<b>Belmar</b>

The <b>Golden Eagle</b> will be brought to the boat yard today for annual winter maintenance, a report on the party boat’s website said. Fishing will resume in early March aboard. Angling was canceled this weekend on the vessel, because of weather. The boat had been sailing for mackerel and herring, most recently two weekends ago. Coolers full of herring and some mackerel mixed in were landed on the most recent trip.

<b>***Update, Saturday, 2/20:***</b> Fishing’s been “on hold,” because of weather, but one of the Belmar party boats fished Friday, Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> wrote in an email. That vessel also hadn’t sailed because of “unforeseen problems,” he said, but a good number of hardcore blackfishers joined the trip. One, named Skippy, landed the season’s biggest blackfish so far aboard, a 12-pound 9-ouncer, on the outing. “With good weather on the horizon, we might see even larger fish taken,” Bob said. “I have not had any reports of herring, but it could be because not many anglers have tried for them since the snow,” he said.  Lots of new tackle is being stocked at Fisherman’s Den’s Belmar store and its new store in Atlantic Highlands that will be opened this coming fishing season. The crew was busy with the stocking, and anglers should be pleased with all the new gear, he said.

<b>Brielle</b>

<b>***Update, Thursday, 2/18***</b>  Forecasts for wind to 40 knots on Tuesday night were expected to build a large swell on the ocean Wednesday, so the trip slated for that day was canceled on the <b>Jamaica II</b>, the party boat’s website said. “Pray for a nice weekend,” it said. The boat is fishing for cod and ling 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. every Wednesday and Sunday and 3 a.m. to 5 p.m. every Saturday. One of the trips had been scheduled for this past Monday, Presidents’ Day, but was canceled because of forecasts for snow.

Not much fishing happened, said John from <b>The Reel Seat</b>, and this weekend was frigid. But weather was warming now, and when anglers last boated for blackfish on the ocean, catches seemed very picky, because of cold water. The tautog surely bit in deeper water, like 80- to 100-foot depths, where the bottom was warmer than in shallower depths. Nothing was heard about fishing for herring in Manasquan Inlet that the shop reported earlier this winter.  The Reel Seat is open Thursdays through Sundays. Catch the shop’s exhibit at Surf Day on Saturday at Brookdale Community College in Lincroft. Take advantage of special prices on tackle.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

Blackfishing was canceled this weekend on the <b>Norma-K III</b>, Capt. Matt wrote in a report on the party boat’s website. That was because of the cold, and gale-force wind. But weather now improved, and he expected to sail today for the tautog. That was a special trip for Presidents’ Day, and the boat is usually only fishing on weekends. The Norma-K III is blackfishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday. <b>***Update, Thursday, 2/18***</b>  The trip Monday, the special trip for Presidents’ Day, racked up a few keeper blackfish and some shorts, some life, but the angling was slow, Matt wrote in a report on the boat’s website. “Also … quite a few swings and misses … with a couple of fish busted off,” he said. Glad to see there was still some life.” A 6-pounder won the pool, and snow fell, but seas weren’t rough. “A little snowy,” he said. Forecasts looked good for trips to blackfish this coming Saturday and Sunday.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

<b>***Update, Thursday, 2/18***</b>  Two more weeks! <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>’s Facebook page said yesterday. The shop, closed for a winter break, will be opened on March 2 for the fishing season. Bloodworms will be stocked for striped bass fishing, because striper season will be opened beginning March 1 in bays and rivers. That’s a Tuesday, and the store is always closed on Tuesdays. Customers fish for stripers in the early season at Graveling Point, one of New Jersey’s first places to give up the fish each year. That’s a shore-angling spot at the confluence of Great Bay and Mullica River, and the fish seem attracted to warm water that flows from the river. Rivers are warmer than bays in winter. Scott’s annually awards a $100 gift certificate to the store to the angler who checks-in the year’s first keeper striper from Graveling or nearby Pebble Beach, also a shore-fishing location.    

<b>Longport</b>

The <b>Stray Cat</b> is fishing from the Florida Keys this winter, and catches there in past days included king mackerel, cero mackerel, mutton snappers and mangrove snappers, Capt. Mike said. Out-of-season groupers were also hooked and released. A couple of anglers fished aboard last week, and others were fishing on the boat now, and more are expected this week. Mike hopes more anglers visit, because the fishing’s great, he said.

<b>Ocean City</b>

Rumors said anglers blackfished on party boats on the ocean, said Bill from <b>Fin-Atics</b>, but he heard nothing else about the angling. Weather was severely cold this weekend, probably preventing the trips. But weather was becoming warmer now and is supposed to be this week. Striped bass season will be opened beginning on March 1 in bays and rivers. The fish locally are mostly hooked from Great Egg Harbor River first during the season. That’s because rivers are warmer than bays in winter. But some might be hooked at Beesley’s Point in the bay at first during the season. That’s on the mainland side of the bay, where the bay might be warmest. Striper fishing is open on the ocean year-round, within 3 miles from the coast. But no stripers usually swim that cold water until it warms in spring. Striper fishing is closed beyond 3 miles along the entire Northeast Coast year-round. Fin-Atics is open every Friday and Saturday. The shop is sometimes open on other days during the week but for no set hours this season. The store will be open full time beginning around March 1.

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