<b>Staten Island</b>

<b>Outcast Charters</b> blackfished Friday through Sunday, Capt. Joe said. On Friday’s trip, the fishing was slow or a little tough, and the boat had to be moved to different places a lot. The water was somewhat off color, because of wind and the storm in previous days, so maybe that was a reason. The anglers came a couple of fish short of a limit, and the tautog weighed up to 7 pounds. On Saturday’s trip, the fishing was better, and the anglers limited out on blackfish to 7 or 8 pounds. The trip still had to move around to a few drops. On Sunday’s trip, the fishing was good or decent, and the boat still had to be bounced around to different places, but the anglers limited out. The slipperies weighed up to 7 or 8 pounds again. More trips are slated for this week, and Outcast also fishes from Sewaren, New Jersey.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Fishing was wrapped up for the season on the party boat <b>Fishermen</b>, Capt. Ron wrote in a report on the vessel’s Web site. Trips had been striped bass fishing, and small stripers were around now, but not many keepers were. “So we figured we’d get a jump on some work over the winter,” he said. He thanked everybody who fished aboard this year, wished everybody Happy Holidays and a great New Year, and looks forward to seeing anglers in spring.

On the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>, blackfishing was pretty good Friday through Sunday, Capt. Tom said in a phone call Sunday night. Not a lot of anglers showed up on trips, though winds finally calmed, after windy, rough weather previously. Now that the weather passed, and the fishing produced, anglers should take advantage.  Saturday was cold, but today wasn’t as cold, and was cloudy, but calm. On Friday’s trip, the first to sail after the storm, a bunch of different spots to fish were tried, but the catch ended up better than Tom thought. On Saturday’s trip, the boat fished at one drop, and many throwbacks bit, but keepers were picked, and one angler limited out. Some bagged three, four or five apiece, and everyone bagged at least one. Sunday’s trip started about the same, and catches dwindled about halfway through. The boat was moved, and the anglers caught again. Three limited out, and some bagged two to five keepers. Two caught no keepers, Tom thought, but all at least landed throwbacks. On today’s trip so far, Tom said in another phone call at 10 a.m. aboard, one angler had already bagged three keepers, and some had bagged one apiece, and shorts were released. Tom hoped the fishing held up the rest of the trip. Weather forecasts look good for this week, or winds look fairly calm. The Atlantic Star is blackfishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. Green crabs are supplied for bait, and white leggers are available for sale aboard.

<b>Highlands</b>

Fishing limited out on blackfish to 9 pounds Saturday and Sunday on the <b>Vitamin Sea</b>, Capt. Frank wrote in an e-mail. Many throwbacks also bit, and green crabs and white crabs both caught well. The season’s first cod, a keeper, was cranked aboard Sunday. Though fishing was good those days, “Friday was a slow day for us,” he said. Charters are sailing, and open-boat trips will fish Wednesday through Saturday. Telephone to climb aboard. “Get your dose of Vitamin Sea!”

For <b>Fisher Price Charters</b>, blackfishing was very good, Capt. Derek said. Most of the keepers weighed 3 to 5 pounds, and on Sunday, a couple were larger, up to 9 pounds. Lots of throwbacks were mixed in that were weeded through on trips. Trips on the boat were supposed to striped bass fish, but almost all throwbacks were reported. Two keeper stripers were known about in the past two days. Bigger stripers schooled beyond 3 miles from shore, where striper fishing is closed. Maybe they’ll push closer, but Fisher Price is concentrating on blackfish for now. Charters are fishing, and the next open-boat trips will sail for blackfish Friday through Sunday. Telephone to jump aboard or to be kept informed about future open trips.

<b>Neptune</b>

A couple of the anglers limited out on blackfish, and landed more keepers, on Saturday on a trip with the Mercer County Anglers with <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b>, Capt. Ralph wrote in an e-mail. They kept no more than their quota, and Ralph also landed a limit by 11 a.m., giving the fish to the charter. All the anglers caught blackfish, and no striped bass swam the area that day, and the water was cold for stripers. Now is the time for blackfish, Ralph said. Individual-reservation trips for blackfish were just added for Thursday and Sunday, and green crabs, white leggers and clams will be provided. Individual-reservation trips for blackfish are also sailing every Friday through Sunday when no charter is booked. A charter is booked for this Saturday.

<b>Belmar</b>

Surf fishing was slow Sunday, Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> wrote in an e-mail. A few, not many, were banked, and they were very small. The water temp was down, “(and) this might have put them off their feed,” he said. A northeast wind blew a little today, and that might warm the water a little. Bob doesn’t think the surf is cold enough to make stripers depart there for the season. At this time of year, one never knows what’s going to happen with the fishing. He hopes the next surf report is better. Boaters, though, caught blackfish well.

Striped bass fishing was lots tougher after last week’s storm than before, said Capt. Pete from <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b>. Throwbacks, not many keepers, were hooked since then. Many of the larger fish now swam beyond 3 miles from shore, where striper fishing is closed. Pete didn’t want to say striper fishing was finished for the season, but it could be. Waters were cold, and maybe that was a reason. The water at Ambrose Channel was 44 or 45 degrees on a trip aboard Sunday, but was 49 degrees off Shark River Inlet. Blackfishing was good, and was different every day, but the tautog hit better than before.  The boat is fishing for them, and bluefin tuna could also be targeted aboard. Anglers heard about who went after the tuna returned with one or two, usually. 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.

A trip on the <b>Katie H</b> ran into lots of striped bass Sunday, but they were all throwbacks, between the channels off Sandy Hook, Capt. Mike said. That was the word from the fleet: Throwbacks bit. On the Katie H, the fish were jigged and trolled, including double- and triple-headers a couple of times on the troll. But the anglers were happy, Mike said, and the day was beautiful. The weather couldn’t be beaten for December. So trips will now blackfish, and are finished striper fishing for the year, and plenty of dates for trips remain. The trip Sunday blackfished, but only an hour, after the striper fishing, and the tide was changing, so nothing was doing. A blackfish bite turned on earlier in the day. Bluefin tuna were around, and charters aboard can fish for them. Large bluefins including giants swam Hudson Canyon, and smaller ones schooled the Mudhole. A friend of a friend’s trip landed five big ones. The Katie H features speed and all the amenities, for comfort, including for autumn’s weather.

“A good day of striper fishing,” a report said about Sunday on the party boat <b>Golden Eagle</b> on the vessel’s Web site. A mix of keepers and throwbacks were hooked, and plenty of bluefish were around. The high hook landed 15 stripers and some blues. The trip’s fish were jigged on both gold and chrome Run Offs in sizes 47 and 67 with tails. Saturday’s trip was “a very decent day” of striper fishing aboard, the report said. Throwbacks gave up plenty of action. “Just not a lot of keepers,” it said. Boat traffic made staying on the fish tough, and most of the bass were jigged on gold, hammered Run Offs. Friday was “a very strange day” of the fishing, the report said. The ocean was dirty within a few miles from shore, mostly because of run-off from rain the previous day, so the stripers moved farther from shore, for cleaner water, the report said. Striper fishing is closed beyond 3 miles from shore, and the trip was able to catch a couple of keepers within 3 miles. No trip was scheduled to fish Thursday for Thanksgiving. The Golden Eagle is fishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays and Saturdays and Sundays. Striperthons are fishing 6 a.m. to 3:30 or 4 p.m. Mondays and Fridays.

<b>Brielle</b>

Fishing on the <b>Big Kid</b>’s been limiting out on blackfish, Capt. Ken said. The crew loves blackfishing and all bottom-fishing like that. A trip Sunday “found some keeper stripers,” he said. Some mid-week dates are available for charters, and some weekend dates are available toward the end of December. The Big Kid fishes year-round.

Mostly throwback striped bass showed up for ocean boaters in past days, said Eric from <b>The Reel Seat</b>. Sometimes keepers were trolled to the north between the channels off Sandy Hook, and whether more will appear locally this season will be seen. Small stripers were picked locally off Bay Head on Saturday. Surf fishing for stripers was fair, mostly to the south, say from Point Pleasant Beach to Seaside. The fishing picked, wasn’t great, mostly from sunup to 8 or 9 a.m. The fishing also turned on during a couple of afternoons, and mostly tins with teasers caught during either time. Blackfishing was good on the ocean. There was sort of a spread of the fish, and if boaters fished the right piece, they scored well. Sixty-foot depths seemed best. Bluefin tuna swam the inshore ocean, but also offshore at Hudson Canyon. On the inshore grounds, the fishing is always tough in autumn. The tuna infrequently bite a hook there this season, for some reason. But sometimes the fish were hooked, mostly on trolled ballyhoos. One customer landed one on a trolled Slug-Go. At the Hudson, the fishing lit up, and the bluefins were larger, sometimes giants. Most anglers trolled for them, but some chunked. If anglers had the boat to reach them, the fishing was good. Catch the store’s sale on S&S Spro-style and Squidster bucktails at 25 percent off.  

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

A few keeper blackfish and throwbacks were picked every place fished Saturday, and the angling was a little sluggish, on the party boat <b>Norma-K III</b>, Capt. Matt wrote in a report on the vessel’s Web site. The fish “seemed to be pushing the baits, instead of eating it,” he said. Quite a bit of current flowed, so that could shut down the fishing, too. Blackfishing was a little better on Sunday’s trip, picking away at most places fished. Some anglers yanked in four or five keepers, and some bagged one or two. Some only caught a few throwbacks apiece, had a tough day. “Lots or swinging and missing going on!” Matt said. Both green crabs and whites caught. Saturday night’s trip picked away at ling, not as well as a couple of weeks ago, but a catch was put together. Strong currents were difficult for the fishing, but if enough weight was fished, bites were had. Dog sharks were a nuisance, and Matt hopes for better results this Saturday. The Norma-K III is blackfishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. Magic Hour Ling Trips are fishing 3 to 9 p.m. every Saturday.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

Many throwback striped bass were beached from the surf Sunday, Mario from <b>The Dock Outfitters</b> wrote in a report on the shop’s Web site. Ava, T-Hex and Deadly Dick lures with teasers all caught well. On Saturday, beach fishing was slow locally, and one angler who landed a couple of shorts at Ortley Beach was all that was reported, John from the store wrote in another report on the site. A keeper or two were taken to the north, and plenty of sand eels schooled, so that was enough reason to keep fishing, “before our long winter rest,” he said. “I feel there will be one more shot of some quality fish before the run is over,” he said. Fresh clams, live eels and the assortment of frozen baits are stocked.  The Dock Outfitters features an extensive supply of bait and tackle, a dock to fish and crab from and boat rentals for fishing and crabbing. Crabbing and boat rentals are available during the warmer months.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

The party boat <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b> fished Thursday through the weekend, but the angling wasn’t good, a report on the boat’s Web site said. Throwback striped bass were caught and released on Friday’s trip. Trips are jigging for stripers and bluefish at 7 a.m. Fridays through Sundays. Thursday was Thanksgiving, so that’s why a trip sailed that day.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

A little bit of action with striped bass was heard about from the ocean north of Long Beach Island’s red tower on Sunday, a report on <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>’s Web site said. A few customers said lots of the fish were hooked, but were mostly throwbacks, and a few were keepers. On Saturday, seas were rough, so not many people fished, but a 25-pound striper was weighed in. A 41-pounder was checked in Friday that was boated off the red tower.

<b>Brigantine</b>

No striped bass were beached from Brigantine’s surf, a report on <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>’s Web site said. But good catches of the bass were boated a half-mile from shore. Don’t understand what’s keeping them from the surf, but we all have our ideas, the report said. A boat trip landed a 38-pounder and some smaller stripers Saturday. Fresh bunker and fresh clams were stocked Friday. The store’s hours were cut back to 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays. If stripers push into the surf, the doors will be kept open longer.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

More than 40 striped bass to 16 or 17 pounds and several bluefish to 15 pounds were jigged from the ocean Sunday with John Mattuci’s crew aboard, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. On Saturday, seas were rough in winds, so Kevin McCarthy and son’s trip trolled close to shore, landing a dozen stripers to 12 pounds. On Friday, more than 50 stripers to 22 pounds and several blues to 16 pounds were jigged with Peter Rotelli and friends aboard. The weekend’s fishing was very good on the boat, typical for Thanksgiving weekend, usually the peak of the striper and bluefish migration locally. Water temperatures were dropping, and smaller stripers were more abundant on Sunday than on Saturday, so anglers will see how the fishing goes in the next weeks. But the angling was currently good. Annual traveling charters to the Florida Keys will fish from Christmas to Easter, mostly on weekends, and reserve now. Anglers can arrive on a Friday, fish all day Saturday and part of Sunday, return on Sunday evening, and be back to work on Monday. The trips can be a mini, fish-filled vacation. See <a href="http://www.captainjoehughes.com/page3.html" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s traveling charters Web page</a>. 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 very good, Capt. Mario from the <b>Down Deep</b> said. The fish were trolled on the ocean and live-baited at Cape May Rips on spots and eels. No trips aboard blackfished in past days, but blackfishing was good. 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 for blackfish and sea bass.

Trips Friday and Sunday scored alright on striped bass on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>, Capt. George said. The fishing was slow on a trip Saturday aboard, but one hefty striper 30 pounds was bagged. The angling was better on Sunday’s trip, and nine keepers and a bunch of throwbacks were reeled in. At first, the trip trolled on the ocean. Then the trip bunker-chunked off Cape May Point, and that’s when the stripers were bagged. But stripers in past days were both trolled on the ocean and chunked off the point. Some days produced better than others, and trolling was great Friday. Many boaters limited out and returned early that day. The trips on the Heavy Hitter were with John Penton from Eastern Lifts’ crew on Friday, Marion Nardone’s charter on Saturday and Eric McAllister’s charter on Sunday. Another charter was supposed to sail for stripers aboard today. Fishing for sea bass and blackfish is also available on the boat. Some anglers sea bass fished in past days, catching okay. Others blackfished, and some said they caught well, and others said they struggled. Telephone if interested in any of this fishing.

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