<b>Keyport</b>

With the <b>Down Deep Fleet</b>, striped bass fishing was up and down during the weekend but fantastic the past two days, Capt. Mario said. Many keepers and bonus stripers were reeled aboard. The anglers are mostly fishing jigs and rubber shads, sometimes bunker-chunks. Open-boat trips are fishing for stripers at 6 a.m. daily, and charters are available for up to 15 passengers. Sign up for the <a href=" http://downdeepsportfishing.com/short-notice-list/" target="_blank">Short Notice List</a> to be kept informed about open blackfish trips. Both of Down Deep’s boats feature heated cabins, full galleys and roominess.

<b>Leonardo</b>

A few bigger striped bass were around along the beach and to the east, said Capt. Joe from <b>Sour Kraut Sportfishing</b>. A trip with him boated small ones during the weekend. But every day can be different as the migration tumbles south. He plans to fish for stripers next this weekend.

<b>Neptune</b>

Lots of throwback striped bass and a few slots were jigged during the weekend with <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b>, Capt. Ralph said. A trip yesterday sailed for stripers and blackfish, but the striper fishing was no good. So the trip blackfished, and one angler, a first-timer, bagged four. Most of the anglers had one or two keepers. Many throwbacks were released. Individual-reservation trips will fish for stripers, if stripers can be bagged, and blackfish Tuesday and Nov. 30 and Dec. 4, 7 and 8.

<b>Long Branch</b>

In the surf, better striped bass fishing was beached yesterday for the first time in a stretch, said Nick from <b>TAK Waterman Surf n Fish</b>. Bigger stripers were hooked among sand eels that schooled. Diamond jigs, Bass Assassins, Kettle Creek shads, Tsunami sand eels, the new G-Eye Jigs that are stocked, and teasers caught. Thin profiles that imitated sand eels were the thing. Boaters still cleaned up on stripers well on the ocean. Nick saw photos of bluefin tuna that were decked recently. Some anglers still got after them. TAK Waterman is a store for fishing, especially surf-fishing, surfing and paddle-boarding. The shop also produces the TAK Waterman line of clothing for watersports including these and beach-going. The name is from Lake Takanasee.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

On the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>, blackfishing picked up on yesterday’s trip, Capt. Tom said. Nobody limited out, but the anglers bagged one to four apiece. On today’s trip so far, a few keepers and throwbacks came in, he said at 10:30 a.m. when he gave this report in a phone call aboard. That was slower than yesterday, but time remained on the outing. Trips are blackfishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. But Thanksgiving’s trip will be weathered out because of bitter cold. Friday’s forecast sounds okay. Tom wishes everybody a happy and safe Thanksgiving.

Much better striped bass fishing was cracked Tuesday than on Monday on the <b>Fishermen</b>, a report said on the party boat’s website. Tuesday’s trip lit into bonus stripers, throwbacks and some good-sized keepers the whole time at several areas. Strong current made staying on the fish tough. Jigs with tails fished on a slow retrieve were the tackle to fish, but plain jigs also caught well. Monday’s trip slugged away at throwbacks, bonus bass and some keepers. Ten keepers and some bonus bass were bagged. Some drifts fished better than others, and strong current pushed the boat out of the fish quickly. Jigs without tails and with tails caught best. Trips are fishing for stripers 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily, except no trip will fish on Thanksgiving. The captain looks forward to seeing anglers Friday with those turkey sandwiches!

Decent surf-fishing for small striped bass, none big, was looted at places like Sandy Hook and Monmouth Beach on jigs with teasers, said Chris from <b>Fisherman’s Den North</b>. Trolling for stripers went well, mostly on the ocean, on bunker spoons and Mojos. Boating for stripers had been good on Raritan Bay two weeks ago near the West Bank and Staten Island. Some anglers still eeled for stripers, but most trolled for them. Eeling for stripers on the rivers slowed. Blackfishing had been slower in the days after Thursday’s storm but began to pick up. White leggers, green crabs, eels, fresh clams and pretty much all baits are stocked.

Many striped bass, rats, small ones, nibbled in the surf now at Monmouth Beach on diamond jigs with green tails, said Jay from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>.  Boaters trolled stripers off Breezy Point on Mojos and Montauk Striper Bunker Spoons  that the store makes. Click the link for a product review and some history about the spoons. Someone reported seeing lots of stripers 8 miles from shore yesterday. Striper fishing is closed beyond 3 miles out. A couple of boaters blackfished, picking the fish, lots of rats and some keepers. But weather’s been rough, not much of an opportunity for better blackfishing. Whiter leggers will be stocked Saturday for blackfishing. Green crabs are already carried. So are fresh clams, fresh bunker, eels and all other baits. A couple of customers still bought eels for striper fishing. No results were heard recently.

<b>Highlands</b>

Departing from <b>Twin Lights Marina</b>, Bob Dreyer boated a 40-inch striped bass on the ocean off Long Branch last week, Marion wrote in an email. Twin Lights, located on Shrewsbury River near Raritan Bay and the ocean, with no bridges before them, includes a marina with boat slips, dry storage, a fuel dock, and a combined bait-and-tackle shop and ship’s store. The fuel dock is available 24 hours a day with a credit card.

<b> Belmar</b>

The ocean was chalky Saturday, and not much bait schooled, said Capt. Mike from <b>Celtic Stoirm Charters</b>. This was after the nor’easter Thursday and strong west wind Friday. But the trip aboard that day bagged one good-sized striped bass on the troll. On Sunday, the water was a little clearer, and scattered bait swam off Asbury Park, and three stripers were bagged on the troll there aboard. Friday and Saturday are booked but Sunday is available for a trip.

<b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b> clocked striped bass from the ocean on every day when weather could be fished, Capt. Pete said. Smaller stripers could be jigged or hooked on cast rubber shads, and larger could be trolled. Monday’s and Tuesday’s trips locked into good catches of the bass to 20 pounds. A large body of stripers was spread along the coast. Schools of baitfish were broken up, not concentrating anywhere, since the nor’easter Thursday. That seemed because of the storm, a water-temperature drop since the storm or maybe because of strong current recently or a combo. The water was 50 to 55 degrees. Striper catches were made from off Sandy Hook Point to all the way off South Jersey. Lots still swam farther north off Fire Island, N.Y. All of these different bodies of the fish schooled, and Pete thinks that much of the good fishing for stripers locally will happen from the full moon Friday to the next full. Charters and individual-spaces are available in December with charters who want more anglers. 

Anglers picked at blackfish on the ocean on the party boat <b>Big Mohawk</b>, and Tuesday’s trip fished much better than trips did on previous days, the fishing was okay, Capt. Chris said. The angling on Monday’s trip was a little tough. But a good shot of the tautog bit on Tuesday’s. Jigs seemed to catch best on trips, and the boat is blackfishing daily except no trip will run on Thanksgiving. Friday’s trip will depart at 6 a.m. Green crabs are supplied, and white crabs are available for sale aboard.

Lots more life and bait showed up on today’s striped bass trip on the <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b>, an email said from the party boat. The trip ended up with good action on throwbacks, slots and keepers, much better fishing than in previous days. The catches began slowly and improved as the trip continued. Roy Auhamp from Hackettstown won the pool with a 27-pound striper, and trips are fishing for stripers 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. The trip on Thanksgiving is canceled because of extreme cold in wind.

Steady catches of striped bass, decent action, was jigged yesterday on the <b>Golden Eagle</b>, a report said on the party boat’s website. At first, a mix of throwbacks and keepers were waxed close to the inlet. Then the trip followed the fish north. A bunch of shorts and some keepers were swung in on each drift, and the trip stayed out a little late to give anglers more fishing time. Was a successful day. On Monday’s trip, a few stripers and bluefish were caught, but they were difficult to hook. Trips are fishing for stripers 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. Tomorrow’s trip on Thanksgiving is scrubbed because of cold weather.

<b>Brielle</b>

Jigging for striped bass blew up on the ocean to the north and south fairly well this week, said Alex from <b>The Reel Seat</b>. The fish were mostly 24 inches to keeper-sized. But some weighed 15 or 20 pounds, and some were bigger. Small stripers were dragged from the surf mostly in northern Monmouth County. That was on Ava jigs or Daiwa SP Minnows with teasers. Fishing for stripers slowed in Manasquan River and the Point Pleasant Canal but turned out schoolies to keeper-sized here and there on swim shads. Fishing for stripers was a little better at Manasquan Inlet, for 22-inchers to keepers, on swim shads, bucktails and SP’s. Blackfishing was fairly good at the inlet on jigs with crabs. One in 10 was a keeper. Blackfish were boated on the ocean in 30 to 40 feet off Deal and Elberon. Alex heard about the fish to 10 pounds this week. A mix of sea bass, porgies and blackfish were picked at Shark River Reef. The shop will be closed on Thanksgiving and will hold an annual sale on Black Friday through Sunday. Discounts include 20 percent off clothing and 10 percent on everything else, including rods and reels. Rods and reels are never on sale at the store, Alex said. Get free Accurate pliers with the purchase of any Accurate rod-and-reel combo. Get free leadcore, stainless wire or braid with the purchase of a pair of striper-trolling outfits.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

Fishing limited out on under striped bass quickly this morning with <b>Mushin Sportfishing</b> and released additional stripers on the troll, looking for overs, Mushin’s Facebook page said.  Then smaller stripers that were jigged were heard about, and the trip motored there, releasing more stripers. That was on jigs under birds. Some great fall bassing! the page said. On Monday, and open-boat trip limited on good-sized unders and released additional stripers on the troll. Plenty of action! Striper fishing was slow Saturday on a charter and for the whole fleet in dirty water with no bait. But on Sunday, a charter aboard limited out on unders and bagged an over on the troll. The water had cleaned, and broken up bait was read.

Another fun day of jigging for striped bass on the ocean on the <b>Gambler</b>, a report said about Tuesday on the party boat’s Facebook page. The fish were a mix of sizes from throwbacks to slots and keepers, and Ava jigs caught best. On Monday’s trip, that mix of sizes to 35 inches gave up good, steady catches, too. Bluefish 2 to 3 pounds were also landed on the outing. The different sizes of stripers swam together in the same schools. They schooled high in the water column on Monday’s trip, so 4-ounce Ava’s caught best. Red tails, green tails and the jigs with no tails worked. Trips are fishing for stripers 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily, except 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Thanksgiving. The holiday will be cold, so dress warm. <a href="http://www.gamblerfishing.net/offshore-sea-bass.php" target="_blank">Offshore sea bass trips</a> will also fish in December.

Bottom-fishing was a little slow on the ocean on the party boat <b>Dauntless</b>, Capt. Butch said. The season’s weather was finally pushing fish away. A few porgies were bucketed. Some sea bass were still in, but dogfish and eels were a nuisance on those grounds. A few blackfish were picked up. Bluefish, a full range of sizes from 2 to 10 pounds, were still angled on some trips. A couple of ling bit, but dogs were ferocious on those grounds. The trips are targeting whatever can be caught, mainly sea bass and porgies. The trips fished from 60 feet of water to 120. Butch tried deeper, like in 180 feet, but too many dogs and eels hung there. The ocean was 50 to 55 degrees, depending on location. Trips are bottom-fishing 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily, except the trip on Thanksgiving will return probably at 2 or 2:30 p.m. Christmas is the only day no trip is scheduled aboard. The boat is one of the only, if not the only, that’s slated to fish daily year-round, including straight through winter, from New Jersey.

Weather couldn’t have been better on the ocean Monday and Tuesday on the <b>Norma-K III</b>, a report said on the party boat’s website. But the blackfishing was picky, unlike better fishing for them Saturday on the boat. On these last two trips, “life was decent” sometimes, though a few more keepers “could have been used.” Anglers who cast around and worked caught best. Mostly green crabs caught, and white crabs hung a few. Trips are blackfishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily, except 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Thanksgiving.

<b>Toms River</b>

Surf anglers slid-in some striped bass 28 to 33 inches today on sand eels snagged for bait, Daiwa SP Minnows and some on Bombers, said Mario from <b>Hook House Bait & Tackle</b>. Throwback stripers were still played on the Toms River on small swimming lures, small popper lures and swim shads at dawn, dusk and in the dark. Smack-It Jr.’s are always good poppers for that. Blackfish were picked at Point Pleasant Canal on green crabs. Ocean boaters found stripers in deeper water on trolled Mojos. Where? One angler reported catching to the north today. Hook House, located on Route 37, also owns <b>Go Fish Bait & Tackle</b> on Fischer Boulevard in Toms River.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

The surf’s catches of striped bass improved yesterday afternoon, a report said on <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>’  website. The fish included a few 30-inchers, and most of the bigger were socked on cut bunker. Clams caught some, but bunker was the way to go. Thin metal with teasers hooked better numbers but mostly throwbacks. The tackle shop will be open 6 a.m. to 12 noon on Thanksgiving, and the café  will be open 7 a.m. to 12 noon that day. Catch the store’s Black Friday sale! Most rods, reels and lures will be marked down 15 to 20 percent. Several reels will be blown out at cost. Buy a gift card and get an additional 25-percent value. The cards may not be used on Black Friday. The Dock Outfitters, located on Barnegat Bay, blocks from the ocean surf, features a bait and tackle shop, a café, a dock for fishing and crabbing, and, in season, boat and jet-ski rentals.

<b>Forked River</b>

<b>***Update, Friday, 11/23:***</b> Some boaters today sailed south of Barnegat Inlet and hooked striped bass on the ocean, said Mike from <b>Grizz’s Bait & Tackle</b>. But most headed north of the inlet, and most catches of the bass that customers reported lately continued to come from off the Seaside Heights pipe along the 2-mile mark. The bass were usually trolled on Mojos and bunker spoons in white. That was the preferred color. Good blackfishing was pumped up from wrecks in 70 to 80 feet. Baits stocked include green crabs and fresh bunker.

Fishing for striped bass was good the past two days on the <b>Tuna-Tic</b> on the ocean, Capt. Mike said. The angling was slow during the weekend because of dirty water from Thursday’s nor’easter, but became a little better each day. The fish were trolled aboard locally, and yesterday’s trip had the bass to itself at first. Eventually a crowd of boats built at that area, but Tuna-Tic’s trip had already limited out. The trip returned early.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Striped bass fishing was no good on Monday on the ocean on the <b>Super Chic</b>, Capt. Ted said. Weather was fine, and the water had cleared after dirty water during the weekend from previous wind. But just not a lot of the fish were around locally in legal waters that day. Any stripers around were beyond 3 miles from shore, where striper fishing is closed. Ted did hear about smaller stripers boated along the beach that day, but not whether the fishing was good. Striper fishing was also slow aboard during the weekend when the water was dirty. The next striper trips will fish Friday through Sunday on the boat. Blackfishing’s been terrific on the ocean, though nobody booked the tautog fishing currently aboard.

Anglers were boating some stripers on the ocean, mostly to the north on the troll, said Vince Sr. from <b>Bobbie’s Boat Rentals</b>. Customers mostly caught on Tournament Grade Tackle bunker spoons and Rock Fish Candy Mojos the shop carries. A fair number of the bass were also hooked on livelined spots. The spots are stocked, and so are green crabs and fresh bunker. Blackfishing was good, and the tautog were still hooked along Barnegat Inlet’s rocks. Sea bass fishing was good on the ocean. Bobbie’s features a complete bait and tackle shop, a fuel dock and, in season, boat and kayak rentals. The boats are used for fishing, crabbing, clamming and pleasure.

The heat will be on, the coffee will be brewing and bundle up, because a trip will fish for striped bass 6 a.m. to 12 noon on Thanksgiving on the  <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b>, the party boat’s Facebook page said today. The weekend’s fishing for the bass was tough aboard, like it was on most boats after Thursday’s nor’easter. This weekend is usually the peak of the angling, but you never know. Sand eels are schooling, and that can bode well for catching stripers on jigs. In addition to the trip on Thanksgiving, trips are fishing for stripers 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fridays through Sundays.

<b>Absecon</b>

Past days had beautiful weather, but the back bay held no striped bass, said Capt. Dave from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. He looked for 6 hours yesterday and hooked none. He also worked the ocean far north along the 3-mile line and came up with no stripers. But “it’s coming,” he said about the southern migration of stripers in the ocean. Plenty of the fish were reported caught to the north. A charter captain spent a couple of days blackfishing but came up with none. The water was still stirred up from the storm late last week, and that angling should turn on well in better conditions. The best fishing locally was for white perch and small stripers on Mullica River, if anglers really wanted to catch. One customer drilled both fish including stripers to 25 inches on bloodworms. Live spots, eels and green crabs are stocked. The supplier hoped to boat clams today for the store to stock. Dave brought the spots indoors because weather is supposed to plummet to freezing 24 hours around Thanksgiving. The water was already as cold as spots prefer. But he wants to keep the spots, because stripers are certainly coming.

<b>Brigantine</b>

The annual Elks striped bass tournament at Brigantine for the surf and boats was held last weekend, said Capt. Andy from <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>. Only two stripers were entered: a 28-pounder and a 10-pounder that were boated. That was disappointing, but, Andy said, the event was great, including the food that was served. The contest benefits a veterans’ fund each year, and because some of the prize money was unclaimed, Andy motioned to donate that money to the veterans’ fund, he said. A few big stripers to 49 pounds were boated on the ocean and weighed at the store last week. One angler on a charter recently hit a 36-pounder off Long Beach Island’s Red Tower to the north. Some sizable including a 30-some-pounder were eeled from the inlet and Intracoastal Waterway some time ago. That one was from the inlet, and a 24-pounder came from the Intracoastal. The store is loaded with bait including fresh bunker, fresh clams in the shell, green crabs and eels. The shop will be open 5 to 11 a.m. on Thanksgiving and will hold lots of sales for Black Friday.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

Smaller striped bass but good-sized were eeled on the back bay, said Noel from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. They just weren’t as big as the large migrators in the ocean. One angler boated three off Venice Park. The migrators in the ocean swam beyond 3 miles from shore, where striper fishing is closed. The Coast Guard stopped by yesterday and said they’re patrolling the illegal waters. Blackfish hovered along jetty-lined Absecon Inlet in town, but many were small. Nobody was mugging keepers. Eels, fresh bunker, fresh clams in the shell, bloodworms and all baits are stocked. Green crabs are on special for three dozen for $10.  A vending machine dispenses bait, a little of everything, round the clock, handy for afterhours.

<b>Longport</b>

Blackfishing was good yesterday, the best all week, on the <b>Stray Cat</b> on the ocean, Capt. Mike said. Cooked shrimp caught best, and open-boat trips will sail on weekdays for the tautog the next two weeks. After Dec. 9, the trips will sail every day. Open trips will fish for striped bass Tuesday and next Thursday. All other open trips will be for blackfish. A few stripers migrated south to the local ocean, and the run should be completely on after Thanksgiving’s cold snap. Currently, boats picked two or three of the big bass apiece from the Cuma Lumps to Brigantine Shoal. Some days fished better than others.

<b>Ocean City</b>

Ocean boaters ran into small flurries of striped bass every once in a while at the Cuma Lumps and Sea Isle Ridge, said Ed from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. The bass were trolled and sometimes jigged or hooked on livelined bunker that the trips snagged for bait. The fish were few and far between, and the fishing didn’t last long. But the ocean was plenty warm enough for stripers, and the southern migration was still headed this way. The shop always encourages anglers to see if more will show up locally. The ocean was in the low 50 degrees close to shore and in the mid-50s farther out. Stripers bite until water dips to about 44 degrees. Few are caught in water colder than that. The back bay’s fishing for smaller stripers slowed the past four or five days because Thursday’s nor’easter dumped rain that dirtied the water. Fishing for the small ones had been good a while. The bay was a little cold now. The surf put up a slow pick of stripers on clams or bunker, some on lures. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/FinaticsOC/photos/pb.186420484712459.-2207520000.1542834466./2127438683943953/?type=3&theater%20target=" target="_blank">Here’s a 29-1/2-incher from the surf </a> that was taken on fresh bunker on Sunday, though the page says Monday.  Blackfishing was okay at bridges, docks and pilings, like along piers. Ed heard little about blackfishing on the ocean. Sea bass fishing was good in deeper water farther from shore in the ocean. The store will be open 7:30 a.m. to 12 noon on Thanksgiving. The shop’s biggest sale of the year will be held on Black Friday and Saturday. Save up to 25 percent storewide, excluding bait, marine electronics, gift cards and Hobie and Yeti products.  <a href="http://www.fin-atics.com" target="_blank">Shop online</a> beginning at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Good fishing for striped bass to almost 30 pounds was smoked Sunday with two anglers aboard, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b>, affiliated with <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. That was the season’s first trip for stripers on the ocean aboard, and the migration is on. It’s happening, and Joe thinks the angling will continue for the foreseeable future. That’s because a good number of stripers schooled, the trip saw them in a variety of places, and a variety of sizes of baitfish schooled, from small to large. The stripers were swimming south quickly, but maybe that was only at that time. The run was right on schedule, so that seemed good. These trips book quickly once the fishing’s on. Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s Blog</a>. Annual traveling charters will fish the Florida Keys from Christmas to Easter. See the <a href="http://www.captainjoehughes.com/page3.html" target="_blank">traveling charters webpage</a> on Jersey Cape’s website.

No striped bass schooled thickly in the ocean, and fishing for them was spotty, but good reports about the catches rolled in including from off Ocean City and Avalon to as far south as Cape May, said Travis from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. Most of the fish were reported from deeper water on trolled Mojos and shad umbrella rigs. If you could find the fish, you could catch. The back bay’s striper fishing seemed to slow, after the angling had been good. No stripers were heard about from the surf. Travis heard little about blackfish.

<b>Avalon</b>

Capt. Jim from <b>Fins and Feathers Outfitters</b> will boat for striped bass on the ocean now, he said. Some of the fish were around. He hunted yesterday on a trip that bagged 10 mallards in Pennsylvania. A trip with him limited out on geese in Maryland on Saturday, opening day of the goose season there. In addition to guiding fishing, Jim guides waterfowling, following the migrations to New York State, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland. Anglers will fish for steelheads on upstate New York’s Salmon River from his nearby <a href="http://www.sjlodge.com/" target="_blank">lodge</a> this season until early spring.  Twenty-one inches of snow fell at the lodge, and guests will also snowmobile. A discount is available for the lodge but only on Airbnb.

<b>Cape May</b>

The <b>Heavy Hitter</b> was next supposed to fish on Thanksgiving, for striped bass on the ocean, but that trip will be docked because of frigid weather, Capt. George said. He doesn’t mind wind, but weather that cold would build ice on the boat that could be dangerous. More of the trips are supposed to fish Friday through Sunday in warmer weather.

Two days fished well for blackfish and two fished slowly for them on the ocean on the party boat <b>Porgy IV</b>, Capt. Paul said. Four trips sailed, had the weather, since the bag limit increased Friday to five of the tautog. That day was weathered out, so the first of the trips fished Saturday. The angling was decent that day or gave up some of the fish at least. Some spots gave up none, and Paul figured dirty water, leftover from wind previously, affected the bite. Sunday brought good weather, and every wreck had a small boat blackfishing. Paul shouldn’t blame that, he said, but the angling was slow. Monday’s trip found one spot that turned out good blackfishing. Must’ve been overlooked. Some of the anglers limited out, and a few respectable-sized blackfish were scattered around the boat. Husband and wife Jan and Carol Bligh from Salem County each limited. Tuesday’s trip fished elsewhere, grabbing a few keepers and throwbacks. Then the tide began to run strongly, Paul guessed because of the moon, and the hits never picked back up much. When the tide changed, a few more of the fish came in, but not like Paul wanted. So blackfishing was spotty, Paul would say. Some of the days had some good fishing for them. He guesses some of the tautog are around. The water might’ve still been dirty. Trips are blackfishing at 8 a.m. daily, except no trip will run on Thanksgiving.  

Surf-fishing for stripers was a little slow, banking a few throwbacks and a couple of keepers, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. Most stripers were boated on the ocean at inshore lumps like off Sea Isle City and Avalon. Blackfish still seemed to bite inshore at wrecks and spots like Cape May and Wildwood reefs. When trips could push farther from shore, some sailed for sea bass, tying into them well in 120 feet of water. Green crabs, fresh clams in the shell and shucked and eels are stocked. Nick hopes to stock fresh bunker for the weekend.

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