<b>Staten Island</b>

The boat sustained damage in the hurricane, “but nothing critical,” said Capt. Joe from <b>Outcast Charters</b>. Still, docks were destroyed, and practically none was available. Trips are unable to sail without docks, so the boat was winterized, and Joe and crew called it a season until spring and marinas are rebuilt. This was the first time he was spoken with since the storm. Joe’s house and his brother, Capt. Rob’s, home, survived. But Joe knows people whose homes did not. 

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

On the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b> blackfishing on Friday wasn’t good but improved, Capt. Tom said. That was covered in the last report, and the boat was kept docked Saturday because of winds. But Sunday’s trip fished for the tautog, and catches improved. More throwbacks bit than keepers, but at least the fish bit better. Today’s trip for the tog was expected to sail. But Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s trips are expected to stay in port, because of forecasts for a wintry mix. Few anglers would probably show up in the weather. Trips will resume on Thursday. The Atlantic Star is blackfishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.

<b>Highlands</b>

Trips for striped bass pounded phenomenal action, lots of throwbacks, only a couple of keepers, Thursday and Friday on clams with <b>Fisher Price Charters</b>, Capt. Derek said. A trip was blackfishing today, and space is available on open-boat trips for blackfish Tuesday and Thursday. Fishing for the tautog had been slow in stirred up waters from seas and easterly winds, but reportedly picked up Sunday. Call to jump aboard the open trips or to be kept informed about future ones. Charters are also sailing, and Fisher Price will keep fishing as long as possible into winter. Support local fishing businesses, Derek encouraged. The businesses, from boats to tackle shops, took a financial hit because of the hurricane, but are back up and running. Fishing is back on.  

<b>Belmar</b>

Winds shifted west, starting to knock down the ocean heave, so fishing conditions began to improve, said Capt. Pete from <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b>. Blackfishing was picky, but anglers put a catch together. A few striped bass catches were heard about on jigs and, on one trip at night, on eels at Shrewsbury Rocks. Charters and open-boat trips are fishing, and Parker Pete’s sails for any species available. 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.

The <b>Katie H</b> began fishing for the first time after the hurricane, Capt. Mike said. Fishing was slow, but a trip aboard Sunday ended up with two striped bass caught and one dropped, on the troll. Another on Friday, with a man and five boys, trolled two stripers. But the fish were the biggest the boys ever hooked, and they and the man were happy. The ocean was 50 or 51 degrees, and lots of gannets worked lots of bait to the south. The Katie H is back up and running, and not every boat is, after the storm, and charters are available. The boat features heat and all the amenities that are especially welcome this time of year.

<b>***Update, Tuesday, 11/27:***</b>  “Can’t catch a break,” Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> said in an e-mail. Winds blew west, and schoolie striped bass hit in the surf on metal. Then winds blew northeast 20 knots, and no fish. “This has been the scenario all fall,” Bob said. During the west, Bob, a Spring Lake Fishing Club member, and fellow members Joe Melillo and Kenny Reed totaled 11 schoolie stripers on Ava 17 metal jigs with green tails. Winds shifted to northeast, and the fish disappeared. Hope for northwest winds, Bob said. On party boats that fished for blackfish, the tautog to 10 pounds, “superb fish,” Bob said, were in the mix daily. White crabs caught well.

<b>Neptune</b>

Blackfishing was tough but improving each day, said Capt. Ralph from <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b>. He expects the tautog to bite better this week, and banner blackfishing was crushed aboard two Saturdays ago. Then the angling seemed to slow down because of stirred up waters from a ground swell. On a trip for blackfish aboard Sunday, some were caught in the afternoon in difficult fishing conditions. Striped bass fishing aboard gave up a mad-dog bite Saturday and Sunday. Not many of the fish were keepers, but some, up to 35 inches, were, and more than 50 stripers apiece were reeled in on the two trips. The fish were clammed on light tackle. An individual-reservation trip for blackfish was added for this coming Saturday, because of a cancellation, and six spots are available. Individual-reservation trips for blackfish are also set for December 9 (1 spot available), 16 (4 spots), 23 (3 spots), 24 (6 spots), 29 (4 spots) 30 (5 spots), 31 (5 spots) and every Saturday and Sunday in January.  Bait and tackle are supplied, and the blackfish trips will also jig for stripers if the bass swim nearby.  Striper charters are available daily.

<b>Brielle</b>

A combo striped bass and blackfish charter Friday on the <b>Big Kid</b> trolled four stripers to 20 pounds on the ocean to the south, Capt. Ken said. Then the trip bagged 25 blackfish to 6 pounds at Sea Girt Reef. The boat was docked in winds Saturday, and another one of the combo trips steamed Sunday. Three stripers were trolled, and blackfishing served up a slow pick, including a dozen keepers. A blackfish charter was sailing today, and the Big Kid will fish straight through winter. Book a weekday charter for only $700 instead of $750.

Surf anglers seemed to beach a few striped bass, practically all throwbacks, to the north, including at Long Branch, Deal, Allenhurst and Asbury Park, said Eric from <b>The Reel Seat</b>. Most were landed on clams, and a few were banked on swim baits or bucktails. Eric wasn’t asked whether access to local beaches was allowed, after the hurricane. But access there was probably yet to be opened. Boating for stripers on the ocean seemed slow. A few of the bass were trolled, but anglers had to work for them. Jigging for stripers never took shape this season. The hurricane seemed the cause. Blackfishing on the ocean picked up, starting a couple of days ago. The ocean heave, stirred up waters and relentless easterly winds seemed to slow the angling previously. But now better catches, sometimes limits, were reported, in winds that switched to westerly. Fishing in rivers, including Manasquan River, seemed slow. “Dead,” Eric said. The shop’s owner, Dave, a tilefish angler, designed three rods for tilefishing that might be the first-ever for the angling. They’re 7 feet, 7 ½ feet and 8 feet, and the shop’s report last week said the 8-footer was available. Now all three are on hand at the store. Head to The Reel Seat for holiday needs, including tackle packages at discount prices, at least 20 percent. Additional tackle is also available at special holiday prices. Tsunami Timber Lures have been discounted 40 percent all season. Northbar Bottle Darters arrived at the store. Custom-colored Daiwa SP Minnows had arrived, but already sold out. More probably won’t arrive until December.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

No anglers were around for a trip to sail Sunday on the party boat <b>Norma-K III</b>, a report on the vessel’s Web site said. Fishing for striped bass was slow aboard Saturday. Birds worked bait, a good population, and a few healthy shots of stripers “(came) under the boat,” the report said, but none was hooked. One large bluefish was landed, and that’s all. “Hopefully, these fish will turn on within a week,” the report said. A blackfish trip was slated for today, and more blackfish trips will sail Saturday and Sunday. For more info, anglers can call the boat: 732-496-5383.

With <b>Andrea’s Toy Charters</b> a trip was originally supposed to sail for blackfish, a report on Andrea’s Toy’s Web site said on Sunday. But the ocean held a 5- to 6-foot swell, so the trip first tried for other bottom fish offshore. “Some nice cod,” the report said, to 25 inches, and lots of ling and porgies were swung in. Then the trip returned inshore, and six blackfish to 2 pounds were tackled, and sizeable, out-of-season sea bass were released. A trip two Fridays ago landed more than a dozen striped bass to 30 inches. That was apparently the first trip to fish aboard after the hurricane.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Fishing for striped bass wasn’t so good so far this season, a report on the party boat <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b>’s Web site said. The fishing aboard Friday produced “another quiet day,” it said. Sometimes the fish were marked, “but just didn’t want to bite,” it said. But trips were expected to fish for stripers again Saturday through today. “And just hope that they will be biting again,” it said. The Miss Barnegat Light is fishing for striped bass 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fridays through Mondays.

<b>Barnegat</b>

The <b>Hi Flier</b> was splashed Tuesday for the first time after the hurricane, and the following is from an edited e-mail from Capt. Dave DeGennaro: “… we fished Wednesday through Saturday. The ocean was a mess, so we stayed in the bay each day, livelining spots for stripers. We caught fish each day except Saturday. It was blowing 30 to 35 knots, and our drift was 3 to 3 1/2 knots, so I suspect our baits were not being presented properly. On Wednesday through Friday, we had some action with mostly 24- to 27-1/2-inch fish, but did manage a handful of just over 28-inch keepers. Our best luck was in Oyster Creek Channel, where it meets up with Double Creek Channel, and in the inlet. Not so much along the north jetty, as I would usually fish, but more in the middle. I cancelled Tuesday’s trip, because forecasts are calling for rain or snow, with 80-percent probability. After that we are GOLDEN! West to northwest winds for as long as the forecast goes, and when you look at the long-range, traditional weather, like Yahoo, there is no precipitation, and rising temps are forecast every day into the mid 50s next week. This is the window we’ve all been waiting for. We’ll be sailing seven days a week through December. Open boat this Wednesday and Friday for stripers, 6:30 AM to 12:30 PM, 3 person max, all fish are shared. We’ll be looking for birds and readings to cast or jig. I always have the trolling gear on board, but will only put it out if that's what you guys want to do. This might be the only time you’ll find a democracy on board my boat. Some guys don't like to troll, and I understand that. We’d all rather cast and jig fish on light tackle, and that technique is always given the highest priority. But on some days trolling will put either more or bigger fish in the box. I always put it up for group discussion, and go with the majority rules. It doesn't matter to me. I pride myself on making sure we’re fishing the way you guys want to fish, not how I want to fish. I get plenty of chances to do that. Usually a combination of the two techniques keeps everyone happy. Call me to book a trip.” <b>***Update, Tuesday, 11/27:***</b> From an edited e-mail from Dave today: “Threw the ropes at 7:30 this morning for a short trip with friends Nick Honachefsky and Andy Dubman. It was drizzling, but not nearly as bad as forecast, so we ran out the inlet, and went on the troll for an hour. One small bluefish later we decided to try live bait in the inlet. Wow! Wished I had started earlier. Non-stop runoffs and hookups. In 1 ½ hours,  we caught a dozen stripers, including four fish 28 to 31 inches, in the clean, green ocean water. Sailing open boat tomorrow (Wed) with three spots to fill.  Friday's open boat has one opening left. Check out my earlier post for details.”

<b>Brigantine</b>

Two anglers on a trip beached four striped bass, including one keeper, from the surf during the weekend, but few fished then, a report on <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>’s Web site said. Weather forecasts seemed to keep surf casters from fishing, and winds did blow, and the days were cold. The angling seemed slow. “Guess we have to just … wait until the next school decides to show up in Brigantine,” the report said. Better catches of stripers, fish to 20 pounds, were boated at Absecon Inlet and the back bay during the weekend.   Fresh bunker and clams and live eels and spots are stocked. The shop’s bounty is up to $550 and growing – “almost better than a Power Ball ticket,” the report said – for the season’s first striper 43 inches or larger checked in from the Brigantine surf. Entry is $5, and the angler who checks in the fish wins all the cash. Anglers must enter 12 hours before catching. Riptide’s annual Striped Bass Derby is under way, awarding cash prizes for the biggest stripers beached from Brigantine’s surf, until December 23. Weekly and monthly prizes are also awarded, and entry is only $20. What’s more, with a Brigantine beach buggy permit, entry allows anglers to drive the entire Brigantine beach, unlike the permit alone.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Eleven striped bass and a bluefish were landed on the ocean Friday with Kevin McCarthy and family aboard, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. All the bass except one, and the blue, were trolled. One of the bass was jigged, and maybe jigging will turn on. Joe began to see sand eels schooling in numbers for the first time this season. When bait gathers like that, stripers, foraging and gathering on the bait, can be jigged. Otherwise, when the fish are spread out, trolling for them is more effective, covering ground. The hurricane so far seemed to make bait more scattered than usual. Weather was calm Friday for the first time in a while. Weather was terribly windy on Saturday, but Nick Vastaris and crew wanted to fish aboard. The trip trolled two stripers and lost two on the ocean. Dusty Laricks jumped on deck Sunday, and the trip  trolled some stripers. All the trips trolled the fish on Stretch lures, and Jersey Cape will keep fishing the migration of stripers and blues on the ocean until the run departs. Annual winter weekend trips to Florida will begin at Christmas. The trips can be a mini, fish-filled vacation. A large variety of catches are possible, including redfish, speckled sea trout and tarpon in the back country, to king mackerel, blackfin tuna and sailfish out front. Anglers can arrive on a Friday evening, fish all day Saturday and part of Sunday, return home that evening, and be back to work on Monday.  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 okay, said Capt. Mario from the <b>Down Deep</b>. The fish, some of them 25 pounds, were both bunker-chunked on Delaware Bay and live-baited at Cape May Rips. Charters will keep fishing for them, and the Down Deep will begin blackfishing once the striper run ends or on December 21, through winter. Book the trips now, and see the <a href=" http://www.downdeepsportfishing.com/ddsf/special-trips/" target="_blank">Down Deep’s winter blackfishing schedule</a> online. Also join the <a href=" http://www.downdeepsportfishing.com/ddsf/76-2/" target="_blank">Down Deep’s Short Notice List</a> to be notified when winter trips will wreck fish on short notice in weather windows.

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