<b>Brooklawn</b>

Windy weather made boating difficult most of the week, but reports were heard about a few striped bass knuckled aboard at the Cape May Rips on eels and spots and at the bottom of 60-Foot Slough and the Pin Top on bunker chunks, said Rick from <b>Big Timber Bait & Tackle</b>. The Elbow and Cross Ledge also put out one here or there on chunks. The linesiders were stacked up farther north along the coast, and the cold front and storm moving in today might get them to swim to the bay, and the weather Friday and later in the week looked calm. The mouth of the Maurice River was loaded with white perch that inhaled bloodworms and grass shrimp. On the Delaware River small stripers, mostly shorts, could be hooked and released at almost any of the piers and beaches and along the island off National Park on bloodworms. Good numbers of smallmouth bass gathered in the river near the shop including at the pier at Gloucester City Marina and the concrete pier at Camden. Little was heard about fishing in the ocean, including offshore, because of the weather. Big Timber Bait & Tackle carries bait and tackle for all fishing from freshwater to offshore. That includes a complete supply of lures and baits for rivers and lakes; rigs, tackle and frozen bait for bays; and offshore lures, rigs and baits.

<b>Pennsville</b>

Anglers on the upper bay and on the Delaware River wrangled up a few keeper striped bass, none big, but some up to the mid 30-pound range, said Matt from <b>Shag’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Most anglers in the area fished bloodworms or chunks of bluefish or spots. Fresh bunker was used if anglers could get it, but the blues and spots could be hooked from the river, so they were more popular. Catfish, decent-sized ones to 10 and 15 pounds, also sucked up the bluefish and spot chunks in the river, mostly at Pennsville on incoming tides and a little of outgoing. But the cats weren’t picky about baits, and even nightcrawlers worked. The shop’s owner continued to crab commercially, and catches were finally slowing down, and he began to remove his pots, but still came up with 12 or 15 bushels a day. Bloodworms are stocked when available, and nightcrawlers, trout worms, frozen bunker, frozen herring and other baits are carried. Shag’s will probably stay open through the first or second weekend of November before closing for the season, depending on the weather.

<b>Port Elizabeth</b>

A number of sizeable striped bass were reportedly dusted Friday by anglers who launched from Port Norris, said Sharon from <b>The Girls Place Bait & Tackle</b>. But the locations of the catches was unknown, and no other news rolled in because of the weather. Strong winds let up about one day in three. Fresh bunker, fresh clams, extra-large bloodworms, eels and just about all baits used at this time of year are stocked. The Girls Place is located on Route 47 just after Route 55 ends, and is the long, one-story, yellow building on the right.

<b>Fortescue</b>

A few striped bass were reportedly boated at 60-Foot Slough at the top of the tide, according to one angler Sunday, said Donna from <b>Al’s Bait & Tackle</b>. But the weather was a blow out Saturday and was hardly better Friday and the rest of the week, and Sunday was improved, but hardly anyone talked about other catches. The shop is open Fridays through Sundays. However, one angler said he pulled short stripers from the Fortescue surf. Lots of anglers hit the suds there. The time for stripers on the bay was here, though, and if anglers could catch a break from windy weather, they could get out and see whether the linesiders were around. Fresh bunker is stocked, and so are frozen clams, shedder crabs, chicken, squid and other baits. A full selection of striper rigs are on hand. Al’s Bait & Tackle is open 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fridays through Sundays. But if enough anglers are around, the hours can be extended. 

Short striped bass, probably 10 of them around 24 or 25 inches, were landed and released on a trip this past week near the Elbow, where everybody fished, Capt. Ralph from the <b>Buccaneer</b> said. Those were resident fish, young ones yet to migrate, that start to move around and get caught around the concrete structure at this time of year. Ralph knew about no large, migrating stripers showing up on any of the local fleet’s trips so far, and he was even taking a break this week to wait for the fish to arrive. He’ll probably also fish for stripers later in the season than usual this year, because the fish seem to turn on later than they used to. The next charters are booked for November. The bay was 57 degrees.

Anglers on a striped bass trip with <b>Andrea Charters</b> on Sunday reeled up a couple of 28- to 30-inchers that were kept and about 40 shorts that were released while anchored along the shipping channel, Capt. Dave said. Most of the fish were 26 to 27 ½ inches, not big, but the day was pretty successful, he said. The biggest bass of the day bit soon after they started fishing but was lost. Took practice for the anglers to get used to the in-line circle hooks, but they did. The hooks, made to hang the fish in the lip instead of the gut, probably saved a lot of the throwbacks, and Dave recommends them. Bunker chunks were the bait, and the heads worked well, catching 12 of the fish. A trip Saturday was weathered out. Anglers now waited for the main push of larger, migrating stripers, but Dave heard about 35- to 40-inchers nailed that were likely migrators, and he heard an unconfirmed report about a 50-pounder. Charters on the boat will focus on stripers the rest of the season, and catches of one weakfish and one drum were heard about, but weaks will probably depart because of the cold front that blew in today. The bay was 58 degrees. 

Croakers, decent-sized ones, and maybe blues or whatever shows up will remain part of the catch on the <b>Bonanza</b> until striped bass fishing takes off, Capt. Mike said. Anglers can fish two rods at a time, one for stripers and another for the other fish, until then, if room allows. But stripers could move in any day, and another cold night or two could do the trick, and then stripers will be the only target. A couple of the charter boats came back with stripers Sunday, and reports were heard about several keepers taken from the lower bay recently, and a few shorts were released on the Bonanza one day last week. Trips battled windy weather, but keep in mind that the bay tends to be roughest during strong west winds, and shelter can sometimes be found during strong east winds, the opposite of along the coast of the ocean. Fresh bunker and live eels are supplied on the vessel for striper fishing, and the anglers use whichever works best at the time. Trips are sailing open boat 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fridays through Saturdays, and striper charters are being booked. Many of the time slots for charters are full, especially on weekends, but some remain, and some on Fridays are left.   

<b>Bivalve</b>

Customers started checking in big striped bass, all boated on the lower bay, said Pat from <b>Longreach Marina</b>. Anglers and their catches included: Gary Wilson, Gary Harb and Joe Cliffwood, stripers 28, 29, 41 and 43 inches; Mike and Mark Vass, 37-inch striper and three shorts that were just undersized; Kin and John Plummer, two 30- and 33-inch stripers, a 27-inch short and lots of croakers; Junior Gonzalez, four stripers about 40 inches apiece and a 49-inch lunker; Anthony and Albert Albano, 38- and 42-inch stripers; Tinto Guinta, 39-inch striper; Donald Haught and Jim Wood Sr. and Jr., 30-, 33- and 40-inch stripers; Les Barry, 40 perch landed up one of the creeks; and Jim and Rick Bowman and Jim Walter, 10 big croakers, two blues and five large, out-of-season flounder that were released. Fresh bunker is stocked for striper bait. Longreach Marina’s month-long striped bass tournament is under way, running October 18 through November 15, awarding money for the largest striper. The entry fee is $30 per boat, and 80 percent of the fees is awarded, and the rest helps fund the marina’s annual kids fishing tournament in summer. The Atco Hookers Striper Tournament will be hosted at the marina Saturday with a weather date of the following Saturday, and the entry fee is $60 per boat.

<b>Dennisville</b>

Ed Dempsey fished the past several days since Friday, whacking a total of 12 keeper striped bass to more than 40 inches, said Tim from <b>Captain Tate’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Dennis Quinn clobbered a 40-inch 34-1/2-pounder yesterday. Striper fishing seemed to be starting, and the fish apparently swam shallower waters including the bay off Pierce’s Point and at Bug Light, 20-Foot Slough, the bottom of 60-Foot Slough and the Cock and Balls. Fresh bunker and fresh clams are stocked. Be sure to check out Captain Tate’s new meals. Anglers can call ahead and order bait, breakfast, lunch and dinner to have it all waiting for them when they arrive. Now that’s convenient!

<b>Cape May</b>

<b>Jaftica Sportfishing</b> fished the Cape May Rips for striped bass Friday for a brief time, maybe six drifts, and one short was caught and released, and another fish was missed, Capt. Ray said. Stripers seemed to appear at the rips in waves at times, and if anglers were there, they connected. The fishing was somewhat difficult to tell how it was going, because windy weather kept trips from sailing most of the time. But Ray knew about a 56-pound striper bunker chunked in the lower bay, and hefty, migrating stripers at least started to appear. Ray spoke with anglers who competed in Utsch’s Marina in Cape May’s striper tournament during the weekend who said bass that were caught were bright-colored and had sea lice on them, so they migrated from the ocean. Big, 20- and 30-pound linesiders were entered in the contest, sometimes good numbers. Ray bets that when more boaters can fish in better weather, more and more news will be heard about stripers arriving. The fishing’s probably either good already or will likely turn on any moment. Water temps dropped, and migrators were reported caught along the rest of the coast, and now is the time for the fishing to take off. 

David Radcliff’s group, part of a large group that sailed on four boats that another charter vessel booked, was aboard Saturday on the bay in poor conditions with 35 m.p.h. gusts on the <b>First Cast</b>, Capt. Rob said. The anglers were given the choice of whether to take the trip, and opted to go for a half-day of chunking for stripers on the bay. Sharks and skates bit, and there were a couple of run-offs, including one that might’ve been a decent-sized linesider. On Friday Derek Morris’s party fished the bay and the Cape May Rips, and the anglers got a few pulls, but no stripers came up. Rob knew about a few boats that came back with one or two stripers on Saturday, and he thought several better-sized bass were landed the previous couple of days. But waters probably needed to cool two or three degrees, and then maybe big stripers will show up, and that could happen any day. The time of year was right, and stripers seemed to be hooked farther north. Also last week Mathiu Te Hau was on deck, taking his dad for a 50th birthday trip, and Josh MacNamara and Hugo Fitzgerald were also aboard. They bailed croakers, kingfish and sea bass in the ocean toward Hereford Inlet, and then cast bucktails to beat 1- to 2-pound blues off Cape May Point, lots of fun. A couple of 7- and 8-pound, out-of-season flounder were also caught and released that day.

One striped bass and one bluefish were chunked at the Cape May Rips on the <b>Down Deep</b> on Sunday, and a few croakers were boated, Capt. Bob said. A few linesiders were being caught, and waters were 58 degrees, so that was encouraging.

Anglers who were part of a group who sailed on four boats Saturday fished for striped bass on Delaware Bay on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>, Capt. George said.  Skates grabbed the bunker-chunk baits, and no stripers turned up, and the anglers came back in after a half day because of windy weather with occasional showers. George fished on a friend’s boat in Utsch’s Marina’s striper tournament on Friday, and skates bit again, and he knew about two catches of stripers at the Cape May Rips that day. Word had it that a few stripers were hooked at the rips Tuesday and Wednesday, and George knew an experienced angler who tried for the fish Thursday at the rips but got none, and he would’ve caught if the fish were there.  George also knew about one angler who recently landed a striper at Middle Shoal and another at Overfalls Shoal at the rips. Another said he bunker chunked nine stripers in the bay Sunday. So striper fishing just seemed to be starting.

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