<b>Staten Island</b>

A load of ling and a healthy catch of sea bass got ramshackled the other day with <b>Barbara Anne Fishing Charters</b>, Capt. Anthony said. Bottom-fishing was consistent, not a bonanza, but steady. A fluke trip Wednesday ploughed scores of the flatties to 4 pounds, mostly 17- to 19-inchers, not many New York keepers, but an unbelievable number carpeted the bottom lately. Barbara Anne will keep bottom fishing and fluking. Even if anglers only have two or several to go on a trip, not six for a full charter, call Anthony anyway, because he can usually book individual spaces. Barbara Anne pays bridge tolls with a receipt.

<b>Port Monmouth</b>

On the bay the Mauer party pumped in four keeper fluke, releasing probably 30 shorts, on Saturday with <b>Parksea Fishing Charters</b>, Capt. Justin said. The anglers fished all over the bay, and three of the keepers came from near the Ammo Pier, and the most fluke got turned up from Sandy Hook Channel. Squid, fresh spearing and Gulp shrimp were fished on single-hooked fish-finder rigs. A bottom-fishing trip last week on Wednesday put the skids on 16 ling, including a couple of big baseball bats, and 14 sizeable sea bass among throwbacks at wrecks off Sandy Hook Point in 75 feet. Bottom- and fluke-fishing charters are running.

<b>Keyport</b>

<b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b> was boating and releasing lots of short fluke and boxing a few keepers in the ocean off Sandy Hook lately. No trips sailed since Monday, covered in the last report, but open-boat trips will bottom-fish for sea bass and porgies on Saturday and Sunday, and call for reservations. Open-boat trips are sailing daily when no charter is booked, reservations required.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

The bigger fluke could be jigged in the ocean at the rough bottom in the deep, and plenty of the flatties, lots of shorts but some keepers, held in the bay and in the rivers, said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. He and his wife limited out on weakfish to 5 pounds on the Shrewsbury River on worms until the tide changed. That might be surprising to anglers who hear little about weaks, but the trout are always around, he said, and few try for them. He was sure some should be able to be found at Reach Channel, but anglers had to fish early in the mornings. Striped bass could be wormed at the channels and at the Sandy Hook Rips in the evenings or in the mornings or at night. They could surely be wormed in the rivers, too, at night, because of warm waters. Cocktail bluefish could be jigged all over the bay, and blues also swam the rivers. Little was heard about blues in the ocean, but they seemed to be far offshore, though they should be able to be fought at the Shrewsbury Rocks. Sea bass were abundant at certain pieces and not at others, like usual. Porgies hovered at the ocean pieces, and a bunch could be hung on the bay. Ling were thick at the edge of the Mudhole. Blackfish season opened, and one per angler per day can be kept for now. Lots of bait schooled all around, including adult bunker everywhere. Rainfish swam the rivers and the bay, and peanut bunker appeared. So fishing was generally good.

Fluke action was on when conditions or winds and tides created the right drifts, and lots of the fish were shorts, the same as the fishing’s been, said Capt. Tom from the <b>Atlantic Star</b>. Trips fished the bay in the past days, and sometimes anglers hooked as many as two or three keepers, and some only hooked shorts, but everybody caught the flatfish. Trips fished at places including around the Navy Pier, off Sandy Hook Point, at Flynn’s Knoll and at Chapel Hill Channel, depending on where the drift was best. The boat was fortunate to be able to fish despite frequent winds this season, because different places on the bay offer shelter from different wind directions. That’s unlike the ocean that could get too roughed up from winds at times. The population of the flatties was as good now in the bay as during the rest of the season and past years. The 18-inch size limit was tough, and throwing back fluke that top 17 inches, weighing more than 2 pounds, was difficult. But patrons seemed to take it in stride. Pool-winning fluke weighed 3 to 4 pounds lately. 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.

Fishing for fluke put out mixed results, but a few keepers were bucketed every day, said Capt. Kevin from the <b>Dorothy B</b>.  Anglers on the morning trip Wednesday hooked a load of shorts, but the fishing was much better on the afternoon trip. The boat fished on Sandy Hook Bay and a little at the channels lately. No particular bait seemed best, but two spearing and a strip of squid on the hook probably caught the most. But there really was no bait or combo of baits that the captain could tell customers that the fish were targeting. Neither the spearing and squid supplied on the vessel nor Spros nor Gulps nor such attracted bites more than another. 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.

Rough forecasts scared off  lots of anglers from jumping aboard today, but the weather turned out beautiful on the waters, said Capt. Ron from  the <b>Fishermen</b> in an e-mail. Lee Dourocher won the pool with a 7-3/4-pound fluke, and one angler rounded up four keepers, and another pinned down three. Some drifts were tried down the ocean beaches, but a roll from last night’s offshore storm mostly put the kibosh on that fishing. On Wednesday’s trip, a charter, a decent drift finally happened after switches in the tide and the winds, and the anglers fared much better than tough fishing the previous day, to be covered in a moment. On this day the boat fished on the ocean, and one angler decked four keepers, releasing 16 shorts. On the trip the previous day, Tuesday, also a charter, conditions could hardly be worse, with winds against the tide all day, making the fishing “tough to say the least,” Ron said. Some keepers and a handful of shorts were pulled in. 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 3:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

<b>Highlands</b>

Two anglers aboard Wednesday clubbed 11 keeper fluke while deep-water bucktailing with big strip baits in the ocean with <b>Fisher Price Charters</b>, Capt. Derek said. He sounded pleased with fluking lately, and his trips are targeting the bigger ones with large baits in the deep. Shorts had to be weeded through as usual. A few sea bass, not many, hit on the trip, and Sandy Hook Reef seemed to have gotten pounded by sea bass anglers, but pieces farther from shore held some. Space is available Friday on an open-boat trip that will do the bucktailing, and Fisher Price is squeezing in open trips between charters when possible. Anglers can call to be kept informed of the schedule. Trips in the near future will focus on special trips that will hunt the flatties with bucktails, big strip baits and live bait. The season was early for live bait, and a few snapper blues were around, but peanut bunker were yet to become abundant and large enough. 

<b>Belmar</b>

Blues to 10 and 12 pounds got knocked down at the Mudhole on Tuesday on the <b>Nan Sea J</b>, Capt. Tom said. Bait worked a little better than jigs, but jigs also caught. An open-boat shark trip on Wednesday fought one blue shark to the boat and got a couple of other bites at the Monster Ledge 20 miles offshore, slow fishing  Waters were 70 degrees, and lots of birds worked the waters, and turtles and dolphin showed up. Open shark trips, a rare opportunity to battle the beasts without chartering the whole boat, will run through July. Charters are also sharking, Tom’s favorite fishing. A sea bass charters was supposed to fish today. Overnight, canyon tuna trips will begin in September.

Big, 8- to 15-pound bluefish got shellacked on daytime trips on the <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b>, Capt. Alan said. Super, all you want, he said, and lots of life including bait, whales and porpoises was seen. Bluefish catches had been solid on nighttime trips but took a dive, got slow the past three nights on all the boats. The reason was unknown, and anglers had thought the spawn was finished. But Alan hoped the night fishing would turn around any day. The Miss Belmar Princess is fishing for blues 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. daily.

Daytime trips whacked bluefish, plenty of them, and nighttime trips slowed down for the catches of the speedsters in the past couple of days, though that could be temporary, Capt. Greg from the <b>Golden Eagle</b> said in a phone call on Wednesday. Previously nighttime fishing also put the hammer on the catches, excellent fishing for 7- to 10-pounders through the weekend offshore and to the south of Belmar, he said in an e-mail on Sunday. The e-mail said some of the blues appeared to be spawning, but plenty of post- and pre-spawners were around. In the past couple of days the trips fished at the Mudhole. Both jigs and bait caught them during the day, and bait as usual worked at night. The Golden Eagle is fishing for blues daily 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. Tuna trips are slated to fish the canyons from the beginning of August to the end of October, and see the boat’s Web site for the schedule and reservation info.

Many fluke came in from Shark River, and many were shorts, but the keeper ratio seemed to improve, said John from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b>. One angler put up four keepers the other day, and anglers seemed to be able to work for a catch like that. Snapper blues had been previously seen on the weather, but nobody talked about them lately. Party boat fluking sounded about the same as on the river, finding plenty of fish, many of them shorts, but some keepers. Head boats fishing for blues bombasted catches during daytime trips, but night trips slowed down in the past days. The hope was that the fishing would turn around any time. Tog season opened up, and one per angler per day could now be kept, and the blackfish should be around at places like along the jetties. Anglers previously talked about plucking a few porgies from along the inlet jetties, but nobody mentioned the fish lately.

<b>Brielle</b>

One of the BYOB--Bring Your Own Bucktail—Fluke Marathons ran with <b>Fish Monger Charters</b> on Tuesday, Capt. Jerry said in an e-mail. Nineteen keeper fluke, a 23-pound monkfish and a couple of sea bass were reeled in. Despite all those fish, the angling was tough in difficult conditions from hardly any drift to too fast of a drift. But the anglers worked hard to put the catch in the box. The fishing was mostly a keeper here, a keeper there, while bouncing around to different rock piles, and only a few shorts chomped. Flurries of action kicked in a couple of times, but the bite couldn’t be repeated. An open-boat bottom-fishing trip drilled a mixed bag including a load of keeper sea bass, 28 ling, two keeper fluke and silver and conger eels on Wednesday. At one point the boat was motored to deeper waters in 110 feet to try for the ling, and about 20 big, out-of-season winter flounder 1 ½ to 3 ½ pounds were caught and released, and a bunch of ling were looted. Space is available Sunday and next Thursday on open fluke trips. More bottom-fishing trips are also coming up, and Fish Monger will start adding drops for blackfish for the fanatics, now that one of the tog can be kept.

Four cod to 8 pounds, 20 fluke including 16 keepers and 30 or so keeper sea bass were wrangled up on the morning trip Wednesday on the <b>Big Kid</b>, Capt. Ken said. He gave the report on the phone while on the afternoon trip, and sea bass to a couple of 4-pounders were already angled in, and no cod showed up, but time remained on the charter. Both trips fished the reef, and the boat was supposed to fish the canyons for tuna this weekend, but rough weather might nix those plans. A buddy shellacked yellowfin tuna at Spencer Canyon this week. Charters on the vessel currently include bottom fishing for sea bass, ling, cod and pollock, combo trips for sea bass and fluke, and tuna trips.

<b>Point Pleasant</b>

Grabbing keeper fluke took work, wasn’t too easy, so far, but trips put anglers on sea bass to 5 pounds and even some hake, along with action on short fluke, said Capt.  Bob from the <b>Gambler</b>. He’s confident the keeper ratio should improve for the flatties, and soon, he hoped. Fishing the deep waters of the ocean at the small patches of rough bottom seemed to give the best chances to catch keeper fluke. That was fortunate, because the sea bass and ling hung there, too. The rough bottom made anglers lose rigs, but that seemed worthwhile, because fish were landed. Patrons hooked three or four fish for every rig lost. Most pool-winning fluke weighed 4 to 6 pounds. 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.

One of the open-boat Fluke Till You Puke Marathons sailed Monday with members of the Saltwater Anglers of Bergen County with <b>Reel Class Charters</b>, Capt. Allen said in the report on the boat’s Web site. They boated 10 keeper fluke to a 4-pounder among 30 shorts released, a few quality sea bass to 2 ½ pounds and a couple of ling, a solid day, though the anglers really had to work, he said. They dealt with slow current, a screaming current, some winds, short fluke, and so on. They mostly fished in the ocean at places such as snags, wrecks, open bottom between patches of rough stuff, to the north and to the south, but they finished up on Manasquan River, releasing shorts there. On Tuesday a charter found a very tough day on fluke on the ocean, managing to cooler four and a few sea bass and ling, letting go 30 short flatties, in difficult conditions like winds against the current that were terrible for drifting, and so on. Allen had to power drift at one point, and the best pick of the day came then, but the winds shifted, and the power-drift couldn’t be kept up. The places they fished included Axel Carlson Reef and Sea Girt Reef. Some days you get them, some days you don’t, Allen said. “Today was not our day by any standard” he said. Check availability for the open-boat Fluke Till You Puke Marathons on Reel Class’s Web site.

A mixed-bag offshore charter, targeting multi-species, headed out last Thursday with <b>Andrea’s Toy Charters</b>, the report on the boat’s Web site said. On the way to Hudson Canyon two bluefin tuna, one over 47 inches and one under, were trolled when a fishy-looking area with bait, working birds, dolphin and whales was found. The fish were stuffed with sand eels. At the Hudson the crew didn’t like the looks of the waters with no bait and the wrong water temps. Nothing was trolled after an hour, so the trip started steaming to Toms Canyon. On the way, perfect conditions for sharking were seen, so the trip set up a drift. A 5-foot mako was bagged. A swordfish entered the drift but wouldn’t commit. Up in the morning, the anglers went on the troll. Yellowfin tuna, all shorts but action, and skipjacks slammed the spread within minutes. The boat started to be motored to the next spot, and an insane yellowfin bite began. Five were on at a time, and more than 15 were landed. Unfortunately none was a keeper, but the action was wild. Next the anglers deep-dropped for tilefish, muscling 1 ½  of the fish to 15 pounds on the first drift. The “half” was a tile that got sharked on the way up, so only the upper part of the fish got boated. Trip was a success, the report said. On the next day a charter was supposed to fish for fluke and sea bass, but the crew decided an ocean swell would probably hamper the angling, and the anglers decided to go bluefishing and mix in a shot at sharks. The bluefishing was lights out action, including quadruple-headers for slammers to 12 pounds. Then sharking was tried, but the water quality was terrible, so no sharks bit. But the anglers got busy tackling big blues again. In addition to charters for big game, fluke, sea bass and blues, Andrea’s Toy is running annual open-boat, mixed bag, offshore trips, and space is available on a first-come basis. See details on <a href="http://www.andreastoycharters.com" target="_blank"> Andrea’s Toy’s home page</a>.

Great catches of blues kicked off Tuesday’s trip through the first drift on the <b>Sea Devil</b>, and the fishing tapered off as the day continued, Cindy said in an e-mail. But Ted Zizlsperger Sr. and Jr. from Morris Plains stopped counting after 20. Tom Brophy from Upper Saddle River won the pool with a 14-pounder. Wednesday’s bluefish trip was one of the best of the season, excellent fishing, and many anglers stopped counting after a while. The Sea Devil is bluefishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and 7:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. Saturdays. Groups of four or more can get a $5 discount per person. In addition, for groups of 11 or more, one person can fish free. Groups must arrive by 7 a.m. for the discounts, and are asked to please call ahead. Offshore tuna trips will get under way August 18, and space was already filling. See the schedule on the boat’s Web site for available dates.

Big blues all day Wednesday, an e-mail from the <b>Cock Robin</b> said. The day’s trip got smack in the middle of the fish, and one of the anglers waxed a 28-pound pollock to boot. But Thursday was a tale of another sort, the e-mail said. The winds switched, and a chop developed on the ocean, and good catches of blues were hammered an hour, but then the bottom dropped out, and fishing was a slow pick the rest of the day. Ten-year-old Jacob Gardner won the pool with a 15-pound slammer. If anglers fish on the boat this weekend, bring the camera to snap shots of whales that kept being seen. The Cock Robin is fishing for 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.

Bottom-fishing pummeled ling and sometimes sea bass on the <b>Dauntless</b>, catches averaging 20 to 50 fish per customer, Capt. Butch said. Small sea bass started to be common on the grounds, so the boat began targeting ling more often, but shots of sea bass were sometimes scored. The ling were healthy-sized, ranging from “average,” Butch said, to 6, 7 or 8 pounds. Cod, including hefty ones, and pollock sometimes came up, because the boat started fishing deeper for ling. Trips fished in waters from 60 to 160 feet, and the sea bass were in the shallower areas, and the ling were in the deeper. The cod included a couple of 12- to 14-pounders on Wednesday, and the pollock were 6 to 8 pounds lately. Quite a few tog, including big ones 7 to 10 pounds, chomped and had to be released, because they had been out of season. But one tog can be kept starting today, and Butch hoped they’d continue to be hooked. A few bluefish, not many, showed up. But the boat is also bluefishing at night, and that angling was fair. On a couple of nights patrons wrestled in 6, 10 or 12 blues apiece, and on others they knocked down two or three apiece. The Dauntless is bottom fishing 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily and is bluefishing 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. daily.

<b>Toms River</b>

The bigger fluke got boated on the ocean at the reefs and other spots, and one angler landed seven keepers at Barnegat Ridge, said Jeff from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. It’s assumed the angler kept no more than his limit of six. Small fluke hung in Barnegat Bay at places like the BI and BB markers and Double Creek and Oyster Creek channels. A few spike weakfish, not many, were rustled up. Some occasionally came from the Toms River, and one angler this morning toggled a few from the bay at Berkeley Island Park. Snapper blues began to show up in the river. Nothing was heard about surf fishing. Crabbing was good, and one customer said he cleaned up on the blueclaws, all big ones. 

<b>Seaside</b>

Surf casters seemed able to beach fluke, shorts and occasional keepers, consistently, said the report from <b>Grumpy’s Tackle</b>’s Web site. Blackfish season opened today, and one of the tog could now be kept per angler per day. If anglers look for tog at Barnegat Inlet’s north jetty, they could also try for triggerfish that held there.  GarbageFish.com’s first annual Talkin’ Trash Tournament begins Friday. Register for $20 at the shop or at the <a href="http://www.garbagefish.com" target="_blank">GarbageFish.com</a> Web site. <a href="http://www.grumpystackle.com/fishingreports/" target="_blank"> Click here</a> for updated reports from Grumpy’s.   

<b>Forked River</b>

In the ocean the Tires had given up fluke a moment some time ago, but not much news about any fishing rolled in during the past couple of days, said Dave from <b>Grizz’s Bait & Tackle</b>. But previously other places in the ocean had also churned out the flatties, but lots of shorts. Barnegat Ridge and 25-foot depths off the Coast Guard Station were other places. Fluke, lots of shorts, also came from Barnegat Bay at the BI and BB markers, east of the 40 can and off the Forked River. The bottom huggers also skittered around Barnegat Inlet. Blues were trolled in the bay on Pony Tails, and bigger blues were stuck at Barnegat Ridge. Nothing was really heard about weakfish, and blowfish and kingfish seemed nowhere in the bay. But a spearfisher said he took a couple of triggerfish along the rocks at Barnegat Inlet.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Ocean fluke fishing started to seem promising last week at Garden State Reef and Barnegat Ridge North, big numbers of the fish, a few keepers, said the report on <b>Barnegat Light Bait & Tackle</b>’s Web site. Head boats took out full crowds for fluking on most days, but limiting out on the fish was difficult. Sea bass saved the day, though, because hefty ones to 3 and 5 pounds could be reeled aboard. Surf fishers dragged in quite a few fluke, including quite a few keepers. Striped bass were occasionally beached, but participation dropped way off. Large fluke were sometimes seen hauled in from Barnegat Inlet when boaters swam live spots. Spots were key for large flattie  and are stocked. Snapper blues will also work, and so will tinker mackerel that could be found near the Barnegat Inlet rocks back by the condos. Triggerfish kept snapping along the rocks at the condos. Blackfish season opens today, and anglers can keep one apiece per day, and one of the shop’s staff caught and released several 8- to 10-pounders from the end of the Barnegat Inlet jetty. In Barnegat Bay confirmed reports started to be heard about kingfish and a few giant porgies pulled from chum slicks. Some triggers were mixed in. Cocktail blues schooled from the ocean to the inlet to the bay.

<b>Tuckerton</b>

A couple of keeper fluke and a couple of legal sea bass were reeled up among shorts, not too many, tossed back on a trip at Little Egg Reef on Monday, said Capt. T.J. from <b>Legal Limit Charters</b>. The fishing was off and on all day. A bluefin tuna trip Tuesday bagged a 40-incher and released a 35-incher. Twelve-hour charters are sailing for bluefins. Shared charters are fishing for fluke and sea bass every Tuesday and Thursday when no full charter is booked.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

Flounder fishing and Great Bay’s shark fishing had the most action, said Scott from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Flounder littered the bay, and the shorts could be picked through to cull a keeper, and anglers who gave the fishing a determined shot could creel two, three or four legal ones. Four made a great day, and the same angler would return the next day and boat one. The bay at the clam stakes on the Mystic Island side of the Fish Factory and Grassy Channel drew the fish. A little more life started to be seen from the ocean for flounder fishers. One customer scored the fish at the Rutgers buoys off Little Egg Inlet, and others tried for the flatties there but hooked none. Some anglers plucked quality-sized flatties from Little Egg Inlet, and others scored none. So the fishing was hit or miss, and seven keepers that two anglers bagged was the high hook heard about at the shop. The shark fishing on Great Bay was “on” for browns and sandsharks, not “record-setting,” Scott said, but anglers who tried got a shot at the fish. They set up a chum slick on the bay at night, usually from dusk to 10 p.m., sending out baits like mackerel or bunker fillets, and do battle with the sizeable bay sharks without having to run offshore. Scott’s sells a bay shark rig and a chum ball that are perfect for the fishing, and can help with advice. Nobody talked about landing weakfish on local waters, but anglers who knew how to catch them surely grabbed a few, but not many of the trout were around, a challenging fishery. Nobody mentioned fighting bluefish anywhere locally. Small, baby sea bass swam the bay like usual in summer, and the bay’s traditional fishery for kingfish, blowfish, porgies and sea bass was yet to begin, but the season was early. They usually appear toward the second week of August, when boaters set up a chum slick and have fun with the fish. In the ocean sea bass fishing was okay, and the farther offshore, the more keepers. Little Egg Reef offered a handful to keep, similar to flounder fishing. Tog season opens today, and one of the blackfish per angler can be kept per day. The shop is stocking green crabs for bait, and at least anglers can add a slippery to the catch. If three anglers on a boat could pick up a tog apiece, that could be a bonus on trips for other fish like flounder. Minnows are stocked, and the supply is no problem, after the baitfish had been scarce. The rains stopped, and the weather got warm, and the minnows potted like crazy. Live grass shrimp are stocked, and nobody talked about fishing for white perch that love them, but perch should be around. Fresh shucked clams and bloodworms are also carried.

<b>Port Republic</b>

The number of weakfish somewhat increased in the Mullica River, and shedder crabs are stocked for bait, said Mary Ann from <b>Chestnut Neck Boat Yard</b>. Andy and Laura Tancredi loaded up on lots of weaks Tuesday. Flounder were spread out everywhere from mid Great Bay to along the Intracoastal Waterway. They were plentiful, but catching a keeper was challenging in the large size limit. Some customers shark fished with success for browns on the bay. One of the shop’s technicians got after the beasts at the 139 buoy and saw dolphin and surprisingly a seal. Reports about a few bluefish catches were heard, after blues had been scarce. White perch fishing always turned out hook-ups on the river, and crabbing went well. In addition to shedder crabs, the shop is stocking minnows, eels, bloodworms and all the frozen baits. Salmon belly, a bait used for just about any fish, had been carried but ran out, couldn’t keep up with the demand. More will try to be stocked, but the supplier might’ve had difficulty keeping up with demand, too.

<b>Absecon</b>

The bay’s flounder anglers weren’t setting the world on fire but were landing good catches, and plenty of the fluke swam around, said Ray from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. No huge ones were checked in since a 10-plus-pounder was weighed in last week, but 5- and 6-pounders were seen. Not many weakfish were around, except a few in the Mullica River. Striped bass were socked at night. One angler eeled two respectable-sized ones at Atlantic City’s Steel Pier at night. Other anglers hooked the fish along the bridges in the dark on eels or live spots. Tog season opened today, and one of the blackfish can be kept per person per day, and plenty of the slipperies gathered around the bridges and jetties. Triggerfish got taken at the jetties, sea walls and sod banks, or any of the places where tog are found, and the triggers will snap at squid baits. White perch fishing wasn’t bad up the rivers. Surf anglers beached a handful of kingfish and spots. Big sharks could be scared up from the surf. Crabbing was productive on the back waters. Live spots, shedder crabs, green crabs, bloodworms and almost all baits, except baits like fresh clams that are in low demand at this time of the year, are stocked.

<b>Margate</b>

With <b>O-Beth Sportfishing</b> anglers shoveled in a good pick of sea bass and flounder on Monday and a decent pick of flounder on Tuesday in 40 to 60 feet on the ocean in probably 72- or 73-degree waters, Capt. Eric said. Taken on squid and minnows, the fluke hugged open bottom, and the sea bass gathered around the wrecks. Charters are also going after bluefin tuna at the 20- to 30-fathom lumps, and mahi mahi could be dialed in from there. Trips are also available for yellowfin tuna that schooled the canyons. White marlin also haunted those grounds.  

Lots of flounder piled up in the back of the inlet Wednesday, and many were shorts, but a few legal-sized ones were pelted, said Capt. John from the <b>Keeper</b>. The fishing was about like that on the bay on the boat in the past week: Lots of shorts, tons of action, everybody catching, and a few keepers bagged. Schools of blues under working birds started to be seen more frequently on the bay. Trips didn’t go after them, because they flounder fished, but the blues were there. Minnows were able to be kept aboard for bait, and the past shortage this season was better so far. But even when minnows couldn’t be obtained, strip baits and Gulps worked well on the flatties. John was seeing 1- or 1-1/2-inch peanut bunker around the docks, and when they get bigger, they’ll be thrown in the livewell on board for bait. The Keeper is fishing for flounder on two trips daily 8 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

<b>Longport</b>

Porgies and sea bass got flung aboard on the <b>Stray Cat</b>, Capt. Mike said. All the flounder on the trips were shorts in the last two days, but okay catches of keepers were nabbed before. East winds were difficult recently and a lot of the time this year. Somewhat of a blow was forecast to push in during the next days, and trips will probably fish the bay and inlet instead of the ocean if it does. Mike hoped to return to tuna fishing afterward at the Cigar, 28-Mile Wreck and the 750 Square, in addition to bottom fishing. Mahi mahi could also be found on the tuna grounds.

<b>Somers Point</b>

<b>Fish Tale Charters</b> mostly fished for flounder on the bay, and most trips racked up a couple of keepers among shorts tossed back, lots of action, Capt. Craig said. The fish measured up to 20 ½ inches on Wednesday morning’s trip and up to 18 ½ inches on the afternoon’s. A few big ones were around, and a 25-incher was the largest this week. Flounder made up the whole catch, no other fish mixed in, really. Fish Tale also motored to the ocean reefs and other structure for a combo of flounder and sea bass fishing. Flounder were just beginning to respond in the ocean, and they were beginning to migrate out of the bay, a little earlier than usual. Some of the flounder in the ocean at this point were good-sized, close to keepers, but a few keepers were also taken. Sea bassing was good, and many were shorts, but better-sized ones to 18 inches were also clobbered. No trips sailed for tuna on the inshore ocean yet this season, but charters will hunt the ocean out to 40 miles for tuna, bonito, false albacore, mahi mahi and such fish.

<b>Ocean City</b>

A bunch of flounder, not a lot of size to them, got dusted up from the back bay, said Bill from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. The flatties also parked themselves at the ocean reefs and really were spread out everyplace. A few sea bass were on the reefs, and some of the pieces farther from shore attracted somewhat larger ones. A handful of kingfish roamed the surf, hitting bloodworms or FishBites, and waters were warm enough for the FishBites. About as many short striped bass as kingfish were banked from the surf. Not a lot of news came in about bluefin tuna catches along the 30-fathom line, and the fishing seemed sort of spotty. Farther from shore, yellowfin tuna from 35 to 50 pounds were trolled at the northern canyons or the Spencer and the Lindenkohl, and a few white marlin were tied into at the canyons. Overnight chunking at the canyons nailed mako sharks more than anything. Minnows are stocked, and the previous shortage ended after the rains stopped. Fresh shucked clams, bloodworms, frozen baits like mackerel and plenty of Gulps are on hand.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Small flounder loitered in the back bay, eating up minnows, Gulps or strips of mackerel, and more keepers could be lifted from the inlet on the changes of tides, said Nick from <b>Gibson’s Tackle</b>. Striped bass were willing to vacuum up clams from the inlet. Many keeper flounder could be racked up from the ocean on big bucktails with large strip baits. Sea bass and porgies grouped up in the ocean. Back on the bay, anglers could work poppers for a striped bass attack at sunrise and sunset, and small sea bass nibbled clams and squid in the bay. Very few kingfish appeared in the surf. Sharks and sometimes bluefish were fought at Sea Isle Ridge and 28-Mile Wreck, and bluefin tuna were trolled  on the inshore ocean on ballyhoos on Ilanders. Many yellowfin tuna schooled farther offshore, and mahi mahi ran the ocean from inshore to offshore.  The bay was 76 degrees, and the ocean was 71.

Nighttime striped bass fishing was under way under bridge lights along the Intracoastal Waterway on soft-plastic lures and Clouser flies, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b>, affiliated with <b>Gibson’s Tackle</b>. Prime time for popper fishing for stripers on the bay with lures or flies was coming up this week. High tides around dawn will be key at first, until high tides at dusk will be the secret as the tides become later. Popper fishing, angling with explosive, visual attacks, was dependant on the right tides at the right times, and anglers couldn’t expect to connect when conditions were otherwise. But when conditions fell into place, that was the time to go. Popper fishing with lures is easier than with flies in a way, although all popper fishing takes more attention than some types of angling. Fishing with the lures on spinning tackle allows a lot more casts, covering ground, and that helps. But fly anglers love the sport with good reason, and the popper fishing with either lures or flies is one of Jersey Cape’s specialties. Clamming for stripers in the middle of the day was picking up larger ones on a few recent trips with Jersey Cape. A trip Monday with Julio and Sergio Rojas clammed a 28-inch striper after the anglers were finished flounder fishing on the bay. They nabbed 20 short flounder for catch and release fishing. Although short flounder were abundant like everywhere, a few keepers were mixed in, the number of flounder was exceptional in the bay this year, and the fish stayed in the bay longer than usual this season. In the ocean brown shark fishing was fully active close to shore, another specialty on the boat. Charters either fish baits like mackerel or bunker strips or throw chum flies, all on light tackle, for a blast, without having to sail offshore. A trip set out for bluefin tuna Tuesday with the Mike Mancini crew, trolling at the Hambone. One large bluefin, probably close to 150 pounds was fought but broke off. A 12-pound mahi mahi was also trolled. Disappointing to lose the bluefin, but the fishing was on and getting better. Farther from shore, fishing for yellowfin tuna and mahi was steady, and the yellowfins were getting bigger. Weekly, open-boat tuna trips are sailing on 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 is offering mixed-bag offshore charters this summer, trolling for tuna in the mornings, then casting lures, bait or flies to mahi mahi in the afternoons. The mahi fishing was beginning to heat up, and peanut bunker, used for chum, were becoming available. 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. Jersey Cape is offering after-work special trips on the 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.

<b>Avalon</b>

Bluefin tuna trips from Ocean City, Maryland, leadered nine of the fish on Monday and four on Tuesday with <b>Over Under Adventures</b>, the report on Over Under’s Web site said. The fishing was hopping 30 to 50 miles from the coast, all on trolled ballyhoos, and chunking and jigging for the them usually turns on in late July and early August. Over the weekend Capt. John Oughton from Over Under won the Ocean City Tuna Tournament with a 158-pound bluefin. From Jersey, a bluefin trip on Sunday was slow, maybe because of calm weather, weekend boat traffic or an approaching weather front, but “who knows?” the report asked. The trip left a 2:30 a.m. to try to capitalize on a daybreak bite, but the only fish that bit, a 40-pounder, was taken at 12:30 p.m. A mahi mahi was also nailed on the trip, too. The tuna was  caught at Massey’s Canyon, and the anglers fished from 19-Fathom Lump to Massey’s and along the bumps and lumps between the two. Somewhat of a bite seemed to happen at 11 a.m., and boats that happened to be on top of the fish got a few shots at catches. Otherwise the fishing was a slow pick all day. Bluefins seemed to settle in to northern spots like the Lobster Claw by now, and they also continued to get boated off Virginia, so more should be on the way. A canyon trip on Wednesday slammed one of the best catches in a long time: eight 40- to 50-pound yellowfin tuna, an 80-pound bluefin, three blue 175- to 350-pound marlin that were released, a white marlin that was released and a few mahi mahi. The crew was just getting back from the trip when a brief report was posted on the site, and more info was going to be posted after they got rest. Both charters and open-boat trips are sailing, and see the open schedule on Over Under’s Web site.

<b>Wildwood</b>

On the <b>Adventurer</b> flounder trips mostly targeted the Cape May Rips, and the keeper ratio improved in the area, Capt. Gary said. Experienced anglers could bag a keeper or two among shorts thrown back. The fishing at the rips seemed best earlier in the week, and the waters might’ve gotten pressured, and boats by Wednesday seemed all spread out in different areas. Sometimes small bluefish and some kingfish were landed on the Adventurer, and other boaters landed a few croakers, but none of the hardheads turned up for Gary’s patrons. Saturday’s weekly bluefish trip got weathered out. The Adventurer is fishing on open-boat trips 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, but call to confirm, making sure no charter is running instead. Charters are available. Open bluefishing trips are sailing 6 p.m. to 12 a.m. Saturdays.

<b>Cape May</b>

Capt. George from the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> mated on a flounder trip on another boat, and a pretty good catch got mugged on Delaware Bay along the shipping channel, he said. A 24-1/2-incher, a skinny fish probably 5 ½ or 6 pounds, was the biggest. George’s friends who are private boaters kept talking about great catches, including limits, of the flounder they made on the bay from Fortescue to anywhere along the shipping channel down to the southern bay, including places like Miah Maul to 14-Foot Light and Brandywine, and the fish even paved bottom off Cape May Point. A Delaware party boat fished off the point. Anglers he talked with who fished the Old Grounds said they ran into poor luck in no drift. But the Old Grounds, in the ocean off Delaware is like that: If the drift is too slow or too fast, the fishing shuts off. The Old Grounds is a long run from Cape May, and the only way to find out how the drift will be is to go there. But when the drift is right, the area can be one of the best for flounder fishing. The Heavy Hitter is flounder fishing from the bay to the ocean and is bluefin tuna fishing at the inshore lumps. Only got three or four anglers for a trip, not six to create a full charter? Call George, because he can probably put you together with other anglers on a make-up trip during mid week.

Bluefin tuna anglers on the <b>Fishin’ Fever</b> went 1 for 5 at the southern lumps, keeping a 50-inch 78-pounder, tackling a 15-pound mahi mahi, too, all on the troll, Capt. Tom said. Among the four other bites, two of the fish were fought a while before the hooks pulled. Flounder fishing was also happening, lots of keepers going in the box. Fishin’ Fever is mostly fishing the ocean for the fluke, but trips will fish the bay either if a trip is short or the people want. Fewer keepers swam the bay, but keepers were there, and lots of the flatfish filled the waters. Yellowfin tuna, including a larger number than before of bigger ones or fish 40 to 70 pounds, schooled up and down the line at the canyons.

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