<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Blackfishing sailed today on the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>, Capt. Tom said. Sunday’s trip was weathered out, but a handful of anglers joined today’s trip, in fairly chilly weather, with a westerly breeze, he said in a phone call at 11 a.m. aboard. They picked a mix of throwbacks and keepers, probably somewhat better fishing than before. One angler had already sacked two keeper blackfish, and some bagged one, and some landed no keepers. But if the fishing kept up like this, the trip would probably bag “enough,” Tom said. Or at least everyone would have fish for dinner. A trip will fish on Tuesday, New Year’s Day, so long as winds don’t strengthen too much, and the trips will continue through Saturday. That will be the vessel’s final trip of the season. The Atlantic Star is blackfishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily, including on New Year’s Day. <b>***Update, Tuesday, 1/1:***</b> A few good-sized blackfish, and a few limits, were axed on today’s trip, Tom said. “We had a nice day …” he said, “a pick of fish.” The trip fished three places, getting into fairly good angling at the first, until that dwindled. At the second, only a few of the tog snapped. At the third, the trip was able to spend the rest of the time, and the anglers pick away at keepers and throwbacks. Weather was a little breezy and cool, “but not rough at all,” Tom said. He looked forward to blackfishing the rest of the week through Saturday, sort of a holiday week, he said, and the boat’s final week of fishing this season. <b>***Update, Thursday, 1/3:***</b> No trip fished on Wednesday, but today’s trip might sail, and if it does, Tom expects to give an update, he said. If he does, it’ll be posted here afterward.

<b>***Update, Thursday, 1/3:***</b> A few anglers fished the surf, sliding in lots of throwback striped bass, a few keepers, said Joe Sr. at <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Blackfishing was okay, and if anglers want white leggers for bait, they better get them soon after they arrive at the shop, before they run out. Nothing was heard about sea bass yet, since sea bass season opened on Tuesday. Nobody mentioned cod or ling. “Ask Bogan’s about that,” Joe said, talking about Bogan’s Basin farther south. Is too bad winter flounder season is closed, and when the season is open, two is the bag limit. Waters are probably full of flounder. “These guys (who make the regulations) are all sitting in labs,” he said. They’re inaccurate about the population because of their methods.

<b>Highlands</b>

“Weather’s been killing us,” Capt. Pete from the <b>Hyper Striper</b> said in an e-mail. But when trips could sail, blackfishing was good. Anglers from Robins Reef Yacht Club scored great fishing for them on Saturday. The tautog weren’t big, but keepers to 4 pounds kept them busy the whole trip, and throwbacks were let go. Ed Stelhy from Pennsylvania’s crew had a similar catch today, picking away at the slipperies. Pete will begin chartering from Costa Rica on the Dream Girl next week through winter, like every year. “Thanks to all who fished with us this season,” he said, “and we look forward to seeing everyone in the spring.” Spring striped bass trips are being booked on the Hyper, so anglers should call or e-mail to reserve dates.

Fishing sailed last Monday, Christmas Eve, with <b>Fisher Price Charters</b>, the final trip of the year, Capt. Derek said. The boat had to be hauled from the waters for the storm on Wednesday, so Derek called it a season. On the trip, a pick of blackfish were landed. Derek hopes to begin trips again in mid March, depending on weather, fishing for striped bass and maybe winter flounder. He thanks anglers who sailed aboard this season, and wishes everybody Happy New Year!

<b>Neptune</b>

The ocean is settling, and <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b> will begin fishing deeper, within 35 miles from shore, targeting big blackfish, sea bass, ling, cod and pollock, Capt. Ralph said in an e-mail. Green and white crabs, shrimp and clams will be carried for bait. Weather looks good for Thursday’s trip. Four spots are available for that day, and five are available for Saturday. A charter is booked for Sunday. Individual-reservation trips are also slated for every Saturday and Sunday in January. Charters are available daily. <b>***Update, Friday, 1/4:***</b> On a trip Thursday, no good blackfishing was found, until Ralph made a decision to try one more spot, he said in an e-mail. Then he was pleasantly surprised. Blackfishing became good, after the first two drops gave up a pick of ling, blackfish “and some keeper sea bass,” he said.  Many throwback blackfish bit, but some anglers even landed two of the tog at once The high hook landed more than a limit, keeping no more than his quota, releasing many. The trip stayed late, and left the fish biting. This weekend’s trips are booked, but space is available on all weekends afterward for the near future. Charters remain available, and if anglers want an individual-reservation trip on a weekday, call or e-mail Ralph, and he’ll try to put a trip together. Individual-rez trips are already available for weekends, mentioned above.

<b>Belmar</b>

<b>***Update, Thursday, 1/3:***</b> A mackerel trip, the first of the season, sailed Saturday on the party boat <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b>, Karin said. But no mackerel were found, including on the other two boats that sailed for them that day from the port. However, bottom-fishing boats reported seeing mackerel this week, and the Miss Belmar Princess is expected to sail for them starting Friday. Then trips will fish for mackerel 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.

<b>***Update, Thursday, 1/3:***</b> On the party boat <b>Big Mohawk</b>, blackfishing was good, Capt. Chris said. Catches rebounded a little after waters settled from last week’s storm. He kept the boat docked a couple of days after the storm, knowing blackfishing would be slow from effects. Primarily blackfish were snatched aboard, but occasional cod and some ling came in. Blackfish caught included sizeable ones. Trips still fished inshore. Green crabs are supplied for bait, and white leggers are available for sale aboard. The Big Mohawk is blackfishing 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

<b>***Update, Friday, 1/4:***</b> Waters were cold, but striped bass remained in the surf, said Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> in an e-mail. Steady reports from reliable anglers said stripers, some of them keepers, were beached from the surf north of Shark River Inlet along the jetties. The fish smacked black Bomber lures, Daiwa SP Minnow plugs and flies, both in the middle of the day and at night. Bob recommends fishing with a friend this time of year, especially at night, because if an angler ends up in the water, that’s life threatening, potentially. On the ocean, ling, cod, sea bass and blackfish were boated. If anglers want a mess of good-eating fish “to get you through winter,” Bob said, go now. Boats will sail for mackerel this weekend. “We hope they find them,” Bob said. That would help the fishing industry, “still feeling the effects of (Hurricane) Sandy,” he said. “They need all the help they can get. Good luck. Be safe.”

The season was wrapped up for <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b>, Capt. Pete said. A blackfish trip last Monday, Christmas Eve, was the year’s last, and weather kept the boat tied up afterward. That trip piled up a good catch. Pete thanks anglers who fished aboard for a phenomenal season. Many personal bests were caught, he said, and some of the anglers got beautiful mounts created from the fish. He hopes next year’s trips produce the same. Parker Pete’s will begin fishing again in April, getting ready for the striped bass migration. Book now for next year’s fluke season. “We’re hoping to get some more monsters next year,” he said. Catch Parker Pete’s booth at the <a href="http://sportshows.com/philly/" target="_blank">Greater Philadelphia Outdoor Sportshow</a> on February 14 to 17 in Oaks, Pennsylvania. A coupon for a $75 or $100 discount for a six-person charter will be included on the show’s Web site, probably in a couple of weeks.

Wind, rain and snow made for poor fishing, Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> said in an e-mail. “Not good,” he said. Surf fishing for striped bass was very slow. Water temps were dropping, and air temps were low. “Fish and anglers (were) thinning,” he said. A few hardy anglers landed stripers from the surf on clams and plugs. “I am not one of them,” Bob said.  Belmar’s party boats could hardly sail, because of weather. One of the boats that steamed for blackfish on Saturday “had a better day,” Bob said. Ling and cod were in the mix. Some of the boats sailed for mackerel, but none was found. The trips will try again this week.

<b>Brielle</b>

A good catch of jumbo porgies, some ling, and a few cod and pollock were decked on an overnight trip offshore Friday to Saturday on the party boat <b>Big Jamaica</b>, an e-mail from the vessel said. Joe Blushtein, Buena, won the pool with a 25-pound pollock. Trips for giant sea bass will launch this week, because sea bass season will open in January and February. The trips will sail offshore for giant sea bass, jumbo porgies, cod, pollock and ling every Wednesday and every Friday through Sunday during those months, departing at 11 o’clock the night before. Space is available on the outings that will depart at 11 p.m. this Tuesday and Saturday. <b>***Update, Thursday, 1/3:***</b> The year’s first giant sea bass trip sailed offshore overnight Tuesday to Wednesday, and the fishing was very good, an e-mail from the boat said. Plenty of sea bass swarmed all wrecks fished, and all anglers easily limited out on them. A few porgies, some bluefish, a few ling and an 8-pound lobster were also boxed. The outlook was good for upcoming trips, and waters were 54 degrees, so this was the beginning of the sea bass migration offshore. Pool-winners were: Joseph Anelli, Manahawkin, with a 6-1/2-pound sea bass; Mike Vastola, Lavallette, with a 5-3/4-pounder; and Carl Weems, Niles, Mich., with an 8-pound lobster along with his limit of sea bass. Space is available for tonight’s trip.

A handful of striped bass were plucked from the surf, depending on weather, said Eric from <b>The Reel Seat</b>. But the striper population seemed mostly to depart for the season. A few stripers were beached from the surf locally, and a few were lifted from Manasquan Inlet. A few were banked at Long Branch on Saturday morning. Eric heard “nothing positive,” he said, about boating for stripers on the ocean. Striper trips on a local party boat reportedly struck out. Blackfishing was mostly poor in rough weather on the ocean, and the bottom seemed stirred up. Sometimes ling and a few cod and pollock were reeled in from Shark River Reef. Sea bass season will open in January and February, and fishing for them is expected to be good offshore. Commercial pin-hookers talked about excellent catches. Because of weather, nothing was heard about big bluefin tuna that were boated previously at Hudson Canyon.  Catch the whopping, 50-percent-discount sale on Shimano inshore jigs. A few Tsunami Timber Lures remain that are discounted 40 percent. A few Stingo jigs are left that are marked down 30 percent. The Reel Seat is open Thursdays through Sundays, except it’ll be closed those days during the third weekend of January.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

<b>***Update, Thursday, 1/3:***</b> Bottom-fishing was okay, when trips could sail, on the party boat <b>Dauntless</b>, Capt. Butch said. Crowds were a little light. Saturday’s angling went well, producing a good mess of cod, a few pollock, some ling, a few blackfish and a few blues. Ling fishing lately wasn’t great, but was steady. Anglers could maybe total 10 or 15 ling, and skilled ones could maybe rustle up 20. Plus the anglers landed a mix of the other fish. Trips fished shallow in 120 to 150 feet. Butch tried fishing deeper, but eels were a nuisance. “Big eels are hungry,” he said. Usually dogfish are an issue in the deep, but eels seemed to jump on hooks before the dogs. Waters started to drop to temperatures they should be this time of year. No mackerel were hooked aboard, but trips will mix in mackerel-fishing, along with bottom-angling, if the mackerel migration swims within range. Only one 5-inch mackerel was seen aboard. A dogfish spit it up, and the 5-incher was a sign that mackerel were around, at least. The Dauntless is bottom-fishing 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily.

Though fishing for blackfish improved on Saturday’s trip compared with Friday’s, the angling was still slow on Saturday, Capt. Matt from the party boat <b>Norma-K III</b> said in a report on the vessel’s Web site. One spot gave up okay catches, but others were “pretty dull,” on Saturday, he said. Rob Rusnack, Point Pleasant, won the pool with a 12.96-pounder. Wednesday’s storm seemed to affect the fishing afterward, and waters were turned up. Friday’s blackfishing was dead. Sunday’s trip was weathered out, but forecasts are calling for northwest winds this week. Matt hopes that’ll get blackfish biting better. The Norma-K III is blackfishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays and 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays. Magic Hour Ling and Cod Trips are sailing 3  to 9 p.m. every Saturday.  <b>***Update, Thursday, 1/3:***</b> Two spots fished were very productive on a trip Tuesday, New Year’s Day, Matt said in a report on the boat’s Web site. Anglers picked away at all places fished, and the trip’s blackfishing was good. “Good way to start off the new year!” he said. The bite was somewhat finicky, “but if you waited it out, you were rewarded with a nice fish,” he said. Four or five anglers limited out, and a healthy number bagged two or three. “Less than a handful,” Matt said, were skunked. White leggers caught best, and green crabs nabbed a few. The white crabs were carried aboard for sale recently. Too few anglers showed up for Wednesday’s trip to sail, though weather was beautiful. Weather looked great for the week, Matt said in Tuesday’s report, “so come on out and get in on the action.” Anglers said they were coming for today’s trip.

<b>Toms River</b>

Anglers toggled in occasional striped bass from Point Pleasant Canal at night on rubber shads or Bomber lures, said Jeff from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. “A couple here and there,” he said, but slower catches than before. Blackfish were grabbed from the canal during daytime on crab. White perch could be angled from the Toms River at Island Heights, and Jeff nabbed five on Fishbites bloodworms on a trip.  

<b>Absecon</b>

<b>***Update, Thursday, 1/3:***</b> White perch fishing was good, said Capt. Dave from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. The slabs schooled winter holes like Collins Cove on Mullica River. Lots of small stripers, probably a few keepers, were mixed in along the river, and striper season closed in rivers and bays on January 1. But the river could turn out productive catches after the season reopens on March 1, if weather is fair. Only a few anglers were around, asking for bait and gear, and that’s all that was heard about fishing. The shop is open “by appointment,” Dave said. Call before stopping by to confirm he’ll be there.  Frozen baits are stocked, and live grass shrimp might be stocked later this winter, if enough anglers want the bait for perch fishing. Sailfishing was very good at <a href="http://www.abseconbay.com/fishguatemala.html" target="_blank">Dave’s Guatemala charter business</a>. Catches were the best in years, like when the country’s sailfishing first became famous. Mahi mahi were also caught every day.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

No reports rolled in since last Monday, Christmas Eve, said Mike from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. Weather was rough afterward, but quite a few striped bass were beached from the surf through that Monday for three or four days. The shop sold out of fresh clams, and almost sold out of frozen, salted clams, for the fishing. Nobody talked about sailing for blackfish on the ocean since two weekends ago. But the local party boat put customers onto excellent catches of the tog around then. The shop is open when weather is fair, and fresh clams are stocked on weekends when possible. Frozen, salted clams should at least be on hand. Green crabs are carried, and white leggers are no longer stocked, because the supplier stopped catching them for the season.

Many fish, including large, were mugged on traveling trips to Florida aboard in past days, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b>, affiliated with <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. The annual trips usually fish on weekends through winter, but Joe always begins the outings throughout the week between Christmas and New Year’s, and did this year. Waters were warm, and the fishing was good. Even on one windy trip, a load of fish were drilled. That’s a thing about these trips: Even when weather is tough, usually a bunch of fish can be landed, and anglers can have a great time. That’s because there are lots of options for locations to be fished, from near the dock at Islamorada, to the back waters of mainland Florida, to out front at places like the reefs. On arrival Wednesday, Joe and Patty Gaudet took a short trip, hammering a bunch of jacks close to port, hooking two tarpon that broke off. On a trip the next day with Patty, 15 redfish, a handful of snook, and some speckled sea trout, jacks, black drum and more were bailed. On the next day, Friday, they beat all the specks anyone could want, 15 snook, several reds, several black drum, barracudas, jacks, snappers and ladyfish, and released a 60-pound tarpon. “Ridiculous!” Joe said. Lots of fish. On Saturday with Jodi Clarkson and Patty Tice aboard, eight or nine snook, several reds, several black drum, and a bunch of specks, jacks and ladyfish were whaled, and a 60- or 70-pound tarpon was released. They were also aboard Sunday, in strong winds, but pounded a bazillion jacks, mangrove snappers, grunts and all kinds of fish. Lot of fun, Joe said. Fish on the trips were caught on jigheads with either Gulp new penny shrimp or live shrimp or flies. These trips fished from near port to the back country near Cape Sable, mainland Florida’s southwestern-most place. The point: Many fish bit. That included large ones, like redfish to 8 pounds, snook to 8 or 9 pounds, and jacks to 10 pounds. That’s a big jack. The tarpon were decent-sized, and can be caught all winter, if an angler knows where to find them. Was fishing better than in past years, or were you getting better at the fishing? Joe was asked.  He was getting better, he said. He’s been running the trips for some years, and has built up different holes to fish. 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>

Winds blew, and Capt. George from the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> did no fishing, but is available for charters, he said. Any trips will probably fish for blackfish. Trips with him had been fishing for striped bass on Delaware Bay, but striper season will be closed in bays and rivers in January and February. The Heavy Hitter was hauled to dry dock for the season, but George can run charters on a friend’s boat.

<b>***Update, Thursday, 1/3:***</b> The party boat <b>Porgy IV</b> sailed for blackfish on Saturday in the rain and on Monday, New Year’s Eve, after tremendous winds, Capt. Paul said. Only a few keepers and a bunch of throwbacks bit on Saturday, and only throwbacks chomped on Monday. The fishing wasn’t good, and maybe the winds affected the tautog, or maybe Paul “went to the wrong spot,” he said. He couldn’t know. Waters were cold, but he’s caught blackfish in colder. He’ll try sailing for blackfish again at 8 a.m. this Saturday and Sunday, and anglers were calling to go. Weather’s supposed to be good on Saturday. So long as the fish keep biting and the weather is okay, trips will keep sailing for blackfish at 8 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

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