New Jersey Fishing Reports

The fluke season in New York, closing on Tuesday, was wrapped up for Barbara Anne Fishing Charters with a final trip for the flatties today, Capt. Anthony said. The fishing was somewhat slower than before, but the boat’s fluke season was successful on the whole. Trips will now sail for sea bass, blues and bonito. Special bluefishing trips will probably be offered that will allow individual anglers to book a space. Otherwise charters are sailing, but even if anglers only have a group of two or three instead of a full charter of six, they should still call Anthony, because he often pairs up small groups to create a full charter. Barbara Anne pays bridge tolls with a receipt.

Bayonne

Seven keeper fluke, including two 23-inchers, were iced at buoys 8 to 12 at Ambrose Channel on Sunday morning on a trip, said Capt. Akira from True World Tackle and True World Tackle Charters. Then the trip moved to the Mud Buoy, piling on maybe 15 keeper sea bass, so many shorts, Akira said, and two porgies. Waters were muddy from Ambrose to the Mud, for some reason. Another trip fluke fished Saturday, but the angling was mostly slow, with few bites. Others Akira talked with also said the day was slow.

Keyport

Husband and wife Capt. “Shamrock” Eddie Coleman and Capt. April Ann Coleman from the April Ann took a quick, 2-hour trip to the back of the bay on Friday, bagging six keeper fluke, Eddie said. On Saturday on the bay, he, April and Dave Owens reeled in small blues and a couple of keeper fluke among shorts. On Sunday a trip on the boat competed in Wagner’s Marina’s Fluke Tournament, bailing 19 keeper fluke and seven keeper sea bass at the Shrewsbury Rocks. Two fluke over 9 pounds were entered in the tournament by other boats, and big fluke seemed to be around lately. On the trips on the April Ann the anglers fished rigs with Spro jigs tipped with squid on the bottom and teasers tipped with Gulps trailing above. Eddie took a serious look for weakfish on Friday evening, fishing the channel edges near the Verrazano Bridge, but he caught none and knows nobody who did. Trips on the April Ann will keep fluke fishing through the end of the flattie season in early September. Eddie noted that bluefish swarmed everywhere from the Keyport Flats on Raritan Bay to the Shrewsbury Rocks on the ocean. The blues in the bay weighed 1 or 2 pounds, and the blues from Sandy Hook Point to the ocean were big slammers, easily 10-pounders. He saw slammers leaping from the waters chasing peanut bunker this weekend.

Weakfish that moved to the Verrazano Narrows were all the talk at the shop, said Chris from Crabby’s Bait & Tackle. Joe and Tony Citone limited out on weaks in the area. Charlie Nelson nabbed five 3- to 5-pounders in the area on sandworms. On the fluke front James Nelson clubbed five of the flatties to 7.8 pounds on the deep side of the 11A can. Cindy and Al Mason boated a 10-1/2-pound fluke at Sandy Hook Channel on a sand eel on a Fluke Master Jig. Rememember: New York’s fluke season closes Tuesday, so stay in Jersey waters if you’re fluking or have a catch on board. A few reports came in about small pods of porgies moving to the rock piles in the bay. Offshore fishing was heating up, and an angler from the Lunasea stopped by with a catch of yellowfin and bluefin tuna. The Keyport Free Snapper Bluefish Tournament takes place 10 a.m. to 12 noon Saturday, and call the shop for more info: 732-335-9311. Crabbing was so good in the Keyport area that most crabbers picked up more than two dozen sizeable blueclaws.

Atlantic Highlands

On the Atlantic Star fluke fishing was about the same, with lots of shorts and a few keepers biting, but all in all, the fishing wasn’t bad, a little improved through the last week, Capt. Tom said. The boat fished on the bay at usual spots like Chapel Hill Channel, Reach Channel and around the Navy Pier. Some trips did better than others on keepers, and when drifting conditions were tough, catches, even catches of shorts, were behind the pace, like on Friday, when winds against the tide prevented a drift. “Tire” John DeGiordano from Parlin pummeled a 6-pound 13-ouncer on Sunday morning’s trip. He bagged four keepers on the trip, but the anglers next to him landed one or no keepers. Some customers on the trips would grab three or four keepers, and some would pick up none But all patrons caught at least shorts on the trips, and there was usually plenty of action. John also fished on the afternoon trip, but Capt. Tom was unsure how many keepers he boated. One girl pulled in five keepers, and the two anglers on either side of her made off with none. Catching keepers seemed mostly a matter of luck. The fluking was probably a little better on Sunday than on other trips 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.

Conditions created the right drifting for fluke at Reach Channel today, so the Fishermen fished there just about all day, all up and down the channel, with good action, Capt. Ron said in an e-mail. Richard Steinbach from Wisconsin won the pool with a 6-pounder and totaled five keepers. A couple of customers boxed four keepers, some three and some none. On Sunday’s trip only a handful of fluke came up at first, while the boat fished on the bay and at the channels. So the anglers motored down the ocean beaches to fish rough bottom. “Glad we did,” Ron said. A 7.9-pounder won the pool, and several 3- to 5-pounders were beaten, and so were some sea bass. The high hook cranked in three keeper fluke, and many of the anglers bagged none. On Saturday’s trip, the fluking wasn’t good, and the boat fished at places including the Reach, Sandy Hook Channel and Flynn’s Knoll. But on Friday very good fluking was scored for a charter that booked the boat. The group knocked down an impressive catch of keepers for anglers who fish once a year, and two 6-1/2-pounders tied for the pool. On the boat’s evening trips on the weekends, lots of bluefish were creamed Friday and Saturday. No report rolled in about Sunday’s bluefishing. The Fishermen is sailing for fluke 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. However, those trips won’t sail Thursday and Friday, because the boat is chartered. Trips are running 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.

Highlands

Ocean fluke fishing turned out healthy catches on big strip baits on bucktails in the past few days for Fisher Price Charters, Capt. Derek said. The boat’s fluke trips are concentrating on bigger fish in the deep, fishing both with the strip baits on bucktails and live peanut bunker and snapper blues. The live bait was difficult to find during the days, and Derek was able to net peanuts but no snappers, for some reason. Derek is squeezing in open-boat trips for fluke when possible between charters, and call to be kept informed of the dates. He heard reports about weakfish hooked in the rivers, but that was about all. If weakfish turn on, Fisher Price will hunt them. Charters are also sailing for bluefin tuna, and the fishing was going strong in the last couple of days.

Two trips ran for bluefin tuna Friday and Sunday to waters southeast of the Glory Hole with Jersey Devil Charters with anglers from the Hi-Mar Striper Club, Capt. Brian said. All the boat’s bluefin trips lately were limiting out on two of the fish, including these outings. Bruce Mickelson, daughter Jena and Greg Vongas took Friday’s trip, and each of the group landed at least two or three of the bluefins apiece, totaling probably six or eight, keeping a limit and releasing the rest. Most were caught on butterfly jigs on Shimano Trevala rods with 65-pound PowerPro line and Gamma 65-pound fluorocarbon leaders. But two were taken on sardines on Owner 5/0 circle hooks. Owner hooks were also used on the jigs. Lots of life including bait and skipjacks filled the waters, and seas were calm, the weather beautiful. Hi Mar’s President Steve Machalaba, Joe Flynn and Bill Dowd sailed on Sunday’s trip, landing a limit of two bluefins, breaking off three, scoring probably another 13 or 14 hits, not a great ratio of landing the fish, but lots of action. The fish that broke off might’ve been bigger bluefins, and Brian knew about 100-pound-classers, including a friend’s 160-pounder, that were drilled lately. All the hooked fish on the trip were nailed on butterfly jigs on Trevala rods, and the anglers tried fishing with sardines, but only jigs got attacked. Lots of life filled the waters including porpoises, skipjacks, whales and bait, and seas and the weather were beautiful. Bluefin tuna fishing was holding up, so Jersey Devil was focusing on them. Charters are sailing for the tuna, but so are open-boat trips, because enough anglers were calling to go on the open trips. But call if interested in the open trips, because the more anglers on the list, the easier putting the trips together is.

Neptune

Offshore wreck fishing slam-dunked catches on charters for two weeks in a row, and the last trip clobbered cod to 28 and 32 pounds, said Capt. Ralph from Last Lady Fishing Charters in an e-mail. That trip was covered in the last report. Ralph added an open-boat trip for offshore wreck fishing on Monday, August 31, leaving at 3 a.m. Inshore wreck fishing on charters dialed up good angling for sea bass, ling, tog and some porgies. Fluke fishing racked up quality catches for many boats, and Last Lady will continue individual-reservation trips for the flatties every Wednesday until the season ends, and a few spaces remain. Bluefishing became great, and trips are chasing them. Charters are also sailing for bluefin tuna that filled the inshore ocean. The limit is two bluefins per trip, so anglers can go wreck fishing afterward if they’d like. Space is full this month for open-boat, overnight tuna fishing at the canyons, and more of the trip will run September 9 to 10 and 23 to 24 and October 7 to 8 and 14 to 15, leaving at 10 a.m., returning the next afternoon. Book now, and these will be the only open trips for canyon tuna. Day-long and overnight tuna charters are available.

Belmar

An 18-pound, whopper bluefish was nailed among a great catch of the slammers at the Shrewsbury Rocks on Sunday on bait on the Nan Sea J, Capt. Tom said. Although the charter was a bluefishing trip, one spot gave up a whole bunch of triggerfish, big sea bass and some porgies. Probably 50 triggers bit. Awesome, Tom said. On Friday a good catch of fluke and sea bass was socked. The fluke weren’t big, weighing up to 3 ½ or 4 pounds. Call if interested in open-boat trips for bluefin tuna.

Another week of solid bluefishing on the Golden Eagle, both on daytime trips and nighttime trips, only a short ride to the north and a little offshore, an e-mail from the boat said. Big blues were eager to slam both jigs and bait during the day, and, like usual, bait got the chomps at night. 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. Also see the site for coupons, special fares, and up-to-date, “no bull” fishing reports. Check out the August issue of New Jersey Monthly magazine’s article on how “bluefish do taste good,” the e-mail said, featuring the Golden Eagle.

Brielle

Fluke anglers mostly pounded away at catches, scored well through the past week, pretty much throughout the usual areas in the ocean, and they really did a job on the flatties on Saturday, said Dave from The Reel Seat. The one storm did blow through last week, hampering the bite a couple of days, but then the fishing bounced back. At one of the fluke locales, the Axel Carlson Reef, 5- to 7-pound mahi mahi were hooked Friday. Manasquan River served up decent fluking right before high tides. Small blues and hickory shad ran the river. Spanish mackerel showed up off Manasquan Inlet at some point during the week, like they did the previous week. Sea bassing in the ocean held up sort of surprisingly for the time of year, and many were shorts, but good-sized keepers to 5 pounds were plundered, sort of unusual. Ling fishing was outstanding on the ocean, and boaters caught them during the day like usual, but the party boat Gambler was running for them at night twice weekly, reportedly loading up. Porgies were plucked from along the rocks and such in the ocean. Plenty of bluefin tuna were fought at places like the Glory Hole, the Chicken Canyon and the Atlantic Princess wreck. One trip on a boat waxed 60 bonito on the ocean. The trip started fishing at the Seaside Lump, began sailing toward the Tolten Lump, and ran into the bonito about halfway there. Canyon fishing was “okay” during the weekend, Dave said, and the anglers landed yellowfin tuna and mahi mahi, and all the boats seemed to get a shot at white or blue marlin, and one nailed a wahoo on Saturday. Little was heard about bigeye tuna that had been abundant offshore, and now Dave heard about one caught here, another there. Apparently the waters moved out.

Conditions on a fluke trip Sunday on the ocean started with almost no drift in the morning that turned into a screaming drift that made the anglers fish with 12 ounces later in the day, and both made the fishing difficult, said Capt. Mike from the Katie H. But the anglers made the most of the situation, kept fishing and seemed to know what they were up against, ending up with five keeper fluke and 10 or so keeper sea bass among shorts tossed back. The trip fished at Axel Carlson Reef, and pretty much the whole fleet fished there. The keeper fluke were in the 20-inch range, and squid and spearing caught the most, and the fish never touched Spro jigs that were worked. More fluke trips will fish this week, and overnight canyon charters for tuna, the main event of the year on the vessel, will launch Saturday, and then those trips will mostly fill the schedule. Mike heard about plenty of bluefin tuna caught closer to shore at the Atlantic Princess wreck on Sunday. He also heard about mahi mahi and a few bluefins taken at the Monster Ledge and the western wall of the Mudhole lately. He heard little about canyon fishing in the past days, but the weekends bring so much traffic to the waters. Don’t have enough anglers for a full canyon charter? No problem. Call Mike, and he can probably book an individual space on a make-up trip.

Fish Monger Charters on Friday headed to the same fluke grounds that trips were fishing for more than three weeks: an area of rough stuff in the ocean, Capt. Jerry said in an e-mail. The trip ended up moving, but the fishing was the same at both places. Fluke were picked all day, and the anglers ground out quality keepers, filling the cooler with a six-man limit. Everybody went home with a jumbo bag of fillets. Some of the six anglers fared better than others, depending on their set-up. The high hook landed a limit plus, and another angler reeled in more than a limit. Another limited out, and another came on strong toward the end with sizeable keepers. One of the anglers banged a couple of keepers as soon as he switched rods. Bucktails out-fished bait, and only a few of the flatties jumped on bait. Coming up, Fish Monger will run charters and open trips for bonito and false albacore on the ocean, tackle-busting angling. Last year’s trips whaled the fish, and anglers already booked space for this year.

Many anglers limited out on blues, smaller fish, on Friday night on the Jamaica, an e-mail from the boat said. Bluefishing started slowly on Saturday’s daytime trip but picked up, and 7- to 12-pounders were ploughed, and the high hook stuck 14. Plenty of 7- to 12-pounders were tied into on Saturday night’s trip, and the fishing was even better for the same size of blues on Sunday’s daytime trip. Recent pool winners included Sonny Webb from Philly with a 16-pound blue. A large area held blues the past several days, and the crew expects the fishing to hold up through the week, and now is a good time to go bluefishing, the e-mail said. 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 for 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 toward the end of the month.

Point Pleasant

Nineteen keeper fluke were put in the box Saturday on a trip on the ocean with Reel Class Charters, Capt. Allen said in the report on the boat’s Web site. Plus a load of sea bass, including quality keepers to 2 ½ pounds, were angled up.“Real good day!” he said. About 50 fluke, including throwbacks, were hung, and a 5-pounder was the biggest, and many of the keepers were 20 to 22 inches. The trip mostly fished at the rough stuff but pushed out to a lump for a time, before returning to the rough stuff, where the fishing was better. On Friday an open-boat Fluke Till You Puke trip put the whammy on 21 keeper flatties to 8 pounds, nearly limiting out the four anglers, and 12 chunky, keeper sea bass to 2 pounds. They fished at rocky bottom way to the north with bucktails. The fishing was a slow pick for the most part, but a good catch was cornered in the end. Charters and the open trips are fluking, and sea bass can be mixed in when rough bottom is fished, and check the boat’s Web site for availability on the open trips.

With Andrea Toy Charters four anglers ran to the bluefin tuna grounds on the inshore ocean on Friday, the report on the boat’s Web site said. They began fishing at “the hot spot,” the report said, going 8 for 10 on the tuna, all on butterfly jigs, except one on a sardine. A limit of two, one in the smaller size and one in the larger, was bagged, so the anglers switched to mahi mahi. Nine mahi to 15 pounds were mugged. Skipjacks and triggerfish were also boated on the trip, and all the anglers on the trip caught their first-ever tuna and mahi. On Wednesday a charter originally planned to fish for bluefins inshore, but wanted to upgrade to a canyon trip offshore, despite reports of sporadic fishing at the canyons. They began trolling at the 100 Square, lost a good fish, and many fish boiled on the lures, but none got hooked. The crew took a chance and sailed to the deep of Jones Canyon. The trip’s only keeper yellowfin tuna was shellacked. Then the anglers deep-dropped for tilefish, getting on a quality pick of the tiles to 15 pounds. Next they worked structure with light tackle, clocking mahi mahi. Because of the lack of tuna offshore, the trip decided to make a stop at the inshore grounds for bluefins. Life was spotted, and the crew demonstrated the butterfly-jigging system to the charter, and a 48-inch bluefin was instantly hooked up. A storm then chased them home, and otherwise the trip would’ve kept fishing for bluefins. Most of the anglers hooked their first-ever tuna, mahi or tile on the charter. Blue-water trips for now will fish for bluefins on the inshore grounds, mixing in mahi fishing. If time remains, they’ll also drop down lines for monster pollock that hovered around some of the wrecks. When canyon fishing heats up, charters will sail there, and so will annual open-boat trips, and see the boat’s home page for info about the unique open trips. Inshore charters are sailing for fluke and sea bass.

Jigging for blues served up great catches at the Shrewsbury Rocks at first on a trip Friday on the Sea Devil, Cindy said in an e-mail. But the bite soon switched to bait, and the fish mostly came through in spurts, but most anglers tackled a healthy bunch by the end of the day. One couple of customers combined for a dozen big blues. Another two anglers boated a couple but had a blast, Cindy said, fishing with friends, the two anglers with the dozen blues. A dozen anglers were hooked up at once at one point. On Thursday blues, smaller ones that averaged 7 or 8 pounds, were waxed at the Rocks, and a 10-pounder was the pool-winner. 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 Tuesday, and see the schedule on the boat’s Web site.

A steady pick of 6- to 12-pound blues, sometimes with slammers weighing in the teens thrown in, was tackled on the Cock Robin, an e-mail from the boat said. A 19-pound striped bass was dusted on Friday night’s trip. 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. Join members of the minor league baseball team the Lakwood Blueclaws on this coming Monday’s trip.

Seaside

Anglers walking the beaches, working bucktails with Gulps in the early mornings, did well on fluke, said the report on Grumpy’s Tackle’s Web site. Blues and blackfish were sometimes yanked from along the Barnegat Inlet jetty. Large sharks were battled in the surf at night and in the early mornings. Big rays got wrestled in the wash. <a href="http://www.grumpystackle.com/fishingreports/" target="_blank"> Click here</a> for updates.

Barnegat Light

Bluefish, bluefish, bluefish made up most of the catch on trips with Reel Fantasea Charters, but large porgies, triggerfish, blackfish and short fluke were also caught, Capt. Steve said in an e-mail. The trips fished around Manasquan Inlet, and the blues were fought on light tackle and soft-plastic lures. On Thursday Fred Scalera, formerly from ESPN, and his boys tackled a mess of blues at the inlet in sporty seas. On another trip Buck Martinez, former pro baseball player from the Kansas City Royals, former pro baseball manager and current announcer for the Baltimore Orioles, his wife and his friends banged away at blues at the inlet in sloppy seas with brisk winds. Then they played catch and release with undersized fluke. Joe Franke was aboard on another trip on a calmer inlet, also getting on solid action on blues. Then he bottom fished, wrangling up porgies, triggerfish and blackfish. Next he jigged and released short fluke. Brent Burger and friends on another trip slammed blues at the inlet in remarkably clear waters, watching the fish 15 feet down, ravaging a bait ball. Really cool! Steve said. They ended the day with catch-and-release fishing for short fluke.

Barnegat

Probably about a dozen keeper fluke apiece were coolered on trips Wednesday and Sunday in the ocean off Seaside with Perfect Drift Sport Fishing, Capt. John said. So the fluking was holding up, and probably four or five shorts were landed for every keeper, and the fish were spread throughout the area. Anglers just needed to find a few and keep working the spot. A few blues were also hooked on the trips, and John saw one shark, probably a brown. Sharks roamed the area lately, and a few pods of bunker, not many, were around. Another trip fished at Barnegat Inlet today, because there was no drift on the ocean, and blues, two keeper fluke and steady action on shorts was scored so far on the trip, when John gave this report on the waters on the phone during the outing. Fluke were stacked up at the inlet, making a move to the ocean from Barnegat Bay. Bonito, Spanish mackerel and false albacore swam Barnegat Ridge, and Perfect Drift will sail for them. Bluefish seemed to disappear from the ridge. John heard about no weakfish arriving in the bay nor croakers appearing along the ocean front. But the season was early for croakers, and the hardheads usually appear locally a couple of weeks after they show up off South Jersey.

Surf City

In the surf anglers could snatched up fluke, said Barbara from Surf City Bait & Tackle. Try fishing chartreuse Gulp minnows, or a strip of squid is always a popular choice. Spearing could be used but fall off easily in the breakers. To keep the spearing on the hook, impale a piece of squid on top. Cownosed rays gave anglers hard fights in the suds. One customer came in to buy a rod that would stand up to the big rays, because his old rod didn’t cut it. Bluefish tumbled into the surf once in a while, but not often. Even the party boats on Long Beach Island seemed to find hit or miss bluefishing. But snapper blues were played on Barnegat Bay at the ends of the streets, and spearing on a Snapper Popper rig is a popular choice for them. Nothing was heard about striped bass in the wash or anywhere. Kingfish mostly failed to show up from the surf to the bay. Barbara took a trip that hooked a 16-inch king on a drift on the bay Sunday, tried to catch more but got none. Weakfishing was slow on the bay, and no croakers arrived yet along the ocean front.

Tuckerton

Legal Limit Charters sailed for flounder on the ocean the past four days, putting a beating on a fair number of the fish, including a number of keepers each day and some flatties to 6 pounds, Capt. T.J. said. Sizeable sea bass were mixed in, and the trips fished in 60 feet off Little Egg Inlet and off Surf City. Shared charters are sailing for flounder every Tuesday and Thursday when no full charter is booked. Legal Limit is also tuna fishing.

Brigantine

Anglers on the Fishin’ Fever went 2 for 5 on white marlin, 0 for 2 on yellowfin tuna and 2 for 3 on mahi mahi in 100 to 500 fathoms on Thursday, Capt. Tom said. Another trip in the same depths on Saturday went 1 for 2 on whites and decked a couple of mahi. The trips trolled everything from spreader bars to ballyhoo, and the ballys probably worked best. Yellowfin tuna were mostly up north, and anglers waited for them to drop down to local waters. Bluefin tuna fishing was on a tear up north at the Glory Hole, within reach of Brigantine, if anglers want to go after them on the boat. Inshore trolling for speedsters like bonito was hopping at the ridges and hills near Brigantine. Flounder fishing was great on the ocean on the boat, and sea bassing was beginning to turn better. If anglers want a fun trip or want to give kids a thrill, brown sharks to 50 pounds or more swarmed waters a couple of miles off the coast.

Atlantic City

Kingfish, finally a fair population, gathered in the surf, said Noel from One Stop Bait & Tackle. Blues ran through the suds, and flounder hugged the bottom in the wash. A few croakers turned up for surf casters. Triggerfish and tog, plenty of tog and good-sized, collected around structure like the jetties. The kings nibbled on bloodworms and head-on shrimp, and the blues chomped mackerel and mullet. The flounder chewed minnows, spearing and squid, and the triggers sucked down clam or crunched small pieces of crabs. The tog chowed on crabs, and One Stop is stocking all these baits and more.

Longport

Lots of porgies and triggerfish got rustled up from 4 ½ to 6 miles offshore on the Stray Cat, Capt. Mike said. A few quality-sized fluke to 4 and 6 pounds were netted 3 to 5 miles offshore of the G.E. bell on the boat, while the flatties migrated through. But the drift that was needed for flounder fishing was usually either non-existent or too fast. After flounder season closes, open-boat trips will begin to sail September 11 for bottom fish daily except on Saturdays, because only charters will sail on Saturdays. The first open trip is already sold out, and call to reserve the trips. A charter Thursday smoked a couple of bluefin tuna and some mahi mahi 4 miles inshore of 28-Mile Wreck. Stray Cat currently runs trips for such fish close to shore, and overnight tuna charters are available that will fish farther offshore in September and October. Time to book.

Somers Point

Flounder were plentiful from the back bay to Great Egg Harbor Inlet to the ocean reefs, said T.C. from Brennan Marine in a fax. Bob Hines and grandkids fished Ships Channel on the bay, bagging a 2.07-pound keeper among 14 shorts landed, all on Gulps. Glen Guardini on his Wharf Rat fished the bay off Beelsey’s Point, swimming a minnow to hook a 6.19-pound flattie when he threw a line in the waters while waiting for Sea Tow, because of a mechanical problem. Phil Deglomini and crew fished the ocean at Great Egg Reef, bailing a large number of flounder, including two keepers to 3.47 pounds, all on squid, minnows and Gulps. Bob Traa and gang on his Reel Affair headed to Toms Canyon early last week, loading up on yellowfin tuna to 60 pounds while chunking butterfish and sardines. Larry Stout and company on the Diamond Girl fished Carteret Canyon, grabbing a 51-pound yellowfin, and Baltimore Canyon, drilling a 26.6-pound mahi mahi. They also caught and released several white marlin during the trip. Frank Kelly on the Salty Tiger ran to Carteret and Lindenkohl canyons, putting the skids on a 48-pound yellowfin, several sizeable mahi and a 94-1/5-pound swordfish. Tom Little and anglers on the Miss Chevious steamed north to the inshore ocean at the Glory Hole, trolling up a 170-pound bluefin tuna on a Green Machine.

Plenty of flounder swam the bay and ocean, and many were shorts, with a couple of keepers mixed in, said a fax from Rob and Joan from Dolfin Dock. Richard Holibaugh from Egg Harbor Township on a Dolfin Dock rental boat scored a 5-pound flounder at Ships Channel on the bay on a minnow and a shedder crab combo. Carson Kunczyk from Tuckakoe flounder fished on the ocean, picking up a 5.03-pounder from the O.C. Reef on a Gulp. Paul Harkin from Philly hit the G.E. Reef on the ocean, fishing a Gulp for a 5.7-pound flattie. Plenty of sea bass were willing to suck up pink Gulps at the reefs. Dennis Debroksi Sr. and Jr. traveled south to the Old Grounds on the ocean off Delaware, cleaning up on eight keeper flatties.

Sea Isle City

Capt. Joe Hughes from Jersey Cape Guide Service and Gibson’s Tackle today was supposed to start competing in the Mid Atlantic $500,000, he said. After doing a number on catches offshore on a trip last week, covered in the last report, he was weathered out on another offshore trip Thursday. He got out on another trip to the canyons Friday, and fishing was slower, and the fish-holding waters had moved. A gaffer mahi mahi was trolled on a naked ballyhoo. On Saturday he sailed to the canyons on a friend’s boat in the ladies division of the Cape May Marlin and Tuna Club Tournament, and another gaffer mahi was landed. On Sunday morning Mike Spaeder and son Mike joined Joe on a trip to the ocean reefs, reeling up a bunch of flounder and some sea bass, blues, sharks and other fish. Reef fishing’s been great for lots of rod bending, constant hook-ups, a bunch of fun, especially for families, but also for anglers. Anglers won’t fill a cooler, but they’ll see action. Tides this week and next will be ideal, or high at dawn or dusk, for popper fishing for striped bass on the back bay with lures or flies, a specialty with Jersey Cape in summer. Open-boat tuna trips are sailing weekly, usually on Wednesdays, but sometimes on other days, depending on the weather and when anglers can go, and the trips are a learning experience. Offshore charters are available that troll for tuna during the mornings and cast bait, lures or flies to mahi at the lobster pots during the afternoons. Stay tuned for details about traveling charters that Joe will offer. One will be on weekends in Montauk for the blitz of stripers and blues in mid September to late October, and the other will be to Marthas Vineyard and the Elizabeth Islands in Massachusetts for fly-rodding for stripers on Columbus Day weekend. Or call him for info.

Avalon

Bluefin tuna “moved on,” said the report on Over Under Adventures’ Web site, and fishing for yellowfin tuna was spotty at best. Mahi mahi offered the most consistent fishing in the blue waters, but white marlin offered the second-best angling offshore. If anglers were waiting for the right conditions to catch whites, now was a good time. Numerous marlin came up on every trip, and waters were gin clear and blue from Carteret Canyon to Wilmington Canyon, some of the best-looking in recent memory, though tuna were lacking. The best marlin fishing was in 78.5-degree waters. Over Under began a solid schedule of overnight tuna trips at the canyons, so the crew will see whether a chunk bite develops. So far, the fishing was slow, but waters at Spencer and Lindenkohl canyons, where the trips fished, were packed with squid that should begin to attract yellowfins. The trips picked at mahi mahi during the daytime, nothing red-hot. Both charters and open-boat trips are fishing offshore, and see Over Under’s Web site for the open schedule.

Wildwood

Cape May Reef, Wildwood Reef, Reef 11 and the Old Grounds shoveled out excellent flounder fishing, said Cathy from Sterling Harbor Bait & Tackle in an e-mail. Many of the fish were throwbacks, and if anglers keep hooking shorts, they should move and find keepers, working the area, because the keepers seem to hang out together. Ken Hornback from Atco weighed in a beautiful 10-pound 8-ounce flounder that he boated at Reef 11 on Capt. Bob Willams’ Polarized. Jeff DePalma from Wildwood hauled up a 7-pound 8-ouncer from Reef 11 on his Bubba while fishing squid on an Aquaclear rig. Surf fishing was mostly slow, but snapper blues to 2 pounds hit in the suds in North Wildwood near Hereford Inlet on metal like Hopkins lures or Crippled Herrings. On the back bay small striped bass gave up the most catches, and throw top-water plugs like Smackit Jr.’s or Chug Bugs, or fish with clams. Joe Gusek from Wildwood clammed a 28-inch striper while fishing under the dock lights near Shawcrest. Farther south, Bob Kubicky from Philly fished off Cape May Point on his Rosewood One, reeling up a 3-pound 10-ounce flounder, lots of snapper blues and a Spanish mackerel. For offshore anglers, bluefin tuna fishing became slow at the Lobster Claw, but a few were chunked or jigged. Lots of 15- to 25-pound mahi mahi and a few yellowfin tuna swam in 20 to 40 fathoms. One angler, Ron K. on the Anejo from Wildwood, trolled four mahi, four yellowfins and a 34-pound wahoo near the Elephant Trunk. White marlin turned on at the canyons, and the best reports about catching them rolled in from Wilmington Canyon. Crabby Jack gave crabbing four claws.

Cape May

Charters for flounder waffled the fish, including limits of the flatties to 27 inches, pushing 10 pounds, mostly at the ocean reefs, said Capt. Ray from Jaftica Sportfishing. The fishing was fairly steady, and many of the flounder were throwbacks, but keepers were mixed in, and so were a few big ones. The fishing was work but paid off. Trips also trolled the inshore ocean or did a combo of inshore trolling and flounder fishing. The trolling hooked mostly blues but also a few other fish like bonito and Spanish mackerel. Trolling on the boat Sunday put the brakes on good bonito fishing. Tuna trips are coming up on the vessel.

Trips fished every day on the Down Deep, mostly for inshore trolling and flounder, Capt. Bob said. The inshore trolling, fishing just past the ocean reefs, was great, hooking blues, bonito, Spanish mackerel, false albacore, skipjacks, king mackerel and even, on one trip, a houndfish. Loads of flounder were caught mostly at the reefs and the Old Grounds on the boat. Plenty of flounder swam Delaware Bay, but the Down Deep was flounder fishing on the ocean. Tuna fishing could use a storm to stir up the waters. Waters on Sunday were 77 degrees near the shore and 81 degrees at the East Lump. That’s closer to shore than most tuna, but showed that the waters were too warm. One trip fished overnight for tuna last week, though Bob tried to talk the anglers out of the fishing until a better bite developed, and they caught 10- to 20-pound mahi mahi, a big white marlin and, at night, two mako sharks. Lots of large mahi were around this year, and marlin were more abundant than usual.

On the Heavy Hitter Mark Baldini’s charter stuck five big, gaffer mahi mahi and a couple of skipjacks on an offshore trolling trip, Capt. George said. Ryan Moore’s gang flounder fished, boating keepers to 4 pounds on the ocean, letting go lots of shorts, including 17-1/2-inchers, just under the size limit. Ocean flounder fishing at the reefs and such was productive, and anglers had to pick through lots of shorts, but they also got keepers. Flatties an inch or less short were abundant. Inshore trolling trips on the boat lately whaled a mess of blues with a few bonito and Spanish mackerel in the mix. Occasional king mackerel and mahi mahi could show up. Offshore trolling trips, overnight chunking trips, inshore trolling trips and flounder trips are running, and call if interested. 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 flounder season has got to be the best in a long time, said Matt from Jim’s Bait & Tackle. A good population of the fish was piled up in the ocean at Cape May Reef, Reef 11 and the Old Grounds. Delaware Bay gave up the flatties at the 9 and 10 buoys and Brandywine Slough. The fluke were also mixed in with small blues at the Cape May Rips. Garry Ober weighed in a 12.51-pound doormat he clobbered at Cape May Reef. Michael Iacovelli checked in a 10.7-pounder he wrestled from Cape May Reef. Colin Bowman, 3, from Cape May caught his first-ever flounder, a 2-1/2-pounder. Two sets of brothers Steve and David Eilenberg and Matt and Andrew Sassani took a charter for a bang-up day on flounder to four of the fish 7.74 pounds, 6.71 pounds, 4.86 pounds and 4.74 pounds. The shop will hold an End of Season Fluke Tournament on Saturday, August 29, and call the store for details. The inshore troll was heating up for false albacore, Spanish mackerel, good-sized mahi mahi, a few small yellowfin tuna, usually shorts, and occasional wahoos. The East Lump to the Norheast Lump, Sea Isle Ridge and the Cigar were all places to go after the fish. Bob Savins weighed in a 42-pound wahoo from the East Lump. Five-Fathom Bank also held small blues that could be trolled. To catch keeper yellowfins, waters on the inshore edge of the Elephant Truck to the Arlene wreck were best. Quite a few marlin were trolled Saturday at Spencer and Lindenkohl canyons.