<b>Brooklyn</b>

Open-boat bottom fishing was still happening on the <b>Big M Express</b>, and cod and ling were about the only fish to target now, Capt. Steve said. A trip fished two drops Friday for a catch of 20 cod to 10 pounds and a mess of jumbo ling. One pollock also came up, and “the endangered dogfish were a bit of a problem, but that’s part of the game,” the report on the boat’s web site said. Open trips are slated for this Saturday and Sunday, if the weather holds, and call to reserve. The Big M Express sails from Tamaqua Marina in Gerritsen Beach, Brooklyn.

<b>Bayonne</b>

A customer jumped aboard an offshore party boat from Point Pleasant but only bagged four sea bass and two ling, said Capt. Akira from <b>True World Tackle</b> and <b>True World Tackle Charters</b>. So the fishing wasn’t so good. Another customer was planning to take one of the trips this week, and this fishing was about the only type going on now. The week’s colder weather and snow kept anglers scarce. Catch the deals at True World’s exhibits at the New Jersey Boat Show in Edison next week from Thursday through Sunday and at the World Fishing and Hunting Expo in Suffern, N.Y., from February 28 to March 2.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b> hoped to fish for ling and blackfish at one of the wrecks around the BA buoy later this week, if winds and seas were calm enough, he said. Cod were also a possibility. The water was 40 degrees, getting cold. He knew of nobody who fished this week, but March 1, the opening day of striper season in the bays and rivers, wasn’t too far away.  Julian’s is open every day.

<b>Neptune</b>

Bottom fishing for ling, cod and maybe blackfish is still possible, and <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b> is available for trips, Capt. Ralph said. Water temps were on the cusp of whether blacks would bite or not. Ralph couldn’t say exactly how the fishing was, because nobody had been out, but if a charter wants to try, his two vessels are prepared to head out.

<b>Belmar</b>

Anglers were reeling in blackfish on the Ocean Explorer, the only Belmar party boat that was still sailing, said Tom from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b>. The boat wasn’t always able to get out, because of the weather, but trips were slated every day, and when they were able to go, blacks and ling were reeled up. Not a ton of blacks were biting, but some were big, like a 13-pounder, a couple of 11’s and a number of 10’s that Tom heard about last week. That was pretty much the only fishing available. Plenty of winter flounder hugged the bottom of Shark River, but none of the out-of-season fish were allowed to be caught. Fisherman’s Den is usually open 6 a.m. to 12 noon on weekdays at this time of year, and the doors are open the whole day on weekends, especially till the party boat comes back for the day.

<b>Brielle</b>

UPDATE, 2/18: Ling kept biting, even if the fishing was slower than this time last year, and boaters also continued to pick away at cod, said Dave from <b>The Reel Seat</b>. Blackfishing really slowed down. Nothing was heard about offshore sea bass fishing, probably because catches were somewhat slow. Nobody was talking about herring running through Manasquan Inlet anymore, and if the herring were there, customers would usually be scurrying around and buying Sabiki rigs to hook them. Previously Dave said the herring were caught best on incoming tides toward evenings. Take note that the <a href="http://www.ssfff.net" target="_blank"> Save the Summer Flounder Fishery Fund</a> has slated a public meeting in South Jersey at 7 p.m. March 6 in Brooklawn, near Gloucester City, at American Legion Post 72 at 11 South Railroad Avenue. However, the meeting will now probably begin about 7:30 p.m. to allow anglers to come from the state’s meeting in Galloway that should decide the year’s fluke bag limit and season. Also catch the SSFFF’s exhibits at the Saltwater Fishing Expo from March 14 to 16 in Somerset and at the Asbury Park Fishing Club’s Flea Market on March 9 at Asbury Park Convention Hall. Also be sure to check out The Reel Seat’s exhibit at the Saltwater Expo. The Reel Seat is open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays until extending its hours in March.

UPDATE, 2/18: Three trips fished the offshore wrecks on the <b>Jamaica</b> during the weekend, and catches were best and good Sunday, and the most giant sea bass in a while came up, an e-mail from the boat said. Some passengers that day limited out on the big lumpheads to 7 ¾ pounds and boated good numbers of 4- to 6-pounders. Saturday’s trip produced some large sea bass to 8 pounds, but the fishing was poor. Friday’s fishing gave up a mix of porgies, sea bass, ling and a few cod and pollock, and the high hook bagged more than 30 fish.  On Sunday Mike Korn won the pool with a 7-3/4-pound sea bass, and Cai Chen limited out on the fish to 7 pounds, and Lucas Sosa also limited out. On Saturday John Smith reeled up a 10-pound cod, and Mark Capalbo nailed an 8-pound sea bass. On Friday Brad Kaas won the pool with a 15-pound pollock and was high hook with 32 fish including two cod, and Frank Stack walloped the second-largest fish, a 12-pound pollock. The crew expects fishing to remain good, and the offshore trips will keep running through April. The boat is fishing the 60- to 80-mile wrecks on 18-hour trips at 12:30 a.m. every Wednesday and every Friday through Sunday. The <b>Paramount</b> is fishing on 9- and 12-hour trips, and call the boat for info. <b>Bogan’s Boating School</b> is offering the approved boating safety certificate course required in New Jersey, and the next classes will take place Feburary 23 and March 2, 8, 15 and 16 at Bogan’s Basin. Private classes are available at your own location for a minimum of eight students, and discounts are available for 10 or more students, and simply choose two 3-hour blocks of time and arrange an instructor. Private classes can also be held during one day when scheduling permits. The test-out option is available at Bogan’s Basin from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

<b>Point Pleasant</b>

UPDATE, 2/18: Fishing at Manasquan Inlet was very slow, but herring occasionally swam through, said Rob from <b>Gates Bait & Tackle</b>. When the weather was fair enough for the local party boats to sail, patrons were pulling up ling, cod and a few blackfish. The store is open Fridays through Sundays when the weather’s decent, and the Gates Motel, located on the grounds, is open all year. Both the shop and the motel are located within walking distance of the inlet, the charter and party boat fleet and the surf. So anglers fishing at those locations and on the boats stop by the shop and gear up. The motel is popular with anglers who visit to avoid driving in the mornings or evenings before or after trips or simply make a fishing vacation from a visit.

Bottom-fishing trips left port on the <b>Dauntless</b> Tuesday and a couple of days earlier, and the fishing was okay, Capt. Butch said. Ling were bagged, and a few cod and pollock were mixed in. Those who brought their own crab baits—the boat is no longer carrying crabs--also picked up a few blackfish. A stray mackerel or two were showing up, but mackerel fishing appeared to be finished for the season. But the boat will target mackerel again during the spring run. The trips fished at the Mudhole in 120 to 200 feet, where the water was 42 degrees or somewhat cooler in some places with strong current. Strong currents did sometimes put a damper on the bite. But again the fishing was okay, and the Dauntless is sailing every day when possible, one of the only boats doing so. The vessel’s one of the only ones that’s been fishing every day all year long for decades in Jersey. The Dauntless sails 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily.

<b>Toms River</b>

UPDATE, Monday, 2/18: A couple of customers said they reeled up a few white perch from the Toms River on nightcrawlers, Jeff said. But he fished the river on three trips at all different times of day and night and couldn’t find any of the perch while dunking nightcrawlers and Gulp bloodworms. Two customers stopped by this weekend and were heading to the Jamaica II to bottom fish for ling and such. Nobody reported testing the surf for stripers in the past days, but anglers were probably likely to cast plugs if they were to try. Freshwater anglers were pinning down pickerel at Lake Riviera on nightcrawlers and killies and were connecting with crappies at the Ocean County College pond at night on nightcrawlers. Nightcrawlers had run out at the shop but were expected to be re-stocked today, and killies were stocked. Murphy’s is open on Friday and Saturday mornings, but sometimes the staff is there during the week. Full-time hours will probably resume March 1.

<b>Seaside</b>

The surf was 43 degrees at the beginning of the week, and nothing was going on with fishing yet, but striped bass fishing should be good in Barnegat Bay when striper season opens in the bays March 1, the report on <b>Betty and Nick’s Bait & Tackle</b>’s web site said. Those with reel repairs who don’t feel like making the trip to the shop can now mail the reels to the store, and they’ll be serviced and mailed back with a charge for the repairs and shipping. Shipping probably costs less than fuel anyway. The shop’s annual winter sale is ongoing, and lots of the deals are listed on its site.  <a href=" http://www.bettyandnicks.com/fish.shtml" target="_blank"> Check it out</a>.

Snow, sleet, winds and cold were the talk on <b>Grumpy’s Tackle’s</b> report on its web site early this week. Apparently nobody was fishing. But only 35 days till spring! it said. Seemed no lack of activity was happening at the store, though. A bunch of rod blanks were delivered, and Mike the rod builder was backlogged about eight weeks. If you wait much longer to order, you might wait much longer, the report said. The shop is known for custom rod building. Stop by the store and with an old reel and ask for a quote on how much to make it look like new. Don’t miss Grumpy’s Groundhog Day sale, running through the month, featuring items including Gulps, MegaBaits, Bomber plugs, wooden plugs, PowerPro, corkers, reels and more. When the fishing gets tough, the tough go shopping. <a href="http://www.grumpystackle.com/fishingreports/" target="_blank"> Click here</a> for updates.  

<b>Waretown</b>

Anglers were hooking and releasing out-of-season striped bass at the outflow at the Oyster Creek power plant, Lenny from <b>L&H Woods & Water</b>. He said he was unsure whether the fishing was legal, but the anglers were casting soft plastic lures and clams, and most of the stripers were 12 to 18 inches, but a few were keeper-sized. One customer said he released a 28-inch keeper and saw a 30-incher let go. Bluefish had been swimming the outflow until the plant caused a fish kill some weeks ago, but Lenny heard about no blues caught recently. One customer said he bottom fished offshore on the party boat Jamaica and came back with four cod and 20-some ling. Nothing was heard lately about white perch fishing up the tidal creeks and rivers. L&H is open every day through winter, and frozen baits are stocked.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

Collins Cove on the Mullica River would be the most dependable place to pick up white perch, said Scott from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. The fish seem to lay up there because it’s a pocket to get out of the river’s current, and maybe the water’s warmer, because it’s also shallower than the main river. Live grass shrimp are stocked and are the best bait, but Scott tried to supply bloodworms from Maine for perch fishing this week. But rains in Maine put the kibosh on any possible supply, so he hoped to stock the bloods next week. That weekend will be the final one before striped bass season opens March 1 in the bays and rivers. Anglers then will surely fish for the linesiders at Graveling Point on Great Bay with bloodworms. But that’ll be more of a tradition than any great expectation that the bass will bite this early in the season. The point is always one of the first places in the state to produce stripers in late winter. Reel repairs were now running rampant at Scott’s. Too late to beat the rush, but better not delay anymore. 

<b>Longport</b>

UPDATE, Monday, 2/18: <b>Stray Cat Charters</b> is at long last going to take a break for a couple of weeks, probably starting to run open-boat trips for tog again on March 2, Capt. Mike said. He had been willing to keep bottom fishing on open trips, and his last trip bailed sea bass, but too few anglers were calling to fish anymore. But it won’t be long until the boat is back in action.

<b>Ocean City</b>

White perch could be hooked up the Mullica River, Middle River and Tuckahoe River around Corbin City, on the saltwater side, said Bill from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. Grass shrimp were best baits, and anglers were netting their own, and no shrimp were stocked. Anglers could probably also jump on the party boats for tog or sea bass, and at least one of the local boats was sailing. Bill thought the schedule was Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays, and weekend trips had been running 18 hours to fish the offshore wrecks for sea bass, but he was unsure whether that was still the same. Fin-Atics is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily but is closed on Sundays. However, the shop will be open this Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. because of Presidents’ Day Weekend.

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