New Jersey Fishing Reports

New York’s blackfishing season closed December 21 will open back up January 18, so Barbara Anne Fishing Charters stopped sailing for the tog, Capt. Anthony said. Trips are now bottom fishing two weeks before he wraps up his season. Ling just started to migrate inshore, and a few cod were mixed in. Not enough anglers for a charter? No problem. Call Anthony and see if room is available on an open-boat trip.

Bayonne

A customer clocked big blackfish maybe 7 and 8 pounds at the Shrewsbury Rocks on Friday, said Capt. Akira from True World Tackle and True World Tackle Charters. The angler was one of the few who leaves his boat in the waters at this time of year. A friend fished for mackerel on a Brooklyn party boat, and only herring were hooked. But some anglers like catching and eating herring. A few customers bought bunker to try for stripers from the local bulkheads because of the 60-degree weather over the weekend, but none mentioned results. Akira winterized True World’s charter boat Saturday, but the store stays open all winter. Load up on tackle at True World’s displays at the Garden State Outdoor Show on January 8 to 11 and at the Nassau Coliseum Show on January 16 to 18.

Sewaren

Blackfish to 8 pounds, a great catch, more than a limit for the five anglers, were tackled Friday with Outcast Charters, Capt. Joe said. They kept only their limit, playing catch and release with the rest. Blackfishing on another charter Saturday started slowly, with winds against the current making anchoring impossible. But everything changed once the conditions allowed anchoring. Some big tog to 9 pounds, including a couple of 7-pounders, were belted, and a quality catch got mugged by the end. Outcast fishes from Staten Island earlier in the year but is docked at Sewaren while New York’s blackfishing season is closed a moment.

Atlantic Highlands

Capt. Ron from the Fishermen called it a season after Saturday’s striped bass trip, he said in an e-mail. After the trip bounced around from inshore to offshore, and patrons managed five keepers, the effort no longer seemed worthwhile. He had thought the daily trips would last through the New Year. Lots of bait including herring and sand eels were around, and small mackerel appeared lately. Bunker even showed up this day. The boat also ran Friday, and Ron didn’t know what to expect after getting weathered out since Tuesday. A shot of bait was found here or there, and lots of running around was done, including inshore, offshore and at the Shrewsbury Rocks. During the second half of the day, jackpot: diving gannets and striper readings 10- to 15-feet thick offshore! One angler slammed two keepers, including the 20-pound pool fish. Another, the high hook, drilled two keepers, releasing 10 shorts. Nine keepers were caught total on the vessel. Ron thanked everyone who fished with him and those who enjoyed reading his reports.

Blackfishing trips got out Friday through Sunday on the Atlantic Star, after the boat stayed in port on Thursday for Christmas, Capt. Tom said. The fishing was a little off, maybe because of run-off from rains, and waters seemed a little colder, and sharpies said the tog failed to chomp the way they should. But on Friday they caught a pick of the fish, and one or two of the anglers limited out, and some bagged three or four keepers. Saturday was somewhat slower, and Sunday’s seas were rough, so fishing was tough, but the conditions were nothing to judge the togging by. If winds and seas had been that rough at the beginning, the trip probably would’ve stayed docked. Some small blackfish were reeled up, and so were a few healthy sized ling. A few fish were foul-hooked, and that suggested the tog refused to feed. The boat on the trips fished at the Shrewsbury Rocks, farther offshore near the Mud Buoy and south of Scotland. The Atlantic Star is sailing for blackfish 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily, including on New Year’s Day, through Sunday, and afterward the crew will take a winter break. The tog should keep chomping, but the time of year is here for a break. ***Update, Friday, 1/2:***No trips sailed since Monday because of rough weather, and Monday’s fishing was a slow pick, but the Atlantic Star was back at the tog grounds today, and Capt. Tom gave this update from the waters this morning. The trip had only just started, and patrons were picking at the fish at Scotland, working through shorts to grab some keepers. A few dogfish bit, not an overpowering number but more than preferred. A fairly strong breeze blew, and Saturday’s weather looked iffy, but Sunday’s looked fine, and the boat’s last trip of the season will fish that day.

Bottom-fishing served up blackfish, ling and a few cod on most days, said Jimmy from Julian’s Bait & Tackle. News about striped bass was difficult to give, because few went after the fish, and one of the local party boats tried for the linesiders Tuesday but failed to catch. Still, conditions like runoff could’ve been a factor, and the bite could’ve been completely cooperative another day. Surely surf casters could land stripers on worms or clams, and worms were tops, and the shop is carrying both worms and fresh clams. The store is open daily, usually 6 a.m. until about noon, depending on the weather.

Highlands

Seventeen blackfish, including eight keepers 3 to 5 pounds, were boated in a couple of hours Friday with Jersey Devil Charters, a good pick, he said. He knew anglers who waxed blackfish Saturday, too. Brian saw boaters trolling for striped bass, but they seemed to hook nothing, and he marked little bait that stripers would chase. Water temps remained in the low 40s, so Jersey Devil will keep fishing.

Neptune

Phenomenal togging went down Friday with Last Lady Fishing Charters, with the anglers walloping double their limit, keeping only their quota, releasing the rest, Capt. Ralph said. The slipperies weighed up to 11 ½ pounds, and Saturday also put out well over a limit for the boat, fish to 9 pounds. But more of them were quality-sized, 3 to 6 pounds, than on the previous day. Again, the anglers only kept their limit. Then Sunday’s seas were horrendous, and only four tog to 5 pounds were bagged on a trip that came home early, because of the conditions. But that was out of the norm, and the fishing’s usually been solid. A couple of spots are available on an individual-reservation trip for tog Tuesday, and a few remain for New Year’s Day. More of the trips will run every Saturday and Sunday in January. Look for an individual-reservation, offshore, wreck-fishing trip to be slated during the first part of January.

Belmar

A couple of blackfish trips Friday and Saturday were “pretty darn good,” said Capt. Tom from the Nan Sea J. Lots of quality fish bit, including four 9-pounders one day and three the other. Four- to 8-pounders also came up, and the trips fished in deeper waters, 90 feet. A few ling, a couple of cod including one keeper and a short, 11-1/2-inch sea bass grabbed baits. Tom had been thinking about fishing only until the New Year, but the fish are around, and people are calling for trips, so he’ll keep sailing indefinitely.

Winds and seas were stiff, but blackfish were wrestled aboard the Big Mohawk on Sunday, Capt. Chris said. Not as fast as during better conditions, but a nice day overall, he said. The fishing was generally A-okay whenever the weather allowed trips to sail, and some patrons limited out, and the fish weighed up to 11 pounds. Trips will probably continue through January, and Chris wishes everyone a Happy New Year. The Big Mohawk is blackfishing 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

Mackerel! Daily mackerel trips launched Friday on the Miss Belmar, and the Bostons were boated! Capt. Alan said. Some were decked Friday, and a good catch was made Saturday. Sunday’s trip caught but had to return early, because of rough seas. That is the first mackerel report of the season. The Miss Belmar is mackerel fishing 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. The Royal Miss Belmar, Alan’s other boat, will resume blackfishing daily this weekend, after the vessel undergoes seasonal bottom painting and an inspection.

Brielle

Capt. Wayne took the helm on two tog trips Friday and Saturday with Fish Monger Charters, Capt. Jerry said in an e-mail. On Friday a charter bounced around different spots, and lots of shorts chewed, but a 9-pounder, two 8-pounders, a couple of 6-pounders and a total of 22 keepers were pumped up. The mate also snuck in and tackled a 16-pound whopper. On Saturday an open-boat trip dealt with difficult conditions but put just over 30 keepers in the box. The group picked and plucked everywhere, but the mad-dog bite never got going. But everyone bagged keepers, and a first-timer landed eight of the fish to 6 pounds, keeping no more than his limit. Charters and open trips are going after tog. ***Update, Friday, 1/2:*** The final trip of the season broke the inlet for tog fishing Wednesday, Capt. Jerry said in an e-mail. The boat ran north, and the angling was a tough, scratchy bite at different locations, making the anglers work. But they limited out, and big fish was the word of the day. A 10-pound 10-ouncer, the angler’s personal-best, was decked, and so were three 9-pounders, four 8-pounders and a bunch of 4- to 6-pounders. The fish included two of the other anglers’ personal bests: a 9.9-pounder and a 9.5-pounder. Great trip to end the season, Jerry said. He’ll now fish for tog from Delaware for the winter as the mate with Bandit Charters, and reports about that fishing are included in this site’s Offseason Report. The crew from the Bandit, sailing from Belmar, N.J., the rest of the year, have been chasing tog from Delaware for three winters. Delaware’s bag limit includes more fish, and waters are slightly warmer, keeping the slipperies chomping, and the grounds are less pressured.

Offshore-wreck anglers looted sea bass, lumpheads to 6 pounds, on Saturday on the Jamaica, and limits were common, an e-mail from the boat said. A few ling, porgies, bluefish and pollock were mixed in. Pool winners included Paul Mendonca with a 20-pound pollock, and he also limited out on sea bass and nabbed 10 porgies. The two wrecks that were fished held plenty of life, and the boat left the fish biting. Waters were a steady 52 degrees, and the migration of sea bass to the area was in full swing, and good catches are expected to continue. More of the trips are sailing Tuesday and Wednesday, and after New Year’s Day the trips will fish every Wednesday and every Friday through Sunday through April. ***Update, Friday, 1/2:*** Limits of sea bass were common around the boat Monday, another great day of fishing, an e-mail from the vessel said. A few ling, porgies and pollock were mixed in, and pool winners included Andy Santoriello with a 7-pound sea bass and Vinny Canfield with a 9-pound sea bass. The e-mail listed 14 anglers who limited out on sea bass, saying those were only a few of the passengers who maxed out.

Point Pleasant

With five anglers aboard, blackfishing began slowly on Friday with Andrea’s Toy Charters, but some moves were made, and steady catches began, the report on the boat’s web site said. Twenty five keepers to 9 pounds were knuckled in, and more than twice as many shorts were released. “Insane fishing” after the beginning, Capt. Fred said in a telephone call. Six short striped bass were also jigged and released when gannets were seen diving.

On the Dauntless patrons mostly fished for tog in shallower waters on Sunday, because seas were rough, and a couple limited out, but the rest had some difficulty, because of bouncy waters, Capt. Butch said. On Saturday fishing in deeper waters dished up a bunch of ling, a few sea bass, including keepers, some cod and several bluefish, a mixed bag. The Dauntless is bottom fishing 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily, including on New Year’s Day. The vessel runs all year long, straight through winter, and Christmas is the only day the boat is slated not to fish.

The daily striped bass trip on the Gambler on Saturday got into some fish, Capt. Bob said. The boat first headed north up the beaches toward the Shrewsbury Rocks, and a few schools of herring were read within a mile from shore, and a couple of whales were seen. But nothing much was seen worth stopping on, so the vessel continued to the rocks. At the rocks the boat was put on a drift at readings, mostly because the crew was tired of looking, and one angler snagged a herring on a jig meant for stripers. So the crew had him send the herring down for bait, and he waffled a big striper. The crew had the anglers catch more herring on Sabiki rigs, and they started nailing stripers on the live bait, pretty good fishing a while, up to four bass hooked at once. The best bite lasted through a 45-minute drift. The catch ended up decent, although anglers had to work for every fish. The weather looked iffy for Sunday, and nothing further was heard from Bob, so whether Sunday’s trip got out was unknown. But the weather looked better for today through Wednesday. Bob’s friend also whacked stripers, lots of shorts but some keepers to 30 inches, all day Saturday in the ocean off Island Beach State Park, so that area was another option to search. The Gambler is fishing for striped bass 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. Offshore wreck-fishing trips for jumbo sea bass will start sometime in January. ***Update, Friday, 1/2:*** Recent striped bass trips were cancelled because of winds, but forecasts looked like a trip will sail Sunday. The season’s first offshore sea bass trip is slated for Thursday, and the boat so far is half full, so plenty of space is available. The crew really wants to get out there, so the trip will sail no matter, so long as the weather allows. Call Maryann at 732-892-1746 to reserve and check availability.

Toms Rivers

Surf casters plucked shorts here or there, mostly on metal, plugs and teasers, but some dunked clams, said Jeff from Murphy’s Hook House. Anglers fishing the Toms River sometimes picked up white perch on worms or grass shrimp, if they could get grass shrimp. Some even used nightcrawlers. Regular hours will be kept at the shop through Tuesday, and then no set hours will be kept during a winter break. At that point, if the staff happens to be at the shop, the doors will be open.

Seaside

Three keeper striped bass were checked in from the surf, and considering that only a handful of anglers hit the beaches at this time of year, “we just may have some pretty good action,” said the report on Grumpy’s Tackle’s web site. The keepers were a 16-pounder and an 11.6-pounder that one customer weighed in Saturday and today, respectively (he didn’t fish the day between or Sunday, notably), and a 10.2-pounder that another brought in Sunday. All three were plugged, and other surf sharpies banked shorts. The wife of the guy with the keeper Sunday beached two shorts. The afternoon shift was best, and assorted metal, plugs and teasers did the job, and so did small hunks of clams on top-and-bottom rigs with small hooks. <a href="http://www.grumpystackle.com/fishingreports/" target="_blank"> Click here</a> for updates. ***Update, Friday, 1/2:*** No customers reported fishing on New Year’s Day, but previously a few anglers plied the surf and reported catching and releasing short stripers on metal with teasers, the shop’s web site said. Remember: Striper season is closed on the bays and rivers in January and February, opening back up on March 1.

Forked River

Jana from Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle heard about a couple of anglers supposedly dunking salted clams to land striped bass in Barnegat Bay off the Forked River power plant discharge, she said. Anglers also talked about catching blackfish, and green crabs are stocked for bait. So are salted clams. The shop’s tentative schedule will be 10 a.m. to 5 or 6 p.m. daily this week, but call to confirm.

Seafood Fishing Charters wrapped up it’s season, and Capt. John thanks everybody who fished on board, and wishes everyone Happy New Year. Catch John’s tuna-fishing seminar for The Fisherman magazine at the Atlantic City Boat Show on Wednesday, February 4. He’ll also give a striped bass seminar for the magazine at the New Jersey Boat Show in Edison on Saturday, February 21. What’s more, he’ll give a striper seminar at Causeway Marine in Manahawkin’s open house on Saturday, February 28.

Beach Haven

Blackfishing was slower on Friday and Saturday on the Miss Beach Haven, Capt. Frank said. Only a few of the fish were keepers, and bites were tougher to come by. But trips will keep going after them. The Miss Beach Haven is blackfishing 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays and will also run a trip during the same hours New Year’s Day and the day after or Friday. One or two open-boat cod trips will also fish in January.

Tuckerton

With Legal Limit Charters anglers creamed blackfish to 12 pounds on Friday and Saturday, great fishing, and the trips were the boat’s last of the season, Capt. T.J. said. The anglers maybe came five shy of a limit on Friday and three shy on Saturday. T.J. thanks everyone who fished on his boats and wishes everybody a Happy New Year.

Mystic Island

***Update, Friday, 1/2:*** Boaters reeled aboard white perch on the Mullica River, including at Collins Cove, and shore anglers picked up the perch at the small cove at Amasas Landing Road on the Bass River, said the report on Scott’s Bait & Tackle’s web site. The fish were larger on some days than on others, apparently depending on the school that happened to come through. Live grass shrimp, bloodworms and small minnows were choice baits, and all are stocked. That was about the only fishing going on, and a few customers headed to the Forked River power plant discharge for striped bass angling, but none returned for more worms for bait. Surely they would’ve if catches were great. However, striper season is now closed on the bays and rivers in January and February, opening back up on March 1.

Absecon

White perch fishing up the rivers was about the only game in town, said Capt. Dave from Absecon Bay Sportsman Center. But tog hovered around the ocean wrecks. Weather was hardly cooperative last week, so that was the scoop. The store will be open until New Year’s, and afterward no set hours will be held, so call ahead to confirm. Eels and even leftover, live mullet are stocked, and so are frozen clams and other frozen baits.

Longport

Patrons picked away at blackfish, not a hot bite, but catching, including a few limits for those who worked hard, said Capt. Mike from the Stray Cat. Some of the fish were decent-sized or 7, 8 and 9 pounds. Sunday’s trip came back early by 12 noon, because rough seas popped the anchor loose, and once that happens, it’s time to go, will happen again. Trips kept fishing the reef, and one trip tried fishing the deep several days ago, but deep waters made no difference, no use sailing the extra distance. Eventually deeper waters should produce better. Other boats ran into a few striped bass at Peacock Shoal while trolling umbrella rigs and Stretch plugs. No birds worked the waters, but the linesiders continued to swim around the lumps. Open-boat blackfishing trips are running 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, including on New Year’s Day. However, the trip on New Year’s Eve will sail 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. A few spots remain on offshore sea bass trips slated for the Saturday’s of January 17 and 24.

Ocean City

Tog, big ones including 7- and 8-pounders, littered the reefs and wrecks, said Bill from Fin-Atics. Striped bass were occasionally beached from the surf, and customers nabbed a few on Saturday. Boaters could still troll some, not many, and waters were 42 degrees: cold. Starting this week Fin-Atics is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, resuming full-time hours March 1. But the doors will be open at other times whenever the staff happens to be there. Check out the shop’s new line of Wildnerness System kayaks and accessories. Some are already fully rigged for fishing, or anglers can custom rig them with the accessories. Get your ‘yak set up for the new season.

Sea Isle City

Capt. Joe Hughes from Jersey Cape Guide Service and Gibson’s Tackle spent the past days fishing in Florida, he said. On Friday he wrestled up eight jack crevalles, a couple on poppers and the rest on shrimp on jigs at Lake Worth Inlet at Palm Beach. On Saturday his wife Marie was aboard, reeling in four of the jacks to 10 or 11 pounds at the inlet on shrimp on 1-ounce, chartreuse-and-white Spro bucktails. They also fished in the back waters, hooking mangrove snappers and other assorted bottom fish. During that night they searched around the dock lights, fly-rodding half a dozen jack crevalles on chartreuse-and-white Clousers on a floating line. Then they fished at other lights, walloping six or eight snook to 6 pounds on the same flies. The snook went wild, six or eight coming after the fly at a time. Winds calmed enough on Sunday to try sailfishing in the ocean from Palm Beach, slow trolling live goggleyes, because winds were too calm to fish with kites. No sailfish showed up, but a 10-pound barracuda attacked. A dozen false albacores also slammed Clark spoons and feathers on planers. On Sunday night they arrived at Islamorada to fish the Keys, and look for an update in the next report. Joe at the Keys will fish for whatever is best, maybe back-country snook and redfish, maybe bonefish or sailfish. The days in Florida ranged 70 to 80 degrees, and winds blew until calming down in the past day.