<b>Keyport</b>

Sixteen keeper fluke to a 6-1/2-pound 24-incher were plowed Saturday on Raritan Bay on Michael Detweiler’s trip with <b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b>, Capt. Joe said. The six anglers fished with killies, spearing and squid, and also released throwbacks. Fluke bit the whole trip. Space is available on 6- or 8-hour open-boat trips for fluke at 7 a.m. throughout the week. Space is also available on open trips for fluke 4 to 9 p.m. through the week. Call to reserve.  

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Open-boat trips for fluke resumed Sunday on the party boat <b>Fishermen</b>, Capt. Ron said in a report on the vessel’s Web site. The boat had been in dry dock for new engine installation. One angler limited out on fluke, and another bagged three, “and so on,” Ron said. A keeper bit here and there, and shorts gave  up action, but Ron wouldn’t call the fishing good. He’d see how today’s trip would make out. The Fisherman is sailing for fluke 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and 3:30 to 9 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. However, charters, rescheduled from when the boat was under maintenance, are slated for the mornings of Wednesday and Friday through Sunday. No open-boat trips will sail those mornings.

Two anglers limited out on fluke on Saturday morning’s trip, and one limited out on the afternoon’s trip, on the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>, Capt. Tom said. The fluking, on the bay, was about the same in the last couple of days as before. A fair number of keepers bit, and, of course, lots more throwbacks did. But more fluke bit recently, giving up more action, than a week or two ago. Action was definitely better. Some anglers would get lucky and reel in two, three or four keepers. Some would land no keepers. The same anglers often bagged the keepers. On Sunday’s trips, some customers pulled in two or three keepers, and some came up with no keepers, and nobody limited out. None of the fluke was huge through the weekend. Pool-winners probably weighed 4 or 4 ½ pounds. But large fluke were occasionally nailed aboard throughout this season. A fair quantity of 7-pounders were claimed. A 10-pound 10-ouncer was crushed last week, covered in a previous report. That was the biggest aboard this season, beating out a 10-pounder slightly smaller earlier this season. Sometimes Spro or bucktail jigs caught better than bait in past days. When anglers fished bait, killies caught somewhat better lately. Spearing are the bait supplied on trips, and anglers might want to bring killies. A small cooler should be brought to keep the killies in. Waters can become too warm to keep killies in a bucket with an aerator. A cooler will work better. Crowds have been light, even on weekend afternoons, and anglers shouldn’t hesitate to jump aboard, even then. The Atlantic Star is fishing for fluke twice daily 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 6 p.m.

<b>Highlands</b>

Fishing for fluke and bluefin tuna will now resume with <b>Fisher Price Charters</b>, Capt. Derek said. Charters will begin immediately, and the first open-boat fluke trip will probably sail Friday. Call to climb aboard or to be kept informed about future open trips. The fluke trips bucktail the rough bottom with big strip baits. Derek just returned from fishing for halibut from Homer, Alaska, last week, and the trip was incredible. The fishing limited out every day, averaging 30 halibut landed per trip. Thirty- to 80-pounders were kept, and 15-, 25- and 30-pounders were let go. A 300-pounder, the biggest during the week, was released, because the trip had already limited. The halibut were caught on both bait and jigs, and Derek fished on four different boats. Each boat fished with similar tackle, but in different ways. If readers fish or hunt, they’ve got to travel to Alaska at least once in a lifetime, Derek recommended. Looking ahead, striped bass charters are starting to be booked for fall with Fisher Price. Grab preferred dates.

<b>Neptune</b>

Ling were whaled on trips with <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b>, Capt. Ralph said in an e-mail. A trip on one of his boats Sunday creamed cod, sea bass and fluke, returning 2 hours early. A trip on his other boat that day cracked fluke to 8 pounds. Trips aboard began catching big bluefish last week, so the fish appeared to stop spawning. A trip this weekend fished for the blues a short time, slamming them. An individual-reservation trip for striped bass is set to fish 12 midnight to 6 a.m. Thursday. One space is available for a one-day trolling charter for tuna looking to share expenses next Monday. Individual-reservation trips for fluke are running 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Tuesday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Sunday, both trips limited to 17 passengers. Individual-reservation trips are fishing the inshore wrecks 6 a.m. every Sunday, limited to six passengers. 

<b>Belmar</b>

A bunch of sea bass and a few keeper fluke were reeled from the ocean Saturday on the <b>Katie H</b>, Capt. Mike said. Plenty of throwback fluke were let go, and fishing for fluke seemed to slow a moment around then. Capt. John, Mike’s partner, ran the trip, and went 4 for 4 on bluefin tuna on a trip Friday. Fishing for yellowfin tuna at the canyons will kick off at the end of the month on the Katie H. Mike looks forward. Charters and open-boat trips are currently sailing.

Lots of trips sailed with <b>Fin-Ominal Sportfishing</b>, Capt. Jared said. On Thursday a trip bottom-fished on the ocean, shoveling up a good catch of fluke and sea bass. On Friday a trip ran for bluefin tuna 50 miles from shore. The angling was slow, but one bluefin, a 90-pound 52-incher, was trolled, more than some trips caught that day. Fishing for bluefins was good for the fleet the previous day, producing lots of bluefins. On Saturday a group of 18 joined a bachelor and bachelorette cruise, leaving Shark River at 7 p.m., traveling down the coast and up Manasquan River and Point Pleasant Canal, and returning at 3 a.m. On Sunday Jared ran a trip with friends that bagged a dozen fluke and 30 sea bass from the ocean. The 50-foot boat can sail with large to small groups, up to 23 passengers on cruises, up to 15 on fishing trips. Cruises available include trips to watch fireworks on the ocean off Asbury Park every Wednesday and Point Pleasant Beach every Thursday in July and August.

When conditions were good, fluke fishing was excellent aboard the ocean, said Capt. Pete from <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b>. A heave Thursday shut down the angling, but catches kept improving afterward. A trip scored well on Saturday, and forecasts kept a trip from fishing Sunday. The keeper ratio’s been better than previously, and deeper waters have begun to turn up the fish. Good-sized sea bass were mixed in. Fluke trips will continue, and charters can target sea bass. Sharks remained in the ocean, and bluefin tuna were landed closer to shore than before. Parker Pete’s sails for all these fish and any species available. Charters and open-boat trips are running. For availability on open trips, see <a href="http://parkerpetefishing.com/belmar-fishing-trips/open-boat-trips" target="_blank">Parker Pete’s open-boat page</a> online, and sign up for the e-mailed newsletter on the site. Dates are announced in both places. Cruises are available to watch fireworks on the ocean off Asbury Park every Wednesday, and see the boat’s Web site for times.

<b>Brielle</b>

Much better fluke fishing today, Capt. Ryan from the party boat <b>Jamaica II</b> said about fluking aboard Sunday in an e-mail. The boat drifted better than before, and a fresh batch of fluke was found in 75 feet of waters. Catches included Eric Slonaker from Seaside Park’s limit to 4 ½ pounds, Frank Pogue’s limit to 4 1/2 , Sun Choi from Manalapan’s limit to 4, and Bob Urcho from Trenton’s limit to 4. Joe Assael, Brick, won the afternoon trip’s pool with a 5-1/2-pound fluke, and limited out. Lots of throwbacks were caught and released that day. Frank Pogue currently led the monthly pool with an 8-pound 11-ounce fluke. The Jamaica II is fluke fishing on two half-day trips 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays and on a full-day trip 8 a.m. Mondays. Bluefishing trips are running 7:30 p.m. every Saturday. <b>***Update, Wednesday, 11/18:***</b> A good catch of big fluke was clobbered Tuesday morning aboard, Ryan said in an e-mail. Plus, Fred Morris, Ewing, took the lead in the monthly pool, plowing a 10-pound 7-ounce fluke on the trip. He landed eight from 4 pounds to that size, keeping no more than his limit. On the boat Monday, Effingham Smith, Toms River, belted a 7-pound 8-ouunce fluke. “Lot of nice fish being caught in the rough bottom,” Ryan said.

On the ocean, fluke fishing was fair to good at places like Shrewsbury Rocks, off the Red Church and in 50- to 60-foot depths, said Eric from <b>The Reel Seat</b>. Orange bucktails caught well. Six-inch Gulps on teasers drew hits. Not much was heard about Manasquan River’s fluke fishing, but a 4-pounder was weighed in from the river. Anglers on the river probably sorted through throwbacks to grab occasional better-sized fluke. Hickory shad swam the river. Cocktail blues probably did. Ling fishing was solid on the ocean. A Point Pleasant Beach party boat scooped up a great catch of ling Saturday. Good catches of sea bass could be made from the ocean if trips fished pieces that weren’t fished out. Pink jigs nabbed sea bass well. Porgy fishing was halfway decent at rocks at the mouth of Raritan Bay. Bluefin tuna pushed closer to shore, were boated including between the Resor wreck and the Fingers. Most anglers jigged them now, but a few still caught them on the troll. Farther from shore, fishing for yellowfin tuna was hit or miss at the canyons. Reports would be heard about a catch like 13 yellowfins trolled at Toms Canyon in a trip, and other trips that caught none. Nothing was heard about yellowfins landed at night. Wahoo Baitfish Bucktails and Stingo jigs are on sale at 30 percent off to celebrate the shop’s 30 years in business. The shop’s fluke tournament for Manasquan and Shark rivers is running to Labor Day. Entry is $10, and half the money is donated to Save the Summer Flounder Fishery Fund, and the other half to Shark River Surf Anglers Kids Trout Tournament. The store makes no money on the event, and prizes will be awarded for the first and second heaviest fluke from each river, the heaviest fluke from a lady entrant, and the heaviest from a kid age 16 or younger.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

At Toms Canyon four yellowfin tuna were trolled, and a white marlin was dropped, on an overnight trip Friday to Saturday with <b>Mushin Sportfishing</b>, Alan, the boat’s owner, said in an e-mail. Definitely had to work at the fishing, and the fish were trolled in the morning. A few other boats started to pick on the troll in the morning, too. When the Mushin arrived at the canyon on Friday, a temperature break was never found that a satellite chart showed. The trip trolled 4 hours in 75-degree waters. At night, the boat was set up to drift along the continental edge in 1,000 feet. Tons of bait filled the 76-degree, slightly green waters. “Could walk on the squid at times,” Alan said. A few tuna were marked but never bit. Up on the troll in the morning, four tuna bit and were caught, and the white was raised. Though the fishing took work, “great group of guys!” Alan said. Mushin is a relaxed state of readiness. The crew pride themselves on the professional concept, sharing the experience in outdoor adventures.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Loads of blues, limits around the boat, were beaten today on the <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b>, a report on the vessel’s Web site said. The blues were small but abundant on the party boat’s trips. “Still waiting for the big blues to come back,” the report said. But fishing for blues was good almost every day aboard this summer. The angling was good on Saturday’s daytime and nighttime trips, and was awesome on Friday night’s trip. The fishing was “a little picky,” the report said, on Friday’s daytime trip, but skilled anglers were able to limit out. The Miss Barnegat Light is bluefishing 8 a.m. daily and 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

Catching keeper summer flounder was tough during the weekend, but a few were bagged, a report on <b>Scott’s  Bait & Tackle</b>’s Web site said. No place or depth could be named that consistently gave up catches on either the bay or the ocean. But on the bay, troughs behind the southern end of Long Beach Island seemed best. Flounder anglers last week boated lots, though the throwback ratio was high. Warm waters in Great Bay and Tuckerton Bay had pushed the fluke to holes closer to Little Egg Inlet. Spots and snapper blues came to life in the lagoons. Anglers including kids had fun catching them. Small weakfish and small white perch could sometimes bite. A striped bass was even heard about from a lagoon.

<b>Tuckerton</b>

Trips summer flounder fished on the ocean most of the week with <b>Legal Limit Charters</b>, Capt. T.J. said. The fishing dredged up a fair pick, and a mix of flounder and sea bass was mainly on tap from the area. Charters and <a href=" http://www.legallimitcharters.com/open-boat.php" target="_blank">open-boat trips</a> are fishing.

<b>Brigantine</b>

Kingfish swam all over the surf, a report on <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>’s Web site said. Spots and small blues also swam the surf, and brown sharks, required to be released, roamed the surf at night. Fishbites and bloodworms hooked the kings and spots. One couple of kids Sabiki-jigged spots, cut them up for bait and caught blues. A kingfish head will catch the sharks. Keeper summer flounder were sometimes beached from the ends of the island. For boaters, flounder fishing was great, and the fluke could be bagged at Absecon Inlet. But for the largest flounder, boaters should probably head to the ocean. Flounder were migrating to deeper, cooler waters. If anglers want spots in bulk, contact the shop to be loaded up. Spots were currently perfect sized for flounder bait. They’ll grow an inch a month if kept in a livewell or cage, becoming a super bait for striped bass in fall. Livewells and cages can be ordered from the shop in all different sizes. So can all accessories needed to keep or transport the baitfish, including pumps, all different sizes, water-temp sensors and anti-otter bars. Sign up for the shop’s Summer Fishing Tournament, running till Labor Day. Entry is $5 per species for flounder, kingfish and blues, and the winner of each division takes the money.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

The back bay was 80 degrees, but the two anglers aboard Saturday evening popper-plugged and released six striped bass to 27 inches, pulled  the hook on others, and had 20 bites, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. The fishing was great, and was classic, happening in 18-inch, shallow flats. The trips stalk the bass while Joe poles a flats boat, like in a tropical destination. The poppers, either lures or flies, on spinning or fly rods, draw explosive, visual attacks. Tides were ideal currently: high tides coincided with dusk. Jersey Cape specializes in the fishing in summer. On a trip Sunday morning, George Hand released  five or six dusky sharks to 65 or 70 pounds on the ocean. A couple of more broke off, and a couple pulled hooks, and a bunch of others bit. The sharking, catch and release for species including duskies, browns and blacktips, is an opportunity to fight big fish close to shore, within 15 miles, usually closer. The trips fish with spinning rods with bait, usually a mackerel fillet, or fly rods with chum flies. On a summer flounder trip Sunday, Mike Roth and granddaughter tugged in a bunch, including two keepers, from the bay. Fishing for flounder and sea bass has also been good at the ocean reefs, and trips can also sail there. Jay and Luc Vonczoernig and Dusty Laricks sailed offshore for tuna with Joe on Friday. Three tuna were chunked but broke off, and two mahi mahi were landed, and a white marlin was jumped. Tuna fishing was slower that day, but the angling turned on Saturday. Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s blog</a>.

<b>Cape May</b>

With <b>Relentless Sport Fishing</b> a trip went 2 for 5 on yellowfin tuna, a 70-pounder and a 50-pounder, inshore of the canyons Friday, Capt. Dave said. One of tuna landed was chunked, and the other was jigged. More tuna trips are slated for this week. Fishing for summer flounder, sea bass, and small bluefish are also available aboard. Relentless sails for any fish available.

A charter limited out on good-sized yellowfin tuna in 30 fathoms on an overnight trip Saturday to Sunday on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>, leaving the fish biting, Capt. George said.  A sizeable mahi mahi was also decked. The charter, Brian Allen’s trip with John, another John, Ryan and Jerry, hooked four tuna, landing one, at night, on 40-pound leaders. Squid were caught all night for bait. At 7 a.m., tuna fishing exploded in the chunking slick. Two and three yellowfins at a time, 50- or 60-pounders, were hooked on bait. George on Friday joined a trip on another boat that scored a good catch of sea bass, picking though plenty of throwbacks, but landing keepers. Summer flounder fishing was good lately at places like the ocean reefs and the Old Grounds. Small bluefish could be trolled on the ocean. Inshore sharking, catch and release, was happening. The Heavy Hitter is available for all this fishing, and call if interested.

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