<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Capt. Tom from the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>, in a phone call Sunday after the day’s trip, had originally reported not such great bottom-fishing. But this morning’s trip was off to a much better start, he said in a phone call aboard at 9:30 a.m. By that time, a bit of a pick of porgies, he said, was happening, and some anglers blackfished, and caught. Some anglers bucketed two or three porgies, and others bagged six or seven. Ones who blackfished had lifted-in a couple of keepers already. The fishing was a pick, but if it held up like that through the trip, it would be better than during the past couple of days. Previously, only Saturday’s and Sunday’s trips sailed, after the vessel was weathered out a moment. The angling wasn’t so great then. Saturday’s trip sailed to the reef, on the ocean, and porgies began to be picked. But all anglers landed a few, and those who blackfished pulled in a couple of the tautog. The boat was moved, in an effort to find better fishing. But that didn’t work out, and the trip couldn’t get porgy fishing “going.” The trip probably should’ve kept fishing at the original location. Only a few anglers showed up for Sunday’s trip, but the trip fished, down the ocean beach. Most of the anglers wanted to blackfish, so the trip did. One is the blackfish bag limit, but the anglers were content to catch and release more. They all bagged one, Tom thought, and a few porgies were nabbed, but the angling wasn’t good. Though winds blew 15 or 20 knots during the weekend, they blew westerly, so the ocean fishing grounds were protected by land. Conditions weren’t bad at all. Though the weekend’s angling was tough, this morning’s improvement looked promising, and Tom hopes it will hold up. Trips will be able to target sea bass starting Friday, opening day of sea bass season. More effort will be put into sea bass then, and trips already caught and released sea bass sometimes. The Atlantic Star is bottom-fishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily for porgies and blackfish.

Striped bass fishing was tough, to say the least, the last couple of days, Capt. Ron wrote Saturday in a report on the party boat <b>Fishermen</b>’s Web site. That was the most recent report at press time. Waters were 57 ½ degrees, and lots of bait schooled, so the angling had to become better soon, he said. Good striper catches were sometimes made previously aboard, including on Wednesday, covered in the last report. On Saturday’s trip, a 35-pound 48-inch striper was eeled, though. A handful of just-keepers and some throwbacks were reeled in. Conditions became nasty, when winds began to howl. The boat was chartered Sunday morning. The Fishermen is sailing for striped bass 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily, 6:30 to 11:30 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 6:30 to 9 p.m. Sundays.

<b>Highlands</b>

For <b>Fisher Price Charters</b>, striped bass fishing was very good, Capt. Derek said. Trips limited out every day, jigging, eeling and trolling the bass. Charters are fishing, and the next open-boat trips for stripers will sail Friday and Sunday. Telephone to climb aboard or to be kept informed about future open dates.

<b>Neptune</b>

<b>***Update, Tuesday, 10/29:***</b> Fishing for striped bass was up and down, and on a trip for them Saturday with <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b>, “we didn’t have any luck,” Capt. Ralph wrote in an e-mail. But the trip, with members of the Tri Angler Fishing Club, “saved the day,” Ralph said, with porgies, piling up a good catch of them. Striper fishing was good the next day on a trip that also stopped for blackfish, catching them well, too. An individual-reservation trip for cod, pollock and hake is set for Monday. An individual-reservation, inshore wreck-fishing trip is slated for November 10, and sea bass season will be opened Friday. An individual-reservation trip for blackfish is on the books for November 16, when the bag limit will be increased to six from the current limit of one. Charters are available daily, and if a few anglers want to fish on a date, they should let Ralph know, and he’ll set up a trip.

<b>Belmar</b>

Striped bass fishing was okay on the ocean Sunday on the <b>Katie H</b>, Capt. Mike said. Four keepers and a couple of throwbacks were jigged, and more stripers, a large body, swam beyond 3 miles from shore, where striper fishing is closed. Coast Guard cutters and helicopters patrolled, enforcing that. The stripers that were hooked bit well in the morning, in the first hour of fishing, then shut off. Afterward, weakfish, small blues, porgies and out-of-season sea bass, thrown back, were jigged. Sea bass season will be opened Friday. Winds blew terribly offshore, preventing boats from tuna fishing at the canyons. But tuna are still out there, Mike thinks. “We’re not throwing in the towel yet,” he said. Trips aboard are still fishing for them. The Katie H features speed and all the amenities, comfortable in autumn weather.

Weather was windy, but fishing picked away with <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b>, Capt. Pete said. That included for striped bass, and on some days they bit, and on others, they didn’t. On some days, they swam beyond 3 miles from shore, where striper fishing is closed. Tons of weakfish, mostly spikes, schooled. Bluefishing was better on some days than on others. Angling for porgies and blackfish was similar. On some days they chewed, and on others, not. Don’t have enough anglers for a charter? Contact Pete anyway, or <a href=" http://www.parkerpetefishing.com/" target="_blank">subscribe to Parker Pete’s e-mailed newsletter</a>, to be kept informed about individual-spaces available on charters. Look for the place to sign up on the right side of the page on the boat’s Web site.

Here’s a short report, Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> wrote in an e-mail. The Asbury Park surf-fishing club held its fall invitational tournament for several clubs. Asbury won with 96 points, and the other clubs – from Berkley Township, Bradley Beach and Monmouth Beach – failed to score points. “We should be seeing more fish!” Bob said. Sergio Mercado from the Asbury club dragged in the event's largest striper, a 22-pounder. 

Fishing was tough in winds through the weekend on the party boat <b>Golden Eagle</b>, a report on the vessel’s Web site said. On Sunday’s trip, huge bluefish and a few striped bass were picked at first. Then winds built to 25 knots or stronger, and the boat drifted fast, at 2 knots, and catches dropped right off. Plenty of fish and bait were marked, and plenty of birds worked bait along the surface. On Saturday, hardly any fish bit, and only a handful of blues, some weakfish and a throwback striper were caught. Winds built to 25 to 30 knots by mid-day, and the boat drifted too fast.  Plenty of birds and readings were seen. On Friday’s trip, fishing wasn’t the greatest. Four stripers and a couple of throwbacks were landed in the first 10 minutes, and the angling looked like it would be great. Then a handful of stripers and some large blues to 20 pounds were all that was hooked. A 36-pound striper was the trip’s largest, though. The Golden Eagle is fishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and 7:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. Thursdays through Sundays. Starting Friday, Striperthons will fish every Monday and Friday from 6 a.m. until usually 3 or 4 p.m.

<b>Brielle</b>

The ocean was loaded with bluefish, and striped bass fishing there was slow, said Capt. Ken from the <b>Big Kid</b>. The blues were gorged with ling and bunker, so a Tony Maja No. 4 bunker spoon was trolled that hooked a 125-pound thresher shark. Two overnight tuna trips are slated to fish the offshore canyons aboard this weekend. No boats sailed for tuna at the canyons in past days. “It’s been nasty as heck,” Ken said. Mid-week dates are available for charters. Sea bass season will be opened Friday, and the crew loves bottom-fishing, including for sea bass, and for blackfish. Blackfishing will begin when the bag limit is increased to six on November 16 from the current limit of one.

Fishing picked away at ling throughout a trip on the party boat <b>Jamaica II</b>, an e-mail from the vessel said. Some anglers bagged about 20. “Was kinda snarly, too,” the e-mail said. Carl Palestrini copped 21. Trips for blackfish, porgies and ling were set for 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. today and tomorrow. A trip will sail for ling and cod at the Mudhole at 5 a.m. Wednesday.  On Thursday, the boat will run for cod 3 a.m. to 5 p.m., and that’ll be the final one of those trips until December 28. Sea bass season will be opened November 1, and trips for sea bass will sail: 10 hours or 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. November  1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12, 14 and 15; 12 hours or 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. November 6, 11, 13 and 29; and 14 hours or 3 a.m. to 5 p.m. November 9, 23 and 30.

Ocean striped bass fishing was fair, and some big bass were in, said Eric from <b>The Reel Seat</b>. They were sort of scattered, including along the inshore edge of Axel Carlson Reef to 1 ½ miles off Manasquan Inlet, and they swarmed all over Shrewsbury Rocks. A few were jigged, and they were trolled. Metal jigs with green tails worked well. Different soft-plastic lures on jigheads caught them. Trolling seemed best with rubber shads, though tons of sand eels schooled. Loads of large bluefish schooled the ocean, smacking the same things as the bass. If boaters wanted to target blues alone, they could push 3 ½ or 4 miles from shore, including at the Rattle Snake or right off Manasquan Inlet, finding even more blues than closer to shore. Striper fishing is closed beyond 3 miles from the coast. Surf fishing for stripers picked up a bit. Good reports were heard about the angling from Monmouth Beach, Spring Lake and Seaside Park on Saturday. In the surf at night, plugs like Bombers and Daiwa SP Minnows caught. During day, needlefish lures worked well. But teasers were necessary with all the lures. Manasquan River was crammed with small stripers, and also bait. On a striper trip on the river at Route 35 Bridge on Saturday night, Eric saw rainfish, spearing, sand eels, mullet and peanut bunker. Back on the ocean, porgy fishing sounded “eh,” he said. A few were picked to the north. Not a lot of boaters bottom-fished for catches like that, but maybe more will, once sea bass season is opened Friday. Bluefin tuna were reported seen inshore, but definitely not consistently. Not many anglers were heard about who fished for them, let along caught them. Farther from shore, canyon tuna fishing was good, when boaters had the weather to sail. Longfin tuna fishing was solid, and sometimes yellowfin tuna were decked, at the canyons. Chunking during daytime hooked them, and hammered 6- and 8-ounce jigs especially did. A few were chunked at night, and swordfish were chunked at night. But trolling for tuna during daytime was slow at the canyons. Most trips ran to Hudson Canyon, and that didn’t mean the fish didn’t swim other canyons. But anglers steamed to the Hudson because catches were made there, apparently. The store’s sale on rods and reels is ongoing. 

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

Water temperatures dropped, so surf fishing should improve, a report on <b>The Dock Outfitters</b> Web site said. The shop’s log book showed that the first week of November was the average date when the fishing started, peaking in the third to fourth week. “Of course, nothing is etched in stone,” the report said. A few good-sized striped bass were eeled from the waters this morning. The angling recently was a slow pick. Most stripers were beached on evening tides on Daiwa SP Minnow lures with teasers or any metal that could imitate sand eels, also with teasers. Eels, sandworms, fresh clams and assorted frozen baits were stocked. The Dock Outfitters, located on the bay, features an extensive supply of bait and tackle, a dock to fish and crab from and boat rentals for fishing and crabbing.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Small bluefish and a few weakfish were shuffled aboard Friday at first on the party boat <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b>, a report on the vessel’s Web site said. Big blues to 20 pounds were hammered afterward, after noontime, after the trip ran up and down the beach. “Lots of arm weary anglers,” the report said. Striped bass were seen visually and were marked, but none bit. Saturday’s trip sailed as far north as Sandy Hook, but fishing was slow, though birds worked bait along the water surface, and abundant bait schooled, and fish were marked. A few blues and weakfish were hooked. “All the boats along the coast had similar results,” the report said. Sunday’s trip was similar, sailing all the way to Sandy Hook. One keeper striped bass and a few weakfish were landed, though lots of bait schooled, and lots of birds worked, to the north of Barnegat Inlet. The Miss Barnegat Light is jigging for striped bass and bluefish at 7 a.m. Fridays through Sundays.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

The ocean was 57.9 degrees at Atlantic City on Friday morning, a report on <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>’s Web site said.  Water temperatures were creeping down because of colder nights, and striper reports were creeping up! it said. One angler weighed in two stripers 14.3 pounds and 13 pounds from Mullica River on Friday. Reports about larger, migrating stripers were yet roll in from Little Egg Inlet, but the migration seemed to be slowly sliding south toward local waters. Throwback stripers were reported caught and released from land at Graveling Point and Pebble Beach. A customer bagged a 29-inch keeper at Graveling on Thursday night. Blackfishing was good, including along the banks of the bay.

<b>Absecon</b>

Watch this video of back-bay striped bass fishing with Capt. Dave Showell, owner of <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>.  The film is apparently a work in progress to be expanded about a striper charter with Dave. Dave was reporting striper catches from the bay on the store’s Facebook page, where the video came from.

<b>Brigantine</b>

 Linda D., who checked in striped bass from Brigantine’s surf last week, stopped in with another on Sunday at <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>, a report on the shop’s Web site said. This one weighed 21 ½ pounds, and she said stripers are here, and that many anglers “are throwing <i>over</i> the fish,” the report said. The bass swam tight to shore. Linda stopped in with three stripers to 25 pounds last week from 18 she banked from the island’s surf on a trip, covered in the last report. What did she fish with? European slug legs, the report said. “They are said to emit and replicate the scent that is identical to the mating pheromones of a spawning female striper,” it said. Samples will be given to the first 100 customers that visit and say “sluggo!” Another angler stopped in with two stripers to 15 ½ pounds from the beach Friday, and released another. He fished rubber eels.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

A bunch of reports came in about striped bass pasted in Sea Isle City’s surf Saturday, <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>’s blog said that day. A photo was posted that showed an angler with one plugged on an Atomizer popper lure, an old classic. Popper plugs, fresh bunker and fresh clams hooked stripers from Sea Isle’s surf. Several especially large stripers were whaled from the surf at Brigantine and Atlantic City last week. Striper fishing was good on the back bay near Sea Isle. In evenings, bucktails with curly tails, Rat-L-Traps and popper plugs grabbed them. At night, black Bomber lures or livelined eels or spots did. If anglers fished for the bass at night under lights, like at bridges, soft-plastic lures worked well, like Fin-S Fish or Bass Assassins. One angler bought green crabs in the morning from the shop, sailed to an ocean wreck, and returned with a 9-1/2-pound blackfish. He and the trip’s other angler landed three, keeping no more than a limit of one apiece, before heading in. The blackfish bag limit will be increased to six on November 16. Sea bass season will be opened Friday. The store’s striper tournament, the South Jersey Striper Slam, will be held November 8 to 10. Registration is $125 per boat and $50 for shore or kayak anglers, and first-place winners will take all the money, and prizes will be awarded for second and third places. The boundaries are from the ocean to the bays, from Great Egg Harbor Inlet to Cape May, not including Delaware Bay. Calcuttas are available, and an awards ceremony, with soda, sandwiches and sides, will be included on the final day. Contact or visit the store for more info, and more is available on <a href=" http://seaislebaitandtackle.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Sea Isle Bait & Tackle’s blog</a> and <a href=" https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sea-Isle-Bait-Tackle-LLC/178718692176097" target="_blank">Facebook page</a>.

Annual traveling charters to Montauk, New York, were wrapped up this weekend aboard, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b>, affiliated with <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. The trips fish the migration of striped bass and blues from the port, and now all attention aboard will be paid to the run at Sea Isle that should begin soon. An angler and son joined the Montauk fishing on Sunday. They jigged five striped bass and more than 30 blues, some larger than 16 pounds. Fish were hooked all day, including double and triple headers. At Sea Isle, the migration will be fished in November and December, and those charters should be booked without delay.  High tides at dusk are ideal for fishing for stripers on the back bay this week. The fish are mostly throwbacks, and the angling’s been good. Joe on short trips with family last week nailed them, in less than ideal tides, on Bass Assassins in Electric Chicken, mentioned in the last report. Weakfish currently schooled the ocean. Take an After Work Special Trip, fishing from afternoon to dark, a great time for angling. Joe’s next annual traveling charters will fish the Florida Keys from Christmas to Easter, mostly on weekends. Anglers can arrive on a Friday evening, fish all day Saturday and part of Sunday, return Sunday evening, and be back to work on Monday. The trips can be a mini, fish-filled vacation, for a large variety of catches, from redfish and speckled sea trout to tarpon and sailfish. Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s blog</a>.

<b>Cape May</b>

The season’s first striped bass charter is set for Friday on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>, Capt. George said. The trip will bunker chunk on Delaware Bay, and George in a previous report talked about the chunking being good on the bay in recent years. That angling for stripers – fishing with chunks of fresh bunker on the bay – was more consistent than striper fishing at the Cape May Rips in recent years. At the rips – rough waters off Cape May Point – live bait like eels or spots, or soft-plastic lures on jigheads or bucktails, are fished. But the catches were unreliably at the rips in recent years. That could change. Stripers used to be caught on the ocean, like off Wildwood, on clams or by trolling in autumn. Those catches didn’t develop in recent years. But that could change, too. Sea bass trips will be available starting Friday, opening day of sea bass season.  

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