The Jamaica from Brielle will be making a special limited trip Monday at 6:30.

Adult bunkers were the primary forage in the Jersey surf today, and the result was more big stripers to be caught.

Jerry Lasko fished the Ocean County surf and said he just had to keep driving to find flurries of bass over 30 inches which included a 40-incher. The fishing kept getting better all day, and bass were still hitting when it was almost dark. Jerry sent the photo below of Louie with one of yesterday’s bass.

Vinny D’Anton fished the Monmouth County surf in the morning and picked a few large bass at times.

The Golden Eagle from Belmar had another great day of striper fishing with boat limits of keepers and bonus bass plus many releases of stripers over the limit. Since the boat will be on an offshore sea bass trip tomorrow, they won’t be striper fishing again until Tuesday.

The forecast is for southwest winds at just 5-10 knots.

Jerry Lasko reported the best action of the fall along Ocean County beaches today as striped bass attacked schools of bunkers which often beached themselves to get away just as frequently occurs when bluefish are chasing them.

Lasko said most of the bass were small, though bigger ones were mixed in. If a hooked fish shook off, another bass would be hooked right away. Shad lures were all he needed.

The Golden Eagle from Belmar had a fine afternoon striper trip with bass readings 20 feet thick plus white water fishing as boat limits of keepers and clots were taken. They have a few spots open by reservation for the Dec. 4 offshore wreck trip targeting giant sea bass.

Sunday’s forecast is for northwest winds at 8-13 knots.

Weather conditions improved today as it wasn’t as cold and Capt. Ron Santee said he had a very good day after a slow start with just a few small bass before making a run and locating bunkers. That resulted in a lot of 32-34-inch stripers and a pool fish of 36 inches on his Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands.

A small craft warning goes up tonight, and changes to a gale warning tomorrow. Southwest winds at 25-30 knots with gusts to 40 will result in 6-9-foot seas plus showers.

Vinny D’Anton started out where he left stripers in the Ocean County surf yesterday afternoon, but ended up back in Monmouth County where peanut bunkers were abundant and stripers were on the feed. He was joined by Frank Manzi and Frank Conover as they caught linesiders on a wide variety of lures.

How about this huge black marlin in Australia as reported on Facebook!
• • • • •
“EPIC Fish caught off the top of Fraser Island just weighed at our Urangan Marina Hervey Bay Qld – Black Marlin 1431lbs ( 649.87kgs ) Boat is “Too Easy II ” from the Gold Coast – Angler is Rob Crane who spent 2 hours mostly up on sunset on 130lb tackle – fish ate a hand crafted “Gagey Super Plunger” in “Pinky” pattern – Skipper is Russel Gage , Crew – Terry Parker & Elliot Muller.”

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Though party boats canceled trips in NY/NJ Bight today. all should be back at it on Friday with a perfect fall forecast of west winds at a mere 5-10 knots followed by southwest at 10-15 in the afternoon.

Vinny D’Anton gave up on his usual Monmouth County surf spots to move south where the striped bass action has been. That proved to be a good decision as he got into some flurries around Lavallette that included a 35-inch release. A “walk the dog”-type surface plug did the job for him as there were some larger bunkers among the peanuts which have been creating an attraction for stripers. A call to friends surf fishing further north confirmed the continuing lack of fish there.

If you are looking for solitude on the surf, don’t fish Ocean County beaches right now!

Jim Hutchinson Jr. photo

Jerry Lasko reports that surfcasters were still catching blitzing bass as the south wind was honking at dusk in the Ocean County surf as peanut bunkers were jumping onto the sand in their panic to get away. Most of the bass were in the 20-25-inch range with a few bigger ones included. For the first time, those bass also hit on the incoming in the morning, but the blitz was on the afternoon ebb. Maren Toleno was up to 73 releases at last count as the bass hit white Tsunami shads. These are all migratory bass as they are covered with sea lice. That report was a lot better than Vinny D’Anton’s from the Monmouth County surf which has produced only a pick lately though peanut bunkers remain abundant.

Party boats seem to have taken a day off due to the weather forecast, but all should be back in action tomorrow with a forecast of northwest at 20-25 knots plus gusts to 30 which should calm the seas somewhat and provide a lee under the beach.

The most exciting way to catch stripers is on a pencil popper as Allen Gonzalez did with this Jersey surf bass

It appears that there will be a big change in the weather coming up. A gale watch is posted for Wednesday afternoon through the night. South winds of 20-25 knots plus gusts to 30 it will increase to 25-30 and higher gusts in the afternoon. There’s also a chance of showers.

As a result, Capt. Ron Santee is taking a pass until Friday with his Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands even though striped bass fishing remains very good. Santee had a problem with boat traffic this morning as if it was a Saturday, but took a run that got his fares into bass up to the 34-inch pool winner.

Jerry Lasko says the afternoon surf striper bite continues during afternoon falling tides, though most of the bass are smaller fish in the 20-26-inch class.

Maren Toleno with Ocean County surf bass before release

The NY/NJ Bight striped bass bite continues to please all boaters, and tomorrow looks like a perfect day to get in on the action.

While a small craft advisory is up through late tonight, a switch to northeast tomorrow results in calm rather than the usual storm. That NE wind is predicted to be only 5-10 knots before going east in the afternoon. A south wind follows on Wednesday.

Capt. Ron Santee reported no change in the limit striper fishing though he had to wait for the change of tide to renew the catching after other boats put the fish down earlier in the Fishermen’s trip from Atlantic Highlands.

Andreas Toy not only had a limit striper catch for a weekend party by casting lures, but also put Gray tags into 27 bass up to 35 inches. That boat has weekend openings out of Perth Amboy. Call 201 421-653.

Nick Honachefsky was among the surfcasters who got into yesterday’s Ocean County striper blitz. He fished from 1:30 to 3:30 and released over 30 bass from 23 to 35 inches on shads and with a fly rod.

Jerry Lasko said very good afternoon surfcasting turned to the best bite of the season as there was a solid line of peanut bunkers all along the shore from Ocean Beach to Seaside Park — and bass of various sizes were tearing into them on the falling tide. Maren Toleno was up to 87 releases when I talked to her, and some were over 30 inches. Jerry said the bass would hit anything, and weren’t put off by the mounting storm. On the other hand, mornings have been dead in the same areas.

Boaters also had a great day, with the Golden Eagle from Belmar reporting an awesome bite which provided boat limits of keeper and bonus bass along with many releases of overs.

The Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands got off to a hot start before 30 boats arrived and put the fish down. It was tough after that for two hours until the tide turned and the trip ended with hot action.

A gale watch is up tonight for south gusts to 35 knots, but by morning the forecast is for calming northwest winds at 15-20 knots plus gusts to 25.

Dave Lilly didn’t take any chances with weekend crowds and left in the dark from Highlands to fish for stripers down the beach. He came across bass on top from Sandy Hook on down, and had non-stop action for his crew on everything they cast. The only problem was that the bass were mostly around 27 inches for his anglers except for his son Jeremy who was casting the same lures to catch 30-inch and better bass. The action turned off as the current slowed, and Lilly passed the Fishermen and Sea Tiger II from Atlantic Highlands on their way out while he was returning with a limit. Lilly said his hands were so cold he didn’t fish, but it was getting warmer when the Fishermen got down the beach. Capt. Ron Santee said the bass turned on again after the current started running and everyone caught lots of fish in mild and calm conditions.

The Golden Eagle from Belmar also reported a boat limit. They start offshore giant sea bass trips next Saturday.

Bob Correll said there was again no surf striper life at Bay Head, but noted that the fleet coming out of the inlet turned south instead of north where the action has been.

Chuck Many as usual did his own thing with Tyman from Highlands as follows:

“Bob Bowden and I decided we were putting the blinders on, as we turned the hook and saw millions of birds over busting fish. We wanted to see if the jumbos were still around. Although that bird play fishing has been awesome, I will trade a 100 of those slot fish for a 40 pound one any day. As is usual, not a scratch on the screen, but put the eels out and within 10 minutes we had a rod double. Had a really good bite for about an hour with fish from the upper 20’s to 44 pounds. Great way to end my fall season up here. Time to head south and change jumbo bass in the Chesapeake and Reds in Hilton Head. Back in April!” See photos below,

Good news for surfcasters came from Mike Monte, who found schoolies in the Monmouth County surf that were feeding on sand eels and responded to the Tsunami 6-inch Sand Eel. That bait should hold the bass after most head south when the peanut bunkers leave.

A small craft warning goes up Sunday afternoon before switching to a gale watch in the evening. The forecast is for southwest winds at 15 knots with gusts to 20 before going to south at 20-25 with gusts to 30 in the afternoon. Rain is possible both in the morning and afternoon.