometimes angling for striped bass or ling will be in the mix.

Bayonne

The weather was terrible, but a trip got out Monday when the weather was better, fishing the East River for striped bass, said Capt. Akira from True World Tackle and True World Tackle Charters. The fishing, always done with eels, was slow that day but usually was good lately. So the charter moved to buoy 31 on the Hudson River, and a 22-pound 38-inch striper, a hefty one, was eeled. A friend waxed a healthy catch of sea bass and porgies at Sandy Hook Reef, and showed Akira a photo of an 8-pound blackfish he added to the catch. Customers fishing from the bulkheads angled up stripers at places including Bayonne Park, the Hoboken Pier and the Liberty State Park area.

Atlantic Highlands

Here’s the news anglers wanted to hear: “Finally!” said Capt. Ron from the Fishermen in an e-mail. Striped bass were hungry today after the nor’easter! Almost all anglers aboard limited out and bagged an additional bass apiece with a bonus tag. The Monday regulars on the boat, after paying their dues the last couple of weeks, were especially rewarded. “Feel like a new man,” Capt. Ron said. “Can’t wait to get back out tomorrow!” The fishing started slower when a few shorts and some blues were jigged under working birds at the end of incoming tide. Then the boat was anchored off the ocean beaches for the change of the tide, and that was it! Stripers, 24 to 33 inches, attacked right away, and the catches lasted right through the end of the trip. The Fishermen is sailing for striped bass 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.

The Atlantic Star stayed in port through the weather, Capt. Tom said. But the vessel might’ve gotten out for bottom fish today, and if so, he might give an update that will be posted here. He expected the fishing to take a moment to settle down after the storms. Trips previously produced porgies, sea bass and blackfish. The boat will now sail on one ¾-day trip daily instead of two ½-day trips daily, because the fish are moving somewhat farther from shore and farther south, somewhat more distance from the dock. The Atlantic Star is bottom fishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. Update, 10/20: The boat’s first trip after the storm fished today, and catches were affected on inshore waters, Tom said over the phone on the trip at 11 a.m. But the vessel pushed farther from shore to the Mud Buoy, and a good catch of porgies, all large fish, none shorts, was pounded, and a few blackfish were banged out. So the trip was going to turn out well. The ¾-day schedule, launching today, was helpful, allowing plenty of fishing time with the somewhat longer run to the grounds.

Highlands

Striped bass fishing was getting good before the storm, said Capt. Brian from Jersey Devil Charters. The fish were eeled, jigged, trolled and caught in every way from the bay to the ocean, but all from Sandy Hook to the north. He saw none of the fish when he looked farther south at the Shrewsbury Rocks. Jersey Devil is now concentrating on stripers, a main quarry on charters through the year. Brian particularly focuses on trophy linesiders, and Jersey Devil is a frequent tournament winner. Big blues were mixed in with the stripers, and stripers also filled the rivers, and trips are also available there, especially for those who want to stay closer to land or are bringing kids. A river trip is slated for Thursday.

Fishing for striped bass should be good, now that the weather passed, said Capt. Derek from Fisher Price Charters. He hoped to resume fishing for them today or Tuesday, and open-boat trips will run for the linesiders Tuesday and Thursday, and space is available. The trips will probably eel or clam for the fish but will fish in whatever way it takes, and Derek thinks the bass “will be hungry,” he said. Charters will also keep bottom fishing for sea bass, porgies and blackfish, but the bottom will probably take a moment to settle.

Neptune

“Did anybody get out?” Capt. Ralph from Last Lady Fishing Charters asked when he was telephoned for a report. “No!” was the answer. Neither did he. But his trips before the weather did a job on bluefish and clobbered some of the best cod fishing he’d seen in some time at the offshore wrecks. Coming up, individual-reservation striped bass trips are on the books for 6 a.m. November 4, 8, 14 and 15, jigging, clamming or doing whatever it takes to catch them. Bonus tags will be on board for three fish kept per angler. Individual-reservation blackfish trips are scheduled for November 16, 21, 22, 24, 27, 28, 29, every Saturday and Sunday in December and New Year’s Eve day. Plus Ralph will add blackfish trips if anglers call with a few anglers who can go, because he’ll get others to join. The trip on November 16 is when the bag limit gets hiked up to six of the tog from the current limit of one.

Belmar

When the boat sailed before the weather, blues bit well on daytime trips, said Capt. Greg from the Golden Eagle in an e-mail. A few false albacore turned up in the catches, and so did a striped bass or two, but a strong run of stripers seemed yet to begin. Nighttime trips also put the skids on plenty of blues, large ones, “out to the east,” he said. The fish on daytime trips swiped bait and jigs, and the slammers at night engulfed bait. Room is available on a 36-hour Iron Man Canyon Tuna Run this coming Monday to Wednesday. See the boat’s Web site for the tuna schedule. The Golden Eagle is bluefishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and 7:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

Brielle

Surf anglers beat striped bass and bluefish, said Dave from The Reel Seat, even if the storm hampered participation toward the end of the week. Stripers were beached at Point Pleasant and Bay Head on Thursday, and a 33-incher was the biggest that a customer reported hauling in. Most of the fish were hooked on metal, because of rough seas. Anglers fishing along the rail at Manasquan Inlet reeled in stripers including quite a few keepers while working headheads with 7-inch Fin-S Fish in the thick of the storm Saturday morning, and they had to wear waders because of the high waters. No stripers were really boated on the ocean before the storm, but bluefish were. Bottom fishing had served up sea bass, porgies and a few blackfish on the ocean before the weather. Lots of blackfish had been landed at the Point Pleasant Canal, and not much was heard about the nearby Manasquan River lately. Two Sundays ago was the last time reports rolled in about bluefin tuna on the inshore ocean, because of the weather. Some customers landed one or two bluefins per trip that day, and some found none, but one put the brakes on seven. News was scarce about canyon tuna fishing because of weather.

Capt. Jerry, Capt. Wayne and a crew from Fish Monger Charters left the weather and blown out trips behind, and drove to Upstate New York to catch the fall migration of salmon, steelhead and trout fishing on their favorite Lake Ontario tributaries, Jerry said in an e-mail. They picked up a stash of fresh brown trout eggs for bait—New York gold! he said—from a friend, tied them up into sacks and had at it for two days and a morning. Waters were low, so the creeks hardly held the fish, but the “estuaries,” Jerry said, were loaded with fish waiting for higher levels. They caught lots of fish, a variety of rainbow trout, steelheads and brown trout with king and Coho salmon mixed in. Jerry landed 30 himself the first day. Steelheads and rainbows to 10 pounds were creamed, and big, hook-jawed brown trout to 12 pounds were slammed. Almost all the fish were released, except a few gut-hooked catches for the smoker. Sometimes lulls would happen, and sometimes a fresh batch of fish would come busting through like crazy. All were caught on noodle rods with 6-pound fluorocarbon leaders on a swivel. The sacks of brown trout eggs were hung on a size-12 hook under a float. The weather was great, and only a handful of other anglers were on the waters. The fishing was one good rain away from mayhem, Jerry said. Big browns swam the lake, waiting to move upstream, and the steelheads and rainbows were everywhere. Jerry expects to make one more trip for the fishing before the blackfish bag limit increases in New Jersey. Back at home, Fish Monger is bottom fishing for sea bass and porgies and is also running special, catch-and-release blackfish trips to warm up. Trips were lambasting the fish, covered in previous reports.

Point Pleasant

The storms passed, and seas became calm, and “time to get back at it,” an e-mail from the Cock Robin said. Trips are fishing for blues 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. They were mixing in catches of false albacore and bonito at least before the storm. Unconfirmed reports said a mass of striped bass held to the north recently. Customers on Thursday trips can help donate fish to Joan Valentine House, providing meals to people. Customers every day can donate food and non-perishables that the crew is collecting for St. Gregory’s Pantry in Point Pleasant. Captain Jim’s Camp Cock Robin for kids, limited to 12 anglers, featuring a dedicated mate for the youngsters, is under way every holiday.

Seaside

Surf temperatures dropped to the upper 50s, and the waters could somewhat warm as the weather continues to settle after the storm, said the report on Grumpy’s Tackle’s Web site. The wash had begun to dip to the lower 60s before the storm. Clams are always a good choice to fish for striped bass in the suds after a storm, because seas wash up and break clams that the fish feed on along the shoreline. But be prepared to “walk the rod,” allowing the line to move in the currents, because seas were still rough. The surf also remained dirty, but today’s moderate northwest winds will help flatten them down, clean them up. A couple of 7- and 8-pound striped bass were checked in from the surf on Friday, when a few brave anglers hit the beaches in the weather. But afterward conditions became too difficult, culminating in strong north winds with gusts to 40 m.p.h. in rains on Sunday, and the beaches were likely deserted through the weekend. <a href="http://www.grumpystackle.com/fishingreports/" target="_blank"> Click here</a> for updates.

Barnegat Light

An open-boat trip got squeezed in Thursday before the gale warning from the nor’easter kicked in, said Capt. Steve from Reel Fantasea Charters in an e-mail. Wayne Salvi, Sean Castle and Tom Breeland first jigged mostly spike weakfish, but a few larger ones that were put on ice, in the ocean near Barnegat Inlet in 30 to 40 feet, where schools of 9- to 15-inchers had been thick. They were so numerous that one got lassoed on a rig and reeled in. The gang moved back to the inlet, swimming live spots, and blues chomped some in half. They moved farther back to the sod banks, and two small, schoolie striped bass were landed. Winds and rains intensified, and the anglers moved back to the inlet before the weather completely closed in. Sean creamed a 32-inch striper, and then the trip ran back to the barn, before the weather became too much. Steve thanked the guys for “a solid effort in less than favorable conditions,” he said. Two spaces are available for a trip 4 to 8 p.m. Friday that will target stripers on artificials and live bait. That is one of the open-boat Friday Night at the Fights trips that have begun. A couple of spots are open for the Fridays of November 13 and 20. A few spaces remain for charters in November for “some of the best striped bass fishing anywhere,” Steve said. Contact him if interested in any of the fishing.

Surf City

A 42-pound striped bass was weighed in from the surf Monday, and Brian McCallister checked in a 30-pound 45-1/2-incher from the suds Thursday, the last time anyone came in with a fish since the storm, said Barbara from Surf City Bait & Tackle. Small blues 1 or 2 pounds were supposedly slammed in a blitz in the wash before the storm, and only small blues seemed around then. Kingfish kept biting in the surf before the storm, through less often than previously. But all of that could change after the storm, and the wait was on to see what happens. Customers who tried to fish during the weather said they slung out 10 ounces to hold bottom in the seas.

Mystic Island

Striped bass showed up at Little Egg Inlet! said Scott from Scott’s Bait & Tackle in the report on the shop’s Web site. Clams caught them today, the first day that the site reported the catches. “I just hope the activity builds from here and that today’s fish weren’t a tease,” he said. The weather today was finally clear, and the air was chilly and fall-like, “(and) anglers are excited!” he said. On Sunday he said water temperatures had dropped to the 50s, and hoped that the temps and the broken clams along the beaches because of the storm would draw in striper blitzes early this week. Long Beach Island surf anglers had previously tackled “isolated” stripers, he said.

Brigantine

Several anglers said they beached short and keeper striped bass from Brigantine’s surf and that the fish had sea lice on them, showing that they were migratory fish, Capt. Andy from Riptide Bait & Tackle said in the report on the shop’s Web site. “I wouldn’t consider it breaking open, but it’s a start,” he said. “Only time will tell.” One angler and his wife hit the beach in the storm Sunday, and that paid off: They weighed in an 11-pound striper. Another angler banked a 30-incher that morning. A 35-incher was checked in today. “Things are looking good!” Andy said. Prior to the storm he said the nor’easter could be “what the doctor ordered” for the migration of stripers. The annual Riptide Striper Derby is under way, lasting 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.

Atlantic City

Lots of striped bass were dragged from the surf in the past couple of days, said Noel from One Stop Bait & Tackle. Many were throwbacks, but sizeable ones were also socked. Plugs and bait took them, and few people fished in the nor’easter, but the diehards did, and more were out today in clear skies. Seas along the beaches began to calm Sunday, settled more today and would probably drop down even more Tuesday. But the big bass like rough seas anyway. A few tog were yanked from along the jetties when anglers fished with green crabs or clams. A buddy said he saw a big weakfish over 30 inches hauled from the suds. Bluefish schooled Absecon Inlet like always, hitting mullet baits. Fresh and frozen clams, mullet, bunker, mackerel, eels, green crabs and practically all the baits, the full supply, are stocked.

Longport

Although trips were weathered out on the boat, striped bass were whacked on a trip by foot at the 9th Street Bridge in the middle of the storm at night in the past days, Capt. Mike from the Stray Cat said. The 23- to 30-inchers jumped all over eels and rubber eels, and they could’ve been jigged, drilled on popper lures or stuck every which way. Winds howled, rains fell and a hand could hardly be seen in front of a face. Daily, open-boat trips will resume bottom fishing on the ocean after the weather, and what bites will have to be seen. Previously weakfish and blues were hooked. Annual Cast and Blast Trips, a combo of fishing and duck hunting, are set to run any day on the ocean. Tog fishing will take over the daily, open-boat schedule on November 16, when the bag limit gets jacked up to six of the blackfish from the current limit of one. Reserve spaces now, because they’re filling. A practice trip will fish for the slipperies on November 15. Stray Cat gets all over tog every year.

Somers Point

The weather cut the week’s fishing short, but small blues were previously plucked from the bay and inlet on metal and mullet, said T.C. from Brennan Marine in a fax. Kingfish were nabbed in the bay and surf, almost exclusively on bloodworms. Tog chomped green crabs along the bridges, apparently showing up in greater numbers as waters cooled. Striped bass, seemingly somewhat bigger in the past week, were wrangled up from along the bridges and the surf on clams. Offshore boaters headed north for yellowfin, longfin and bluefin tuna two weekends ago, but no results were heard.

Ocean City

Was no way fishing was going to be done in the storm, of course, said Capt. Craig from Fish Tale Charters. But he hopes to make the annual move to Cape May for fall striped bass fishing on Wednesday, bringing the boat to the port to sail for the stripers in and around the Cape May Rips until mid December. Fishing for them will be possible as soon as the boat arrives. Some dates were already booked, but choice dates remained, and now was the time to reserve. Previously the boat’s charters reeled up croakers, blues and weakfish from around 50-foot depths 5 miles off Ocean City.

Sea Isle City

Popper fishing for striped bass with lures and flies will continue on trips on the back bay, now that the weather was clearing, said Capt. Joe Hughes from Jersey Cape Guide Service and Gibson’s Tackle. He lay low during the blow. The fishing, a specialty on the boat with exciting, visual attacks, was great so far this season. Charters will eventually focus on the ocean this fall 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. If the weather this week remains windy, Joe will surf fish in the next days, and he’d been catching striped bass on every outing in the suds. A few blues bit, and Joe tossed swimming plugs and popper lures along the jetties. Dawn and dusk were best, but daytime catches were made. Joe will resume weekend traveling charters to Montauk this week if the weather cooperates. If you’ve ever wanted to fish the run of stripers and other fish at the legendary port, here’s the chance. A traveling charter to Culebra, Puerto Rico, will fish in November. Visit <a href=" http://www.gibsonstackle.com/page6.html" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s Web site</a> to see more about the traveling charters.

Cape May

Capt. George from the Heavy Hitter picked up eels Saturday to get ready for striped bass fishing, he said. Winds honked and the weather was terrible when he bought the bait along the coast, and no trips could sail since the storms. His first striper trip of the season is slated for Saturday and will bunker chunk for the bass on Delaware Bay, the charter’s preference. The eels are livelined at the Cape May Rips, usually after the fishing on the bay turns on first. Whether stripers will be around this early in the season remains to be seen, but the charter wanted to fish then.

Fishing had actually started to pick up in the surf around the start of the storms, said Matt from Jim’s Bait & Tackle in a fax. Bluefish, some of them 4 to 5 pounds, chased large schools of rainfish and smacked top-water lures in the suds at Cape May on Thursday afternoon. On Friday short and keeper striped bass attacked bucktails, plugs and soft-plastic lures such as Storm, Tsunami and Calcutta shads along the rocks at the Cold Spring Inlet jetty. Then the waters became too churned up, and sand sharks took over. A few stripers started to be bunker-chunked on Delaware Bay. The upper bay gave up some keepers and shorts around Miah Maul to Flat Top before the storms. Waters dropped into the 50s in the bay, so anglers expect the bite to be on when the waters clean up later in the week.