Anglers who work every weekday jump at the chance to be able to fish on a weekday, but practically everyone is off on Black Friday which has become probably the busiest party boat day of the year -- and the likeliest to be left at the dock if you don't get aboard well before sailing time. The next two days will be just as bad, and it's important to check with skippers as some are sailing early. There were lots of boats on the water Thanksgiving morning, but reports were generally poor. The Golden Eagle from Belmar said they marked plenty of bait and even saw fish on top, but they just weren't biting. Capt. Rob Semkewyc reported his worst Thanksgiving trip ever on the Sea Hunter from Atlantic Highlands as only one keeper striper was boated. There had been lots of bird life the day before, but he hardly saw a bird all day after checking many areas. Yet, Raritan Bay is full of adult bunker. Capt. Joe Massa of My Three Sons at Morgan Marina saw an opportunity in those bunkers and caught a few in one cast of his castnet. He and a friend turned the live bunker into four stripers from 15 to 24 pounds in the mouth of the bay. My last report from Massa included an error as he trolled stripers the week before with ex-Assenblyman Guy (not Vito) Talerico on his Jersey Patriot out of Jersey City. Capt. Stan Zagleski didn't fish on Thanksiving, but had decent blackfishing Wednesday with his Elaine B II from Bahrs in Highlands. The pool winner was a 7-pounder. That fishing should improve with better weather for bottom fishing this weekend. I didn't see any great surf reports Thanksgiving morning, but managed to catch a small striper on my first cast for the second day in a row at a southern Monmouth County beach. On Wednesday morning I ended up with 10 releases to only 22 1/2 inches, but the holiday bass only produced a total of four on a Tsunami Sand Eel and Castaways Super Teaser. There were many surfcasters trying their luck in a somewhat rough surf, but I only saw one other small bass caught while I was casting. Bob Matthrews, of Fisherman's Den, reports continued good winter flounder fishing for those casting from the docks at Belmar Marina. Though only two are allowed, those flounder range up to 18 inches. Joe Melillo, at Castaways Tackle in Point Pleasant, reports blackfish are still biting in Point Pleasant Canal. Congratulations to Tank Matraxia of Lyndhurst who recently received his 200th American Littoral Society fish tag return to become one of the top volunteer taggers in that program. Most of his returns have been from striped bass and fluke, but he also got good results from sea bass and blackfish this year -- and has also had returns from some Florida species such as amberjack. For information on that ALS program call Jeff Dement at 732 291-0055. For up-too-date fishing information visit my daily blog at nj.com/shore/blogs/fishing.