Following is the balance of Friday’s column that didn’t make print:

Joe Blaze of Brielle released a 30-inch bass while fly fishing Sunday morning after we walked on at Island Beach State Park, but that was the only fish we saw caught..

At Seaside Park, Don Hieb of Milford weighed in a 19-pound striper Sunday at Betty & Nick’s. Eric Green took over the winter tournament at Grumpy’s Tackle on Tuesday by weighing in bass of 17.9 and 15.1 pounds.          

Bruce Vitale of Piscataway and Mike Obuch from Bridgewater had fine ling fishing Monday aboard the Gambler, and added a 5-pound cod, but had to release four out-of-season sea bass, Vitale praised the Gambler’s mates who helped customers with dogfish that were a problem early before the last drop produced lots of ling.Vitale fished aboard the Ocean Explorer from Belmar on Wednesday at 17 Fathoms. Anglers seeking the pool caught a few blackfish on crabs, but Vitale said ling fishing was much more productive.

Tom Paglioroli’s fiancée, Denise Marie Theiler, once again outfished him as she boated a 12-pounder plus a 7-pound tog and two smaller keepers Sundayat two small wrecks 14 to 15 miles offshore on Capt. Tom Ferrarra’s TWrecks Charters from Little Egg Harbor.

At Brielle, the Jamaica reported very good ling fishing Sunday along with a few cod. Chris Anderson of Somerset had a 17-pound cod. The Jamaica sails the next two days from 4 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Capt. Joe Bogan reported finding a wreck on Sunday with his Jamaica II that was loaded with porgies as well as ling. Trevor Daniels of Mt. Holly boated a 25 ½-pound cod. Adam Nowak from Passaic had eight cod up to14 pounds. Chris Molinari of North Haledon totaled four cod, a bucket of ling, and lots of porgies. The next 14-hour trip sails tomorrow at 3 a.m.

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Just a few years ago it was all jumbo sea bass and porgies on late fall offshore wreck trips of the Jamaica from Brielle. However, recent trips have also produced big cod and pollock. On Friday, there were 50 of those fish caught up to a 41-pound pollock by Victor Cabal of Somerset. On Saturday there were about 35 up to a 20-pound cod and a 30-pound pollock. All that was in addition to the jumbo sea bass. The next trip is at 11 p.m.Tuesday. Room is available by calling 732 5285014.   

Capt. Joe Bogan of Jamaica II at Brielle reports blackfish up to 9 pounds on 3/4-day trips, while the 12 and 14 hour Marathons produce a mix of big sea bass plus ling and cod. Greg Simms of Lincroft caught 55 ling, eight sea bass and two cod. Saturday’s 14-hour trip resulted in 10 to 20 jumbo porgies plus ling and sea bass.

Brielle Tackle reported a bluefin tuna over 60 ponds caught by Al Bessemer of Brick on Linda B. by trolling a rigged balao south of Manasquan Inlet. Tom and George Dittemer of Long Valley fished on Jamaica II for 25 ling, four sea bass, and an 8-pound cod.

Capt Tommy Joseph of Rightaway at Belmar reported a super day of blackfishing. His party was limited by mid-morning with tog up to 10 pounds

It appears surfcasters did better with stripers at Island Beach State Park than boaters. Betty & Nick’s Tackle in Seaside Park reported a half-dozen bass up to 13 pounds weighed early in the morning. Hickory shad are hitting teasers, and some blues are still being caught.  Capt. Russ Binns was fishing off the park from his Mar-Lin out of Toms River, but had only three shorts jigging. He said boaters trolling close to shore were doing better. Binns also spent some time chasing bluefins, just as many other boaters were doing all along the Shore.

Joe Blaze of Brielle and Tom Fote of Toms River joined Capt. Hans Kaspersetz and I for a late morning trip on Sheri Berri out of Baker’s Marina on the Bay in Highlands. We fished the mouth of Hudson River to jig small stripers, though none were anywhere near keeper size.  Though they hit small jigs and even Blaze’s teaser flies, Blaze couldn’t get them fly-rodding with the same fly.

Capt. Rob Semkewyc had a small group on his Sea Hunter from Atlantic Highlands, and managed to put a catch together in Ambrose Channel with eels.

Capt. Joe Massa and crew limited on blackfish with My Three Sons from Morgan Marina, and finished up with three stripers on eels in Ambrose.

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The promising bite of stripers on jigs under bird action along the Shore continued today. Capt. Russ Binns ran his Mar-Lin out of Toms River through Manasquan Inlet, and was headed to the north when he heard from Capt. Dave DeGennaro of Hi-Flier from Barnegat that stripers were hitting north of Barnegat Inlet. Binns turned around for a 25 mile run south. He came across some birds in 35 feet past the Seaside piers, and jigged a few bass there — but did better off the Governor’s Mansion in Island Beach State Park and further south. His party ended up limiting from among 15 stripers in the 10-to-15-pound class that were stuffed with large sand eels. Only one or two blues interferred. The north wind put an end to that sport as Binns tucked into Barnegat Inlet for the trip back — and even had to fight whitecaps in the bay.

 There was also good igging further north. Miss Belmar Princess reported over 50 legal bass boated, up to a 20-pounder by Rick White of Freehold. The Queen Mary from Point Pleasant didn’t get out today, but had an interesting report from Thursday when Frank Strouse jigged an 8-pound bonito (a species hardly seen during the summer) along with three stripers and a few blues.

Capt. Scotty Hilliard of Prowler V from Atlantic Highlands is pleased with the blackfishing  even though only one per man can be kept until the limit goes up to six on Nov. 16. The pool winners are 7 to 8 pounds, and some porgies are still being added to the catch. Tautog are hitting even in 50-foot depths despite the big swell.

Capt. Hans Kaspersetz tried for stripers briefly early this morning in Sandy Hook Channel with his Sheri Berri from Baker’s Marina on the Bay in Highlands.  However, like yesterday, there were no hits on eels before the north wind came up.  

Leif Pettersen braved the NNE wind in the evening to cast an A-27 diamond jig at Deal for a 28-inch striper that hit at 6 p.m. Ben Green caught a short on a teaser.  I tried Sea Girt at 7 a.m., and had enough water to cast and work a Bomber, but didn’t have a hit. The couple of other anglers there also did nothing.

Joe Melillo has been weighing in some surf bass at Castaways Tackle in Point Pleasant this week.  Rick Gross of Livingston landed bass of 11 and 12 pounds Tuesday on metal at Belmar. Matt Campos of Normandy Beach fished his surf for a 14-pounder.Tim McPhy from Edison had a 16 1/8-pounder on metal at Point Pleasant. Ray Matters of Perth Amboy used metal at Bay Head for a 14 5/8-pound bass. Edwin Teal of Bay Head beached a 13-pound striper at Point Pleasant on metal. Melillo noted that blackfishing continues good in Point Pleasant Canal – and he has green crabs in stock.

Unfortunately, small craft warnings are up through the morning for northeast winds up to 30 knots. However, it’s supposed to back off a bit later in the day — and Sunday looks good.

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Following is the balance of Friday’s column that didn’t make print:

Capt. Rob Semkewyc got off to a slow start jigging Wednesday with his Sea Hunter from Atlantic Highlands, but ended up with a good striper catch on bait.

Capt. Arthur Stokes bottom fished yesterday with his Fintastic out of Clarks Landing in Point Pleasant. He worked a wreck in 60 feet that produced about 300 sea bass, but few of them were keepers. A wreck in 110 feet was good for 38 sea bass up to 3 pounds plus 15 porgies to 18 inches and the one keeper tautog per man. The only cod was a short.

Lou Vargas of Fanwood tried clams in the Sandy Hook surf Wednesday morning without success, but switched to a Deadly Dick to hook short stripers of 21 and 26 inches.

Scott Leadbeater of Haddon Heights has had better surf conditions in Watch Hill, R.I., where he plugged three bass up to a 30-incher in a half-hour Monday evening.       

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Following is the balance of Friday’s column that didn’t make print:

Capt. Rob Semkewyc got off to a slow start jigging Wednesday with his Sea Hunter from Atlantic Highlands, but ended up with a good striper catch on bait.

Capt. Arthur Stokes bottom fished yesterday with his Fintastic out of Clarks Landing in Point Pleasant. He worked a wreck in 60 feet that produced about 300 sea bass, but few of them were keepers. A wreck in 110 feet was good for 38 sea bass up to 3 pounds plus 15 porgies to 18 inches and the one keeper tautog per man. The only cod was a short.

Lou Vargas of Fanwood tried clams in the Sandy Hook surf Wednesday morning without success, but switched to a Deadly Dick to hook short stripers of 21 and 26 inches.

Scott Leadbeater of Haddon Heights has had better surf conditions in Watch Hill, R.I., where he plugged three bass up to a 30-incher in a half-hour Monday evening.       

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Following is the balance of Friday’s column that didn’t make print:

Capt. Rob Semkewyc got off to a slow start jigging Wednesday with his Sea Hunter from Atlantic Highlands, but ended up with a good striper catch on bait.

Capt. Arthur Stokes bottom fished yesterday with his Fintastic out of Clarks Landing in Point Pleasant. He worked a wreck in 60 feet that produced about 300 sea bass, but few of them were keepers. A wreck in 110 feet was good for 38 sea bass up to 3 pounds plus 15 porgies to 18 inches and the one keeper tautog per man. The only cod was a short.

Lou Vargas of Fanwood tried clams in the Sandy Hook surf Wednesday morning without success, but switched to a Deadly Dick to hook short stripers of 21 and 26 inches.

Scott Leadbeater of Haddon Heights has had better surf conditions in Watch Hill, R.I., where he plugged three bass up to a 30-incher in a half-hour Monday evening.       

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Everything is contingent on the weather. Small craft warnings are up, and gale warnings may follow. Last night I said we can only hope that the forecast is wrong — and it was. Instead of rain and wind early, it was pretty nice when I fished the surf, to no avail, at Sea Girt in a pleasant light drizzle with no wind. Capt. Pete Wagner got in both morning and afternoon trips with his Hyper Striper from Twin Lights Marina in Highlands for limits of stripers on clams and eels.

Striped bass: With water temperatures down to 55 degrees at the mouth of Raritan Bay, and 59 degrees in the Sandy Hook surf, striper fishing should continue to improve. Eeling is good in the channels, and clamming usually improves after a northeaster. The surf has generally been poor so far, but cooling water could start the fall migration. There have been a few jigging shots this week that included bass among lots of blues.   Look for working birds after the northeaster.

Bluefish: Big blues have been abundant under the birds.Also look for them at Shark River Reef, the Mud Buoy, and Shrewsbury Rocks.

Bluefin tuna: There were some school tuna in the Monster Ledge area, but the Cock Robin from Point Pleasant only missed a couple while chumming there Wednesday.

Canyon tuna” The windows of opportunity are getting narrower, but good catches of yellowfin tuna are still being made in the southern canyons. The Gambler from Point Pleasant is considering running trips in November. Swordfish are also a possibility.

Bottom fishing: Porgies are still a prime target since sea bass remain closed until Nov. 1. Ling and some cod are being taken on deep wrecks. There are plenty of blackfish on the reefs and rough bottoms, but you can only keep one at this time.    

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Canyon tuna: Good water has moved into the canyons, and tuna are hitting both day and night on bait and jigs. Swordfish and dolphin are also a possibility.

Mud Hole bluefins: This is a gamble, as Tuesday’s reports weren’t good despite clear 63 degree waters. Bluefins can be chunked and trolled if they’re there. Little tunny should be thick at Monster Ledge, but they haven’t been there, or anywhere else, in quantity.

Striped bass: Anglers along the Shore are hoping for a repeat of the Tuesday big bass blitz under bunker schools off Ortley Beach. The storm may have changed everything, but Capt. Dave DeGennaro is taking individual reservations to look for stripers Sunday with his Hi-Flier from Barnegat. Call 732 330-5674.

Clammers should score with stripers on Romer Shoal and on clam beds off Sandy Hook, Shrewsbury Rocks is a mikely hot spot for trollers. Frank Criscola of Bedminster trolled 10 bass up to a 25-pounder Monday on his Crisdel from Brielle Yacht Club.

Jigs may also work there, and between the channels — or east of Rockaway Inlet. Dave Lilly of Hazlet had been doing well worming in the Shrewsbury, but only had some shorts Tuesday. That was also a tough day for eelers in Ambrose Channel, but there was a bite in Sandy Hook Channel — though the bass were mostly shorts.

Look for birds anywhere along the Shore. It might be bass under them — or it could be blues.  Try jigging with metal.

Bluefish: Check out the Mud Buoy, the Farms, and Shrewsbury Rocks for blues jigging or in a chum slick. 

Porgies: Scup remain abundant on reefs, inshore wrecks, and rough bottoms. Anglers can also keep one blackfish of 14 inches or more at this time, but sea bass are closed.

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