Even the beginning of a gale couldn’t stop some surfcasters from getting in a possible last shot at stripers before the storm.

Nick Honachefsky reported “
Crushed it this morning again in the surf! Nasty 25 to 30 knots northeast fish started hitting at 615 am until 8 am red hot. All on black tail ava jigs you had to get to the bottom but soon as you began to reel, whamo! Landed 16 fish and shook off another 5 or so with the heavy surf. Some were pushing the 29 inch mark. Hands were ice cold numb once they got wet! If I was casting all the time i was trying to warm my hands up probably would’ve had more fish “

The forecast shifts to a storm warning at 6 p.m. with NE gusts to 50 knots and seas up to 14 feet plus snow and rain. Thursday starts with north winds at 25-38 knots and gusts to 40 before diminishing to to 20-25 knots in the afternoon.

Now for some warmer thoughts here’s Sean Worrell with a Florida tripletail.

Fishable conditions continue into tomorrow morning, but there will be a big change by the afternoon.

The day starts with northeast winds at 10-15 knots plus gusts to 20 before increasing to 20-25 with gusts to 35 in the afternoon. Rain and snow are likely . and the winds will gust to 45 knots at night.

Jerry Lasko said the Ocean County surf was clear and calm this morning as he and Maren Toleno enjoyed 45 minutes of hot action with school stripers feeding on sand eels. He released eight while Maren totaled 22.

Bob Matthews reported from Fisherman’s Den in Belmar Marina that winter flounder fishing has been good in Shark River. You’re only allowed two flounder a day, but a kayack angler caught his from among a dozen.

The forecast for tomorrow is good enough for fishing, but there may not be much left inshore after the northeast storm predicted for midweek.

Tomorrow starts with northwest winds at 15-20 knots with gusts to 25 before diminishing to 10-15 in the afternoon.

Capt. Rob Semkewyc had a fine striper trip today on his Sea Hunter from Atlantic Highlands. His report follows:

SEA HUNTER RAINY MONDAY 12-14 REPORT

 “We went out with a handful of diehard  fishermen. Plenty of action loads of shorts Everyone took home a slot fish and we had one that was 32 inches. I am not going to try again till probably the weekend. I will check the weather and keep you updated.  Hopefully we can get a few more trips in.

Hope to see you soon, Capt. Rob”🔚

With waters still relatively mild, striped bass have been reluctant to leave the Jersey Shore, but boat options for anglers are disappearing as a mid-week northeaster gets closer.

At Atlantic Highlands, Capt. Ron Santee Jr. went out in a blaze of glory with his Fishermen today as the high hook jigged 79 stripers. Capt. Rob Semkewyc had a slot bass for everyone from among the many small fish plus some keepers on his Sea Hunter. He will be sailing in the morning, but has cancelled the rest of the week.

Bob Matthews reports from Fisherman’s Den in Belmar Marina that the blackfish boats have had their moments, including their capture of a 15-pound tog. Winter flounder are being caught from the docks. Tom Tini from Pa. caught eight up to a 3 1/8-pounder while keeping only his limit of two. Matthews notes that surfcasting for mostly 24-28-inch stripers has its moments for those casting Tsunami Sand Eels and similar sand eel lures. Add a teaser unless you don’t want to deal with hickory shad.

Dan Sheehan reports there were small stripers feeding in the wash at Sea Bright early this morning, but hits were few and far between.

Jerry Lasko had a good morning yesterday in the Ocean County surf when he and Maren Toleno waded out on the sand bar to get into better-sized bass including some keeper releases up to a 32-incher by Maren as part her 15 while Jerry counted 10. The yellow-tailed Ava jig plus a teaser did the job as they both had two doubleheaders. A south wind killed the afternoon bite as Jerry only added two bass.

Frank Huza went to Island Beach State Park early this morning where he couldn’t get hit, but saw four bass caught among many anglers. His next surfcasting trip will be on April 1, 2021.

Vinnie D’Anton left the surf stripers to fish out of his winter home in Sarasota and got into 15 large spotted sea trout on DOA Shrimp and MirrOlures during his first wading attempt.

Monday’s forecast is for northeast winds at only 5-10 knots before increasing to 10-15 knots with gusts to 20 in the afternoon.

The Atlantic Highlands party boats had loads of stripers once again, but it appears that shorts are becoming a larger proportion of the catch. The Sea Hunter had slots and a few keepers. The weather coming up after tomorrow may signal an end to the great jigging. Capt. Rob Semkewyc figures rain will scare away anglers Monday, but he’ll try Tuesday if enough customers call him. Capt. Ron Santee Jr. had an all day bite on the Fishermen with a 10-pound bass taking the pool. He’ll try sailing into next week.

Nick Honachefsky had a great time in the Ocean County surf yesterday morning with 15 bass up to 32 inches on a green tail Ava plus teaser. Frank Huza went to IBSP this morning and had lots of company. He managed a 21-inch bass, but one group of anglers caught them steadily.

The Golden Eagle from Belmar had a super offshore wreck trip for big sea bass plus lots of porgies. They limited on sea bass and bluefish before daylight, and also caught weakfish, cod and ling. Another trip is possible next week if enough anglers e-mail goldeneaglefishing.com for the $205 sailing.

Sunday’s forecast is for southwest winds at 10-15 knots with gusts to 20.

Chuck Many reports from Cape Charles as follows:

“Definitely a WOOOOOOOO kind of day going 5 for 8 on monsters with a 57 and 52 pounder!!!! Trying the new Shimano Teramar New England Series combo with Trinidad 30, absolutely sick!! Why do you take your boat to VA and get skunked 4 days in a row??? This is why!! All released unharmed”.

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Capt. Rob Semkewyc said striped bass jigging on his Sea Hunter from Atlantic Highlands was good by normal standards, but it was the first time in a while that the boat wasn’t limited on slots as smaller bass dominated.

Frank Huza of Aberdeen went all the way to IBSP where he managed two 25-inch bass.

Jerry Lasko said it was slower on Ocean County beaches as he and Maren Toleno had to get out on the bars where she caught eight and he had one casting skinny metals plus teasers.

The Jamaica from Brielle may have a few spots open Saturday’s 10 p.m. sailing to offshore wrecks for jumbo sea bass and porgies. Call 732 528-5014 for reservations.

The Saturday forecast is for south winds at 5-10 knots with a chance of fog and showers before switching to southeast with gusts to 20 in the afternoon.

Historically. it hasn’t been often that anglers seeking striped bass could be concerned only about how many and not if they were going to catch them when they left port.

That hasn’t been the case lately in NY/NJ Bight, but it won’t last forever.

Fishing was a bit slower in the ocean today as the Golden Eagle from Belmar reported stripers and some blues for a decent catch, The bite was best early, and they had to move around to find more. Tomorrow’s 6:30 trip will be their last for stripers.

There was no change in the great jigging for Atlantic Highlands boats. The Sea Hunter had a slot bass for everyone and some over 28 inches. The Fishermen reported they moved into deeper waters to add some larger bass up to 34 inches. The action slowed after the tide changed and the wind came up.

Jerry Lasko said the Ocean County surf was flat and the striper fishing flow. After he outfished Maren Toleno yeterday, everything was back to normal today as Maren scratched out five and Jerry couldn;t score. He noted that some peanut binker were spotted in the evening.

There may be some rain on the weekend, but Friday looks great with southwest winds at 10-15 knots plus gusts to 20.

“Paul Haertel reported on Facebook about blackfishing on his boat out of Barnegat Inlet as follows: Well this kid, Peter Hammond is in big trouble. Once again he broke the boat rules by catching a bigger fish than the Captain. This time though he did it twice with two personal best, the first weighing in at 10 lbs 2 oz and the second a whopping 13 lbs. 3 oz. To his credit though he released both of them. Today he even outfished King Dante Soriente though Dante had some nice ones and was high hook. My friend Jeff C and I managed a few tog though. Congrats Pete but don’t let this happen again. All on Magictails. #magictails“

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Capt. Ron Santee Jr. saw his first snow on the Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands today, and the striper bite slowed when the wind picked in the afternoon. However, catches were already in the dozens. The pool bass was 35 inches. Santee will continue fishing at least through the weekend. The Sea Hunter from that port didn’t have enough to sail, but is ready to go tomorrow.

The Golden Eagle from Belmar had very good striper fishing and also a few blues today. They sail early at 6:30 tomorrow.

Jerry Lasko said Ocean County surfcasting was slower today though he caught 15 stripers while Maren Toleno added five.

Tomorrow’s weather looks even better with northwest winds of 15-20 knots diminishing in the afternoon to 10-15 knots.

Fall northwesters set up ideal surfcasting conditions along the N.J. Shore, but they also bring cold temperatures. Jerry Lasko said it never got out of the 30’s on the Ocean County beach he was fishing, but the action kept anglers warm. The hot bite was on the incoming, and by the the end of the day he had released 35 stripers while Maren Toleno got up to 61. When the sand eels come in, so do the bass.

Frank Huza of Aberdeen went all the way to Island Beach State Park and didn’t score there though he saw some bass being caught.

Capt. Ron Santee Jr. reported a continuation of all you can handle striper jigging on his Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands. It was cold, and got nasty on the change of tide, but the fishing remains amazing and he will sail every day.

The northwest wind continues at 15-20 knots with gusts to 25.

The northwest wind sure isn’t bothering striped bass in NY/NJ Bight, and the cold hasn’t sent them fleeing to the south. Both boaters and surfcasters scored today.

Jerry Lasko reported surfcasting was slow early in Ocean County, but picked up later in the morning to such an extent that MarenToleno ended up releasing 34 while he added 11. Sand eel lures did the job as that’s what the bass are feeding on.

Bob Matthews at Fisherman’s Den in Belmar Marina noted that the early bite has often been poor due to low waters, but it may turn on later in the morning. He also noted that party boats there were doing well with stripers and blackfish. The Ocean Explorer had a 13-pound tog on a recent trip.

The Golden Eagle from that port reported another very good day with stripers today as a boat limit was caught and others released. A few bluefish were also hooked. Their 6:30 sailing time got them into the best of the bite.

At Atlantic Highlands, the Sea Hunter reported fares could catch 20 or more bass without really trying. There were lots of slot bass, but only a few over 28 inches. Due to a lack of reservations and gusty winds, tomorrow’s trip has been canceled — but they’ll be back at it Wednesday.

The Fishermen also had great striper jigging, with one fare counting 61. They also didn’t see many of the larger bass.

Tuesday’s forecast is for northwest winds at 15-20 knots with gusts to 25.