<b>Staten Island</b>

The boat was kept docked through Saturday, said Capt. Joe from <b>Outcast Charters</b>. “It was blowing a bit,” he said, tongue in cheek. But a trip fished Sunday, a beautiful day with calm seas, waffling plenty of blackfish to 6 pounds. The anglers limited out, playing catch and release with plenty more a couple of hours afterward, fairly steady catches. Another trip was slated to fish today. Outcast is now available to fish either from State Island or New Jersey, staying docked on Staten Island but able to pick up charters in Jersey, and call for info if interested.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Blackfishing on the <b>Atlantic Star</b> resumed Sunday, a beautiful day, after being weathered out Friday and Saturday and staying in port Thursday for a scheduled break for Thanksgiving. The catch was pretty darn good, Capt. Tom said. The keeper ratio was lower than he’d like, but the anglers ended up with a pretty fair catch. All landed keepers, some more than others, and the trip began fishing at Scotland. Then the boat was moved farther offshore to the grounds south of Scotland to look for a better ratio. Action was fairly consistent, though the ratio remained lower than desired. Still, Tom sounded somewhat pleased with the angling. The Atlantic Star is blackfishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.

Winds blew on Friday but failed to keep striped bass from biting, said Capt. Ron from the <b>Fishermen</b> in the report on the boat’s Web site. The conditions were tough for fishing, and heavier jigs had to be used, and the drift flew at 2.2 knots, and most boaters prefer 3 knots for trolling. The high hook landed seven bass, including three keepers, and the 15-pound pool winner. The next highest pumped in five bass including two keepers. Too many 26- and 27-inch shorts hit, and blues remained ferocious. Ron expected to sail Saturday, saying the hard west winds that were forecast should allow fishing along the ocean front, but no report was posted that day, and apparently the trips never ran. But Sunday’s trip fished in calm weather. Still, striper anglers have got to love rough weather, he said, because the lack of winds, calm ocean and too much traffic hampered catches Sunday. A few good drifts started the day, producing mostly short bass but some keepers. Then traffic got too crazy. The boat was motored down the beaches, but then the southern boaters were heard complaining about the same lack of bite. The trip looked inshore and offshore, where tuna jumped out of the waters, and ran back north, but none of that helped, “so tomorrow is another day,” Ron said. “One tough day out of the past two weeks isn’t so bad!” The Fishermen is sailing for striped bass 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.

<b>Highlands</b>

Fishing for striped bass and blues started red hot last week but became ice cold on a trip Sunday, said Capt. Bob from <b>Sandy Hook Fishing Adventures</b> in an e-mail. The week’s trips began with the Ames family, who limited out on stripers to 34 inches, releasing another 30. They also boxed eight jumbo blues, releasing another dozen. On a trip Thanksgiving Day the three anglers limited out on stripers to 33 inches, threw back several and fought all the jumbo blues to 17 pounds they could want. A school of bluefin tuna passed through, busting around the boat. One of the tuna grabbed an Ava jig meant for stripers, spooling the reel in seconds. On a trip Sunday, a bluebird day after two days of winds, Norm and Kelda Nelson tried for stripers, but only short bass and a blues could be found, after many miles were covered. Trips will fish through Sunday, and a couple of openings are left.

A bunch of striped bass, from shorts to keepers, were jigged in the ocean in the morning on a trip Sunday, and blues to 10 pounds were mixed in, said Capt. Derek from <b>Fisher Price Charters</b>. Then the anglers blackfished, copping a pick of the tog to 8 pounds, including 21 keepers and lots of throwbacks. Fisher Price will fish through the weekend, before Derek calls it a season. Eight-hour, open-boat combo trips for stripers and tog will fish Friday through Sunday, and call to jump aboard. Charters are also available.

<b>Skylands Angler</b> tended to fish the surf farther south at Island Beach State Park lately, Bill Hoffman said. Trips were able to pick up a few striped bass on low tides on practically any patterns that imitated sand eels that the fish foraged on. Those included Vision sand eels, a great imitation, used either rigged as a lure or unrigged as a teaser, Ava jigs with or without tails and Super Strike lures. Not a huge population of the bass was around, but some, none big, traveled the waters, and they didn’t hold tight to shore. The season was unusual, because stripers in the wash seemed to seek deeper holes and channels, and they didn’t usually feed on top, and both of those factors were why low tides seemed best. Early mornings also seemed key most of the time. The fish probably failed to feed on top because of scarce bait like peanut bunker this season. They mostly chased only sand eels instead, and sand eels gravitate toward the bottom, even burrowing in the sand as a defense mechanism. That’s probably why metal like Ava’s were so effective, because even the sand that the jigs kick up can look like sand eels. Working birds will even be scarcer in the surf when sand eels are the predominant bait, because the sand eels are often deeper than the birds can reach. The fishing becomes a  matter of throwing in a line and working the waters, and moving on, until the fish are found, instead of chasing birds. Trips fished farther south only because Bill tends to move south as the season progresses, following somewhat warmer water temperatures and the migration south. Waters stayed warm much of the season but were beginning to drop to the point where the fish will begin to depart soon, but plenty of the fish remained. Even blues, the first fish that will depart, were still around this weekend. But don’t wait long to hit the surf, because the year is getting late. 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.

<b>Neptune</b>

A trip finally sailed Sunday, the first day of calm after the blow, clobbering lots of tog on the two drops fished in 32 and 53 feet with <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b>, Capt. Ralph said. Half the anglers limited out, and none of the blackfish was huge, but they weighed up to 4 or 5 pounds. The trip did no striped bass fishing, but Ralph heard that the striper fleet found slow angling that day. But he was sure boat traffic had a lot to do with that. Individual-reservation blackfish trips will sail every Saturday and Sunday in December and on New Year’s Eve day, and charters are available every day.

<b>Belmar</b>

Lots of big blues and just two keeper striped bass were jigged Wednesday on the ocean with Dave Young’s group, said Capt. Rob from <b>Last One Charters</b>. But the anglers wanted to fight the blues and had a good time, he said. A fun trip with six anglers blackfished on Sunday in 35 to 65 feet, rounding up an okay catch of 24 keepers and lots of shorts.

Many of the anglers limited out on blackfish, and many came close, on a trip Sunday on the <b>Nan Sea J</b>, Capt. Tom said. The fish weighed up to 5 pounds, none large. Seas were calm, and the day was beautiful, but trips were weathered out Friday and Saturday. Fishing on a trip Thursday gave up okay jigging for striped bass to 34 or 35 inches, none big, and lots of blues 2 to 12 pounds. Dog sharks were thick lately, even a nuisance on jigs.

Kids on a special Take a Kid Fishing Trip on Thanksgiving morning beat up a healthy catch of striped bass and blues on the <b>Golden Eagle</b>, had a great time, Capt. Greg said. The fishing began slowly, but then the bass and blues began to bite well, and all the anglers caught at least one striper, and some decked multiple bass. The stripers, fish to 20 pounds, and blues, mixed sizes, were jigged. The trip was a success and fun, he said, and Greg thanked everyone who shared the holiday morning on the boat. Fishing for stripers and blues lately was steady and sometimes spectacular! he said. Trips will keep sailing for them 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. Look for mackerel trips to begin as soon as the Bostons show up this season. Join the boat for cod, ling and blackfish trips afterward in winter. Check the vessel’s Web site for dates when the boat will stay in port for scheduled Coast Guard inspection in a few weeks.

<b>Brielle</b>

A six-man group had to work for blackfish, grinding out a catch, on Sunday with <b>Fish Monger Charters</b>, but they limited out, Capt. Jerry said in an e-mail. Lots more shorts were around than before. The first drop gave up great life but only four keepers. A fish would be hooked as soon as the angler locked up on the reel, but most were shorts. The trip made a few more drops, and the anglers picked a half-dozen keepers and lots of shorts at each. The boat was moved to another area, and two stops there turned out the best fishing of the day. But the angling was still a challenge, and many shorts had to be picked through. The final spot gave up “our best bites and some nice size fish,” he said. A flurry of action produced 4- to 7-pounders. Charters and open-boat trips are sailing. Some groups already booked the same dates they had last year on charters for 2010, so book early for prime or preferred weekend dates. For anglers who fished with Fish Monger before, no deposit is due until April 1, so book early! Some of next year’s first fishing will begin with trophy striped bass angling on live bunker from mid May to mid July, and anglers aboard nailed loads of personal bests to 47 pounds last season. From July through August, trips will bucktail for big fluke at the rocks, going the extra miles to where the keepers live, and 2009 was a great season for them with Fish Monger. Bottom fishing will also be done throughout the season, and specials are available on bottom trips from April through June for those who book multiple outings. Bookings for next year’s blackfishing will start to be taken on January 1.

On the <b>Big Kid</b> a charter limited out on blackfish to 10 pounds on Sunday at the reef, and the keepers averaged 5 pounds, Capt. Ken said. Sea bass also crunched the green crab baits. On Saturday a trip jigged striped bass to 21 pounds, “did pretty well,” he said, on Ava’s. Charters will keep fishing for sea bass and stripers, and the vessel sails all year long, straight through winter.

The <b>Katie H</b> was moved north to spend the winter at Ocean Port, but the crew stopped and fished on the ocean a little on the way, jigging a bunch of short striped bass, a few bluefish and lots of dog sharks, Capt. Mike said. They also pumped in an okay catch of 20 blackfish, none large but some 4- and 5-poounders. Blackfishing currently seemed good.

Patrons on the <b>Jamaica</b> jigged striped bass--including several limits, a good number of 34- to 44-inchers, and plenty of shorts--and blues all trip long on Thanksgiving, the report on the boat’s Web site said. The fish schooled the ocean from Spring Lake to Deal, and enough blues were around for anyone who wanted them, but they weren’t a nuisance for striper anglers. All types of jigs worked, but ones with tails caught most. The best method was to drop the jig straight down, start a slow, steady retrieve up 25 feet, and drop back down again. Pete Savchuck from Richboro, Pennsylvania, won the pool with the 44-inch bass. Trips will fish for stripers at 7:30 a.m. daily as long as the fish stay in range and keep biting. Afterward the vessel will run codfish specials and blackfish specials.

Adult bunker poured out of the Manasquan River into the ocean in the strong west winds, and surf anglers nailed striped bass that fed on them, said Dave from <b>The Reel Seat</b>. Anglers crowded the beaches Saturday and Sunday, and some snagged the bunker, livelining them to catch stripers. Others worked big, metal-lipped swimming plugs to hook up. Bob Gammer as of Sunday morning held first place in the shop’s free surf striper tournament, held  Friday to Sunday for Thanksgiving, with a 26.4-pounder. Stripers also checked in from the suds included Jerry Taylor’s 16-3/4-pounder, Ken Morse’s 15-pounder, Bill Gepp’s 14.9-pounder, Tom Brown’s 13.15-pounder and Greg Hueth’s 11.95-pounder.  Boaters on the ocean caught stripers and blues Saturday and Sunday, jigging lots of the fish Saturday, despite winds. Some landed more stripers, and others tackled more blues. Lots of bluefin tuna remained close to shore. Although they’re well known to be difficult to catch on the migration at this time of year, a 61.7-pounder was weighed in. Cortland Dalik muscled in the fish aboard the Chimera, his dad J.P. Dalik’s boat. Winds put a damper on tog fishing, and anglers tried for the blackfish, but not much was heard about success, because of conditions. In the Manasquan River itself sharpies who knew what they were doing reeled in striped bass, usually fishing with soft plastic lures on jigheads. The fish seemed to move all over the waters, and anglers couldn’t just fish at the Route 35 Bridge, expecting to catch, for example. But the fish were in the river. Heads up anglers: Attend the emergency public meeting of the <a href="http://www.ssfff.net" target="_blank"> Save the Summer Flounder Fishery Fund </a> at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Manasquan Elks Lodge 2534, 17 Stockton Lake Boulevard, Manasquan. Learn how the SSFFF is addressing the flawed fisheries data in the government’s Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistical Survey that is responsible for harsh restrictions on fisheries including fluke and sea bass. With donations from anglers in the past, the SSFFF funded science that provided a 20-percent increase in the fluke quota last year, the SSFFF says. An additional 20 percent is proposed for 2010, “a total increase of 40 percent in just two years,” the SSFFF says. Despite these gains, issues including MRFSS are preventing improved regulations. Find out what the SSFFF is doing about it at the meeting and how to support the efforts. A non-alcoholic cash bar will be open before and during the meeting, and a full cash bar will be open afterward.

<b>Point Pleasant</b>

Winds kept any trip from fishing Saturday with <b>Reel Class Charters</b>, but Capt. Allen did a little fishing for striped bass on the ocean Sunday off Barnegat Inlet and north of the inlet, when he moved his new boat up from Cape May, he said. The angling was slow, and south winds seemed to kill any life in the waters, and he heard about nobody who hooked stripers. He only fished a little while, stopping on readings, but seemed like nothing was doing at all.

Anglers on Thursday’s trip pelted striped bass and blues, and tuna jumped around the boat as the trip cruised from one place to the next, an e-mail from the <b>Cock Robin</b> said. Stripers became difficult to find and catch on a trip Saturday in winds and a speedy drift. On a trip Sunday the bass became even more finicky, and even blues “took a holiday,” the e-mail said, and dogfish dominated catches for even the most experienced anglers. Forecasts look good for the coming week, and “we have gotten whispered reports of bunker to the north,” the e-mail said. The Cock Robin is fishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.  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.

<b>Seaside</b>

Fish definitely swam the surf, and anglers just had to be at the right place at the right time, said the report on <b>Grumpy’s Tackle</b>’s Web site. If anglers on Sunday were lucky enough to be on the beach where the fish moved in, they had lots of fun. Eight striped bass from 8 to 25 pounds were weighed in that day, and so were three blues from 4 ½ to 10 pounds. Most of the weigh-ins came from anglers who picked a spot and fished it. Bunker schooled but were more of a distraction, usually staying out of casting range. When anglers kept buggying along the beach to try to chase the baitfish, they only used up gas. Strong west winds roared on Saturday, but a good number of anglers showed up to fish the surf anyway, and they caught. The winds were annoying but sure helped casting. Lots of blues to 10 pounds were hung, and stripers from shorts to a 24-pounder that was weighed in were banked. Eight stripers and four blues were weighed in that day. The bass preferred clams but also swiped skinny metal and needlefish lures so long as a teaser was tied above. The blues socked bunker or nearly anything, as usual. Hot spots changed all day, producing silly fishing for maybe a half-hour apiece. Anglers just had to be fishing to find them. Forget about looking for working birds, and get busy with a line in the waters instead. The fish fed on sand eels, and visual clues could be scarce. <a href=" http://www.grumpystackle.com/fishing_reports.cfm" target="_blank"> Click here</a> for updates.

<b>Surf City</b>

Blues, lots around 10 or 11 pounds, were dragged from the surf, said Barbara from <b>Surf City Bait & Tackle</b>. Probably 15 were weighed in, and some stripers were also checked in from the wash, including Bob Miller’s pair beached at Holgate that were 25 pounds and 15 pounds 15 ounces. A bunch of bunker pods schooled the surf, and shore anglers were able to snag them and use them for live bait. But fresh bunker was the most popular bait and is stocked, and fresh clams are on hand. The shop will stay open through about December 11 before closing for the season.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

The weather, another gale, once again kept the boat docked most of the past week, said Capt. Steve from <b>Reel Fantasea Charters</b> in an e-mail. But a trip got out Sunday with Jay Simmons and clients Steve and John Sfugara from Stevens Best Buy Food Services, Paterson. Thirty-eight striped bass to 31 inches and four blues to 10 pounds were beaten, a steady pick of the fish on live bait and artificials. Capt. Steve never said where the trip fished, but photos he sent looked like the ocean off Island Beach State Park. The anglers Steve and John not only boated their first-ever stripers, but they limited out on the fish.

<b>Tuckerton</b>

Winds that blew 40 m.p.h. made striped bass fishing tough on a trip Saturday, but the anglers tried to locate a bite, said T.J. from <b>Legal Limit Charters</b>. They first fished at Little Egg Inlet with clams. But waters were muddy, so they sailed to the ocean along the beaches. A few stripers were seen boated at lumps on other vessels on the ocean, but none could be hooked on this trip. A trip for tog on Sunday also found difficult fishing, this time in strong currents that required 10- and 12-ounce weights to hold bottom, and lots of shorts bit. Open-boat trips are fishing for tog every Saturday when no charter is booked, and one of the trips will head out this Saturday. T.J.’s other boat is sailing for stripers from Cape May, and the latest on those trips is covered in the below report from there.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

During the first break in the winds in days, boaters ran out to the ocean on Sunday, finding pods of striped bass, limiting out on the fish on jigs, at daybreak, said the report on <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>’s Web site. They seemed to catch the fish only when they stayed closer to port than Brant Beach and Harvey Cedars, because those who sailed that far apparently caught none, but they might’ve hooked up later in the day without reports rolling in about the catches. Boaters trolled stripers outside Wreck Inlet on Stretch 25 lures, and they nabbed okay catches of stripers at Little Egg Inlet, working the bars with bunker or clam, mostly halfway through outgoing tide. Not much happened during the rest of the tide. Customers planned to try for the fish that afternoon during the middle of incoming, and no results were yet posted on the shop’s site. Big blues were also around, and a 12-pounder was the largest seen at the shop. Winds gusting to 30 m.p.h. or more kept most anglers at home on Saturday. The winds also blew 30 to 40 on Friday, and the staff at the shop told anglers that morning to walk across the street and enjoy breakfast instead of boating in the weather. But those who fished caught stripers, all they wanted, quickly at Little Egg Inlet, soon coming home after getting beaten up in the weather. Four weigh ins, sizeable bass including a 25-pounder, a 16-pounder and a 15-pounder, came from the surf at Pebble Beach that day.

<b>Brigantine</b>

Three anglers checked in two 24- and 17-pound striped bass and a 7-pound blue from the surf off the Brigantine Hotel on Saturday, said the report on <b>Riptide’s Bait & Tackle</b>’s Web site. That was the “big show” through the weekend, and otherwise anglers on Saturday waited for 20 to 25 m.p.h. westerly winds to back down. They hoped a break in the winds or a change in the direction would pull in stripers to the wash. The fish seemed to be out there, because a group of five anglers showed off a limit of 10 stripers they trolled on the ocean on a trip Friday on Stretch 25 lures, before winds started to kick up, and they left them biting. Westerly winds became light on Sunday. The shop was jumping with customers, “and all we need is the next school of bass to drop down, so we can start to have fun again,” the report said that day. The Riptide Striper Derby, an annual event, is under way, lasting 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>

All aboard limited out on blackfish or came close on Sunday, the first day the <b>Stray Cat</b>’s daily, open-boat trips for the tog could sail after the winds, Capt. Mike said. Everybody went home with fish, and sea bass also inhaled the baits. The angling fell apart in the afternoon because of strong currents, but held up until then. A 5-pound tog was the pool winner, so no big slipperies showed up. But the fishing’s been productive and about the same on the last trips. The catches could be made from Ocean City Reef on out.

<b>Somers Point</b>

Jerry DePamphillas, Northfield, and George Mack, Somers Point, on the Tomato Man netted eight striped bass, including four keepers, at the south bar at Great Egg Harbor Inlet while fishing with eels, a fax from <b>Dolfin Dock</b> said. Blues 10 to 12 pounds swarmed the inlet and off the beaches at Ocean City and Atlantic City. Tog chomped, and Steve and Alice Singer, Bala Cynwyd, limited out on the blackfish at Corson’s Inlet.

Capt. Bob “Waz” on the Proud Mary boated two beautiful striped bass 21 ¼ pounds and 19 ¾ pounds, both 40 inches, at Great Egg Harbor Inlet  on eels on Sunday, said T.C. from <b>Brennan Marine</b> in a fax. The weather often kept anglers from fishing once again, but when they could go, they angled good catches. Early in the week George Erskine on the Summer Time bombed a 32-3/4-pound 46-inch striper at the inlet on fresh bunker. Harry Frank, 5, caught his first-ever striper, a 12-pound 35-incher, at the Beesley Point Bridge on clam. Bill Troelher claimed three 1-1/2-pound rainbow trout at Birch Grove Lake.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

More than two dozen striped bass and probably 15 to 20 big blues to 15 pounds were smoked Sunday on the ocean on jigs on a trip with Mike Spaeder and son Mike, 8, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Gibson’s Tackle</b>. “We Mohawked them pretty good,” Joe said. Out-of-season flounder and tons of dogfish were also jigged, and all the fish were released. Stripers were hooked within 3 miles of the coast, where striper fishing is open, and bait was seen, and scattered birds, not a ton, worked the 52- to 53-degree waters. The striper fishing was best from 6:30 to 8:30 a.m., and the angling slowed down as the day progressed, but catches were made most of the day. Seas were calm, and the weather was great, after trips were weathered out because of winds Friday and Saturday. A trip Thursday, covered in the last report, also shellacked stripers and a few blues on the ocean close to shore. That was the first time this season stripers outnumbered blues in the waters instead of vice versa. Joe expects to keep chartering until at least Christmas or the fish depart, whichever happens first, and the angling often continues until then and even into January. But the fish were here now, so why wait? he asked.

<b>Cape May</b>

On the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> anglers trolled the ocean for striped bass and blues Thursday, Friday and Saturday, because the Cape May Rips were too muddied for striper fishing because of winds, Capt. George said. Thursday’s trip—with the boat’s mate Billy and friends Scott, another Bill, that Bill’s father in law, Derek, and Robert for the mate’s birthday—scored great, limiting out on 12 striped bass for the friends by 7:15 a.m. On Friday’s trip Dave Leyton’s group trolled stripers to 34 inches before returning to port after a couple of hours because of winds and seas. They wanted to go in the weather, and although they returned early, they did catch. On Saturday’s trip with Joe Ski and C. Bush, a bunch of keeper stripers and plenty of throwbacks were trolled. Space is available Saturday for a charter, but the surrounding days are booked, and trips will keep fishing through December and maybe into early January, depending on the weather, and call if interested. George’s boat will be pulled from the waters before then like every year, but a friend’s boat will be left in the waters, and George will run trips on that vessel.

Striped bass, a decent catch, were angled in from the Cape May Rips on Wednesday with <b>Legal Limit Charters</b>, Capt. T.J. said. Afterward winds muddied the waters, so no trips tried for stripers in the area, but T.J. heard the fish were trolled since then. Charters and open-boat trips, including open trips this coming Saturday and Sunday, are running for stripers. The open schedule is included on Legal Limit’s Web site. T.J.’s other boat fished for stripers and blackfish from Tuckerton on Saturday and Sunday, covered in the report for that port above.

Fishing was weathered out on striped bass trips slated for Friday and Saturday, said Capt. Craig from <b>Fish Tale Charters</b>. No trip was scheduled for Sunday, but the weather was beautiful, and boaters who sailed found stripers all over the ocean from 2 miles off Cape May Inlet to farther north at various places including off Sea Isle City and Avalon, within 3 miles from shore, where striper fishing is open. A trip with Fish Tale sailed Thursday, eeling one 15-pound striper at the Cape May Rips in dirty waters churned up from winds, hampering the angling. Fish Tale will charter for stripers through the weekend, before the boat is pulled from the waters for the season. A trip is scheduled for Sunday, but Saturday is open, if anyone wants a last shot at stripers that certainly kept appearing in the waters.

This weather just wouldn’t give anglers a break, but when conditions permitted them to take trips, the fish were there, said Matt from <b>Jim’s Bait & Tackle</b> in a fax. Striped bass continued to be boated on Delaware Bay at Joe’s Tip, the upper ends of 20-Foot Slough and 60-Foot Slough and the Punk Grounds at least through Thursday, the last time reports rolled in to the shop from there. Big blues also invaded the Punk Grounds at the time. Gary Egner boated a 50-pound striper while bunker chunking on the bay on Fred Tuttle’s Miss Joy. Stripers were pulled from the Cape May Rips on Thursday, but catches sounded slow there on Sunday. On a brighter note, stripers began to appear at the lump in the ocean just off Wildwood. Maury McCallum and crew limited out there and headed back by 10 a.m. Sunday. They caught the fish on bucktails and diamond jigs until the crowed moved in. Surf anglers beached stripers and blues when conditions enabled them to fish. The waters were dirty Sunday, but a couple of fish were weighed in from the suds during the past days: Larry O’Brien’s 49-1/2-pound striper walloped at the Gun Mount on Thursday, and Percy Hamilton’s pair of 15- and 13-pound stripers plugged at the jetty at Philadelphia Avenue on Sunday.  Tog bit well at the inshore wrecks and rock piles, and Marty Ingraham checked in a 10.57-pound tog he hoisted from along Cape May Inlet on Sunday.  Fred expected to e-mail photos to be posted, saying he finally had a camera to do so.

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