***Update, Thursday, 2/2:*** Mackerel, excellent catches, were clobbered on the party boat Miss Belmar Princess, Capt. Alan said. Patrons filled coolers, garbage cans, “everything,” he said, and the fish swam only 10 miles from Shark River Inlet. Plus a big area held them. Three head boats fished for them today a mile apart. “That’s how big,” Alan said. Fishing for mackerel was good since Friday, and the fish then swam 20 miles from the inlet. About three days ago they moved within 12 or 13 miles, and now they were 10. Maybe mackerel anglers will get lucky and the migration will remain within range the whole month of February. “The water’s warm,” Alan said. The fish now were mediums to large, and previously “were mixed sizes,” he said. The Miss Belmar Princess is fishing for mackerel 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

Party boats that bottom-fished scooped up blackfish, ling and a few cod, good catches, said Bob from Fisherman’s Den. The ones that mackerel-fished also shoveled in good catches. Lots of striped bass, including sometimes keepers to 15 pounds, were beached from the surf, mostly from Asbury Park to farther north. The angling never let up since fall, and most of the catches now came from along the jetties, not the open beach. Most were hooked on weighted rubber eels like Vision Surf Eels or Tsunami Eels. A few were plugged and fly-rodded, but the eels worked best. Fishing on the whole was better than this time last year in warmer weather this year.

***Update, Thursday, 2/2:*** Very good ling fishing was crushed Wednesday on the party boat Gambler, Capt. Bob said. The ling were good-sized, 1 to 3 pounds, and not a lot of cod, but a few, were clocked. A 7-pound cod was probably biggest. Rich Kowlick, Brick, socked about 40 ling. Mackerel were sometimes hooked at the wrecks fished, in 140 feet. The Gambler is fishing 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, except no trip is fishing on Tuesdays. A special benefit trip for a young girl with leukemia and a brain tumor will sail Sunday, February 12, for cod, pollock and probably ling.

***Update, Thursday, 2/2:*** Bottom fishing aboard, mostly grabbing ling, was okay, a little slower than before, because of a ground swell and a terrible current, said Capt. Butch from the party boat Dauntless. But catches will probably bounce back, and the angling was still fair, putting up 10 to 20 fish per angler. That’s compared with 20 to 40 fish apiece previously. “But it’s still steady fishing,” Butch said. A few cod and blackfish were in the mix. Some of the cod were sizeable to 20 pounds. Out-of-season sea bass, including large ones, sometimes bit and were released. A few mackerel were landed, some of the first macks of the season aboard. Mackerel seemed to be migrating closer to port, and if they keep moving that way, trips seem likely to be able to mix in mackerel fishing soon, bottom fishing the rest of the day. Trips do that each year, when the mackerel migration swims close enough to the bottom-fishing grounds. Interest in mackerel seemed to wane this late in the season, but if trips start running into them, interest might revive. Trips bottom fished in shallower waters 100 to 150 feet, because pesky dogfish were too abundant deeper. Dogs were somewhat of a pain in the depths fished, but were ferocious in 200 feet or deeper. Waters on the grounds were 48 degrees, sometimes slightly warmer like 51 degrees, but that was probably only the sun warming the surface. Still, the ocean remained relatively warm this winter, so warm that striped bass continued to be seen. Big piles of stripers and birds working the waters above were sometimes run across 1 ½ or 2 miles from shore when trips returned home. Was surprising that anglers on private boats weren’t seen going after them. The weather was also warm this year, and anglers seemed more active as a result. Herring swam Manasquan Inlet, and eight or ten anglers were often seen jigging for them. Usually anglers are scarce there by this time of year. The Dauntless is fishing 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily.

No trips ran with Capt. George from the Heavy Hitter, and he heard about no charter boats that sailed, he said. But he’s available for charters, one of the few captains who is this season. Mainly cod fishing is on tap, but blackfish trips are available. George stowed away the Heavy Hitter for the season but has access to another boat he’s chartering this winter. Looking ahead, drum trips are booking up that will begin around May. Dates are also being reserved for early-season striped bass trips. The spring run of stripers in recent years arrived in Delaware Bay in March, earlier than most charter boats are in the waters. But George has been one of the few captains available for the fishing, and will be this year. Call if interested in any of this fishing.

Atlantic Highlands

***Update, Thursday, 1/26:*** Bottom fishing for ling and blackfish pumped in very good catches from the ocean, said Jimmy from Julian’s Bait & Tackle. A few cod were boxed on the bottom trips, but cod fishing even sounded slow farther north at Montauk so far this season. Nothing else was heard about fishing, like for striped bass, since the weekend’s snow. But the bottom angling produced. The store is open until about noon each day, and all the baits, including crabs and clams, are stocked.

Neptune

Blackfishing was weathered out on an individual-reservation trip Saturday with Last Lady Fishing Charters, Capt. Ralph said. A few spaces remain on an individual-rez trip for blackfish, ling and cod this coming Saturday, and that will be Last Lady’s final trip of the season. The fish are biting, and the weather is mild. Crabs and clams will be supplied for bait. ***Update, Thursday, 1/26:*** Four spots remain for Saturday’s trip, and weather forecasts look good, Ralph said.

Belmar

***Update, Thursday, 1/26:*** Blackfishing was slower on Wednesday’s trip but was very good on Monday’s and Tuesday’s trips on the party boat Big Mohawk, Capt. Chris said. So the fishing was alright, pretty good, not bad, and sometimes hefty ones were heaved in. An 11-1/2-pound blackfish was the pool-winner on Wednesday’s trip. The Big Mohawk will keep blackfishing 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily through January. Green crabs are supplied for bait, and white leggers are available for sale at a lower price than at stores.

Fishing on the party boats was weathered out Sunday, said Johnny O. from Fisherman’s Den. But mackerel fishing on the vessels was decent on Saturday and very good on Friday, and herring were mixed in. Fishing for blackfish and ling was good on the head boats when trips got the weather to sail. A few striped bass were beached from the surf, “believe it or not,” Johnny said. Waters were warm enough, and most of the fish were hit on plugs, but some were taken on clams. Surf anglers saw bluefin tuna jumping in the ocean. Fishing was actually good for the time of year, and getting the weather to fish was a main challenge, typical for the time of season. A few herring were landed at Shark River Inlet, but not a lot, like when jigs to catch them become in high demand at the shop.

The party boat Golden Eagle was supposed to sail for mackerel today, and a report rolled in, saying plenty of mackerel arrived 8 to 10 miles closer to port than before, a report on the vessel’s Web site said. Sunday’s trip for them was weathered out, and Saturday’s trip for mackerel sailed, after the crew checked ocean conditions several times, “before we decided to make a go of it,” the report said. “Some hardy mack anglers joined us ... and found conditions to be difficult, at the very least.” Easterly winds blew 25 knots in rain, snow and ice, and the boat drifted fast. Each drift produced a pick of medium and large mackerel and a few herring. Though readings were very good, they were difficult to stay on. On Friday’s trip mackerel fishing was much improved, after the weather hampered the angling previously. The anglers on Friday’s trip endured cold, winds and ice, but they filled their coolers and buckets with loads of small and large mackerel and herring. The Golden Eagle is sailing for mackerel 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

Brielle

Excellent ling fishing continued on the party boat Jamaica II, Capt. Joe said in an e-mail. Plus a few cod and blackfish were thrown in. Conditions were beautiful on Friday’s trip, with 1- to 2-foot seas, though only 10 anglers jumped aboard. Hardly any anglers showed up to fish with the fleet at Manasquan Inlet that day, and only two of the boats sailed. Most of the ling on the Jamaica II’s trip were big, like 2 ¼ pounds, and a few pushed 5 pounds. The trip fished wrecks in 100 to 180 feet, and the anglers and their catches included: Frank Pogue, Willingboro, 75 ling; Dennis Witt, South Plainfield, 55 ling; and Carl Palestrini, Parlin, 54 ling. The Jamaica II is fishing for cod and ling at the Mudhole wrecks 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays to Fridays and Sundays and 3 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays.

Point Pleasant Beach

***Update, Thursday, 1/26:*** Mainly ling, and a few blackfish and cod, were scooped aboard the party boat Dauntless, Capt. Butch said. Fishing was somewhat slow in the past days because of the weekend’s rough weather and a ground swell lingering on the ocean afterward. But the angling was still okay, putting out 15 to 30 fish per person. Trips fished in 130 to 180 feet, and stayed away from deeper waters, because loads of silver eels filled that area, though some anglers like to eat the eels. Plenty of dogfish were a nuisance, and the swell “stirred them up,” Butch said. Waters were 49 to 50 degrees on the fishing grounds and 47 to 48 shallower. That was relatively warm, warm enough for striped bass to still be seen. One trip this week rode through tons of birds working the waters and stripers swimming underneath, a stretch of 2 miles of the action, off the beach 1 ½ miles. One mackerel was reeled aboard Wednesday, the first mackerel this season on the boat. Trips each year mix in mackerel fishing, bottom fishing the rest of the day, when the mackerel migration swims close enough to shore. But the migration swam farther out so far this season, and lately fishing for macks sounded slower on the boats targeting them. The Dauntless is fishing 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily.

No trips sailed aboard in the past week, but open-boat trips will run Wednesday and Friday to Sunday with Capt. Derek from Fisher Price Charters, he said. His boat, the Fisher Price, sailing from the Highlands, was pulled from the waters for winter some time ago. But Derek is captaining and working the deck on another boat this winter, sailing from Point Pleasant Beach. The open trips will fish for blackfish and/or ling and cod, depending on the fishing that’s best, and the weather. Call Derek to climb aboard: 732-291-7675 or 732-861-3394. The angling was good before the blow in the last days, and Derek didn’t know yet if the weather dropped water temps, but the fishing should remain good now.

Mystic Island

***Update, Thursday, 1/26:*** One customer bought grass shrimp this morning to fish for white perch, said Scott from Scott’s Bait & Tackle. But no specifics were heard about perching, brackish-river fishing that’s popular in winter, and no news rolled in about any local fishing. Occasional customers geared up for fishing trips to Florida, and a few reel repairs came in. Drop off reel and rod repairs now, before the spring rush. Live grass shrimp are stocked, and minnows ran out, but Scott will net more soon. Plenty of orders came in at PennParts.com, the shop’s online business featuring every Penn Reel part on the market, and many that are discontinued.

Absecon

Angling seemed to hit the complete winter doldrums, “I guess,” Capt. Dave from Absecon Bay Sportsman Center said. Though the weather wasn’t so cold most of the winter, the cold snap and snow in the past days seemed to put fishing on hold. The shop was moving a few blackfish hooks for anglers jumping on party boats toward Cape May, and that was about the only action known about. Nothing was heard about white perch fishing on the brackish rivers, angling that can be popular in winter. Surely perch could be located, but nobody seemed interested. Dave heard nothing about recent fishing at his Guatemala charter business, and will probably contact them soon to hear an update. But the Guatemala charters are up and running. See Absecon Bay Sportsman’s Web site for info. Call ahead to stop by the store, to confirm the doors will be open. Dave is usually around, if anglers need supplies or simply want to discuss something.

Ocean City

Trips on party boats dredged up blackfish and cod, very good catches, 25 to 30 miles from shore, said Bill from Fin-Atics. Schools of striped bass reportedly swam there, and striper fishing is closed beyond 3 miles from shore. Whether stripers still bit in the local surf was unknown, and nobody really fished there anymore this season. Head boats farther north in New Jersey put anglers on mackerel. Stripers could supposedly still be found up there within a couple of miles from the beach. Fin-Atics is open Fridays to Sundays and will reopen daily on March 1.

Sea Isle City

Party boats sailed for blackfish, and the anglers scored okay, said Mike from Sea Isle Bait & Tackle “They’re not lighting the world on fire,” he said, but most anglers seemed happy to dock a couple of keepers. Nothing was heard about striped bass or other fish, and the weather was rough in the past days. Anglers hoped for better weather on weekends to fish the deeper wrecks for cod. Most customers recently stopped by to sip free coffee and talk. The store is usually open a couple of hours on weekday mornings and until about noon on weekends, when the weather is fair. Green crabs, eels and all the frozen baits are stocked. Fresh clams had been carried on weekends when available, but might no longer be on hand this season, because demand became low.

Head boats that were wreck fishing was the only angling heard about locally, said Capt. Joe Hughes from Jersey Cape Guide Service, affiliated with Sea Isle Bait & Tackle. Nothing was heard about striper fishing in local waters. Some of Joe’s traveling charters will fish the Florida Keys this weekend. He hosts the trips from Islamorada each winter, and the last trips did a job on a variety of catches including redfish, speckled sea trout, jacks, barracudas and more, covered in previous reports. See Jersey Cape’s traveling charters page for info about the Florida fishing. Anglers can arrive at the Keys on a Friday evening, fish all day Saturday and part of Sunday, return Sunday evening, and be back to work Monday. The trips can be a mini, fish-filled vacation, for a large variety of catches from redfish to sailfish. Keep up on Joe’s fishing on Jersey Cape’s blog.

Cape May

***Update, Thursday, 1/26:*** The blackfishing trip Sunday, after the snowstorm Saturday, was the only to sail this weekend on the party boat Porgy IV, Capt. Paul said. The fishing was slow, only giving up a few of the tog, and seas were rough. Catches probably would’ve been better farther offshore, but the trip fished closer to the coast, for safety and comfort in the seas. Trips aboard will give it a shot again this weekend. The Porgy IV is blackfishing 8 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

Fishing stayed docked in the past days with Capt. George from the Heavy Hitter, and he knew about nobody who sailed in the weather, he said. Even a trip slated with him two weekends ago was weathered out. But he’s available for charters, especially for cod 30 miles from shore, but also for blackfish. George, one of the few captains still offering charters this season, hauled the Heavy Hitter from the waters for the season already, but has access to another boat to run charters on this winter. Call if interested, and also call if interested in striped bass fishing as early as March and drum fishing toward May. Stripers have shown up in Delaware Bay very early, in March, in recent years, and George is one of the few who offers trips for them. The linesiders used to appear later, and that’s when the rest of the fleet is usually first available for charters each year. Lately stripers were gone by the time they sailed. So call George for a chance at the fish. The drum trips start to get booked as the season approaches, so lock in a preferred date now.