<b>Staten Island</b>

Anglers with <b>Outcast Charters</b> ran for a combo of striped bass and blackfish on Saturday, Capt. Joe said. Only three stripers, including two keepers to 15 pounds, were jigged, and a few bluefish were mixed in. But the gang limited out on blackfish with no problem, catching and releasing more. A blackfishing charter on Sunday also limited out on blacks with no problem, catching and releasing more. No birds were seen working the waters on the way home, so the anglers didn’t stop for stripers, but Outcast will often include striper fishing on blackfishing trips, especially at the end of the trip, if the fish are seen breaking the waters. On both days the blackfish weighed up to 6 pounds, and most were 3 to 4 pounds. They bit equally well on green and white crabs.

<b>Bayonne</b>

The morning began windy on Sunday, so a charter first fished at New York Harbor north of the ferry, catching and releasing four keeper-sized blackfish to 16 inches, said Capt. Akira from <b>True World Tackle</b> and <b>True World Tackle Charters</b>. By 10:30 a.m. winds calmed enough to sail to Sandy Hook Reef in the ocean, and the anglers first tried jigging for striped bass on the south side of the reef. But few birds worked the waters, so they moved to the north side of the reef, reeling in 10 keeper-sized blackfish, bagging a limit of four for the four anglers, letting the rest go. On the way back birds were seen, and short stripers to 27 inches were jigged and eeled and released. Many boats filled the waters in weather that turned out calm during the day. Customers banked stripers from places such as the Bayonne bulkhead, the Hoboken Pier and Liberty State Park. Some said big bass were beaten, and Akira saw a photo of a 47-incher. The anglers usually fish with bunker. More charters will sail this weekend, including for striped bass. Trips will be able to focus more on tog starting this coming Monday, when the bag limit will be increased to six of the tog from the current limit of one.

<b>Keyport</b>

Capt. Joe from <b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b> wrapped up his season, because the marina is requiring the boats to be pulled from the waters for dredging, he said. He thanks everyone who sailed with him, and looks forward to chartering again in mid April, beginning with striped bass fishing.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Non-stop fishing for short and keeper striped bass, including many limits and a 22-pound pool winner, was pounded on the <b>Fishermen</b> down the ocean beach on Sunday, Capt. Ron said. Conditions were perfect for clamming with a boat load of customers, a rare occurrence, especially on a weekend, thus all the limits. Not one jig had to be tossed. The fishing started slower closer to port on a couple of drops, one of them crowded with other boats, and the other invaded by dog sharks. But an hour’s ride down the beach made all the difference. Saturday’s trip ran all over, looking for a bite, “but it just didn’t happen,” Ron said. Just a few bass were boxed. On Friday Ron “called the marine forecast’s bluff,” he said, and told the anglers to come down. No gale materialized, and winds did blow 20, “but what the hell is that (at) this time of year?” he asked. Incoming tide against the winds was difficult. The trip covered too many miles and docked with five keeper bass and a bunch of blues. On Thursday “Mortgage Man Eric” took the lead in the boat’s season-long pool with a 21-pound striper, covered in the last report. Another angler nailed a bigger fish, a 24-pounder, but wasn’t in the pool that day. The Fishermen is sailing for striped bass 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.

The trip on the <b>Atlantic Star</b> this morning met a beautiful ocean, and bottom fishing got off to a great start so far, Capt. Tom said in a phone call on the waters on the trip at 9:30 a.m. The fishing seemed to promise improvement over somewhat slower catches on Sunday and like it would probably even be better than on Saturday, a good day for the fishing. Some customers this morning had already scored double-headers, and everyone had fish in the bucket, a great start. On Saturday lots of porgies, good sized ones, and a few blackfish were belted. Sunday was a bit slower but okay, and maybe Tom was just spoiled with fast and furious fishing that was the norm before. But everyone caught dinner, and a couple landed a bucket of fish. The Atlantic Star is bottom fishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. But the countdown is on: The trips will switch to blackfish when the bag limit increases to six of the tog this coming Monday.

<b>Highlands</b>

Good catches of striped bass were tied into overall, said Capt. Bob from <b>Sandy Hook Fishing Charters</b> in an e-mail. Some days were better than others, and the angling would produce on one or two days and then shut down, and the fall surge was yet to kick in. But water temps were dropping, a good sign. The Simmons charter pummeled a healthy catch of stripers to 33 inches and chopper blues to 12 pounds, and on an open-boat trip, the anglers limited out on the linesiders to 34 inches and beat all the choppers they wanted. Bruce B.’s charter battled big blues and stripers to 16 inches, no keeper stripers, but scored lots of action. A crew trip limited out on the bass to 38 inches, releasing another 20, and wrestled numerous blues to 14 pounds. Time is running short to chase the fish, and some good dates remain for trips that are clamming, jigging, trolling and plugging the fish, whatever it takes. Call or e-mail for charter info or to get on the list for open trips.

Probably seven keeper striped bass, 15 or 20 shorts and 10 or 15 blues were smoked Sunday on the ocean with <b>Jersey Devil Charters</b>, Capt. Brian said. So the catch was good, and the fish were mostly trolled on Stretch plugs. The fishing began off the Highlands Bridge and ended up off Sandy Hook’s North Beach. Waters were 53 degrees, and plenty of bait schooled, so the bass should stick around. Trips will keep striped bass fishing, and tog will be mixed in starting this coming Monday, when the bag limit increases to six from the current limit of one. Then trips can sail for stripers in the mornings and finish up with blackfishing. Bluefin tuna 50 to 100 pounds roamed close to shore farther south, and they can be difficult to catch on the fall migration, but Brian heard about a few landed.

Lots of striped bass were around, and the fishing was very good, said Capt. Derek from <b>Fisher Price Charters</b>. Anglers aboard clammed a bunch to 15 pounds, and they eeled plenty at the channels. A mess were also trolled in the ocean, and jigging for the bass was productive on some days and not on others. Blues were also in the waters, and on some days they had to be weeded through, and on others they weren’t so bad. Some dates remain for charters, and a discounted special is offered on weekdays. Derek looks forward to adding tog to the slate a week from today, when the bag limit gets raised to six from the current limit of one.

<b>Neptune</b>

A fair pick of striped bass and a whole mess of blues were  toggled in on two trips Saturday, said Capt. Ralph from <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b>. Clamming for the bass was tried at the clam beds, but the tide was wrong, and none of the fish cooperated, but Lat Lady will try again on the weekend. On Sunday lots of blues tore up the waters again for Last Lady, but no stripers showed up. Blackfishing was also done that day, and the tog to 6 pounds were nabbed, and the outlook was good for blackfish trips that will kick off this coming Monday, when the bag limit increases to six from the current limit of one. A few openings remain for an individual-reservation blackfish trip on kick-off day Monday, and more of the trips are slated for November 22, 24, 27, 28, 29, every Saturday and Sunday in December and New Year’s Eve day. Individual-reservation striped bass trips will sail this Saturday and Sunday.

<b>Belmar</b>

Blues, mixed sizes from 6-pounders to fish in the teens, bit well, said Capt. Greg from the <b>Golden Eagle</b> in an e-mail. Striped bass fishing was hot and cold, turning out a few days when quality keepers were waxed and other days when few keepers were around, including on Saturday and Sunday. The Golden Eagle is fishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and 7:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

<b>Brielle</b>

A trip left port Saturday for a day of jigging on the ocean, said Capt. Jerry from <b>Fish Monger Charters</b> in an e-mail. Four keeper striped bass, as many blues as the anglers wanted and a limit of blackfish were fought aboard. The trip bounced around to different bird life and great readings all day, picking away at lots of short stripers and blues. The blues were sometimes so fierce that two at a time were hooked on jigs with teasers tied above. The anglers had their hands full with more than 20 pounds of big slammers on a line at once. Seas got somewhat bouncy in the afternoon, and the trip tried blackfishing at a rock pile on the way home. All bagged a keeper and threw a bunch more of the tog back among lots of shorts that bit. Action was great all day, and Jerry would’ve liked to have seen more keepers, “but it was a nice day of fishing nonetheless,” he said. A trip Sunday also broke the inlet to go jigging. Thirty stripers including seven keepers, a ton of blues and a limit of blackfish were pulled in. At first, bird life was everywhere, and big blues covered up the lines, giving up double-headers and so on. The anglers pounded that area for a few drifts, but no stripers were around. The trip made a move, and short stripers, keepers mixed in and loads of blues attacked, steady action the rest of the day. The anglers stopped on a rock pile on the way home, limited out on blacks and threw back a bunch. Fish Monger was supposed to be back at it today. Lots of tog trips are slated to kick off when the bag limit increases this coming Monday. Fish Monger sails on both charters and open-boat trips.

Bottom fishing banged out a healthy catch of sea bass and some blackfish Sunday within 3 miles from shore on the <b>Katie H</b>, Capt. Mike said. Then the anglers trolled lots of big blues. What’s more, at first during the day, they tried trolling for bluefin tuna that swam 4 or 5 miles from shore. No tuna bit, and they’re always difficult to catch when in those waters at this time of the year, and they currently fed on sand eels like all the other fish, including striped bass and sea bass. But the fishing was worth a shot, because a few were caught. Anglers at the dock weighed a couple of 108- and 110-pounders. But two stripers 36 inches and 32 inches hit on the troll on the Katie H. So the trip was good, a good day and good time, Mike said, and the anglers went home with plenty of fish. He heard that boaters that day found lots of stripers off Seaside, but he wasn’t going to leave the solid sea bassing. Trips on the Katie H will keep striper fishing and bottom fishing and will begin togging when the bag limit increases to six this coming Monday from the current limit of one. Mike was unsure whether canyon tuna trips will continue on the boat, and he’s got anglers who want to go, but he wasn’t going to make the run with no satellite water-temperature charts and no reports available because of the weather. But boats probably fished the canyons in the better weather during the weekend, and Mike will see what they have to say.

Mike Gallo’s party on Thursday on the <b>Big Kid</b> fished for a combo of striped bass and sea bass, Capt. Ken said. One keeper striper and lots of shorts swiped Tony Maja’s Custom Bunker Spoons. The anglers limited out on sea bass to 3 pounds, caught their quota of blackfish and iced some porgies. On Saturday John Gangemi from the Seaside Heights Fishing Club’s trip trolled a 32-pound striper, a couple of shorts and loads of blues on Maja’s Spoons. Plus 40-some sea bass to 3 pounds and some porgies were decked. On Sunday the Riverside Auto Parts crew sailed for a combo of sea bass and blackfish, catching sea bass, porgies and a limit of blacks. Charters on the Big Kid will chase tog big time when the limit increases to six this coming Monday from the current limit of one. The trips on Saturday and Sunday also tried fishing for bluefin tuna at Axel Carlson Reef, using everything the crew could think of, from ballyhoos on planers to sand eels, and the fish fed on sand eels. But they wouldn’t bite. Many boaters tried for them, but the fish were difficult to entice.

Striped bass and blues were rounded up from the surf nearly every day in the early mornings, outstanding fishing so far this season, said Chuck from <b>The Reel Seat</b>. Most of the bass were beached around first light, and that time gave up most catches. The action tapered off later but gave up a mix of bass and blues. Customers connected at Spring Lake, Manasquan and Mantoloking, and not a lot was heard about farther south, only because these are the beaches customers haunt. Most catches came on metal such as A.O.K’s, Point Jude’s and Deadly Dicks, and some of the bass were good-sized to 15 pounds. The blues were mixed sizes, but some were large. Dave, the shop’s owner, nailed a 12-pound blue, and his buddy drilled a 10-pounder. But then suddenly smaller ones like 2- to 3-pounders would come through. Peanut bunker began to be seen at times in the wash. Striper fishing from boats on the ocean was okay, and the fish were hooked every day. Sometimes only two or three bass would be picked out of tons of blues. Boaters trolled and jigged, and they could probably jig more of the fish, but the anglers tend to begin trolling to look for a bite when the jig fish move. If the boaters stuck with jigging and searched, dropping down the metal at different places, they’d probably jig more if they wanted. Lots of bass swam the ocean farther north, like at the Shrewsbury Rocks and off the Highlands Bridge, typically farther than the local anglers will boat. But if they headed there, they could probably bail a catch on some days. Chuck ran a trip that whaled 50 stripers, healthy sized ones to 22 pounds, around the Shrewsbury Rocks. The fish were jigged at first and then were trolled on shad rigs on downriggers.  Not a ton was heard about striper fishing on Manasquan River, but a few were hung at the Dog Beach and the inlet and such on lures like Fin-S Fish and other rubber. Lots of blackfish lined the Point Pleasant Canal, but many were small. Chuck’s son reeled up a mess on the right tide, but only a few were keeper-sized. Plenty of blackfish gathered at the rocks in the ocean, and Chuck’s striper trip mixed in fishing for them, angling up 20, including seven keepers, none too big. Bluefin tuna, sizeable fish to 110 pounds, schooled 3 to 5 miles from shore, making the annual migration south. They’re always difficult to catch during the migration, but a few were landed. Chuck heard about a 60-pounder taken on a ballyhoo on a planer Sunday morning.

<b>Point Pleasant</b>

With <b>Reel Class Charters</b> lots of blues and a good number of striped bass or a dozen, including three or four keepers to 17 pounds, were jigged in 65 feet on the ocean off Lavallette on Saturday, Capt. Allen said. Then south winds came up and shut down the fishing, and lots of dog sharks moved in. On Sunday a trip with Gary Decker, Andy and Cap, after beginning to fish a little north, traveled south and got into the fish off Lavallette again: four keeper stripers to 30 inches, lots of shorts and a load of big blues. The stripers were the first-ever for the anglers. Allen surf fished at Lavallette on Thursday, beaching a 30-inch striper. He ran no trip on Friday but took his new boat for a sea trial. But he heard that others caught in the ocean that day. Reel Class is jigging for stripers and blues on both charters and open-boat trips, and see the vessel’s Web site for the open schedule.

On the <b>Cock Robin</b> anglers did a bang-up job on big blues on the ocean today, an e-mail from the boat said. Short striped bass could now be jigged in the waters, and sometimes bigger ones were hooked underneath them. On Sunday big, 8- to 12-pound blues were lit up to the south, when the boat arrived at a spot early before a fleet could form. After some moves, stripers, including the 31-pound pool winner, were reeled in. On Saturday the captain tried to get away from heavy traffic, and fishing close to home gave up blues. The boat was moved south because of intel that talked about striper catches, but when the boat arrived, the stripers were gone. The vessel was moved back north, and patrons caught stripers and blues, despite pressure from the fleet. Trips are fishing from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily, and special striper trips will be announced soon that will depart earlier. 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>

“And it continues,” said the report on <b>Grumpy’s Tackle</b>’s Web site. Surf anglers mostly wrangled in striped bass today “with only a token showing of blues,” it said. For those who have to work during the day, there does seem to be a night bite starting around sundown. Clams worked best on the stripers, and blues that were caught on bait bit mullet. But artificials also hooked lots of fish. Assorted metal did the job, and teasers were important. But anglers began to connect more often than before on plugs and needlefish, because peanut bunker began to tumble down the coast. Throwing a swimmer plug or a popper might be a good idea. The fishing was a matter of being at the right place at the right time, but the shop’s site listed lots of weigh-ins daily. <a href="http://www.grumpystackle.com/fishingreports/" target="_blank"> Click here</a> for updates.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

The weather cooperated, and so did fishing, said Capt. Steve from <b>Reel Fantasea Charters</b> in an e-mail. After reading to the end of this report, you’ll think that’s an understatement. Even with gale warnings from Thursday night to Friday afternoon, the winds were northwest, so the ocean near the shore, protected by land, was flat as a lake. Wayne Salvi, Mike Balkum and business associate Ken sailed Thursday in phenomenal weather with light winds and warm temperatures, limiting out on striped bass in less than an hour, tossing back a few shorts. They played catch and release with more, slamming the bass to the mid teens and also blues off Island Beach State Park on artificials on light tackle all day long. Friday’s northwest gale to 40 m.p.h. made for more of a bad hair day than anything. The ocean was flat off Island Beach, and fishing was as good as it gets. Gulls and gannets blackened the sky all day long. Jay Simmons and business associates Jerry Kronemeyer and Mike Satt whaled off-the-charts action on striped bass and blues breaking the surface from start to finish. Jerry and Mike, who are from Cape May, frequent the fishing grounds at the Cape May Rips, but said they “never experienced such white hot action,” Steve said. By lunchtime they had such a workout that they had to refuel with a bite to eat, although fish were breaking within feet of the boat. Vast schools of stripers and blues were so big that not enough birds could keep up with the surfacing fish. Fish after fish exploded on baitfish like M80 firecrackers. Gulls were so stuffed they sat on the waters in groups like rafts, refusing to take flight, even when they drifted through breaking fish. Two spots are left for this week’s open-boat Friday Night at the Fights Trip. “The bass are here in force,” Steve said. “It’s time to get to it!”

<b>Surf City</b>

The past two days were slower for surf anglers, but all heck broke loose on Friday, and the bite will come back again, said Joe from <b>Surf City Bait & Tackle</b>. Only three weigh ins came in this morning, but on Friday surf casters shellacked blues and striped bass. The blues were 9 to 12 pounds, and a few of the bass were 20 and 30 pounds. Bunker worked best for both, and clams caught stripers, but smaller ones to 32 or 34 inches.

<b>Brigantine</b>

Surf fishing slowed down from Saturday through today compared with the previous couple of weeks, said the report on <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>’s Web site. Anglers waited for the next school of striped bass to move down from up north, and that was only a matter of time. The fishing gave up catches early Saturday morning, and afterward that day boaters checked in bass but schoolies to 20 pounds. One angler today stopped in with one striper and six big blues 30 to 35 inches. Another released a striper early this morning. Dave Parker at the end of the week checked in a 45-pound 13-pounce striper, taking the lead in the Riptide Striper Derby. That was the third bass topping 45 pounds seen at the shop this season. The 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. Participants must sign up 24 hours in advance to enter a catch.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

This was the first day when ocean boaters really whooped up on striped bass, said the report on <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>’s Web site. They caught them both jigging and trolling, and specifics about location were scarce, but 18- to 25-foot depths off the two most southern towers on Long Beach Island was a guess. Anglers at Little Egg Inlet continued to reel in stripers in the past days, but nobody could know when the fish would move through. There were periods when the fishing produced, including just after noon today and on falling tide earlier in the day Saturday, and great action on Friday, but there were also slow periods, with apparently no consistent pattern. Clams are the usual bait at the inlet. A 43.6-pound 46-1/2-inch striper was weighed in today that was now the biggest seen at the shop this season, and the fish was landed in the bay just off Little Sheepshead Creek. A 43.3-pound 47-incher was checked in Friday that was previously the largest. Stripers were nabbed in the bay, including from shore at Graveling Point and Pebble Beach, and falling tides just after sundown was best from those beaches as of Saturday at least. Anglers chattered about bunker pods showing up in Great Bay starting on Sunday, and customers bought snagging hooks to catch them for fresh bait. The menhaden also flooded the Mullica River and even Roundabout Creek.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Ocean fishing for striped bass kicked in, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Gibson’s Tackle</b>. He was away, fishing at Puerto Rico, but buddies back home trolled and jigged stripers in the local ocean, and early mornings seemed best. Lots of blues also chomped, and previously blues were the predominant fish. But the migrating stripers arrived, and Joe will turn a lot of his efforts to the ocean now. Striped bass fishing remained active on the back bay on popper lures and flies, a specialty with Jersey Cape, but that angling will wind down as ocean fishing picks up. In Puerto Rico, Joe fly fished from the island of Culebra on an annual trip with <a href=" http://www.culebraflyfishing.com/" target="_blank"> Capt. Chris Goldmark</a>, who guides from there through winter and from Cape May in summer. Lots of jacks and all kinds of assorted fish were caught. Joe had so far gotten probably three shots at bonefish without hooking the challenging fish, but that’s bonefishing and why anglers do it. Chris’s clients hooked some bones through the week, and the fish are big at the island. Tarpon, permit, cero mackerel, king mackerel and other fish are also quarry from the island. Culebra is an out-of-the-way, beautiful place where few anglers are seen, a rare thing at such a location these days, and Joe will return next year, offering charters from the island, too, as always. Back at home, Jersey Cape is offering After Work Special Trips in the afternoons to evenings, a great time to fish. Convenient, too.

<b>Somers Point</b>

A week-long striper blitz went down, said T.C. from <b>Brennan Marine</b> in a fax. The bays, inlets and ocean all produced substantial numbers of large bass. Ron Kovler on his Next Case around Great Egg Harbor Inlet clammed and eeled two 26- and 17-1/2-pound stripers on Saturday and two 16- and 17-pound stripers on Wednesday.  Mike McCullough at the inlet on Saturday eeled a 20-pound striper, and Jim Tavis on his Tre Bien fished the inlet for a 15-pound striper and big blues to 15 pounds on spots. Dan Dougherty on his Drop Zone at the inlet during mid week eeled a 36-pounder. Bill Troehler hit the fish big time on fresh bunker on two trips, lambasting a 49-pound striper at Corson’s Inlet on Monday and a 17-1/2-pounder at the same location on Saturday. Ron Ralston fished the ocean off Ocean City, fighting large blues to 15 pounds. Frank Montemuro on his Second Chance on the ocean trolled six large bass to 32 pounds and 15-pound blues mixed in on Stretch 25 lures. Some customers fished Delaware Bay farther south. That’s where Pete West and Al Marchetti on the Fish on Fire boated a 37-pound 44-inch striper on fresh bunker at 20-Foot Sough. Sean Reilly on his Double Bogey also fished at 20-Foot Slough for a 19-1/4-pound striper on fresh bunker.

Paul Gregory and Billy Trolher from Egg Harbor Township eeled two 23- and 20-pound striped bass off Anchorage Point on the back bay, a fax from <b>Dolfin Dock</b> said. Alex Saia from Somers Point socked a 10-pound striper from the Beesley’s Point Bridge on a bunker head. At Great Egg Harbor Inlet Don Cook from Egg Harbor Township eeled an 18-1/2-pound striper. Joe Eachur and Rick Cone headed south to Delaware Bay, bagging two 26- and 24-pound stripers. Byran Cyzewski from Somers Point put the brakes on two 36- and 33-inch stripers on bunker at an undisclosed location.

<b>Wildwood</b>

Striped bass swam the waters everywhere from the back bay and the Wildwood surf to the Cape May Rips and Delaware Bay, said Cathy from <b>Sterling Harbor Bait & Tackle</b> in an e-mail. In the surf Kurt Rice clammed a 31-incher at North Wildwood. At the rips Paulie Polchenko and Big Pat Kreshollek limited out on stripers to 36 inches on livelined eels and spots; Vince Arlotta on the Seize the Day eeled a 32-pounder; William Long, 8, caught his first ever keeper, a 34-inch 26-1/2-pounder; and Nathan Eitner on the Fish On eeled a 15-pounder. On Delaware Bay, Quinn Overcash, 13, walloped a 42-1/2-pound 48-inch striper on a fresh bunker chunk, winning third place in the High Tides Tournament. Also on the bay, Paul and Joe Costick on the Pop Pop’s Dream bunker chunked two 31- and 25-pound stripers. Big blues were hammered in the ocean at 5-Fathom Bank on trolled Mann’s Stretch 25 Lures and such. Excellent catches of tog were batted down at the jetties and inshore wrecks, and the bag limit increases to six this coming Monday from the current limit of one. 

<b>Cape May</b>

Fishing at the Cape May Rips served up striped bass 18 to 30 pounds, including a 26-pounder and a 21-pounder, with <b>Fish Tale Charters</b> on Saturday and Sunday, Capt. Craig said. On the first day all the fish pounced on eels and refused spots. On the next day they refused eels and only bit spots. A couple of out-of-season flounder, including a 22-incher, grabbed the spots, believe it or not. The stripers at the rips are bigger than past years, and Fish Tale will go after them through the first weekend of December before pulling the boat. Saturday morning was chilly and 30 degrees, and the boat was iced up. But before the anglers showed up, Craig put the defroster and heat on, and the cabin was toasty. Winds started to come up later in the day, but the trip was finished and had fish in the box by then. Sunday brought great weather until winds blew against the tide later in the day, but again the trip was already wrapped up by then, with fish in the box.  

<b>O-Beth Sportfishing</b> racked up good striped bass catches on Delaware Bay on bunker chunks, Capt. Eric said. Eight of the stripers to 30 pounds were plowed on a trip Wednesday, and a  few, including a 44-pound 48-1/2-incher—big fish!—were hauled in on the boat Saturday. Six of the linesiders to a 37-pounder and a 25-pounder were mugged on the vessel on Sunday. So the trips did a job on stripers in the past days. The fishing was a little different each day. For example, on Wednesday outgoing tide produced the catches, and on Saturday most bit on incoming, but some were hooked on outgoing. On Sunday they were all grabbed on incoming. O-Beth is running most trips on the bay, but striper fishing at the Cape May Rips is available if anglers want. Stripers were everywhere or at the bay, rips and ocean. A few spaces remain for charters on weekends, and a few are left on weekdays. O-Beth is offering a special on striper trips, and see info on the boat’s Web site.  Also see the site for details on open-boat trips sailing for stripers on Fridays and Saturdays.

The size of striped bass on trips was excellent, like the old days, and probably only a half-dozen were shorts in the last four outings, said Capt. Tom from the <b>Fishin’ Fever</b>. The trips fished at the Cape May Rips, scoring great, almost all on spots, except a few on bucktails the other day. A 46-pounder was creamed on the boat! That’s a heck of a fish for the rips, he said. Many of the fish are 20 to 30 pounds, and lots are 12 to 18 pounds. Striper fishing was also phenomenal on Delaware Bay on bunker chunks, and Tom knows two boats that chunked 50 apiece on Saturday. The Fishin’ Fever will also sail for them if anglers want. Plenty of stripers continued to migrate down the coast, and fishing for them along the beach front on bird plays should begin soon. Tog trips will be in the mix starting Monday, when the bag limit increases to six from the current quota of one.

Anglers with <b>Legal Limit Charters</b> livelined striped bass to 42 inches on spots and eels at the Cape May Rips on Saturday and Sunday, Capt. T.J. said. A trip also bunker chunked good-sized stripers to 35 or 38 inches on Delaware Bay on Saturday afternoon in nasty weather. Open-boat trips are sailing for striped bass whenever possible, and find the dates on Legal Limit’s Web site. T.J.’s other boat, docked at Tuckerton, is also striper fishing but will mostly tog fish starting this coming Monday, except when striper charters are requested. The tog bag limit increases on that day to six fish from the current limit of one. 

Lots of striped bass bit at the Cape May Rips, and lots fed on Delaware Bay, and all groups on the boat caught, said Capt. Bob from the <b>Down Deep</b>. The fishing was decent at the rips, and the bay turned out fairly good fishing in the last few days. Paul from the Edgewater Park Sportsman’s Club hammered the big fish on the boat lately, a 32-pound striper, at the rips. Waters were 54 to 55 degrees, and the linesiders kept coming down the coast, so the fishing should hold up another couple of weeks. A buddy said a big school was located off Atlantic City in the past days. Big blues schooled at 5-Fathom Bank, if charters wanted to pick a fight with them. They’ll depart when waters reach 50 degrees, so the time to catch them might be limited. Charters remain available, so give a call.

Decent striped bass fishing continued through the end of the week and the weekend, said Capt. George from the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>. Anglers who knew what they were doing would score fine, and those who didn’t would be in for a long day. A charter with fire Chief Bob Lewendowski’s crew cashed in on a good catch of bass to 38 or 39 inches and big blues mixed in at the Cape May Rips. Brian and gang from the Pipe Insulators also knuckled in a good catch of bass with large blues mixed in from the rips to the beachfront. The Heavy Hitter is usually eeling or trolling from the rips to the beach front, but bunker chunking is available on Delaware Bay, if anglers specifically want that. Plenty of dates are available, and call if interested.

Striped bass kept feeding at the Cape May Rips and Delaware Bay, said Matt from <b>Jim’s Bait & Tackle</b> in a fax. At the rips eels, spots and trolled plugs all worked, and the fish were sizeable. Catches at the inshore rips or Eph Shoal, Prissy Wicks Shoal and Middle Shoal seemed best on incoming tides. The bite at the outer rips or Overfalls Shoal and Somer Shoal seemed best after high tide started moving out. In the bay the fishing, done with bunker chunks, was better a little north, like in the middle of 20-Foot Slough and 60-Foot Slough, and dog sharks were fairly thick at the mouth of the bay. Big blues, some close to 20 pounds, giving up great fights on light tackle, swarmed the ocean at 5-Fathom Bank, and could be trolled or jigged. Anglers who checked in stripers from the bay included: Rick Wheeler, 51-1/2-pounder; Phil Degliomini, 49-1/2-pounder; Kaitlyn Riggins, 13, 46-1/2-pounder; Robert A. McClernan, 43-1/4-pounder; and Karen Cordray-Vande, 21-pounder, her first-ever striper.

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