<b>Staten Island</b>

Super fishing for sea bass was socked on Saturday with <b>Outcast Charters</b>, Capt. Joe said. When the anglers finished up with the lumpheads at 11 a.m., they switched to ling, and those catches were great, too. A fair number of out-of-season tog, including an 8-pounder and some 5-pounders, were released. On Sunday another charter began with ling fishing, because currents would’ve made drifting for sea bass difficult. Excellent angling for ling was copped, then the anglers switched to sea bass at 10:30 a.m., and the fishing was good, not as great as on the previous day, but good. A 22-inch fluke, out of season in New York, was released, and so was a 17-inch winter flounder. The sea bass on the first day weighed up to 3 pounds and on the second were up to 2 ½ pounds. Two good days of fishing, Joe said.

<b>Barbara Ann Fishing Charters</b> sailed every evening for striped bass in the past week, and five or six of the fish on one of the trips was the slowest day, Capt. Anthony said. Forty of the linesiders to 36 pounds were plundered on a trip Saturday. The anglers on the trips swam live bunker in the ocean for the hook-ups. In addition to charters, open-boat, twilight trips are fishing for stripers every Tuesday and Thursday, and one space is available this Tuesday, and two are available this Thursday. Barbara Anne refunds bridge tolls with a receipt. A mess of sea bass and a few ling were pumped in when anglers on the boat bottom-fished.

<b>Laurence Harbor</b>

Jim Yeager and son rustled up 20 or 25 fluke, including a couple of keepers to 19 ½ inches, and a bunch of small blues on the bay off Keyport and Keansburg on Sunday with <b>Evening Tide Charters</b>, Capt. Kyle said. They fished rigs with either Gulp shrimp and killies or squid and spearing, and the Gulps worked best. Feathered hooks that Kyle tied were also fished on the rigs. 

<b>Monmouth Beach</b>

Capt. Justin from <b>Parksea Fishing Charters</b> and the boat’s mate took a brief scouting trip for fluke Friday on the bay while going to fuel the vessel, Justin said. Three keepers and 15 or 20 shorts were knuckled in from 28 feet near the Navy Pier. On Saturday the Grenavitch charter tied into non-stop action with fluke all day in the ocean off Sandy Hook, fishing there because no drift was on the bay. They bagged three keepers among scores of shorts, lots of fish. More keepers seemed to pave the bay, and tons of the flatties filled the ocean, but keepers were more difficult to find. The trips fished a single-hooked fish-finder rig with Gulp shrimp, spearing, squid or fluke belly. Previously Parksea fluke fished with a combo bucktail and trailer rig, but that was in shallower waters, and Justin switches to the fish-finder for deeper areas.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Fluke trips on the <b>Atlantic Star</b> fished lots of different places in the past days, including Reach Channel, Chapel Hill Channel, off the Navy Pier, off Sandy Hook Point and down the ocean beaches, Capt. Tom said. The location depended on the proper conditions for a drift, and the better the drift, the better the catches. Plenty of the flatties, many of them shorts, a few keepers, were landed when the drift was right, no matter where the boat fished. An angler who wasn’t’ necessarily experienced but listened to the mates to fish well would sometimes hook 15 of the summer flounder and no keepers. Another would monger up eight including two or three keepers. That seemed a matter of luck. Some customers scored a tad better while working bucktails when there was no drift, but when the drift was right, no tackle or baits seemed better than others. Just a matter of whether the bait happened to move past the fish. Some anglers brought their own killies or sand eels to fish in addition to the spearing and squid supplied on trips, but again, no advantage to one bait over another was apparent. Different year-classes could be seen, like quite a few 17-inchers and a substantial number of 12-inchers. The 17-inchers were thick, big fluke. No fewer fluke held in the area now than 10 years ago, and if the size limit now were like then, anglers would be having a great year on the fish. The Atlantic Star is fluke fishing on two trips daily 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. <b>Update, Today:</b> Fluking through the whole day today was a little better than before, and the afternoon’s conditions were the best of the day, giving up quite good action, lots of shorts, but a few more keepers than usual, Tom said. Plus Steve McPeak creamed a 7-3/4-pound beauty in the afternoon.

A 10.8-pound fluke, the biggest in the harbor so far this season, and the harbor’s first double-digit fluke this year, was slam-basted Sunday on the <b>Fishermen</b>, Capt. Ron said in the report on the boat’s Web site. Jack Butler from Perth Amboy took the lead in the boat’s season-long fluke pool with the fish. Patience paid off for anglers on the trip, because at first the current on top ran out while the current on bottom ran hard and incoming, and 12-ounce weights had to be fished to hold bottom. But when all got right, the bite was on. Jerry Krako limited out with six quality flatbacks, and a couple of customers rounded up three to five keepers. A sizeable striped bass that was hooked “kept everyone on their toes,” Ron said. “Amazing what the right conditions will do for you, especially after (Saturday) when I wanted to kick the dog!” he said. No report was posted for that day. The boat was chartered Friday, instead of the usual, daily, open-boat trip, and the fluking that day was the best of the season so far on the vessel, and an 8-1/2-pounder was dusted up that was the biggest of the year on the boat at the time. More than 20 keepers were bailed on the first drift, and plenty of action lasted almost until the end of the trip, until the tide changed.  The Fishermen is sailing for fluke 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and for bluefish 7:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 3:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Sundays.

A lot of non-stop fluke action went down on the <b>Dorothy B</b>, fish after fish, and that got a little exciting, Didi said. She wasn’t asked where the boat fished, but her previous report said trips fished on the bay, and that was probably at least where most of the fishing was done this time. Of course, “fluking is fluking,” she said, and probably 1 in 10 was a keeper, but some good-sized ones were boated. “Little Marty” won a pool with a 4-pound 9-ouncer. Other notable catches included Kathy Farrell’s 3-1/2-pound fluke and Sue Pavel’s 3-pound 3-ouncer. Jamal Khalal waxed a 3-pound 5-ouncer on a trip on the vessel with his family and friends, including some kids. The captain, who used to run party boat trips from Sheepshead Bay for many years, developed a following from family fishing from that port. Donald Young and friends, who used to fish with the captain at Sheepshead and also the captain’s father before him,  jumped aboard one trip in the past days. The captain, Kevin Bradshaw, is  a third-generation party boat skipper, and his family, actually the oldest party boat family from Sheepshead, ran the trips from there starting in the 1920s, Didi said. Kevin started running the Dorothy B from Atlantic Highlands this season, and he fished many of the same waters as now while fishing from Sheepshead. He captained the Sea Fox from Atlantic Highlands last year. The Dorothy B is fluke fishing 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. daily. When fluke season ends, the boat will begin sailing for striped bass on ¾-day trips.

<b>Highlands</b>

Ocean striped bass fishing was up and down, and good catches were drilled on the boat Friday and Saturday, but the bunker mostly disappeared Sunday, said Capt. Derek from <b>Fisher Price Charters</b>. His charters are chasing the bunker to land stripers that feed on the baitfish, and the anglers are either livelining bunker or fishing chunks of the menhaden for a hook-up. On one day the live bait worked best, and on another the chunks were the way to go, and so on. The fishing began to dwindle, but Derek is taking it day by day. Trips start out fishing for bass, and if the angling is slow, he offers charters the chance to target fluke and sea bass. Eventually charters will switch entirely to fluke fishing in the deep waters with bucktails, and sea bass can be mixed in. Book now for those trips.

Striped bass fishing got tough on a trip Saturday, when Walt Suresky’s family bunker-chunked for the fish in the ocean, said Capt. Brian from <b>Jersey Devil Charters</b>. One of the linesiders and a couple of fluke were boated. Brian is getting ready to begin fishing offshore for sharks and tuna. Some sharks were around, and no particularly large ones seemed to be caught. A 201-pound mako was leading the Mako Mania tournament on Saturday, for example, though Brian was unaware whether the fish maintained the lead by the end Sunday. A buddy caught and released a 300-pound thresher. Small yellowfin tuna were trolled at least at the southern canyons, and whether they were hooked farther north was unknown. Bluefin tuna were sometimes belted closer to shore down south.

What was that thing in the sky? The sun? Capt. Bob from <b>Sandy Hook Fishing Adventures</b> asked in an e-mail. His trips did a job on fluke, some good fishing, mostly in the ocean, but one also put the brakes on bluefish. Justin Patwell, on a trip with his dad, mom and brother Carl, walloped a 7-1/4-pound fluke that was the biggest on the boat lately. The Cantor group loaded up on 16 keeper fluke to 24 inches, solid fishing, released dozens of shorts and grabbed a handful of sea bass to 16 inches. On two open-boat fluke trips rods were almost always bent, and Steve White limited out on both outings, and some of the keepers on the trips were sizeable doormats to 23 inches. The Alverez family wrestled 4- to 14-pound bluefish, good action, on an afternoon outing for the speedsters. Full-day, half-day and evening charters are running, and open dates are available,. Open-boat, Magic Hour fluke trips are fishing 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. when no charter is booked. 

<b>Neptune</b>

Good and bad striped bass trips happened with <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b>, and afternoons and nights were the times to go, and forget weekends, because of boat traffic, Capt. Ralph said in an e-mail. An afternoon trip last week with Dave Barrett and gang clocked four stripers to 30 pounds, but a trip that morning landed none. Three shark trips ran, leadering many blue sharks and two makos, including a 130-pounder on Thursday. Tuna are in, and get in on individual-reservation tuna trips now, because one or two spots a day are already being booked. Check the boat’s Web site. Good catches of bluefish were punched at the Mudhole, and fluke and sea bass fishing ranged from great on some days to fair on others. One space is available this week for the individual-reservation fluke and sea bass trips that are running every Wednesday.  

<b>Belmar</b>

A group of several anglers, including some from out of state, whacked a bunch of big, 8- to 12-pound bluefish at the Mudhole about 17 miles from shore on bait Wednesday on a short trip, said Capt. Rob from <b>Last One Charters</b>. They had a ball on the 4-hour charter, Rob said, busy action with the strong fighters in only 2 hours of actual fishing. The anglers from out of state had never caught blues before, so they especially seemed to have a great time. A trip Sunday with Joe Kane’s group landed 30 striped bass, both keepers and shorts, including their limit of the fish to 34 pounds, at the Shrewsbury Rocks on bunker chunks while drifting and chumming. No other boats fished the area, and others were probably off looking for bunker schools. The trip fished 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., so the catch was even more impressive, considering the fishing took place at mid-day.

Trips fished every day on the <b>Nan Sea J</b>, running for striped bass, fluke and sea bass, Capt. Tom said. Stripers to 34 pounds were pelted since the last report, on bunker, mostly in the afternoons. Fluke fishing was improving, and up to 4-pounders were coolered, and sea bass definitely added to the catch on the fluke drifts. Space remains on Wednesday’s weekly open-boat shark trip, but the trip the following Wednesday is full. The trips, running through July, are a great opportunity to pick a fight with the ornery beasts without chartering the full boat. But charters are also available for sharking, Tom’s favorite fishing.

<b>Brielle</b>

Boaters seemed to stick plenty of striped bass Friday and Saturday evenings in the ocean, and afternoons to evenings were generally best, said Dave from <b> The Reel Seat</b>. Anywhere from the local area to farther north offered chances to find them. On a trip that Dave’s uncle took with Fish Monger Charters on Thursday, leaving at 3 p.m., a few stripers were quickly angled in from between Manasquan Inlet and the bell buoy. Then the group chased more of the bass from Mantoloking to Sea Girt. Al was high hook with eight linesiders landed on Lex Lures pencil poppers. The fish were found rolling around the surface without even bunker around. Ocean fluke fishing served up a bunch of shorts with some keepers in the mix. The population of keepers was probably better farther north, like at the rocks off Long Branch and Elberon. But a 7-pounder was weighed in that came from Axel Carlson Reef, and a few sizeable flatties were claimed at Sea Girt Reef on Saturday. Plenty of fluke paved the bottom of Manasquan River, and blues and hickory shad swam Manasquan Inlet. Not much was heard about stripers around the river anymore. Good catches of sea bass were taken from the ocean. One customer on Thursday took a trip that reeled up 11 cod in deeper waters 120 feet, and dog sharks were no problem in the deep. Shark anglers fought lots of blue sharks, but one customer decked a 184-pound mako last week, and makos were caught during the weekend’s Mako Mania tournament. Small yellowfin tuna sped around Toms Canyon.  The <a href=" http://www.ssfff.net/fundraiser.html" target="_blank">Save the Summer Flounder Fishery Fund</a>, spearheading the movement to prevent the summer flounder or fluke season from closing and from harsh bag limits that are essentially a closure, very much needs the continued support of anglers. See the fund’s Web site for details and how the fund is attempting to solve the crisis.

Great bluefishing was smoked during the daytime trip Saturday on the <b>Jamaica</b>, and the night trip was expected to be similar, an e-mail from the boat said. But the fish turned off on the night trip, after a quick shot of catches. Still, toward the end of the trip, a big school was located a little further offshore, and the fishing ended up well, “another good night,” the e-mail said. The daytime trip Sunday returned to the same area, and blues were banged up through the day. Experienced anglers limited out, and everyone at least put a few in the box. Recent pool winners included Thangh Ngueyen with a 14-pound blue and Scott Haitner with a 13-pounder. The outlook for this coming weekend was good. The Jamaica is fishing for stripers and blues 7:30 a.m. daily and for blues 7:30 p.m. daily. Check the boat’s Web site for the complete schedule, including special trips, and to be added to the e-mail list for special trips. Reservations are being booked for canyon tuna fishing that will begin in late August.

<b>Point Pleasant</b>

Big blue sharks, some to 200 pounds, were hauled in on the <b>Katie H</b> on Saturday, while the anglers competed in Mako Mania, Capt. Mike said. The trip fished toward the Texas Tower and farther offshore to 65 miles, pushing out to look for a warm area, stopping on 66-degree waters. The weather was beautiful, but more winds or seas to drift the boat could’ve been used to cover more ground, and the trip probably drifted 3 ½ miles. Life including whales and dolphins was all over, and fish, maybe skipjacks or bluefin tuna, were seen breaking the water surface in the distance. But the anglers couldn’t leave the chum slick. On Saturday a combo sea bass and fluke charter cranked in gazillions of the fish, mostly shorts, but 20 keeper sea bass and three keeper fluke, in the ocean off Long Branch and Monmouth Beach. Lots of the fish missed by only an inch or a half-inch, and the number of sea bass was unbelievable. Striped bass fishing didn’t sound so good on other boats during the day Saturday, although tons of bunker schooled. But there was so much boat traffic, and striper charters are probably better off fishing in the evenings. A boater from the docks landed small yellowfin tuna 25 or 30 pounds at Lindenkohl Canyon during the weekend. It was good to see the tuna around, even if they were small, and the Katie H’s first tuna charter of the season is slated for July 10, and Mike can’t wait. Don’t have enough anglers for a tuna charter? No problem. Call Mike, and he can probably arrange an individual spot or more on a make-up trip.  

A striped bass charter on Friday left the dock somewhat early at 1 p.m., so the anglers went bottom-fishing to kill time before the linesiders usually turned on later in the afternoon, the report on <b>Andrea’s Toy Charters</b>’ Web site said. Short sea bass were plentiful, but a few large keepers were picked up. At 3:30 p.m. the anglers ran to the deep to catch bunker for striper bait, then headed back to shore to look for stripers. A small school of bunker was spotted a mile off the beaches, getting pushed by stripers. The boat was set up on a drift ahead of the school, and the fish followed the boat, the anglers hooking up the whole time. Seven keepers to 30 pounds were muscled in. Other boats arrived, ending the bite, but storms blew in anyway. “Perfect timing,” the report said. On Thursday a charter jumped aboard for sea bassing all day, leaving at 7:30 a.m., reaching a wreck to the south in 70 feet. The fishing was non-stop for 4 hours on that piece, giving up shorts and keepers. Two more pieces were fished, giving up similar action. Scores of keeper sea bass and ling were gathered up by the end. Lots of filleting back at the dock. Heads up: Andrea’s Toy’s annual open-boat, mixed bag, offshore canyon trips are coming up, and space is available on a first-come basis. Two outings are on the menu: a day-long trip and an overnight one. The trips go after fish including tuna, mahi mahi, sharks and tilefish, all in one outing. Mixed-bag fishing, a specialty for Andrea’s Toy, allows more fun, better chances of hooking up and more variety for dinner. See details and a video on <a href="http://www.andreastoycharters.com" target="_blank"> Andrea’s Toy’s home page</a>. Andrea’s Toy will also offer combo bluefin tuna/shark charters soon, and cleaned up on the trips last year.

Ferocious catches of bluefish were hammered from the first toot of the boat’s horn to the last toot on Saturday’s trip on the <b>Sea Devil</b>, Cindy said in an e-mail. The fish, averaging 10 pounds, were battled 10 miles offshore of Manasquan Inlet, mostly on jigs. One angler had a blast catching many on a popper lure, sometimes three and four chasing it at once, shooting into the air. Another angler landed many on bait. Len Smith won the pool with a 15-pound blue. Plus the day was sunny for a change. On Friday’s trip patrons jigged excellent catches of blues 15 miles off the inlet. Most of the fish weighed 10 to 15 pounds, and some 8-pounders showed up at the end of the day. The Sea Devil is fishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and 7:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. Saturdays.

Blues tore up the waters Sunday for anglers on the <b>Cock Robin</b> on a daytime trip, an e-mail from the boat said. “Fish decided they needed breakfast, lunch and dinner all at once,” the e-mail said. Saturday night’s angling for the speedsters was slow, but catches were great during the daytime trip. A wild storm ripped through during the way out on Friday night’s trip, but the bluefishing was a steady pick for customers. Thursday’s daytime catch was a steady pick, but the anglers worked to catch. The Cock Robin is fishing for stripers and blues 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and for blues 7:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Wednesday Marathon Trips, leaving earlier at 6 a.m. at no extra charge, are running. On Thursday’s trips, customers can help donate fish to Joan Valentine House, providing meals to people. Captain Jim’s Camp Cock Robin for kids, limited to 12 anglers, is under way for summer, featuring a dedicated mate for the youngsters.

On the <b>Gambler</b> fluke trips got progressively better since Wednesday, and the fishing was the best on Saturday and Sunday, Capt. Bob said. Sunday morning’s catch was probably the best of the season so far. In the past days a fair number of keepers, shorts, quite a few big sea bass and even ling on a few days were hooked. Trips mostly fished at bits of rough bottom in deeper waters 55 to 65 feet, and dog sharks that had been a nuisance moved off, allowing the fishing to be done in the deep. On Saturday and Sunday fish were always coming over the rails, steady action. On one trip striped bass were marked under the boat, and Bob’s daughter wrangled in a 29-pounder on a fluke rig. Soon afterward a customer tackled another 29-pound bass. Dennis Wargo from Delanco bagged a 6-pound 12-ounce fluke, two 3-pounders and a half-dozen sea bass. Kevin Pavone from Toms River boxed four keeper flounder to 6 pounds and six keeper sea bass to 4 pounds. On the boat’s nighttime bluefishing trips a great catch was made Saturday. Took a moment for the fish to get going, but then they turned on, and the vessel stayed an extra hour because of the slow start. Storms sort of kept most blues from biting on Friday’s trip. The blues recently were 8 to 12 pounds, caught 20 miles offshore of Manasquan Inlet. The Gambler is fishing for fluke on two trips daily 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and for bluefish 7:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. every Friday and Saturday. Canyon tuna trips will launch in September, and space is being booked. Check the calendar on the boat’s Web site.

<b>Seaside</b>

Scattered, sporadic blasts of small bluefish sometimes tumbled into the surf, and a couple of customers Saturday said they had fun landing the fish on small Hopkins lures or Deadly Dicks, said the report on <b>Grumpy’s Tackle</b>’s Web site. A handful of striped bass were weighed in from the surf since the end of the week, and one was big: a 51.6-pounder that Shell E. Caris caught on bunker and checked in Friday. Short fluke scurried along the shoreline. <a href="http://www.grumpystackle.com/fishingreports/" target="_blank"> Click here</a> for updates.   

<b>Barnegat</b>

“I don’t fluke,” said Capt. Dave DeGennaro from the <b>Hi Flier</b> in an e-mail. Not that he doesn’t appreciate the summer flounder, but he usually prefers to sail for other fish while fluke are around. “Well, I’m fluking now!” he said. Friends told him about an unusually good run of the flatties in shallow waters behind Barnegat Inlet, and he checked it out with his sons and friends, and they mugged them, 30 of the fish in a few hours. The size of the fish was what made the fishery appealing, even tough many were 15- to 17-inch shorts. The anglers worked light, ¼-ounce bucktails tipped with Gulp minnows on light tackle. This is fluking how it should be: using artificials to jig them “like the gamefish they are,” he said. Charters and open-boat trips are sailing for fluke from 6 a.m. to noon. The open trips are limited to three anglers, but only one is needed to leave the dock. The head count is flexible on charters, “depending if there are kids, we could squeeze a few more on for no extra charge,” he said.

Fishing for fluke in 65 feet on the ocean Friday put the anglers on six keepers and maybe 20 throwbacks with <b>Perfect Drift Sport Fishing</b>, Capt. John said. Another fluke trip Sunday was forced to stay on Barnegat Bay, because the ocean was rough. The boat motored to the inlet, but turned around, and the forecast was wrong, failed to call for the seas. One keeper was bagged, and probably 30-some throwbacks were let go. Boats filled the waters, so Perfect Drift did no trolling for blues like it sometimes does to mix it up on the bay. Another trip this coming Friday will fluke fish, and afterward John will avoid the crowds on the waters during the holiday weekend. He heard about a couple of striped bass boated in the ocean off Seaside this past weekend, and more seemed to be taken farther north. Perfect Drift might fish for stripers in the ocean one more time this season, but on a weekday. Boat traffic on weekends beats down the fish. He read that the Coast Guard and Marine Police were going to keep vigilant about boating safety during the holiday weekend.

<b>Tuckerton</b>

Eleven blue sharks were fought to the boat Thursday in 20 fathoms with <b>Legal Limit Charters</b>, Capt. T.J. said. Three others swam the chum slick but never swiped a bait, and another shark charter was supposed to run today. Both of T.J.’s boats tuna fished at Lindenkohl Canyon Sunday, and 11 yellowfins were reeled in on one, and five were pumped in on the other, and a couple of the fish were keepers around 20 pounds on both boats. Legal Limit did no bottom fishing in the past days, but sea bassing is on tap, including on shared charters every Tuesday and Thursday when no full charter is booked.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

Great Bay’s flounder anglers seemed able to find a few keepers, said the report on <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>’s Web site. Some said they had luck in somewhat deeper waters, and a bunch of shorts had to be culled through. A few flounder were seen that came from the ocean Saturday at Little Egg Reef and Garden State Reef South. Striped bass anglers hooked a linesider now and then in the ocean when they were persistent, and trolling around bunker schools worked better than snagging the bunker and dropping them back down for bait. Little was heard about Great Bay’s shark fishing for big browns and sandbars, probably only because last week’s weather was rough. The fish were probably there, and they’re best caught in the early nights until about 10 p.m. Anglers anchor up and set out a chum slick and some kind of bait like a filleted fish with enough odor to draw them in. The shop sells special rigs and chum balls for the bay sharking and can help with advice.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

Triggerfish, lots of them, a delicious species, showed up along the jetties, chomping clams and crabs, said Noel from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. Flounder paved the bottom in the surf, and kingfish finally appeared in the wash. Anglers had to work to catch kings, but they could beach five or six. A few cocktail blues and occasional stripers rolled through the surf. A few porgies, big ones, legal to keep starting Wednesday, moved in. Plenty of minnows, the favorite flounder bait, are stocked, even though the baitfish were scarce throughout the state.  Fresh clams, fresh bunker, bloodworms, green crabs and a full selection of frozen baits are carried.

<b>Margate</b>

With <b>O-Beth Sportfishing</b> two charters fished the reefs, one on Saturday morning, and another in the afternoon, and both bucketed some quality flounder and a few keeper sea bass among mostly shorts, Capt. Eric said. Both trips coolered flounder to 24 inches. Waters were 67 degrees and clean, and the anglers dunked squid and bluefish strips on a single-hooked rig. On Sunday a shark trip pounded two 4-foot makos and a thresher that was at least 350 to 400 pounds and was  fought 2 ½ hours to land and release. Plus a 40-pound bluefin tuna was trolled in the morning on the outing. The trip fished on the 20-fathom line in 67-degree, clean, good-looking waters, and birds worked the waters at daybreak. Another flounder charter was set to fish this afternoon.

<b>Longport</b>

Sea bass and flounder got reeled up from around the ocean wrecks on the <b>Stray Cat</b>, Capt. Mike said. The size limits were tough for both species, and even the half-inch-larger limit for sea bass made a difference. But the anglers kept flinging them aboard, lots of action, keeping a few, releasing the rest. Mostly charters are running, but open-boat trips are sailing when enough people want to go, and call to get on the list. Bluefin tuna were angled in from 20 to 30 fathoms while anglers shark fished, and a boater from the marina docked a 200-pounder. Yellowfin tuna and mahi mahi were hung at the canyons farther offshore. Charters for sharks and tuna are running.

<b>Somers Point</b>

Anglers were “riding the fluke train,” said a fax from Rob and Joan from <b>Dolfin Dock</b>, and loads of the fish were throwbacks, but lots were good-sized. Joe Angelo netted a 6-1/4-pounder that engulfed a pink bucktail tipped with mackerel at Corson’s Inlet, and Ralph Girard IV nabbed a 5-1/2-pounder that attacked a Dolfin Dock Killer Minnow in the bay off Kennedy Park. Mike Charlton yanked in a 5-1/2-pounder from the bay at Ships Channel. Take note that anglers can flattie fish on the convenience of Dolfin Dock’s variety of rental boats. Dennis Dobrowski fished the ocean at G.E. Reef to muscle in a 9.38-pound doormat. Rob and Joan enjoyed mako on the grill Sunday night, courtesy of Johnny Willams and crew. Angler Jimmy Crompton landed the 286-pounder after a 2-hour fight. The shark was laid on one side of Williams’ 25-foot boat, while Crompton, Shane Swenson and Mark Denny stayed on the other side for ballast on the ride home. Faith Cartog caught a 1-1/2-pound triggerfish at the Ocean City Pier. More seemed to be written on the faxed report, but the bottom was cut off.

The break in the weather helped anglers take advantage of good fishing on the bay and offshore, said T.C. from <b>Brennan Marine</b> in a fax. Bob Heins claimed two 2- to 2-1/2-pound or 18- to 19-½-inch flounder on the bay at Ships Channel while working pink and chartreuse Gulp Swimming Mullets. Dennis Dobrowski fished the ocean near the Table Top to shellack a 9.34-pound 28-inch flattie on a minnow. George Erskine walloped the shop’s best striper catch of the week, a 23-1/2-pounder that chewed a piece of fresh mackerel in the bay near Somers Point. Bruce and Sally Gosser clammed two good-sized stripers in the bay at Anchorage Point on their boat Captain’s Lady.  In offshore waters, Ron Kovler on his boat the Next Case picked up several small, keeper yellowfin tuna and some mahi mahi to 19 pounds at Spencer Canyon on a variety of lures, including spreader bars and green machines. Bill Haas and crew on the Rose Lee got into non-stop action with small yellowfins, keeping four that weighed 30 pounds apiece, releasing more than 20, in waters 2 miles north of Lindenkohl Canyon’s tip. Mario Martorel and gang on his boat North Cote went 4 for 7 on 30-pound yellowfins and landed four sizeable mahi at the Spencer on cedar plugs. Mark Healy on the Christy Liz II pummeled three 30-pound yellowfins and a 15-pound mahi on cedar plugs and spreader bars. Fred Kisby on the Double Bogey took a shot at sharks, putting a stop to a 490-pound thresher that ate a whole mackerel with a purple skirt 20 miles off Atlantic City.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Gibson’s Tackle</b> returned from a several-day striped bass trip to Massachusetts on Thursday night, and got right back out on a canyon tuna trip from Jersey on Friday, he said. But first the stripers. After a couple of days of brutal rains and winds on the trip on the Merrimack River, covered in the last report, the weather finally cleared Thursday morning. Four striped bass to 16 pounds were fly-rodded on chartreuse and white Clousers on sinking lines, and the fish were picky for everyone, though a ton of the bass filled the waters. They only wanted a long, hard strip, like a reaction strike. On Friday’s offshore trip, with Jay Von Czoernig and John O’Connor aboard, yellowfin tuna to 35 pounds, filled with squid, were trolled at Poorman’s Canyon. Lots of throwbacks were around, and a ballyhoo on an Ilander was the hot lure that day, but the fish bit almost anything. The trip didn’t begin fishing at the Poorman’s, but Joe wished it had. On Sunday a trip fished Spencer Canyon with Chuck Wacker, his son C.J. and Chuck’s friend Jim. Eight yellowfins, including two keepers to 20 or 25 pounds, and a dozen skipjacks were trolled. Action, but Joe had hoped for bigger tuna, he said. Joe heard that a buddy landed yellowfins to 45 pounds, but Joe saw none that big, and heard about none in the area. Another friend trolled a 150-pound bluefin tuna and a mako shark in 40 fathoms. Bluefins began to bite on the inshore areas, and Joe will probably fish for them soon. On the back bay around Sea Isle, lots of flounders hung around, good fishing for them, and a few were keepers. The bay’s striper fishing was sporadic, some days on, other days slow. But that type of bite changes quickly. Joe’s anglers lately knuckled them in on clams, popper lures and flies, soft-plastic lures and Clouser flies. The popper fishing is a specialty through summer, visual attacks in the shallows while Joe poles his flats boat, like fishing in Florida or the tropics, but right here in South Jersey. Jersey Cape is offering after-work special trips on the back bay from 4 p.m. to dark, a great time to fish, when nobody else is on the waters, and action can be best. Convenient, too. Joe is beginning to offer open-boat tuna trips, and one will probably sail next week on Tuesday or Wednesday. The trips will usually fish around Wednesdays but sometimes on other days, depending on the weather and when anglers want to go. Call for info. The trips, sailing on a 26-foot Regulator, will fish either inshore for bluefin tuna or offshore at the canyons for yellowfins. Joe won’t limit the options, and he just wants to catch, he said. If that means pushing out to the canyons, he’ll do it. The trips are a learning experience. Joe will offer mixed-bag offshore charters this summer, trolling for tuna in the mornings, then casting lures, bait or flies to mahi mahi in the afternoons. Offshore trips fish on either the Regulator or a 42-foot Liberty, depending on the number of anglers and type of fishing, like angling with conventional tackle or fly gear.

<b>Wildwood</b>

Grassy Channel on the back bay was full of flounder, said Josh from <b>Canal Side Boat Rentals</b>. Probably 1 in 7 was legal-sized, and many were just barely short. A few small blues sometimes popped up. Crabbing somewhat gained steam, not hot and heavy, but some catches. Baits stocked include frozen, whole and filleted mackerel, several types of frozen squid including big trolling squid and various colors of Pro Cut squid that’s pre-cut, fresh-frozen clams, salted clams, Pro Cut clams, live shedder crabs and frozen mullet and bunker, including for crabbing. Crabs for eating will be sold soon. Minnows were scarce but will be carried as soon as possible. Canal Side rents canopy boats and kayaks for fishing, crabbing and sightseeing. The shop is open 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

“Flounder fishing turned on and is red hot,” said Cathy from <b>Sterlng Harbor Bait & Tackle</b> in an e-mail. Cape May Reef, Reef 11 and the Old Grounds produced catches, and so did the edges of the shipping channel in Delaware Bay. The back bay churned out plenty, many of them throwbacks. David Rago weighed in an 11-pound 4-ounce monster that he nailed on a Cape May charter boat. Shannon Keuper checked in a 2-pound 12-ouncer she bagged on Alan Ritter’s Little Devil II from Wildwood. Rich Walters and Bill Copperthwaite creeled four keepers to 3 pounds from the back bay at Wildwood. Ryan Mulvey reeled up a 25-incher on Grassy Sound while fishing from his Hobie Mirage Outback Kayak. Sterling Harbor is a kayak-fishing headquarters, featuring sales, rentals, accessories and expert advice. The shop’s <a href=" http://www.sterlingharbor.com/Fishingtour2009.htm" target="_blank">16th annual Duke of Fluke Tournament</a> will take place Saturday, July 11. Registration forms are available at the shop, and either call the store or visit Sterling Harbor’s Web site for more info. Surf anglers clammed a few striped bass at North Wildwood and Wildwood Crest. Excellent shark fishing was scored in 20 to 30 fathoms. Tuna fishing just began, and yellowfin tuna were trolled at Poorman’s Canyon. Bluefin tuna were caught on the inshore grounds. Get the bluefin gear ready, because that action should become better within a week or two, Cathy said. Crabby Jack gave crabbing two claws, saying catches were on the slow side this past week.

<b>Cape May</b>

A tuna charter trolled 13 yellowfins, including two keepers, at the canyons Friday on the <b>Fishin’ Fever</b>, Capt. Tom said. Probably 30 of the fish bit, and a large tuna, maybe a small bigeye, was fought quite a while before the hook pulled. Lots of juvenile yellowfins filled the waters, with bigger ones mixed in, and Tom expects larger ones to move in, maybe in another week or so. Waters were 67 degrees. Bluefin tune were getting active on the inshore grounds, and Tom knew about several 100- to 150-pounders taken in the past days. Mako and thresher sharks swam the inshore grounds, and the 66- or 67-degree waters were right for them to stick around. Two flounder charters fished the ocean Thursday and Sunday. On the first a dozen keepers to 26 inches, including a healthy number of 20- to 23-inchers, were bagged, and 50 shorts were tossed back. On the second eight flounder to 6 pounds were bagged, and 35 shorts were released.  

Anglers fished Delaware Bay for flounder Friday on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> with John Francisco’s charter, shoveling up lots, sometimes three, four, five at a time, hook-ups on every drift, but not many keepers, Capt. George said. The keepers were 19 to 20 inches, and a couple of the shorts were 15 to 16 inches, and most were 10 to 14. A boater from the marina took a trip that loaded up on good-sized flounder in the ocean. George fished on a trip on a private boat Sunday that trolled four small yellowfin tuna to 27 ½ inches at Spencer Canyon. They  had planned to sail to Poorman’s Canyon, where the fish were bailed through Friday, but that angling reportedly dropped off. Seas were 3 to 4 feet in winds that blew 15 to 20 m.p.h., not a pretty day out there. Another angler who fished Lindenkohl Canyon that day got skunked. So yellowfin fishing began to take off a bit. George heard nothing about bluefin tuna on the inshore grounds in the past days, but the fish previously were picked here or there. Bluefins usually settle in within another week or so. No news was heard about sharking, and most anglers seemed to switch to tuna.

<b>Jaftica Sportfishing</b> ran for yellowfin tuna to waters south of Baltimore Canyon over the weekend, and Capt. Ray wouldn’t say the fishing was on fire, with lots of smaller fish around, but a couple of 50- to 60-pounders were trolled on the boat, he said. The fish basically swam up and down the 100-fathom line, and the Baltimore itself failed to attract them at the time. Jaftica did no fishing for bluefin tuna on the inshore grounds yet this season, and yellowfin fishing was more productive, so Ray went with that. Jaftica is now offering trips for 1 to 6 anglers on a 38-foot Rampage in addition to the charters for 1 to 4 anglers that were already offered on a 30-foot Topaz. The new boat will also be used on all overnight tuna trips. Jaftica also flounder fished, putting anglers on good catches. The flattie fishing could be scored at the reefs from Cape May to Delaware and along the shipping channel on Delaware Bay.

Flounder fishing turned on fairly well, and quality numbers of keepers were pulled up from Cape May Reef, Reefs 10 and 11 and the Old Grounds, said Matt from <b>Jim’s Bait & Tackle</b> in a fax. Healthy numbers of flounder, including 6- and 8-pounders, also came from Miah Maul to the stakes near Fortescue on Delaware Bay. Dan Oliver and gang on Dan’s boat Irish Rose limited out on the flatties to a 9.52-pounder at Reef 11. Ken Kang limited out to a 6.61-pounder at Cape May Reef. Joe Byers whacked a 9.29-pound flounder, “his best fish yet,” Matt said, to win the pool on a Cape May party boat. A few croakers began to arrive in Delaware Bay, no large amount, but a start. Yellowfin tuna fishing got hot, though most of the fish, weighing up to 40 pounds, were small or throwbacks. The area from Poorman’s Canyon to South Poorman’s was best early last week. Bites late in the week came from the Spencer and from between Poorman’s and Baltimore canyons. Mahi mahi started to be caught around the canyons, and mako sharks that attacked the tuna trolling spreads closer to shore were a big surprise. The crew on the Pipe Dream on Saturday tried for bluefin tuna at the Lobster Claw closer to shore, moving in after landing yellowfins at the Spencer, hammering a 142-pound mako shark instead.

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