<b>Staten Island</b>

Anglers with <b>Outcast Charters</b> limited out on blackfish to 6 pounds with no problem on Sunday, but the fishing was just okay, Capt. Joe said. Lots of drops had to be fished, and a few of the tog would be plucked from one, and then the next, and so on. No striped bass were seen, but trips will mix in striper fishing at this time of the year, such as jigging for the fish if the linesiders are run across on the way home. Anglers aboard had been mixing in sea bass fishing, but only blackfish were targeted on the trip. New York’s blackfish season opened October 1.

<b>Keyport</b>

The boat’s mate eeled two 20-pound striped bass at Sandy Hook Channel on a trip Friday around dusk, said Capt. Joe from <b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b>. The boat is sailing for stripers, and can only be in the waters another two weeks before the marina will require all boats to be pulled out of the slips for dredging, something that’s happening with many vessels in the area this year. But the fishing was under way, and get out while it is. Open-boat trips are running daily for stripers when no charter is booked, and call to reserve.

Striped bass fishing improved a lot, said Chris from <b>Crabby’s Bait & Tackle</b> in a fax. Johnny Carr boated six stripers to 22 pounds at Sandy Hook Channel on eels. Jo and Tony Sirrion limited out on stripers to 24.8 pounds around Sandy Hook Point on eels. Cindy Mangone decked her first-ever striper, a 19-pounder, at Flynn’s Knoll on clam on a sinker-slide rig and also bagged a 12-pound blue. Another party clammed the Knoll for 15 linesiders to 15 pounds, ran out of the fresh bait and had to use the clam chum on the hooks, and still caught. Birds lately worked the bay surface from the 1 can off Keyport to Sandy Hook, and a mix of fish schooled underneath. Sand eels and peanut bunker made up most of the bait in the bay. Beach anglers on the bay also tackled stripers. Dave Ramon landed three stripers to 14 ½ pounds at Cliffwood Beach. Tommy Ritton fished at Union Beach, putting the brakes on a 19-pound striper, an 11-pound blue and a 47-pound drum. Bottom fishing served up red-hot catches. Anglers could fish any rock pile or reef for all the blackfish and sea bass they could handle. Lots of good-sized porgies also chewed. Waun Sanatel and crew bottom dunked at Sandy Hook Reef, reeling up blackfish to 6.3 pounds, 11 large sea bass to 3.9 pounds and a cooler full of porgies. Mike Anderson fished at Bug Light, coming up with a 7.4-pound blackfish, a 4.3-pound sea bass and a 35-pound drum.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Clamming for striped bass produced only a dozen horn dogs at first on Sunday’s trip on the <b>Fishermen</b>, Capt. Ron said in the report on the boat’s Web site. So he got out of there, running the boat down the ocean beaches, where the anglers aboard jigged the rest of the day. Bluefish and a few keeper and short stripers were picked up. Fish rolled on the surface, bait schooled and plenty of birds worked the waters, “not what I would call a hot bite, though,” he said. Conditions were nasty in winds. Weaker winds should help on today’s trip. No other reports were posted on the boat’s Web site since Thursday, so apparently no trips sailed Friday and Saturday in the winds. The Fishermen is sailing for striped bass 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.

Winds often blew, but bottom fishing turned out catches anyway, mostly bigger porgies and a few blackfish, on the <b>Atlantic Star</b>, Capt. Tom said. The fishing was very good on Thursday in better weather. Friday’s weather was rough, and only seven people showed up for the day’s trip, but they caught, until the weather became too bad, and the boat returned a half-hour early. None of the fleet fished in Saturday’s weather, but a trip got out Sunday. Fishing wasn’t fast and furious but gave up a pick of bigger porgies, mostly keepers, and a few blackfish. Some patrons brought their own crabs to fish for the tog. Considering winds that still blew and a swell leftover from Friday and Saturday, Tom guessed that the catches weren’t bad on Sunday. He figured he was probably spoiled by great fishing Tuesday and Wednesday in better weather. The fishing generally has held up, and Tom hopes it will continue, like it did during the last couple of years. The Atlantic Star is bottom fishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily, and clams are supplied for bait.

<b>Highlands</b>

Fishing for striped bass tied into good catches when windy weather let up enough for trips to sail, said Capt. Derek from <b>Fisher Price Charters</b>. Charters were weathered out during the weekend’s winds but were able to fish during the week. Anglers on board jigged, trolled, eeled and clammed the fish from Sandy Hook Point and the channels to the ocean along the beaches. The number of sand eels in the waters was the largest Derek had seen in years, so the bass should keep coming in, and fishing for them should only improve. Blues swam among the stripers, and fewer and fewer of the blues will be around as water temps drop.

<b>Neptune</b>

Probably one of the best day’s of fishing this fall went down on Sunday with <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b> on the ocean, Capt. Ralph said. The 12 anglers on Last Lady’s big boat landed their limit of two stripers apiece, a total catch of more than 20 stripers to 24 pounds. Plus they limited out on blackfish to 6 pounds and also picked up bluefish. On  Ralph’s smaller vessel on the same day, striper angling was slower until late, but the charter managed to bag three, bail a bunch of blues, limit out on blackfish to 6 or 7 pounds and release more. All the stripers were jigged, except some that were trolled on the smaller boat. Anglers should act fast if they want to sail on individual-reservation striper trips November 4 and 8, because the bite was happening, and blackfish bait will be on board. Individual-reservation blackfish trips will fish November 16, 21, 22, 24, 27, 28, 29, every Saturday and Sunday during the month and New Year’s Eve day. November 16 is when the bag limit increases to six of the tog from the current limit of one. Ralph will add more individual-reservation blackfish trips if anglers call with a few anglers, because he can fill in the spaces with others.

<b>Belmar</b>

The run of striped bass was getting started, and catches were okay, were definitely being made every time the boat sailed for them, said Capt. Tom from the <b>Nan Sea J</b>. Anglers on the trips trolled and jigged. Charters also knocked down bluefish, all mixed sizes, and excellent angling for blackfish. Too bad the limit was one of the tog until being increased to six on November 16.

<b>Brielle</b>

Boaters trolled quality catches of striped bass and blues on the ocean Sunday on bunker spoons, and during the week beat so-so catches of the fish, said Dave from <b>The Reel Seat</b>. A customer showed him a cell-phone photo of a striper that must’ve weighed 25 pounds that a friend belted Sunday morning and text-messaged. Surf anglers beached stripers and blues since Friday, mostly on metal because of rough seas in the winds. Manasquan River anglers also reeled in stripers while fishing with plugs, rubber shads like Storms and Tsunamis and metal. The lure that worked depended on the location in the river and the tide, probably according to the bait in the waters. Shad swam the river, so wide-profiled lures got whacked. Lots of blackfish held along the Point Pleasant Canal and the ocean wrecks. Blackfish anglers bagged a limit of one of the tog then either played catch and release with more or fished for sea bass and porgies, banging out plenty. A few bluefin tuna, bigger fish such as a 120-pounder and a 103-pounder, began to get pounded as close as 7 miles from shore. But the bluefins, both larger ones like a 150-pounder that Dave heard about and 50-pounders, also kept getting boated at the Mudhole. Canyon tuna fishing was difficult because, for example, when boats fished within a mile of each other, some would catch, and some wouldn’t. The bite happened toward daylight, and the fish were also jigged in the middle of the day as deep as 200 feet. Large longfin tuna were in the mix at the canyons, and so were a few swordfish and lots of big blue sharks. Time to think about the holidays: Anglers began writing on a wish list at the shop the tackle they’d enjoy as gifts from family and friends. Then family and friends can ask the shop what gifts the anglers want.

Canyon tuna fishing improved Tuesday and Wednesday on the <b>Jamaica</b>, and warm waters now continued to hold along the 100-fathom line and looked good, and more of the trips will steam through the weekend and into November, an e-mail from the boat said. Tuesday’s trip was a Special Tuna/Tilefish/Mahi Mahi trip, and on arrival at the canyons, the drift was too fast for tilefishing, so the anglers set up for tuna. After no bites on a drift for 40 minutes, the vessel was moved farther offshore and anchored. A mako shark was landed, and nine yellowfin tuna were gaffed before the sun set. Fishing was quiet most of the night, except a couple of tuna and a swordfish were wrestled in. Tuna schooled under the boat after the sun rose, and the anglers picked at yellowfins and a few longfins through the morning on both bait and jigs. They also pumped up a healthy number of tilefish. Jason Kim from Ellicott City, Maryland, limited out on three yellowfins and bagged three longfins. (There is no limit on longfins.)  Dennis Muhlenforth from Hockessin, Delaware, limited out on yellowfins and caught two longfins and three tilefish, including a 30-pound tile. Glen Cohen from Huntington, New York, limited out on yellowfins, and Carlos Diogo from Newark waxed two and eight tiles. Waters were 65.4 degrees, and plenty of squid swam by at times, and lots of tuna were marked. Wednesday’s trip returned to the same area, and one sword was caught at night. Tuna began to school underneath the boat just before sunrise, and three yellowfins were bagged, and a few were lost, before the readings thinned out. The boat started to be moved 2 miles away, running over a school of tuna. Anglers began to catch yellowfins on jigs and bait, and the fish schooled underneath the rest of the morning, good fishing until it was time to head home. Visit the Jamaica’s Web site or call the boat for the full schedule or for more info. Or visit the site to be added to the e-mail list for special trips. Tuna charters are also available.

<b>Point Pleasant</b>

A trip met a big swell 4 to 7 feet, an ocean that was a mess, and dirty close to shore, at first on Sunday, said Capt. Allen from <b>Reel Class Charters</b>. Then the prop hit a piece of wood that knocked the prop loose, and the trip had to return to port. But Allen was able to get a friend to make room on his 36-foot boat, and some of Allen’s anglers jumped aboard, joining his friend’s anglers for sort of a split charter, while others from Allen’s gang left. The anglers aboard headed south and started jigging in 50 to 75 feet. The fishing was slow, but the anglers ended up catching a half-dozen striped bass, including four keepers to 32 inches, and maybe two dozen blues to 15 pounds, including some huge ones. The stripers bit early, and birds picked at pods of bait here and there through the trip, and the anglers would pull a couple of fish from a pod and then move to the next pod and hook some. The trip fished from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and seas calmed considerably later in the day. The fishing wasn’t up to Allen’s high expectations, and the trip was slow, he said. But catches were made. Reel Class will keep targeting stripers and blues. A bunch of boats were seen fishing Manasquan River that day, and surely stripers could be landed there.

Crowds were light on Sunday on the <b>Cock Robin</b>, but the day was “filled with bluefish!” an e-mail from the boat said. Striped bass were seen but refused to eat, “(but continued) positive weather conditions will improve that in the upcoming days,” the e-mail said. No reason was given for the small number of anglers, but lingering forecasts for rough weather seemed the probable cause. Another e-mail had said Saturday’s trip would be cancelled because of strong winds, and that’s apparently what happened.  Trips are fishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. On Thursday trips, customers can help donate fish to Joan Valentine House, providing meals to people. The crew is accepting donations of canned goods and non-perishable items 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, including Thursday and Friday, November 5 and 6, for the teachers’ convention.

<b>Seaside</b>

The migration of striped bass seemed to begin through the surf, the report on <b>Grumpy’s Tackle</b>’s Web site said. But the shop reported numerous surf catches since last week after the nor’easter, and continued every day since, even during strong winds and rough seas through the weekend. The report even said rough seas seemed to increase the catches at times. By today the report said no place seemed better than another. “Just put in your time, and you’ll catch,” it said. A few bluefish were beached, but stripers were dominant, and clams caught the most bass, but metal also produced. Weigh-ins on Sunday included 11 striped bass 7 to 24 pounds, and 10 were jabbed on Grumpy Clams, and the other was hooked on bunker. Several blues 6 to 13 pounds were checked in that day, mostly grabbed on bunker, but one was landed on a rubber shad. Fresh clams and fresh bunker are stocked. <a href="http://www.grumpystackle.com/fishingreports/" target="_blank"> Click here</a> for updates.

<b>Forked River</b>

Waters tossed up striped bass from 60 to 80 feet in the ocean to Barnegat Inlet to Barnegat Bay, said Jana from <b>Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle</b> in an e-mail. The ocean held the fish in 60 to 80 feet from the Seaside Heights Ferris wheel to the Barnegat Light Coast Guard Station, and the bay gave them up along the sod banks. Tolling shad or sand-eel umbrella rigs worked in the ocean, and livelining eels at night did the job at the inlet and sod banks. Clams and sandworms also attracted strikes. Bluefish swam from the ocean in 20 to 40 feet to the inlet to the bay. In the bay they could be found between Bayville and Barnegat, near the BB and BI markers, at Oyster and Double Creek channels and near the 40 can. Bunker and other baits drew them in, and metal also hooked them.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Trips were forced to be cancelled through the weekend because of winds that once again returned, said Capt. Steve from <b>Reel Fantasea Charters</b> in an e-mail. But the weather was as pretty as it gets earlier in the week, with warms days and light winds, and fishing for blues and striped bass was back on, great catches, in the ocean off Island Beach State Park, after the nor’easter the previous weekend. Jay Simmons was aboard at first during the week in the calm conditions, limiting out on stripers to 34 inches within minutes of the lines dropping in the waters. No blues showed up at first, and Jay wondered where they were, but then they appeared, and he mixed it up with stripers and blues the rest of the day. The fish often surfaced, making for cool visual action. Steve even managed to limit out on bass and catch enough blues to make his arms and back sore while fishing alongside Jay. Cy Collins, brother Brian and sons Brian and Kevin were aboard next, and hopes were high when they approached the same area, with diving, feeding birds hitting the waters. An 18-pound striper was iced, and northeast winds built, and the nasty conditions dispersed the schools of fish. The anglers stuck it out long enough to battle aboard one more keeper striper and some blues, before heading home. The weather deteriorated Friday morning, and small craft advisories lasted until Sunday. This coming Friday is available for an open-boat trip or a charter for “some fantastic fall fishing!” Steve said.

<b>Barnegat</b>

The ocean dished out striped bass, mostly on the troll, but no trips fished with <b>Perfect Drift Sport Fishing</b> during the weekend weather, Capt. John said. He returned from fishing in Montauk on Wednesday, covered in the last report, and soon the weather closed in afterward. Blues swam among the stripers in the ocean, and the bass were also hooked on Barnegat Bay on clams, spots and such baits.  The boat is focusing on stripers, and John hopes to get out in the next days, if the weather will let up. A northeast blow was forecast for the next couple of days at least. Surf fishing would probably be the ticket in that wind direction.

<b>Surf City</b>

Northeast winds and high tide pulled in blues and striped bass all over the surf Friday, said Barbara from <b>Surf City Bait & Tackle</b>. The bass weren’t huge, but many were keepers, and mostly bunker got the bites during the blitz. The fishing turned slower Saturday and Sunday, but northeast winds were forecast to return in the next days, and that could be good. Barbara was on the beach most of the day Sunday and saw no fishing rods bent over. Boaters also jigged plenty of the fish toward the end of the week. Fishing now was all about stripers and blues in the surf and ocean, and not much was heard about any other angling. But that wasn’t a bad thing. Plenty of fresh bunker is stocked, and fresh clams ran out, because the clam boats stayed in port in the winds.

<b>Tuckerton</b>

Boaters around Tuckerton batted down striped bass, and open-boat trips will run for them Thursday and Friday with <b>Legal Limit Charters</b>, Capt. T.J. said. But the crew also ran into the fish farther away off Atlantic City on Wednesday when moving one of the boats to Cape May. Several of the linesiders to 35 inches were trolled, and the area is within range from Tuckerton, only a half-hour ride. T.J. wasn’t asked where the fish gathered at Tuckerton, but previous reports said plenty held at Little Egg Inlet. The boat that was moved to Cape May will fish for stripers there through fall like every year, but Legal Limit’s other boat will remain in Tuckerton like always to sail for stripers from that port. Trips, including open-boat trips every Saturday, will target tog from Tuckerton when the blackfish bag limit increases to six of the fish on November 16. Call to reserve the open trips.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

Another slammer day of striped bass fishing happened at Little Egg Inlet today, said the report on <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>’s Web site. Action wasn’t hot and heavy, but if anglers stuck it out, the fish made their rounds. Clams were the bait, like they’d been, and a 27.4-pound striper was the biggest checked in from the inlet today. However, a 41.1-pounder was the biggest seen at the shop this day, and that fish came from someplace other than the inlet. “If you know a hot spot for weakfish, you can find stripers there, too,” the report said. The inlet fishing was also good on Sunday, and lots of the linesiders, including some in the 40-pound class, were angled in Saturday from the inlet. A 34.2-pounder was the biggest brought to the shop that day. Friday’s fishing at the inlet produced lots until 10 a.m., when winds picked up, creating nasty conditions. On that day the report said trollers on the ocean were yet to have much luck on stripers, and fishing with bait at the inlet was the thing to do. Thursday’s fishing at the inlet was slow, after lots of catches got walloped there during the previous days.

<b>Brigantine</b>

Surf casters now weighed in striped bass every day, and big bluefish sometimes hit the scale from the suds, said the report on <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>’s Web site. That was despite rough weather, strong currents and sometimes weeded, dirtied waters. Six bass were checked in Sunday, and one angler beached a bunch, including a 38-pounder and a 22-pounder for a total of 60 pounds of large keepers in one day. He was the hot hand where he fished, pulling the bass out of a honey hole, while others around him reeled in none. Other weigh-ins since Saturday included 33-, 20- and 16-pound stripers. A 33-pounder was brought to the shop on Saturday that was boated at Absecon Inlet. A 36-inch blue and a 14-pounder were reported drilled since Saturday. Fresh bunker seemed the popular bait for the bass, and 500 pounds of the menhaden arrived at the shop on Sunday.  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. Participants must sign up 24 hours in advance to enter a catch, and an angler with a 28-pound striper took the lead on Sunday.

The boat was supposed to be moved to Cape May today for annual striped bass fishing from the port in fall, Capt. Tom from the <b>Fishin’ Fever</b> said. He heard good reports about catches, including 11 bass to 30 pounds slammed at the Cape May Rips on one vessel on live bait. Quality-sized stripers came from the rips and Delaware Bay, and plenty of stripers were heading down the line to Cape May from up north. Boaters had to deal with weather, but the Fishin’ Fever can handle much of the conditions that happened with no problem, and wind direction is the thing. Trips can often duck out of various wind directions from Cape May. The rips, the bay and the ocean can hold the fish, and Tom marked a bunch of the linesiders on his way back from a canyon tuna trip Wednesday to Thursday. The canyon charter went 0 for 1 on tuna and 0 for 2 on swordfish but slammed sharks including makos. That would probably be the boat’s final tuna charter of the season, unless somebody wanted to make a trip. But great sharking was available, if anybody wanted to fight them. The charter bagged a 150-pound 72-inch mako; released two makos 100 pounds and 70 pounds and two blue sharks 200 pounds and 70 pounds; hooked at least five other confirmed makos that got off; and got about 10 more bites. A temperature break from 58 to 65 degrees held in the area, and tons of life filled the waters. Porpoises swam all around through the night, feeding on small squid and small baitfish that looked like maybe 1-1/2- or 2-inch anchovies. The bait filled the waters, and whales breached. If anglers wanted to go bluefishing, that was on tap. Charters will also sail for tog from Cape May when the bag limit is increased to six of the blackfish on November 16 from the current limit of one.

<b>Longport</b>

The weather kept Saturday’s daily, open-boat trip from sailing, but a trip got out late Sunday when conditions improved, trolling striped bass and blues on the ocean, said Capt. Mike from the <b>Stray Cat</b>. Not too many fish were around late in the day, but the catches continued, after Stray Cat started finding the fish last week. The open trips will keep fishing for stripers and blues daily, and will switch to blackfishing when the bag limit jumps to six of the tog on November 16 from the current limit of one. Blackfishing is the highlight of the year on the vessel, trips building to a climax with a bang at South Jersey’s relatively unpressured tog grounds. Book preferred dates now, before they fill. Annual Cast and Blast Trips, a combo of fishing and duck hunting, are running. Fish for stripers and blues on the front of the boat, and gun for sea ducks on the back.

<b>Somers Point</b>

No matter the winds and rains, fishing was good , said T.C. from <b>Brennan Marine</b> in a fax. Striped bass were the main story. Kevin McGuckin shellacked the fish of the week: a 42-3/4-pound striper, just under 48 inches, that he boated at Great Egg Harbor Inlet while fishing with clam. Jeff Richardson and Ben Dawson during the weekend hit the jackpot at the Ocean City Pier, bagging four keepers to a 20-¼-pound 37-incher on clams. Dr. Freeman and Jim Mannerly on the Targa II trolled four stripers 33 to 39 inches off Atlantic City during mid week on bunker spoons. George Pucci on his Candy Man ran a trip the next day that totaled 15 stripers, including a 28-pounder, off Atlantic City on top-water poppers, releasing all the fish but one. Two impressive stripers came from the surf at the Longport jetty: Paul Thach’s 38-1/2-pound 46-incher taken on clam, and Warren Woehr’s 22-1/4-pound 40-incher, also clammed. The number and sizes of tog that were caught improved as water temps dropped, and bridge anglers said many larger ones appeared, and that green crabs were the bait of choice. Kingfish were plentiful in the bay and surf, gobbling up bloodworms. Lots of white perch were collected from the Great Egg Harbor River and creeks, also on bloodworms.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

All big blues to 15 pounds were beaten on a trip Sunday on the ocean, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Gibson’s Tackle</b>. The previous day was a washout because of the weather, but the weather calmed by Sunday afternoon. No birds worked the waters on the trip, though Joe heard that birds worked the surface in the morning. So Mann’s Stretch 25 Lures were trolled to locate the bite in 25 to 40 feet, and then the slammers were jigged on 5-3/4-inch, white Fin-S Fish on leadheads. The jigs, ¾- to 1-¼-ouncers, actually worked better than trolling did. Striped bass lately were sporadically mixed in with the blues, and most of the bass swam beyond 3 miles from land, where striper fishing is closed, but a few showed up within 3 miles. Joe fished the bay a little on Saturday, but winds were too strong, and he called it a trip. But another trip fished the bay late in the week, finding that popper fishing for striped bass was good. High tides that coincide with dusk this week will create ideal conditions for the popper fishing with lures and flies, a specialty for Jersey Cape. The explosive, visual action typically begins to wind down in November but was still peaking. But once the ocean fishing for bass and blues kicks in, Joe begins to turn his attention there. He had to cancel this week one of the weekend trips he’s been running to Montauk for stripers and blues, because of forecasts. Coming up, Joe will offer charters on an annual trip to Culebra, Puerto Rico, in November for species like some of the biggest bonefish. The island is beautiful and receives some of the least fishing pressure. In winter he’ll offer charters to the Florida Keys for angling for everything from redfish to bones. Visit <a href=" http://www.gibsonstackle.com/page6.html" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s Web site</a> to see more about the traveling charters.

<b>Wildwood</b>

Striped bass fishing turned on last week after the nor’easter, said Cathy from <b>Sterling Harbor Bait & Tackle</b> in a fax. The fish were bunker-chunked on Delaware Bay and were hooked on eels and bucktails at the Cape May Rips. Scott Pierce on the Duct Work from Cape May lambasted a 44-pound striper on a chunk on the bay. Frank Hennigan from Coatesville, Pennsvlvania, hauled aboard a 40-pounder that grabbed a live eel at the Rips. Scott Wheeler on the Big Bone from Wildwood limited out on stripers while bucktailing the Rips with chartreuse twister tails. Excellent catches of tog were plundered at the bridges and jetties. The season’s first blitzes of 10- to 15-pound blues slammed the surf, and stripers were mixed in.

<b>Avalon</b>

A double-overnighter to the canyons was able to be squeezed in last week in calm weather with <b>Over Under Adventures</b>, an e-mail from Over Under said. The trip fished Wilmington Canyon in 65.5 degree waters, and yellowfin tuna fishing “wasn’t red hot, (but) we did manage to put a very nice catch together” of the fish to 30 pounds, the e-mail said. But sharks made up for lack of tuna bites, giving up non-stop action, never more than an hour without a bite, on both nights, totaling more than 20 blue sharks and two makos to 150 pounds released. Overnight shark, tuna and swordfish trips will run the rest of the season. Tuna fishing should remain good for weeks, because the best catches seemed to come from Toms Canyon farther north last week. One boat at the Toms ended up with 10 tuna trolled during the day, going 1 for 3 on swordfish at night. Besides charters, open-boat trips will keep sailing to the canyons, because flexibility gains more chances of getting out at this time of the year, with volatile weather. The windows are typically seen to develop 48 hours ahead of time, and <a href="mailto:info@overunderadventures.com" target="_blank">E-mail Over Under Adventures</a>  or telephone to get on the list. Coming up, Over Under will fish for giant bluefin tuna from Morehead City, North Carolina, in December and January for the sixth year in a row. Besides charters throughout the week, single spaces will be available every weekday during the two months for only $250 apiece, and need to be reserved in advance.

<b>Cape May</b>

Fairly good fishing for striped bass began, said Capt. Bob from the <b>Down Deep</b>. Trips mostly swam live eels at the Cape May Rips, and Bob tried fishing on Delaware Bay with bunker chunks, but he experienced slow fishing there, and moved to the rips, although anglers previously reported better catches on the bay. Anglers on the Down Deep will continue chunking on the bay as well as livelining at the rips. Just depends on what the better option is at the time or angler preference. The Harrison party nailed stripers to 37 inches, and Frank Clark’s party drilled the bass to 34 inches. The Costales charter landed big blues to 15 pounds and some stripers at the rips. Charters will keep hunting stripers, but bluefishing is also available, if anglers want blues. Good dates remain.

Big, slammer blues 8 to 15 pounds and striped bass 30 to 38 inches were smoked on the ocean Sunday morning with <b>Jaftica Sportfishing</b> on bucktails and jigs, Capt. Ray said. Action was non-stop, phenomenal fishing under bird plays. In the afternoon the trip moved to the Cape May Rips, landing more stripers on bucktails, a pick, but the bass were sizeable, larger than 30 inches. There were no all-out blitzes at the rips, but good catches were clubbed when anglers came across the fish, and Ray heard about several boats that scored well. He originally planned to bunker-chunk for stripers on Delaware Bay but changed the plans, because northwest winds would’ve roughed up seas. Reports he heard from the bay sounded slow, but that can change day to day. Charters on the boat will go after stripers full-out until the fish stop biting.  

The Tom Weiss party went 1 for 2 on striped bass, landing a 35-pounder, while bunker chunking on Delaware Bay on Saturday on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>, Capt. George said. The fishing was slower than anglers talked about scoring during the middle of the week, but the 35-pounder was a big bass. The ocean was rough that day in south winds, but the bay was fine, only held a 2-foot swell with occasional white caps. Forecasts called for worse, including rains and cold, but the day wasn’t bad, was warm, and was sunny until 1 p.m., when clouds moved in. But the forecasts apparently kept boaters from fishing, because not another vessel was in sight. On Sunday strong northwest winds blew up seas too big to fish on the bay. So Joe Gillian’s party on the boat trolled the ocean that day, nailing loads of big, alligator blues and some stripers that were probably 30 to 35 inches.  George knew anglers who also caught stripers at the Cape May Rips on Sunday. So striper fishing kicked off, and call if interested in a trip.

The boat was moved to Cape May for fall striped bass fishing like every year, but trips were docked during the weekend because of the weather, said Capt. Craig from <b>Fish Tale Charters</b>. The vessel arrived Wednesday, coming from Ocean City, where it fishes earlier in the season. Stripers last week were socked at the Cape May Rips, Delaware Bay and the ocean, just a start to the angling, but definitely catching. Some good-sized ones were hauled in, a good sign, he hoped, and catches should only get better.

One of the vessels from <b>Legal Limit Charters</b> is now in Cape May for striped bass fishing, Capt. T.J. said. The vessel was moved on Wednesday on an annual trip from Tuckerton, where it fishes offshore since summer. The weather was tough afterward through the weekend, but boaters did get out and catch stripers from Cape May. Several were also trolled with Legal Limit in the ocean off Atlantic City when the boat was moved. In addition to charters for stripers, open-boat trips will begin to sail for the fish next week, and call to reserve. T.J.’s other boat will stay in Tuckerton to fish for stripers and tog through fall on charters and open trips.  

The bite was on! said Matt from <b>Jim’s Bait & Tackle</b> in a fax. Striped bass, linesiders to 40 pounds, were knuckled in from Delaware Bay and the Cape May Rips and were trolled on the ocean. He even sent this report late, because the shop was busy. All the usual haunts gave up the fish on the bay, including 20- and 60-Foot Sloughs, the Cock and Balls, the Oyster Grounds and Brandywine Slough. Stripers weighed in from the bay included Rich Manera’s 46-1/2-pounder, Craig Ferri’s 46-pounder and Karen April’s 42-3/4-pounder. Reports about catches also came from all the rips, and the top of the tides put out those fish on eels, spots and bucktails. Art Hanley from Pittsburgh checked in a 39-3/4-pounder that he hung at Middle Shoal at the rips. Big blues were hammered at 5-Fathom Bank, and stripers swam underneath, but those bass must be caught and released, because the area is farther than 3 miles from the coast, where striper fishing is closed. The surf came alive with big blues and bass in Saturday’s southeast winds that pushed in bait. Fish weighed in from the suds included Marty Kellerman’s 26-3/4-pound striper and Kerry Doyle’s 7.61-pound blue. 

Back to Top