<b>Keyport</b>

With the <b>Down Deep Fleet</b>, good striped bass fishing was tackled on the ocean on diamond jigs and rubber shads, Capt. Mario said. Open-boat trips are fishing for them daily, and Down Deep’s other boat will begin blackfishing on open trips daily Thursday, when the bag limit will be raised to six, from the current limit of one. Charters are available for either fishing for up to 15 passengers. Enjoy heated cabins and galleys on both boats for convenience. Sign up for the Short Notice List on <a href="http://downdeepsportfishing.com" target="_blank">Down Deep’s website</a> to be kept informed about special open trips.

On the <b>Vitamin Sea</b>, striped bass fishing got better on each trip, Capt. Frank wrote in an email. Limits of overs 28 to 43 inches were bombed, and so were limits of unders. We’ve been waiting for this, he said. It’s here, and is as good as it gets, he said. A few dates are left for charters this month: Nov. 27, 28 29 and 30. When no charter is booked, open-boat trips are fishing.

<b>Leonardo</b>

Limit catches of striped bass all weekend with <b>Sour Kraut Sportfishing</b>, Capt. Joe wrote in an email. A trip Sunday trolled the fish on Mojos and umbrella rigs with rubber shads. After limiting, the anglers played catch and release with more, even releasing a 25-pounder. Lots of stripers 20 inches to 25 pounds were around. Saturday’s trip fished even better, limiting in an hour and releasing more afterward.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Fishing was great yesterday on the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>, Capt. Tom said. Trips have been bagging plenty of porgies and a few sea bass and blackfish. Lots of throwback sea bass have been let go. Today’s trip met a little more wind than was forecast, and some rain and cold. The angling was slower than yesterday but still caught that mix of fish. Catches would be hooked, then a lull, then more would be. Maybe dogfish were a reason for lulls. A few dogfish were biting on trips. Trips are fishing for sea bass, porgies and blackfish 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 or 3 p.m. daily. The trips will target blackfish beginning Thursday, when the bag limit will be yanked up to six from the current limit of one. Or the trips will put more effort into blackfishing then. All three species bite at the same places, and there’s no place to go where only blackfish do. Trips began carrying green crabs for blackfish bait. Beginning Thursday, the greens will still be provided, and white crabs will be carried aboard when available. Clams that are currently provided will still be then. Anglers will be able to fish the clams for sea bass and porgies if they want, except when dogfish are a nuisance.

Excellent striped bass fishing was slugged Saturday on the <b>Fishermen</b>, a report said on the party boat’s website. Stripers that were all 28 inches or large were jigged, and all anglers left with bags of fillets. No bonus tags were necessary to bag stripers smaller than 28. No trip fished Friday in a gale, and no report was posted for Sunday. Striper fishing’s been great on previous trips, and the boat is fishing for them 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.

<b>Neptune</b>

“STRIPERS ARE HERE NOW,” Capt. Ralph from <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b> wrote in an email Friday. He didn’t know how long the fishing would last, he wrote. “THEY WON’T BE HERE LONG,” he said. “ALL ON BAIT TODAY,” he wrote. The fishing was also good Saturday aboard, he wrote in another email. “All on bait,” he wrote. A charter Sunday had to work for the bass a little, but ended up with a good catch. Book a charter or an individual-reservation trip. Individual-reservation trips are fishing for stripers the next two Tuesdays, and openings are available. Spaces are available for an individual-reservation trip for blackfish Thursday, when the bag limit will be raised to six, from the current limit of one. Room for charters on weekends is booked in the near future. Saturday, Dec. 9 is the next available on a weekend. <b>***Update, Tuesday, 11/14:***</b> Ralph scheduled new individual-reservation trips. Here’s the list of ones previously scheduled and new ones. The trips will fish for: stripers next Tuesday and Nov. 24 and 29; blackfish on Thursday and Dec. 2, 5 and 8; and giant sea bass, giant porgies, cod and pollock Dec. 9 at offshore wrecks. The cabin is heated, and the galley includes a microwave and coffee maker. Bring your own milk or cream. 

<b>Belmar</b>

A large body of striped bass arrived in the ocean, and fishing for them became good with <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b> on livelined bunker, Capt. Pete said. That happened once wind switched to northwest late last week, after rough, windy weather from northeast previously. Good catches of overs and unders to 45 pounds were pasted aboard, including a great catch Saturday. Boat traffic was astronomical. No trip fished Sunday aboard, because Parker Pete’s blew a hydraulic line that needed to be fixed that day. That was fixed, and the trips were supposed to resume today.  Don’t have enough anglers for a charter? Contact Parker Pete’s about individual spaces with charters who want more anglers. Sign up for the email list on <a href=" http://www.parkerpetefishing.com/" target="_blank">Parker Pete’s website</a> to be kept informed about the spaces.

<b>XTC Sportfishing</b>’s been catching striped bass on the ocean, Capt. Scott said. A trip Thursday trolled a bunch to the north between the channels. A trip Saturday limited out on overs and unders on livelined bunker. On Sunday aboard, just a few were boated, on livelined bunker, on a trip that only fished a few hours, with kids. Lots of stripers were also lost that bit on the outing.

Striped bass were bagged this weekend, but the angling was slow with <b>Celtic Stoirm Charters</b>, Capt. Mike said. The fishing was hot off Long Branch on the ocean Saturday. That bite never really materialized Sunday, and Mike got a call about good catches at Sandy Hook Channel that day, but that was too far to run, too late in the day. A gazillion boats filled the water, more on Sunday than on Saturday. Next weekend is booked aboard, but weekdays are available. Black Friday is still available for a charter. Trips can also blackfish beginning Thursday, when the bag limit is increased to six, from the current limit of one.

A trip on the <b>Katie H</b> yesterday fished for striped bass at first, but boat traffic was too much, Capt. Mike said. The anglers opted to leave and bottom-fish, and Mike was glad they did. Lots of sea bass and porgies were piled up. At another drop, the anglers almost limited out on blackfish. Weekdays can be ideal for striper fishing, because of less traffic. The boat will blackfish this weekend, because the bag limit will become six beginning Thursday, from the current limit of one.

All sizes of striped bass, from big, fat ones to small, were smoked today on the <b>Golden Eagle</b>, a report said on the party boat’s website. Very good catch, on bait and lures or just about anything thrown to the fish. “There was all kinds of action,” it said, and lots of birds flew around. Boat traffic hindered the fishing during the weekend. A few stripers were reeled aboard, and Friday’s trip was weathered out because of wind. Trips are fishing for stripers and blues 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. On Thanksgiving, a trip will fish 6:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

This was the best day of striped bass fishing this season so far on the <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b>, an email said from the party boat. Today’s trip completely bailed the fish. First, a handful were caught quickly right off the inlet. Then the trip fished north a couple of miles, at a huge area of bunker with big stripers on them. The fishing was non-stop the rest of the trip, and all anglers limited out. Lots of additional were released. Trips are fishing for stripers and blues 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. A trip will fish 6:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thanksgiving for stripers, and the number of passengers will be limited, so reservation are required.

What a weekend for boating for striped bass on the ocean, Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> wrote in an email. Boaters had “full control of the fishery,” because big stripers swam just out of casting distance from the surf. Small stripers were reported from the surf, but no big from the shore were seen at the store. The next two weeks could be good for the surf fishing. “We hope,” Bob, a surf angler, wrote. Most charter and private boats limited out on the bass to 40 pounds who were known about. Most of the fish were taken on bunker snagged and then livelined for bait. Trolling was difficult in boat traffic. Bob was told that there were more boats than many charter captains ever saw. Eight-year-old Jack Gregory, Linwood, weighed a 28-pounder today at the shop. The fish was one of five trolled 5 minutes from Shark River Inlet on a Mojo on a trip with his dad.

<b>Brielle</b>

Boating for striped bass busted open Saturday pretty well on the ocean, said Alex from <b>The Reel Seat</b>. He heard about as many as a dozen landed per boat. The catches were made from Sandy Hook Point to north of Manasquan Inlet. The fish seemed smaller toward Sandy Hook Point or 24 to 39 inches, and the fishing there seemed best on cast rubber shads or pencil poppers. Farther south from there, the fish were trolled on Mojos and bunker spoons. Stripers to 30 pounds were trolled near Deal and Spring Lake. Stripers were angled from the surf at Sea Bright and Manasquan but also farther south. The catches were heard about from the Seaside area yesterday. The stripers were mostly 20 to 24 inches, but sometimes 20-pounders were heard about lately from the beach. Stripers 18 to 24 inches were played at Point Pleasant Canal and Manasquan Inlet on white Tsunami shads and white bucktails. “White was right.” Boaters fishing for sea bass had to begin fishing farther from shore, like at Shark River Reef and Little Italy. Good catches of porgies were mixed in. Anglers will see how blackfishing goes on the ocean once the bag limit becomes six beginning Thursday, from the current limit of one. No reports about tuna came in. One customer was headed to fish for bluefin tuna but had no recent reports. The store’s owner, Dave, was supposed to tilefish this week. He’d probably hear about tuna fishing. He’s a tilefisher.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

Some good action on striped bass Saturday on the <b>Gambler</b>, a report said on the party boat’s website. Life was all around the boat: baitfish, birds working the bait, stripers and even a whale. Trips are fishing for stripers 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. <b>***Update, Monday, 11/13:***</b> Space remains for the year’s final tuna trip sailing at 10 p.m. Tuesday.

Very good to excellent fishing for big stripers was pounded Saturday and Sunday with <b>Mushin Sportfishing</b> on bunker snagged and then livelined for bait on the ocean “closer to home!” Capt. Alan wrote in an email. Saturday’s trip limited out on overs and unders and released a bunch of additional. Sunday’s trip went 6 for 7 on good-sized stripers. Capt. Chad was at the helm on the trips. On Sunday, Alan joined in on the angling on the Mini-Mushin, his smaller boat, in calm seas, going 1 for 2 on sizable stripers.

Great fishing was plowed Sunday on the <b>Norma-K III</b>, a report said on the party boat’s website. The fishing was up and down, but lots of good-sized porgies and decent-sized sea bass bass were socked. After tough fishing Saturday aboard, that was a nice change. Bluefish were somewhat of a nuisance, but nothing like last week. On Saturday night’s trip, bluefishing was good, pasting lots of 7- to 15-pounders. Friday night’s bluefishing trip was weathered out. Trips are sailing for sea bass 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and bluefish 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. The daytime trips will switch to blackfishing beginning Thursday. The bag limit will be jacked up to six beginning that day, from the current limit of one.

<b>Point Pleasant</b>

A striped bass trip is slated for Saturday on the <b>Tin Knocker</b>, Capt. John said. He also thinks striper fishing will sail Sunday aboard. The boat did no fishing this weekend, but striper fishing is going to kick off aboard now.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

For surf anglers at Lavallette and just to the north, prayers were answered yesterday, a report said on <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>’ website. Bunker schooled into the surf, and a few fortunate anglers in the right place at the right time tied into striped bass that chased the baitfish. A couple of the skilled anglers landed 15 to 20 apiece. Wow! the report said. At first, a few boats in the area nailed the fish out of range of surf casts. Then a whale seemed to chase the bunker to shore. Find the bait and hope for the right conditions, the report said. More bait seemed to show up daily. Previously, stripers were picked from the surf, like before. The fishing seemed to somewhat improve farther north. Locally, a rep from Tony Maja’s Products  trolled and released four good-sized stripers in the 40-inch class off Seaside Park on Sunday morning on the company’s No. 4 bunker spoons. Reports were heard about captains boating stripers “just to the north of us,” the report said, that day on bunker snagged and then livelined for bait among schools of bunker. The Dock Outfitters, located on Barnegat Bay, blocks from the ocean surf, features a bait and tackle shop, a café, a dock for fishing and crabbing, boat rentals and, in season, jet-ski rentals.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

“Some nice (striped) bass)” were belted Saturday on the <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b> on the ocean on bunker snagged for bait and then livelined, a report said on the party boat’s website. The fish weighed up to 38 pounds. Sunday’s trip produced “more of the same with nice bass on snagged bunker,” it said, though the fishing was slower that day. This was a good start to striper catches aboard, and the fishing should improve, the report said. An enormous number of bunker are schooling the local ocean. Weather was cold but beautiful during the weekend’s trips, and boat traffic was heavy, and traffic doesn’t help the fishing. A trip also sailed Friday, and tons of bunker were found, but no stripers were. The boat sailed farther north afterward, quite a ways. Trips are fishing for stripers and blues 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Friday through Sunday. One of the trips will also sail 6 a.m. to 12 noon on Thanksgiving.

Fishing for striped bass was pretty good in Barnegat Inlet on the <b>Super Chic</b> the last few days, Capt. Ted said. But lots of big showed up Sunday in the ocean locally. That angling should become pretty good. All trips booked aboard currently are for striped bass. Next Monday just became available for a charter.

<b>Barnegat</b>

<b>***Update, Tuesday, 11/14:***</b> “They're Here!” Capt. Dave DeGennaro from the <b>Hi Flier</b> wrote in an email. “Awesome Striper Fishing,” he wrote. “This is the run we’ve been waiting for. Thirty- to 40-pound stripers on bunker pods up and down the coast from Island Beach to Long Branch. Some of the best fishing is in 10 to 20 feet of water. Finback whales, bunker and bass made for some exciting visual fishing the last few days. If the wind blows and the ocean gets uncomfortable, we have live bait to catch 22- to 36-inch stripers in Barnegat Inlet. Your choice: stripers or stripers. Either way, fish for dinner. Wednesday and Saturday are booked. But I’ll be running open-boat or charter 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 5:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday and Monday. The weather will dictate if we run outside or fish the inlet, so only people who are flexible should reserve. For the most part the wind has some velocity through the weekend, but mostly W/NW, which makes for a flat ocean in tight to the beach, where the action’s been. Four people max on the open-boat trips. All fish are shared. You can call right up until go time because we might have a spot. It happens all the time.”

<b>Beach Haven</b>

One striped bass was trolled but got off in the ocean Saturday near Barnegat Inlet 2 miles from shore on the <b>June Bug</b>, Capt. Lindsay said. Large pods of bunker were marked below the water surface, and others were seen along the surface. If that many bunker are around, stripers should be coming after them before long, Lindsay would think. One more cold snap might cause the southerly migration to flood local waters.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

Migrating striped bass were definitely pulling closer to the local coast, said Capt. Tom from <b>Fishin’ Fever Sportfishing</b>. He heard about the fish 35 miles to the north Sunday. The boat was relocated to Atlantic City last week for striper season, and will be returned to Cape May, home port, afterward. Trips sea bassed the last couple of days on the ocean, limiting out the boat aboard. Gator bluefish were even mixed in on Sunday. Most trips from Atlantic City will striper fish, when the migration arrives. By mid-December, almost all blackfish trips will sail, when the boat is moved back to Cape May. A few blackfish trips will run from Atlantic City.

<b>Longport</b>

Sea bass moved farther from shore, or angling for them slowed a little inshore, fishing on the <b>Stray Cat</b> found out in past days, Capt. Mike said. Fishing was good aboard. Big sea bass held 20 miles off. A few triggerfish still bit at the wrecks fished. Bluefish hit there. Dogfish became thick inshore. The first piece fished was loaded with them. The ocean was 61 degrees offshore and 51 inshore. Fifty-one? Mike was asked. Yes, he confirmed. That was considerably cooler than before last week’s northeast blow.  The temperature was 5 degrees higher, 10 miles from shore, and another 5 higher, 20 miles from shore. Blackfish moved farther from shore, now biting in 60 feet of water. Spaces are available for the season’s first blackfish trips Thursday and Friday aboard. The bag limit will be tugged up to six Thursday, from the current limit of one, and trips will blackfish daily beginning then. The boat, or Mike’s new, additional boat, will striped bass fish when the striper migration arrives. Spaces are available for a trip 8 a.m. to 12 noon on Thanksgiving. If stripers are in, the trip will fish for them. Otherwise, the trip will blackfish. 

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Seven striped bass were released and a couple were missed on the back bay on a trip Saturday with three anglers aboard, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. That was all on jigs, and two stripers were let go on a trip Sunday on the bay with another three anglers. One of the bass was jigged, and the other was hooked on a livelined spot. An out-of-season summer flounder was hooked and let go on that outing. The water was 48 degrees, cold for flounder, and that was the second flounder hooked in a week aboard the bay. The bay’s striper fishing’s been good, and the migration of larger stripers usually begins running strong during Thanksgiving week on the local ocean. Fishing for them is usually great in December. Annual traveling charters to the Florida Keys will fish from Christmas to Easter. See the <a href=" http://www.captainjoehughes.com/page3.html" target="_blank">traveling charters webpage</a> on Jersey Cape’s website. Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s Blog</a>.

<b>Avalon</b>

Capt. Jim from <b>Fins and Feathers Outfitters</b> plans to begin striped bass fishing next week, he said. The migration usually starts piling in during Thanksgiving week. He visited his <a href="http://www.sjlodge.com/" target="_blank">lodge</a> in upstate New York near Salmon River this weekend, shooting a coyote and doing some deer hunting. This is steelhead season on the river, but few seemed to fish for them during the weekend because of cold and because of deer hunting. Weather was 19 degrees and windy Friday. Sunday was 29 degrees, and that felt like summer compared with Friday. A couple of inches of snow lay on the ground. But the steelheading lasts through winter into early spring and is world-class. Snowmobiling is also popular from the lodge in winter. Canada goose season will open in Maryland on Saturday, and Jim will guide a group of hunters for them. The geese are migrating south, and Jim saw quite a number flying. Duck hunting opens in New Jersey in a few days for about a week, and opens back up in late November until late January. He guides for them, too. Fins offers a variety of outdoor adventures.

<b>Cape May</b>

Sea bass, an okay catch, were scooped from the ocean aboard Sunday on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>, Capt. George said. The anglers, Paul VanHorn’s charter, didn’t limit out but nailed quite a few big. The size was better than on other boats from the dock that George saw. There was lots of action on the Heavy Hitter, including lots of double-headers, including sea bass a half-inch undersized that were tossed back. One of the anglers was on fire with double-headers of sizable. Saturday was a blow out in wind. Heavy Hitter will fish for sea bass until striped bass fishing, when stripers arrive off the local coast. Telephone if interested. Trips could blackfish beginning Thursday, when the bag limit will be hiked to six, from the current limit of one.

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