<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

On the party boat <b>Fishermen</b>, striped bass to 18 pounds, good catches on several trips recently, were eeled at night, Capt. Ron wrote in a report on the vessel’s Web site. Daytime trips will start sailing for stripers Saturday, fishing with eels, clams, jigs or whatever it takes. The Fisherman will begin fishing for striped bass 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily Saturday. Trips are already fishing for them 6:30 to 11:30 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 6:30 to 9 p.m. Sundays.

Striped bass were boated, mostly on eels, both day and night, said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. But they were wormed in the river at night. Boaters jigged and bunker-chunked lots of bluefish. Good porgy fishing was cracked, and a few sea bass were around, but more were before sea bass season was opened.  Not many croakers were in anymore. In the surf, striped bass were beached before daylight, like on swimming plugs. Once daylight came, bluefish were fought from the waters. All baits are stocked.

Mostly porgies were netted on the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>, and the fishing was good Monday, Capt. Tom said. The catch wasn’t nearly as good on Tuesday morning’s trip as on previous trips, and currents ran strong. Currents sometimes ran strong in recent days, around the new moon. The angling picked up again on the afternoon’s trip, not fast and furious, not great like during the weekend, but some anglers totaled 15 to 18 porgies. Wednesday morning’s catch was okay, and the afternoon’s was tough, maybe because of strong current. Some big porgies chewed. “Just couldn’t keep it going,” Tom said. But all anglers caught. A few sea bass were bagged on trips, but loads of throwbacks swam. All in all, fishing aboard was good, was still okay, and all anglers left with fish. Weather was spectacular in past days on the waters.  The Atlantic Star is bottom-fishing 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 6 p.m. daily.

<b>Highlands</b>

Striped bass, very good catches, were plastered Wednesday with <b>Fisher Price Charters</b>, Capt. Derek said. The trip limited out on live and chunked bunker, and additional keepers were thrown back. Charters are fishing, and open-boat trips for stripers will sail Friday and Saturday evenings and Sunday morning. Telephone to climb aboard or to be kept informed about future open trips.

For anglers on the <b>Hyper Striper</b>, striped bass “continue to please,” Capt. Pete wrote in an e-mail. He included a photo of a group who limited out on the bass Wednesday aboard, and shots were posted on Hyper’s Facebook page that showed charters who caught stripers and bluefish aboard through the past week. The page also showed bottom-fishing trips, including one with a good catch of sea bass Saturday.  

From <b>Twin Lights Marina</b>, Greg Hanna and Rich Scherer on the Annie H boated striped bass to 15 pounds and bluefish to 6 pounds at Flynn’s Knoll on bunker, Marion wrote in an e-mail. Twin Lights, conveniently located on Shrewsbury River, with no bridges before Raritan Bay and the ocean, features boat slips, rack storage, a fuel dock, ship’s store supplies, and a complete bait and tackle shop. When in demand, baits can include bushels of fresh clams, live bunker and offshore baits like flats of sardines.

<b>Neptune</b>

Capt. Ralph from <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b> just returned from a short fishing trip at Mississippi with buddies, he wrote in an e-mail. Windy weather wasn’t the best for sea bass fishing on the ocean during the weekend with Last Lady, covered in the last report. But anglers scratched out a catch, enough to keep them happy. Now is the time to book for bottom fish, bluefish and striped bass, Ralph wrote in the e-mail. Upcoming individual-reservation trips with space available include those for inshore wreck fishing on October 13 and November 10, cod on November 4 and blackfish on November 16. The first inshore wreck trip, notably, is just before sea bass season is closed October 15. The second is after it’s reopened November 1. Another one of the cod trips is full this month. The blackfish trip is on the day that the bag limit is increased to six from the current limit of one. More individual-reservation trips will be added. Charters are available daily, and Last Lady will fish well into winter. The cabin features heat and a new, extended enclosure. 

<b>Belmar</b>

Bluefishing on the ocean was on and off aboard, said Capt. Alan from the party boat <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b>. The fishing was slow, just picked, during the weekend. A few false albacore and an occasional bonito were mixed in. Tuesday’s trip beat up blues very well, and Wednesday’s caught just okay. Nighttime trips for blues were similar. The angling on Friday night’s trip was no good, but on Saturday’s was great. The Miss Belmar Princess is bluefishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and 7:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. The <b>Royal Miss Belmar</b> is fishing for sea bass 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

Very good fishing for big bluefish today on the party boat <b>Golden Eagle</b>, a report on the vessel’s Web site said. Both jigs and bait caught the 8- to 14-pounders the first 2 hours, excellent angling. Then bait hooked them the rest of the outing. On Wednesday’s trip, fishing for large blues was good, slowing down in early afternoon. All customers went home with the fish. On Tuesday’s trip, fishing was very good for 8- to 15-pounders, and many anglers limited out. The Golden Eagle is bluefishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and 7:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. Thursdays through Sundays.

Angling for sea bass became good on the ocean, Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> wrote in an e-mail. Fishing can change at a quick pace this time of year, he said. In the last report, he talked about slower sea bassing, after sea bass season was opened Friday, though people had expected good catches. “Now things are as we hoped: good fishing,” he said. Bluefishing was up and down on the ocean, “now on an upward trend, as are the (false albacore),” he said. Blackfish hit like it was their last meal, he said. Point Pleasant Canal and the inlets were loaded with them, but be careful about the limit of one at 15 inches or larger, Bob said. Surf fishing gave up mixed results. Striped bass, bluefish and spike weakfish drew anglers to the waters, “hoping for a legal fish to take home,” he said. “The big guys (migrating stripers) are on their way.” 

With <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b>, sea bass fishing moved from spot to spot to put catches together on the ocean, Capt. Pete said. A marathon sea bass trip Wednesday pumped in the fish, but wind against tide was difficult for the angling. All the anglers bagged sea bass, though. A few porgies and blackfish were boated among sea bass on trips. Nothing spectacular, Pete said. But he hopes sea bass fishing picks up. Trips for striped bass and blackfish are being booked for later this season. Boaters started to troll a few stripers from the ocean. Nothing crazy, Pete said. The blackfish trips will begin when the bag limit is increased to six on November 16, from the current limit of one. 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.

<b>Brielle</b>

<b>***Update, Saturday, 10/5:***</b> Sea bass fishing improved Thursday and Friday, especially Friday, on the party boat <b>Jamaica II</b>, Capt. Ryan wrote in an e-mail. Mark Grant from Sebastian, Fla., was high hook on Friday, limiting out on sea bass to 3 ½ pounds. He also threw back an 8-pound, out-of-season fluke. Ray Bryant from South Orange on Friday bagged 16 sea bass and a couple of porgies, and tossed back a 6-pound fluke. The Jamaica II will fish 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. today and 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sunday.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

Capt. Ray from <b>Mushin Sportfishing</b> took some of the staff from Island Beach State Park fishing aboard Wednesday, he wrote in an e-mail. He oversees the park, and bluefishing was excellent on the trip, on the ocean to the north, a few miles from shore. No signs of striped bass were seen, and waters were warm for them, in the upper 60s. But Ray heard that some stripers were around. Abundant sand eels were “of particular note,” he said. The bluefish were packed with them. That was encouraging “for a good fall bass and bluefish run!” he wrote. The trip also stopped to check out sea bass fishing at a rock pile. The angling was great, and 40 were bagged in an hour. Nearly half the sea bass hooked were keepers, and if the trip had fished for them longer, “I’m sure it would have been a nice haul,” Ray said. The fishing was a pleasant surprise, because he heard that sea bassing was “not too swift,” he said. An overnight tuna trip is slated aboard Friday to Saturday, and the crew hopes for good fishing at night. News was heard about yellowfin tuna “coming a little closer to home,” Ray said. Autumn weather will probably make getting weather windows more difficult for the trips offshore.  But if anglers are willing to wait for the opportunities, they should book the trips as soon as possible. Mushin means a relaxed state of readiness. The crew pride themselves on sharing the experience on outdoor adventures.

Porgies and sea bass were scooped aboard the party boat <b>Dauntless</b>, Capt. Butch said. Porgy fishing was fair, or good on some days, a little slow on others. Sea bass fishing wasn’t as good as he’d like, but some sizeable ones were caught, and could be kept, now that sea bass season was opened Friday. A blackfish was bagged Tuesday, and two that were large, including the pool-winner, were on Monday. Overall, Butch was pleased with catches, and though he wished sea bass fishing was a little better, anglers were able to put fish in the pail. On a good day, they landed 20 to 50 fish apiece. On a slower day, they bucketed five to 20. Trips fished in 30 to 60 feet, and waters were 62 to 64 degrees. Butch would like to see waters become a little chillier quicker, “so fish start moving down the beach,” he said. The Dauntless is fishing 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily.

Sea bass fishing became much better on Tuesday than before on the party boat <b>Norma-K III</b>, Capt. Matt wrote in a report on the vessel’s Web site. Catches were slow previously, but on Tuesday, no customers limited out, but all bagged 10 to 15, about. Those who fished with crabs “had a great time catching blackfish,” he said. They all bagged a limit of one, and a 5-pounder was largest. The boat is carrying some green crabs. Wednesday was another great day on the water, Matt said. Sea bass catches were a little slower than on Tuesday, but anglers picked away at them and blackfish. “We did read more fish … on the rocks and wrecks,” he said, but they didn’t bite like expected. The high hook totaled 12 keeper sea bass and bagged a blackfish. Pat Farley from Point Pleasant won the pool with a 4-pound blackfish. The Norma-K III is sailing for sea bass 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and for bluefish 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

<b>Toms River</b>

Along the Toms River, snapper blues and a few spots were plucked, and crabbing slowed, but some were trapped, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. Blowfish still collected in Barnegat Bay around the BI and BB markers. More and more kingfish appeared in the bay, hooked while anglers blowfished. In the surf, bluefish were picked, and waters warmed. More and more striped bass, mostly throwbacks, were hung from the surf at night on plugs and teasers. Most anglers didn’t know about them, because the fishing was at night. Two anglers Wednesday talked about landing them on trips continually. The ocean needs to cool before the migration of stripers slides south to the local coast. Waters were 65 degrees all the way to Montauk, New York. Fluke still came from the surf. Bonito, false albacore and small bluefish were trolled at Barnegat and Manasquan ridges on Clark spoons and feathers.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

Hit-or-miss bluefishing was clocked from the surf, said Mario from <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>.  Throwback striped bass were sometimes banked. Clams worked on them, and mullet were still around in the waters. Ava jigs with teasers hooked the shorts. Surf catches should pick up soon, once water temperatures drop. Around the dock, lots of snapper blues swam. Spearing nabbed them, and a few kingfish were tugged from the dock. Crabbing was okay from boats. Mario trapped six to 10 per pull in overnight pots. 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>Forked River</b>

Blowfish chomped in Barnegat Bay still, said Jana from <b>Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle</b>. East of the BB marker was a good place to catch them. Near the 40 and 42 were places to sack them, and mostly outgoing tides seemed to produce. The usual clams or squid on the hook in a clam chum slick on anchor was the way to boat them. Kingfish were in the mix, and so were sand sharks. A trip Jana joined picked up four sand sharks and a weakfish among blowfish. Weakfish were reeled from Barnegat Bay at the mouth of Oyster Creek – the intake for the Forked River power plant – and in the creek at both the bridge and the new park at Waretown. Croakers and small bluefish nipped in the creek at the bridge. Out-of-season fluke remained in the bay and the ocean near shore. At Barnegat Inlet, striped bass were beaned along the jetties. Most were heard about from along the north jetty. A few reports started to be heard about small stripers trolled on the ocean near the beach. Sea bass were boated on the ocean at the Tires and Barnegat Ridge South and from 80 feet off Harvey Cedars.  Big bluefish were smashed on the ocean on boats from Belmar. A 17-pounder was weighed in from the party boat Golden Eagle from there. Fewer people crabbed by this time of season, but crabs can usually be trapped to Halloween, and are usually bigger than earlier, having grown. Fresh clams, eels, green crabs and killies are stocked.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Not a lot was heard, because not a lot fished, said Greg from <b>Bobbie’s Boat Rentals</b>. But one customer landed a bunch of small weakfish and a couple of sizeable blackfish along Barnegat Inlet’s north jetty. A few small striped bass were winged along the inlet’s jetties in mornings. Livelined spots will nail them. Nothing was heard about sea bass, since sea bass season was opened Friday. No customers crabbed, and one clammed, gathering just a dozen.  Bobbie’s includes a bait and tackle store, a fuel dock, boat rentals for fishing, crabbing and clamming on the bay, and kayak rentals, and is known for a large bait selection. Baits stocked include live spots, fresh clams, eels, green crabs and killies. 

<b>Surf City</b>

The surf harbored kingfish, and angling for them could be spotty, but some anglers banked a bunch, said Bruce from <b>Surf City Bait & Tackle</b>. Small bluefish were showing in the waters, grabbing fresh mullet on mullet rigs. How much mullet migrated the surf? Bruce was asked. The netter found none today, Bruce said, but Bruce saw baitfish schools in the bay when crossing the bridge today. Mullet are obviously pushing toward Barnegat Inlet, he said. Bruce plugged a couple of throwback striped bass from the inlet’s south jetty last week. But it’s not a fishery, he said, and migrating stripers were yet to show up. Weakfish were reported beached from the surf at night on another store’s Web site, but Bruce heard about none first-hand, so couldn’t confirm the catches. Also in the bay, blowfish, spots and small croakers bit. Fresh mullet and bunker and bloodworms are stocked.  Visit <a href="http://www.surfcitybaitandtackle.com/" target="_blank">Surf City Bait & Tackle’s Web site</a>. Keep in touch on <a href=" http://www.facebook.com/pages/Surf-City-Bait-and-Tackle/207533229268619
" target="_blank">Surf City Bait & Tackle’s Facebook page</a>.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

Nothing new was heard about striped bass, since a few began to be caught that were reported previously, said Brian from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. More bluefish started to fill Great Bay than before. Blowfish, big, were boated behind Holgate. Lots of small sea bass schooled the bay. Not so many sea bass were boxed from the ocean reefs during the weekend, after sea bass season was opened Friday, or the fishing was a bust. But seas were rough, maybe a cause, and this weekend is supposed to be beautiful. Blackfish should snap along the bay’s banks and holes, though nothing was heard about them. Blackfish caught, lots, were heard about from farther north, along Barnegat Inlet’s jetties. Fresh, shucked clams, bloodworms, live grass shrimp, green crabs and minnows are stocked.

<b>Absecon</b>

Catches of weakfish picked up from the back bay, said Capt. Dave from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. Whether that was because the weakfish population grew or because more anglers fished, because of better, warmer weather, couldn’t be known. More anglers did fish, but maybe the warmth could cause fishing to go into a “holding pattern.” That’s instead of fishing improving, like it will this fall, sometime. Fishing was slow, really, but striped bass catches seemed to improve daily in the back bay, like along sod banks or the mouth of Mullica River. Fishing for them at night on popper lures, currently the best way to catch them, especially improved. The mouths of Mullica and Great Egg Harbor rivers held a variety of fish. The population of spots and croakers thinned out there. But weakfish, white perch, snapper bluefish and mixed-sizes of stripers – “nothing great,” Dave said, but some pushing keeper-sized – swam the mouths. Blackfishing was good along bridges, sod banks and jetties. A few triggerfish remained. Lots of sea bass, occasionally a keeper, schooled toward bridges. In the ocean, blackfish were cranked from inshore wrecks, and catches of sea bass seemed better closer to shore than farther. Not a lot of sea bass were found deeper, Dave heard. The surf was in the mid-60 degrees, and kingfishing could be good there at times. Spots became less abundant in the surf, and a few weakfish were banked from the waters. Not many mullet schooled the surf, so not many striped bass showed up there. Baits stocked include live mullet, spots and peanut bunker. Shedder crabs are stocked today, but that could be the final supply this season. 

<b>Brigantine</b>

There were signs that throwback striped bass started to show up, said Capt. Andy from <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>. Some had sea lice on them, “which is a good sign,” he said. Sea lice are believed a sign that the fish are migrators. Andy wasn’t asked the location of the striper catches, but the surf seemed likely. Bluefish sometimes popped up in the surf. Lots of blackfish chewed along Absecon Inlet’s jetty in Brigantine. Baits stocked include fresh clams in the shell and good-sized bloodworms. The bunker supplier will try to net the menhaden Friday for the shop to stock, so anglers will see whether the baitfish are caught. The shop’s annual bounty will be awarded for the season’s first striper 43 inches or larger checked in from Brigantine’s surf. The bounty was up to $165 or $175, and entry is $5, required 12 hours before catching the fish. The winner takes all the cash. Also, the Riptide Striper Derby, the annual Brigantine surf-fishing contest, is under way until December 23.  When entrants purchase a Brigantine beach-buggy permit, the tournament provides another permit to drive onto the beach along the entire island, instead of only at the cove, south jetty and north end. Prizes are $500, $300 and $150 for first, second and third prizes, respectively. Plus, a monthly $100 prize and a weekly $25 prize are awarded.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

Plentiful blackfish littered Absecon Inlet, said Noel from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. The nearby inlet, fished by customers on foot, is lined with fish-attracting jetties. Anglers could choose the blackfish they wanted to bag, tossing back other keepers, fishing with green crabs. Also from the waters, spots and croakers were sometimes still flung in, on bloodworms. Straggler striped bass were honked from along the jetties on clams or plugs 2 hours before and after low tides. Lots of baitfish schooled the waters, including mullet, spearing and peanut bunker. Not a lot of mullet were around, but some were. Sea bass schooled the back bay, “believe it or not,” Noel said. Keepers could be caught, and the fish swam near the wind mills. Local fishing was pretty good, steady. All the baits mentioned, including fresh mullet, and more are stocked. Catch the sale on Penn Battle 6000 Reels for $100. 

<b>Margate</b>

The party boat <b>Keeper</b> was on break last weekend, after summer flounder season was closed, but will fish for blackfish the next two weekends on the back bay, Capt. John said. Prices are great, because the pontoon boat is economical on fuel, and the fishing on the bay is close to port. Trips are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors and $15 for kids. Afterward, the boat will go on break through winter. The boat mostly fishes for flounder on the bay throughout the year, starting the trips when flounder season is opened in spring, ending them when the season is closed in late summer or fall, going on break in winter.

<b>Ocean City</b>

Kingfish and spots scurried around the surf, said John from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. Small blues bounced around the surf, both in the ocean and Corson’s Inlet. Weakfish sometimes bit at Corson’s in evenings along the beach. Throwback striped bass were played along the back bay’s sod banks on top-water plugs or soft-plastic lures. On the ocean, good numbers of sea bass gathered along reefs. Weather looks great this weekend to boat for them, and many people will probably head out. Customers planned to sail for tuna tonight and Friday, and probably eight days ago was the last time tuna fishing was heard about. “It’s been a strange year,” John said. The shop usually gives lots of offshore news.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Lots of blues were tackled from Townsend’s and Corson’s inlets, said Mike from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. Mullet caught them best, but spoons and different bluefish lures landed them. A couple of weakfish were heard about each day that were reeled in from among them. Striped bass, mostly smaller, resident, non-migrating fish, were banked from the surf, both along the ocean and the inlets. But they definitely bit. The mullet migration tapered a lot in the surf, but some were reported. At night, striper fishing went well along bridges. Soft-plastic lures like Zooms or Fin-S Fish and hard lures like Yozuri Pins Minnows and Rapala X-Raps hooked them.  On the ocean, sea bass fishing, like on party boats, didn’t sound like it “set the world on fire,” Mike said. But nobody complained, and the fishing was pretty good, he’d say. Nothing was really heard about fishing for tuna offshore. Crabbing was still decent, and people crabbed every weekend.

The back bay’s fishing for striped bass was a slow pick in evenings on popper-lures and -flies, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. High tides at dusk were ideal for the fishing this week, and Joe will fish for them again this evening, and also for bluefish on the ocean. Lots of blues to 3 pounds schooled the ocean. So did small but abundant weakfish – spikes.  That’s the fishing Joe’s doing from Sea Isle City, but he’s also running traveling charters to Montauk, New York, to fish the migration of large stripers and big blues on weekends, like every year. That angling’s been great, but getting better each weekend. He ran the trips the past two weekends, covered in previous reports, and will go again this weekend. Catches should be good. If you’ve ever wanted to fish the run from the legendary port, Joe is going until late October. Afterward, he’ll fish for the migration from Sea Isle in November and December, and book those trips now. Also book annual traveling charters to the Florida Keys that Joe offers from Christmas to Easter, mostly on weekends. A large variety of catches can be chased, from redfish and speckled sea trout to tarpon and sailfish. The trips can be a mini, fish-filled vacation. Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s blog</a>.

<b>Wildwood</b>

Fred from <b>No Bones Bait & Tackle</b> was away the past three days, and just returned, he said. So he heard nothing about fishing locally, but nothing changed since the last report last week, he said. He attempted to film fishing for small striped bass on the back bay last week, before he left, for the show Jersey Cape Fishing. But the trip caught none, only landing small sea bass and sand sharks. In the last report, he mentioned he was going to do that, expecting to fish for the stripers with live spots and chunks of bunker. Fishing for large striped bass in the bay will be a highlight of fall fishing later this season. Boaters dunk clam bellies for bait for them, chumming with the bellies, and large bags of the clams will start to be stocked next week. Clam bellies are the whole insides of large surf clams, with all the goo. Rental boats are available to fish and crab on the bay. Nothing was heard about crabbing. Baits stocked include live spots.

<b>Cape May</b>

Fishing for sea bass was weathered out during the weekend on the <b>Down Deep</b>, Capt. Mario said. Bluefishing was good aboard lately. Charters are fishing, and sign up for the <a href=" http://www.downdeepsportfishing.com/ddsf/76-2/" target="_blank">Short Notice List</a> on Down Deep’s Web site to be kept informed about open-boat trips, including for sea bass. Dates are being booked for fishing for striped bass and blackfish later this season.

No trips fished since windy weather scrubbed sailing during the weekend on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>, Capt. George said. The boat is fishing for sea bass, blues and tuna. Striped bass charters will fish soon, and dates remain available. Telephone if interested in any of this fishing.

Seas were rough the first three days of sea bass season, and fishing for them wasn’t good aboard, said Capt. Paul from the party boat <b>Porgy IV</b>. The season was opened Friday, and seas began to settle after those days, but not a lot of sea bass were found. Fishing was good aboard Tuesday, and some big triggerfish were taken. But Paul almost didn’t want to say fishing was good that day, because not many sea bass currently bit. Maybe that’ll change “as things settle,” he said. The fish didn’t seem to bite farther offshore either, and some boats tried sailing farther out for them, but that didn’t work. Trips are at least sailing for sea bass, if anglers want to fish for them, getting a chance to bag a few. But if anglers were looking to limit out, that wasn’t happening in past days. Fishing sounded similar north and south to Paul. Catches were heard about like a handful of sea bass on a Long Beach Island boat or a total of 25 on a Brielle one. Sea bass bit when trips fished for summer flounder, before flounder season was closed. A population like that just didn’t seem to be in now, but maybe that’ll change, as conditions like seas change. The Porgy IV is sailing for sea bass at 8 a.m. daily.  

From the surf, bluefish were beaten, and a few reports about striped bass beached came in, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. Fewer spots and croakers seemed to hover the surf than before, and the migration of mullet seemed to start to slow along the shore. But mullet still showed up in the back bay. A few redfish, the southern species, were banked along the Alexander Avenue jetty. Boaters trolled blues off Cape May Point. Sea bass fishing didn’t sound so great on the ocean. Farther from shore, yellowfin tuna and false albacore were decked at the Tea Cup, mostly on the troll. Closer in, mahi mahi and occasional wahoo were gaffed at places like 19-Fathom Lump and Atlantic City Ridge. Fresh clams, bloodworms and frozen mullet are stocked. The shop’s working on stocking eels.

Back to Top