<b>Staten Island</b>

The season was wrapped up with <b>Angler Sportfishing Charters</b>, Capt. Chuck said. He thanks everyone who fished aboard this year, and will kick off his season next year in April with annual trips for the Hudson River’s spring migration of striped bass. Chuck’s been fishing the run, with some of the biggest stripers around, many 25- to 40-pounders, for 30 years. Angler Sportfishing in 2001 axed a 54-pound 8-ounce striper, the year’s record for New York’s largest inland linesider, on the river. That fish was slightly smaller than New York’s all-time inland record 55-pounder.

<b>Keyport</b>

Big striped bass moved into the bay, a fax from <b>Crabby’s Bait & Tackle</b> said. Stripers 35 pounds and larger were seen at the shop, and lots of the bass were boated,  and off Sandy Hook Point, including at the Sandy Hook Rip, and Reach Channel, were some of the hot spots. Eeling seemed best, but the fish were also trolled on spoons, Stretch 25 lures and umbrella rigs. Stripers were also boated close to the beaches at the 11A buoy and Bug Light while the trips chummed with clam or bunker and fished with either of those fresh baits. Big blues pounced on the bunker. Surf anglers scored well “all around us,” the fax said, including at Perth Amboy, South Amboy, Morgan, Cliffwood Beach, including at the rock wall, and Union Beach. They caught on incoming to high tides, dead-sticking one pole with bunker chunks, clams or sandworms for the bass, working another to cast plugs or diamond jigs for blues. Catch the shop’s End of Year Sale Friday to Sunday, November 18 to 20, and stock up for the holidays or next year. “There will be some great deals!” the fax said. 

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Bottom-fishing trips sailed Thursday, Friday and Sunday on the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>, and Saturday’s trip was weathered out, Capt. Tom said. Blackfishing was mostly consistent, was pretty good, and sea bass fishing was tough, gave up a few. Porgy fishing was up and down, sometimes good, other times not. The ocean held a big ground swell Wednesday and Thursday, and Friday’s weather was nasty but fishable. Saturday’s trip, again, was cancelled because of weather, and the weather was beautiful on Sunday’s trip. Green crabs, scarce recently, were able to be supplied aboard lately, and Tom hopes the bait remains available. Clams are provided. The Atlantic Star is fishing for sea bass, porgies and blackfish 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.

Though the trip aboard today “covered many areas,” Capt. Ron from the party boat <b>Fishermen</b> said in a report on the vessel’s Web site, striped bass fishing wasn’t good. “Had a keeper and a couple of shorts in the a.m. on clams,” he said. “Still hoping for some jig fish, which seem to be nonexistent for us so far this fall. The fish that left Montauk seem to have taken a different course this year. Will hang in there and hope the local fish start to take hold for us. Better days ahead!” The Fishermen is sailing for striped bass 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.

<b>Highlands</b>

Three keeper striped bass and a throwback were eeled at the channels on a trip Saturday with <b>Raritan Bay Charters</b>, Capt. Dave said. Lots of bait swam, and waters were 52 degrees, cooled off fast. Blitzes of stripers were heard about near Belmar and Manasquan during the weekend. Trips aboard will keep striper fishing, and will begin blackfishing on November 16, when the bag limit is increased to six of the tog from the current limit of one. Open-boat trips are sailing when no charter is booked.

Fishing for striped bass eeled and jigged a very good catch, 15 keepers to 23 pounds and six shorts, on a trip aboard Saturday, said Capt. Derek from <b>Fisher Price Charters</b>. Striper fishing was a little tough on a trip on deck Sunday morning, putting up five keepers to 32 inches and a dozen shorts. But a trip on the boat Sunday evening eeled and jigged eight keepers to 15 pounds. A couple of dates remain for charters this month. Blackfishing will be added when the bag limit is hiked up to six of the fish November 16 from the current limit of one. Charters are fishing, and the next open-boat trips, running for stripers, will probably sail toward the end of the week. Call to climb aboard or to be kept informed about future open dates.

Good catches of keeper striped bass, and lots more stripers caught and released, were clammed and eeled on each trip on the <b>Hyper Striper</b>, Capt. Pete said in an e-mail. On Thursday Scott Okal’s party limited out on the morning trip, and Scott Krone’s crew limited out on the afternoon trip. On Friday morning’s trip, Nathan Astle’s charter limited out, and on the afternoon’s trip, the Gleason party “came close to putting 10 big ones in the box,” Pete said. On Saturday Greg Shakespeare’s gang limited out on the morning trip, and Steve Nicoleto’s group limited out on the afternoon trip. On Sunday morning’s and afternoon’s trips, Brad Viana’s charter and Ron Koch’s charter limited out, respectively. The Koch trip’s bass were especially good-sized. “We have a few tog dates left open in December as well,” Pete said.

<b>Neptune</b>

<b>***Update, Tuesday, 11/8:***</b> From an edited e-mail from Capt. Ralph from <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b>: “Just got back from the Midwest for Mom's 97th birthday. Harry Jr. ran the trips last week and did VERY GOOD. Stripers, sea bass and blackfish. On Sunday's open-boat trip they really caught the heck out of sea bass and blackfish -- the weather was nice. Striper fishing has been very good. I've added and changed some open-boat trips. Look at the schedule below and get out fishing while it is so good. OPEN BOAT on Last Lady: BLACKFISH, Nov 16 (full), 18 (full), Nov 20, two spots left, Nov 23, changed from cod trip to blackfish, spots available, Nov 27, spots available. In December every Sat. and Sun., plus 12/23. Put your name in now, spots going fast. Will add more during week. OPEN BOAT on Last Lady II: BLACKFISH, opening day, Nov 16; SPECIAL TRIP, SEABASS, BLACKFISH, & STRIPERS, SUNDAY, NOV 2OTH. Available daily both boats for full boat charters.”

<b>Belmar</b>

Blackfishing was great with <b>Barbara Anne Fishing Charters</b>, Capt. Anthony said. When birds were seen working the waters, trips mixed in jigging for striped bass. Now that stripers seemed more abundant, more striper trips would likely sail. Sea bass fishing is also an option onboard, but trips recently mostly blackfished. Don’t have enough anglers for a charter? Call Anthony anyway, because he can usually fit individuals or small groups on charters or open-boat trips.

<b>***Update, Tuesday, 11/8:***</b> The four anglers on an open-boat trip Monday with <b>Fish Stix Sportfishing</b> jigged a limit of striped bass on the ocean to the south by 10 a.m., then the bite was finished, “just in time,” a report on the Fish Stix Web site said. Then the trip steamed a long ways north to the blackfish grounds. Blackfishing for the anglers was slow at first, but then some of the fish began to chomp, after the anchor was reset. The anglers limited out on one blackfish apiece, landing 40 or 50 keeper-sized ones, releasing all but the limit. “Pretty slow bite, but we managed,” the report said. Still, one of the tog weighed 10 pounds, and two others weighed 8 and 9. Charters and <a href="http://www.fishstixnj.com/index.php/open-boat-trips" target="_blank">open-boat trips</a> are fishing.

On the party boat <b>Golden Eagle</b> striped bass fishing was as good as it gets Sunday, a report on the vessel’s Web site said. The trip ran into big schools “of nice bass,” the report said, on the ocean to the south. Six out of seven of the fish was a keeper. “Awesome,” the report said. A bunch of big blues were also bombed. All the anglers, a large crowed, limited out on stripers, and by late in the trip, anglers caught and released keeper stripers, after limiting. Boat traffic was heavy, and private boats throttled through the schools, but the fishing was on anyway. “Now is the time!” the report said. “The bite is on!” The Golden Eagle is sailing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and 7:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Striperthons are sailing every Monday and Friday. Take advantage of the Veterans’ Special today through Friday: Active and retired veterans get $10 off the fare, including rod rental, including on the Striperthons. Don’t miss the Take a Kid Fishing Special on Thanksgiving: Kids get $25 fare including rod rental and adults get $45 fare.
 
<b>Brielle</b>

A trip aboard Sunday looked for striped bass on the ocean with <b>Fish Monger Charters</b>, Capt. Jerry said in a Facebook post. “Didn’t take long,” he said. “Got on the mother lode.” The anglers hooked three to five stripers at a time. “Crazy bite!” Jerry said. Birds worked the waters, and fish splashed in every direction. The trip limited out and bagged some bonus-tag bass “in no time, and went into release mode,” Jerry said. Only a couple of other boats were on the waters. Afterward Monger’s anglers bottom fished, limiting out on blackfish to 7 pounds, releasing lots of small ones, and boxing 30 sea bass “to round out the big mixed bag,” Jerry said. “Fall fishing at its finest.”

Though the weather was rough during much of the past week, that slowed sea bass fishing only two days, and the rest of the week served up spectacular sea bassing aboard, Capt. Ryan from the party boat <b>Jamaica II</b> said in an e-mail. Many customers limited out, and tons of throwbacks were mixed in. Trips fished at wrecks 10 to 20 miles from Manasquan Inlet. On Sunday’s trip, some customers had already limited out by 10 a.m. “Expect this great fishing to continue as long as the weather cooperates,” Ryan said. “We do not need anymore storms!” Many anglers, too many to list here, limited out. But some of the anglers aboard and their catches included: Wesley Short, Howell, limit of sea bass and an 8-pound, pool-winning blackfish; Dale Isaacs, Manchester, limit of sea bass and an 8-pound, pool-winning cod; Roy Williams, Philadelphia, limit of sea bass to 5 pounds and a 7-pound, pool-winning cod; and Ezra Knight, Endicott, Md., limit of sea bass and a 7-pound, pool-winning blackfish. The Jamaica II is fishing daily for sea bass on ¾-day-, 10-, 12- and 14-hour trips. Check the calendar on the <a href="http://www.jamaicaii.com" target="_blank">Jamaica II’s Web site</a>. “Pick your days; watch the weather!” Ryan said.

The few boaters who fished the ocean Saturday in rough weather caught a few striped bass, not a lot, said Dave from <b>The Reel Seat</b> in a phone call Sunday morning. Surf anglers on  Saturday beached stripers, including keepers, from Bay Head to the south on metal. Nothing was heard about the catches closer to the shop. Bluefish seemed to thin out locally, but that was difficult to say, because party boats began concentrating on striper fishing close to shore. Maybe more blues swam farther from shore. Striper fishing wasn’t good in the Point Pleasant Canal in the last 10 days or two weeks, but okay catches of stripers were played on Manasquan River, including along the Route 35 Bridge. Bottom fishers scored plenty of blackfish and alright catches of sea bass. Lots of small sea bass seemed around close to shore, now that sea bass season opened, while previously lots of big ones seemed abundant. Nobody reported targeting cod, and little was heard about porgies, except about some caught here or there. But with sea bass season open, customers were more likely to fish for sea bass than porgies. Party boats sailed offshore for tuna Saturday night, got the weather to go, and nothing could be heard yet about results when Dave gave this report. Coming up, the shop’s annual, free surf-fishing tournament will be held 12 a.m. Friday to 2 p.m. Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend. Prizes will be awarded for the first, second and third heaviest stripers checked in from the surf. No pre-registration is required, and anglers just need to make the catch in the surf, and bring the fish to the shop. Plus this year the fishing marketing company Pure Fishing will award $500 worth of fishing products to the angler who checks in the biggest striper landed on Spider Wire from the surf. For that prize, anglers just need to spool a reel with Spider Wire at the shop before making the catch. The price of spooling the reel is well worth the chance at $500 in loot.     

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

Fishing for striped bass has been good aboard, said Capt. Bob from the party boat <b>Gambler</b>. He spoke with his brother, who was at the helm on the way back from today’s trip, and his brother said all aboard caught at least one keeper striper, and some bagged two. Bluefish and short stripers were also hooked. The trip fished in 50 feet on the ocean to the south, and plain Ava 47 jigs, without tails, seemed to catch best. The boat’s final tuna trip of the year sailed Saturday to Sunday, and was good. Nothing bit at night, but longfin tuna turned on just before daybreak to 8 a.m. A few patrons landed none, but some whacked two and  three. A Recreational Fishing Alliance fund-raising trip recently bottom fished on the boat. Quite a few cod, lots of throwbacks, but a fair number of keepers, were clocked. A couple of anglers racked up a half-dozen keeper cod. A 12-pound pollock was the pool-winning fish, and a few sea bass and blackfish were reeled in. The Gambler is fishing for striped bass 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. Sea bass trips will be slated to fish in December.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

“There’s fish all over (the Seaside Heights surf) from (the) Casino Pier north,” a report said today on <b>The Dock Outfitters</b> Web site said. “Get out there!” Lots of stripers were also beached from the Seaside Heights surf Sunday. Metals and teasers seemed to grab most, but bait also caught. Before Sunday the site’s most recent report said quite a few stripers were banked from the surf Thursday, and water temps then had dropped to the upper 50s. “Should only improve from here,” the site said then. Fresh clams, fresh bunker, eels and the complete line of baits is stocked. Catch Wacky Wednesdays, featuring clams for $2.75 per dozen.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Striped bass fishing began Friday for the season on the party boat <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b>, and an excellent catch was crushed aboard that day, a report on the vessel’s Web site said. All the anglers limited out on the 15- to 25-pounders on jigs. Saturday’s trip was “another unbelievable day!” the report said. All the anglers again limited out on 15- to 25-pounders on jigs. “Action all day,” the report said, no matter the choppy to rough seas. “Jigging stripers does not get any better than these first two days of our season,” the report said. On Sunday’s trip, striper fishing was super again, and some bluefish were mixed in, in beautiful weather. Another striper trip was expected to sail today. The Miss Barnegat Light is fishing for striped bass 7:30 a.m. Fridays through Mondays.

<b>Beach Haven</b>

Trips on the <b>June Bug</b> were wrapped up for the year, and the boat will be moved to its annual winter home at Oregon Inlet, North Carolina, Capt. Lindsay said. He thanks everyone who fished aboard this year.

<b>Brigantine</b>

Surf fishing for striped bass was slow, “but they are coming,” a report on <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>’s Web site said. A huge number of stripers held farther north, and boaters there clobbered them. A 45-pound 41-inch striper was weighed in from the surf today. A boater who stopped by the shop today landed three stripers to 24 pounds. The annual Riptide Striper Derby is under way, lasting to December 23. Anglers who enter the first, second and third biggest stripers from the Brigantine front beach will win $500, $300 and $150, respectively. Plus a $25 weekly prize, a $50 monthly prize and a $100 woman’s prize will be awarded. Entry in the tournament provides beach-buggy access to the island’s front beach for those who have a Brigantine beach-buggy permit.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

Weather was beautiful on the waters Sunday, but surprisingly only a few anglers came up with striped bass, a report on <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>’s Web site said. One crew boated five healthy-sized stripers to 28 pounds at Little Egg Inlet early that morning on the falling tide. One angler reported seeing three stripers boated on another vessel on the Mullica River that day while none was landed on “the other fifty boats,” the report said. “Go figure.” But a bunch of 28- to 40-inch stripers were nailed Saturday at the inlet on boats. The fishing was intermittent like in previous days, a matter of right place at the right time. No pattern could be seen showing which tide was best. Surf anglers nabbed stripers from Graveling Point, the report said Saturday. “There has been a lot of effort for just a few fish, but the potential is there for an evening of fun,” the report said. All the fish were shorts, but a keeper was bagged there Thursday. Boaters at the right place at the right time Friday morning crushed good catches of stripers at the inlet. On Thursday, lots of stripers were tugged in from boats at the inlet, but the fishing was only a pick all day. No one angler seemed to have a banner day.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Fishing aboard was weathered out Saturday, but a trip on the ocean Sunday, in beautiful weather, trolled a steady pick of 13 striped bass to 18 pounds and huge bluefish, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>.  Wasn’t a huge concentration of fish, but this was the fall migration of stripers and blues, great news! The trip, with the George Hand family, trolled the fish on Stretch 25 lures. Lots of sand eels, a main forage for the bass and blues, flooded the waters, a good sign. Previously Joe’s trips mostly fished the back bay for striped bass, and the angling, with popper lures and flies, went well during high tides in the evenings, an ideal time. He might continue that fishing a moment longer, before concentrating exclusively on the migration on the ocean. Many dates for the ocean trips, some of the best fishing of the year, are full. Anglers should act quickly to book. The fishing traditionally lasts into December, peaking around Thanksgiving. A few stripers to 40 inches, not a lot, but catches, were banked in the Sea Isle surf, when anglers put in the time. Bait caught them, but sometimes so did poppers and swimming plugs.  Looking ahead, see Jersey Cape’s <a href=" http://www.captainjoehughes.com/page4.html" target="_blank">traveling charters page</a> for info about annual trips to the Florida Keys this winter from Christmas to Easter. Reserve now, taking advantage of the best rates, like on airfare. Anglers can arrive at the Keys on a Friday evening, fish all day Saturday and part of Sunday, return Sunday evening, and be back to work Monday. The trips can be a mini, fish-filled vacation, for a large variety of catches from redfish to sailfish. Keep up on Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s blog</a>.

<b>Cape May</b>

With <b>O-Beth Sportfishing Charters</b> four striped bass to 32 pounds were bunker-chunked on Delaware Bay on an open-boat trip Saturday, Capt. Eric said. Waters were 54 degrees, perfect for the fishing, and a fairly good population of stripers seemed to start holding in the bay. The trip sat through outgoing tide with a couple of bites, then all the fish caught were hooked on incoming in the afternoon. Charters are fishing for stripers, and space is available on open-boat trips for stripers on weekdays. Blackfish trips will begin aboard November 16, when the bag limit is increased to six of the tog from the current limit of one.

Striped bass fishing launched for the season during the weekend on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>, and a trip Saturday bagged three, and another Sunday bagged seven, and more bites might’ve been missed, Capt. George said. Both trips fished on Delaware Bay with bunker chunks, and the stripers weighed up to about 25 pounds on both. Seas and the weather were rough Saturday morning, calming later, and were beautiful Sunday. A bunch of boats filled the waters Sunday. Not many stripers, only a few, were hooked in the Cape May Rips, so George planned to keep fishing the bay. A trip aboard today was supposed to chunk for stripers on the bay, and potentially planned to mix in blackfishing. A trip aboard Tuesday is supposed to sail for sea bass. John, his uncle, another John, Diego and Bill fished on the trip Saturday, and Ed,  his dad Ed, George,  Dave and Eric were  the anglers on the trip Sunday. The Heavy Hitter will keep sailing for all these fish, and call if interested. 

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