The Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands was into bass right away — and it stayed like that all day for boaters in NY/NJ Bight for those who could put up with the cold.

The Golden Eagle from Belmar from had a similar report with all hands getting their keeper plus a Bonus Bass, while many shorts and overs were released. Bass were on the surface during long drifts.

A small craft advisory is up through Sunday afternoon. The forecast is for SW winds at 20-25 knots before dropping to 15-20 in the afternoon.

Vinny D’Anton said yesterday’s gale made even surfcasting difficult. but some anglers got back to it this morning in time for some striper action in peanut bunkers and sand eels at Monmouth Beach. There was a pick of bass up to 27 inches.

Though a small craft warning is up through Saturday morning, the party boat fleet should be able in get out with a forecast of west winds at 15-20 knots plus gusts to 25. Be sure to check with your favorite skipper before coming down.

Today’s frigid gale kept anglers home despite the great fishing that was enjoyed by many under clouds of feeding birds Wednesday. Though Capt. Ron Santee Jr. hopes to get out Saturday with his Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands, it appears the windy weather may last into Monday. Ron is looking forward to temperatures back up to the fifties next week — and will continue to sail as long as the stripers bite and customers show up each morning.

The gale warning continues to late tonight. The forecast is for northwest winds at 25-30 knots.

Bluefin tuna also remain in the picture. as noted by Capt. Gene Quigley in his post about this week’s crew trip. “Incredible crew trip with the boyz for the re-opening of giant season. Went out with no expectations other than to have fun. Came across a jurassic park feed of complete units and @scuuuse had the sickest popper bite I have ever witnessed on the @black_ledge_lures popper. 90 minutes later with fluid teamwork and this fat 94 incher was boat side on spin tackle. “

Dave Lilly said it was just 25 degrees at the dock when he joined Rick Martel and Bryan Farmer to run down the beach into wild areas of birds and surface feeding stripers. Everyone released all the stripers they could handle. Most were keepers with some overs mixed in. Party boats and a few private anglers were into that action with no crowding problem. Those fish are moving fast — so don’t hesitate to get in on it now!

Unfortunately. a gale warning is up through Thursday night. The forecast is for west winds at 25-35 knots.

With striped bass being as abundant as they are right now, all reports are usually similar. However, there were two very different ones today. The Golden Eagle from Belmar summed it up as follows: “12/03/2024 What a PHENOMENAL DAY OF STRIPER FISHING!
The STRIPERS were biting as soon as we got out there. With plenty of bait and fish around and lots of action, we were in catch and release mode very early in the morning. All anglers had their KEEPER STRIPER and their BONUS FISH. All other fish were safely released.”

On the other hand. Capt. Ron Santee Jr. found bass everywhere he went with his Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands, but had to work hard for them. No white water, or suicide fish — but working with the fishfinder produced plenty of stripers. Steven Lauria caught 15, and Eric the mortgage man released a 30-pounder.

A small craft advisory will go up Wednesday afternoon, followed by a gale watch to late Thursday night. The forecast is for west winds at 10-15 knots before going to southwest 20-25 plus gusts to 30 in the afternoon.

Capt. Ron Santee Jr. was able to do two videos of the amazing striper action on his Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands today. It’s not going to last forever, so get in on it while it’s hot.

The Queen Mary from Point Pleasant had similar action over the weekend, with Saturday being the best.

The forecast is for northwest winds at 10-15 knots.

Vinny D’Anton found the Monmouth County surf to be full of peanut bunkers this morning, but there were no stripers on them in the calm waters. The air was frigid, though water temperatures remain relatively mild.

Capt. Monty Hawkins has put a twist into his sea bass trips on Morning Star from Ocean City, Md. as bluefin tuna have been abundant in the same area.

“Troll up a tuna – a for hire trip..

Didn’t skip our reef blocks. Big Jon sent a twenty block unit by the rail atop Capt Bob Gowar’s Memorial Reef. That makes 4,938 blocks at Bobby’s. Hit 5K there and it’ll be time to pick a new spot to broaden.

Still had a good ways to go after we’d built a tiny bit more reef. Put lines in sooner than I thought though when we happened upon gannets plunge diving on bait 3 miles inshore where we’d left em Friday.

Worked a few hours with tuna often sighted busting the surface – had one short bite and one topshot knot fail.

You get zero mistakes with these big sons of a guns..

Once I thought every tuna in the area had seen our lures and chose not to partake I moved on off a bit further.

The same rod we’d lost one on earlier, & now with a new topshot(!) got bit again.

One hour and fifty six minutes later a 69 inch, 211lb bluefin was in the boat.

My anglers all took several turns at the reel – a true joint effort.

Clients got most of the fish. The boys & I kept dinner too.

I’m now confident we have this fishery somewhat dialed in. If interested in such a tuna trolling trip I’ll announce the next one in a ‘FIsh Report’ from morningstarfishing.com ..

They sure put everything to the test!

Cheers,”

It seems that striped bass fishing in NY/NJ Bight and off the N.J. Shore just keeps getting even better for boaters. Michael Koblan was amazed by all the whales and working birds encountered today as the Decker Seitz party fished with Capt. Jim Freda of Shore Catch off Mantoloking. Max Koblan caught the first bass, and Donovan Hannafey was high hook with over 20 which ranged from small to over 30 inches and hit everything from jigs to poppers as well over 50 were caught during a short trip.

Capt. Ron Santee Jr. reported over 25 bass on the first drift of his Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands. June ended up catching eight up to a 25-pound release.

The Golden Eagle from Belmar reported stripers so abundant that they were into catch-and-release after the first hour.

The surf news from Vinny D’Anton wasn’t in the same class as lots of very cold surfcasters in the Monmouth County area only had a pick of school bass while casting into a calm surf.

A small craft advisory is up until 6 p.m. The forecast is for northwest winds at 10-15 knots.

Dr. Pat Donnelly reported on this week’s trip out of Manasquan Inlet as follows” “I’m sure I’ve been fishing long enough that I take things for granted Today I had first time striper fishermen Colin, Danny, and John on board . Maeve worked the deck as my mate. Started the day jigging and trolling, shifted to live bait for a few more. Finally landed on the mother load to end the day. These guys were ecstatic and exhausted! Whale show, striper blitz, they can’t wait to go again.

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Just as expected. boaters encounted few problems in finding hungry stripers today, though the same didn’t apply to all surfcasters.

Mike Monte remains surprised by the lack of small bass in Monmouth County waters despite an abundance of sand eels. He fished among at least 40 surfcasters early this morning at Belmar and only heard of one bass being caught there. Some stripers likely came in sometime during the the day along the Jersey Shore, but it’s unusual for so many to crowd into an area not already producing.

There was no such problem for the fleet. The Golden Eagle from Belmar reported a solid day of striper fishing with everyone bagging a keeper and many adding a bonus bass. Some overs were released during long drifts.

Capt. Ron Santee, Jr. reported another fine day on his Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands as follows:”Back out again to where we left them biting yesterday. Had to wait for the change to get things going.

Plenty of bird life but it did take a bit for the fish to settle up and start chewing hard. Once we got the current it was game on.

Lots of first timers out with us today, once they got the technique on how to do it they were in the ball-game.

Gary and Henry put on another clinic fishing up in the bow with double digits each.

Several bigger fish in the mix, no record breakers though. NW to West for the next several days don’t miss the bite. The fat lady is warming up with the swan song

small craft advisory is up through Sunday afternoon. The forecast is for west winds at 15-20 knots plus gusts to 25.

It seems that most boaters had their Thanksgiving striper wishes granted. The Golden Eagle from Belmar reported as follows:”It was VERY VERY GOOD STRIPER FISHING both yesterday and today! We had a complete boat limit of KEEPERS today with plenty of OVERS and a good number of SHORTS. With all the action, we were in catch and release mode early.

There are PLENTY of STRIPERS around and we will be fishing until they disappear and that probably won’t be for another 2 to 3 weeks. Get in on the action while they are still here.“

The Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands got into stripers today both inshore and in deeper waters. The only problem is that at least a 47 jig was required due to the fast drift with current and wind together. There were plenty of keepers and a few overs included.

Vinny D’Anton knew of one Monmouth County surfcaster who caught nine bass in the 24-inch class this morning. Vinny even got another good report from the other side of NY/NJ Bight at Breezy Point.

A small craft advisory is up through late tonight. The forecast is for west winds at 15-20 knots plus gusts to 25.

Mike Monte was encouraged to see pods of sand eels in the Monmouth County surf yesterday morning, but something was missing — striped bass.

Mike didn’t catch a bass, nor did any other surfcaster he saw in that area. Mike is surprised that there’s been little sign of the smaller bass ordinarily found along the Jersey Shore at this time of year. Continuing relatively high water temperatures may have something to do with that.

I guess most anglers stayed home today as there were no reports.

A small craft advisory is up through Friday morning. The forecast is for west winds at 15-20 knots plus gusts to 25.

Black Friday is traditionally a great day for party boats. Anglers should arrive an hour early in order to avoid looking at an empty slip.

Happy Thanksgiving!