<b>Bayonne</b>

The nor’easter mostly kept boaters from fishing, but anglers on foot walloped big striped bass at places including the Hoboken Pier, the Exchange Bridge and behind the golf course in Bayonne, said Capt. Akira from <b>True World Tackle</b> and <b>True World Tackle Charters</b>. They often fished with bunker, but many customers bought bloodworms for the angling. One customer fished from a boat at Hell’s Gate on the East River last week before the weather, wrestling in a 30-pound striper. That fishing is done with eels and was happening. Akira was supposed to fish the river on a charter Saturday but cancelled because of the weather. Boaters lately grabbed stripers off Sandy Hook or at the channels, including Sandy Hook Channel at the numbers 3 and 5 buoys. Lots of blackfish chomped at Sandy Hook Reef. One angler said he reeled in lots of the tog at Global Terminal, but at waters where he had special access because of construction.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Fishing for striped bass served up 1 ½ hours of good catches of keepers and shorts today on the <b>Fisherman</b>, before the current ran too hard, churning up dirty waters, Capt. Ron said in an e-mail. But the color was better than on Sunday, and the swell lay down, and Ron couldn’t wait until tomorrow or Tuesday. He didn’t even post a report Sunday, because everyone generally knew what the fishing would be like after the storm.  On today’s trip the fish were jigged until the current ran too hard. Then the anglers clammed for bites for a couple of hours, picking the fish as the current slowed. The Fishermen is sailing for striped bass 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.

Blackfishing was off to a good start this morning on the season’s first trip that focused on them, said Capt. Tom from the <b>Atlantic Star</b> on the phone while on the waters a couple of hours into the trip. The trip began putting more effort into blackfishing because the bag limit increased to six of the tog today from the previous limit of one. He hoped the fishing continued, and anglers currently pumped them up around the boat, and he’ll try to give an update to post here at the end of the day. A ground swell remained from the storm, and waters were less clean than preferred, but the fishing already seemed to recover since slower angling on Sunday’s trip in a big swell and churned up waters from the storm. A few blackfish and no porgies came up on that trip, the first to sail since Tuesday because of the weather. Although trips will now focus on blackfish, anglers might still be able to pluck porgies on the same grounds, and clams will be carried for bait for them. Both green crabs and clams will be supplied, and the Atlantic Star is bottom fishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. <b>Update, Today</b>: Today’s trip ended up making one drop, and the blackfishing would give up a shot of a few fish, and then the anglers would wait, and then a few more would be boated, and so on. Moving the boat wasn’t desirable, because based on Sunday’s slower fishing after the storm, wasn’t a good idea to risk moving to another area that could be slow. All the anglers except two boxed keepers, if Tom remembered correctly, and the rest went home with fish, one, two or three keepers. Dog sharks had to be dealt with a bit, and that’ll happen after a storm. No porgies showed up, and only a little bergall life appeared. No huge blackfish were taken, but overall the fishing was a big improvement over Sunday, and Tom hoped it would continue to become better and wouldn’t get worse.

<b>Highlands</b>

The boat was kept docked in the weather, but Capt. Derek from <b>Fisher Price Charters</b> knew a couple of anglers who fished for striped bass on Sunday, and the linesiders bit, he said. The angling sounded slow in the morning, but later the bass were clammed and trolled along the ocean beaches and between the channels. Striper charters are sailing, fishing for them in whatever way it takes, whether clamming, jigging, trolling or eeling. Tog trips will now get under way, because the bag limit increased to six today from the previous quota of one. Fisher Price scoped out the blackfishing on a trip last week, clobbering a great catch to 7 pounds. Charters will sail for stripers and tog through the month, and some dates remain available. Open-boat trips are also running, and anglers can call Derek to be kept informed of the schedule.

Seeing how the fishing will pan out after the storm will be interesting, said Capt. Bob from <b>Sandy Hook Fishing Charters</b> in an e-mail. He hoped the weather failed to push the bait offshore. He did get in one trip before the nor’easter: a striped bass charter with the Dwayne Garbrandt group, and they had a banner day. As soon as the trip arrived at the fishing grounds, stripers were busting the water surface and rolling on top. The anglers jigged a healthy catch of bass to 34 inches and a few chopper blues to 15 pounds. When the tide slacked, they steadily trolled more stripers. When the tide ran again, they jigged the fish the rest of the day. One of the anglers even jigged a 26-inch, our-of-season fluke, a beauty, that was released. “Boys ended the day with a boat full of bass and a few choppers,” Bob said. Charters and open-boat trips are sailing until December 4, and a few dates are available.

Trips were forced to stay in port during the weather, said Capt. Brian from <b>Jersey Devil Charters</b>. Charters on the boat so far this season shellacked plenty of striped bass while trolling and jigging. More of the trips are on the books for Friday and Saturday, and tog charters will be added to the slate, now that the bag limit was hiked up to six today from one previously, and combo striper/tog charters are an option.

The surf was rough Saturday as the storm subsided, so Bill Hoffman from <b>Skylands Angler</b> cancelled a guided trip to fish there that day, he said. The angling was just dangerous, with things in the waters like a floating dock, telephone poles, huge stumps, and boards with nails. But the trip headed out Sunday instead, and seas remained rough but fishable, but waters cleaned up some, and the angler banked a striped bass, his first-ever saltwater fish, on a clam at Monmouth Beach. Bill and the angler weren’t necessarily expecting success because of the conditions, but a linesider managed to be caught. That was the only one Bill heard was landed, though many anglers fished, mostly throwing metal. He expected to see blues but didn’t. Tons of worms were seen in the waters at Monmouth at one point during the weekend, and birds worked them over. No boats were seen on the ocean Saturday, but plenty sailed Sunday. The surf should clean up in the next days. Bill also guided a trip on the trout streams on Tuesday before the weather rolled in, finding good catches on the Musconetcong River and tougher fishing but catches on Ken Lockwood Gorge. Skylands Angler guides trips in the ocean and bay surf during the spring and fall migrations at Sandy Hook and Island Beach State Park. Plus Bill guides fly-fishing trips for trout on the Musconetcong and Pequest rivers and Ken Lockwood Gorge. He aims to teach anglers, whether beginners or advanced, how to fish the waters, even so they can come back and catch on their own. He also offers fly trips for other freshwater fish, like pike, hybrid striped bass, carp and largemouth bass, if anglers want to fly rod for them.

<b>Neptune</b>

Probably a dozen striped bass were trolled with <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b> on a trip Sunday after the storm, Capt. Ralph said. So the fishing wasn’t outstanding but was a pick, and eeling for the bites was tried at first without success, so the trip trolled. Seas were calm, and boaters who stayed docked missed a beautiful day, he said. The season’s first blackfish trip, an individual-reservation outing, was scheduled for today, and Ralph will try to give the results by the end of the day, and if he does, they’ll be added to this report. More of the tog trips are on the books for November 22, 24, 27, 28, 29, every Saturday and Sunday in December and New Year’s Eve day. Charters are also available. <b>Update, 2:30 p.m.</b>: Blackfishing was slow on today’s trip, probably because of the effects of the storm, Ralph said in a phone call from the waters when the trip was almost finished. No patrons limited out, and all boats seemed to move around a lot. But the fishing should improve.

<b>Belmar</b>

The <b>Golden Eagle</b> broke the inlet Sunday for the first time in a while because of the storm, Capt. Greg said in an e-mail at 12 noon that day. By 10 a.m. the captain who ran the trip reported that more than a dozen keepers striped bass to 18 pounds and maybe 20 shorts were angled in so far, and big blues to 13 pounds were jigged at a healthy pace, excellent fishing. Good fishing for bass and blues seemed to remain the same as before the storm. The Golden Eagle is fishing for stripers and blues 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. Take a Kid Fishing Day will take place 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thanksgiving Day. Great fares will be available for adults and kids, and goodies will be on hand, and so will fishing instruction, great fun. Charlie’s Galley will be open for breakfast.

<b>Brielle</b>

Anglers tried to fish the surf Sunday morning after the storm, but seas were pounding, and they were unsuccessful, said Dave from <b>The Reel Seat</b>. The ocean was calmer for boaters away from the beach. Before the storm on Tuesday plenty of stripers were beaten from the surf and on boats on the ocean, and blues were mixed in. The surf catches were mostly on metal and teasers, but some surf anglers connected with stripers on plugs at night. The boaters either jigged or trolled, mostly umbrella rigs, but sometimes bunker spoons. A few bluefin tuna were trolled close to shore when anglers tried for stripers. Stripers were fought here or there on the Manasquan River with soft-plastic lures on jigjeads or plugs. Blackfishing on the ocean was good before the weather, and the bag limit increased to six today from the previous limit of one. One customer sailed on an offshore tilefish trip on a local party boat. Not a ton of tiles were landed, but a 46-pounder was, and so were a load of wreckfish and some barrelfish, and the fishing ended up well. Catch the shop’s free Striped Bass Tournament from Friday through Sunday on Thanksgiving weekend, offering tackle prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places. No preregistration is required, and just weigh in your catch. The tournament will run during the store hours those days from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday.

The <b>Big Kid</b>’s fishing trips were tied to the dock because of the weather, but Capt. Ken did some diving on Sunday, and waters were too murky to see 6 inches ahead, he said. Charters will keep sailing for striped bass and sea bass, and they’ll start blackfishing now in a big way, because the blackfish bag limit jumped up to six today from the previous limit of one.

<b>Point Pleasant</b>

The <b>Gambler</b> got back on the ocean Sunday after the storm, fishing for striped bass, Capt. Bob said. A few keepers and a few shorts were reeled up, and plenty of action on blues, different sizes from 3 to 12 pounds, all anyone could want, was nabbed. Fish busted the surface, and more stripers were probably among them, but getting a line past the blues to reach the bass was probably the thing. All the fish were jigged, and Ava 47’s, with or without tails, seemed best. When Bob fishes the jigs, he likes to cast out the metal, let it fall to the bottom, reel in halfway, let it drop back down, then reel in all the way, and repeat. That works better than actually jigging the lure. Seas were a swell but otherwise calm, not too bad. Striped bass trips are sailing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily through December, and bonus tags are on board, so anglers can keep three of the fish, not just two. A couple of cod trips might run during that period. <b>Update, Today</b>: The best striped bass fishing of the season was smoked on today’s trip, and 75 percent of the fish were keepers, Bob said. His brother Capt. Mike ran the trip, fishing close to the inlet, probably no more than 4 miles away. Most patrons limited out, and some bagged an additional bass with the bonus tags available on board. Shorts and mixed-sized blues were mixed in, and Ava 47 and 27 jigs, with or without tails, worked best, and the fish were jammed with sand eels. The weather was good, and the next couple of days could be rougher, but trips will probably be able to sail.

Anglers on the <b>Cock Robin</b> did a bang up job at jigging striped bass, great catches, within sight of port Monday, an e-mail from the boat said. The fish preferred A-47 jigs with no tails, though the tail or color of the tail made no difference on the previous day. Super-sized blues were also around for the taking lately. Trips are fishing from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily, and a special trip will run 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. 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.

Trips stayed docked, but combo striped bass/blackfish charters will run the rest of the year, said Capt. Fred from <b>Andrea’s Toy Charters</b>. That’s because the blackfish bag limit was hauled up to six of the tog today from the limit of one before. Boaters knocked out solid catches of striped bass in the ocean off Manasquan Inlet on Sunday after the storm. Tog fishing should straighten up and be good as waters calm. Bluefin tuna were seen close to shore before the storm, but the fish at this time of year are notoriously difficult to hook when on the migration south.

<b>Seaside</b>

The surf-fishing report on <b>Grumpy’s Tackle</b>’s Web site was down at press time, but <a href="http://www.grumpystackle.com/fishingreports/" target="_blank">click here</a> to check whether the report is back up.

<b>Surf City</b>

<b>Surf City Bait & Tackle</b> was closed in the past days during the weather. So that put the nix on any surf-fishing reports from the shop, but the doors will now be back open

<b>Tuckerton</b>

A trip clammed a good catch of striped bass to 42 or 43 inches at Little Egg Inlet on Sunday with <b>Legal Limit Charters</b>, Capt. T.J. said. So the fish remained at the inlet after the storm, and the season was too early for them to be chased away permanently from the coast. Tog trips will now be on the schedule, because the bag limit was raised to six of the blackfish today from the previous limit of one. Charters will run for either stripers or tog, and open-boat trips will sail for blackfish every Saturday.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

Bay anglers from the surf whooped up on striped bass at Graveling Point and Pebble Beach on Saturday evening, but the fishing was off today, said the report on <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>’s Web site. Still, some sizeable bass in the 20-pound range cruised the area, well worth the effort to fish for them. Waters were dirty today, but that couldn’t be blamed, because waters were dirty when the anglers lambasted the fish on Saturday. No customers fished on Thursday and Friday because of the nor’easter, but they got back out on Saturday. On Sunday boaters scored no luck on stripers in the Graveling Point area, and conflicting reports were heard about striper fishing at Little Egg Inlet. Some boaters at the inlet reeled in six to eight stripers, and others couldn’t buy a fish. Striper fishing before the storm was good from the ocean to the bay to the Mullica River, covered in the last report.

<b>Brigantine</b>

The beaches at Brigantine weathered the storm fine, and there was some debris in the waters, but the nor’easter caused no huge drop-offs along the shore like in other areas, said the report on <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>’s Web site. Only one report about a striped bass landed in the surf was heard on Sunday, but the fishing was slowly but surely picking back up today, and three of the linesiders were weighed in, including a 25-1/2-pounder and a 23-1/3-pounder. Those two came from the surf, and the other was a 15-pounder claimed from a dock on the bay. The Riptide Striper Derby, an annual event, lasts through December, and all proceeds are donated to charity. Cash prizes are awarded each month and at the end of the tournament for the biggest fish. The $20 entry in the tournament allows beach buggy access to the entire stretch of Brigantine during the event for those with a Brigantine permit, the only event doing so now. Participants must sign up 24 hours in advance to enter a catch.

<b>Longport</b>

“Big fish! Slammed them!” Capt. Mike from the <b>Stray Cat</b> said, talking about today’s daily, open-boat blackfish trip, the first of the season on the vessel, because the bag limit was lifted to six of the tog from the previous limit of one. Then he said no big ones were boated, and only a 12-pounder was the largest. “That’s big,” he was told. “It’s not big for us,” he answered. So the fishing turned out well, but only in waters 12 miles or farther from shore. At first, not a single tog came up from Ocean City Reef. Then Mike sailed to his honey hole 12 miles off, anchoring twice on a piece that made the day. The trip hit two more spots on the ride home, but nothing bit. Apparently boats to the north didn’t fare so well on blackfish today. There was a big heave on the ocean but spread apart, could hardly be felt. A few spots are available on trips Wednesday to Friday, and plenty of space is available during the weekend. Open-boat trips are running for blackfish daily.

<b>Somers Point</b>

Just before the storm Joe France and Steve Coiao from Somers Point drilled two 20- and 30-pound striped bass off the Longport Bridge, a fax from <b>Dolfin Dock</b> said. Also right before the weather Adam Wescott from Estell Manor took a trip south to Delaware Bay, landing a 33-pound striper at 60-Foot Slough, and Thomas De Cicci from Mays Landing, fishing with him, boated a 33-pounder.

Any fishing that took place all happened before Wednesday because of the weather, but the action was good, said T.C. from <b>Brennan Marine</b> in a fax. Matt Gant and crew bagged a 23-1/2-pound striped bass and landed three others in the 30-inch range at Great Egg Harbor Inlet on spots. Brian Cyzewski and Charlie Winger at the inlet hauled in two 30- and 35-pounders that inhaled fresh bunker. Todd and Tom Duran on their Shore Fate II scored a 25-1/2-pound 43-inch bass at Rainbow Channel on an eel. On the same day Bill and Terry Carew decked an 18-pound 37-incher at Ships Channel on a live bunker they snagged and dropped, producing immediately. John Bingenheimer and Bill Carew at Ships Channel the next day reeled in four stripers 36 to 29 inches, including one that was just over 21 pounds that was the biggest, and they fished live bunker and eels.  Some customers traveled south to Delaware Bay. That’s where Pete West and Mike Harman hit the mother lode: four bass including a 42-pounder, a 35-pounder and two that weighed just over 23 pounds apiece. The fish bit fresh bunker at 20-Foot Slough. Tom DeCicco and Adam Westcott fished the bay at 60-Foot Slough, tackling a 33-3/4-pound  43-inch striper and a 31-pound 42-incher on fresh bunker. Tog were bailed with “great regularity” at the bridges, T.C. said, and green crabs were the bait of choice. Interest in tog fishing picked up because the bag limit was being raised today to six from the previous limit of two.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Several striped bass to 30 inches and some blues to 12 or 13 pounds were clobbered on a trip on the ocean Sunday, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Gibson’s Tackle</b>. The fishing was on, and Joe was somewhat surprised, had been unsure whether seas would be too rough to sail, and whether waters would be too churned up for the fish to bite. There was a ground swell, but otherwise seas were fine, and the water clarity wasn’t bad, was better than expected. Dustin Laricks was the angler, and the bass were mostly jigged on 5-3/4-inch, white Fin-S Fish on 1-1/4-ounce jigheads, and a couple were fly-rodded on Clousers. When the fish were fly-rodded, the Clousers worked better than jigs did, because the bass fed on anchovies. The blues were trolled on Stretch 25 lures. Breaking fish and working birds were seen, not hot and heavy, but that action was hot and heavy early in the morning. Joe and Dusty got a later start, but the fishing was best first thing in the mornings. The angling this day slowed by 9 a.m., but the fish were picked all day. Waters were 53 or 55 degrees, not much different than before the storm, and the surf was too rough for angling. Whether the bay’s fishing for striped bass would remain good after the storm was yet to be seen, and lots of flooding happened. Previously the bay turned out plenty of stripers, including on popper lures and flies, a specialty for Jersey Cape. Joe switches more attention to the ocean when that fishing kicks off like now. Ocean fishing was happening, and it was time to go. Jersey Cape is offering After Work Special Trips in the afternoons to evenings, a great time to fish, and convenient to boot.

<b>Cape May</b>

A dozen striped bass probably to 38 inches were bunker chunked Sunday on Delaware Bay with <b>O-Beth Sportfishing</b>, Capt. Eric said. So the catch was good, despite the storm. The fish seemed to feed most on outgoing tide, but they were caught throughout the day. Trips will keep striper fishing, and see O-Beth’s home page for a special on charters and also for info on open-boat trips for the bass. But tog charters are now also available, because the bag limit increased to six of the blackfish today from the previous limit of one.

The anglers on a trip Sunday limited out on striped bass at the Cape May Rips and along the ocean front with <b>Jaftica Sportfishing</b>, Capt. Ray said. Debris and weeds were at the rips, and they weren’t as bad as Ray anticipated after the storm, but the fishing should get even better when waters clear. The anglers first fished at the rips in the morning, and stripers bit spots and bucktails at the beginning of outgoing tide. Then the trip picked up more stripers and blues on the ocean on jigs and bucktails. The stripers weren’t huge, and a few were shorts, and the blues weighed up to 10 or 12 pounds.

Trolling on the ocean dragged up a good catch of striped bass north of Hereford Inlet with the Joe Leberowski charter Sunday on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>, Capt. George said. Two 8-pound blues were hooked, and one got off. The fishing began to pick back up after the storm, and waters were dirty at the Cape May Rips and even on Delaware Bay. Waters at Hereford Inlet were dirty but were clear on either side of the inlet on the ocean. Dates remain for striper charters, and call if interested.

Striped bass were socked from the ocean to the Cape May Rips to Delaware Bay on Saturday and Sunday when the storm tapered off, said Capt. Tom from the <b>Fishin’ Fever</b>. The vessel was docked, but he heard about the catches. Waters were somewhat grassy and murky at the rips, but as the waters clean up, the fishing should only get better. Lots of stripers were still caught up north and will migrate down to local waters. In addition to striper charters, trips will now sail for tog, because the bag limit was yanked up to six of the blackfish from the limit of one.

Fishing for striped bass hammered excellent catches through Tuesday before the storm, said Matt from <b>Jim’s Bait & Tackle</b> in a fax. Boaters got back out on Saturday, finding difficult fishing for striped bass on Delaware Bay, because no fresh bait was available. But the fishing was good at the Cape May Rips on live spots, live eels and bucktails, and a few boaters got away from the crowds and trolled a few of the fish. A couple of stripers were weighed in from the rips Saturday afternoon: Karen Richards and husband Bob from Belle Plain’s 23- and 18-pounders eeled at Middle Shoal. Before the storm Mike McMaster from Pitman boated a big bass on the bay: a 50-pounder. Matt took a trip Tuesday that trolled 8- to 15-pound bluefish at 5-Fathom Bank on Stretch 25 plugs. The anglers could’ve sank the boat with blues, and they tried jigging, but that only produced dog sharks, and the blues seemed to want plugs that day. A few commercial fishermen said blackfish were stacked up along the Cape May Inlet jetties.

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