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Whales are not only getting more abundant, but also much bolder. There were lots of them in a huge fleet off Asbury Park today, and they didn't seem at all concerned with the boat traffic. Furthermore, I saw one come up right alongside a small drifting boat with some very surprised anglers. Bob Matthews reported from Fisherman's Den in Belmar Marina that a boat had an encounter with a whale that resulted in some boat damage. I joined Dr. Dave Catalane, who flew in from Pittsburgh to fish on his Boston Whaler from Manasquan. It looked like the D-Day invasion when we arrived, but there was no trouble snagging bunkers. Catalane's son Dan quickly hooked a 38-inch striper, but that was it for us except for a jumbo blue. Matthews said many boaters did well, but we only saw one bass caught by any boat fishing around us. Striper fishing was red hot in the back in the back of Raritan Bay. Dave Lilly of Hazlet said he couldn't get hit trolling Stretch plugs until he switched to black plugs. Then it was so easy before boat traffic got too bad that he bet an angler in another boat that he could catch a striper on a can opener. That was an easy $5 for Lilly as he rigged a can opener with a wire-leader bluefish chumming hook and cast it to catch a bass.  Capt. Rob Semkewyc was back there with his Sea Hunter from Atlantic Highlands and said everyone aboard had a keeper bass over 28 inches. At Brielle, the Jamaica has room on a canyon tuna trip leaving at 7 a.m. Monday. Call 732 528-5014. The Jamaica II had another great sea bass Marathon trip with many sea bass limits and some porgy limits. Matt Slobodjian, at Jim's Tackle in Cape May, reports "Sea bass fishing is holding up well when the weather allows. Most of the charter boats are fishing the wrecks on or out beyond the 20 fathom line and getting limits of nice fish almost every trip. There are still good numbers of sea bass on the Delaware reef site #11, but quite a few more shorts to weed through.Blackfish are still on the inlet rock pile and the inshore wrecks so it looks like we'll get a shot at them on Wednesday when it goes to 6 fish.I wish I had better news on the stripers, but they still aren't here in any good numbers. Early in the week there was a great bite off of Brigantine, but Saturday they were gone. We had charter boats run as far as Long Beach Island without a bite. There were a few fish caught on the troll off of Hereford Inlet, but not many for the amount of boats trying. Last year it started around the 20th of November. It looks like it might be a replay this year.On the surf we are still catching some redfish, mainly on soft plastic lures. A 4" or 5" Gulp Swimming Mullet on a light jighead is as good a lure as any for these fish in white or chartreuse. Wildwood Crest and the Cape May beach front are both giving up reds. There are still some small tripers being caught on the rock piles in town and on the Point, but only an occasional keeper. The tog are still biting on the jetties when the water is clean The water temp is prime for them right now and they should stick around for a little while."

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