<b>Staten Island</b>

<b>Outcast Charters</b> sailed for blackfish Saturday and Sunday in calm weather, and Saturday’s fishing was okay but a grind, Capt. Joe said. Roughly 45 keepers to 8 pounds were landed, and most of the fish weighed 3 to 5 pounds. Sunday’s fishing was slow, and 32 keepers were reeled in, and a 6-pounder was probably the biggest, and most were 3 to 4 pounds, and a cod was also reeled up. The trips fished in 90 to 110 feet, deeper than before. More blackfishing trips will head out this weekend.

Capt. Tommy Verderosa from <b>Frenzy Fishing Charters</b> pulled the boat from the water for the season, he said. Then three people called about a charter, because of the warm weather, but were a day too late. He’ll start fishing again in March for stripers, and spring is his favorite time of year for catching the linesiders. Tommy thanked all the anglers who fished with him during the year.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Surf anglers beached a few striped bass on bloodworms and clams, and nobody seemed to be boating for striped bass anymore, said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. But boaters were bottom fishing for ling and blackfish, landing good catches for the most part. Boats from Belmar and Point Pleasant had been catching mackerel a little south of the BA buoy. Julian’s is open every day, stocking fresh clams, bloodworms, crabs for tog fishing when available and frozen baits.

<b>Sea Bright</b>

On a trip with <b>Two Rivers Charters</b> lots of  blackfish to 7 pounds were drilled Saturday, Capt. Fletcher Chayes said. Seventy-foot depths were targeted, and another blackfishing trip on Monday was terrible, and only a handful of the fish were reeled up, this time in the deep on the east side of the Mudhole. Crabs were now difficult to find for bait. Two Rivers did no striped bass fishing, but Fletcher on Sunday walked along the surf at Monmouth Beach and saw small fish breaking the water that must’ve been bass. They were bigger than herring, and a boat was also drifting back and forth through the area, so the anglers must’ve been hooking stripers. Two Rivers might fish another week before ending the season.

<b>Neptune</b>

Fishing for tog was super for <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b> lately, and a trip for the tog Monday was the only bad one, when catching any of the fish was difficult, Capt. Ralph said. But previously patrons scored very well on the slipperies, including limiting out plenty of times. None of the fish was very big, but others hooked big ones, and Ralph hoped to find large ones on a trip that was fishing today. Individual-reservation blackfishing trips are also on the books for this weekend and every Saturday the rest of the month, and space is available. Charters are available for any fishing that’s decent, including for blacks and offshore species like sea bass. An offshore charter is slated for next week on Friday. UPDATE, 1/14: Most anglers on the blackfishing trip Thursday with Last Lady limited out on the tog to 8 pounds. On a trip Saturday one of the anglers limited out, and the rest boated a few keepers apiece. No huge blacks were landed on trips yet, and some really big ones were hooked, but they were lost for one reason or another. But ling to 6 pounds—the biggest ling Capt. Ralph’s seen in years—also came up lately. Individual-reservation blackfishing trips sail 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Saturday, and openings are available, including this week.

<b>Belmar</b>

Blackfishing’s been alright, said Capt. Chris from the <b>Big Mohawk</b>, and lately fish about 11 pounds were the biggest, and most of the largest weighed 10 pounds, nothing huge, but still a decent bite. Cod were sometimes mixed in with the tog recently, and the boat continued to fish in 60 to 70 feet. So the action was keeping up, and “ better get them while the getting is good,” Chris said. The Big Mohawk is blackfishing 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. every day.

<b>Brielle</b>

UPDATE, 1/14: On the <b>Jamaica</b> offshore wreck fishing was very good Thursday for a mix of sea bass, porgies, ling and some cod, an e-mail from the boat said. Darryl Smithe was a pool winner with a 6-1/2-pound sea bass, and he also bagged 12 more sea bass and 40 jumbo porgies. Alonzo Cameron was the other pool winner and boated a 6-pound sea bass. The trips are sailing 12:30 a.m. every Wednesday and every Friday through Sunday. Trips are also running on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, January 21, and President’s Day, February 18.  <b>Bogan’s Boating School</b> is offering the boating safety course required in New Jersey, and the next one-day classes are scheduled for 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. January 19, 20 and 26. Visit the school’s web site for more info.

<b>Point Pleasant</b>

UPDATE, 1/14: Herring were running up Manasquan Inlet and getting caught by anglers, said Rob Sr. from <b>Gates Bait & Tackle</b>. The local boats were bottom fishing and landing the following fish, listed in order from most caught to fewest: ling, cod, sea bass and blackfish. In other words, anglers on the boats mostly found ling, and cod were the second-most common catch, and so on. Striped bass fishing was slow. The store was open this weekend and is now open Thursdays through Sundays. The Gates Motel, located on the grounds, is also open all winter and is popular with anglers, who stay the night either to avoid early or late drives before or after fishing trips on the local boats or simply stay and make a fishing vacation out of a visit. A group of anglers from Virginia stayed at the motel this weekend, and Rob thought they were bottom fishing. Both the tackle shop and the motel are located within walking distance of Manasquan Inlet, the charter and party boat fleet and the surf.

A blackfishing trip limited out with <b>Andrea’s Toy Charters</b> on Tuesday, and fishing for the tog was on, Capt. Freddy Gamboa said. He’ll keep targeting the fish to February, including on open-boat trips each weekend, because the bite was just too good, he said. Trips this past week found the most consistent blackfishing to the south off Barnegat, and the speed of Andrea’s Toy’s boat made the run no problem. The anglers Tuesday first hit a wreck in 50 feet off Barnegat and hooked a few keepers and 20 shorts. Then they moved a bit deeper, and that was all it took. Drop-and-reel fishing kicked in, and the group limited out in only an hour, and left the fish biting. On Sunday a charter that included a few party boat crew ran to wrecks in 60 to 80 feet off Barnegat, and the first one produced pretty good blackfishing. But the tog weren’t chewing hard, so the anglers had to work. They fished two more wrecks, and both held life, and ended up with 20 keepers to 7 pounds and countless shorts. A southerly swell might’ve affected the bite that day. The group “had a great time on a nice day out,” a report on the boat’s web site said. Space is available on open trips—8-hours long at a great rate—this weekend, and call to reserve. Andrea’s Toy’s home page includes further info.

Offshore wreck fishing on the <b>Voyager</b> for sea bass was okay, not great, David from Fisherman’s Supply where the boat is docked said. The boat is running the trips 11:30 p.m. every Thursday through Saturday, returning at 6 p.m. Ling Marathons are also sailing 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. every Wednesday.

Mackerel fishing had been decent about a week on the <b>Dauntless</b>, but suddenly the fish apparently moved out of range, so trips on the vessel resumed concentrating on ling fishing, and ling catches were fairly good for this time of year, Capt. Butch said. Cod also started to be landed among the ling, and probably three dozen were taken Tuesday. Patrons lately were bagging 10 to 25 fish apiece, not a bail, but average fishing. If mackerel school within range again, the boat will chase them. The Dauntless is sailing 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. every day and fishes daily the entire year.

Blackfishing was pretty good along the inshore ocean, said David from <b>Fisherman’s Supply</b>, and Al Wynne took a trip on the Mimi and limited out on the fish to 13 pounds. David thought he probably fished with blueclaw crabs, and he said five cod were also pulled up on the trip. Mike Herman left the dock on the Skylarker and came back with a 12-pound 9-ounce blackfish that hit green crab. A few small striped bass were around in the ocean, but most striper anglers packed it in for the season. Herring were jigged at Manasquan Inlet on Sabiki rigs. The shop is open seven days a week, and no natural baits, including frozen baits, are stocked during the winter, but artificials such as Gulps are carried. 

A few final striped bass trips fished the ocean on the <b>Gambler</b> through Tuesday, but the fishing was slow, so the boat switched to mackerel fishing, so customers could bag something, Capt. Bob said. On Tuesday’s trip Bob’s brother captained the boat and tried some of the best spots for stripers, but nothing was doing, so he switched to mackerel. The boat also began heading offshore for wreck trips Saturday, and sea bassing that day was okay, not as good as during the past couple of years at this time. Instead of limiting out on 25 of the lumpheads or coming close like in the past couple of years, patrons claimed 10 or 15 apiece.  Some were big, and some were medium-sized, and the fishing seemed like a spot would give up a nice blast of the fish at first, and then the boat would have to move to the next spot. But there was a good showing of pollock, with 15 of the fish from 8 to 30 pounds lifted aboard. Kevin Lynch won the pool with a 30-pound pollock and also caught probably 15 sea bass and 6 ling. A few cod came up, and some big purple hake, 8-pounders, were scored, and only a few porgies were. No bluefish were landed like during the past couple of seasons, and Bob hoped to see blues appear. He thinks that if the water cools a couple of degrees, more sea bass might migrate to the waters. Another offshore trip left port today, and the trips are sailing 1 a.m. to 7 p.m. every Thursday and Saturday this month, before the crew takes a winter break.  Openings are available this Saturday and through the month.

<b>Toms River</b>

A couple of customers picked up salted clams to try surf fishing for stripers, but never reported back results, and a couple of others bottom fished on the party boats and bagged ling, big porgies and a few sea bass, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. That was about all that was happening. Herring can usually be targeted at Manasquan Inlet with Sabiki rigs through winter, but customers who usually catch them never stopped by during the past days. Frozen baits are stocked, and so are nightcrawlers. Killies might be carried by Saturday, and Dennis tried to stock them before but found none available. But that could change. The shop is open but at various hours, so call to confirm.

<b>Seaside</b>

Peanut bunker were actually found in the surf, and a customer brought some to the shop to prove it, said the fishing report on <b>Grumpy’s Tackle</b>’s web site. Sand eels were still all over. “Can anybody remember these many sand eels ever?” the report asked. Not many reports were rolling in, and anglers were scarce, but the only way to catch is to be there. Try dunking a high-low rig with half a clam or less on a 4/0 hook for a striper bite in the wash. Or toss small rubber or a plug like a Stillwater Beachrunner. But the fish are in energy conservation mode because of the cool water, and they won’t chase bait, so slow retrieves are essential. Now’s a good time to bring repairs to the shop, and a fresh shipment of Lamiglas blanks arrived. The shop is known for custom rod building. <a href="http://www.grumpystackle.com/fishingreports/" target="_blank"> Click here</a> for updates.

<b>Waretown</b>

UPDATE, 1/14: A mate from one of the Long Beach Island party boats said tog fishing on the vessel wasn’t so hot Saturday, said Dale from <b>L&H Woods & Water</b>. But Tyrone Kuzin recently weighed in a 7.11-pound tog that he nailed on a private boat. Some friends sailed on the party boat Gambler from Point Pleasant in the ocean last week, and Dale thought the trip was the boat’s last shot at striped bass fishing, and the friends said no stripers were hooked, so the boat switched to mackerel fishing, and 25 or 30 mackerel were reportedly landed. Striper fishing seemed finished for the year. Nobody reported surf fishing, and that was about the only news lately. L&H is open every day.

<b>Beach Haven</b>

The <b>Miss Beach Haven</b>’s blackfishing trips sailed both Saturday and Sunday in calm weather, but the fishing was slow, and the current was strong Saturday, Capt. Frank said. He thought an 8-pounder was the biggest bagged, and he said only blackfish and no other fish were hooked. Frank hoped that this week’s warm weather would trigger the fish to bite this coming weekend. The boat will run for blacks 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays probably another two weeks this season. A cod trip will probably also sail the last weekend of the month. Then trips will be on hold until spring approaches.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

Lots of white perch fishers were hitting Collins Cove on the Mullica River, usually dunking live grass shrimp for a bite, said Scott from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. The cove is the popular place to ice fish for the whiteys if ice ever forms this winter. The shrimp are stocked, and Scott was hoarding them up while the weather was warm. Small minnows are also stocked and can be used for the perch, but the shrimp are most popular. Head boats continued to fish for tog, and catches sounded alright. Scott heard about mackerel caught on one of the party boats two weeks ago but not since. Striped bass were a dead issue with a cold ocean and the season being closed in the bay till March. Anglers were finding the linesiders in Barnegat Bay at the Forked River power plant outflow until the season ended. Now was a good time to bring in reel repairs, before the rush in March, and currently the turnaround was about 10 days.

<b>Absecon</b>

UPDATE, 1/14: Plenty of white perch were biting at Collins Cove on the Mullica River, said Capt. Dave from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. Frank Hannum drilled a 16-pound tog on Thursday. Other than that, the only news was that a month and half is left before striper season opens in the bays. Dave said he might have to start thinking about stocking live grass shrimp for perch fishing. A few minnows are stocked, and frozen baits are on hand. The shop is open during no set hours, but Dave is usually there, and customers are welcome to stop by when he is. Call ahead and confirm.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

Surf fishers and boaters were finding a few striped bass, not many, in the ocean, said Jack from <b>Offshore Enterprises Bait & Tackle</b>. So scattered ones were around, and try clams in the suds or trolled Stretch plugs or umbrella rigs from boats, but if boaters get into them on the troll, they can also jig metal or bucktails. A 21-inch black drum was beached in the wash at the T-jetty. A few tog could be boated in the ocean, and wreck fishing for sea bass was decent offshore. Cod seemed to start showing up farther north, such as off Brielle. The shop is open Wednesdays through Sundays, but call to confirm exact hours, and is closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Jack is generally saying he shows up in the mornings and leaves in the afternoons. Baits stocked include salted clams, live eels and frozen bunker, mackerel, herring, mullet, squid and spearing.

<b>Margate</b>

A few small striped bass could supposedly still be trolled in the ocean, and trips are slated to sail for them on the <b>Jessie O’</b> this weekend, Capt. Jay said. Umbrella rigs and Stretch 30 plugs should do the trick, and trolling will be done when six passengers or fewer are onboard, so they can take care of the six rods that are usually trolled. But when more passengers are on deck, they’ll switch to jigging or eeling. Waters along the beach front were 42 degrees this past week, but the warm weather might’ve pushed up the temp, though Jay didn’t expect too much of an increase. Waters a little farther offshore were 45 degrees. Charters remain available on the vessel, and trips are already being booked for next year, especially for large groups or corporate outings. Cruises are also being scheduled, such as bachelor and bachelorette parties, birthday parties, other special events or sightseeing trips, such as Atlantic City skyline cruises, and catering and a D.J. are available. Book now to reserve preferred dates.

<b>Longport</b>

An offshore wreck trip for sea bass was expected to sail on the <b>Stray Cat</b> today in light and variable winds, Capt. Mike said. That would be the vessel’s first offshore bottom fishing of the season, and more of these open-boat trips will sail this season. Ling, cod and pollock can also be caught, and call to reserve.  Open blackfishing trips will run this Friday and Saturday, and space is available. Open blackfishing also takes place daily when no offshore trips leaves the inlet. The tog fishing was good, not great, but decent 9 miles from the coast for Stray Cat the past several days. UPDATE, 1/14: Stray Cat ran the offshore wreck trip on Thursday, and the fishing was good, Capt. Mike said. Lots of hefty sea bass were caught 65 miles out. Only sea bass and no other fish bit.  The offshore trips will sail whenever anglers are interested, and call Mike to be kept informed when they’ll run. The trips are limited to six passengers and take place 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. The vessel takes 3 hours to head to the grounds and 3 hours to return, so the actual fishing takes place 6 hours. Open-boat tog trips fished Saturday and Sunday, and the fish were “snapping good” on Saturday, Mike said, but Sunday’s action was slow. Sunday’s trip fished in 4- to 6-foot seas with a hard easterly, and only eight keepers came up, so the boat headed home early. The fish seemed to peck at the baits but refuse to grab them hard and get hooked. Both trips fished in 80 feet. A keeper-sized striper was hooked on the trip Saturday and was released, because the boat was beyond 3 miles from land, where striper fishing is closed.

<b>Ocean City</b>

Boaters fishing the offshore wrecks bagged sea bass and other assorted fish, including a few pollock and a few cod, said Ed from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. The trips sailed far, usually 50 miles from land, and one of the party boats ran one of trips this past week. Nothing was heard about tog fishing and striped bass fishing. The ocean was 43 degrees and held no bait, but Ed traveled to the Chesapeake area and hammered a mess of stripers in 48-degree water with lots of bait, both in the ocean and at the mouth of the bay along the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. The shop is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and is closed Sundays. Most items are also available at <a href="http://www.fin-atics.com" target="_blank">www.Fin-Atics.com</a>. 

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Gibson’s Tackle</b> ran to 5-Fathom Bank on Saturday but found no fish, no marks, no birds working, he said. But fishing this time of year either produces catches or doesn’t, and anglers just have to look. Seas were stiff that day, and the forecast had suddenly turned for the worse that morning, but Joe gave it a shot anyway. Still, the day wasn’t one to keep looking around, so he tried 5FB then headed back. Trolling or jigging would’ve hooked fish if they were there. Striped bass could sometimes be on those grounds, but if they had bitten, the area is beyond 3 miles from shore, where stripers can be kept, so the fish would’ve been released. Joe also looked for stripers in the back bay at Beesley’s Point and other cold-weather spots recently, but nothing hit. Striper season is closed in the back bay till March, so this was also catch and release fishing. Sometimes the power plant outflow at Beesley’s produces quite good striper action in winter, because of the warm water, but the fishing’s a crap shoot. Sometimes the area is a gold mine, and other times no outflow is released. But such fishing is definitely an option during the cold. Joe tossed small Clouser flies on a floating line there.

On the <b>Captain Robbins</b> blackfishing was good, and the weekend’s trips were best, and afterward the bite slowed somewhat, but some quality fish were taken, Capt. John said. “Hollywood” Smith won the pool Saturday with an 8-pound black and limited out on the fish. On the same day Bill Christy limited out on the tog to 5 ¼ pounds, and Richard DeDramano limited out on the slipperies to 5 pounds. On Sunday Gary Webb won the pool with a 7-3/4-pounder, and on Monday Al Crudele took the pool with a 9-pounder. Also on Monday Bruce Cult limited out on the fish to 3 ¼ pounds. Open blackfishing trips are sailing Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays through Sundays, and charters are available for blacks or striped bass on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Green crabs are supplied for bait on all blackfishing trips.

<b>Wildwood</b>

Four or five customers per day were picking up clams and going surf fishing for striped bass, said Fred from <b>No Bones Bait & Tackle</b>. But none said whether they scored any. The warm weather triggered rising water temps, and Fred checked the back bay Sunday and found 31-degree water and skim ice, but this morning he read 43 degrees. The Fins N’ Grins, docked at the shop, was tog fishing today and also went Saturday and Sunday, limiting out on both days, including grabbing fish more than 10 pounds each trip. Fred heard that the local boat Atom Bomb returned from a trip Saturday with a 23-pound whopper of a tog, only 2 pounds short of the record. The Bodacious is now docked at the shop and will run offshore wreck-fishing trips, including this Saturday. Fred thought the boat scheduled another trip for Tuesday or Wednesday but was yet to get the boat’s schedule.     

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