<b>Keyport</b>

Catches of big fluke were heard about every day from all over Raritan Bay, Cheryl Salus from <b>Crabby’s Bait & Tackle</b> said in a fax. Buoys 19 and 20 at Reach Channel were a hot spot, and Joe Fischler weighed in a 9.2-pound fluke from the Reach. Seth Krupa, 12, fishing with his dad on a trip, pancaked a 9.1-pound fluke at the 11A at the Reach, and a 6.8-pounder at the TC buoy. He used a plain fluke rig with 4-inch, chartreuse Gulp swimming mullets with a killie. Lots of fluke were boated at the Naval Pier, the Keyport Flats and buoy 1. Gulps definitely caught on for fluke bait, and anglers fished them in a variety of ways. Tipping a 4-inch Gulp swimming mullet on a Spro bucktail worked well. Cheryl saw someone land a 9-pound fluke and six more keepers while fishing a high-low rig with a Spro with the swimming mullet on the bottom and a killie and a Gulp on the second hook above. Bluefish were around, and some anglers bunker chunked their fair share while anchored “right past the sail boats,” Cheryl said. Blues were banked at night at Cliffwood and Union beaches, and stingrays also swam there. Crabbing was excellent, and remember to check in big crabs for the shop’s free, season-long crabbing contest.  A 7-3/4-incher was in the lead so far. Plus, “Keep those weigh ins coming,” Cheryl said. “We love them!”

Thirteen keeper fluke to 8.6 pounds were cracked on a trip aboard Saturday, and eight keepers to 21 inches were shellacked on a shorter trip aboard Sunday, with <b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b>, Capt. Joe said. Both trips, fishing at Reach Channel, were covered in the last report, and open fluke trips, either 7 hours or, fishing at deeper waters, 8 hours, are available daily, when no charter is booked. So are open fluke trips 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Call to reserve.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Good fluke fishing was socked from Raritan Bay to the ocean, said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. A few weakfish were heard about from the river, and plenty of snapper blues schooled waters like the river. Bottom fishers crunched healthy catches of ling and cod at the Mudhole. Sea bassing started to improve on bottom trips. Jimmy, a bottom fisher, hadn’t tried for blackfish in some time, but would give them a shot soon, and surely the tog could be hooked. A few bluefish were around. “That’s all I can say,” Jimmy said. “I wish there were more.” Crabbing just kept getting better.

Anglers aboard were enjoying fluke fishing, sometimes landing keepers, said Capt. Tom from the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>. Trips fished at Reach channel, and action was great, and a tremendous number of short fluke, including lots of 17- and 17-1/2-inchers, an inch or half-inch undersized, were around. But sometimes anglers brought in keepers. Some customers in the past several days bagged three or four keepers apiece, and some boated no keepers. Some reeled in 20 or 25 fluke, including one keeper or none. Conditions were terrific for an incredibly long time, or winds and currents created a good drift. Wednesday afternoon’s conditions were the worst in a while, but a few fluke, including a 6-pounder, managed to be bucketed aboard. 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.

Flags stood straight out to the east, so Capt. Ron from the party boat <b>Fishermen</b> knew the ocean would be out for fluke fishing today, he said in a report on the vessel’s Web site. With incoming tide set to come in during most of the morning, and the new-moon current, “we had to go to Plan B,” he said. The day’s trip fished locally. Fluking at Reach Channel aboard was tough, “with a pretty good roll and short fish,” Ron said. The boat was moved to the Ammo Pier, and the anglers picked away at fluke each drift. “Not hot fishing by any means,” he said, “but we did put some nice keepers in the boat.” The high hook bagged four “beauties,” Ron said. A 4-pounder had been the pool fish, until another angler hit a 6-pounder to win. Ron attempted to fish the ocean on the change of tide, but the roll was too much, and the trip finished the day on the bay. Wednesday’s trip fished the ocean, and the anglers picked away at fluke. The high hook bagged five, and a 5-pounder was the pool winner. Tuesday’s trip began with poor conditions, and lots of tangles. When outgoing tide got going, the fluking turned on. “Not the hot bite (like the previous couple of days),” Ron said, “but some decent action to end on a positive note.” Vinny Vintastic creamed five sizeable keepers, and won the pool with a 4-1/2-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, the morning trip is chartered this Friday.

<b>Highlands</b>

On inshore trips, fishing for fluke was good aboard, “and also blues have shown up again,” said Capt. Pete from the <b>Hyper Striper</b> in an e-mail. Offshore trips on deck plowed good catches of bluefin tuna on the chunk and jigs. “Now is the time for tuna,” Pete said.

One boater from the docks said about 20 keeper fluke were waxed on his trip today, said Wayne from <b>Twin Lights Marina</b>. Fluke anglers had to work for keepers, sorting through throwbacks, but sometimes hit good catches, from Raritan Bay to the ocean. Snapper blues schooled the back waters, and bigger blues were around. Lots of crabs skittered around the docks. Tuna were around, and not a lot was heard about them, and winds were too strong to sail for them today, and the effects of the season’s first hurricane are supposed to pummel the coast Sunday to Monday. But catches like bluefin tuna came from areas like the Chicken Canyon. Greg Schnell bagged a 46-inch bluefin at the Glory Hole. Killies and the full supply of frozen baits are on hand. All the offshore baits, like tons of flats of sardines that just arrived, are carried.

Plenty of fluke were pounded while anglers on the boat bounced bucktails along the rough bottom and lumps, sometimes along the channels, if necessary, said Capt. Derek from <b>Fisher Price Charters</b>. A trip Monday mugged the fish to 10 pounds. Afterward anglers wrenched aboard the flatties to 6 and 7 pounds. The next open-boat trip for fluke will run Sunday, and call to climb onboard, or to be kept informed about the future open schedule. Fluke trips filled the schedule in the last days, but Fisher Price is also bottom fishing, including on open trips, and bottom angling is giving up ling, a few sea bass, a few blackfish, and cod, lots of short cod, but keepers to 12 pounds. Derek did no fishing for tuna since Sunday, covered in the last report. But a friend went 10 for 12 on bluefin tuna Tuesday, and another went 17 for 21 on bluefins Wednesday. Most were hooked on jigs, and bluefins swam areas like the Chicken Canyon and the around the Atlantic Princess wreck, wherever bait was found. Anglers can call Derek about details on his tuna trips. He’d like to see the tuna move closer to shore, and if they stay where they are, the trips are particularly weather-dependant.

An open-boat trip Friday put 15 keeper fluke in the cooler, and a charter Sunday chucked 10 keepers in the box, with <b>Raritan Bay Charters</b>, Capt. Dave said. The fish weighed up to 6 ½ pounds, and plenty of shorts gave up action, and all the fish were hooked along the channels. The trips were covered in the last report. Open-boat trips are sailing when no charter is booked.

<b>Belmar</b>

Ocean fluke fishing was kind of slow on a charter Wednesday, but a few keepers to 5 pounds and a bunch of triggerfish were swung aboard, Capt. Kris from <b>Fish Stix Sportfishing</b> said. A trip Sunday dialed up lots of short fluke but a somewhat halfway decent catch of keepers to 5 pounds, and five keeper sea bass, on the ocean. Fish Stix is sailing for fluke and bottom fish on charters or open-boat trips available daily.

A family with two 6- and 9-year-olds reeled in a bunch of fluke on the ocean Tuesday with <b>Fin-Ominal Sportfishing</b>, Capt. Jared said. The trip fished close to shore, because of the kids, so four or five keepers were bagged, among throwbacks let go. The trip was the first time on a boat for the kids, and they had a blast, Jared said. Fin-Ominal is sailing for fluke and sea bass inshore and tuna and big game offshore.

Lots of fluke, including big ones, like a 12.4-pounder and a 10.8-pounder, were weighed in, mostly from the ocean, said Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b>. None that size came from Shark River, but plenty of fluke blanketed the river. Tons were throwbacks, but quite a few were keepers. Anglers had to wade through the shorts for keepers on the river. Plenty of snapper blues swam the river, and some became big enough to eat. Kingfish, a few porgies and lots of spots held in the river. Bluefishing was spotty on the party boats on the ocean: sometimes good, sometimes not.

<b>Brielle</b>

Trips competed in the Beach Haven White Marlin Open Thursday and Saturday on the <b>Big Kid</b>, Capt. Ken said. The anglers won the wahoo division with a 35-pounder, released numerous whites, and landed small mahi mahi. A day trolling trip Wednesday with Tom Hadley’s group pumped in three small yellowfin tuna, a wahoo and two mahi. On Monday John Fuggerio’s charter put together a mixed bag of fluke and sea bass. On Sunday the MacGrelli charter whaled 23 keeper fluke to 10 pounds. Lisa Faowronski’s charter took a 4-hour trip that angled a mix of fluke and sea bass. Bluefin tuna fishing is also available on trips. Mid-week dates are available for charters for all of this fishing.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

Ten keeper fluke and probably a total of 150, including throwbacks, were tugged in Tuesday with <b>Reel Class Charters</b>, Capt. Allen said. Good action, and the trip fished the ocean from the Shrewsbury Rocks to Manasquan Inlet. On a trip Wednesday on the ocean northeast winds affected fluking on a trip. So the trip moved to Manasquan River, and a load of fluke bit. The ocean fluking will bounce back, and this summer has been one of the best for fluking in a long time, Allen said. Many dates are full for trips with Reel Class the rest of the summer. But a few spaces remain, including on the open-boat Fluke Till You Puke Trips. Check out dates and info on <a href=" http://www.reelclassfishing.com/rates/open-boat-info" target="_blank">Reel Class’s open-boat page</a> online. A couple of deep-water bottom-fishing trips will sail this summer for fish like ling, cod and blackfish. When fluke season closes, trips will bottom fish, and will sail for bluefish, false albacore and other such fish.

Ling, cod and sea bass were booted aboard the party boat <b>Dauntless</b>, Capt. Butch said. The anglers picked away at ling and cod, and the fishing began to slow down, because the grounds were fished a while now, but catches were okay. Sea bass fishing wasn’t so good, but the sea bass socked were big. Anglers averaged 12 to 15 fish apiece, a mix of the species, on Wednesday’s trip. Trips fished for sea bass inshore, in 50 to 100 feet. Trips tried for porgies there a couple of times, managing a few, not many. Triggerfish also chomped in those depths. The ling and cod were fished for in deeper waters. The ocean on the fishing grounds was becoming warm, but the bottom had to be cold, because a good number of cod stuck around. Out-of-season winter flounder, big ones, were hooked and released, so the bottom had to be cold, if they were around, too. The flounder really were big, like a 24-incher that probably weighed 5 ½ to 6 pounds that was landed aboard this week. The flounder were mostly bigger than the fluke that were hooked on occasion. On the boat’s nighttime bluefishing trips, catches were fair. Bluefishing was good until the middle of last week or so, then dropped off. The angling began to pick up again during the last couple of nights, but couldn’t be called good. The blues were big. Bluefishing tapers off every year around now, apparently because of spawning, and spawning this year apparently began some time ago, so better bluefishing should be impending. Could kick in any time, and it will bounce back. 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>

A good run of blowfish was on from the 40 to the BB on Barnegat Bay, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. Anchor and chum with clams, and fish with bits of clam or squid. Lots of boaters fished for them. Friends landed 15 fluke, including one keeper, on a trip from Oyster Creek Channel to Barnegat Inlet, on killies and squid. Dennis joined a trip that reeled in a dozen fluke, no keepers, at the BI and a little south of there. Gulps, killies and spearing all worked about the same on the fish. A better keeper ratio of fluke was on tap in the ocean in 50 to 60 feet. Mellisa Nadeo checked in a 4-1/2-pound fluke boated in 35 feet on the ocean north of the inlet on a killie and squid combo. A fair number of fluke came from the surf at Island Beach State Park around the inlet jetty, both at the pocket and farther down the suds. Gulps or squid strips drew strikes. Howie and Bobbie Solomon kept catching good numbers of fluke from the surf on bucktails with spearing on a few trips a week. Lots of sharks were bunker chunked from the surf at night. Al Kantor from Pennsylvania kept fishing at Barnegat Ridge on the ocean, trolling a mixed bag of mahi mahi, false albacore, bonito and a few blues. An 11-pounder was his biggest mahi. Back in the bay, very few weakfish, a token one here and there, were reported caught. Crabbing was phenomenal, awesome, this year at Good Luck Point and the Route 37 Bridge on the bay. Snapper bluefishing was super-good on the Toms River at Island Heights. The blues averaged 5 inches, swiping spearing under a bobber or on a rig.

<b>Seaside Park</b>

A few anglers worked the surf for fluke, plucking the fish on spearing, squid and Gulps, said George Miller from <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>. Good fluking was had from the Seaside Heights Casino Pier, but anglers should take care about lots of stingrays that were everywhere along the shore. At night, brown sharks, required to be released by law, and lots of big stingrays were fought in the surf. J. Bo from the shop ran into lots of cocktail blues in the surf at dusk, drilling them on chunks of fresh bunker. Lots of customers green-crabbed good fishing for blackfish along the Barnegat Inlet jetty. Crabbing was very good from the shop’s docks, and the rental boaters whaled the blueclaws, usually filling a bushel basket. Big Bob Ross, sailing along the Seaside Bridge, filled three quarters of a bushel basket with crabs, and landed a sizeable, 14-inch kingfish and two small fluke. Lots of snapper blues schooled around the docks, and lots of small pilotfish were around. George himself took a 4-pound fluke and a 2-1/2-pounder at Manasquan Inlet on a Gulp sandeel, and customers nabbed the fish around the inlet. Scott Kugol from the shop on a trip totaled 50 bergals, seven sea robins and two short  fluke. 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>

“A week full of coolers,” a report on the <b>Fishguts Inshore Charters</b> Web site said. On Sunday the three anglers aboard a wreck-fishing trip on the ocean bagged 49 sea bass to 3.6 pounds, a cod and two ling, “for some nice bags of tasty fillets,” Capt. Rob “Birch” Birchmeier said in the report. On Monday the two anglers aboard sailed on one of the boat’s combo trips, fishing the ocean wrecks and Barnegat Bay in one outing. The first-time wreck anglers boxed 25 keeper sea bass, “did a great job,” Birch said, in just a few hours. A cod and a ling were also bagged. On the bay, they toggled in four keeper fluke to 20 inches, and the great keeper ratio was a pleasant surprise. So they ended up with one of the best coolers of fish from a combo trip aboard this season, with the 25 sea bass to 3 pounds, the cod, the ling and four fluke. On Tuesday Birch ran a special ultra-light tackle trip for a regular customer and his wife. “The plan was to give the light stuff a real workout, and not worry about filling the cooler,” Birch said. First the couple tested the light tackle to its limit on short fluke. Then the anglers stopped on a wreck, and got their drags screamed by sea bass hitting light, 1-ounce jigs. They also tackled fluke. “I had to smile watching the crew trying to lift 20-inch-plus fluke off the bottom with the little rods,” Birch said. The fishing is hard on tackle, but loads of fun.  The anglers released a large number of fish, “and boxed some real quality stuff also,” Birch said. They brought back 12 keeper sea bass and seven keeper fluke to 23 inches for jumbo bags of tasty fillets. On Wednesday three anglers aboard wreck fished on the ocean. The day started with a fair pick of keeper sea bass, but the angling soon slowed to a crawl. A few short moves helped produce more fish, but the bite was scratchy. But the fishing improved as the day wore on, and fish began to fill the box. “Some real nice quality today, and a real good showing of codfish and ling on top of all the sea bass,” Birch said. The anglers ended up with lots of keeper sea bass to 3.3 pounds; the boat’s biggest cod of the season, an 8-pound 28-incher; three more keeper cod;10 ling; and a 4-pound blackfish. Speaking of cod, some anglers said they believe the bottom was cold, because cod are around, Birch said in a phone call. But he doesn’t believe the bottom is cold, considering his trips are lifting plenty of sea bass aboard, and considering fluke are biting in the ocean. Cod are just abundant, he believes. His trips have been landing similar catches of sea bass the last seven summers, doing nothing different to catch them this year, so bottom temps seem normal. Speaking about the bay, fluke fishing there was now giving up the best keeper ratio Birch has seen there. He saw two anglers dock 12 keeper fluke from the bay on one of the vessels from Bobbie’s Boat Rentals, and all the rental boats seemed to return with a half-dozen keepers, generally.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

“Not too good fishing today,” a report said about today’s bluefishing aboard the party boat <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b>, on the vessel’s Web site said. “We’re in a slump right now, and hopefully tomorrow they’ll bite like they have done most of this season,” it said. After super fishing for blues onboard through the weekend and Monday, the angling wasn’t good for the whole fleet Tuesday. A few smaller blues were slapped on deck Wednesday. “Come down for a cool day on the ocean, and try your hand at fishing for big blues,” the report said. “And bring us good fishing luck!” The Miss Barnegat Light is bluefishing at 8 a.m. daily and 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

Fluke fishing was outstanding, and the rental boaters scored unbelievably on the fish, really, both on keepers and shorts, said Vince Jr. at <b>Bobbie’s Boat Rentals</b>. They fished right off the docks, and were seen there as he gave this report over the phone today. The mouths of Double Creek Channel and Oyster Creek Channel also churned out the summer flounder.  Occasional bluefish or sometimes a weakfish bit, and large skates and rays sometimes grabbed the bait. A few large blowfish from Barnegat Bay were seen at the marina, and lots of small blowfish seemed common, but the angling for them seemed to be starting. Not much was heard about bluefish or striped bass from Barnegat Inlet. Snapper blues were around in the bay. Crabbing really picked up, and customers bailed quite good catches on the other side of the Dike. Clamming was phenomenal this summer from the rental boats. On the ocean, good catches of fluke came from Garden State Reef South and the Tires. Nothing was heard about Barnegat Ridge in the ocean. Charter captains frequenting the docks had success on bluefin and yellowfin tuna at places like the Chicken Canyon. 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>

Fluke, lots of shorts, swam the surf, but anglers worked to bag keepers, said Sue from <b>Surf City Bait & Tackle</b>. Plus anglers Wednesday and today reported slam-dunking kingfish, like 15 or 20 apiece, in the surf at Beach Haven and North Beach Haven on FishBites artificial worms. But bloodworms also worked great, and thin pieces of clam also caught. On the bay fishing for snapper blues was terrific, especially for kids, and fluke were sometimes rounded up. Crabbing was going well, not as well as last year, but producing. Clamming was good. Sue sailed on a party boat trip for blues from Barnegat Light, and the trip had to travel far to catch, and was the only trip that connected with the fish that night. 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, so the instructors will probably talk about fluke this Sunday, and probably about kingfish. The classes cover 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>Beach Haven</b>

A trip Monday on the <b>June Bug</b> first steamed to the Lobster Claw, where tuna were caught Saturday and Sunday, Capt. Lindsay said. But conditions had changed, or the waters now held no temperature breaks, bait or life like before. So the trip continued to Wilmington Canyon, and four sizeable mahi mahi to 35 pounds were trolled at the lobster pot buoys on ballyhoos, green machines and green and yellow Zuker feathers. Mahi will swipe nearly anything when they’re willing to bite. The canyon’s water temperatures were also consistent – no changes. Seas were somewhat sloppy, though forecasts didn’t call for that. Pockets of calm waters could be seen, and when the boat motored through them, seas kicked right back up to 3 to 5’s and 4 to 6’s. An inshore trip aboard beat small bluefish on Friday, and anglers could sink the boat with the blues at places like off the bell buoy. Fluke and sea bass were mostly sparse in the inshore ocean. Lindsay spoke with someone who boated 10 cod to 12 pounds, decent-sized fish, in 60 feet. So the bottom must be cold, in the 40s. Another inshore trip, a half-day one, is set for Saturday on the June Bug.  

<b>Mystic Island</b>

Summer flounder no longer gathered so much at Little Egg Inlet, but more so held in deeper waters in the ocean, said Scott from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Little Egg Reef began to put up some of the fish, including keepers, on Monday. Previously action with the flatbacks started to be gained at Garden State Reef South. That’s a 10-mile run, so the catches at Little Egg Reef, closer to the local area, were good news. Tuckerton Bay served up fairly good catches of blowfish off East, Middle and West Sedge Islands. Some were small – bait stealers – and others were large, to take home. Scott heard about maybe two kingfish claimed in Tuckerton Bay. Fishing for blowfish, porgies, sea bass, kingfish and snapper blues usually turns into a fishery during the second week of August in the bays. Snapper blues 5 inches, big enough for rod-and-reeling, began to appear in the lagoons. Nothing was heard about sharking, angling for big sandsharks and brown sharks, in Great Bay that was super earlier this season. The browns must be released by law. Nothing was heard about larger blues, weakfish or white perch. Ditto about sea bass and tautog. Sea bass and the tog could be in the ocean, but word was just quiet in the last days. Fresh, shucked clams, bloodworms and green crabs are stocked.

<b>Absecon</b>

Summer flounder were still “the big one,” said Capt. Dave from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. From what he heard, ocean fishing for the fluke was definitely picking improved catches, but lots of the flatfish, plenty of keepers, remained along the inland waterway. Small blues were scattered through the bay, but fewer than expected, though plenty of bait that attracts them was around. The only reports about weakfish, mostly smaller ones, but a few bigger, were heard from the mouth off the Mullica River and some of the deep holes. Blackfishing was good at the Brigantine Bridge and along the jetties, and triggerfish were mixed in. Nighttime fishing for striped bass was “definitely hanging in there,” Dave said. Eeling for them was best along the Brigantine Bridge at night. But a good-looking keeper was even weighed in that a customer caught during the daytime at the bridge. Anglers could try livelining spots at dusk and dawn. But waters were warm, and striper fishing wasn’t producing much, once the sun came up, despite the one weighed in. Stripers were popper plugged along the sod banks at dusk and dawn. White perch fishing was turning on well on the brackish rivers, including for Curt from the shop, a perch angler. If anglers wanted to get away from others, pulling up the rivers for perch was an option. Fish with bloodworms or grass shrimp. Crabbing was good, and looked like it would be good for the rest of summer, and this was the best time of year for crabbing, “for sure,” Dave said. Live spots and peanut bunker are stocked. Mullet are yet to be stocked, but was time for Dave to think about looking around to catch them to stock. No big schools of mullet swam, but plenty of the baitfish were out there. Shedder crabs and soft-shell crabs are fully stocked, and green crabs are usually on hand.

<b>Brigantine</b>

Plenty of summer flounder were boated on the back bay, said Bill from <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>. Max Lee weighed in an 8-pound 27-1/2-incher from Little Panama, and the Stroby Boys brought in a 6-pound 25-incher from Eagle Bay. No weigh ins came from the surf, so Bill wasn’t sure how surf fishing went. Previously flounder and kingfish were reported caught from the surf, but water temps dropped. Bill took a dip in the surf, and was surprised by the cold, couldn’t stay long. Lots of crabbing bait and supplies were sold, though not a lot of favorable reports were heard about crabbing. Bloodworms, minnows, Gulps and all the frozen baits are stocked.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

Surf anglers mainly banked summer flounder, kingfish, blues and tog, said Noel from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. They also landed triggerfish, snapper blues, small, spike weakfish on bloodworms, and spots. So, besides the flounder and some of the other species, lots of panfish were around, providing action, and good-eating catches. For the flounder – lots, including good-sized ones, were around – fish with Pro Cut squid, minnows, spearing or mackerel. Or liveline a snapper, if a small one could be caught. Snappers are one the best baits for flounder, and nail big ones. For the kings, dunk bloodworms, and for the blues, fish mullet, mackerel, minnows or spearing. The tog will chomp green crab or clam, and the triggers will nip crab, clam or shrimp. Baitfish including spearing, anchovies, mullet and peanut bunker schooled. All the baits mentioned and more, the full supply, are stocked.

<b>Margate</b>

Back-bay fishing on the party boat <b>Keeper</b> wrangled up summer flounder on every trip, “not too bad,” Capt. John said. Lots were throwbacks, but a few were keepers. Many were small at Absecon Inlet, but bigger ones held in the back of the bay. The season’s first schools of bluefish were seen on trips in the last days. For the flounder, minnows, provided aboard, and Gulps, provided by the anglers, were baits to soak. Mackerel was provided on trips, but probably not for long. Baby sea bass that arrive every year in summer stole the mackerel. Sea robins and tons of small sharks also bit. 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>

Many summer flounder moved to the ocean from the back bay, said Nick from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. Some still held at the inlets, but lots gathered at the reefs. Kingfishing wasn’t bad in the surf, and anglers fished for them with bloodworms or FishBites artificial worms. Striped bass were played on the bay along the sod banks or bridges on popper lures, soft-plastic lures or baits like clam, bunker or eels. Snapper blues began to appear from the bay to the ocean front. Blackfish hovered along the jetties and structure. Crabbing picked up lots, dishing up good catches.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Bill and Eric Unrath tied into summer flounder on the back bay and sea bass on the ocean on a trip aboard, and tides were  cranking, tough to fish in, but catches were productive when the currents eased, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b>, affiliated with <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. On Tuesday night in the dark, John Stewart on the boat fly-rodded a healthy-sized, 26-inch striped bass on the bay on a Clouser Minnow. A bunch of stripers were around. Ideal tides, high tides at dusk, for popper fishing for stripers, both with lures and flies, on the bay, a specialty for Jersey Cape, will return next week. Earlier in the day on Tuesday, Paul Weaver, Jeff and Kit on a trip aboard hooked a mixed bag of sea bass and flounder. On Monday Jim Judd and crew tried inshore shark fishing with Joe, but the fishing was a bust, and the angling seemed to be slowing down for the season, after excellent catches this summer. So the trip headed to the bay, landing a good number of flounder. Jersey Cape is also fishing offshore, and the waters gave up plenty of white marlin and mahi mahi. Tuna fishing was sporadic in the waters, and the fish hugged 30 fathoms, but swam everywhere, and that was the challenge: They were spread throughout waters, not really gathered anywhere. Bigeye tuna were punched farther offshore at the canyons from time to time.  Keep up on Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s blog</a>.

Lots more summer flounder than before seemed to move to the ocean from the back bay, and fishing for them picked up in the ocean at Townsend’s Inlet, Ocean City and Wildwood reefs, said Mike from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. Anglers bought a large variety of baits for the fishing, including large Gulps. They loved big minnows that the shop was able to stock lately, and also mackerel. Small bluefish 1 pound could be found close to shore, and many anglers tried to locate them on the way to the reefs to liveline the blues for flounder bait. Sea bass fishing was okay on the ocean if boaters fished a spot that was rarely fished. So a wreck 4 miles from shore might not be productive, but if anglers got off on a wreck by themselves 20 miles off, they could cop a good catch. Tons of chicken dolphin swam the ocean everywhere. One angler landed three at the O.C. Reef, and the mahi mahi swam from places like there to the Elephant Trunk. Tuna became spread out, and nobody walloped them, but the fish were bagged everywhere. One customer talked about three successful trips on yellowfin tuna in a row in waters between the Cigar and the 750 Square. Closer to shore, inshore sharking, mostly for duskies and browns within 10 miles from the coast, seemed to fail to give up catches in a week. Anglers couldn’t know if the fishing would bounce back or was finished for the season. Back on land, surf anglers mostly banked kingfish, and sometimes bluefish hit the kingfish baits. Flounder fishing slowed a lot in the surf. Back in the bay, a few striped bass, mostly throwbacks, not many keepers, were angled at night. Crabbing was excellent.

<b>Wildwood</b>

Trips often fished at the ocean reefs for sea bass and summer flounder on the party boat <b>Adventurer</b>, Capt. Gary said. The fishing wasn’t overly consistent, but gave up catches. Like one trip, with not many anglers, came in with 40 to 50 keeper sea bass. Lots more flounder, lots of throwbacks, were around than before. But Wednesday’s trip fished off Cape May Point at the rips, turning up flounder, sometimes keepers, lots of times shorts, and small blues. On the weekly nighttime trip Saturday, sea bass and flounder were hooked, when the boat was drifted a moment before dark. Then the anglers fished for blues on anchor in the dark. Open-boat trips are sailing daily and every Saturday night, unless a charter is booked. Call to confirm.

On his last few trips on the back bay, Paul from <b>Canal Side Boat Rentals</b> bagged two or three keeper summer flounder, landing eight or ten throwbacks, per trip, he said. Not too bad, he said, and flounder fishing was fairly good on the bay. Others bagged a few keepers here and there. Nothing was heard about bluefish, striped bass or weakfish. Baby sea bass swam the bay that always arrive in summer. Crabbing was picking up on the bay. A couple of rental boaters Wednesday scored half-bushels. 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>

Two yellowfin tuna were bagged on a trip Tuesday on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> with Tom Mackia, Ryan Mulligan and Pete Garretson, Capt. George said. Three yellowfins were lost on the light leaders, and all the fish were chunked, though the boat was trolled a little at first. The trip fished in 30 fathoms, and George mated on another boat Wednesday on an inshore trolling trip. A load of bluefish and a few bonito were beaten. Inshore trolling’s been good for blues, and sometimes fish like bonito, Spanish mackerel and mahi mahi were mixed in. George was going to mate on the same vessel today, probably on a summer flounder trip. A 4-hour charter on the Heavy Hitter Saturday will probably sail for brown sharks, catch and release fishing, and a full-day charter on Sunday on the boat will run for tuna. Don’t have enough people for a tuna charter? Call about make-up tuna trips running on certain days. The Heavy Hitter is sailing for all this fishing, and call if interested.

On the party boat <b>Porgy IV</b> throwback fluke and a few keepers kept getting reeled aboard, Capt. Paul said. Bob Brett on Tuesday’s trip bagged four keepers, including a 6-pounder that he won the pool with. Trips fished on the ocean, but could begin to fish other areas like off Cape May Point and southern Delaware Bay. “Things are changing,” Paul said. The Porgy IV is sailing for summer flounder 8 a.m. daily.

The back bay still held summer flounder, lots of them, including keepers, like along the Intracoastal Waterway, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. The fish were also boated off Cape May Point, and kingfish, croakers and weakfish were in the mix there. Many of the weaks were shorts, but was good to see some numbers of the trout. Catches like that also came from off Higbee’s Beach. Surf anglers also tabbed into mixed-bag catches like that at Cape May Point and Higbee’s, and overcast skies this weekend, and the effects of the hurricane that might come toward the end of the weekend, could be ideal for surf fishing. A mix of flounder, sea bass and tog were on the bite at the ocean reefs. Fishing there was a good idea. Flounder were taken at the 19 buoy on Delaware Bay. Big sharks could be fought on the bay. Inshore trolling, say 25 miles from shore, was good for catching mahi mahi, bonito and maybe some wahoos, bluefin tuna and yellowfin tuna. Catches of tuna had been heard about from the Hot Dog, but uniform water temps, with no changes, made tuna fishing challenging, because none of the fish then gathered at particular areas. One angler even said he saw a white marlin chasing chicken dolphin toward Sea Isle Ridge. A few striped bass, small ones, were wrestled along the bridges when high tides came around midnight in the past days. Anglers fished for them with everything from swim baits to clams to whole squid. Big bloodworms are stocked, though Nick couldn’t know how long they’d remain this weekend, and the full supply of other baits, from minnows to sardines, are on hand.

 

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