<b>Brooklyn</b>

One drop was made on the <b>Big M Express</b> on a blackfishing trip yesterday, and the seven anglers aboard limited out, non-stop action, Capt. Steve said. The vessel will keep fishing as long as possible, and open-boat trips are running for blackfish every day when no charter is booked. The Big M Express sails from Tamaqua Marina in Gerritsen Beach, Brooklyn.

<b>Staten Island</b>

Plenty of striped bass could be jigged, and no trips left port with <b>Frenzy Fishing Charters</b> in the past days, but the boat is still in the water, Capt. Tommy Verderosa said. One charter recently bailed stripers all along Ambrose Channel, from the Verrazano Bridge to the ocean.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

A blackfish trip sailed Tuesday on <b>Atlantic Star</b>, and patrons picked some of the fish, and the water seemed riled up from quite strong winds previously, and a tougher bite can take place then, Capt. Tom said. Things weren’t bad, considering that, and the water on the surface was dirty, silty and gray, and the bottom must’ve been stirred up, too. The boat was also swinging around a lot on anchor, so patrons were losing rigs. A few ling were also boated, but again, conditions hampered fishing, but ling lately were mixed in on trips. The Atlantic Star is fishing for blackfish 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily through Sunday, January 6, before the boat’s season is finished for the year. Christmas is the only day no trip will sail. UPDATE 12/24: The Atlantic Star fished Thursday but was weathered out since then, and Capt. Tom was unsure if the weather would allow a trip to sail today. Thursday’s fishing was fair, and anglers on the boat tried for blackfish at a couple of spots and bagged a few, but blackfishing didn’t seem to want to take hold. So the boat moved to Scotland, and blacks to 5 ¾ pounds were taken, but there was a nice pick of ling, and ling definitely cooperated better. West winds were forecast for tomorrow, and that might lay down the ocean after the rough weather this weekend.

Blackfishing was excellent on the boats in the ocean today and yesterday, and that was a couple of days after the rough weather, so that was good, said Joe from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. A few short striped bass bit in the surf from Sandy Hook to Long Branch, and Joe heard about a 40-pounder that was nailed at Monmouth Beach. Party boaters jigged stripers along the same stretch. Fresh clams and live green crabs are stocked, and Julian’s is open 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day.

“It ain’t over,” Capt. Ron from the <b>Fishermen</b> said. Striped bass fishing was very good on the boat the past couple of days. The catch Tuesday was excellent, and gannets were diving into the water everywhere. The morning’s fishing was a little tough, but that all changed when the tide turned and the boat fished deeper in 60 or 70 feet. Lots of keepers to 25 pounds were hooked, and the overall sizes of the schooling fish ranged 12 inches to 50 inches. Wednesday’s fishing was also very good, and probably more than 25 keepers were reeled in, and two stripers that both weighed 25 pounds even were the pool winners. The fish, stomachs so fat that Ron had been concerned whether they’d hit the jigs that the anglers were throwing these days, were feeding on sand eels and peanut bunker. “It’s the best time of year to fish,” he said. The boat will keep sailing for stripers 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily as long as possible. Trips will run Christmas Eve day and New Year’s Eve day but not on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day themselves. On another note, Ron continues his involvement with <a href="http://www.ssfff.net/" target="_blank"> Save the Summer Flounder Fishery Fund </a>, and his customers have been contributing to the fund. Patrons yesterday showed up with $300 to donate. The organization aims to fund research to prove that the government’s data on the fluke population is flawed. Environmental groups are insisting that the population of the summer flounder is seriously threatened and are pushing to shut down fluke fishing, the most important fishery to the state’s recreational anglers. Ron said the stock of fluke has been rebuilt to six times its previous biomass, and recreational anglers have accepted cutbacks in bag limits many years as part of this effort, and now people are trying to end the fishery. The fluke population isn’t what’s in trouble, and the fishery is what’s threatened, he said. He encourages anglers to help the Summer Flounder Fishery Fund.

<b>Neptune</b>

An offshore wreck trip with <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b> got back to the dock late yesterday and was great, Capt. Ralph said. Fifty to 75 sea bass to 6 ¾ pounds bit, and so did a bunch of big porgies and some ling, cod, and pollock, and a 7- or 8-pound white hake was hauled aboard. Ralph set up another one of these open-boat trips that already filled, and the schedule for January wasn’t made up yet, but he’ll probably put together another in early January and maybe a few more, as long as the weather holds. Blackfishing’s been very good for Last Lady on open trips when the weather allowed them to sail, and a couple of openings are available on one of the trips Sunday. One opening is available for blackfishing on Thursday, and space is also available on these trips December 28 and New Year’s Eve. A couple of more of the individual-reservation blackfishing trips will be slated for January, if the weather remains good. Ralph thinks blackfishing is actually better than last year, and he reminded anglers that the bag limit drops to four on January 1 from the current limit of eight. Open-boat striped bass trips are no longer sailing, but Ralph knows one of the party boats was still landing plenty, and keepers were apparently still around. Charters are available for blacks, stripers or offshore wreck fishing. Ralph also urged anglers to support the <a href="http://www.ssfff.net/" target="_blank"> Save the Summer Flounder Fishery Fund </a>. If the organization fails to prevent the government’s threats to severely limit or close down the fluke fishing, many fishing businesses will shut down, even publications that feature reports like these. Summer flounder make up the majority of business for recreational saltwater fishing most of the year. Ralph also said that this effort is also important for other types of recreational fishing, because if headway is made on this front, it helps make the government take the industry seriously on other issues.  

<b>Belmar</b>

Tog fishing was good, and some big ones were boated, including a 12-3/4-pounder this week, said Capt. Chris from the <b>Big Mohawk</b>. The boat fishes the rocky bottom off Long Branch, Elberon and Sea Girt and keeps targeting them as long as possible through the winter. More and more bigger ones always show up as the season progresses, and so far, so good, apparently. The vessel’s tog trips are sailing 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

UPDATE 12/24: The <b>Nan Sea J</b> was pulled from the water this past week, and Capt Tom wrapped up his season, he said. The boat was scheduled to fish last week but got weathered out. Tom thanked his customers from the year and wished everyone Happy Holidays and a good New Year, and charters will begin again in May with striped bass fishing.

Blackfishing was going very well for party boat anglers, who were reeling up lots of keepers, and 13-pounders were the biggest, said Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b>. Striped bass, mostly small ones but plenty, could still be pulled from the surf, but participation was low. Still, Bob knew several anglers who were going, and they were scoring, mostly on artificials, such as Deadly Dicks, Ava’s and Bombers. The shop will stay open full time until party boat blackfishing peters out, and then the doors will be open during mornings until fishing picks back up.

<b>Brielle</b>

UPDATE 12/24: Blackfishing went well for ocean boaters toward the end of the week, said Dave from <b>The Reel Seat</b>. No first-hand reports about striped bass fishing were heard, but second-reports were heard that anglers on the party boats Gambler from Point Pleasant and the Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands were catching stripers in the ocean. The only news about surf fishing that rolled in was from one angler who hit the surf at Mantoloking but landed nothing. After today The Reel Seat will be open during no steady hours through January, but Dave will sometimes be at the shop, and then customers are welcome to stop by. In February the shop will be open during weekends until reopening full time a little later in the season. Dave noted a couple of important, upcoming meetings of the<a href="http://www.ssfff.net/" target="_blank"> Save the Summer Flounder Fishery Fund </a>. A meeting for the public will take place 7 p.m. January 21 at the Manasquan Elks, and a fund-raising dinner open to anyone is slated for 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. February 22 at Crystal Point Yacht Club, and the dinner costs $75 per person. The organization needs anglers’ support, and visit its web site to find out more.

<b>Point Pleasant</b>

The <b>Gambler</b> ran north in the ocean Wednesday, and big readings of striped bass were found a couple of miles off Sea Bright,  and patrons jigged good numbers, Capt. Bob said. Mostly shorts hit much of the day, but bigger linesiders began to bite the last couple of hours, and most patrons went home with a keeper, and some scored two. Not a lot of birds were working, and large readings pointed the way. Patrons mostly fished Krocodiles and Ava’s, but the fish seemed to attack any type of jig. However, casting out, letting the metal hit bottom and then retrieving to the top was the way to go, as opposed to actually jigging. Even though the fish will usually be marked from the bottom to halfway up, they’ll often follow a retrieved jig to the top before hitting. A trip also managed to fish Tuesday between rough weather, and striper fishing that day was slow off Island Beach State Park. Patrons reeled in some of the fish but not a lot, and that’s why the crew decided to head north Wednesday. That doesn’t mean stripers won’t reappear off Island Beach, because they very well might. The boat found good fishing there last week. The ocean was 44 degrees this week, but temps as low as 39 were found. The upshot is that stripers were still biting, and the Gambler will keep sailing for them 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily through the end of the year. In January offshore trips will begin running for jumbo sea bass twice weekly from 1 a.m. to 7 p.m.

<b>Bricktown</b>

Surf fishers, the last time anything was heard about them, seemed to find a few striped bass at Island Beach State Park and farther north toward Sandy Hook, but nobody mentioned any catches locally, said Jim from <b>Pell’s Fish & Sport</b>. The last news was a while ago, but he imagined the fish could still be hooked, and he would try throwing lures imitating sand eels or plugs and teasers. At low water needlefish should work. Participation was the main problem, but for example today was very fishable with clear, calm weather and relatively mild temperatures. Anglers seemed to hang it up early this season, maybe because air temperatures, even though they were closer to normal, dropped earlier than the previous few autumns that were warm. A few customers were blackfishing and seemed successful. The shop is carrying salted clams and plenty of lures and teasers. “They work,” Jim said about the clams. “Don’t let anybody kid you.” 

<b>Toms River</b>

A few short striped bass were plugged or clammed in the surf at times, like at Island Beach State Park, and boaters in the ocean probably caught more, said Jeff from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. One customer said he and two anglers caught and released 30 stripers and no keepers while boating the ocean. Nobody reported anything about blackfishing. Check out the shop’s sale through Christmas that offers 20- to 50-percent discounts. The store is open 8 a.m. to 5 or 6 p.m. daily, and the hours will probably be shortened after New Year’s.

<b>Seaside</b>

A few anglers hit the beach starting Tuesday after fierce winds, and they picked up a number of short striped bass, and the water had cleared up fairly well, the report on <b>Grumpy’s Tackle</b>’s web site said. Afterward not a lot of the sharpies fished, but plenty of mostly short stripers seemed to be around, and catches of a couple of keepers were hard about, but none was seen at the shop. If you get out, expect to look for fish and work for them, and use small plugs and rubber shads and a light rod. One customer even tossed a popper and beached his first-ever striper.  A shipment of long-sleeved, black Calcutta shirts with a striper on the back arrived, and don’t forget that it’s a good time to bring in reels for repairs. Grumpy’s is known for building custom rods, and an order of blanks will be made soon, so it’s also a good time to get your plan in place for a new rod. The shop is open 5:30 a.m. to 10 p. m. every day through Christmas Eve. <a href="http://www.grumpystackle.com/fishingreports/" target="_blank"> Click here</a> for updates.

<b>Betty and Nick’s Bait & Tackle</b>’s reports were probably coming to an end for the season, the shop’s web site said. But special discounts were being offered on reels that were posted on the site, and items featured in the shop’s annual winter sale will eventually be included, so keep an eye on the site. Gift certificates are available at the shop, especially for the holidays. <a href=" http://www.bettyandnicks.com/fish.shtml" target="_blank"> Click here</a> for the latest.

<b>Waretown</b>

Boaters seemed to find at least a few striped bass in the ocean off Island Beach State Park yesterday, though most had pulled their vessels from the water by now, so news was difficult to come by during weekdays, said Dale from <b>L&H Woods & Water</b>. But customers over the weekend weighed in stripers that came from that area, off places like the bathing beach there and off the Coast Guard station. Lou Salgato checked in a 20-pounder over the weekend, when two 11-pounders also hit the scale. Nobody reported surf fishing during the week, but somebody on Friday or Saturday said short stripers blitzed the suds at Seaside Park around Top of the Mast, lots of action, even if no keepers showed up. Reports about tog fishing failed to roll in during the week, and rough weather probably kept them from venturing to the grounds.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

A few short striped bass were beached in the surf along the middle of Long Beach Island, mostly on metal and plugs, said Chris from <b>Barnegat Light Bait & Tackle</b>. Blackfishing was very good on the party boats, and otherwise things were quiet locally. The shop is open Saturdays and Sundays, and call to confirm the hours the rest of the week. Frozen baits are stocked.

<b>Beach Haven</b>

One of the <b>Miss Beach Haven</b>’s weekend tog trips was able to sail Saturday between the rough weather, and lots of the fish bit, and many were small, but one angler bagged six or seven keepers, and some landed two or three, Capt. Frank said. The fish weighed up to maybe 8 or 9 pounds, and some were probably 5 and 3 pounds. The vessel fished 7 miles offshore in 44-degree water.  The Miss Beach Haven is fishing for the blackfish 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

A couple of customers stopped by for green crabs and blackfish rigs to fish for the tog from the party boats, and the Carolyn Ann from Barnegat Light supposedly got into a good catch of the slipperies yesterday, said Scott from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. The shop is still stocking the crabs, and live clams are also carried. Another customer was heading out to the AC Reef for blacks yesterday but hadn’t yet reported results. Another searched the ocean for striped bass a couple of miles from shore but scored a goose egg. Customers boated stripers in the ocean off Brant Beach and at the Harvey Cedars Lump on Saturday, but only early in the morning, and they returned early Sunday morning, but the fish were gone. So the linesiders seemed to be passing through in waves. With the colder weather thoughts can begin to turn to ice fishing for white perch at Collins Cove on the Mullica River, a popular fishery. But those ideas were premature, and no ice was yet forming at the cove, though skim ice covered some of the back lagoons. Scott’s is carrying live grass shrimp for perch fishing up the brackish rivers like the Mullica, and if there’s no ice, no problem. Simply hop in your boat and go. Any other news? Scott was asked. “No gnats,” he said. Well, that is a plus.

<b>Absecon</b>

Striped bass were jigged in the ocean from boats, but the linesiders seemed far offshore, maybe sometimes beyond 3 miles from land, where fishing for them is closed, said Ray from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. Nothing much was heard about striper fishing at Absecon Inlet, but Capt. Dave, the shop’s owner, fished there Friday and pulled up one keeper and a few throwbacks on Gulps. A customer was tog fishing lately at the ocean wrecks and reefs and limiting out on most trips. White perch fishing was good on the Mullica River, such as at Greenbank and Lower Bank on grass shrimp, and none of the shrimp were stocked, but nets for catching them were, and plenty of the crustaceans were around. Don’t miss the shop’s <a href=" http://www.abseconbay.com/abseconbay/sales/clearance.htm
" target="_blank"> holiday and clearance sale </a>through New Year’s, offering 50-percent off on many items and 25-percent off on the rest. The shop is also supporting the efforts of the <a href="http://www.ssfff.net/" target="_blank"> Save the Summer Flounder Fishery Fund </a>, so be sure to check it out. The government is threatening serious cutbacks on flounder fishing, and the fund might be anglers’ only chance to prevent this. The store is open full time, but customers should call to confirm the hours at this time of year. Live eels and fresh clams continue to be stocked.

<b>Margate</b>

Fishing for striped bass seemed slow in the ocean during the past days, but good catches of tog could be found at Ocean City Reef, said Capt. Jay from the <b>Jessie O’</b>. The boat will probably be kept in the water till February, and mostly charters are now available, targeting stripers if they’re around, and sailing for tog. Get a few friends together, and give Jay a call. The boat is definitely available, and the fish are there, and the cabin is heated. Space can still be booked on a special, 10-hour, open-boat trip on Christmas Eve day. Buy a space now and receive a free spot on an open-boat trip in spring.

<b>Longport</b>

Open-boat blackfishing trips continued to sail on the <b>Stray Cat</b> this week, and the bite was off a little, but customers managed to pop a few of the fish, Capt. Mike said. Strong currents were making things difficult, including swinging the boat around, making anchoring tough, and sometimes the water was dirty or sandy early in the week, apparently from strong winds that roughed up seas. The fishing had been good Saturday but fell apart by Monday. Tuesday morning’s bite was dead but somewhat improved in the afternoon. Wednesday’s fishing was much better but was still difficult. But that’s tog fishing, and sometimes the blackfish get finicky, and then anglers have to work harder. A few larger tog, 10-pounders, were boated, and small ones also bit. The open blackfish trips are sailing every day, and space is available Friday and Monday. Monday’s trip will be short, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., so anglers can go home early for Christmas Eve. A trip New Year’s Eve will run the same hours. But otherwise the vessel is fishing full days on these trips but will not run Christmas Day. Mike wasn’t asked whether a trip will sail New Year’s Day, so check with him if interested. A number of offshore sea bass trips will leave port probably starting January 10, probably limited to six anglers, plenty of elbow room. These open-boat trips will target the jumbo humpbacks in 240 feet, and other bottom huggers like ling, pollock, cod and maybe tilefish will be mixed in. The cabin is heated, and the coffee maker will be brewing. The microwave will be in action, and the bunks will be available. UPDATE 12/24: Open-boat blackfishing trips got out Thursday and Friday on the Stray Cat, and the fishing was slow, Capt. Mike said.  He cancelled a trip Saturday, because the anglers were coming from Connecticut, and he didn’t want them to take the drive if the fishing was going to continue to be slow. But the bite will turn around as the full moon wanes, he said. Good-sized blacks were hooked, but too few of them. Space is available on upcoming open-boat blackfishing trips after Christmas every day except Saturday.

<b>Ocean City</b>

Boaters were fishing for striped bass in the ocean at the end of last week, and a few were heard about who caught the fish at the beginning of this week, but news was scarce during the past couple of days, said Ed from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. He checked the ocean temperature off Atlantic City yesterday and saw 41 degrees, and that can mean that the fish will now be farther offshore in warmer water, beyond 3 miles from land, where striper fishing is closed. When the boaters did get out, they chased working birds and threw jigs and such to land the stripers. A few customers sailed for tog at the ocean wrecks and reefs, but the fishing seemed nothing spectacular. The shop is open full time from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays. After New Year’s the shop will probably be open 9 a.m. to 5 pm. Mondays through Saturdays and closed on Sundays.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Gibson’s Tackle</b> was hoping to jig for striped bass in the ocean this weekend, but stiff winds that were forecast might put an end to those plans, he said. Previously he said he expected to keep chasing the stripers Christmas week, and the fish could stick around in January.

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