New Jersey Fishing Reports

Fluke trips fished Friday through Sunday and Tuesday, said Capt. Akira from True World Tackle and True World Tackle Charters. The weather was rough Friday, but the charter wanted to head out, so the boat was motored to buoy 12 at Ambrose Channel. But seas were too stiff, and the trip moved to buoy 8 at Sandy Hook Channel, and one keeper was bagged. Hardly any boats fished in the conditions. On Saturday winds blew a little but not too badly, and the day’s charter boxed five keeper fluke and two keeper sea bass. Sea robins also bit. On Sunday the weather wasn’t so good, but the six-person charter rounded up 10 keeper fluke to a couple of large ones: 24-½- and 23-½-inchers. They fished at buoys 11 and 12 at Ambrose Channel on only a 4-hour trip. Two keeper sea bass also came up, and one was big: a 20-inch 3-1/2-pounder. On Tuesday south winds blew a little at first, until winds increased later in the day. The charter, a family, bucketed four keeper fluke, and the kids from the family even caught some of the keepers. Sea robins hit like crazy, for some reason, and a ton of short fluke also chomped. Akira had wanted to fish at the Mud Buoy for fluke lately, but the weather was rough. He scored impressive fluking there previously, but couldn’t know whether the fishing held up now. But he might try to fish there this weekend. True World is concentrating on fluke.

Keyport

The first reports of the season rolled in about a body of weakfish holding at Reach Channel around the 19 and 20 buoys, said Chris from Crabby’s Bait & Tackle in a fax. Tommy Silverton checked in six weaks he boated on squid strips soaked in crab oil. Let’s just hope more move in and stick around the rest of the season, Chris said. The trout popped up after a big worm hatch in the bay. Fluke fishing improved in the local area, and more keepers swam among all the shorts. Joe Silvers racked up six keepers to 7.6 pounds at the 11A can. Karen Walker belted five keepers to 4.8 pounds, 15 shorts and a weakfish on the Keyport Flats. Jermie Wilson limited out on fluke to 8.4 pounds on the bay near Sandy Hook on Fluke Master Jigs tipped with squid strips. Snapper blues were quality-sized around the Keyport pier and bulkhead. Lots of crabs were around. In the ocean sea bassing was on fire at the reefs, rocks and Mud Dump, and sizeable ones hovered around each.

Atlantic Highlands

Keeper fluke had become more abundant on trips from Friday through Monday, said Capt. Tom from the Atlantic Star, and then the fishing got back to being more like usual, with lots of shorts and a few keepers pelted through Wednesday. There was action, but the keeper ratio was lower than wanted. A flattie more than 7 pounds was boated Wednesday, and some anglers aboard that day got lucky, bagging three or four keepers apiece. Others landed no keepers, but all patrons caught fish on the trips. Terrible conditions, the worst, caused tough fluking on Tuesday afternoon. All trips fished on the bay, and waters around the Navy Pier were best in the past days. Through the weekend, fishing with killies that anglers brought themselves was an advantage, but Tom couldn’t say they continued to be an advantage the rest of the week. They might’ve been a slight advantage, but maybe not. Squid and spearing are supplied on the boat. No bait nor tackle could be said to be better than another in the last days, really. 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.

A customer put a beating on bluefin tuna at the Atlantic Princess wreck near the Glory Hole, said Joe from Julian’s Bait & Tackle. Fluke were swung aboard from the bay to the ocean. Porgies were plundered at places like the ocean rock piles. Big bluefish got back on a tear after a lull. No customers mentioned catching weakfish.

Another good day on fluke Wednesday, said Capt. Ron from the Fishermen in an e-mail. Monday and Tuesday were also productive. On Wednesday the fishing started with a slow pick of shorts and keepers, but enough that the boat could’ve fished the spot all day. But instead the vessel was moved to the channels for the rest of the trip. “No limits, just good fishing,” Ron said. A 6-1/2-pounder was the pool-winning fluke. On Tuesday the boat ran out to the ocean after a slow start to fishing in the morning, though several quality fish were knuckled in. The first drift on the ocean, lasting an hour, gave up constant action with shorts and keepers. One angler came one short of a limit on the trip, losing a keeper that fell off while being swung in. On Monday a healthy catch of quality keepers was boated, and two anglers tied for the pool with a 5-3/4-pounder. The Fishermen is sailing for fluke 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. However, the boat is chartered Friday morning, and no open-boat fluke trip will sail that day. 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. “The bluefish bite is on!” Ron said.

Highlands

Hudson Canyon lit up with tuna, said Capt. Brian from Jersey Devil Charters. Bigeye tuna got slammed in the waters in the past days, and sizeable yellowfin tuna were beaten. Notably, Brian also heard that a 1,000-pound blue marlin was entered in the White Marlin Open tournament in Ocean City, Maryland, this week. But back at home, bluefin tuna fishing at places like the Glory Hole and the Chicken Canyon, the inshore ocean, was the bigger news locally, because catches were the best in years, and Jersey Devil is on them, pounding the fish last on Sunday on jigs, covered in the previous report. Brian is now going to offer open-boat trips for bluefins, because anglers kept calling to go, so he can pair anglers up. Call to reserve. A trip Friday is going to look around waters inshore of the bluefin grounds, because the area seemed full of pelagics including skipjacks, Spanish mackerel, bonito, occasional mahi mahi, and maybe a few bluefins, and Brian will scope it out. Boaters kept seeing life in the area when returning from bluefin trips without stopping to fish. If the pelagics are there, charters can chase them at considerable savings compared with a bluefin charter. Boaters also said they read big marks under the life, potentially bluefins. Although Jersey Devil is focusing on bluefins, friends who are sharpies were bailing good catches of fluke. Some anglers talked about tougher fluking, but those in the know seemed to catch.

Deep-water fluking held up on the ocean, and the flatties to 5 ½ pounds were reeled up with Fisher Price Charters, Capt. Derek said. Trips had been bucktailing for the fish with big strip baits, but were now able to fish live bait for them, too. Snapper blues were able to be netted for the livelining with enough consistency. If peanut bunker become abundant enough, they’ll also be livelined. Fisher Price is concentrating on bigger fluke in the deep while fishing with the bucktails and the snappers. Open-boat trips are fluking when Derek can squeeze them in between charters, and call to be kept informed of the dates. He got weathered out from a trip for bluefin tuna on the inshore grounds today, but charters will go after the tuna, a large population of them this year. Waters were warm, such as 75 degrees along the beachfront Tuesday, so the bluefins should stick around. Derek previously had heard about weakfish nabbed in the rivers, and about a few lifted from Raritan Bay, and the boat will chase them if they’re around, but nothing was heard about them in the past days.

Neptune

One of the best cod trips in “many, many years” was scored Wednesday with Last Lady Fishing Charters at the offshore wrecks, Capt. Ralph said in an e-mail. The three biggest cod weighed 40, 38 and 36 pounds, plopped on the digital scale at Shark River Yacht Club. Every drop gave up cod bites or big ling. A box got full of cod in only 2 hours, and many additional, legal-sized cod were released. “Now is the time to go,” Ralph said. Inshore wreck-fishing trips were also excellent with Last Lady for big sea bass, ling, tog and some cod about an hour from shore. Bluefish finally settled in after the spawn, and charters could chum all they wanted. Only a few weeks remain for Last Lady’s weekly, individual-reservation fluke and sea bass trips, before fluke season closes. Roger Jachts won the pool with a 4-pound fluke on this week’s trip. Trips for bluefin tuna, including big ones, are excellent if charters get on the grounds early. The bag limit per trip is one fish 27 inches to less than 47 inches and one larger than 47. After anglers reach their fill of bluefins, they can either go wreck fishing or looking for mahi mahi along the lobster pots. At the canyons, “the big fish are biting,” Ralph said, and the fishing became great. Ralph’s first open-boat, overnight, canyon trip of the season is slated for Friday to Saturday, and space is booked the rest of the month, but openings are available in September and October, and see the schedule on Last Lady’s Web site. Overnight and daytime charters are also fishing the canyons.

Belmar

On the Big Mohawk fluke fishing became a little better, Capt Chris said, and Jimmy Thomas from Morrisville this week knocked down an 11-pounder, one of at least a half-dozen doormats over 10 pounds taken so far this season on the boat. A couple of 9-pounders were waxed Tuesday, and 8-pounders were sometimes muscled in. Trips are fishing the rocky bottom, and anglers usually work jigs. Tackle got snagged and lost on the rocks, and sometimes patrons marched right through the jigs lost, but that was worthwhile, because the rocks attracted big flatties. The Big Mohawk is fluke fishing 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

With Last One Charters a bluefishing trip headed to the Shrewsbury Rocks on Tuesday, Capt. Rob said. But no blues were really found there, so the boat was driven to the Mud Dump, and the fishing took off. All the 6- to 10-pound blues the anglers could want were fought on chunks in a chum slick. On Sunday a charter and four young sons pummeled scores of good-sized porgies, also picking up a keeper striped bass, a couple of blues and a couple of keeper sea bass.

Fluke to 20 inches and sea bass to 3 pounds, lots more keeper sea bass than keeper fluke, were angled up from the ocean Tuesday on the Nan Sea J, Capt. Tom said. The anglers were trying for fluke, but sea bass are often a bonus on the trips, and the sea bassing was actually pretty good. Another captain told Tom about bigeye tuna that were trolled at Hudson Canyon recently. The Nan Sea J’s canyon charters will launch in September on overnight trips. Bluefin tuna fishing was amped up on the inshore ocean, and the Nan Sea J had been running open-boat shark trips, but Tom is now considering sailing on open trips for bluefins. Anglers already contacted him about the outings, and call if interested.

Shark River held many short fluke but a few keepers, “decent” fishing, said John from Fisherman’s Den. Most anglers scored best on jigheads with a Gulp or a killie. Party-boat fluking on the ocean had been shoveling out particularly productive fishing for keepers, but recently seemed to hang lots of shorts with a few keepers. Also in the river, porgies began to fill the waters, and snapper blues were around. Anglers often tried for tog along the rocks at Shark River Inlet, but John heard about no catches. A few fluke were banked from the surf.

Brielle

A 10-pound 2-ounce 30-inch fluke got sche-lammed on a trip Tuesday with Fish Monger Charters, Capt. Jerry said in an e-mail. That was the third trip in a row with a fluke more than 8 pounds. The trip totaled 14 keeper fluke, mostly more than 20 inches, including two that weighed 4 to 5 pounds, besides the 10-pounder. Fifteen sea bass were also clubbed. The trip fished the ocean rough stuff, copping decent fluking while repeatedly drifting a patch, until the drift became too fast. So the boat moved shallower in 25 to 40 feet, and mostly shorts but a couple of more keepers chewed, while the drift remained fast. The anglers then anchored on a piece to add the sea bass to the catch. A trip Monday boxed 11 keeper fluke to 8 pounds and 40 keeper sea bass on the ocean. Both charters and open-boat trips are fluking and bottom-fishing.
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.

Bigeye tuna around 180 pounds, yellowfin tuna 50 to 60 pounds and mahi mahi were crushed on the Big Kid at Hudson Canyon on Tuesday on the troll, Capt. Ken said. A fluke and sea bass charter on Monday dialed up a decent catch of both at Axel Carlson Reef. Charters will hunt bluefin tuna on the inshore grounds Friday and Saturday, and the Big Kid’s already been all over the fish on past trips. A buddy, Stanley Miczenski from Barnegat, trolled and jigged the bluefins including a 58-incher, probably 90 pounds, on Tuesday. So the Big Kid this week will have covered all the main fisheries it’s targeting: fluke and sea bass close to shore, bluefin tuna on the inshore grounds and canyon tuna.

Limits of blues were common on many trips on the Jamaica this past week, an e-mail from the boat said. Nighttime trips were “excellent,” and daytime trips were “very good,” in a chum slick, mostly on bait, not on jigs, the e-mail said. Pool winners included Bryan Palin, Poughkepsi, N.Y., with a 16-pounder, Ron Rotatori, New Hope, Pa., with a 15-pounder and Martin Bradley, Humeville, Pa., with a 14-pounder. 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

Eleven keeper fluke and two keeper sea bass were dusted up from the ocean Wednesday on an open-boat Fluke Till You Puke Marathon Trip with Reel Class Charters, Capt. Allen said in the report on the vessel’s Web site. Four of the fluke weighed 3 to 5 pounds, and the rest measured 18 to 20 inches. The trip fished at snags, rubble and wrecks both south and north of Manasquan Inlet, and the fish bit “weird,” Allen said. They seemed to turn off when south winds picked up and turn back on when the winds backed off. The shorts that were caught were all no-doubters, measuring 13 to 16 inches, and the keepers were all an inch bigger than the size limit or 19 inches or larger. A father and son charter today decided to play with fluke with ultra-light rods on Manasquan River and northern Barnegat Bay. They tangled with a mess of the fish, including one keeper, mostly 14- to 16-inchers, on 6-pound test and had a blast, Allen said. The fish mainly chewed in the bay. The anglers worked small Mai Tai bucktails tipped with a killie with a Gulp on a teaser above and also threw plain jigheads with a Gulp and no teaser. Both charters and the open-boat marathons are fluking, and sea bass can be mixed in when trips fish the ocean structure. Check the boat’s Web site for availability for the open trips.

A few more keeper fluke turned up than before on the Norma K’s daily trips for them on the ocean, and bluefishing picked up on the vessel’s nighttime trips on the ocean, so things started coming together, and fishing was good, Capt. Matt said. The flattie trips fished in 50 to 70 feet, and a 7-1/2-pounder was the pool winner the other day. The bluefish weighed 7 to 12 pounds and began hitting better since Sunday, after slower fishing during the spawn. Trips are fishing for fluke twice daily 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and for blues 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. daily.

Trips started to “swing more toward porgy fishing” on the Dauntless, Capt. Butch said, but ling were often targeted, and other fish including sea bass, cod and triggerfish were sometimes mixed in. The boat usually fished for porgies in the mornings in the 30- or 40-foot shallows, and if the fish refused to bite, the vessel headed to the ling grounds in 150 to 160 feet. Fishing for both was often good. Most of the porgies were keepers, and they were sizeable, and many of the ling were big. Sea bass were around on the porgy grounds, but most were small. The cod ranged from keeper size or 21 inches to 10 or 12 pounds. Come on down while the weather’s pleasant and the bottom-fishing’s producing, Butch said. On the boat’s nighttime bluefishing trips, catches began to pick up during the last couple of days, after the angling had been slow, because of the spawn. The bluefishing got on a tear for 2 hours on Tuesday night until dropping off, but by then, enough had been landed anyway. Bluefishing on Monday night was “okay,” he said. The Dauntless is bottom fishing 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily and is bluefishing 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. daily.

On the Cock Robin a trip Wednesday “was back to what summertime bluefishing is all about,” an e-mail from the boat said. The blues were back with a vengeance, and super catches were made. Patrons filled bags full, coolers full, you-name-it full. On the previous day an e-mail from the boat said the fishing was improving, and the fish were on the move, as opposed to settling at one place, but trips worked to find them, “putting results on the board.” 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.

Not much was doing at the Shrewsbury Rocks on Sunday on the Sea Devil’s bluefishing trip, so the boat moved to the Mud Buoy, and blues gave up a slow pick, Cindy said in an e-mail. A move was made late in the day, and the fishing went nuts, “total mayhem!” she said. The action took all three mates all they could do to keep up with gaffing. Drizzle started falling, and everybody got soaked, not caring, because of all the catches. The slammers averaged 12 pounds, and the pool-winning fish weighed more than 15. Big blues to 12 pounds were belted Monday at the Mud on bait on the boat, and the afternoon was a lot better than the morning. On Tuesday’s trip the boat anchored at the Mud at first. Fishing was slow, but the vessel made a move, going on a drift, and that paid off. A bluefish was immediately hooked, then all anglers fought the slammers, ending up with a good catch, all on bait. The trip stayed a little late, because the fish kept biting, and a 13-pounder was the pool-winner. The vessel is chartered Friday and Saturday, so no open-boat trips will sail then. Otherwise 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 11 spots are available that day. See the schedule on the boat’s Web site for the rest of the available dates.

Toms River

Two anglers loaded up on keeper fluke in 60 to 65 feet straight off Barnegat Inlet in the ocean on spearing and squid, said Jeff from Murphy’s Hook House. A few keeper fluke and keeper sea bass were angled in from the Tires on the ocean, and a buddy fished farther north at the Shrewsbury Rocks, bagging four keeper fluke, tossing back 35 shorts and losing like 15 rigs in the rocks. Tons of short fluke but a few keepers came from Barnegat Bay at Oyster Creek and Double Creek channels and between the BI and BB markers. A customer today said weakfish were coming in to the bay, but Jeff saw none, not one, at the shop so far. Snappers that swam the Toms River at Huddy Park were the only blues he heard about. Surf anglers beached an occasional fluke and junk fish like skates and sea robins. Boaters at Barnegat Ridge on the ocean supposedly rustled up plenty of sea bass and some bonito.

Seaside

Small blues chased assorted baitfish along the beaches in the mornings, said the report on Grumpy’s Tackle’s Web site. Get out to the surf early in the day, and you should find them, even if a long cast is needed. “All the usual bluefish stuff will work, but poppers are somehow more visually satisfying,” the report said. If anglers “want to sit back and relax, try some mullet,” it said. Blackfish and triggerfish were cranked in from along the Barnegat Inlet jetty. <a href="http://www.grumpystackle.com/fishingreports/" target="_blank"> Click here</a> for updates.

Forked River

Barnegat Inlet, Barnegat Bay from the BI marker to the BB and at the 40 can, and the ocean in 60 to 65 feet gave up fluke, said Jana from Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle. Spearing, pink or chartreuse Gulp swimming mullets, killies and squid got eaten. On Saturday reports rolled in about weakfish hooked from the BI to the BB on sandworms on Corky’s spin-and-glow rigs. Bonito were muscled in at Barnegat Ridge. One crew fished Hudson Canyon, hooking 15 throwback yellowfin tuna. Bluefin tuna in the 55-pound class got boated around the Glory Hole.

Barnegat Light

At Barnegat Inlet boaters seemed to catch more keeper fluke than before by the weekend, said the report on Barnegat Light Bait & Tackle’s Web site. Ocean fluking also seemed to improve, and live spots, stocked at the shop, will draw in the larger doormats. Short fluke were weeded through to sort out keepers on Barnegat Bay. Tog, fairly large ones, swam thick along the Barnegat Inlet rocks, and so did triggerfish. Herring put up lots of acrobatic fights near Barnegat Lighthouse. The herring were also worth dropping down for live bait to hook striped bass along the inlet, and stripers were not gone by any means. Cocktail blues were also played among the herring. Spike weakfish but occasional 4- to 5-pounders could be grass-shrimped on the bay, and call the shop to order the live shrimp. Sea bass, a bunch, could be bailed at the ocean wrecks. Offshore anglers honed in on bigeye tuna, sometimes more than 200 pounds, that stormed into the canyons.

Barnegat

Kids were aboard for a fluke trip Monday, so the boat fished on the bay instead of the ocean, and one keeper and lots of shorts were pulled in from Double Creek Channel, said Capt. John from Perfect Drift Sport Fishing. They only fished three or four hours, and the bay was full of the flatties, most of them small. A fluke trip will fish the ocean Saturday, and a trip Monday will sail for bonito and Spanish mackerel at Barnegat Ridge, and the ridge gave them up recently. A few weakfish, not many, hung in the bay. A friend who’d been catching them on flies and soft-plastic lures in the early mornings ended up landing more short striped bass, 18- to 20-inchers, than weaks Wednesday morning, fly-rodding them.

Beach Haven

Keeper fluke to 5 and 6 pounds were sometimes drummed up, a little better fluking than before, on the Miss Beach Haven, Capt. Frank said. Lots of shorts were caught and released. Tons of the flatties swiped baits on the boat’s bay trips, and a couple of good days of the flatfish angling were wrangled up on the vessel’s ocean trips. The Miss Beach Haven is fishing the bay for fluke 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. The boat is fishing the ocean for sea bass and fluke 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. No sea bass were landed in recent days. Charters are on tap for any species available, including tuna at the canyons.

Port Republic

A few weakfish were snatched from the mouth of the Mullica River, said Mary Ann from Chestnut Neck Marina. Keeper flounder were sometimes searched out off the Coast Guard Station, and John Murrow took two there on salmon belly, a bait the shop is carrying. Mary Ann heard about no bluefish biting. White perch seemed to drop down to the mouth of the river, because a neighbor said they were ferocious there. Crabbing seemed okay, but they were starting to shed with today’s full moon, and crabbing usually gets slower for a moment during the shed. In addition to salmon belly, the shop is stocking shedder crabs, the favorite weakfish bait, minnows and frozen baits. Bloodworms ran out temporarily.

Mystic Island

The better flounder fishing happened toward Little Egg Inlet, like behind Holgate and Beach Haven, even better than on the ocean, said Scott from Scott’s Bait & Tackle. The heat seemed to hold back a lot of fishing, maybe even hold back anglers from going. A warm ocean seemed to chase off sea bass. Three-quarter-pound blues ran around the mouth of the Mullica River, hitting bait instead of lures. Anglers began to fish peanut bunker for them, netting the baitfish. Snapper blues began to be caught at the lagoons, and crabbing was good at such waters. Sharking for browns and sandsharks put anglers on plenty of battles on Great Bay. The fishing is usually best from sundown to 10 p.m. or so, and anglers anchor at Grassy Channel, set up a chum slick and fish baits like mackerel fillets. It’s an opportunity to fight big fish to 5 feet without running offshore, and Scott’s sells a special bay shark rig and a chum ball that’s perfect for the angling, and can give advice. No anglers talked about fishing for white perch, and Scott took a shot at catching grass shrimp, the favorite perch bait, but only tiny shrimp were around, and he tossed them back. But plenty of minnows are stocked for fishing for fluke and other fish. Green crabs are stocked, but nobody mentioned fishing for tog that prefer them. Other baits are also on hand.

Absecon

Capt. Dave, owner of Absecon Bay Sportsman Center, ran two charters Tuesday and Wednesday that totaled nine keeper flounder and eight or nine keeper weakfish on the back bay, Ray said. Plenty of flounder littered the bay, and a few were keepers, but the fishing gave up a ton of action, especially if anglers wanted to take kids fishing. One couple of anglers said they hooked 90 shorts and one keeper. But catching a keeper was often a matter of using bigger baits like a live spot or a big strip bait like squid or a 7-inch Gulp. Flounder also held along the ocean humps and structure. Weaks were around in the back waters, but anglers had to know how to find them, like where to look, the right tide and the right time, like early in the morning. Budd Luzzi took his two 9-year-old sons on their first saltwater trip, landing 50 fish on the bay: more than 30 weakfish, including three keepers, 10 flounder, including two keepers, sea bass, snapper blues and sea robins. Blues were practically nonexistent on the bay, though. Nighttime striped bass fishing was solid along the bridges on livelined spots or eels. Sean Fox and another angler combined for six including four keepers. Tons of short stripers could be plugged along the sod banks on small lures like Bombers or small poppers like Smack-It Jr.’s. Tog could be found along the structure with no problem. Ray could fish the Brigantine Bridge to grab a 3- to 5-pounder in 10 minutes. Triggerfish held along the sod banks, mussel beds and bridges. Big sharks swam the bay, if anglers wanted to fight a large fish. One kid was battling 100-pounders. Kingfish were mostly absent from the surf, and if sharpies nabbed two or three, that was a good trip. Croakers swam the ocean near the coast, and a couple of anglers said they found them. A few sea bass could be bagged at the reefs. White perch were landed up the rivers. Shedder crabs, live spots, live eels, bloodworms and nearly all baits are stocked. Peanut bunker were yet to be carried, but they grew large enough or reached 3 or 4 inches, so they should be on hand soon. No mullet were around that were big enough to stock, but small ones were sometimes seen.

Margate

Tons and tons of flounder crammed the bay, more of the fish than Capt. John from the Keeper ever saw in the waters, he said. Most were shorts, but many would’ve been keepers in past years, were healthy sized fish. If anyone wanted to take kids fishing, this was the time, because they’d catch. All customers caught, and a few claimed keepers. A few blues were seen splashing around, and lots of silversides schooled, and John expects 1- to 3-pound blues to move in to feed on the baitfish, like they do every year. He hoped trips would hook them. John was able to throw a net on peanut bunker to keep them in the livewell for flounder fishing on a couple of days, and he’ll keep them aboard whenever he can net them. Minnows were also carried for bait and worked fine, and strip baits and Gulps also did the job well. The Keeper is fishing for flounder on two trips daily 8 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Longport

Large sea bass and big flounder stacked up at the wrecks all along the line 12 miles from shore, migrating to the waters, and excellent catches were whacked on the Stray Cat, Capt. Mike said. Fluke 4, 6 and 8 pounds were walloped, and lots of big porgies were creamed to boot. Waters were gorgeous, cobalt blue, teeming with life from the coast to the fishing grounds, including all kinds of baitfish from rainfish to sardines, adult bunker, peanut bunker and more. The boat’s mid-shore trips for skipjacks, bonito, Spanish mackerel and mahi mahi were on hold as the bottom-fishing kicked in, but lots of big mahi like 15-pounders swam 6 to 8 miles offshore. They were either close to shore like that or all the way off. An open-boat, wreck-fishing trip will probably sail on either the Monday of August 10 or 24. Daily, open-boat trips will resume Friday, September 11, wreck fishing until focusing on tog, one of the main events of the year on the Stray Cat.

Ocean City

Gangs of small flounder jammed the bay, and a few more keepers could be cornered at the ocean reefs, and the fishing was better to the south, because waters were warmer there, said Ed from Fin-Atics. The ocean at Wildwood and Cape May was 74 degrees, while the ocean at Ocean City was 68. But the lower temp was comfortable for sea bass, and they responded well locally at the reefs. Tog were mixed in at the reefs. A few striped bass could be played at the bridges at night or early in the mornings on artificials or clams. In offshore waters bluefin tuna were tackled at the Lobster Claw, some of the lumps inshore of the Claw and a little farther from shore at the 40-Fathom Fingers, where a few yellowfin tuna also swam. Farther from shore, big yellowfins and bigeye tuna were hammered to the north at Hudson Canyon. At the other canyons smaller yellowfins from throwbacks to 60-pounders roamed. Marlin were fought at the southern canyons including the Poorman’s, the Wilmington and the Baltimore. A grander, a 1,000-pound blue marlin, was entered in this week’s White Marlin Open tournament in Ocean City, Maryland. Mahi mahi schooled everywhere from the bluefin grounds to the canyons, and they were bigger the farther north anglers fished.

Flounder anglers were catching, reeling up the flatties, with Fish Tale Charters, but the number of keepers was in a lull in the past days, Capt. Craig said. In a previous report he said a look back at his log books showed that around now was traditionally a slower period for a moment, until more keepers started responding at the ocean wrecks and structure, usually by mid August. His trips lately fished the bay and ocean with similar results. A sea bass trip piled up a good catch of the lumpheads to a 23-incher, a big one, from the ocean on Monday. A trip was supposed to fish for tuna on the inshore ocean on Tuesday, but Craig offered to take the anglers bottom-fishing instead, and they agreed, because tuna were too scarce on the grounds still. The boat’s tuna trips fish out to 40 miles, and trips can also target pelagics like bonito. A few bonito were swimming around. Another tuna trip is slated for Tuesday, but Craig will see how the fishing is going to decide whether to head out. Another trip was fishing the bay today, and charters are booked Monday through Wednesday, but Saturday and Sunday are open. A few dates are open this month and in September.

Sea Isle City

Small flounder carpeted the bay, and more keepers gathered around the inlet, willing to strike minnows, squid, spearing, Gulps and bucktails, said Nick from Gibson’s Tackle. Small blues could be toggled in from the inlet on small spoons or lures. Larger flounder hovered along the reefs and wrecks, and to hook up, fish bigger baits such as large strips of fresh bluefish or sea robin and big bucktails. Look for fluke in the surf on low tides with smaller baits and bucktails. Kingfish began to be caught a little better than before in the suds, and were spread out. Boaters on the ocean could troll small blues on small spoons or plugs. Big bluefin tuna put tackle to the test on the inshore ocean, and smaller yellowfin tuna schooled the canyons farther from shore.

Popper fishing for striped bass with lures or flies on the back bay was on, said Capt. Joe Hughes from Jersey Cape Guide Service, affiliated with Gibson’s Tackle. The trips fish the shallows during high tides at dawn or dusk while Joe poles his flats boat. Bob Varanack took one of the trips this week, hooking and releasing one bass among seven bites while spin fishing. The fish are never big, but the angling is exciting, with explosive surface attacks. Fun to work the poppers, too. Joe wasn’t asked about the type of lure used, but his anglers usually fish with Skitter Pops. Clamming for stripers on the bay during the daytime usually gave anglers a shot at a large one, and Joe will mix in that fishing with other trips when possible. Fishing for stripers at night under the lights like at bridges was also happening, but only during high tides in the middle of the night like from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. The tides were off this week but will come back around. Varanack on another trip this week wanted to fly rod bluefish, landing a dozen small ones on the ocean on Clouser flies along the bottom on a sinking line. Interestingly, a bunch of sea robins were hooked on the fly. Joe has caught sea robins on flies before, but catching a bunch on flies was unusual. Paul Weaver, his son-in-law Jeff and his grandaugher Kit jigged more than 30 small blues on the ocean Wednesday morning on the boat, fast and furious action. A bunch of sea robins also attacked. Fishing at Wildwood Reef for a variety species was the other fishery that was especially active. Jim Ferrell and nephew Patrick jumped aboard for a reef trip in the past days for a mixed bag of flounder, including one keeper, sea bass, sharks and other fish they pumped up. The reef trips keep the rods bending, great for families but also anglers. A cooler won’t get filled, but the trips will catch. An offshore trip with Joe was cancelled Monday, but he hoped to get back out for tuna soon. A friend broke off two 150-pound bluefin tuna at the inshore grounds and saw anglers hooked up with bluefins all around. The season was in full swing, the chance to fight a trophy like a 150-pounder or a 170-pounder. Yellowfin tuna fishing was picking up farther offshore at the canyons, and some of the fish were bigger than before. Lots of mahi mahi swarmed the blue waters from inshore to offshore. Weekly, open-boat tuna trips are sailing, usually on Wednesdays, but sometimes on other days, depending on the weather and when anglers can go. The trips are fishing either for bluefins or yellowfins, whatever’s best, and 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 on weekends in Montauk for the blitz of stripers and blues from mid September to late October and to Marthas Vineyard and the Elizabeth Islands in Massachusetts for fly-rodding for stripers on Columbus Day weekend. Or call him for info.

Wildwood

Up-and-down flounder fishing was served up around the FA buoy on the ocean on the Adventurer, and good fishing would go down on one day, and the bite would turn slow on another, Capt. Gary said. Healthy sized flatties like an 8-3/4-pounder on one of the trips were sometimes creamed. A few sea bass and small blues sometimes showed up, but flounder made up most of the catch. No croakers were reeled in, and the main body of the hardheads was yet to migrate in, though boats sometimes ran across small schools. If croakers do come, the boat will get on them. Weakfish will also be targeted if the trout arrive. Small blues were landed on the weekly bluefishing trip Saturday night. The next nighttime bluefishing trip will sail Saturday, August 22, because charters are booked on the previous Saturdays. But the boat might run a few daytime chumming trips for big blues in fall, because the slammers usually come through then. The Adventurer is fishing on open-boat trips 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, but call to confirm, making sure no charter is running instead. Charters are available.

Probably 1 in 9 of the bay’s flounder were keepers, so there were many shorts, lots of action, and keepers were sometimes netted, said Josh from Canal Side Boat Rentals. Schoolie striped bass were abundant in the bay, and so were baby sea bass, and small blues sometimes tumbled through. Crabbing was great, and catches slowed in the last couple of days because the blueclaws began to shed with the full moon, but otherwise crabbing really picked up over the past weeks, and trips often filled three-quarters of a bushel with the hardshells. Catches should resume like that after the shed lasts a moment. Minnows, shedder crabs, whole and filleted mackerel, various types of frozen squid, fresh-frozen clams, salted clams, frozen mullet and bunker, including for crabbing, and more baits are stocked. Live blueclaw crabs are carried for eating. Canal Side rents canopy boats and kayaks for fishing, crabbing and sightseeing. The shop is open 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

Cape May

Five keeper flounder were bagged among plenty of shorts, mostly 16- to 17-1/2-inchers, just under the size limit, let go at the Old Grounds today on the Heavy Hitter, Capt. George said. Two keeper sea bass were also tugged in, and throwbacks were let go. Lots of bluefish, bonito and Spanish mackerel were trolled 15 miles from shore on charters Monday and Tuesday. More bonito were showing up than last year, and sometimes they appeared, and other times they didn’t. But on some days a dozen might be dragged in. A tuna trip will sail Saturday. Bluefin tuna continued to hold on the inshore grounds, and yellowfin tuna could be found farther from shore when boaters were in the right place at the right time. Big, gaffer mahi mahi were abundant all along the tuna grounds.

Lots of flounder were pulled from the ocean, and they also got collected on Delaware Bay, but the number in the ocean was phenomenal, said Capt. Tom from the Fishin’ Fever. His trips mostly fished the ocean for the flatties, but if anglers wanted to fish the bay, or if they booked short trips, the bay was an option. Inshore trolling gained steam for bluefish, bonito, a few false albacore, skipjacks and even some mahi mahi, a fun charter with strong fights. Bluefin tuna, many big fish 150 to 200 pounds, were smoked on the southern lumps on the troll, on the chunk and on jigs. Yellowfin tuna fishing was developing well at the canyons farther from shore, and bigger ones than before, 40- to 70-pounders, were coming in. A great bite on bigeye tuna took off at the northern canyons, and Tom was going to move the boat to Brigantine to reach the waters. The Fishin’ Fever can sail either from Cape May or Brigantine, offering a wide range of offshore grounds that can be targeted, wherever catches are best at the moment.

Flounder, lots of shorts but a few keepers, were stacked up around Miah Maul in Delaware Bay, said Tim from Hands Too Bait & Tackle. A few swam Cape May Reef, and surf fishers sometimes plucked the flatties at North Cape May. The fluke could also be grabbed in the back waters like near the Coast Guard Station and at Sunset Lake. Bluefish 2 ½ or 3 pounds ran through the surf on occasion. Lots of croakers schooled around Cape May Point and Higbee’s Beach.