<b>Keyport</b>

Waters flooded, including across streets, and winds blew, when Capt. Joe Romaniello from <b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b> pulled the boat Sunday morning, to protect it from the storm, he said. Hurricane Sandy was forecast to slam land this evening around Atlantic City.  Joe decided to end his fishing season, once he hauled the boat. He had been striped bass fishing. Joe thanks anglers who fished with him this year, and wishes everyone a safe winter and good holiday season. Papa’s Angels will start fishing again in spring.

<b>Atlantic Star</b>

Porgies, a good catch, and a couple of blackfish were bagged Saturday on the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>, Capt. Tom said. Then the crew readied the vessel for the storm. Trips will resume Thursday or Friday at the earliest, and anglers can call the boat for an update. But they probably shouldn’t bother to call before Thursday, to see whether a trip will fish Friday. Winds are supposed to blow into Wednesday. The Atlantic Star is bottom-fishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.

Daily striped bass trips had been expected to begin last Friday on the party boat <b>Fishermen</b>, Capt. Ron said in a report on the vessel’s Web site. But when he arrived last week to sail the boat back from maintenance at Cape May, the Coast Guard hadn’t given the go-ahead for the boat to run, though he was told the Coast Guard had. So Ron decided to leave the vessel in Cape May for the storm, instead of moving it to Atlantic Highlands, where he would’ve had to find safe harbor anyway. Daily striped bass trips will begin as soon as possible after the storm. Trips had been on break since fluke fishing until fluke season closed.

<b>Highlands</b>

Striped bass trips fished Thursday through Saturday with <b>Fisher Price Charters</b>, Capt. Derek said. Catches were very good, then became somewhat tough Friday and Saturday. The bass at first were on peanut bunker. Then they were on rain bait, becoming more difficult to catch. But stripers to 24 and 28 pounds were jigged and trolled on the trips. Charters and open-boat trips are fishing, and Derek couldn’t know when the next open trips will sail, because of the storm. The area was flooded Sunday already. “This is going to be bad,” Derek said in a phone call that day.  Dates remain for charters for stripers and blackfish in November and even into December.

The boat was hauled to dry dock Saturday for the storm, said Capt. Dave from <b>Raritan Bay Charters</b>. He hopes to splash it back Thursday or Friday and resume fishing Saturday and Sunday, if waters aren’t too dirty. Charters and open-boat trips, available daily when no charter is booked, are fishing for striped bass. They’ll also sail for blackfish starting November 16, when the bag limit is raised to six from the current limit of one.

<b>Neptune</b>

Fishing’s been great, Capt. Ralph from <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b> said in an e-mail. He hopes everyone gets through the storm okay, and hopes to get back fishing soon. Charters are sailing, and an individual-reservation trip for striped bass and blues had to be cancelled this Tuesday, because of the weather. Upcoming individual-reservation trips will include those for: striped bass and blues,  November 6 and 13; offshore cod, November 12; and blackfish, November 16, 18, 20, 21, 25 and 27, December 2, 4 and 9 and every Saturday and Sunday in December when no charter is booked. Plus, if anglers want an individual-rez trip for another date, let Ralph know, and he’ll put the trip together if possible.

<b>Belmar</b>

Fishing for striped bass and blues was awesome on the ocean through Friday before the storm, said Capt. Pete from <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b>. The fish were jigged aboard, and now the boat was pulled from the waters. Pete hopes to launch the boat and fish again by the end of the week, but large seas were predicted, “so we’ll see,” he said. Parker Pete’s sails for all species available, and charters and open-boat trips are running. For availability on open trips, see <a href="http://parkerpetefishing.com/belmar-fishing-trips/open-boat-trips" target="_blank">Parker Pete’s open-boat page</a> online, and sign up for the e-mailed newsletter on the site. Dates are announced in both places.

Trips were docked for mechanical work on the boat, said Capt. Mike from the <b>Katie H</b>. Was probably good timing with the weather anyway. The boat was left in the slip for the storm, and the marina was one of the most fortified places to be, with concrete docks and huge pilings. Other boaters brought their vessels to the marina for the storm. Mike expects the Katie H to be ready to fish for striped bass by mid week. Trips will also sail for blackfish starting November 16, when the bag limit is increased to six from the current limit of one. The vessel is finished fishing for tuna offshore for the season. The weather never offered a couple of days of calm to reach offshore occasionally like usual in fall. But Mike fished offshore on a party boat two weekends ago at Lindenkohl Canyon. A few tuna were managed, hooked deep, in 200 feet to 250 feet. Mike knew about a couple of trips on smaller boats that grabbed a few tuna at Hudson Canyon. They got butts kicked in seas, though.

Rutgers University researchers launched an ocean <a href=" http://marine.rutgers.edu/mrs/projects/oceanrobots.htm" target="_blank">Glider</a> into the storm Friday with <b>Fin-Ominal Sportfishing</b>, Capt. Jared said. The Glider is a self-propelled aquatic vehicle that can gather data like water temperatures and salinity and, when it surfaces, wind speed, to learn about these storms and forecasting them. The Glider was launched just inshore of the Mudhole. Anglers on a trip slated for this past Saturday cancelled because of the coming storm, though weather wasn’t bad. Fin-Ominal has started fishing for striped bass on the ocean this season, landing about a dozen in two or three trips, or a few each outing. The angling had just begun. The boat was being kept in the slip in the storm, and the marina features very rugged docks.

<b>Brielle</b>

Striped bass, good catches, were beached from the surf from Spring Lake to the north, many on wooden, metal-lipped swimming plugs, until seas became impossible to fish Saturday night, because of the storm, said Dave from <b>The Reel Seat</b>. A 19-1/4-pound striper was weighed in from the surf. Bluefish seemed to pop into the surf north and south but not locally. Dave spoke with a few boaters who sailed the ocean for stripers Saturday morning. Some scored well, on jigs or cast plugs, and some couldn’t escape bluefish. “But the bottom line is that there’s plenty of fish to catch,” Dave said. Point Pleasant Canal gave up good fishing for stripers at night. Blackfishing at the canal remained productive. On Manasquan River stripers were beaten at the bridges early last week. But an angler who fished for them at night during the weekend reported no catches. Dave couldn’t know whether they moved out because of the storm or something. Nothing was heard about porgy or ling fishing on the ocean. Only one trip offshore was heard about. The trip steamed Wednesday in the window of weather, catching no tuna while trolling during daytime and chunking at night. But six mahi mahi and 20 tilefish to 25 pounds were landed. Catch the shop’s free demo for CTS Surf Rods from 8 a.m. to 12 noon Saturday. A bunch of rods will be available to see, including to cast from the dock, and pro staff will be on hand. Also, heads up surf anglers: Certain Yozuri lures are on sale at 40 percent off, and so are Tsunami wooden plugs. Certain Black Label needlefish lures and swimmers are newly stocked. More surf plugs are expected to arrive this week, and new teasers and teaser rigs for the surf recently arrived. Shimano Tiralejo surf rods are on sale. Wahoo Baitfish Bucktails and Stingo jigs are on sale at 30 percent off to celebrate the store’s 30 years in business.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

Mostly bluefish, jumbos 12 to 15 pounds, but some striped bass 12 to 18 pounds, were jigged from the ocean Friday with <b>Mushin Sportfishing</b>, Alan, the boat’s owner, said in an e-mail. Getting the jigs past the blues was the biggest challenge.  The fish were fought a few miles north in 40 to 50 feet, where a few diving birds were seen. The anglers hooked up before the jigs hit bottom. Krocodiles, Ava’s, Crippled Herrings, rubber shads and Stingo’s worked. But chrome Krocs caught best. Arms were tired, and the trip returned to port by 10 a.m. Jason Szabo from Fishermen’s Supply ran the Mini-Mushin, the smaller boat, on Manasquan River one night last week, nailing a river Grand Slam: keeper striped bass, blues, weakfish, out-of-season fluke released, and tons of hickory shad. Fin-S Fish “were the ticket,” Alan said. The Mushin was currently weathering the storm in the slip. “Plan to fish when the weather clears,” Alan said. “Be safe!” he told this writer.

One of the mixed-bag striped bass, bluefish and bottom-fish trips motored to the ocean with <b>Andrea’s Toy Charters</b>, a report on Andrea’s Toy’s Web site said Sunday. The three anglers limited out on striped bass, and fought tons of blues to 12 pounds, early. Then they bottom-fished at wrecks, limiting out on blackfish quickly, bagging a good-sized triggerfish and releasing many out-of-season sea bass to 3 pounds. On the way home, the trip “got into an insane striper bite with surface plugs,” the report said. The stripers were released, and the trip went home. Andrea’s Toy specializes in mixed-bag fishing for greater fun, better chances of hooking up and more variety for dinner.

After the storm passes, the party boat <b>Norma-K III</b> will probably resume fishing Friday, a report on the vessel’s Web site said. The trip will kick off striped bass fishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily on the boat. Previously, daily trips fished for ling and cod. Magic Hour Ling and Cod Trips will fish 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. every Saturday starting this Saturday. “We will keep you posted on when we will start our blackfish trips,” the report said.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

On the <b>Super Chic</b> a trip limited out on bluefish Thursday on the ocean with 11 anglers, Capt. Ted said. The fish were jigged, and the trip was originally going to sail for bluefish, but ended up striper fishing. Striper fishing began to be good before the storm, and will probably be good afterward. Might take three or four days to settle after the weather, and dirty waters will be the biggest issue. The area was flooded Sunday morning before the storm, and winds blew 30 knots all day. The next trips are scheduled to striper fish Friday through Sunday. The 50-foot boat can accommodate up to 25 passengers on inshore trips and 10 on offshore, overnight trips. The vessel sleeps 10 passengers.

The party boat <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b> was kept in port during the weekend because of the storm, a report on the vessel’s Web site said. Starting Friday, trips are expected to sail for striped bass 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fridays through Mondays.

<b>Barnegat</b>

From an edited e-mail from Capt. Dave DeGennaro from the <b>Hi Flier</b>: “We are back in Barnegat (after sailing from Shark River Inlet), and so are the fish. Made it out Friday, the last fishable day before this crazy weather, and boated five striped bass between 12 and 20 pounds, on Tony Maja bunker spoons. Then we had fun beating up 12- to 18-pound bluefish on 10-pound spinning tackle. The migration is on, and as soon as this storm blows through, we can get back to catching fish. Looking at the long term weather, I’m figuring Friday to be the first day of opportunity. We’ll run charter or open boat Friday, Saturday and Sunday, two trips each day, 6 AM to 12 noon and 12:30 to 5:30 PM. Three person max. All fish are shared. The Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon trips are already chartered. See you on board.” Also, Dave’s <a href=" http://www.hiflier.com/capemayffm.html" target="_blank">Cape May Flea Market is postponed to Sunday, November 25</a>, that was supposed to be held this past Sunday, but was cancelled because of mandatory evacuation because of the storm. “Call your buddy, share a space, sell your stuff … and buy some more!” Dave said in another e-mail. “One giant room full of new and used tackle, nautical items, and all things fishing. Food and refreshments available. Door prizes every hour, including the Grand Prize at noon: a one-year membership to Sea Tow, generously donated by Sea Tow of Cape May.”

<b>Mystic Island</b>

Things look pretty bad, Scott from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b> said this morning in a report on the shop’s Web site. The hurricane grew stronger overnight, and in the middle of incoming tide this morning, waters were already higher than the peak the previous morning. Mullica River was currently “in the 9 to 12 feet storm surge area,” Scott said. In a storm in 1992, the surge reached 10 ½ feet, he believed. Scott never left his house during a storm. “I am educated and watch a lot of factors of winds, tides, etc.,” he said. “If conditions don’t improve, I am outta her for tonight’s high tide and Sandy’s arrival, period! … We have done everything possible to prepare over the last two days. You just come back and pick up the pieces. That’s all you can do. Be smart; be safe.”

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b> was waiting out the storm, he said. He had left the barrier island. Trips aboard last week pounded good catches of striped bass on the back bay on soft-plastic lures on jigheads, popper plugs and flies, covered in previous reports. High tides in evenings were ideal, so the fishing was no surprise. Waters remained warm enough for the bass to attack the surface poppers. The bay’s bass are younger fish yet to migrate, good sport on light tackle. Trips will fish the migration of large striped bass and blues that should arrive soon in the ocean. That’s the best fishing of the year, and book trips before they fill.  Reserve dates for annual weekend trips to Florida in winter. The trips can fish for a large variety of catches including redfish, speckled sea trout and tarpon in the back country to king mackerel, blackfin tuna and sailfish out front. See info on Jersey Cape’s <a href="http://www.captainjoehughes.com/page4.html" target="_blank">Traveling Fisherman Charters</a> Web page. Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s blog</a>.

<b>Cape May</b>

Striped bass fishing was slow this weekend from Cape May, said Capt. T.J. from <b>Legal Limit Charters</b>. “Stunk,” he said. But he was waiting for the migration to begin, and trips aboard will fish for stripers this coming weekend. Two stripers were weighed in this past weekend at Cape May’s Utsch’s Marina, T.J. thought. But the anglers sailed all the way north toward Barnegat Inlet on the ocean to catch them. Practically no boats were left at Cape May’s marinas by the end of the weekend, in preparation for the storm. With Legal Limit, charters and open-boat trips are fishing, and open trips are announced on <a href="http://www.legallimitcharters.com/open-boat.php" target="_blank">Legal Limit’s open-boat page</a> online.

Fishing for striped bass will launch this coming week on the <b>Down Deep</b> for the season, Capt. Mario said. Check out the re-vamped <a href=" http://www.downdeepsportfishing.com/ddsf/" target="_blank">Down Deep Web site</a>. Visit the site including for the upcoming winter blackfishing schedule that will be posted.

The dock lines were doubled-up, and the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> was battened down in the slip, to ride out the storm, Capt. George said. He was at the dock Saturday night, and the weather was breezy so far. Trips aboard are supposed to fish for striped bass this weekend. Striper trips at first usually bunker chunk for the fish on Delaware Bay. Sometimes stripers show up in the Cape May Rips afterward. At the rips the fish are chunked, livelined on eels or spots, or bucktailed. Anglers will see whether fresh bunker is available for the weekend. Maybe bunker boats will sail Thursday or Friday after the storm.

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