<b>Keyport</b>

A bunch of bonus striped bass, lots of shorts and a few keepers were pasted Wednesday with <b>Down Deep Sportfishing</b>, Capt. Mario said. They were mostly jigged, and open-boat trips will sail for blackfish beginning Friday at 6 a.m. daily. Striper fishing will resume in spring aboard. The boat features a heated cabin, a full galley and plenty of room.

For anglers on the <b>Vitamin Sea</b> on Wednesday, blackfishing was okay, but seas were nasty, though forecasts called for better, Capt. Frank wrote in an email. The anglers had difficulty feeling bites but managed a decent catch. Two spaces are left for an open-boat trip for blackfish Sunday.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Small striped bass were winged from Sandy Hook’s surf, though the past couple of days were slow, said Jay from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Tsunami sand eels or diamond jigs with green or black tails with teasers beaned them. Boaters whacked blackfish well. Baits stocked include green crabs, and anglers can order white crabs on a Friday that will be available the next day.

The party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>’s blackfishing sailed Monday, scooping up pretty good angling for throwbacks and some keepers, Capt. Tom said. Tuesday’s trip was kept docked because of forecasts for strong wind. Wednesday’s trip clocked blackfish at every place fished, not as well as on Monday. Seas were a little cranky, not rough, but an annoying little roll. Maybe bites were difficult to feel. Today’s trip was expected to sail in west wind, and the trips are slated to fish for blackfish 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.

Angling for striped bass was tough Monday in a huge swell and wicked current on the <b>Fishermen</b>, a report said on the party boat’s website. Wind together with the tide drifted the boat fast at 3 ½ knots. No lack of bait and plenty of stripers were read. But only a handful of small were caught. Better conditions were expected for the days afterward. Trips are fishing for stripers 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. <b>***Update, Friday, 12/7:***</b> The fish are still biting, a report said on the boat’s website. Unfortunately, too few customers were around for a trip to fish, after a long wait for rough weather to pass. Whatever happened to old-time, fish-in-the-snot anglers? the report asked. These days, anglers seem scared off by cold, breeze or a hint of rain. The boat will fish for stripers this weekend. Dress warm, put on the long johns and finish out the season with us, the report said. The captain watched videos the other night and was amazed at some of the weather customers fished in. But the striper fishing was unreal. During a couple of years, the trips fished into the first week of January. Making ice on deck, the fishing lines freezing. But the catches were amazing.

Boats sailed for blackfish a little farther from shore than before, and the catches improved a little, Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den North</b> thought, he said. The striped bass boat had just docked today when he gave this report. Baits stocked included green crabs and white crabs. Not an abundant number of whites were stocked, but some were. Some anglers wanted to buy the whites in bulk, but too few were available to sell that many to one person. But the supply could change.

<b>Highlands</b>

Just a few charter boats fished from the docks now, for blackfish, said Wayne from <b>Twin Lights Marina</b>. The angling seemed decent, and the boats will probably fish for them until the first of the year and then call it a fishing season. Twin Lights, located on Shrewsbury River near Raritan Bay and the ocean, with no bridges before them, includes a marina with boat slips, dry storage, a fuel dock, and a combined bait-and-tackle shop and ship’s store. The fuel dock is available 24 hours a day with a credit card.

<b>Long Branch</b>

They were small, but striped bass gave up good angling in the surf, said Nick from <b>TAK Waterman Surf n Fish</b>. They were everywhere, and customers mostly beat them on diamond jigs and Tsunami and Savage sand eels with teasers. Teasers are stocked from a local who tied them, and they’ve been great. Flying off the shelves. No birds working the water or other signs revealed where the stripers were. Anglers just cast the lures and reeled them back super slowly, because of cold water, along bottom. No reports were heard about boating for stripers on the ocean, maybe because of rough seas. Blackfish were picked away at on the ocean, Nick guessed. TAK Waterman is a store for fishing, especially surf-fishing, surfing and paddle-boarding. The shop also produces the TAK Waterman line of clothing for watersports including these and beach-going. The name is from Lake Takanasee.

<b>Neptune</b>

<b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b> last fished Friday and Saturday for blackfish, Capt. Ralph said. That was covered in the last report here, and individual-reservation trips will fish for the tautog this Friday and Saturday, and all bait and tackle is provided. Telephone to reserve, and a charter is booked Sunday. Individual-reservation trips will hunt blackfish on most Fridays and Saturdays, except when the boat is chartered. Dates are available during the holidays for individual-reservation trips and charters.

<b>Belmar</b>

Trips picked away at blackfish on the party boat <b>Big Mohawk</b>, Capt. Chris said. Catches were good on some days, okay on others. Plugging away, he said. No really big came in yet, but some weighed 7 and 8 pounds. Both green crabs and white crabs hooked up, and many of the fish were jigged. Greens crabs are provided, and whites are available for sale aboard. The boat is blackfishing daily.

Striped bass fishing on the ocean was slow Tuesday, but weather was worse than expected, said Capt. Pete from <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b>. But the fish bit well on Wednesday, and some were larger or 30 or 33 inches. Some herring showed up, and that’s needed to keep stripers around. Anglers will see how the striper fishing continues. Some weekdays are available for fishing aboard, and trips will fish for stripers as long as the bass are around. Afterward, the boat will focus on blackfish. Don’t have enough anglers for a charter? Sign up for an individual space with a charter who wants more anglers.

Stripers were boated on the ocean Wednesday in fairly rough seas, said Capt. Mike from <b>Celtic Stoirm Charters</b>. He knew about a boat that reported the anchor tree getting dunked in the seas but limiting out on unders. Blackfishing was hit and miss, like blackfishing is, but the tautog are there. For both of these catches, you just have to fish and be there when the bite turns on.

<b>Brielle</b>

<b>***Update, Friday, 12/7:***</b> Forecasts look good for trips for sea bass, ling and cod at 5 a.m. today and 3 a.m. Saturday and Sunday on the <b>Jamaica II</b>, the party boat’s Facebook page said.

Not a lot of boats were still in the water to fish for striped bass on the ocean, but the fish were decked every day, said Dave from <b>The Reel Seat</b>. On some days, there were keepers. On most days, the fish were throwbacks. Trolling caught keepers, and umbrella rigs with sand eels were trolled. But some boaters trolled Mojos and bunker spoons, because they were old school. Surf fishing was good for throwback stripers, but they were fun on light tackle, and anglers hooked six to 10 in a trip. They fished metal and Tsunami sand eels, but Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnows worked the other day. Teasers definitely needed to be fished. A bunch of sundials also swam the surf. When trips had the weather to sail for blackfish, that was good at Axel and Sea Girt reefs. When trips had the weather to push offshore, fishing for sea bass was okay.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

On the party boat <b>Dauntless</b>, bottom-fishing on the ocean was a little slow, and so was business, and weather wasn’t kind, Capt. Butch said. Weather kept the trips docked a couple of days, and allowed them to sail a couple. But the trips picked away, not bailing fish, but the ones caught were sizable. Anglers bagged five to 10 fish apiece, including a few sea bass still and some blackfish. A few ling came in, not many. A cod was clocked on Monday. Some mackerel were run into aboard a while back, and Butch hopes more will migrate in. Some anglers bagged two or three sea bass and maybe two or three blackfish apiece. Trips fished in 60 feet of water to 120. Butch tried a little deeper a few times, and ling were hooked here and there in those depths, but not enough to keep after them. He’ll keep testing those depths for ling, and is looking for ling and cod to move in. His customers don’t have the patience to only fish for blackfish. They want bites, and if they stop getting bites, they quit fishing. The water farther from shore was 50 to 51 degrees, and close to shore was 46 to 50, depending on location. The mackerel were found a couple of weeks ago. But bluefish had returned then, so Butch went after the blues. The blues since disappeared. But he hopes for mackerel, including because mackerel were heard about from a little farther north. If the autumn, southern migration of mackerel swims close enough to shore, the boat mixes in mackerel fishing with bottom-fishing. Trips are bottom-fishing 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily.

A trip fished for striped bass Tuesday on the ocean on the <b>Gambler</b> with a small group aboard, a report said Wednesday on the party boat’s website. Steady shots of small stripers were tangled with to the north under birds working bait. Ava-type jigs 2 to 4 ounces mostly caught, with or without tails. Any lure that imitates a sand eel could work. “Just cast and crank fishing,” it said. Lots of fun. The stripers around sometimes include slots and keepers. Just need to be in the right place at the right time. Trips are fishing for stripers 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and the next days look cold but nice. The cabin is heated, and coffee and Sabrett hot dogs are in the galley. Some room remains for <a href="http://www.gamblerfishing.net/offshore-sea-bass.php" target="_blank">offshore sea bass trips</a> later this month.

The ocean was rough, but blackfish bit Sunday and Monday for anglers on the <b>Norma-K III</b>, a report said on the party boat’s website. “Some nice fish” to a little heavier than 8 pounds were axed, and anglers who worked, limited out. Some anglers only landed throwbacks. The fishing was good, considering the conditions. Green crabs caught great Monday, and white crabs ran out on the vessel. Bring your own if you prefer them, the site said at that time. Trips are blackfishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. <b>***Update, Friday, 12/7:***</b> Nice few days on the water, a report said last evening on the boat’s website. Mornings seemed to produce a few blackfish here and there, and afternoons produced a little better. Strong current affected the fishing, unfortunately. But high hooks limited out, some anglers bagged a few less, and some only pitched aboard throwbacks. Pool-winners weighed 7 pounds. The fish are there. You just have to work for them and be patient. The captain noticed that customers yesterday afternoon caught on big white crabs that were quartered. Both greens and whites were now carried aboard.

<b>Toms River</b>

Tons of striped bass averaging 18 to 26 inches bit in the surf from Seaside Heights or Seaside Park to Island Beach State Park, said Dennis from <b>Hook House Bait & Tackle</b>. Ava’s or Tsunami sand eels with teasers caught. Some anglers began to use needlefish plugs like a Super Strike with teasers. Teasers were a must, and any of these lures were fished very slowly, like a slug, because of cold, 45- to 50-degree water. A few hickory shad, not many, pounced on the lures or teasers. Surf casters who fished bait caught sharks and skates. Dennis knew about one bait-angler who beached a couple of stripers Sunday. A little fresh bunker and clams are stocked, and once they run out, Dennis will order no more this year. Boaters on Monday, he thought, trolled the bass tight to the bar near the surf on umbrella rigs with sand eels, no longer bunker spoons, because sand eels schooled. Weather looks chilly but settled for the weekend, and that might be the last “hurrah” for ocean boaters. Winter flounder fishing was fairly good on Shark River. A few flounder were hooked in Point Pleasant Canal when anglers fished for blackfish with clams. A very few blackfish were reeled from the canal. Nobody tried for flounder on the Toms River, but the flatfish are traditionally there this time of year. Hook House, located on Route 37, also owns <b>Go Fish Bait & Tackle</b> on Fischer Boulevard in Toms River.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

Fewer anglers are fishing the surf now, but the dedicated are catching, a report said on <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>’ website. They’re beaching striped bass, and hit lots yesterday. The fish, swimming at their feet, were only 12 to 26 inches, but were fun, especially on light tackle. Ava jigs and even swimming lures like Daiwa SP Minnows are working, because sand eels are schooling. Nobody knows how long the fishing will continue, but the shop guesses that anglers might give up before the fish are gone. The tackle shop’s hours have been cut to 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays. 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, and, in season, boat and jet-ski rentals.

<b>Forked River</b>

Ocean boaters trolled striped bass, and most of the fish seemed to be throwbacks, but some were keepers, said Mike from <b>Grizz’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Keepers were reported today on the radio, and most customers dragged Mojos who trolled for stripers. More customers boated for blackfish on the ocean than for stripers. That angling seemed alright. A 4.98-pound sea bass was weighed-in from an offshore party boat trip. Those trips are fishing 200-foot depths or deeper. Green crabs, eels and all the usual frozen baits are stocked.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Charter boats from the docks caught striped bass on the ocean this week, and the <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b> will sail for stripers Saturday and Sunday, the party boat’s Facebook page said. The charters picked up keepers and throwbacks. Weathers looks like it’ll be “settled” in a northwest breeze those days, and the trips will sail 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

No customers fished, but the previous report could probably be repeated, said Vince Sr. from <b>Bobbie’s Boat Rentals</b>. He previously said striped bass were boated on the ocean when weather enabled trips to sail, few fished for blackfish on the ocean because of weather, and the tautog could probably still be angled along Barnegat Inlet’s rocks. Heads up: <b><i>***All gas and bait will be half-price***</i></b> this weekend. Green crabs, live spots and frozen bait are the bait. Sunday will be the final day the store is open before being closed until spring. The gas will be included in the sale because new fuel tanks will be installed in winter. Bobbie’s features a complete bait and tackle shop, a fuel dock and, in season, boat and kayak rentals. The boats are used for fishing, crabbing, clamming and pleasure.

<b>Absecon</b>

Capt. Dave from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b> snuck out to the ocean and ran a striped bass charter yesterday in the snow, he said. Birds worked the water a half-mile north of Absecon Inlet, and the trip began catching there. The birds quickly disappeared, but the fish remained a couple of hours, not quite a blitz, but they were in. A 28-inch keeper, two slots and a good number of throwbacks were landed, decent fishing. Half were hooked on Gulp Nemesis, and half were taken on livelined spots. Small stripers often grabbed the spots without getting hooked. He canceled another one of the charters for today, because this morning was 27 degrees. Wind was calm, but ocean spray would’ve frozen on the boat and charter. He expects to run one of the trips tomorrow with a charter who’s hardy. Dave yesterday back in port cleared the boat and docks from snow. Then snow fell even harder. Blackfishing was reportedly good farther from shore in 80 feet of water. A couple of more boxes of bloodworms were just stocked, because some customers waxed white perch well on Mullica River. That’s a bait to dunk for them. Live green crabs and spots are carried. Weather looks calm for fishing this weekend. Take advantage of a <b><i>***Big Clearance Sale***</i></b>: 25 percent off reels, 25 percent off trolling gear and 50 percent off everything else, the store’s Facebook page said.

<b>Brigantine</b>

No news was available from the surf, said Capt. Andy from the <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>. Neither was any from the ocean. Just none rolled in. But the store is open, including for holiday gifts and lots of sales. Get 10 percent additional when you buy a gift card. <a href=" https://phl17.com/2018/09/14/stocks-bakery-famous-pound-cake-wins-phl17-top-spot/" target="_blank"> Stock’s famous pound cakes</a>, from Stock’s Bakery in Philly, are in. The store will be open until Christmas and afterward.

<b>Ocean City</b>

Five inches of snow fell yesterday, said Bill from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. The snow was beginning to melt now, and a friend pulled in throwback striped bass last evening from the back bay on soft-plastic lures. Some stripers are hitting there, and some are keepers, actually. That friend whipped a keeper Monday. A few stripers were banked from the surf. A few stripers were boated on the ocean, and not many swam within 3 miles from shore. Apparently a good number schooled beyond 3, where striper fishing is prohibited. No blackfish were really heard about, except Bill saw photos of good-sized during the weekend. Frozen bait and eels are stocked.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>L

Striped bass were boated yesterday from the ocean, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. “Stripers in the snow, buddy,” he said, and they’re still around. Will he fish for them this weekend? Absolutely, he said. A dusting of snow to 3 inches fell at Sea Isle, but the snow was very localized. If you got into band, you got walloped. Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s Blog</a>. Annual traveling charters will fish the Florida Keys 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.

<b>Cape May</b>

Not a lot of the blackfish trips aboard had the weather to sail, said Capt. Paul from the party boat <b>Porgy IV</b>. But a trip fished well Wednesday for the tautog on the vessel. A few anglers limited out, and a few more blackfish bit than sometimes. Kevin Olbrich from Pittsgrove nailed a 9-pounder that was biggest on the outing. He and his dad limited on the trip, and Ken Minnett from Mays Landing and Bob Key from Lancaster did, too. Mike Jung on the trip bagged three of the fish to an 8-pounder. Friday’s trip failed to bag many. Not a lot of anglers joined Saturday’s and Sunday’s trips, but the trips bagged some blackfish. Weather was miserable Sunday, but Sam Oh from Broomall iced an 8- or 9-pounder that day aboard. Every day fishes differently. The boat’s slated to sail for blackfish at 8 a.m. daily.

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