<b>Pennsville</b>

Anglers had been reeling in striped bass from the bay and the Delaware River’s tributaries, though windy weather and the cold front kept many from fishing through the weekend, said Matt from <b>Shag’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Customers who fish the bay tend to hit the waters from Ship John to Fortescue, so that’s where he heard about the catches on the bay. But he was sure that boaters on the southern bay must’ve caught, too. Fresh bunker is usually fished on the bay, and bunker was scarce. One of the crew from the shop tried for stripers on the tributaries last week but hooked none, and thought maybe the tide or other conditions like that were wrong. He fishes with peanut bunker, netting the peanuts in the tribs. Anglers also toss soft-plastic lures for stripers on the tributaries. He’s also been supplying the shop with fresh peanuts on weekends, and plenty were stocked last weekend. Bloodworms, nightcrawlers and frozen baits were also carried.

<b>Port Elizabeth</b>

Waters all around the bay turned out striped bass, but the southern bay seemed to put  up bigger ones, according to catches that customers reported at least, said Sharon from <b>The Girls Place Bait & Tackle</b>. Some of the bass were big, too. One customer reported landing 26 stripers in the past week, and two weighed more than 50 pounds, and only four measured less than 40 inches. So the fishing was improving, and news was heard about stripers tackled farther north, like off Seaside, and the fish finally seemed to be migrating down. Scarce bunker for bait wasn’t good, and anglers should call ahead to reserve the fresh menhaden. If anglers reserve and end up not wanting the bait, the shop asks that the anglers call and let the shop know. Other customers boated big croakers, and Sharon was unsure where, but the lower bay probably held the bigger ones. Winds often made fishing difficult, and autumn is always windy, but this season was windier than usual. Wednesday is supposed to be calm, though. The Girls Place is located on Route 47 just after Route 55 ends, and it’s the long, one-story, yellow building on the right. There’s a large parking lot with plenty of room for trailered boats.

<b>Fortescue</b>

Fishing was weathered out during the weekend on the <b>Buccaneer</b>, Capt. Ralph said, and another charter was scheduled for today. Striped bass were boated on the bay, and they were resident, non-migrating fish. Anglers waited for migrators to arrive. In the meantime, though, the resident fish were biting.

Striped bass were around, and the party boat <b>Bonanza</b> fished for them from the upper bay to the lower bay, but seemed to head the wrong direction each time, Capt. Mike said. When he sailed south, the fish seemed to bite north, and vice versa. He expects the angling to keep improving, especially because the colder weather should drop water temps closer to ideal for striper fishing. Anglers on the boat are chunking fresh bunker for the linesiders. Croakers swam the bay, and sometimes an angler would switch to a rig for croaker fishing when the hardheads bit, catching a fill of them. But trips are focusing on stripers. Open-boat trips are sailing for stripers from Fridays through Mondays when no charter is booked, but most weekends are chartered, so Fridays and Mondays are usually open-boat dates. But call to confirm whether the vessel is chartered.

The party boat <b>Salt Talk</b> ran for striped bass on Thursday with a few anglers aboard, and they landed shorts and hooked one better-sized bass, but the line tangled, and the fish got off, Capt. Howard said. The anglers fished near the 32 buoy with bunker, and fresh bunker was difficult to get, so they used fresh-frozen. Fresh is best, but fresh-frozen works. Striper charters are set for Wednesday and Saturday and on the weekends that follow. Open-boat trips are sailing, and call for the schedule.

<b>Port Norris</b>

On the 60-foot <b>Bodacious</b>, sailing from <b>Port Norris Marina</b>, the Gary Pustizzi charter on Sunday bagged 11 striped bass, Jill from the marina said. “Hen Bird” Pettit boated the biggest, a 40-pound 48-incher, and none of the bass on the trip measured less than 38 inches. “Johnny B.” reeled in three, and Gary himself angled up one. The Bodacious is running open-boat trips in addition to charters for stripers. Boaters from the marina definitely docked the linesiders, and mostly fished with fresh bunker. The bait is currently scarce but is carried at the marina, and be sure to reserve.

<b>Bivalve</b>

Sometimes seas were rough in windy weather, forcing boaters to earn their catches during the weekend, said Pat from <b>Longreach Marina</b>. But they fished, returning with striped bass, including sizeable ones, some good catches. Fresh bunker, the favorite bait, was difficult to obtain, but the marina managed to keep the menhaden in supply so far. Other boaters plucked other fish from the bay, like the seven weakfish, including one that was kept, 20 kingfish and 50 croakers that Dave and Don Chrans, Franklinville, boxed. Anglers and their catches also included: Kevin Bouldin, Gloucester City, 45-pound 46-1/4-inch striper; Ron Swain, Curt Fadley and Dean Zimmerman on Al Jones’ boat, 47-1/4-inch and 36-3/4-inch stripers; Travis Garter, Vineland, 46-1/2-inch striper; Charles Jarvis, Egg Harbor City, and Hal Batdorf, Gloucester, five stripers 44-1/4-, 43-, 42-3/4-, 41-1/2- and 40-1/2-inch stripers; Greg Blackman, Malaga, 44-inch striper; Bill and Casper Pierdominico, Sewell, 43-1/2- and 38-inch stripers; “Ray the Painter,” Philadelphia, 43-inch striper; Ruben and Antonio Oeasio, Vineland, 43- and two 42-inch stripers; Jerry Williamson, 38-inch striper; and Rhona Dilwieller, Cherry Hill, two 36-inch stripers. Longreach Marina’s Striper Tournament is under way until November 20, and a 34-1/4-pounder was currently in the lead. The entry fee is $40 per boat.

<b>Villas</b>

Though nothing was heard about striped bass in the Cape May Rips, stripers were bunker chunked on the bay at 60-Foot Slough, the Cock and Balls, 14-Foot Life and the southern end of the grounds at Bug Light, said Mike from <b>Budd’s Bait & Tackle</b>. The Ho-D-Doe, the shop’s charter boat from <b>Budd’s Tackle Charter Services</b>, sailing from Cape May, ran a trip that chunked one keeper and some shorts on Saturday. A surf angler telephoned today, saying beach anglers reeled in good catches of stripers at North Wildwood and Stone Harbor while fishing with fresh clams. Tog were pumped up from along the ocean jetties, and sea bass season opened on Monday, but nobody gave results about fishing for them yet. Fresh bunker is stocked, and 500 pounds is arriving for the weekend, but reserve the bait, because it’s difficult to get. Fresh clams and eels are carried. Live crabs are sold daily for eating, and the season for them will be winding down soon.

<b>Cape May</b>

<b>Legal Limit Charters</b> fished a long day on the bay on Saturday, and waters were warm, holding lots of croakers and fish that like higher temps, but one 35-1/2-pound 48-inch striped bass was hauled in, Capt. T.J. said. That was the only striper bite on the trip, but the fish was landed.

A couple of striped bass 25 or 28 pounds were plowed on a charter who fished on the bay on Sunday on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>, Capt. George said. The trip fished with bunker chunks, and few boats sailed that day, because of forecasts for strong winds. Seas began rough on the trip then calmed down. But then winds came on like a light switch around 12:30 p.m., blowing hard, roughing up seas. Anglers who are patient are boating the bass on the bay on bunker, and the stripers that are caught are healthy sized. George heard about no stripers showing up yet in the Cape May Rips or along the ocean front, and he heard about a couple of boats that fished on the ocean front with no luck. On Saturday a charter on the Heavy Hitter cancelled, so George mated on another boat. Only a few croakers, no stripers, were picked up from the bay on that boat. Lots of boats fished on the bay on that day, and George heard about a few friends on private boats, good anglers, who sailed on trips on Saturday that totaled five or six stripers apiece on the bay.

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