<b>Notes</b>: As happens every year at this time, this report will now be posted every Monday through winter, but a few updates will be posted every Thursday during that time.

The report will resume being completely updated every Monday and Thursday from early April to late December, the usual schedule.

<b>Staten Island</b>

New York’s blackfishing season closed December 20 but reopens January 17, so <b>Barbara Anne Fishing Charters</b> is on break from charters for now, but will chase the tog again when the season reopens, if the fish are biting, Capt. Anthony said. So stay tuned. The weather held back many trips from tog fishing this season for Barbara Anne and all charter boats.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

On the <b>Atlantic Star</b> blackfishing pounded out plenty of the fish Christmas Eve Day, Capt. Tom said. Two or three customers bagged no keepers, but the rest caught one to five or a limit of six keepers. Tom thought one angler limited out, if he remembered. Some of the tog were sizeable, weighing up to 7 ½ pounds or so. The boat was on a scheduled break Christmas Day on Friday, and was weathered out during the rainstorm Saturday. But it resumed fishing Sunday, and the tog angling was terrible in a big swell in dirty waters from runoff, a silty gray “death look,” he said. There was no life at all, not even bergals or ling biting. Tom thought today’s trip would probably get the weather to sail. The Atlantic Star is blackfishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily, including New Year’s Day, through Sunday. Afterward the boat will go on a winter break. <b>***Update, Monday, 12/28***</b>: The swell had somewhat calmed on today’s trip, but waters remained filthy dirty, and blackfishing was no good, Tom said in a phone call from the waters on the outing at 12 noon. No trip will run Tuesday because of hard northwest winds, but the wind direction then and Tuesday night could knock down seas and settle things down. Winds blew 25 to 30 when Tom phoned, and Wednesday currently looked like the best weather day, but that could change. <b>***Update, Thursday, 12/31***</b>: Blackfishing was off to a good start today, Tom said in a phone call from the waters soon after the trip began this morning. The angling was definitely better than on Sunday and Monday, the last trips to get out, because of weather. The swell on those days had now subsided, and conditions were calm, except for snow. New Year’s Day’s forecasts looked like the best weather through the weekend, and that trip will run. That could be the last shot at the fish before the boat goes on winter break starting Monday, but call the vessel to find out whether the weekend’s trips will sail, depending on how strongly winds might blow.

Capt. Ron from the <b>Fishermen</b> had been hoping for “a glimmer of light this week to try and give it a couple more shots at the bass,” he said in an e-mail. But with the weather lately and another storm coming Thursday, “for us the fat lady has sung,” he said. He wrapped up his season. He noted that he’ll attend the <i><b>Fishermen’s March on Washington, D.C.</b></i>, on February 24, and said anglers need a huge showing. The name “Fishermen’s March” means an anglers’ march, doesn’t refer to Ron’s boat the Fishermen. See info on the event, including how to purchase bus tickets, on the <a href=" http://www.ssfff.net/" target="_blank">Save the Summer Flounder Fishery’s Web site</a>. The earlier anglers sign up for the buses, the easier for the organizers, including Ron, to arrange the transportation. “Hope many of you will join us in the fight of our lives!” he said.

The party boats returned to blackfishing Sunday, after rough weather kept them docked, but no results were heard yet, said Joe from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b> while the vessels were still on the waters that afternoon. Jimmy from the shop and a friend lambasted the tog, limiting out on them, on a trip before Christmas. Julian’s is open until 11 a.m. daily.

<b>Neptune</b>

Fishing for blackfish was very slow for <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b> and the rest of the fleet Sunday, apparently because of stirred up waters from Saturday’s rainstorm, Capt. Ralph said. All the melting snow from the deluge of rains and warmer weather likely contributed. But the angling for the tog was better on a trip with Last Lady on Christmas Eve Day on Thursday, the last time a trip sailed. The day started out a little windy but then turned calm, and patrons bagged three to five keepers apiece, a pick, not the bang-up fishing for tog that trips had before, but everyone grabbed some to take home. If the trip hadn’t been shorter than usual because of the holiday, Ralph would’ve tried another spot where he was sure catches would’ve been greater. He expected the individual-reservation blackfish trips to resume Wednesday, after rough weather that was forecast today and Tuesday, and that trip is full. But more of the trips are on the books for Thursday through Sunday, and openings are available. West winds forecast for the next days should help the fishing. <b>***Update, Thursday, 12/31***</b>: Blackfish started biting again on a trip Wednesday, after slower angling from them since the stirred up waters from the storm Saturday, and the six anglers aboard creamed 30 keepers or about five apiece, and two limited out, Ralph said. Good fishing through the end of the trip. Openings are available on an individual-reservation trip for the tog on New Year’s Day, and the weather looked iffy for more of the trips through the weekend. The trips will continue to the third week of January, when Ralph will take a winter vacation.

<b>Belmar</b>

<b>***Update, Thursday, 12/31***</b>: The mackerel migration just started moving in, and patrons began dusting them up, and catches should become real good, said Capt. Alan from the <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b>. They scored better on Wednesday than on Tuesday, averaging a half a 5-gallon bucket apiece on Wednesday. No trip sailed in today’s weather, but the trip on New Year’s Day should run. The fish were a little late, but this happened 5 years ago, and then the fishing lasted to mid February. Trips will concentrate on mackerel as long as the migration lasts, and afterward will bottom fish at the wrecks. The Miss Belmar Princess is mackerel fishing 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

<b>***Update, Thursday, 12/31***</b>: Tog fishing picked up considerably by Wednesday’s trip, once the effects from Saturday’s rainstorm subsided, said Capt. Chris from the <b>Big Mohawk</b>. Takes a while for the fishing to settle after a storm that size, especially at this time of year, unlike earlier. But the fishing on the boat now was pretty good, much better. None of the blackfish was huge, but they weighed up to 9 ½ pounds. “Getting there,” Chris said. The fierce westerly winds on Tuesday finally knocked down the big swell on the ocean from the storm. The Big Mohawk is blackfishing 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, including on New Year’s Day.

<b>***Update, Thursday, 12/31***</b>: Capt. Tom from the <b>Nan Sea J</b> was in Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, for the New Year’s holiday this week, he said. He took a trip that clobbered probably 30 yellowfin tuna 40 miles from shore on the Phideaux before noontime Wednesday on trolled ballyhoos, he said. The fish were 15 to 30 pounds, not big, but lots were hammered. He was fortunate to sail, because the day brought the only calm weather in some time, and more rough weather was forecast to start the next day. Back at home, Tom will keep chartering for tog.

<b>Brielle</b>

A monger Christmas: A one-man charter, “our great regular customer and Fish Monger supporter Bob Cameron, AKA Bates,” said Capt. Jerry from <b>Fish Monger Charters</b> in an e-mail, booked the whole boat himself on Christmas Eve for a blackfishing trip. Bob invited the crew – Jerry and Capt. Wayne – to fish too, wanted them to have a good day. “Thanks Bob!” Jerry said. Bob nailed the biggest tog, a 9-1/2-pounder, and Jerry was high hook, reeling in 25 keepers, keeping only a limit. “Wayne had recovery late, landing a bunch of quality keepers,” Jerry said. About 45 keepers total were socked, and only a three-man limit was kept, and the rest were released. A bunch of shorts were also let go. Most of the keepers weighed 3 to 6 pounds. The ocean was flat when the trip broke the inlet, but seas had become dumpy in stiff winds against the current when the vessel reached the grounds. The anglers picked away at the fish, limiting out fairly quickly, going into release mode afterward. Then the ocean settled, and the trip moved farther offshore to a snag in 80 feet before going home, and good-sized tog, hungry ones, chomped, real smashing hits on white crabs, Jerry said. A bunch more were tossed back. Fun day on the waters, and a great Christmas present for all three. “Thanks again Bob!” Jerry said. Charters and open-boat trips are sailing. <b>***Update, Thursday, 12/31***</b>: Some bigger tog were banged out on a charter Wednesday, and they were probably the best size of the year, Jerry said in an e-mail. All the anglers limited out, and many of the fish were personal bests, and 20 of the slipperies weighed 5 to 10 pounds. One was 10, and the rest included three 9-pounders, one 8-pounder, four 7-pounders, four 6-pounders and seven 5-pounders. One of the anglers’ six fish totaled 40 pounds. All the tog chomped white crabs, and the trip left port in very cold weather. But the fish didn’t seem to mind. The fishing began in 65 feet 4 miles from shore, and life got going right away. Good-sized blacks were tackled there and at a few other rock piles. The final drop fished in deeper waters a few miles farther from land, and all big tog crunched the baits.

<b>Point Pleasant</b>

<b>***Update, Thursday, 12/31***</b>: The <b>Dauntless</b> managed to sail at least a couple of times a week in the weather lately, and patrons racked up ling and blackfish, probably 10 to 20 fish per person, Capt. Butch said. The seasons’s first mackerel, just a few, and some herring were picked up on Wednesday’s trip. If trips get more stretches of better weather, they’ll be able to search for the macks more to locate them. When the mackerel migration is on, the boat fishes for them in the mornings, when catches are usually best, and then switches to bottom fishing for a mixed bag. This week’s strong northwesterly winds were actually good for the bottom fishing, because they flattened the ocean swell that had been created by Saturday’s rainstorm. The Dauntless is sailing 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily, running all winter, one of the few boats in the state that does.

Anglers on the <b>Gambler</b> sailed for striped bass Sunday on the ocean, first running north and a mile off the beaches, Capt. Bob said. The crew looked for gannets and life, and some drifts were tried, but the ocean was like chocolate, messy looking, in a big swell after Saturday’s rainstorm. So the boat was then motored to the Mudhole to see if mackerel arrived, but none showed up. Next the trip steamed back toward port, and a few gannets were spotted a couple of miles east/northeast of Manasquan Inlet. The boat was drifted there, and Bob and his brother Capt. Mike caught bluebacked herring on Sabiki rigs, giving them to customers for bait. The customers scored solid run-offs, including the bait bitten off, but the stripers were difficult to hook in the swell. Then Perry Tessitor from Cranford drilled a striper almost 20 pounds on one of the herring, and two large bass followed the fish up to the boat. Today’s trip was headed right back to that spot, which actually looked pretty good. If Sunday’s trip had started fishing there, more stripers probably would’ve been bagged. Trips will keep striper fishing daily through the month, and if exceptional striper fishing turns up, they could keep sailing for the linesiders into January. Otherwise trips will begin targeting some other fish in January.

<b>Toms River</b>

A customer who was heading out to clam the surf at Lavallette on Saturday said a friend beached and released a couple of short striped bass in the area on Christmas morning on a yellow Bomber plug and teaser rig, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. Another customer fly-rodded short stripers on Christmas Eve Day, covered in the last report. A few other anglers lately fished the warm waters at the Oyster Creek power plant outflow, hooking an occasional striper or drum. That was the only news about fishing these days, and the shop will probably be open until 2 p.m. today until being mostly closed a while for a winter break. But Dennis will probably be around the store at times this week, wrapping up things for the season. He’s also always there on occasion throughout the winter break, and when he’s there, the doors are open. Look for his truck.

<b>Seaside</b>

One customer fished the surf on Christmas Eve Day on Thursday, weighed in a keeper striped bass and released another, a 30-incher, said the report on <b>Grumpy’s Tackle</b>’s Web site. By Christmas Day the report said the surf temp “inched back into the 40s” after the snow. Saturday’s weather was lousy, and a few customers hit the beach Sunday, weighed in no fish, “but they said it was still better than sitting around the house,” the report said. One of the crew from the shop took a trip that boated nine stripers and missed two on Sunday in 3 hours. No location was mentioned, but “there’s still plenty of bass out there,” the report said. Catch the shop’s sale that kicked off Saturday, lasting until New Year’s Eve. Great deals are available, including $100 off ZeeBaas reels, $30 off Tica Striper Series Rods, up to $100 off Fin-Nor reels, up to $15 off Korker Jetty Fishing Cleats, and buy-two, get-one-free Calcutta Shads.  The discounts are only available at the shop, not online, and are limited to items in stock, no rain checks. See the shop’s home page for the write-up on the sale. Now was the time to drop off reel repairs. “Wait much longer, and you’ll wait much longer,” the report said. “You know how bad the backlog gets, so don’t procrastinate.” This was also the time to order the custom-built rods the shop has become famous for. “He who hesitates, waits,” the report said. Some customers ordered two rods to save a longer wait. The store’s winter hours are now in effect: 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, including New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day,  and 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays. <a href=" http://www.grumpystackle.com/fishing_reports.cfm" target="_blank"> Click here</a> for updates.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

Scott from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b> dug through the grass shrimp, most of them dead, to gather live ones for one angler who was on his way to fish for white perch on Collins Cove on the Mullica River, Scott said in the report on the shop’s Web site. The majority of the shrimp had died because of the weather. But no word was available about whether the perch were around anywhere. The cove, Scott has explained in previous years, often attracts perch in winter, because it’s warmer than the river. If the winter is cold enough for the cove to freeze a lot, Collins Cove becomes the most popular place in the state for ice angling for perch, and Scott does his best to carry the grass shrimp, the best bait, for the ice fishing, at a time of year when the bait is practically nonexistent elsewhere. Wreck fishing for tog was probably the only other game in town, but no news about the fishing was available recently, and apparently nearly nobody, if anyone, tried the fishing in the weather. Customers started to show interest in rig tying and dropping off reels to be cleaned and lubed before next season, some of the popular winter doings. Scott’s is now open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays to Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 12 noon Sundays and is closed Mondays and Tuesdays for the height of winter. <b>***Update, Thursday, 12/31***</b>: No customers said they fished, and the windy weather’s been awful, Scott said. Maybe some would head out today in lighter winds, he said, but he didn’t mention the snow or rains in the forecast. Air temps might’ve been cold enough to freeze waters, but not on Collins Cove. The winds kept the cove from freezing, and Scott saw the waters from the road a few times. Reel service and repair picked up, and there was even a backlog.

<b>Absecon</b>

One angler was going to fish for white perch on the Mullica River on Sunday, said Capt. Dave from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. Anglers loaded up on the slabs before the end of the week’s rainstorm. The snow from the previous blizzard had at least melted from the rains and warmer weather. But business at the shop mostly centered around winterizing boats, and the winterizing was still available. The relentless nor’easters this past season kind of shut down striped bass fishing. Dave is at the shop pretty much daily, but call ahead to make sure. Frozen baits are on hand, and so are live eels and live spots that are leftover. He hopes to keep a supply until spring, unless somebody fishing for stripers in Virginia orders a mess.

<b>Longport</b>

Daily, open-boat trips for blackfish resumed Sunday, after the rainstorm, on the <b>Stray Cat</b>, Capt. Mike said. But the tog refused to bite, none hit at all. There was a big swell, and waters were 45 degrees and looked good, except for lots of bioluminescence and plankton. Light winds and 50-degree air temps made for a pretty day. Anglers could literally feel the fish sweep away the rigs or the sinkers and baits, cleaning up their area. But they refused to feed. The trip sat on two previously highly productive pieces. Still, plenty of blackfishing is left this season, and Mike expects the open trips, fishing 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., to resume Wednesday, after forecasts for windy weather until then.  A shorter trip, sailing 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., will run on New Year’s Eve Day at a reduced rate. The boat is available for New Year’s Day itself if anglers call and want to go. Space is available on the trips during the weekend. By mid January open trips that will target pollock, ling and tog on weekends will kick off, and then only charters will run during weekdays. In other news, other boats continued to scare up a few striped bass, and they caught them at Great Egg Harbor Inlet Saturday and Sunday. <b>***Update, Wednesday, 12/30***</b>: The New Year’s Eve trip, previously scheduled to sail a half-day, will now sail a full day, because anglers booked space who want to fish the whole day, Mike said. Looked like a trip would also sail New Year’s Day, and space is available for both, and call to climb aboard. <b>***Update, Thursday, 12/31***</b>: The blackfish season is winding down, but trips will keep going after them until the ocean drops to 40 degrees, and that wasn’t far away, Mike said in an e-mail. The waters were 42.4 degrees, and currents ran strong because of the blue moon. The boat’s offshore pollock and ling fishing will probably have to begin around January 12. Crabs for tog bait were beginning to be scarce, and Mike got the word that the crabbers started to pull their traps because of ice. He’s got a supply stocked up, but if the bait runs out and becomes unavailable, anglers might have to “scrounge” for bait. Shrimp might work well. So grab the tog while you can, and a few more trips for them should sail, and call to reserve.

<b>Ocean City</b>

Winds blew since Thursday or so, and Sunday was calm, but the ocean remained a swell that day because of Saturday’s blow, said Bill from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. Tuesday and Wednesday were better days for weather for a change, but business was only about holiday shopping. Bill couldn’t pin point the last time anyone mentioned fishing along the coast, not even for white perch up the rivers that becomes popular in winter. But the shop will be open Fridays through Sundays after a day off for New Year’s this Friday. News might begin to come in about tog fishing or the perch fishing at least. Tog swam abundant at all the local reefs when anglers last tried for them, and perch angling usually becomes good in the rivers during the cold months.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Annual trips kicked off today and Sunday that fish from the Florida Keys for several periods from Christmas to Easter with Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Gibson’s Tackle</b>, he said. Andy Gaudet hopped aboard today, fishing Florida Bay toward Flamingo, tangling with a 27-inch snook—the fish of the day— other snook, a few redfish, a black drum, lots of jacks, a ton of ladyfish and some mangrove snappers, lots of action, mostly on shrimp. Joe fly-rodded jacks, ladyfish and mangroves. The trip Sunday tried for sailfish out front, going 0 for 2 on sails, getting bitten off several times by king mackerel on the mono leaders meant for sails, a tough day. The weather during the trips was decent and 75 degrees but windy, and wind breakers had to be worn today, for example.  Joe relocates his flats boat to Florida at this time each year, offering <a href=" http://www.gibsonstackle.com/page6.html" target="_blank">traveling charters</a> to the Keys through Easter when he travels there. Weekend packages are available that arrive Friday, fish all day Saturday and most of Sunday, departing Sunday evening. 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.  In other news, 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 recently posted on the boat’s Web site. <b>***Update, Thursday, 12/31***</b>: The trips from the Keys kept fishing every day this week, and Gaudet hopped aboard again Tuesday to fish near Flamingo, wrangling up catches including black drum, speckled sea trout and, if Joe remembered, jacks, he said. Gaudet and Jodie Clarkson fished on a trip Wednesday around the same area, toggling in fish including reds, specks, topsail catfish, sheepshead, lizardfish and jacks. A trip today would probably fish out front for sailfish. A cold front moved in, and waters cooled to 56 degrees, frigid for Florida. Check out <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s blog</a> that Joe created recently.

<b>Cape May</b>

Capt. George from the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> was supposed to sail on a fun trip for striped bass today, but forecasts looked like winds might be too strong, he said. But he’s still running charters for the fish, one of the last charter captains offering the trips this season, and call if interested, before he wraps up his fishing until spring. He pulled his boat from the waters some time ago but is running a friend’s boat on charters. George’s most recent trips trolled stripers on the ocean.

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