<b>Staten Island</b>

Anglers from <b>E-Z Catch Saltwater Traps & Tackle Co.</b> mostly fished the Arthur Kill at night for cocktail blues 3 to 6 pounds, and striped bass that weighed in the teens that were mixed in, Patrick Scaglione said. They mostly fished along the St. George Fishing Pier near the ferry with cut bunker or clams, and some started to fish with cut butterfish. To catch the bass, they headed out at 2 or 3 a.m., dead-sticking along the side of the pier. Snapper blues and porgies were plucked from along the pier. Spearing or Snapper Poppers clocked the snappers, and sandworms socked the porgies. Tons of fluke blanketed bottom along the pier. Most were shorts in New York’s large size limit, and there was good action. One angler so far landed 161 fluke including one keeper. Freshwater fishing was very good on Staten Island, and most of the waters were city ponds, so the angling was catch and release. Silver Lake, a deep reservoir surrounded by rocks, was one top spot. A 9-pound largemouth bass came from there last year, and a 7-1/2-pounder was pancaked there this year. At this time of year, anglers waited for the bass to move into the shallows at night, combing the rocks for baitfish and rock bass. Silver was also a spot for good catches of sunnies, like with the kids. Saltwater bait stocked at the shop includes sandworms, herring, bunker, spearing, clam and squid. Nightcrawlers are carried for freshwater.  The shop is also a <b><i>premier manufacturer and supplier of saltwater traps</i></b> for wholesale and commercial. Custom building and servicing of fish, lobster and any traps is provided at the customer’s own specifications. See the online <a href="http://www.e-zcatch.com/catalog" target="_blank">catalog of traps</a>. The store is a PVC-coated and galvanized Riverdale wire distributor, and is also a train store.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Fishing for fluke improved since sometimes tough fishing for them toward the end of last week and beginning of this week, said Capt. Tom from the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>. The angling was tough on the morning trips Sunday and Monday, covered in the last report. Catches were okay on Tuesday mornings’ trip, giving up lots of action with shorts, and some keepers. A couple of anglers bagged two, and some bagged none, but everyone hooked at least shorts, and the fishing overall was decent. Tuesday afternoon’s fishing wasn’t as good, and the weather was stormy, and the anglers made the most of it, catching a few keepers, and some shorts. Both of Wednesday’s trips were slow, and the afternoon’s fluke fishing was better than the morning’s. Basically in the last days shorts started biting again, and when that happens, more keepers are caught, so the fluking improved. The Atlantic Star is fishing for fluke on two trips daily 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. <b>***Update, Saturday, 8/13:***</b> Trips aboard Friday started fluking at Ambrose Channel, when conditions allowed, and the angling was pretty nice, Tom said. Lots of shorts but some keepers bit. When conditions soured at the channel, like the drift became too fast, or winds blew perpendicular to the drift, or the lines became tangled, trips simply left, and fished the bay. And that all worked out. Shorts and keepers bit at both places, and both held fluke, and having the option to fish either, depending on conditions, was fortunate. Tom tells anglers to bring two rods aboard: a heavier one to fish the deeper channel with heavier weights, and a lighter rod to fish the bay. Anglers can stow the unused rod up top. <b>***Another Update, Saturday, 8/13:***</b> Was a good day of fishing aboard today, Tom said. Both trips fished both the channels and the bay, working the channels until currents became too fast, then hitting the bay. Plenty of action on shorts and a fair number of keepers were crunched. One angler bagged six keepers on the morning trip, and the high hook probably bagged three on the afternoon trip, but the afternoon trip gave up a better spread of keepers around the boat, was a somewhat better trip. Anglers who fished aboard last week and hooked no keepers took some keepers on this afternoon’s trip. Was a nice day all around, Tom said, and was good to see the fish in both areas: the channels and the bay. If conditions like a rough ocean happened in the channels, a trip could shoot into the bay to catch. Some anglers like to fish the deeper waters of the channels, but Tom saw no difference in the size of the fish at either place. A good number of 17-some-inchers, just under the 18-inch size limit, swam both places.

A 10-1/2-pound fluke was crushed Tuesday aboard the party boat <b>Fishermen</b>, Capt. Ron said in a report on the vessel’s Web site. “Fish had to be 3 inches thick,” Ron said, and was Fred Poniewozik from Passaic’s personal best, after 50 years of fluking. The trip fished the ocean. “Waited all day for the change of tide bite,” Ron said. “Finally got it late, and the bite was on! Good action on shorts and keepers.” Winds blew against the tide most of the day, hampering the angling, “but we still put keepers in the coolers,” Ron said. Some of the anglers, including Poniewozik, bagged four keepers. “Certainly didn't let a couple ‘tough days’ of fishing last week keep us down,” Ron said in the report that day. Today’s trip, the next trip covered in the report, hustled to get out, “knowing we only had a short window with the change of tide and northwest wind,” Ron said. Customers started catching right away, until the drift became too fast. The trip ran south, scoring a decent pick of smaller fluke. Then the outing ran north, finishing the day with another good drift. A 7-pound fluke was the pool winner. Capt. Ron Sr. put five keepers in the box, including a 5-pounder. The Fishermen is sailing for fluke 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and 3:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. However, this Friday morning’s trip is chartered.

Good catches of fluke were rustled up from Raritan Bay to the ocean, said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s bait & Tackle</b> Bottom fishers cranked in plenty of ling and many cod, more cod than in winter, it seemed. The bottom trips began to ice porgies and better catches of sea bass than before. How’s bluefishing? “That’s another story,” Jimmy said. Some were around, but blues were somewhat elusive. Seemed like on one evening blues were caught, and on the next five evenings, they weren’t. Jimmy saw no blues or other fish chasing the bunker he caught for bait. He only saw cownosed rays. But snapper blues bit. “For those snapper lovers,” Jimmy smiled. Sand porgies hovered locally. Crabbing was super on the Navesink and Shrewsbury rivers.

<b>Highlands</b>

Aboard with <b>Fisher Price Charters</b> fluke, good catches, were bucktailed with big strip baits along the ocean rough bottom, Capt. Derek said. On bottom-fishing trips aboard, anglers lifted in ling, somewhat more sea bass than before, and short cod with a few keepers mixed in. Derek scoped out the bluefin tuna fishing grounds on a friend’s boat Tuesday,  was keeping in tune with the fishing on trips in the past weeks, and the fishing was slow on this outing. Waters were greenish, though birds and life were seen, and the trip covered grounds from the Texas Tower to the Atlantic Princess wreck. Derek knew about two yellowfin tuna and one or two bluefins caught among the fleet that day. Anglers can call Derek if interested in the fishing, and he’ll be offering tuna trips to inshore grounds like that. Fisher Price’s next open-boat trip for fluke – Bring Your Own Bucktail or BYOB – is set for Saturday. Call to climb aboard or to be kept informed about future open dates.

Angling for fluke wasn’t so good during the weekend because of conditions like strong winds, said Capt. Dave from <b>Raritan Bay Charters</b>. But with forecasts for better weather, the catches should be better this weekend. His trips are fluking along the channels, and space is available on trips Saturday and Sunday. Open-boat trips are fluking when no charter is booked.

Boaters from the docks steamed for fluke, said Wayne from <b>Twin Lights Marina</b>. Jake Rozell bagged six keepers today, saying the keeper ratio was 1 in 15, Wayne thought. Rozell simply took a fishing trip, looking for whatever could be caught, from Raritan Bay to the ocean. He ran into blues on the ocean, not the bay, catching them. Walter Rhodes landed one keeper fluke and nine shorts near the Navy Pier. George Grimshaw took one keeper and released shorts. Gene Graham and outdoor writer Al Ristori boated six keeper fluke. Graham, the marina’s striped bass expert, kept trying for stripers lately, but not much was happening with the linesiders, Wayne thought. The charter boat Hyper Striper, sailing from the marina, is supposed to run for tuna Friday. The captain reportedly said a trip aboard sailed Sunday for tuna, but waters were green all the way to just short of Hudson Canyon. So places closer to shore like the Chicken Canyon, where tuna fishing had been hopping before, became slow for the angling. Another angler from the docks plans to head for tuna Friday, and said the same: blue waters were east of the Chicken, and inshore waters were churned up. The last time Wayne sailed for tuna, catching bluefins, the Chicken was full of life like turtles and whales, and tuna. But with different winds blowing now, maybe areas like the Chicken will clear up. Crabbing was phenomenal at places like the Oceanic Bridge and even Red Bank. Big blueclaws hovered all around the pilings at the marina. Crabbing was probably prime time. All the baits like killies, frozen spearing and Peruvian smelts are stocked, and offshore baits like flats of sardines are fully carried.

<b>Neptune</b>

Sea bass, fluke and ling were rustled aboard from the ocean today with <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b>, Capt. Ralph said. A keeper cod was dusted on the charter, he thought. On the weekly individual-reservation fluke trip Wednesday, fluke were caught, and not a lot were keepers, but there was lots of action. A cod trip Monday, covered in the last report, clobbered the fish. Anglers should book trips now, because spots were filling. One or two spaces remain on an individual-reservation, inshore trolling trip for mahi mahi, Spanish mackerel, bonito and tuna, up to 30 miles from shore, this coming Thursday. The outing will bottom fish at a wreck, “if we strike out on the troll,” Ralph said. One or two spaces are open for an individual-reservation trip for cod and pollock at the offshore wrecks, on Monday, August 29. More of the trips will run on the Mondays of September 12 and 25. A couple of spots are left for an individual-reservation, overnight tuna trip to the canyons Wednesday to Thursday, August 24 to 25. Individual-reservation trips for fluke and sea bass are sailing every Wednesday, and kids under 12 are free with an adult, limited to two per adult.

<b>Belmar</b>

The boat was drifting on the ocean off Long Branch at 7 p.m. Wednesday when Capt. Jared from <b>Fin-Ominal Sportfishing</b> gave this report over the phone on the outing, he said. The evening was beautiful, and the anglers were catching. Fluke and a few sea bass made up catches on trips aboard lately, and the outings mostly sailed twice a day. The schedule was busy today through Monday and beyond, too. The fishing was good, averaging 12 keeper fluke per outing. Not a lot of sea bass were bagged, because most sea bass were short where the trips fished close to shore. An 8-pound fluke was whaled on the boat Wednesday. Fin-Ominal takes pride in providing trips for anglers from experts to the inexperienced, and is sailing for fluke, sea bass, big game and whatever fish are biting and in season.

Bluefishing on the ocean was inconsistent, tying into good catches one day and terrible the next, in the same area, a report on the party boat <b>Golden Eagle</b>’s We site said Tuesday. Plenty of the fish were around, and the catches were gradually improving, and should keep getting better. Mondays are double-coupon days: Bring a competitor’s coupon for up to $5 off, and the value will be doubled on the Golden Eagle, up to $10 off. The Golden Eagle is bluefishing daily 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m.

Fluke fishing had been up and down on the ocean on trips aboard, but became much better on Tuesday, and very good on Wednesday, said Capt. Chris from the party boat <b>Big Mohawk</b>. One day’s fluking aboard was bad in recent days, but the summer flounder seemed to begin biting again now, so that was good. An 8-pound fluke was the pool-winner on Wednesday’s trip. Anglers on deck worked the rough bottom, and bucktails with Gulps worked great on the flatfish. A few sea bass, good-sized ones, began to be mixed in. A 4-1/2-pound sea bass was boated aboard Wednesday. The Big Mohawk is fishing for fluke 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

Party boat fluke fishing on the ocean was the bright light, said Bob from <b>Fishermen’s Den</b>. No big fluke were weighed in, and a 6-pounder checked in today was the largest this week, though lots of big fluke to larger than 12 pounds hit the scale last week. Lots of fluke paved Shark River, but lots were shorts, many of them 17 to 17 ¾ inches, just under the 18-inch size limit. Plenty of snappers filled the river, and the river held kingfish, porgies and a mess of spots. Party boat bluefishing was very sporadic on the ocean. The angling might be good two nights, then two nights produce nothing. Crabbing was good everywhere.

<b>Brielle</b>

Anglers aboard picked away at better-sized fluke along the edges of ocean rough bottom on Wednesday morning’s trip on the party boat <b>Jamaica II</b>, Capt. Ryan said. Stacy Kovacs won the trip’s pool and took the lead in the monthly pool with an 8-pound 1-ounce fluke that pounced on a 3/8-ounce Spro jig with a spearing. Donnito Patrick cleaned up on six keepers to 5 pounds, and Dave Tootchen put the brakes on five keepers. Fluking was a struggle on the afternoon’s trip because of conditions, “too fast (of a drift) mostly,” Ryan said, and the anglers picked some fluke. “(A) large fluke (is) due soon,” Ryan said. The Jamaica II is sailing for fluke and sea bass on two half-day trips daily 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays  A full-day trip is fishing for fluke 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. every Monday. A bluefishing trip is running 7:30 p.m. to 3:30 a.m. every Saturday.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

Fishing was slow on the most recent midshore, mixed-bag trips for bluefin tuna and other big game with <b>Andrea’s Toy Charters</b>, Capt. Fred said. But that can always change, and on the last one of the trips, on Monday, mahi mahi were bagged, and bluefin bites were missed. That happens sometimes, and the crew tried to coach the anglers and warn them about the keys to hooking up, but the anglers missed the opportunities. That happened on two of the trips so far this year. But the anglers did box mahi, so they had fish to take home. Andrea’s Toy is mostly sailing on open-boat mixed-bag trips midshore and offshore. The trips target fish like bluefin tuna, yellowfin tuna, mahi, sharks, swordfish, cod, pollock and tilefish, all in one outing. Anglers can call for info on the unique, annual fishing. Andrea’s Toy specializes in mixed-bag fishing for greater fun, better chances of hooking up and more variety for dinner.

One of the open-boat Fluke Till You Puke Trips sailed today on the ocean with <b>Reel Class Charters</b>, Capt. Allen said in a report on the vessel’s Web site. Twenty-two keeper fluke, two keeper sea bass, a ling and a dozen cocktail blues were creamed. “We had a very productive day,” Allen said, and the six anglers went home with healthy sacks of fillets. A 5-pounder was the biggest fluke, and four of the fluke weighed 4 to 5 pounds, and the rest were 18 to 20 inches. The high hook bagged five fluke, and one of the other anglers bagged four. A total of 75 fluke, including throwbacks, were landed. The trip at first ran northeast, “a few miles to our reef,” Allen said. But only short fluke were found, though trips found keepers there the last few weeks. Then the trip pushed north, fishing off Asbury Park to Elberon, and better catches, shorts with a keeper here and there, began. Winds started honking at 2 p.m., so the trip finished up fishing along the beach, picking at shorts and one more sizeable keeper. Charters are fishing, and check out <a href=" http://www.reelclassfishing.com/rates/open-boat-info" target="_blank">Reel Class’s open-boat page</a> online.

Ocean fluke fishing was slow Saturday “because of the blow,” said Capt. Matt from the party boat <b>Norma K III</b>. But the catches seemed to improve each day. Quite a few shorts and an okay number of keepers were claimed, and the fishing depended on the weather. On a trip aboard Tuesday afternoon in the rainstorm, the fluking was slow, but the catches were better on the morning’s trip in better weather, for example. A 9-pound 6-ounce fluke was leading the monthly pool. On the vessel’s nighttime bluefishing trips, catches had been slow until a couple of nights ago. Then blues, 6- to 12-pounders, started to be knuckled aboard again, all on bait –  bunker and butterfish – not on jigs. A new body of blues seemed to be moving in. The Norma K III is fluke fishing twice daily 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and is bluefishing daily 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m.

<i>Some</i> sea bass, and ling and cod, were shoveled aboard the party boat <b>Dauntless</b>, Capt. Butch said. Trips also took some of the first shots at porgies this season, landing a few. Triggerfish were also taken on the porgy grounds. Trips fished in depths from 50 to 200 feet, targeting the shallower depths for sea bass, porgies and triggers, and the deeper waters for ling and cod. The water surface was 75 degrees, and a diver said the bottom was 45 degrees. The chilly bottom was the reason cod were still caught this season, and out-of-season winter flounder bit. Plenty of flounder bit in certain areas, and they were big: 2 to 5 pounds, a size anglers will never see in the rivers, where anglers fish for them when the season for flounder is open in springtime. Bluefishing turned okay the last two nights on the boat’s trips for them. The fishing began to pick up during those days, and was better than last week’s poor fishing for blues. The blues now were big: 8 to 12 pounds. The Dauntless is bottom fishing 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily and bluefishing 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. daily.

<b>Toms River</b>

Barnegat Bay around the BB and BI markers turned out fluke, lots of shorts, an occasional keeper, said Lou from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. The bay closer to Barnegat Inlet also gave them up, and blowfish were nipped at the BB and BI. Very few weakfish were heard about. Manasquan River harbored lots of short fluke and a few keepers, and shorts and a few keepers were beached from the surf on bucktails with Gulps or teaser rigs. On the ocean quite a few keeper fluke were whaled at Sea Girt Reef. Lou heard lots of boaters fluked at Axel Carlson Reef today, but not about results. Nothing was heard about Barnegat Ridge on the ocean. Lots of snapper blues schooled the Toms River. Crabbing was good on the Toms and at Good Luck Point and the Route 37 Bridge.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

Plenty of snapper blues schooled around the docks, and kingfish were sometimes plucked from the waters today, said Scott from <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>. Crabbing somewhat slowed. In the surf, fluke fishing was fairly good. At the Seaside Heights Casino Pier, cocktail blues and hickory shad were pumped in. Killies, fresh clams, fresh bunker, eels and the complete line of baits is stocked. Catch Wacky Wednesdays, featuring clams for $2.75 per dozen. The Dock’s rental boats and jet skis are available.

<b>Seaside Park</b>

Big sea bass really started to chew, said Capt. Rob “Birch” Birchmeier from <b>Fishguts Inshore Charters</b> in a report on the boat’s Web site. “Quality has been the rule on the last few trips,” he said. Sea bass 14 to 16 inches were the norm, and plenty of 2-1/2- to 3-pounders were punched, “to really top off some great days,” Birch said. On Monday the three anglers aboard limited out on sea bass easily, putting together one of the season’s best catches of big ones in a limit so far. Seven ling were also iced “for a nice bonus,” Birch said. On the trip, large sea bass bit steadily in good conditions with calm seas. One was 4 pounds, and six topped 3 pounds, and 20 were more than 2 pounds “for an awesome box of summer sea bass,” Birch said. On Tuesday three other anglers climbed aboard, and the hope was for a repeat. They were on their way to a boxful of sea bass, when an approaching storm forced the trip to return early, beating the rains. But they did pile up 58 keeper sea bass to 2.9 pounds and three ling. Most of the sea bass were 14 inches, and only two of the first 40 keepers needed to be measured. A father and son on Wednesday sailed on the boat for a combo of wreck fishing and fluke fishing on the ocean. They began to swing aboard a good pick of mixed-sized sea bass, including some big ones to 2.8 pounds. Sea bassing slowed, but cod, blackfish ling and fluke were bagged. Then the anglers made a few stops specifically for fluke, fishing the inshore lumps, but not much bit. “So the guys were more than happy to finish the day hammering on some nice, quality-sized sea bass,” Birch said. The trip totaled 30 keeper sea bass, two keeper cod, one 15-inch blackfish, a 19-inch fluke and two ling, “for a nice mixed bag of tasty fillets,” Birch said. The size of the sea bass that now moved in was just awesome, he said in a phone call. Anglers to the north started to catch sea bass,  so the fish started snapping everywhere with recent east winds.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Lots of fluke, lots of small ones, were tugged from Barnegat Bay, and more keepers were around as the season went on, said John from <b>Bobbie’s Boat Rentals</b>. More keepers than before began to be boated on the ocean, and more of the legal-sized summer flounder blanketed the ocean than the bay, but larger numbers of fluke carpeted the bay. Sizeable blackfish were bombed along the Barnegat Inlet rocks. A 10-pounder and an 8-pounder were weighed in during the last two weeks. Striped bass were hooked along the inlet rocks, but anglers had to fish early in the mornings with the right tackle. Even then, the angling was hit or miss. Lots of blues ran the inlet and bay. Quite a few small blowfish swam off the shop, and big ones were probably beaten on the bay. Not much was heard about weakfish and kingfish. Crabbing was a little slow but improved, and a 5-gallon bucketful was the best catch, and a bunch of people on one of the rental pontoon boats nabbed them. Not a lot of rental boaters clammed, but one trip did, limiting out. Brown sharks were probably caught and released, by law, in the surf. On the ocean all the sea bass and angler could want could be boxed, if a trip fished the right wreck. Nothing was heard about Barnegat Ridge. Bluefin and yellowfin tuna were gaffed at the Chicken Canyon. A captain the other day reported docking a couple of bigeye tuna from the canyons farther from shore. Bobbie’s rents tiller motor boats, center consoles and pontoon boats for fishing and crabbing. Single and tandem kayaks are available for rent at the shop or your location. Bobbie’s, the closest marina to the inlet, also features a tackle shop. The store is known for local-caught live and fresh bait. Live spots are always on hand, and minnows, live clams, fresh bunker and the full supply of baits, including spearing and squid, is carried. Quarts of live grass shrimp are available, and call ahead to order them at least a day ahead, and the earlier the better.

<b>Surf City</b>

Surf catches were somewhat slow, but kingfish were beached, said Sue from <b>Surf City Bait & Tackle</b>. Fluke were landed from the surf, but catching a keeper was difficult. Sea robins, occasional weakfish, rays and sometimes dogfish came from the surf. On the bay, fishing for snapper blues and blowfish went well, and crabbing was fine. The Harvey Cedars kids fishing tournament will take place Saturday. Check out the shop’s <b><i>free surf-fishing classes</i></b> at 6 to 7 p.m. Sundays in the parking lot. The classes are informal, and bring a beach chair to sit, and are very informative, Sue said. The classes focus on fishing that’s happening now in the surf, covering everything from the bait, tackle and rods to how to cast. Keep up with the latest news in <a href="http://www.surfcitybaitandtackle.com/" target="_blank">Surf City Bait & Tackle’s fishing reports</a> on the shop’s Web site. Or keep in touch on <a href=" http://www.facebook.com/pages/Surf-City-Bait-and-Tackle/207533229268619
" target="_blank">Surf City Bait & Tackle’s Facebook page</a>.

<b>Tuckerton</b>

<b>Legal Limit Charters</b> ran for summer flounder, putting up fairly good catches, lots of sizeable keepers, from 60 feet in the ocean, Capt. T.J. said. About 1 in 15 was a keeper, “so not too bad,” T.J. said. All trips fished for fluke lately, and none steamed for tuna offshore, and T.J. heard nothing about offshore in the past days. The next open-boat fluke/bottom-fishing trips will sail next week, and one was fishing today. When the dates of the trips are finalized, they’re posted on Legal Limit’s <a href=" http://www.legallimitcharters.com/open-boat.php" target="_blank">open-boat page</a> online.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

Was a weird week, said Scott from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>, since the stock market crashed. Business dropped off, so reports became scarce, so knowing what fishing was like became difficult. But summer flounder, when not a lot of boat traffic was around, were sometimes angled on Great Bay along the channel between 114 to 114A. Not so much was heard about the flatfish from Little Egg Inlet. The few who fished the ocean located flounder inshore of Little Egg Reef and at the Rutgers buoys. But the ocean fishing was inconsistent, turning on one day, and not another, depending on conditions like too much winds, or not enough. Nobody reported fishing for sea bass and tog on the ocean. But fishing became busy for kingfish, blowfish, sea bass, porgies, snapper blues and sea robins on the bay at the clam stakes on the Mystic Island side of the fish factory. That’s a fishery that takes off every year around the second week of August, and the action was on schedule. There was a lack of reports about shark fishing on the bay since Saturday. But one angler waxed good fishing for the sharks, like big sand sharks and brown sharks that must be released by law, Saturday. White perch reports began rolling in, and Scott knew about no specific locations, but customers seemed happy with the perching. Nacote Creek and Ballangers Creek were likely spots. Nobody mentioned Roundabout Creek, but that’s another place that should turn out perch this time of year. Fresh clams are stocked, and bloodworms ran out, because of increased demand, but will be restocked today or Friday.

<b>Absecon</b>

The ocean held many of the summer flounder now, and the fish also staged at Absecon Inlet, but dredging at the inlet made the angling there hit or miss, said Curt from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. But the signs were apparent that the fluke were migrating to the ocean. Flounder bit in the ocean at places like the inshore wrecks or even farther out, like 12 miles off at AC Reef. Many waters in the bay this time of year become too warm to hold good fishing. So in the back waters, catches tend to come from the rivers or junctions, like cuts or areas where freshwater meets salt. Curt caught 1- to 2-pound blues in the Mullica River, and surely the blues schooled in other areas around the bay. He pounded good fishing for white perch around the river. A few weakfish, none big, but keepers 15 or 16 inches, were around in the back waters. A few reports mentioned striped bass catches in the bay at night. An eeling bite on stripers took off at night when waters cooled a moment. But now waters were warming. A 25-pound striper was weighed in last week, and was eeled at night, if Curt knew correctly. Tog and exotic fish like triggerfish, rudderfish and sand perch were tabbed in the outer parts of the bay along structure. Bait that was around in the bay included peanut bunker, finger mullet and corn cob mullet. But finding the corn cobs took looking. Mahi mahi and fish like that were boated on the ocean, depending on water clarity and temperatures. Clear, warm waters were the ticket. When east winds blew a couple of days, conditions seemed to become right. Sustained west winds seemed to turn off the fishing, creating cold, dirty waters. Even flounder fishing seemed to slow then. Crabbing was very good. Live spots, eels, shedder crabs, bloodworms, clams and lots of other baits are stocked. Live peanut bunker are carried at times, and call ahead to find out if they are.

<b>Brigantine</b>

In the surf kingfish, summer flounder and brown sharks were clipped, said Capt. Andy from <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>. He’d recommend bloodworms for the kings, and FishBites artificial worms caught, but nothing solid was heard about results with them. The flounder swam in no great numbers, but were there. The brown sharks, limited to catch and release by law, were often jabbed at dusk or dawn on kingfish heads. Mackerel will also work on them, and night is always a time to search for surf sharks. Spots moved in, were clapped on drifted bloodworms. Sierra Goodman checked in a 2-pound flounder boated on the bay. Take the kids to the annual Hooked on Fishing surf-fishing tournament on Saturday, August 20. Registration is at 8 to 9 a.m. at the 16th Street beach entrance, where a parking lot is conveniently located. The first 100 kids to register will get a free rod and reel. The Coast Guard will drop a swimmer in the waters who paddles to the beach at the end of the event. The tournament will feature treats like free hot dogs, and is always fun.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

Surf anglers banked kingfish and spots on bloodworms, said Noel from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. Triggerfish and tog chomped crabs along the jetties. A sizeable sheepshead was weighed in. Croakers and a few sea bass, not many, were toggled in from the T-jetty. Really good summer flounder fishing and bluefishing was axed from the sea wall. Dunk minnows, spearing and squid for the flounder. Bait in local waters included spearing and finger mullet. Snapper blues, a great flounder bait, schooled. The full supply of baits is stocked.

<b>Margate</b>

On the back-water trips on the party boat <b>Keeper</b>, lots of summer flounder were around, and the fishing dropped off for many boats over the weekend, because of stormy weather, but was better on Wednesday morning’s trip aboard, Capt. John said. Waters cleared a lot, and many of the fluke were shorts, and a few were keepers. Schools of blues were sometimes seen on the bay, and no blues were hooked on the boat. But John expects more to show up any time. Snapper blues were landed on trips, though. Minnows, provided on the boat, and Gulps, that customers brought, grabbed many of the flounder. Mackerel was provided on trips, and worked, but will probably not be carried much longer, because mackerel attracted baby sea bass to bite that filled the waters. The Keeper is fishing for summer flounder twice daily 8 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The fare is only $24 per adult for the 4-hour trips.

<b>Ocean City</b>

Summer flounder fishing was slowing down in the back bay, but was decent at the ocean reefs, nothing special, but doling out some sizeable ones, said Nick from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. Snapper bluefish began to appear maybe 200 yards off the coast. Tons of bunker schooled the ocean, and sometimes sharks were spotted among them. Kingfishing became lots better in the surf, and spots showed up there. Striped bass, juvenile, non-migrating, resident fish, were honked from the bay along structure like bridges or the sod banks in the evenings, mostly on artificials, not bait. Soft-plastic and top-water lures worked. Offshore fishing was spotty for tuna and white marlin, churning out catches mostly at the southern canyons. Mahi mahi fishing was steady, not too bad, offshore. Crabbing had been very good, then slowed, but seemed to be picking up again.  

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Snapper blues that showed up full force were a big thing, said Mike from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. The snappers swam everywhere from the back bay to the inlets to 3 miles off the inlets. Anglers fought them like at the docks on small Kastmasters or spoons. Boaters even trolled them off the inlet on lures like tiny Clark spoons, Kastmasters or Hopkins. Snappers even bit in the surf on baits meant for summer flounder like mackerel or minnows. A few flounder still swam the back bay, but were mostly small, and good reports about flounder catches were heard from the ocean at Townsend’s Inlet Reef, Ocean City Reef and Wildwood Reef. A few good-sized sea bass were mixed in. Striped bass fishing was excellent on the bay on popper lures at dusk the last couple of days. Ideal tides, high tides at dusk, were happening. Several mentions about weakfish catches were heard from the bay, both during the daytime on bucktails with worms or Gulps, and at night under the lights. The trout were small but seemed to swim in decent numbers. One angler landed 18. Crabbing was excellent. “That’s the best way to put it,” Mike said. Inshore sharks, like duskies and browns, were scattered. An angler might release a couple here and there. Be sure to know the shark laws, like that browns must be let go. At the offshore grounds, tuna and white marlin were caught but scattered, and mahi mahi were gaffed.

Six or seven dusky and brown sharks, including three big duskies 80, 90 and 100 pounds, were wrestled and released with Tom Moller and crew on one of the inshore sharking trips aboard Monday, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b>, affiliated with <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. The fish were big. “It was fun,” Joe said. The trips, catch and release angling within 10 miles from the coast, are an opportunity to land big fish, often the biggest of a lifetime, on either fly rods or conventional rods, without the long ride offshore. An offshore trip to the tip of Wilmington Canyon aboard Tuesday with George Hand had three white marlin bites and bailed more than a dozen mahi mahi, including two nearly 30 pounds apiece. Big, gaffer mahi bit all day, including six on at a time. Waters were 79 degrees and blue, holding scattered weeds. On the offshore grounds lately white marlin fishing was great, and plenty of mahi swam, and tuna fishing was great but sporadic. Tuna catches were almost luck of the draw. On Tuesday aboard Bob Rhoda’s group found inshore sharking slow, but a 50-pound blacktip and a brown were released, and a big dusky, probably larger than 80 pounds, broke off. Ideal tides, high tides at dusk, were coming back around this week for striped bass fishing on the back bay with popper plugs and flies, one of the specialties for Jersey Cape. Heads up: Limited space remains for Jersey Cape’s annual trips to Montauk for the fall migration of striped bass, blues and false albacore. The trips fish the legendary run the last two weekends of September and first two of October.  See the <a href=" http://www.captainjoehughes.com/page4.html" target="_blank">traveling charters page</a> on Jersey Cape’s Web site. Keep up on Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s blog</a>.

<b>Wildwood</b>

Catches were decent aboard the ocean the past couple of days on the party boat <b>Adventurer</b>, Capt. Gary said. Somewhat more keeper summer flounder were looted than before when trips drifted along the bottom, and good catches of sea bass were slugged when trips anchored at the reefs. Small bluefish were mixed in when the daytime trips fished closer to the beach. The nighttime weekly bluefishing trip was weathered out Saturday. Open-boat trips are sailing for summer flounder and sea bass daily when no charter is booked, and open trips for blues are running every Saturday night.

At <b>Canal Side Boat Rentals</b> catches were fairly good all around, “so really can’t complain,” Mike said. Back-bay action with summer flounder, lots of shorts, not a lot of keepers, was good. Snapper blues began to show up in the bay, and weakfish catches were being heard about from the waters. The weaks were spikes 12 to 14 inches. Nobody mentioned striped bass in a while. Crabbing could be somewhat better, and gave up lots of shorts, not a lot of keepers. A couple of dozen keepers per trip were caught on average. If crabbing becomes good, that’ll probably happen in September, when the blueclaws have grown.  Canal Side rents canopy boats and kayaks for fishing, crabbing and sightseeing. Baits stocked include minnows, and the price was currently great: $5 per pint including tax, compared with $8 before tax at many stores. Frozen squid strips, whole squid, spearing, mackerel fillets, mullet, clam strips and packaged clams are on hand. Live crabs are available for eating, and No. 1’s are currently stocked for $23 per dozen, and No. 2’s are currently carried for $12 per dozen.

<b>Cape May</b>

On the party boat <b>Porgy IV</b> summer flounder fishing improved a bit, giving up somewhat more action, and somewhat more keepers, Capt. Paul said. He hopes it continues. Trips fished both the ocean and off Cape May Point, and catches included Mark Waddell from Mantua’s four keepers to 5 pounds. What’s more, Mark just moved from Dodge City, Kansas, and this was his first time on the boat. “Pretty good for a beginner, huh?” Capt. Paul asked. Catches also included Carl Keehfus’s 6-pound pool-winner, Phil Hughes’s 6-1/4-pound flounder the next day, Mike Wolf’s three keepers to 6 pounds, Beatrice from Lindenwold’s 6-pounder, and Dave Brehm’s four keepers. The Porgy IV is sailing for summer flounder 8 a.m. daily.

<b>***Update, Friday, 8/12:***</b> The back bay and the waters off Cape May Point served up summer flounder, good catches, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. Off the point, kingfish, lots of spike weakfish, and croakers could be mixed in. On Delaware Bay, good flounder fishing came from up north toward Fortescue. Check out Viper Spoons that newly arrived at the shop. The spoons are fished on a rig, putting a beating on flounder. Inshore trolling was great from 10 miles from shore to farther out for fish like mahi mahi, bonito, false albacore and, even farther out, wahoos and yellowfin tuna. A spotter plane saw bluefin tuna at McCrae’s Shoal. One customer was bottom fishing at Cape May Reef, saw mahi holding under a sea-bass-pot buoy, and tackled some good-sized mahi. White and blue marlin swam the canyons farther offshore. A blue marlin was landed at Baltimore Canyon on Thursday. Nick heard about the fish, caught on another boat, while he fished near the canyon that day. His trip reeled in some big mahi in 40 fathoms just inshore of the Baltimore. The biggest mahi swiped a 9-inch Sluggo. Minnows, big, beautiful bloodworms, and all the frozen baits for inshore and offshore are stocked.

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