<b>Bayonne</b>

Tropical Storm Danny postponed this past weekend’s trips, said Capt. Akira from <b>True World Tackle</b> and <b>True World Tackle Charters</b>. Trips Wednesday and Thursday are supposed to fish for fluke and sea bass at the Mud Buoy. But a friend plundered 25 keeper sea bass to 3 and 4 pounds at the Shrewsbury Rocks on Sunday. Another friend, who grabbed an okay catch of five keeper fluke and five keeper sea bass at the Mud on Wednesday in fair weather, covered in the last report, returned on Thursday in rough weather  with somewhat of a swell, and the fishing was slow, difficult. Anglers are waiting for weakfish to arrive near the Verrazano Bridge, and someone said the trout were reeled aboard there, but two friends tried for them and caught none. 

<b>Keyport</b>

The heave kept the weekend’s trips from rounding Sandy Hook to fluke fish on the ocean, said Capt. “Shamrock” Eddie Coleman from <b>April Ann Charters</b>. Boats could sail no farther than the 1 buoy. April Ann was targeting the bigger flatties in the ocean deep instead of fishing the bay. Although reports talked about weakfish caught on the bay, Ed saw none at the docks and heard about none first-hand.

<b>Port Monmouth</b>

<b>Parksea Fishing Charters</b> fluke fished on the bay Sunday, because fishing on the ocean wasn’t going to happen, because of seas, Capt. Justin said. The trip, a short one, a couple of hours, grabbed three keeper fluke to 21 inches and lots of throwbacks. Justin worked on a couple of other boats that put together quality fluke catches on the ocean last week. Parksea will keep fluking through the last day of the flattie season. Then trips will focus on bottom-fishing at the wrecks and rock piles for sea bass, porgies and blackfish. Striped bass fishing always begins on the boat in October. But most trips then mainly bottom fish, throwing in striper fishing on the way home, like on the troll or on eels. As tog begin to bite more and more in fall, the boat will concentrate on them more.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

On the <b>Fishermen</b> Sunday’s fluke trip fished the ocean all day, said Capt. Ron in the report on the boat’s Web site. At first he thought no bite would develop because of the swell from the storm, but the anglers got on good action through the tide. Then they fished at Ambrose Channel during slack tide, and “came back to our side to finish out the day,” he said. Tom Krako won the pool with a 6-pounder, and the high hook bucketed four keepers. A couple of others bagged three. “Very nice day on the water,” Ron said. A charter booked the boat Saturday but cancelled because of forecasts, so no fluke trip sailed. On Friday winds blew all day, and the sun never came out, and fishing was slow. But the pool-winning fluke weighed 8.7 pounds, and a 7.4-pounder was also caught. The trip fished down the ocean beaches at first, because the tide was too strong at the channels, and the pool fish, a few shorts and a couple of sea bass were boated. Then the vessel moved to the bay, where the 7.4-pounder was hooked, “but the action wasn’t worth a crap!” Ron said. The Fishermen is sailing for fluke 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. 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.

Fluke trips on the <b>Atlantic Star</b> fished every day, despite weather forecasts, though the forecasts kept many people from showing up some of the time, and one of the trips on Friday had to be cancelled, because only three anglers showed up, Capt. Tom said. Sunday was one of the better days of fluking all season on the boat, good action on shorts, and more keepers than usual. On the morning trip John Giordano limited out with a catch including a 6.6-pounder and a 5.11-pounder. Some bigger fish than usual were landed that day. Forecasts kept crowds away on Saturday, but both of the day’s trips sailed, with seven people aboard in the morning and 11 on deck in the afternoon. The morning’s trip picked at shorts and a few keepers, nothing great. The afternoon’s trip was somewhat better on shorts and more keepers. Friday’s weather was bad all day, and a few flatties were reeled up, including Hank Merten’s 7-pound 11-ouncer and John Ferrence’s 5-pound 1-ouncer, on the morning trip, but the fishing was slower than before. The afternoon’s trip was cancelled when less than a handful of anglers showed up because of forecasts. On Thursday the boat fished Sandy Hook Channel for great action on shorts and some keepers. Tom suggest that anglers bring a small amount of killies on trips, because killies showed a slight advantage for catches lately. The tackle shop at the marina had no killies during the past couple of days. Spearing and squid are supplied on the boat. 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. through Friday. When fluke season closes on Saturday, twice daily trips will probably bottom-fish.

<b>Highlands</b>

Anglers with <b>Jersey Devil Charters</b> are supposed to motor to the inshore ocean for tuna on Tuesday, if forecast northeast winds fail to build seas, Capt. Brian said. The fishing was reportedly slow Sunday, but before the storm was good for bluefins and yellowfins southeast of the Mudhole closer to the coast and for bluefins southeast of the Glory Hole farther from land. Jersey Devil is focusing on the tuna, one of the best fisheries this season. Both charters and open-boat trips are running for the fish, and call if interested in the open trips. The more who are interested, the easier dates can be set up. Brian tried fluking on the bay Sunday, and about 20 of the fish, not many keepers, turned up. A buddy bagged a half-dozen keepers in the afternoon. Resident striped bass could be found, and Brian’s uncle boated them to 15 pounds in the ocean off Sandy Hook Point. Jersey Devil, a frequent striped bass tournament competitor and winner, will especially put the bead on stripers in fall, targeting trophies. 

<b>Neptune</b>

With <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b> anglers knocked the pants off cod today on an individual-reservation trip offshore, Capt. Ralph said. That made four trips in a row that slammed the fish, and the cod today weighed up to 32 ½ pounds, and a mess weighed 18 to 20 pounds. A 26-1/2-pound pollock, an 8-pound white hake and a load of ling were also batted down. More of the individual-reservation cod trips will be scheduled, and call Ralph or keep an eye on Last Lady’s Web site for the dates.  A bluefish charter on Friday socked the tar out of large ones, throwing back fish after enough were kept. A bluefish/bottom-fishing trip will sail Tuesday. A few spaces are left on the weekly, individual-reservation trip for fluke on Wednesday, the last one of the season. But one more of the trips was added for Friday, the last day of the flattie season, and a few spots are left. That trip will probably fish a couple or hours longer than usual at no extra charge. Contact Ralph to reserve spaces. Go fluking now, because who knows what the regs will be next year or whether there will be a fluke season? Last Lady’s most recent canyon trip racked up a few big, 20-pound mahi mahi then moved inshore to limit out on two bluefin tuna. Open-boat, overnight canyon trips for tuna and big game are slated for September 9 to 10 and 23 to 24 and October 7 to 8 and 14 to 15. Those are the only ones scheduled, so grab the dates.

<b>Belmar</b>

Mid-sized to large blues were clobbered on the <b>Golden Eagle</b>, Capt. Greg said in an e-mail. The fishing, especially fantastic on night trips, held up through the week, and some nights were better than others. A few false albacore turned up in the mix on daytime trips. A few trips were weathered out around the weekend. 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 next Monday, and space is available that day. See the boat’s Web site for the tuna schedule and info.

A fluke trip went surprisingly well, caught some fish, on Sunday at the ocean lumps and some scattered rocks in 50 to 60 feet, despite the stormy weather in the previous days, said Capt. Tom from the <b>Nan Sea J</b>. Fluking had taken a moment to recover after the storm on the previous weekend, but not on this trip or after this last storm. Waters looked fairly clean, and the bottom must’ve failed to get dirtied, because fluke to 4 pounds were creeled, and sea bass were in the mix. Seas weren’t bad on the grounds, only held a swell that wasn’t uncomfortable, and the inlet wasn’t bad either, a little worse than farther out, but no problem. Few boats fished, though, apparently because of forecasts. The ocean cooled 5 degrees after this storm and was 71 degrees in the morning of the trip, 73 degrees later in the day. Tom heard that plenty of bluefish were beaten that day. Last week he heard about bluefin tuna and yellowfin tuna boated as close to shore as 15 miles, especially close for yellowfins. The Nan Sea J’s overnight, canyon tuna trips farther offshore will begin in September. 

<b>Brielle</b>

Ocean fluke fishing was up and down through the past week, depending on where anglers fished, said Dave from <b>The Reel Seat</b>. Like he took a trip that racked up 24 keepers, including big doormats, on Tuesday on Charlie Martino’s Light Tackle with John Bafiadas, Al Sherman and Harry Breitowich. All the fish weighed more than 4 pounds, except six that were 18 to 20 inches, and John’s catch included a 9-3/4-pounder and a 9-pounder. Dave’s included an 8-3/4-pounder and a 7-1/4-pounder. But Dave heard about trips that caught no fluke that fished reefs closer to the local area. Right place, right time, he said. A 2-ounce Old Man Tackle Box bucktail with a 6-inch Gulp grub cleaned up on the flatties on his trip. One keeper sea bass was reeled up on the trip, and many sea bass were around lately, but few were keepers. The government looks like it will shut down the sea bass season Tuesday. A ton of fluke flooded Manasquan Inlet on Saturday, and false albacore ran up the river all the way to the Route 35 Bridge that day, busting on spearing. Dave saw the albies but couldn’t reach them with a cast. But he landed four short striped bass in a brief, 15-minute attempt. Plenty of small stripers could be hooked on the river on lures like Fin-S Fish or small rubber shads like a Big Hammer or a Fish Trap, and no particular time of day was key. He caught them in the middle of the day. Surf fishing was impossible in big seas at least on Saturday. Bluefish anglers tore up catches, lots of the fish, on the ocean, including at the Mud Buoy. Ling fishing held up, too. Tuna anglers on the inshore ocean or at Little Italy reported mixed success, but scored a lot of good days on bluefins and yellowfins. False albacore and skipjacks were also abundant in the area. Joe Reap butterfly-jigged a 40-pound cobia out there. Mike Rafferty took a 34-pound wahoo in the area on a trolled Reel Seat green-and-yellow-feather bluefin spreader bar. Dave also heard about two king mackerel boated on the grounds. Canyon tuna anglers sometimes rounded up decent catches of yellowfins, not a ton, but some, mostly at the Lindenkohl. But if Hudson Canyon anglers wanted marlin, this was their shot, because they could nail great catches of white marlin and “enough” blue marlin, he said.   

Six keeper yellowfin tuna, including a 76-pounder, a 300-pound blue marlin that was released, a wahoo and a couple of mahi mahi were whacked on the <b>Big Kid</b> on a trip to Hendrickson Canyon on Thursday to Friday, Capt. Ken said. Two of the tuna were chunked at night, and the rest of the fish were trolled during the day. An inshore bluefin tuna trip was weathered out on Saturday, and so was a fluke trip on Sunday. Another bluefin trip was cancelled today because of forecasts. The forecasts and weather were tough.

After Hurricane Bill ocean fluke fishing was on the slow side last week, said Capt. Jerry from <b>Fish Monger Charters</b>. One trip got no bites, but another the next day boxed 21 keepers and a couple of sea bass. “Not so bad considering,” he said. Waters were dirty at the sticky stuff where the boat fished first and were cleaner at another place fished farther south on the way home. More flatties came from the first place, but six keepers came up at the second. A barracuda also smacked a bucktail and was landed at the second. “Nice odd catch in 60 feet in New Jersey,” he said. One of the weekly, Wednesday, light-tackle bonito, false albacore and Spanish mackerel trips also headed out last week. Friends told Jerry they found lots of albies and skipjacks while fishing for tuna on the inshore grounds, so the trip sailed there, and that also gave the anglers a chance at tuna. Four keeper yellowfin tuna, a 40-plus-pound bluefin tuna, lots of false albacore, including multiple hook-ups, and skipjacks were hammered. Albies darted through the chunked spearing and sardine slick. “Great light tackle action!” Jerry said.  He couldn’t remember the last time yellowfins swam so close to shore. Both charters and open-boat trips are sailing, and give Jerry a shout to climb aboard.

The season’s first bluefin tuna trip was wild on the <b>Jamaica</b> today! an e-mail from the boat said. The trip sailed 50 miles to the grounds, running over a reading of tuna from 50 to 140 feet down no sooner than the engines were slowed. The vessel was turned around and anchored, and two of the fish were hooked within minutes. The two bluefins were lost, and the action started again after 20 minutes, and went wild! Two to five bluefins were hooked at a time. A limit of two was bagged, and at least 30 were caught and released and countless more lost or missed within the first 2 hours. Little tunny also gave up action. At 9:15 a.m. the trip’s biggest tuna was reeled to boat-side: Ernie Barbero from Brielle’s 120-pounder that took him around the boat. The fish was released, and fishing slowed down afterward. The boat was moved ¼ mile, and 20 more tuna, numerous false albacore and skipjacks were released, until it was time to go home. The fishing is as good as it gets, and more of the trips will sail as long as it lasts, in addition to canyon tuna trips. A new date for the bluefin trips has been slated for 4 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Labor Day, September 7. More of the bluefin trips are scheduled for 3 a.m. to 4 p.m. September 10 and 17. Bonito, false albacore and yellowfin tuna are also swimming the area. The Jamaica is fishing for blues on two trips daily 7:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. through Sunday and on weekends afterward. The fishing was excellent through Friday, and no reports rolled in about blues afterward. Check the boat’s Web site for discounted specials on the bluefish trips. The Atlantis will sail for bluefish on Labor Day, when the Jamaica is sailing for bluefins. The boat’s canyon fishing for tuna is about to begin.

<b>Point Pleasant</b>

Bluefish were clocked, excellent catches, on the <b>Sea Devil</b>, Cindy said in an e-mail. Trips are sailing for blues 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. However, no open-boat trip will run Tuesday, because the vessel is chartered. Ten spaces remain on an overnight, offshore tuna trip September 10 to 11. Availability was unable to be updated on the tuna schedule on the vessel’s Web site, so call the boat for other available dates. Check out Sea Devil’s Facebook page. <a href=" http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sea-Devil-Fishing-Co/107891348938
" target="_blank"> Sea Devil’s Facebook page </a>.

Although forecasts called for weather and seas that discouraged anglers from sailing for the “epic” and “super-excellent” bluefishing that’s been going on, the <b>Cock Robin</b> sailed on Saturday, an e-mail from the boat said. Thirty-plus anglers were off in seas that were no more than a chop, not enough to spray over the bow, despite forecasts for 10-foot or bigger seas. Not another boat was on the bluefish grounds, although the area was usually a parking lot. Anglers were hooked up before the anchor came tight, and the day was “super-great” for catching on both jigs and bait. The trip on Sunday, day two of the “weekend washout,” the e-mail said, sailed with 20-some anglers, breaking the inlet in calm seas with timed swells that made for a good boat ride. The e-mail included a note from a long-time patron who described the trip like the following. The boat made the 15-mile trip north to where bluefish gathered for the past few weeks, the patron said. The weather was almost perfect, and the long period between swells made the ocean seem calm. The first fish was hammered within a minute of arrival, and the action never stopped until the trip left. After fighting 30 blues, the angler stopped fishing for an hour, and everyone seemed to fight as many of the blues as they wanted. Another angler hooked a sea bass that a blue chomped in half before the lumphead could be reeled to the boat. “That’s how savage these fish were,” the angler said.  The Cock Robin is fishing for blues 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and 7:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. 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 the boat on Tuesday to fish with members of the Lakewood Blueclaws minor league baseball team. Stay tuned for a schedule of inshore tuna and false albacore/bonito trips.

A “fluke and other stuff trip” fished Friday on the Manasquan River, because the ocean was too rough, Capt. Allen from <b>Reel Class Charters</b> said in the report on the boat’s Web site. Two keepers, easily 150 shorts, one keeper, 14-inch weakfish and a few small sea bass made up most of the catch. Most of the fluke were 10 to 14 inches, and few were larger than 16, and some were “real see-through postage stamps,” he said. The anglers fished with “tackle that could be used to catch trout in the Pequest (River),” he said, and even the small fish put up a healthy fight on the light rods. After fluke fishing upstream of the Route 35 Bridge, where the weak was also hooked, in the morning until the tide started to slow, turning off the fluke bite, the anglers anchored and chummed farther upstream near the Point Pleasant Canal to try for kingfish, porgies and blowfish. They gave it a half hour, but only small sea bass, a sea robin and a short fluke came up. They then hit the tog spot at slack waters, getting several bites including one from a tog that got off half way up. The trip returned to fluke fishing at noon, when the tide was running in. Two party boats were then fishing the river, so the ocean must’ve really became rough. The trip was wrapped up at 4 p.m.

<b>Seaside</b>

One-pound bluefish were scattered up and down the coast, making brief incursions into the surf, said the report on <b>Grumpy’s Tackle</b>’s Web site. Fluke collected in the pocket at Barnegat Inlet and in the inlet itself. Bonito and false albacore briefly ran up Manasquan Inlet and were spotted as far south as Gillikens Beach at Island Beach State Park, mostly out of reach of the wash. <a href="http://www.grumpystackle.com/fishingreports/" target="_blank"> Click here</a> for updates.   

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Big, beautiful weakfish to 5 pounds finally showed up more consistently in Barnegat Bay, said Capt. Steve from <b>Reel Fantasea Charters</b> in an e-mail. The fishing was best on peanut bunker and soft-plastic lures. But the bay’s fishing was “diverse and plentiful,” he said. False albacore even marauded the waters a moment. A husband and wife team scored great action on big weakfish, blues, blowfish, kingfish, porcupine puffers and piles of fluke, including two keepers. Jay Simmons enjoyed similar fishing, catching big weaks, blues, blowfish, kingfish, porcupine puffers, fluke, sea bass, and porgies. He smacked a 5-pound 2-ounce weak that was now in first place in the boat’s season-long tournament for the biggest of the different popular species. If he holds on to first, he’ll win a trophy and a free open-boat spot or a special on a charter next year. But he also battled false albies that busted on rain bait in clean waters that brisk, easterly winds pushed into the bay. Hooking the albies was challenging because of their lighting speed and shallow, 2- to 4-foot depths, but Jay connected with the fish with patience and skill on light tackle. Space is available Thursday for an open-boat trip or charter on the bay, Barnegat Inlet or the ocean because of a last-minute cancellation. 

<b>Barnegat</b>

Twelve keeper fluke and plenty of throwbacks were ploughed today in the ocean north of Barnegat Inlet with <b>Perfect Drift Sport Fishing</b>, Capt. John said. The trip fished all over the area, making long drifts in 38 to 45 feet, picking fish all day. Seas were a little choppy in the morning but calmed later, but the drift was fast, and 8 ounces was needed to hold bottom. Not a lot of boats were out. One bluefish was landed, and a 3-foot brown shark was hooked and reeled halfway to the boat before it bit through the line. A couple of porpoises swam around. Lots of good-sized weakfish swam Barnegat Bay, and anglers on the boat caught them Wednesday, and many fluke hugged the bay’s bottom, but they were mostly small. Perfect Drift is fluke fishing, a specialty on the boat, through the final day of the season on Friday, but whether trips will be able to sail in forecast winds the next couple of days was questionable. 

“They’re here!” said Capt. Dave DeGennaro from the <b>Hi Flier</b> in an e-mail. Weakfish 2 to 5 pounds and kingfish 14 to 18 inches, big ones, invaded Barnegat Bay. In the early mornings both were schooled up on the mainland side of the bay off Waretown under working birds that fed on peanut bunker. Catching them then was like fishing the coast during the fall migration of fish, casting lures like small Fin-S Fish to the blitz, slowly reeling them back. After the early morning shot, the boat is anchored, and the anglers fish shedder crab or grass shrimp for a mixed bag of weaks, kings and more on ultra-light tackle. The bay is all lit up. The large kings were like “hell on wheels,” Dave said, and will drop your jaw at the fight on the ultra-lights. The Scalea family from Cranford on Friday drilled 11 different species, including weaks, kings, blues, fluke, sea robins, sea bass, blackfish, sand sharks, blowfish, porcupine puffers and a porgy. “Don’t ask me what the (blackfish) was doing in the back bay,” Dave said. Trips are fishing every day, so pick a date and call him.  

<b>Surf City</b>

Anglers were scarce during the weekend weather, said Barbara from <b>Surf City Bait & Tackle</b>, and the surf was supposedly rough, though she was away. Mostly short fluke should be skittering along the wash. Plenty of snapper blues could be hooked from the bay, like along the docks and shore, on spearing. Crabbing was good and a saving grace. Kingfishing was picking up on the bay before the weather, and no customers talked about weakfishing on the bay. Catch the shop’s sidewalk sale Friday through Sunday for Labor Day weekend, featuring close-out sales on items including tackle and a few rods.

<b>Tuckerton</b>

A trip for flounder rounded up respectable flatties to 7 pounds on Thursday, the last trip that ran before the storm, said Capt. T.J. from <b>Legal Limit Charters</b>. The anglers fished in 60 feet in the ocean straight off Little Egg Inlet at flat, muddy bottom. Two special trips -- 10-hour shared charters for the price of 8 hours -- will steam for flounder on Wednesday and Thursday before the flattie season closes on Saturday. Call to climb aboard.

<b>Brigantine</b>

A dozen or so false albacore were walloped on the inshore troll Sunday on the <b>Fishin’ Fever</b>, Capt. Tom said. Probably 25 other bites missed or pulled off on the trip, fishing 10 to 18 miles from the coast, finding the albies through the entire stretch. Then the anglers moved close to shore for 45 minutes to try for sharks, nailing and releasing a brown shark, before heading home. The inshore trolling was great lately, and lots of small blues could also be hooked, and Tom heard about a couple of mahi mahi taken. Seas were 4 to 8 feet but spread out in a long swell, not bad, and the inlet was somewhat rough but not impassable. If inshore fishing for tuna holds up at the Glory Hole up north, trips can go after them, are within reach of Brigantine. Overnight, canyon tuna fishing should begin to turn on, and those trips should start soon. Looking ahead, charters are being booked for striped bass fishing in fall, when the boat is moved to Cape May to target the linesiders at the Cape May Rips on live bait or along the ocean front on jigs or on the troll.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

From the surf flounder, lots of sea perch and big, eating-sized spots were banked, said Noel from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. Kingfishing became very spotty in the suds, but tons of tog, including big ones, hung along the jetty rocks. Lots of small blues sometimes swam through the suds, but bigger ones 2 or 3 pounds tumbled in today. Triggerfish were no longer really around. Minnows and squid caught the flounder, and bloodworms drew in the perch and spots. Green crabs claimed the tog, and mullet attracted the blues. Finger mullet were also pulled from the surf. All the baits mentioned and more are stocked.

<b>Somers Point</b>

Too much rains in the past couple of days, an e-mail from Rob and Joan from <b>Dolfin Dock</b> said in a fax from Sunday. But triggerfish, small weakfish, small tog, porgies, kingfish and small flounder roamed the bay. Anglers on larger boats fished at the A.C., G.E. and O.C reefs and the wrecks in the ocean for larger flounder and sea bass.

Ron Kovler on his Just in Case bagged a pair of 2-pound and 1.59-pound weakfish around the bridges at Longport and Ocean City while dunking shedder crabs, said T.C. from <b>Brennan Marine</b> in a fax. Bob Heins reeled up a 2.39-pound 19-inch flounder and a half-dozen throwbacks at Rainbow Channel while fishing Gulps. Harry Cottril on the C-Phase pummeled the shop’s fish of the week at Ocean City Reef in the ocean: a 4.18-pound 24-inch flounder. Offshore fishing was limited because of the weather, but Bill Haas Sr. and Jr. and Jimmy on the Rose Lee at Lindenkohl Canyon went 4 for 5 on bigeye tuna around 75 pounds apiece and released a 400-pound blue marlin, a great catch, while trolling ballyhoos skirted with Islanders. 

<b>Ocean City</b>

<b>Fish Tale Charters</b> searched for croakers on the ocean Thursday, the last trip that sailed before the weather, and the hardheads were found, and blues were also caught, Capt. Craig said. Not a ton of croakers were around, but eight or 12 were landed, and Craig hopes more will come along. He spoke with someone from Ocean City, Maryland, who said anglers were having a field day on croakers there. So Craig was encouraged that more will migrate to local waters, even if they’re somewhat late. He’s also hoping weakfish arrive along the beach front like usual. A few small weaks were already hooked on the boat, but none was located last week between the hurricane and tropical storm, and they apparently scattered and moved deep but should come back with any luck. Croakers seem less affected by a blow than weakfish do. Trips Friday and Saturday were weathered out, and Sunday was a lay day. Forecasts for northeast winds today through Wednesday made trips look questionable on those days, too. This was the time of the year when hurricanes and tropical storms will keep blowing through. Fall striped bass trips that will sail from Cape May should usually be booked no later than in September, because most dates usually fill by October.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

False albacore stormed the ocean off Sea Isle City for a couple of days before the weekend’s storm, and trips got on them, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Gibson’s Tackle</b>. The fighters disappeared once the weather set in, and he took a broad sweep to look for them on a fly-rodding trip afterward, finding none, but probably would’ve found them if trolling. Bluefish also rumbled through the ocean front, and small but tough-fighting amberjacks were mixed in. On Thursday morning Kevin Bunn and daughter pounded a half-dozen albies and several blues on trolled Clark spoons on planers. A flounder and sea robins even hit on the troll. Unusual! In the afternoon Rich Duffy, son and friends nailed three albies and scored gangbusters on probably 50 blues to 3 pounds and some small amberjacks. Excellent action on cast Deadly Dicks on light tackle. On Friday Jay VonCzoernig and son Luc hopped aboard for a short, 1-hour weather window between storms and winds, light-tackling one albie on a Deadly Dick. On Saturday Jay and Luc were aboard again, pancaking probably 50 blues to 3 pounds, maybe even some bigger ones to 4 pounds, and small amberjacks on soft-plastic lures, metal and popper lures and flies. Skitter Pops were the lures, and Crease Flies and Spiral Poppers, patterns that Joe ties, were the flies. The weather that day, forecast to be bad because of Tropical Storm Danny, was better than would be imagined, and there was a swell but far apart. On Sunday Pete Lee took a fly-fishing trip, walloping well over 12 blues to 3 pounds and probably 30 amberjacks to 3 pounds on Crease Flies and Clouser Flies. The fishing was lots of fun, visual when the poppers were worked, and the amberjacks pull hard. Again, there was a ground swell but far apart. Although seas were fishable on these trips, Joe would not have bottom-fished in the swell, because the fishing would’ve been hampered or slow. On the back bay tides will be ideal for striped bass fishing with popper lures or flies, a specialty on the boat, in the next couple of days, and Joe will probably target them. High tides at dawn or dusk are the times to go after them. In other news, open-boat trips are sailing offshore weekly, usually on Wednesdays, but sometimes on other days, depending on the weather and when anglers can go. Offshore charters are available that troll for tuna or other big game during the mornings and cast bait, lures or flies to mahi mahi at the lobster pots during the afternoons. Joe, Capt. Mike Corblies and Capt. Chris Goldmark will hold a Ladies Saltwater Fly Fishing Clinic probably on the first weekend of October, teaching everything from casting to equipment, knots and so on. They hope to include hands-on fishing experience on the waters. Stay tuned for details, or call Joe for info. Also stay tuned or call for info 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 Martha’s Vineyard and the Elizabeth Islands in Massachusetts for fly-rodding for stripers on Columbus Day weekend.

<b>Avalon</b>

Tuna were finally bagged around the canyons on a 46-hour trip last week on Monday to Wednesday, after none of the fish was hooked during the previous week, said the report on <b>Over Under Adventures</b> from Avalon’s Web site. A dozen yellowfin tuna, all 60 to 70 pounds, except one that was smaller, were creamed, mostly at the 830 to 840 lines on the troll south of Toms Canyon during the daytime, except two that were chunked at night at the Toms itself. Nighttime fishing was mostly uneventful, except for hammerhead sharks that attacked. Ten white marlin and two blue marlin were seen among the tuna on the daytime troll, and a few of the billfish were landed on the heavier tackle meant for tuna. Another trip made a quick turnaround Wednesday, sailing to Spencer Canyon in rough seas. A white was missed on the troll before night fell, and the nighttime fishing nailed Over Under’s first swordfish of the season and a sizeable mahi. On the troll the next day eight mahi to 22 pounds were landed at a weed patch. Then the anglers went 3 for 5 on yellowfins to 55 pounds at a patch of bait found at the 585 line in 60 fathoms. The better-sized tuna on the trips were good to see. “It was a great week,” the report said. Anglers waited for night fishing to take off at the canyons, but at least these tuna were trolled, unlike last year at this time, “so it should just be a mater of days now,” the report said. Bait filled every canyon, and the crew hoped the rough weather pushed cooler waters into the area. 

<b>Wildwood</b>

After Hurricane Bill flounder fishing turned right back on last week, said Cathy from <b>Sterling Harbor Bait & Tackle</b> in an e-mail. Cape May Reef, Wildwood Reef, the Old Grounds, Reef 11 and along the shipping channel on Delaware Bay all produced quality fish. Croakers began to appear around Cape May Point, and snapper blues and occasional kingfish were beached from the surf at North Wildwood. In the back bay schoolie striped bass were hooked along the docks, bridges and sod banks on top-water-lures, Smack-Its or clams. At the canyons excellent catches of white marlin were waffled, and scattered mahi mahi were gaffed. Steve Roach weighed in a 70-pound swordfish boated at Toms Canyon on Tim McGregor’s Reel Maniacs. Crabby Jack gave crabbing three claws.

<b>Cape May</b>

A short, 4-hour, inshore-trolling charter on Friday, apparently lucking out with a window of calm weather, bailed a bunch of blues and false albacore with Dan VanBuskirk’s group on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>, Capt. George said. People told George about storms, winds and rains at other locations that day, but the weather wasn’t bad on the trip, leaving at noontime. Inshore trolling’s been great, and another one of the trips with Joe Labaczewski’s gang, covered in the last report, also whaled away at blues and albies last week. The Bill Evans crew fought blues, albies and a mahi mahi. George fished on a flounder trip on a friend’s boat on the ocean Sunday that picked up a few keepers among mostly throwbacks. If anglers want to get in a last shot at flounder before the season closes at the end of the week, give George a call. Also call him for inshore trolling or offshore trips. 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.

Fishing was good whenever waters settled between the weather, said Matt from <b>Jim’s Bait & Tackle</b> in a fax. Flounder catches had slowed after the hurricane at the beginning of last week but picked back up. The Old Grounds and Reef 11 were productive, and some captains gained success while holding the boat right over wrecks in 65 to 85 feet, jigging with heavy bucktails. Quality croakers 15 to 17 inches showed up. Local guide Capt. Chris Goldmark dusted up outstanding fishing for false albacore that swam in large schools close to shore, willing to hit a fly, small spoon or spearing. Big-game fishing went well during the middle of the week between the storms. White marlin held thick along the 100-fathom line north of Wilmington Canyon, and double-digit catches were not uncommon. Whites also swam the deeper waters near the 100 line. The crew on the Liquidity boated three decent-size yellowfin tuna inside Baltimore Canyon around the 100-fathom line. Surf fishing was a bit slow, but triggerfish gathered along the Cape May Inlet jetties, and fishing with small pieces of clam or squid while chumming worked well. Bob Bent from Sea Isle City weighed in an 8-3/4-pound barracuda he waxed at Cape May Reef. Must’ve been surprised to see the tropical fish in New Jersey! Anglers with flounder catches included: Scott Smith, Waterford, 10-pounder, Wildwood Reef; Andy Shapiro, 9.82-pounder, wreck at 5-Fathom Bank; Brian Rust, Beverly, 7.45-pounder, Reef 11; and David Prosser, Villas, 6.58-pounder.

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