<b>Staten Island</b>

A great catch of sea bass was socked Saturday with <b>Outcast Charters</b> on a trip with six anglers, Capt. Joe said. Some of the fish weighed 4 ½ pounds, and a keeper striped bass and a 65-pound black drum, a surprise catch, were also boated. Another good catch of sea bass to 3 pounds, lots of sizeable ones, was slapped on deck Sunday with five anglers on a charter. Out-of-season, keeper-sized tog were released on both outings, and New York’s tog season begins Friday, and Outcast usually begins bagging some as soon as the season opens. Outcast is big on tog trips once the blackfish really begin to snap as waters cool. Waters were warm: 70 degrees on the ocean and 69 on Raritan Bay. One out-of-season, keeper-sized fluke was let go on the trips, and lots of throwback-sized fluke were tossed back on Saturday’s outing. More trips are slated to fish with Outcast from Saturday to Monday, and Joe hoped the current storm passes by then.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Bottom fishing sailed Wednesday for the first time since Sunday because of the weather on the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>, Capt. Tom said. He was fairly pleased with the angling, and porgies and a few keeper sea bass were picked, an enjoyable day, and anglers had fun. Catches improved. Most of the porgies hooked were keepers, and most of the sea bass were undersized, loads of small ones, like every year at this time. A triggerfish and a couple of short blackfish also came up. Trips fished between the channels, and the day was beautiful, with a bit of a ground swell. Severe weather with winds and rains was forecast for today into Friday, likely keeping trips docked. But Tom hoped the trips will resume Saturday. Forecasts originally called for worse weather earlier this week and better weather later this week. But the reverse happened. Anglers can visit the <a href="http://mysite.verizon.net/atlantic_star/index.html" target="_blank">Atlantic Star’s Web site</a> for a link to the Ambrose weather buoy that gives current seas and winds from the last hour. They can check the conditions in the mornings before trips to decide whether to sail. They can also find weather forecasts on the page to make a decision. They’ll be using the same NOAA forecasts captains do. Strong easterly, southerly or southeasterly winds 20 to 25 knots or stronger will rough up seas, canceling trips. But seas with lighter winds or winds from the west that blow up to 20 to 25 knots will be fishable. The Atlantic Star is bottom fishing on two trips daily 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. for sea bass, porgies and blackfish.

Capt. Ron from the party boat <b>Fishermen</b> had told some regular customers to stay home from Wednesday’s trip, he said. “Thought for sure with the ocean the way it’s been the past couple days it wouldn’t be worth it,” he said. “Wrong!” A good pick of short and keeper striped bass and sea bass to 4 pounds (!) was clocked for part of the tide on the boat that day. “We did have a swell, but it certainly was fishable,” he said. All drops but one gave up catches. Gale warnings and heavy rains were forecast for today, but Ron hopes the weather passes early, and that Friday’s trip will sail. He’ll know today. The Fishermen is sailing for striped bass 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.  Check out a <a href=" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4KKmX-QyVQ" target="_blank"> video of the trip</a>.

Striped bass were boated on Wednesday on the ocean on clams, eels and worms, said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Stripers were sometimes plugged in the surf before daylight and clammed or bunker-chunked there afterward. Lots of blues filled the surf. Boaters could jig blues on the ocean. Stripers and blues could be found in the rivers. Bottom fishing was good, even during the roll on the ocean Wednesday. Porgies and sea bass were landed, and blackfish were around, though the bag limit is one of the tog until increasing later this season. Ling could be lifted aboard at the Mudhole farther from shore. Crabs skittered around the rivers, and waters were warm. Jimmy felt the temps while catching bait there on Wednesday.

<b>Highlands</b>

Rough weather kept <b>Fisher Price Charters</b> docked this week, but striped bass fishing became better and better, and two open-boat trips for stripers will fish Saturday morning and evening, Capt. Derek said. Clams, eels and worms will probably be fished. Call to jump aboard, and anglers can call to be kept informed about the future open schedule. Fisher Price is also bottom fishing, wrangling up plenty of porgies, sea bass and limits of one blackfish per angler.

Bluefin tuna jumped on lines the last time boaters got the weather to sail for them, said Capt. Brian from <b>Jersey Devil Charters</b>. Waters southeast of the Virginia wreck had been productive, and some might’ve swam closer to shore.  Bait, jigs and trolling caught them, or all the different ways worked. Jersey Devil is fishing for bluefins on charters and open-boat trips, and call if interested in the open trips, because the more who are interested, the easier to schedule. Nothing was heard about fishing for tuna at the canyons farther from shore. Closer to the coast, bottom fishing was good for sea bass and porgies, and bluefish were trolled at the Shrewsbury Rocks, and striped bass were sometimes mixed in. Brian might start trying to troll for stripers next week. Striper charters are being booked for the fall migration that will begin soon, and the trips will jig and troll for the fish.

The fuel dock was closed on Monday, Tuesday and today, and will probably be closed Friday, because of the weather, said Wayne from <b>Twin Lights Marina</b>. The fuel dock was open during the better weather on Wednesday, but no boaters stopped by. This was the time of year when the weather bears down. But fall fishing will kick in soon, and some action already began. Gene Graham, the striped bass expert at the marina, was eeling striped bass, and the fishing perked up since the slow angling for them in summer, when he stopped searching for them. He ran out for the fish on Wednesday, though he had mechanical problems on the boat and had to return. But Wayne believed he fished at Ambrose Channel. Bottom fish like sea bass should be hooked at wrecks and rough bottom when the weather clears, and blues should continue to be fought on the ocean. None of the boats sailed offshore for tuna and big game lately because of the weather. Wayne knows someone who keeps catching crabs in his pots, so the blueclaws are around. All the usual baits for inshore and offshore fishing are fully available at the marina. When fall fishing amps up, they’ll include live baits including bunker.

<b>Neptune</b>

With <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b> a trip on Friday will the first expected to sail since last weekend, Capt. Ralph said. Winds forced other trips to be cancelled this week The trip will probably fish for blues and false albacore. Three spaces opened up for an individual-reservation offshore wreck-fishing trip on Monday for cod, pollock and ling. The trip was postponed from last Monday because of the weather. Space is available on Wednesday for an individual rez wreck-fishing trip inshore. That will be the final one, because sea bass season closes on October 12. Individual-reservation trips for blackfish will kick off on November 16, when the bag limit increases to six of the tog from the current limit of one. Striped bass could be caught on trips that fished on weekdays early or late in the day because of boat traffic. That will change when a larger body of stripers arrives. Tuna trips are also on tap.

<b>Belmar</b>

An 80-pund yellowfin tuna and a 70-pound swordfish were bagged, and blue sharks were released, on an overnight trip to Hudson Canyon from Sunday to Monday on the <b>Nan Sea J</b>, Capt. Tom said. Lots of blue sharks swam around. All the fish bit at night, and waters were cool or 67 degrees, and seas were calm. Tom heard about nobody fishing for bluefin tuna closer to shore lately, and the weather was difficult. On an afternoon bluefishing trip last week, striped bass 30 to 34 inches were surprisingly caught, were bunker chunked, at the Shrewsbury Rocks. Blues 3 to 6 pounds were also chunked. Trips are also fishing for sea bass and bottom fish.

False albacore, 26 of the fish, and four skipjacks were plowed on a trip Friday at the Mudhole with <b>On a Mission Fishing Adventures</b>, Capt. Eric said. They swiped trolled feathers and Clark spoons, and a couple jumped on Green Machines with birds. The fishing’s been good, and trips are usually sailing for albies in the mornings, stopping on a wreck to load up on sea bass afterward. That makes for a fun trip and adds sea bass for the dinner table. Albies and skippies aren’t really edible and are released, but anglers love the strong fight from the fast fish. Eric also guides surf-fishing trips, and the surf was mostly rough for fishing recently, but the angling last week beached healthy catches of small stripers and small blues. No albies were hooked from the suds, but they were probably around at times. Surf fishing will only improve as the fall migration arrives. Eric also guided smallmouth bass trips on the Delaware River, and lots of the smallies were banked from Trenton to upstream on rubber curly tails, popper plugs and other lures.

When the weather was calm enough for bottom-fishing trips to sail, good catches of porgies, large ones, and sea bass were bucketed on the party boat <b>Big Mohawk</b>, Capt. Chris said. Blackfish to 9 pounds were heaved aboard, and crabs are carried for bait for the tog, along with clams for the other fish. A couple of the trips managed to run this past week. The weather was the only issue, and today’s storm would probably keep the boat docked through Friday. Saturday looked like the next time the trips will head out. The Big Mohawk is bottom fishing 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

Anglers pounded bluefish, many of them, on both daytime and nighttime trips on the party boat <b>Golden Eagle</b>, the report on the vessel’s Web site said. False albacore and skipjacks were mixed in during the daytime trips. A canyon tuna trip was weathered out on Monday, but a few spots remain for this coming Monday’s trip, and see the <a href="http://www.goldeneaglefishing.com/html/tuna_reservations.html" target="_blank">Golden Eagle’s tuna reservation page</a> online. The Golden Eagle is fishing for blues 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily, and call the vessel for the nighttime bluefish schedule. Special trips for false albacore and bonito are sailing, and so are trips to the canyons for tuna.

Few trips could sail in the weather, but lots of blues and false albacore and occasional bonito were looted on the party boat <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b>, Capt. Alan said. Monday’s and Tuesday’s trips were cancelled because of the weather, and so was today’s, and likely Friday’s. Trips will target striped bass as soon as the migration begins. The fish usually begin to arrive in the next couple of weeks or from mid to late October. The Miss Belmar Princess is bluefishing twice daily 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. The party boat Tropical Adventure, Alan’s other vessel, had been bottom fishing from Belmar but will now go into dry dock for maintenance then return to Hollywood, Florida, to fish through winter.

Most anglers last fished on Sunday, before the weather, Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> said. They piled up good catches of kingfish, spots and snapper blues from Shark River. Lots of striped bass started to be claimed from the surf before the storm, and the catches improved all the time. Also before then, party boats fishing for blues and albies put customers on great catches, and those sailing for bottom fish served up good angling for sea bass and big porgies. Fishing in general was good, and will probably become even better, because that was the trend, like with striper fishing. This is the time of year for angling to heat up. The party boats are expected to resume fishing on Saturday, and whether a swell will linger, and when it might settle down, would remain to be seen.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

Bluefish dominated catches on one of the special trips for false albacore and bonito on Wednesday on the ocean on the party boat <b>Cock Robin</b>, an e-mail from the boat said. Albies seemed to swim the chum slick, but trying to get a hook past the blues seemed difficult, though a dozen albies were racked up toward the end of the trip. No trip sailed today because of the weather, and a decision was going to be made about whether the trip Friday could sail. But Saturday’s trip will head out. The Cock Robin is fishing for blues 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. Special trips for false albacore and bonito are sometimes running.

Trips were weathered out through the week with <b>Andrea’s Toy Charters</b>, Capt. Fred said. The boat is sailing for a combo of blues and sea bass close to shore, bluefin tuna and mahi mahi mid shore, and tuna, mahi, swordfish and tilefish at the canyons offshore. Striped bass should begin to show up locally in the coming week, and boaters farther north at Sandy Hook already found the linesiders.

Most of the boats were kept tied to the docks at <b>Canyon River Club Marina</b> because of the weather, Carl said. But anglers on Capt. Allan Lee’s Mushin from the marina bailed blues and false albacore on Wednesday on the ocean “until their arms fell off!” he said. Another trip on the boat with the Adler and Noll group fished Toms Canyon on an overnighter Thursday to Friday, going 4 for 5 on longfin tuna to 65 pounds on the daytime troll and 1 for 2 on a 90-pound yellowfin tuna on the nighttime chunk. Located along Manasquan River, the marina, open all year including winter, features all the amenities, including a locker with electric to fit a freezer, rods and tackle. The docks are only a half-mile from Manasquan Inlet with no bridges, and are protected from storms.

<b>Toms River</b>

Surf casters belted a mess of 1- to 1-1/2 blues today despite the storm and dirty, riled up waters, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>.  They tossed mostly metal, including A.O.K. jigs and Tsunami Slim Waves, with teasers. Hickory shad were fought among them on Sabiki rigs or teasers. A few stripers were angled from the surf lately on clams or on metal or plugs and teasers. Clams are in short supply, because the weather kept clam boats from sailing. But a few are stocked, and the boats should get back out on Friday afternoon or at least on Saturday. The mullet migration was good in the surf before the weather, potentially boding well for the migration of stripers and blues that will come soon. Phil LaGrossa weighed in a 38-pound 8-ounce striper that took the lead in the linesider division in the shop’s striper and bluefish tournament, running until December 15. He plugged the fish on a black Bomber at Island Beach State Park. The annual Governor’s Surf Fishing Tournament will take place Sunday at the park. Blackfish were rustled up from along Barnegat Inlet’s north jetty, and green crabs for bait will be stocked on Friday, especially for the tournament. In Barnegat Bay a few stripers began to be eeled along the sod banks at night. Catch-and-release fishing for smaller stripers 12 to 18 inches doled out better, good action on the Toms River and along the Route 37 Bridge at Pelican Island. Lots of peanut bunker schooled the river, and most of the stripers were hung when anglers livelined the peanuts at night under lighted bobbers. Peanuts also drew the bass at Pelican Island. Blues 1 to 1 ½ pounds swam the river, and so did lots of white perch. Blowfishing somewhat slowed down in the bay but still produced. 

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

Fish stormed the surf at Seaside Heights on Monday, said Scott from <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>. Lots of striped bass were banked on Bomber lures and metal. Mullet schooled abundant up and down the shore now. Blues 1 to 3 pounds ran in and out of the surf lately, and no false albacore were seen in the waters in a couple of weeks, since a storm seemed to push them away. Blackfish were snatched up from along Barnegat Inlet’s north jetty. Snapper blues swarmed around the docks at the shop, and crabs that were caught were mostly small. No customers reported boating the ocean, because of the weather. That included regulars who usually bottom fish. Fresh bunker, fresh clams, killies and the full supply of baits is stocked. Catch Wacky Wednesdays every week, when clams are $2 per dozen. The rental boats and jet skis are in the waters, ready to rent, maybe only through this weekend.

<b>Forked River</b>

Blowfish gathered in Barnegat Bay at the BI, BB and 40 markers and Double Creek Channel, said Dave at <b>Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle</b>. Spots swam all around the bay. Snapper blues schooled the lagoons, and a few striped bass were beached from the surf on lures like Bombers and Rat-L-Traps. Dave heard about no stripers belted on the bay, but give the fishing a week or two to start up. Blues also entered the surf. Crabbing somewhat slowed but still produced the blueclaws.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Mullet migrated along the surf on Long Beach Island from Barnegat Light to Beach Haven, and a few resident striped bass, no migrating bass so far, were beaten from the surf, said Basil from <b>Barnegat Light Bait & Tackle</b>. That was a few days ago, before the weather, and all fishing took place before the blow. Bunker, clams and mullet waxed the bass, and plugs worked well early in the mornings and in the evenings. Blackfishing was on fire along the Barnegat Inlet rocks. Weakfish, only spikes, schooled in 30 feet in the ocean north of the inlet. Sea bass were pulled from the reefs and wrecks. 

<b>Beach Haven</b>

The <b>June Bug</b> stayed in port, but a couple of boats slipped out to the canyons between the weather on overnighters Thursday to Friday, scoring well on tuna, Capt. Lindsay said. On one the anglers whaled 15 yellowfin tuna to 80 pounds just north of Carteret Canyon at night on the chunk. The June Bug is fishing the canyons and also inshore. Inshore fishing is dusting up sea bass, and also false albacore and bonito. Anglers fight the albies for sport and release them. The bonito also offer a strong fight and are good-eating. Anglers might’ve heard more about albies this season, but the bonito are currently plentiful.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

Small blues schooled along the banks of Great Bay, and anglers could especially look for them near the creek mouths, said Scott from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. The ¾- to 1-1/4-pounders chased peanut bunker and were willing to swipe anything from bait to popper lures to light metal jigs that failed sink too quickly. One angler used mackerel to catch them on Wednesday. The blues were something new and fun to fish for.  Plenty of spots swam around, and waters toward Graveling Point and the mouth of the Mullica River were a best place to find them, but kids even plucked them from the lagoons. Blowfish were plentiful, and an occasional one was decent-sized, and most hung around the clam stakes on the Mystic Island side of the Fish Factory. A showing of kingfish popped up in the bay last week, and that never developed further, but there was a chance to land them still. A couple of striped bass, including one keeper, a 16-pounder, were hooked in the mouth of the Mullica at Deep Point toward the end of last week. Other anglers played with 10- to 16-inch stripers at the mouth. Lots of tog held along the banks of the bay and in Little Sheepshead Creek. They might not be big, but there’s action. White perch fishing was good in the brackish streams including Ballanger, Nacote and Roundabout creeks. Fresh, shucked clams, bloodworms, green crabs and minnows are stocked. No grass shrimp are stocked yet, only for lack of Scott trying. He took a shot at catching them last week, coming up with zillions of tiny ones he tossed back.

<b>Absecon</b>

Lots of small fish like spots, a few kingfish, baby sea bass, small blues and occasional spike weakfish filled the back bay, said Curt from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. But anglers had to fish at the right place, and if nothing bit, they needed to pick up their chum and move. Bloodworms and shedder crabs were popular baits. Curt joined a trip that picked up 80 spots, 20 white perch and five small striped bass at the mouth of the Mullica River. Perch swam everywhere along the river and creeks, and the big ones were yet to gang up. Curt hopes the cool nights forecast for the coming days will help group them up. Stripers 20 to 30 inches, resident fish, were around the mouth, and Curt heard about none nabbed along the sod banks of the back bay. Small drum were probably around the mouth of the river, and Curt landed one some weeks ago. Any weakfish seemed small lately that were around the mouth and from Graveling Point to the clam stakes toward Mystic Island around Great Bay. Previously some keepers were caught. The small fish like spots could also be collected in the bay at areas like off Graveling and the clam stakes. Tog, small ones, but keepers, could be snatched up from the different bays along the sod banks or bridges. Lots of bait filled the back waters. Crabbing was fairly consistent, and crabbers usually plucked at least a couple of dozen keepers on a day out. Today is the final day of the shop’s Panfish Pandemonium Tournament for white perch, kingfish and croakers. A white perch 1.6 pounds and two tied at 1.55 pounds held the top spots for perch. A 0.9-pound king and a 0.8-pounder were tops for that species. No croakers were entered. Forecasts called for downpours today, but not many rains fell. Maybe downfalls would come at night. Live spots, mullet, peanut bunker and a few shedder crabs are stocked.

<b>Brigantine</b>

The surf tossed up all the spots, kingfish and blues anglers wanted, said Capt. Andy from <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>. Bloodworms coaxed more hits than Fishbites artificial worms did. Nobody yet weighed in a striped bass from the surf, including for the shop’s striper derby that began last week. But somebody did catch a striper in the back bay. A group of regular customers drove to Montauk today, so Andy will get news about how the fall migration of stripers and blues was shaping up there. The 5th annual Riptide Striped Bass Derby is under way, lasting until the end of the year. Entrants will win cash awards for the biggest stripers caught from the surf along Brigantine’s front beach. First place will win $750, and 2nd will cop $400, and 3rd will earn $150. The entrant with the biggest bass each month will win $25. The rest of the proceeds will be donated to charity, and the event donated more than $13,000 to charity since the tournament began, Andy said. The entry fee is $20, and entry must be accompanied by a Brigantine beach buggy permit. That way all entrants get to drive the beach to fish.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

Jeremy at <b>Offshore Enterprises Bait & Tackle</b> hooked 25 spots from the dock this morning, he said. Lots of spots schooled the bay and surf, biting bloodworms or Fishbites artificial worms on Sabiki rigs. A few kingfish came from the surf, munching on bloodworms. Fishing for tog, small ones but catches, improved, heated up well, along the jetties. Small blues schooled the bay, and Jeremy was unsure whether they swam the surf. Little was heard about striped bass, except a buddy landed one at the Margate Bridge on a green crab when fishing for tog. The shop is crammed with striped bass tackle for the coming fall migration. Check out the umbrella rigs the staff makes themselves.

<b>Margate</b>

Mostly tog were landed during the weekend on the back bay on the party boat <b>Keeper</b>, Capt. John said. The vessel obtained the permit to keep fishing for summer flounder while the season is currently closed, but tog made up most of the catch lately. One keeper flounder was reeled in during the weekend. A few blues were around, and big schools might show up like they sometimes do during this time of year, and John would look forward to that. The Keeper is sailing 8 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and 8 a.m. to 12 noon Sundays.

<b>Longport</b>

No trips sailed in the past days on the <b>Stray Cat</b>, but a charter is set to bottom fish on Saturday, and an open-boat trip, with spaces available, is slated to fish the bottom on Sunday, Capt. Mike said. Good catches of sea bass, porgies and blues should come up like lately. Three spaces are available on an open trip for bottom fishing on Columbus Day, Monday , October 11. The trip will leave earlier than usual at 6 a.m. to head to the deep, where the sea bassing’s been especially solid. Annual Cast and Blast Trips, charters that fish for striped bass, blues and blackfish and gun for ducks in the same trip, will begin in mid October.

<b>Ocean City</b>

Small blues from 8 inches to 3 pounds were rustled up from the surf, the back bay and all around before this week’s weather kept anglers from fishing, said Ed from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. A few spots and kingfish were tugged from the surf then. A handful of striped bass managed to be toggled in from the bay and surf before the nasty conditions, but waters were warm for striper angling, and the season was early. Sometimes tog had been collected from along the bridges and jetties, but few anglers tried for them in the one-tog bag limit. Six will be able to be kept starting November 16. No customers mentioned boating, because of the weather.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Angler traffic was somewhat slow at the shop in the weather, but they hooked spots all over the surf and bay on Sunday, said Wes from <b>Gibson’s Tackle</b>. Lots of bloodworms were sold for bait, and a few kingfish also grabbed them. Probably 80 percent of catches were spots, and 20 percent were kings. Blues were beached from the surf, and fresh mullet and fresh peanut bunker were sold for bait for them. Only an occasional striped bass was pulled from the surf so far. Wes heard about anglers catching spots that they livelined to hook a few stripers from shore at the inlets, only at sunset, sunrise or night. Far back in the bay might be the only place where stripers could be taken during the day. But even the bay is better at sunset and sunrise. High tides especially produce. The bass are currently younger, non-migrating ones, and the migration of stripers and blues through the surf and ocean usually begins in October, lasting into November, depending on the weather. The run might currently be late, and constant southerly winds and tropical storms like now can hold off the migration. Northeast winds and cooler weather will trigger the fish to drop down from the north. The fish first arrive when 62- to 65-degree waters reach the local area, and the schools follow the temps. Tog could be lifted from along structure like the bridges, and green crabs are carried for bait. Crabbers trapped blueclaw crabs for eating, and crabbing will slow down later this season. Few anglers boated the ocean in the weather. But bluefish could be fought on the ocean, and croakers could be reeled up there. Sea bass and tog hovered along the ocean wrecks. Warm-water fish like false albacore and bonito could be trolled on the ocean, and cobia might even be able to be trolled, because the waters were warm enough. Longfin tuna reportedly bit farther offshore.

Jay VonCzoernig and Dustin Laricks this weekend jumped aboard one of the annual trips that fish from Montauk with Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b>, affiliated with <b>Gibson’s Tackle</b>, Joe said. Dustin nailed a grand slam: a striped bass, a bluefish and a false albacore, and the anglers combined drilled striped bass to a 20-pound 40-incher, a bunch of blues to 10 or 11 pounds, and 10 albies. Seven of the albies were fly rodded, and three were hooked on spinning rods. The fall migration was under way from the legendary port. Joe will probably run trips there two more weekends, and charters are available. Back in Sea Isle, Jersey Cape will keep fishing for stripers on the shallow flats of the back bay on popper lures and flies. High tides at dusk are ideal, and are perfect for special, after-work charters from 4 to 9 p.m. Blues could be caught on the ocean. The migration of stripers and blues usually arrives in the ocean at Sea Isle during the second half of October and through November. Book dates now to ensure a spot. See <a href="http://www.gibsonstackle.com/page6.html" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s Traveling Fisherman Web Page</a> for info about trips to Montauk and other destinations.

<b>Avalon</b>

In stiff winds and sloppy seas <b>Over Under Adventures</b> decided to fish close to shore, 45 or 50 miles out, on a trip Monday, a report on Over Under’s Web site said. That paid off: three yellowfin tuna and a bluefin tuna were boated, and false albacore and small mahi mahi were landed! The trip ran south, aiming to end up at the Hambone, but first fished just south of Massey’s Canyon. The first yellowfin, a 40-pounder, hit at sunup, before the full trolling spread was dropped in the waters. The boat was turned around, trudged back up sea, and a double header of yellowfins attacked, and were landed. The fish were smaller, “(but) we’ll take them,” the report said. The trip began sailing to the Hambone, and a 47-inch bluefin tuna pounced on the spread halfway there, and was landed. A couple of false albacore and the mahi were trolled at the Hambone. The trip worked back to Massey’s then returned home at 3 p.m. An overnight trip was expected to sail farther offshore to the Continental Edge on Wednesday to today. Charters and   <a href=" http://overundercharters.com/index.php?page=opendates" target="_blank">open-boat trips</a> are fishing offshore.

<b>Wildwood</b>

Striped bass began to appear more active than before in the back bay and the canal, said Mike from <b>Canal Side Boat Rentals</b>. Many anglers prefer clam bellies for bait for them, but lots of spots swam the waters, and anglers could liveline them for bait. Mike never saw a keeper striper from the canal. But the fish usually grow to 25 or 26 inches, and anglers catch and release them. Lots of 1- to 2-pound blues roamed the bay, and so did baby sea bass. Crabs were caught on the rental boats, and one group on three of the boats nailed four bushels two weekends ago. They were locals experienced on the waters, but other rental boaters averaged two dozen of the keeper blueclaws lately. Most of the crabs recently were females, and some crabbers like to release females so they can breed. But females are the same quality for eating as males. There’s no difference. The rental boats will probably be kept in the waters two more weekends before the shop closes for the season. Canal Side rents canopy boats and kayaks for fishing, crabbing and sightseeing. Baits currently stocked include frozen mullet, mackerel fillets, clam strips, packaged clams, spearing, squid strips and whole squid.

<b>Cape May</b>

Small blues sometimes schooled the surf and back bay, said John from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. Kingfish supposedly chewed in the surf farther north, but none was heard about locally. News quieted down about croakers that were previously wrestled from the surf on the Delaware Bay side of Cape May and places like Bayshore Channel. Fishing for small fish like spots and baby croakers in the back bay was a main pastime for now. Anglers waited for the fall migration of striped bass and bluefish. An occasional striper was searched out from the back bay, but waters were warm, though they’d normally be cooling by this time of the season. “Something’s got to give,” he said, but something will, and the migration will come like every year. Just a matter of time.

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