<b>Staten Island</b>

Quality fluke were pounded with <b>Barbara Anne Fishing Charters</b> from the bay to the ocean, Capt. Antony said. The location depended on conditions, and the quantity of the flatties somewhat dropped off, but the quality was there. All trips fluke fished in the past days, did no bottom fishing. But bottom fishing for sea bass wrangled in okay catches. The sizes of sea bass somewhat tapered off, but the fish were abundant. Only have two or three anglers for a trip, instead of six for a full charter? Call Capt. Anthony, because he can usually pair you up with other anglers. Barbara Anne pays bridge tolls with a receipt. 

<b>Bayonne</b>

After a couple of charters bailed fluke at the Mud Buoy two weekends ago, covered in the last report, another charter ran back to the Mud on Saturday, but fishing was slow, said Capt. Akira from <b>True World Tackle</b> and <b>True World Tackle Charters</b>. The reason was unknown, and water temps were about the same, and there was a swell, but not a bad one. After the charter fished bait on rigs with little luck, Akira tried a jig, walloping a 23-inch fluke. So the charter fished with a jig, banging out a 5-pound 25-inch fluke. Two keeper sea bass to 17 inches were also coolered, a total of four fish bagged. Lots of boats fished the area, and the weather and the winds started becoming rough, so the trip moved inshore to the 11 buoy at Ambrose Channel. But winds and a swell had built, and the fishing was no good. Few boats fished at Ambrose by this point, but many boats fished there when the charter passed in the morning on the way out. Akira on Thursday took a look around Upper New York Bay north of the Verrazano Bridge, pummeling a 6-pound fluke, and big fluke might’ve been hanging out there, and he’ll look again.

<b>Keyport</b>

Sizeable fluke were checked in, said Chris from <b>Crabby’s Bait & Tackle</b> in a fax. Sammy Green showed off a 10.9-pound doormat that pounced his Fluking Joe Jig tipped with a sand eel. Nancy Brooks weighed in a 9.3-pounder she tackled at the Mud Dump. John Columbine hit the scale with a 7.4-pounder he stuck at the 11A can on a killie and squid combo. Snapper blues started to smack poppers at the Keyport dock, and 2- to 6-pound blues swarmed all over Keyport Bay, because peanut bunker and spearing filled the waters. Lots of fluke, mostly shorts, skittered around Keyport Bay. Reports about quality sea bass catches rolled in from the Mud Dump and Sandy Hook Reef. Frank Russo took the lead in the shop’s crabbing contest with a 7-7/8-inch blueclaw.

With <b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b> Kevin and Brett Luing and Pete and Zach Bible took a brief trip Saturday, so they fished on the back of the bay, Capt. Joe said. Short fluke and some blues were angled in, and all were hooked on squid and killies on fluke rigs. Not much was seen caught on other boats. Anthony Matrone, Joe Spalina and Joe Santigate Sr. and Jr. jumped aboard today for another brief trip that fished on the back of the bay, cranking in short fluke on squid and killies. They enjoyed themselves, Joe said, and the weather was pleasant. Open-boat trips are fluke fishing daily when no charter is booked, and call to reserve. Eight-hour charters are bottom fishing for sea bass and porgies.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

The middle of the bay between the Navy Pier and Sandy Hook put up the best fluking in the past days, said Capt. Tom from the <b>Atlantic Star</b>. Reach Channel, where the fishing was best last week, produced fewer catches lately. Flynn’s Knoll gave up a few fish. The fishing was about the same as before: Anglers got a few keepers out of action with shorts, and the better action depended on conditions or winds and tides creating the right drift. A 5-1/2-pounder and a fluke just over 4 pounds were angled up in the last several days. Customers who worked bucktails seemed to fare a little better than those fishing rigs on Friday afternoon. A couple of patrons foul-hooked several flatties one day. Some of the fish appeared to be stationary, with mud on their bellies, and others appeared to be on the move, with white undersides. When Tom gave this report on the phone an hour into this morning’s trip, one keeper and some throwbacks had been hooked so far, and some of the throwbacks were 17-inchers or larger, an inch or less short. 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.

Fair action on fluke was scored during the weekend, because of throwbacks, and pool-winning fish weighed 3 to 4 pounds, said Capt. Kevin from the <b>Dorothy B</b> in an e-mail. The trips fished the usual spots where the fleet sailed. Many anglers on the boat hooked no keepers during those days, but Thursday morning’s trip was better. A few larger fluke were railed, including 8-year-old Andrew Lipka’s 9-pound 10-pounce whopper, the largest fluke on the boat so far this season. Tony Guarcello hauled in a 6.6-pounder on the trip. 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.

On the <b>Fishermen</b> today’s fluke trip started fishing at Sandy Hook Channel and toward Flynn’s Knoll, and a few small ones came up, said Capt. Ron in the report on the boat’s Web site. So he ran the boat down the ocean beaches to fish snags and rough bottom, and a bunch of sea bass and short fluke were pumped in. Then he got a call from another captain saying fluke started biting back at Sandy Hook Channel, and he steamed the boat there. A 5-pound fluke was the first fish landed, and the angler won the pool with the flattie. A few more keepers and some shorts were belted to end the day. Ron posted no reports during the weekend but posted one on Friday, saying the past week’s fluking was no good, produced a handful of keepers in too much current, not enough current, a strong, new-moon tide and winds against tide. Trips fished all over the bay, at the channels, on the humps and bumps and down the beaches. “Can’t remember in 32 years having to work so hard for so little, yet we have been allocated more poundage for next season.” he said. “Does this mean the size limit will be eased and the season will be extended past Labor Day?” he asked. In a nutshell, if the regs fail to be eased, the allocation means nothing to anglers. “I would never take away hope,” he said, and he hopes each day to put anglers on great catches. “We give it 110 percent every day, regardless of what comes our way,” he said. “Just another rant from Capt. Ron. Thanks for reading!” he said.  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>

The storm on Thursday seemed to slow down fluke fishing through the weekend, said Capt. Derek from <b>Fisher Price Charters</b>. His trips fished the bay through those days because of an ocean heave and winds, but he hoped the weather would lie down now, so that he’d return to fluking in the deep in the ocean. His trips are targeting bigger flatties with bucktails and large strip baits, and they’ll soon fish with live bait or peanut bunker and snapper blues, as the peanuts get bigger and the snappers get more abundant. Derek is squeezing in open-boat trips whenever possible between charters, and the next will probably sail toward the end of the week. Call to be kept informed about the open schedule.

Bluefin tuna tore around the inshore grounds, and that fishing, both trolling and jigging, was one of the best options for now, said Capt. Brian from <b>Jersey Devil Charters</b>. Sharks should still be around, and trips could probably mix fishing for bluefins with sharking. But a slug of warm waters pulled in yellowfin tuna and blue marlin to Hudson Canyon, and both were waxed Saturday, and Jersey Devil will also fish there if anglers want to have at it. Although Jersey Devil runs no set schedule of open-boat trips, if anglers only have a group of two people or so to go fishing, don’t hesitate to call Brian, because he can probably pair you up with others on a shared trip.

<b>Belmar</b>

“I wish I could say bluefishing has been good,” said Capt. Greg from the <b>Golden Eagle</b> in an e-mail. But he couldn’t,  he said. The spawn continued, and on some days, trips “managed to scrape up respectable catches (of small blues),” he said. On other days, no blues could be found. However, a few bigger ones were hooked on Sunday’s trip, and a new body of large blues seemed to move in, at least according to that trip. “It was not good fishing, but it looks like things may get back to normal any day!” he said.   The Golden Eagle is fishing for blues 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. daily. Canyon tuna trips will begin September 1, and see the boat’s Web site for info.

Rich Young’s trip with <b>Last One Charters</b> headed to the Shrewsbury Rocks to chum and chunk on Saturday, Capt. Rob said. They dusted up a bunch of big blues, 7- to 12-pounders, four striped bass including one keeper and 35 keeper sea bass, tossing back shorts. A solid trip, and was good to see bluefishing begin to come back a little after the spawn. The stripers caught were some of the few heard about lately, and a few could be located around the rocks. The population of the linesiders seemed slimmer than last year in summer, but Last One catches them. Sea bassing was holding up.

Two trips Saturday put together mixed bags of sea bass, triggerfish, fluke, blues and one small striped bass on the <b>Nan Sea J</b>, Capt. Tom said. Fluke fishing was off, but sea bass were “a good note,” he said, and a healthy showing of triggers was appearing. A shark trip on Sunday in bumpy seas released a 4-foot mako and had a couple of other bites inshore of 30 miles. Waters were 71 degrees and fairly green. An open-boat shark trip is slated for Wednesday like every week at this time of the year, and Tom will decide whether more will sail in August. However, he was interested in bluefin tuna that were hitting on the inshore grounds, and might turn attention to that. He knew about a boat that scored well on bluefins Sunday, all on trolled ballyhoos, and Tom would’ve mixed in tuna fishing, but had no ballys.  

<b>Brielle</b>

Three bluefin tuna to 45 or 50 pounds were trolled east of the Chicken Canyon on Saturday on the <b>Katie H</b>, Capt. Mike said. A couple of squid boats worked the waters, so the boat trolled behind them, and the fish were hooked. Waters were 71 degrees, clean and good-looking, and anglers seemed to score well on the fish anyplace from the Chicken to the Glory Hole to the Atlantic Princess wreck. The tuna were trolled, jigged and chunked. Tuna fishing farther offshore at Hudson Canyon seemed to heat up, because a shot of warm waters moved in. Mike knew an angler who took a trip that fished at the 100 Square that boated three yellowfin tuna at night. The trip also trolled a 600-pound blue marlin. Overnight tuna trips are a main affair on the Katie H when the fishing kicks in. Don’t have enough anglers for an overnight tuna charter? No problem. Call Mike, because he can probably schedule an individual space on a make-up trip. A charter will fluke fish on the Katie H on Saturday.

A bunch of bluefin tuna and one yellowfin tuna were landed Saturday on the <b>Big Kid</b> on the inshore grounds on the troll, Capt. Ken said. Yellowfins were occasionally picked up on the grounds. A trip Wednesday trolled mahi mahi and bluefins on the grounds, and the boat’s tuna trips were focusing on inshore waters, because that seemed the best fishing for them. The bluefins were generally 50 or 60 pounds, and the yellowfin that was boated weighed 40 pounds. Charters will fish for tuna farther offshore at the canyons when that bite takes over. Take note that the Big Kid is available for charters competing in offshore tournaments, and visit <a href=" http://www.bigkidsportfishing.com/tournaments.htm
" target="_blank">the boat’s tournament Web page</a> for info. A trip Saturday competed in the Point Pleasant Elks Fluke Tournament, but south winds slowed the angling. Another fluke trip was weathered out Sunday.

An open-boat fluke trip left port Thursday with <b>Fish Monger Charters</b>, and seas were flat calm at first with light winds, but eventually the weather would deteriorate, Capt. Jerry said in an e-mail. The anglers mostly worked bucktails with teasers at first. Not a load of action, but the fish were sizeable. One of the anglers nailed five keepers before anyone could blink. The drift got faster and faster, and bucktailing became tough, so the anglers switched to rigs. One angler bagged two keepers, and another got one. By 11 a.m. the winds turned, causing seas to become a washing machine in a swell that had already been rolling. The trip decided to head in, and two drifts were done on Manasquan River on the way home, producing a couple of shorts. Despite the difficult conditions, the anglers worked hard, boxing 12 keeper fluke. Two of the fish weighed more than 5 pounds, and half were big enough not to measure. Another trip sailed for bluefish in the past days. The crew was concerned because most boats found that bluefishing was “less than sub-par,” Jerry said. The vessel was motored offshore, and a 12-pound cod was the first fish jigged. “Nice surprise!” he said. The trip then joined the jigging fleet a few miles away, and small, 1- to 3-pound blues were tackled. “But small blues is much better than no blues,” he said. “We welcomed the action.” The crew broke out the lightest spinning rods, tying on jigs with teasers, and the anglers had a blast reeling in the fish, including double-headers, until they limited out. Lots of whales and sand eels swam around. Then the anglers bottom-fished at a piece, tangling with jumbo ling to add to the cooler. Eight big, out-of-season winter flounder were released. “Ouch!” Jerry said. The trip wound up with a limit of blues, the cod and two dozen ling. Looking ahead: Bonito and false albacore fishing should be right around the corner. Fish Monger drilled the fish last year on light tackle while trolling or bait fishing in a chum slick at the inshore ridges and lumps in mid August and in September. Spanish mackerel and mahi mahi can come around then, too, and all the fish are speedsters that push light tackle to the limit. Most, except the false albacore, are tasty. A bunch of anglers are already on the list to go out, and the crew will keep everyone posted. Spots will be listed on Fish Monger’s Web site’s open-boat list, and anglers can visit the site to get on the newsletter list. Open-boat fluke trips, including marathons, are currently running in addition to charters for fluke and bottom fish.

Bluefishing was up and down on the <b>Jamaica</b>, an e-mail from the boat said. Smaller blues on Friday put patrons on a good catch, including limits. On Saturday smaller blues were sometimes boated inshore at first, and bigger blues, 7- to 13-pounders, were sometimes fought offshore afterward. Large schools of the bigger blues would pass through, and the anglers would land a few each time. On Saturday night’s trip the fishing was poor, and a few large blues were beaten inshore, but a bite never developed. The boat went back to the same place on Sunday, and good fishing for large blues went down. They were caught on bait, and customers only had to flip the bait away from the boat and feed the line, and getting a bite wasn’t difficult when the schools passed through. “We should have some good fishing this week,” the e-mail said. Schools of small blues roamed up to 6 miles from shore, hitting on some days, not on others. Big blues began to return inshore, apparently after spawning. The Jamaica is fishing for blues on two trips 7:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. daily. Check the boat’s Web site specials this month and to be added to the e-mail list for specials. Reservations are being booked for canyon tuna fishing that will begin in late August.

Fishing for fluke on the ocean depended on the day, but an awful lot seemed to be small, and not many big ones seemed around, said Dave from <b>The Reel Seat</b>. He competed in the Point Pleasant Elks Fluke Tournament on Saturday, and the fishing was terrible. But he scored well on fluke on a trip last Monday morning. If he had wanted to target sea bass, he could’ve reeled in quite a few, and that fishery held up. Ling fishing was very good. Manasquan River attracted many short fluke, but experienced anglers could waffle bigger ones from Manasquan Inlet at the rail on the Manasquan side, often fishing ¾- to 1-1/2-ounce bucktails with Gulps like swim mullets. Dave heard about a few small striped bass trolled on the ocean. Boaters battled lots of bluefin tuna at places like the Glory Hole, the Chicken Canyon and the Atlantic Princess wreck. Trolling worked, and Shimano butterfly jigs were a popular choice, and Dave had to keep reordering them. The fish were spread around lots of places, and numerous mahi mahi were mixed in. Yellowfin tuna were in the mix on occasion. The sizes of bluefins that Dave heard about ranged from just-keepers to a 96-pounder. The yellowfins seemed 40 or 45 pounds.  Yellowfins also began to be taken from Hudson Canyon, including a few at night. A few of them were better-sized or 40 to 50 pounds. 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.

<b>Point Pleasant</b>

Forecasts called for rough weather on Sunday, turned out wrong but kept anglers from showing up, said Cindy from the <b>Sea Devil</b> in an e-mail, so the daily bluefishing trip stayed docked. The day turned out great, and the boats that did sail supposedly ran across good fishing for blues to 12 pounds at the Shrewsbury Rocks. On Saturday’s trip bluefishing was fair to poor, but some of the fish, averaging 8 pounds, were hung. Tony Schwartz from Quakertown, Pa., won the pool with a 10-pounder. On Friday small blues were hammered, and some anglers bailed many. One landed 17 of the fish, keeping no more than her limit, it’s assumed. Another couple reeled them in all day. Be sure to check out the Sea Devil’s Facebook page. Photos are featured, and the crew will keep adding more. Facebook members can share their own photos on the group page. Reports will continue being posted on the boat’s Web site at seadevilfishing.com, but photos will only be posted on Facebook. 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.

<b>Seaside</b>

Blackfishing was worth the effort at the Barnegat Inlet jetty, even with the one-fish bag limit, said the report on <b>Grumpy’s Tackle</b>’s Web site. The tog on Saturday seemed to feed in the morning. Surf fishing for fluke was “certainly a definite maybe,” the report said. Rumors were “semi-persistent,” the report said, about keeper striped bass that were beached, but none was weighed in. At least one bluefish was around in the suds, because the fish, a 9-1/2-pounder, was weighed in, after slamming a popper lure for an angler. Garbagefish.com’s first annual Talkin’ Trash Tournament wrapped up on Saturday, and entrants at the shop checked in six skates from 3.2 to 3.8 pounds and a 1-pound sea robin that day. Customers from Grumpy’s won 3rd place for biggest sea robin and 3rd place for biggest dogfish, and check the <a href=" http://www.garbagefish.com/leaderboard.htm
" target="_blank"> leader board</a>. <a href="http://www.grumpystackle.com/fishingreports/" target="_blank"> Click here</a> for updated reports from Grumpy’s.   

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

“Small craft advisory” was the catch phrase or the warning of the past week, said Capt. Steve from <b>Reel Fantasea Charters</b> in an e-mail. A strong easterly flow from an offshore storm started at mid week, and stiff southerly winds closed out the week. Andy Pemrick and Chris Weed from Albany, N.Y., started fishing at Barnegat Inlet on a trip, landing their first-ever striped bass and some bluefish. Then they ran to the ocean for wreck fishing for drop-and-reel catches of sea bass, mostly a half-inch short, but they iced a dozen keepers. They also pulled up triggerfish, bergals and blackfish at the piece. The Ken Reed family took a trip Sunday, first trying to grass-shrimp for weakfish on the bay. But the weakfishing was slow, so they moved around a bit, finding non-stop fishing for 1- to 2-pound blues on light spinning rods, adding short fluke to the mix.

<b>Barnegat</b>

Ocean fluke fishing kept rods bending, but keepers were scarce, said Capt. John from <b>Perfect Drift Sport Fishing</b>. A trip ran for them Saturday, and fishing conditions were okay, despite south winds and currents that can sometimes cool waters, putting the kibosh on the angling. John wasn’t asked where he fished, but he’s usually been fishing off Island Beach State Park. The population of keepers had been better a couple of trips ago, and John hoped that action bounced back. Nothing much was heard about bonito at Barnegat Ridge, but the wait was on for the speedsters to show up any time, and Perfect Drift will go after them. A few weakfish were picked from Barnegat Bay in the early mornings, but no population arrived yet.

<b>Surf City</b>

Bluefish, probably 2- to 3-pounders, a usual size at this time of the year, stormed Barnegat Inlet on Sunday, said Barbara from <b>Surf City Bait & Tackle</b>. A few fluke were plucked from the surf, and a friend used pink Gulp swim baits on bucktails to hook up, and others dunked minnows and squid. No kingfish seemed to be pulled from the surf both locally and to the south. Barnegat Bay served up fluke, lots of shorts with occasional keepers, at usual places like Double Creek Channel and the BB marker. One couple of anglers Sunday fished the bay 4 hours, nabbing one keeper, tossing back 15 shorts. Nobody really talked about ocean fluking in the past days, and weather like fog on Saturday sometimes kept them in the bay. Fresh bunker is stocked, and fresh clams are carried on the weekends, now that demand for clams is slower. Bloodworms will be carried if kingfish show up. Plenty of other baits like squid strips plain or soaked in shedder oil are on hand.

<b>Tuckerton</b>

Sea bass to 6 pounds, quite a number, and some big ones, were socked Friday with <b>Legal Limit Charters</b> at an ocean wreck, Capt. T.J. said. On Saturday two trips ran, one on each of Legal Limit’s boats. One shellacked 12- to 14-pound bluefish, as many as the anglers could want, in 75 to 80 feet in the ocean 15 to 18 miles from shore. The other started flounder fishing on the ocean, but the angling was dead, and only one keeper chomped, so the trip moved to the wreck where all the sea bass were caught Friday, and the anglers reeled some in. Trips Wednesday and Thursday will flounder fish, and Legal Limit will compete in the Beach Haven Marlin and Tuna Club’s White Marlin Invitational from Thursday to Saturday. Shared charters are sailing Tuesdays and Thursdays whenever no full charter is booked.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

Surf casters beached croakers, not a lot, but some during the last couple of days, triggerfish, tog and flounder, said Noel from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. Lots of grass filled waters for a moment, but anglers definitely caught. The croakers will swipe minnows, clams or squid, and the triggers will mouth clams, green crabs or cut baits along the jetties. The tog will crunch green crabs and other baits along the jetties, and they were big, the size creeping up, the tight catch restrictions having an effect. The flounder will Hoover minnows and squid. A few blues roamed the back waters. All the baits mentioned and more, including fresh bunker, are stocked. 

<b>Longport</b>

On the <b>Stray Cat</b> charters concentrated on mid-shore fishing, whacking good catches of skipjacks, bonito, 3-pound blues, mahi mahi and Spanish mackerel from 28-Mile Wreck to the A.C. Ridge and beyond, Capt. Mike said. On Friday’s trip a 13-pound cow mahi mahi was landed only 8 ½ miles from the coast. Small pockets of water were around. On Sunday’s trip seas started out a little sloppy but cleared up later, and forecasts for worse were wrong. Mid-shore waters were beautiful, gin clear, and anglers could see down 30 to 40 feet.  Mystery bites from larger fish got off, and the trips had to fish with small lures like Shorty Cedar Plugs and Japanese feathers to imitate small bait that the fish fed on. Larger lures like regular-sized Cedar Plugs and Green Machines gained no hits. Trips will keep concentrating on this action for now.

<b>Somers Point</b>

Joe Rocks from Cinnaminson lambasted a 13-pound flounder at Ships Channel on a Gulp, said a fax from Joan and Rob from <b>Dolfin Dock</b>. Wayne Dilks from Linwood fished Ships Channel to club a 5.86-pound flounder on squid. Tricia Gallow from Broomall, Pa., fished on a Dolfin Dock rental boat, putting the skids on a 7.07-pound flounder at the Ocean City Toll Bridge on a minnow. John Willams Jr. and crew from Somers Point fished at the Lobster Claw, smoking 14 mahi mahi on sardines.

Four keeper flounder were tied into among 14 shorts released on a trip that Bob Heins took to Ships Channel while fishing with Gulps, said T.C. from <b>Brennan Marine</b> in a fax. Large sea bass and flounder were worked in from the reefs, especially G.E. Reef, on minnows, squid and Gulps. Offshore fishing heated up, and Mike Fox ran a trip on his High Trend to the Elephant Trunk, trolling four yellowfin tuna to 35 pounds and a large mahi mahi on plastics. Chris Daggett and company on his Pain Relief fished the Lobster Claw, dragging up a 17-3/4-pound mahi. Stephanie and Jim Ward also fished the Claw, tangling with 45-pound-class bluefin tuna and a 13-1/2-pound mahi on trolled ballyhoos on blue and white Ilanders. Dave Fiocca and crew on his Poppy’s Cruiser fished Lemke’s Canyon, trolling three large mahi on ballyhoos and green machines. Jon Cummings and dad Bob on their Bobby Lee scored the fish of the week: a 139-pound 65-inch bluefin that charged a ballyhoo on a pink and white Ilander at 19-Fathom Lump. John Imbesi and gang on his Huntress made the trip to Wilmington Canyon, dialing in loads of small mahi and some small tuna, releasing a 350-pound blue marlin that crashed a Black Bart lure.

<b>Ocean City</b>

Fishing for flounder got tougher in the past days, for some reason, said Capt. Craig from <b>Fish Tale Charters</b>. His trips fished on the back bay, instead of the ocean, during that time, and the bay was dirty and held lots of weeds, and maybe that had something to do with the slow down. Or maybe the storm toward the end of last week or the moon phase or something was a cause. Some shorts were hooked and released, and keepers were more difficult to come by. But Craig hoped the fishing was one of those temporary slow downs. A trip was supposed to fish for the flatties on the bay today, and trips Tuesday through Saturday are supposed to fish the ocean for flounder, sea bass, blues or whatever else turns up. Craig hoped croakers and weakfish would swim the ocean in healthy populations soon, adding variety and additional catches to the box. A friend found croakers in the ocean Friday, and Craig hoped to locate the same fish this week. No trips this season yet fished for tuna and other pelagics. But that fishing was gaining steam, and the boat runs such trips out to 40 miles offshore. A few mahi mahi and bonito were on tap, spotty fishing, but under way.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Mike Roth fly-rodded a dozen striped bass at night on Friday under the bridge lights along the Intracoastal Waterway on Clousers, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Gibson’s Tackle</b>. The fishing was hopping, but the tides had to be right or high, not ripping, but moving, a fine line. The high was around 10 p.m. Mario Arnone tried popper fishing for stripers on the bay on a trip Friday morning, landing one short. Waters seemed to warm, making popper fishing slower. Stripers, usually larger ones, could occasionally be clammed on the bay during the daytime, too, and Joe’s anglers were doing that. The bay’s flounder fishing finally began to drop off for the season. Joe was supposed to fish for tuna offshore in the past days but got weathered out. He’s tentatively got an open-boat tuna trip scheduled for Wednesday, and call if interested in the trip or any of his weekly open trips for the speedsters, usually fishing Wednesdays but sometimes other days, whenever the weather allows and anglers can go. Bluefin tuna were getting trolled, chunked or jigged on the inshore grounds, depending on the day. Big mahi mahi were in the mix both inshore and offshore. Offshore fishing offered small yellowfin tuna, occasional larger ones to 40 and 50 pounds, and the mahi. Jersey Cape is running offshore charters that troll for tuna during the mornings and cast bait, lures or flies to mahi mahi at the lobster pots during the afternoons. Closer to the coast, fishing for brown and dusky sharks was under way at the lumps 2 to 10 miles from shore, and Joe offers trips for that fishing with bait like mackerel fillets or flies, namely chum flies. The light-tackle angling is a blast, and the fish are no blue sharks. They blast off when hooked and fight, great sport.

<b>Avalon</b>

Charters on Pretty Work and Low Profile from <b>Over Under Adventures</b> won first and second place in the tuna division in the weekend’s Jersey Shore Classic Tournament, the report on the boat’s Web site said.  A 171-pounder was the first-place fish, caught on the Pretty Work, and a 161-pounder was the second-place tuna, landed on Low Profile, and the fish were the two biggest ever entered in the tournament’s 13 years, the report said. Bluefin fishing was red hot for Over Under last week, and trips concentrated on the Lobster Claw, and all the bites came on trolled horse ballyhoos on Sea Witch skirts, and chrome-color worked best. On Thursday the fishing was unbelievable on both boats, the report said. The catch included triple-headers landed on both boats, and all the fish were 65 to 70 inches. Yellowfin tuna to 35 pounds were also boated. Over Under expects bluefin fishing to continue in the upcoming weeks, and mahi mahi were also mixed in with catches. The crew was watching a warm-water eddie sliding down from the northern canyons, expecting the waters to bring yellowfins, marlin and mahi. Both charters and open-boat trips are sailing, and check Over Under’s Web site for the open schedule.

<b>Wildwood</b>

Flounder swam plentiful at usual places like Cape May Reef, Reef 11 and the Old Grounds, said Cathy from <b>Sterling Harbor Bait & Tackle</b> in a fax. Some began to appear around the 9 and 10 buoys on Delaware Bay. Flounder lingered in the back bay but seemed to be moving toward the inlets on their way to the ocean. Small striped bass were played around the docks, bridges and sod banks. Bluefin tuna were trolled, chunked and jigged, and the fishing was best at 19-Fathom Lump, the Lobster Claw and the Hambone. Be ready for gaffer mahi mahi to attack while trolling or jigging for the tuna. Yellowfin tuna pushed in to waters along the 40-fathom line just inshore of the canyons. Crabby Jack gave crabbing four claws.

<b>Cape May</b>

The Denny Pitts charter from Pitts Plumbing and Heating trolled three yellowfin tuna and some skipjacks near the Hot Dog on Sunday on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>, Capt. George said. Boat traffic from bluefin tuna anglers was so busy at the Hot Dog that George moved to nearby lumps along the 30-fathom line past the Dog to troll. That’s where the yellowfins, 20-pounders, and skippies, five or six, were boated. The yellowfins were around, beyond the bluefin grounds, and were more abundant on some days than on others. They offered an option to catch in addition to bluefins, and on some days 40- and 50-pound yellowfins were mixed in. The bluefins were spread out, and showed at one place on one day and another on the next, like at the Hot Dog or at 19-Fathom Lump. The Heavy Hitter is also flounder fishing, and the angling seemed to hold up well, both in the ocean and on Delaware Bay. Call if interested in either tuna or flounder fishing. Only have three or four anglers for a trip instead of 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.

The <b>Fishin’ Fever</b> was docked for maintenance, but bluefin tuna were trolled, jigged and chunked in 20 to 30 fathoms, Capt. Tom said. Some were big, including many over 100 pounds, some pushing 200.  Lots of big, 15- to 30-pound mahi mahi gathered along the 30-fathom line, while usually they swim deeper, toward 100 fathoms. So bluefin trips could add mahi to the take. White marlin fishing was terrific from 20 fathoms to 500 fathoms. Yellowfin tuna were spread up and down the line at the canyons from the Hudson to the Wilmington, and the size was getting bigger. They were trolled, and overnight chunking for them should kick in within another few weeks. A fair population of bigeye tuna patrolled the canyons, and Tom wouldn’t be surprised to see longfin tuna soon. Flounder fishing offered lots of action, and plenty of keepers.

Anglers racked up a slew of flounder, and the south Old Grounds in the ocean off Delaware turned out the best catches, healthy numbers and large fish, said Matt from <b>Jim’s Bait & Tackle</b> in a fax. But Delaware Bay also served up a mess, even though lots of shorts had to be weeded through to grab keepers. On the bay they especially covered bottom at the Punk Grounds and at the flats near the number 1 buoy. Ron Dobisesky from Wildwood decked a 7.83-pound flounder on a Cape May party boat. Brian Martin, 9, from Claymont, Del., put a stop to a 7.8-pound flattie. Surf fishing was a little slow, but croakers, kingfish and flounder were occasionally banked, and the suds on the bay at Higbee’s and Sunset beaches was a little better. Fishing for bluefin tuna produced 40- to 50-pounders on the troll along the eastern edge of the Elephant Trunk from the tip to the Arlene wreck. Yellowfin tuna 30 to 40 pounds and respectable-sized mahi mahi were mixed in. Bigger bluefins to 120 to 200 pounds were sometimes trolled at the Hambone and at the Lobster Claw. Bluefins started to be chunked but on light, 30- to 40-pound fluorocarbon leaders. Jigging worked when the fish were marked, and heavier, 50- to 60-pound leaders did the trick then. At the canyons most action happened to the north from the Hudson to farther south, wherever the warm waters reached. Anglers on the Rebel Cause boated two 50-pound yellowfin tuna and went 3 for 4 on white marlin at Carteret Canyon on Saturday. The crew on the Alison’s Toy lambasted a 182-pound bigeye tuna on a 30-class reel and went 1 for 2 on whites while fishing from Wilmington Canyon to Spencer Canyon.

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