Notes:

The below report is a combo of news from Monday and Thursday, 12/21 and 12/24, respectively, instead of two separate reports from those days like usual. That was because of severe, wintry weather. See the below notes for each of those days for further explanation. This report will now be posted once a week on Mondays, with a few updates every Thursday, through winter, like usual. It will resume being completely updated twice a week on Mondays and Thursday in early April through late December, the schedule every year.

Monday, December 21: The blizzard practically stuffed any possibility of coastal fishing during the weekend, making posting a full-blown report today impossible. But a few reports came in and were posted. The report this coming Thursday, Christmas Eve, will probably be similar – a few additions, not a full-blown report, because of the wintry weather – until an entire new report is posted this coming Monday, after more news should build up.

Thursday, December 24: The frigid weather this week that followed the blizzard continued to keep coastal reports to a minimum. A few updates--any news that did roll in--instead of a completely new report--were posted today, and an entire,  new report will be posted this coming Monday.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

The boat last sailed on Friday, and the blizzard kept the weekend’s trips docked, said Capt. Tom from the <b>Atlantic Star</b>. But Friday’s trip pounded out very good blackfishing, probably one of the better trips of the season. The crowd wasn’t large, but some of the anglers limited out, and all patrons bagged fish to take home. None of the tog was huge, but some were good-sized. The day was beautiful – cold, but not windy. Trips are slated to sail every day except Christmas. A trip will even sail on New Year’s Day. The trip on Sunday, January 3, is scheduled to be the boat’s final of the season, before a winter break.   <b>Update, 12/24:</b>  The vessel fished Wednesday, the first time a trip sailed since Friday, because of the weather, Tom said. A small crowd jumped aboard for the blackfishing, and catches started off well on the first drop at the Shrewsbury Rocks, until the action dwindled. The boat was moved inshore, and the tog were reeled in, but winds against the tide, and a soft bite – the fish bumping the baits or not really hitting – made the day one of those when talent was a factor. Anglers who could get the hang of when to set the hook caught the most. A couple bagged no keepers, and the rest totaled from two keepers to a limit that one angler creeled. The fish were mixed sizes from shorts to keepers, and the day was breezy but certainly fishable. Again, the blacks were definitely there, but feel was a factor this time. Tom expected today’s trip to sail, and the boat will stay docked on Friday or Christmas, as was planned. Afterward trips are slated for every day, including New Year’s Day, through Sunday, January 3. Afterward the boat will go on a winter break. 

<b>Highlands</b>

<b>Update, 12/24: </b> The river, where the boat is docked, finally held too much ice, so Capt. Brian from <b>Jersey Devil Charters</b> pulled the vessel from the waters, and called it a season, he said. He thanks all the anglers who joined the boat’s trips for a great season, hopes to see them again next year, and wishes everyone Happy Holidays and New Year’s and a good winter.

<b>Neptune</b>

With <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b> the anglers on a trip Friday, before the snowstorm, limited out on blackfish and released 40 more, Capt. Ralph said in an e-mail. A last-minute, individual-reservation trip will steam for the tog on Thursday, when the weather looks clear, and contact Ralph as soon as possible to go. Another one of the trips is full on Saturday, but space is available on Sunday and on New Year’s Eve Day, the last day when the limit remains six fish, before dropping to four. Space is also available on New Year’s Day, and more of the trips will fish for tog every Saturday and Sunday, whenever no charter is booked, until the fish stop biting. <b>Update, 12/24:</b> No trips fished in the past days, but a full boat was slated to blackfish today, and another full boat is supposed to get after the slipperies Saturday, though forecasts looked rough for that day. A trip for the fish Sunday, when the weather is supposed to be better, is also full. But space is available on the trips--individual-reservation outings for blackfish--the rest of the next week and that weekend. 

<b>Belmar</b>

<b>Update, 12/24:</b> The weekend’s snow and winds kept the boat from beginning to fish for mackerel, but the vessel will start steaming for them Saturday and Sunday on daily trips, weather permitting, said Capt. Alan from the <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b>. The fish were found off Montauk more than a week ago, and the storm and cold should’ve pushed them closer to Belmar by now. But the crew and anglers will see when the trips break port. Once the mackerel trips begin, the boat will fish for them 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

<b>Update, 12/24:</b> Fishing was only about blackfish, really, and the togging was great on the party boats, said Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b>. Nobody really surf fished since the snow, and they might get back out once the snow melts in the next days because of warming weather. But will be difficult to say whether stripers will remain in the suds, because the warmer weather and rains in the forecast will create runoff from the snow that will cool waters. Similarly, the party boats that are blackfishing might have to fish farther from shore because of cooler waters closer to the coast because of the runoff, but the tog should still bite. The Miss Belmar Princess was supposed to begin fishing for mackerel this weekend, but anglers will probably have to see whether rough weather predicted for Saturday will alter those plans, because the boat will probably have to run some distance to reach the Bostons. But mackerel will be the next fishery that should kick in, gaining attention along with blackfishing that should continue. The shop after Christmas will probably switch to hours such as 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. at least on weekdays, opening for the party boat anglers who will arrive in the mornings, but closing afterward, because the time of year is slow for business on weekdays except for the party boat crowd in the a.m. But the hours might be longer on weekends.

<b>Brielle</b>

The six anglers on Friday’s trip, before the snowstorm, all took home a limit of blackfish, said Capt. Jerry from <b>Fish Monger Charters</b> in an e-mail. Lots more shorts bit than recently, but some of the group limited out quickly, and one walloped a 9-pound 10-ouncer, the biggest of the day. That was his third trip in a row that he waxed a 9-pounder on the boat. One of the anglers landed a double-digit catch of keepers for his second trip in a row on the vessel, keeping no more than his limit. Another had a “slow” day, Jerry said, picking up 14 keepers, keeping no more than his quota. The morning’s fishing was most productive, and the afternoon’s slowed to a pick at best. The weather was beautiful, and on Sunday, when the storm ended, the crew shoveled out a ton of snow from the boat. They were waiting for winds to calm to get back out for blackfish. Charters and open-boat trips are sailing. <b>Update, 12/24:</b> The Monger finally got out Wednesday since the snowstorm on a blackfish trip, Jerry said in an e-mail. The six anglers each took home a healthy limit of fillets. Weather was cold, but the tog didn’t seem to mind. A couple of the anglers limited out pretty quickly, and one who was a first-time blackfisher landed 15, keeping only her limit. One who was a veteran on the boat scored another great day, losing count of his catches after reaching the double-digits, keeping only his quota. The trip’s catches came up fairly fast for a couple of hours at one point, and then they dropped down to a pick. The group picked and plucked until the whole gang limited out by 12:45 a.m., and afterward they played catch and release a couple of hours.

With all the snow, nothing was available to report, said Dave from <b>The Reel Seat</b>. But the shop is open through Christmas Eve, and then will be closed for a winter break until reopening in February. Heads up last-minute shoppers: Anglers can fill out a gift-wish list at the shop, so friends and family can visit or call the store, ask what your list says you’d like, and conveniently buy you a gift from there. Attention anglers: The Save the Summer Flounder Fishery Fund and other fishing organizations are putting together a <b><i>Fishermen’s March on Washington, D.C.</b></i>, from 12 noon to 3 p.m. Wednesday, February 24, on the steps of the Capitol. They will demonstrate against “the unintended negative impacts of the Magnuson Stevens Conservation and Management Act,” the SSFFF’s Web site said. The unnecessary closure of the sea bass fishery and the unfounded regulations on fluke fishing are examples, according to many anglers. Both recreational and commercial anglers, two groups who often fight each other, will participate, if that’s any indication of the unfairness of the laws. See the <a href=" http://www.ssfff.net/" target="_blank">SSFFF’s Web site</a> for details.

<b>Point Pleasant</b>

<b>Update, 12/24:</b> The last couple of trips limited out on tog, said Capt. Fred from <b>Andrea’s Toy Charters</b>. The better fishing seemed to be north, and the only recent trip that didn’t limit out on blackfish ran south. No stripers were targeted on the last trips, because none was seen on the boat’s travels. A few big linesiders were still around, occasionally popped up, chasing herring, but they weren’t numerous, and only a few gannets, no big numbers, worked the waters. Charters are sailing, and open-boat trips for blackfish are on the books for the next two Sundays, and space is available. Reserve ahead of time, and call Capt. Carlos from Andrea’s Toy to do so: 732-362-1490. Afterward Andrea’s Toy will take a winter break.

<b>Update, 12/24:</b> The <b>Gambler</b> will continue sailing for stripers 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily through the month, and if the fishing holds up well, the trips will keep running into January, Capt. Bob said. A special, shorter trip was sailing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. today for Christmas Eve, and another during the same hours will fish on New Year’s Eve Day, both at a reduced rate.

<b>Update, 12/24:</b> Trips fished on the <b>Dauntless</b> during any days with fair weather, including the last two days, Capt. Butch said. The angling was all right, especially considering the wintry weather. Mostly blackfish were hunted on Wednesday’s trip, fishing closer to shore because of a limited crowd, and the angling was decent. Quite a few of the anglers limited out, and some sizeable fish to 7 and 8 pounds were cranked up. More people fished on Tuesday’s trip, so the boat was headed to deeper waters for ling, and the angling was again decent. Patrons picked up 10 to 25 apiece. A few small cod were in the mix lately, and fair-sized pollock were pelted on a couple of days. No mackerel showed up yet, but trips will go after the Bostons when they migrate through. Last year they came through after Christmas, a little late, and maybe that’ll happen again this year. Anglers were asking about mackerel. The boat sails every day except Christmas, straight through winter, one of the few, if not the only, in the state that does.

<b>Toms River</b>

<b>Update, 12/24:</b> A fly-rodder actually landed short striped bass from the surf at Lavallette on Wednesday, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. A sand-eel-looking fly that the angler tied caught the fish on a sinking line. But the fish were seen busting on the surface, and the angler thought that if he’d had a floating line, he would’ve hooked more. The fish swam right in on the beach from the wash to 20 feet from shore. So stripers seemed definitely to be around. Another couple of customers who stopped by on Tuesday were on their way to clam for bass in the suds, but nothing was heard back from them. Otherwise no news came in from anglers, and everybody seemed to focus on the holidays instead. The shop is open until 2 p.m. today and will be open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The doors might close for a winter break starting afterward, but that depends on how many customers show up. But even when the shop does take a break for the season, the doors are always open whenever Dennis happens to be there. If his truck is there, the shop is open.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

 The final trip of the season sailed with <b>Reel Fantasea Charters</b> before the blizzard, leaving port in 18-degree temps, the sea spray turning into ice on the boat, Capt. Steve said in an e-mail. The anglers, Jay Simmons and Ernie Rosenberg, tried to catch their final striped bass of the season with no luck most of the trip, despite maximum effort. So they switched to blackfishing at the wrecks, waffling a strong bite. With the blizzard about to assault the coast on the weekend, the lift was waiting when the trip returned to port, and the boat was hauled from the waters for the season. “It is a sad time of year, but it has been a great season,” Steve said, and he thanks the year’s anglers, looks forward to next season, and wishes everyone Happy Holidays. Trips are already being booked for 2010.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

<b>Update, 12/24:</b> Anglers asked for green crabs, planning to try for tog today, said Scott from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. But that was the only word about fishing during the week. Customers came in for holiday gifts, and that was about it. Collins Cove, the popular spot for ice fishing for white perch on the Mullica River, held a cover of ice that probably prevented boats from sailing but was in no way safe enough to walk on. The shop’s live grass shrimp, the favorite perch bait, died because of fresh water from precipitation, and Scott had no plans to re-stock them anytime soon. This is the time of year when anglers begin to think about bringing in rod and reel repairs to prepare for the coming season, and there was no back up on the repairs so far. Everybody still seemed to concentrate on the holidays. The store’s hours will soon be reduced for winter, maybe starting Saturday, the day after Christmas, to 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays, closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

<b>Ocean City</b>

<b>Update, 12/24:</b> No customers said they fished since Friday, said Bill from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. But fish are surely out there, because the ocean was 50 degrees Friday, shouldn’t be too cold yet. Stripers were plugged along the bridges at the top of the tides, both day and night, at the end of the week, and they trickled a little into the bay. Tog hovered along the G.E., O.C. and A.C. reefs. Was just a matter of anglers going for them. The shop is open daily through New Year’s Eve and will be open Fridays and Saturdays in January and February.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Fishing for striped bass was weathered out on a trip Saturday because of the snowstorm, said Capt. Joe from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Gibson’s Tackle</b>. The anglers would’ve fished on the ocean. Joe was about to begin offering annual, weekend packages that fish with him from the Florida Keys all day Saturdays and Sundays, leaving Sunday evenings, and a  number were already booked. Joe relocates his flats boat to Florida after Christmas, offering the <a href=" http://www.gibsonstackle.com/page6.html" target="_blank">traveling charters</a> to the Keys through Easter when he travels there. He’ll first fish the area from about Christmas until New Year’s. The trips target species from sailfish, king mackerel and mahi mahi in the ocean to redfish, speckled sea trout, jack crevalles and snook in the back country.  Check out the <a href="http://www.gibsonstackle.com/page8.html" target="_blank">fishing videos from Jersey Cape’s past couple of seasons</a> that were newly posted on the boat’s Web site.

<b>Longport</b>

Blackfishing turned out a solid pick of 3- to 6-pounders on the <b>Stray Cat</b> on Friday, the last time the boat ran, because of the blizzard, Capt. Mike said. But Friday’s weather was beautiful, and the fish were beaten 12 miles from shore. The crew shoveled the snow off the deck Sunday, and the daily, open-boat trips for the tog will resume Tuesday and Wednesday.  The tog bag limit drops to four on January 1 from the current limit of six, so take advantage while possible. A shorter trip than usual, running 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., will sail on New Year’s Eve Day, and the rate will be discounted.

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