<b>Keyport</b>

A trip aboard today with <b>Papa's Angels Charters</b> caught a storm  on Raritan Bay in the morning that hampered fluke fishing, so the boat was moved to the ocean, Capt. Joe said. The anglers, Paul Walsh, son Paul Jr. and nephew Timmy, bucketed four keepers to 25 inches, releasing many throwbacks. Two of the keepers were 4 and 5 pounds, sizeable. Peanut bunker, killies, spearing and squid, a variety of baits, were fished.  Open-boat trips for fluke are available 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., 3 to 9 p.m. and 4 to 9 p.m. daily when no charter is booked and enough anglers want to go. Call to reserve.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

After fluke fishing had been slow from the weekend’s storm, very good catches were pasted Wednesday, and a few were bagged Tuesday, said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Bluefish were beaten at the Mudhole, and Jimmy saw blues on Shrewsbury River. Bottom fishing was great on the ocean for big, knucklehead sea bass, all the ling anglers wanted and limits of one blackfish per angler. Nothing was heard about porgies yet this season. “Maybe they went the other way,” Jimmy said. “I don’t know.” Spots and porgies swam Raritan Bay. So did weakfish, also limited to one per angler. Surf anglers banked fluke, walking the shore, covering ground, sometimes landing keepers, other times none. Lots of undersized fluke skittered around. All baits are fully stocked.

On the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>, fluke fishing was inconsistent – that was the best way to put it, Capt. Tom said. One drift on Wednesday afternoon’s trip kept shoveling up fluke. “Guess we pulled the fish with us,” Tom said. The trip was one of the better ones for catching keepers. Nobody limited out, but some bagged two or three. Not as many keepers would be scored on one trip, then a fair amount of keepers were claimed on Wednesday. On this morning’s trip, shorts and keepers were picked so far, Tom said in a phone call early on the outing. “We’ll see how the day works out,” he said. Skies looked sunny to the south, and nasty to the north. The trip seemed located on the edge of weather. Combos of Gulps with killies or spearing caught well for bait on trips. On Wednesday some anglers worked bucktails and caught fairly steadily. But the fish bit everything that afternoon. Bucktails might’ve been somewhat of an advantage then, but whether that was because of the anglers working them was difficult to say. Whether bait or bucktails would catch best was difficult to tell from trip to trip. Be ready to change up, Tom tells anglers. Spearing are supplied on trips, and if anglers bring killies and don’t have an aerator to keep the baitfish in water in a bucket, they should bring a cooler to keep them on ice, and that works well. The Atlantic Star is fishing for fluke twice daily 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 6 p.m.

Better-sized fluke were crushed two days in a row or Tuesday and Wednesday on the party boat <b>Fishermen</b>, Capt. Ron said. Vinny “Vintastic” took the lead in the season-long fluke pool with an 8-pound 2-ouncer on Wednesday’s trip. Many 3- to 5-pounders were axed. “Finally starting to see the fish we have been waiting for!” Ron said. Several anglers that day limited out “and then some,” Ron said, and the high hook landed 11 keepers. None of the anglers kept more than a limit. Tom Krako clobbered four fluke that each weighed more than 4 pounds, including a 6-pounder. A first-time bucktailer, Never Quit Eddie, limited out, after great instruction from another angler. Scott Scuderi plowed a 5.3-pound sea bass and four keeper fluke. It’s fluke time! Capt. Ron said.  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 are slated this Friday and Saturday mornings. No open-boat trips will sail those mornings.

<b>Highlands</b>

From <b>Twin Lights Marina</b> Ed and Tony on the Hammerhead boated six good-sized, keeper fluke off Sandy Hook Point on Wednesday on killies and squid, an e-mail from the marina said. On another trip on the vessel, they limited out on fluke, all sizeable, on the bay on the same bait. Jay and Tracy Amarosa on the Par Tee boxed nine fluke totaling 24 pounds, drifting from the twin towers to Sandy Hook, on killies and squid. Frank Rella and crew on the 2F’s swung in five keeper fluke to 20 inches off the bay’s Ammo Pier. The full-service marina features boat slips and rack storage, ship-store supplies, a full line of bait for inshore and offshore, tackle and a fuel dock, and is located on Shrewsbury River. No bridges before the bay. Convenient, fast access to fishing.

For the Allen Dinear party, good fluke fishing was had Tuesday on the <b>Hyper Striper</b>, Capt. Pete said in an e-mail. The fish to 4 pounds were clocked, and the Paul Fenney family also thwacked very good fluke action that afternoon aboard. On Wednesday morning Curtis Hutchins’ crew looted ling, a very good catch of nice-sized ones.

The boat is sailing again, after being down for maintenance, and open-boat trips will fish for fluke, bucktailing the deep with big strip baits, Friday through Sunday with <b>Fisher Price Charters</b>, Capt. Derek said. He heard from anglers who drilled very good catches of the flatfish Wednesday. Call to climb aboard or to be kept informed about future open trips or to book a charter.

<b>Neptune</b>

Yellowfin tuna 40 to 60 pounds were trolled on a Hudson Canyon trip Monday with <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b>, but the trip had to sail far, to the 100 Square, to catch them, Capt. Ralph said. But the catch was good, and trips on other boats landed the fish at night, but only at the 100 Square. Individual-reservation trips are fishing the inshore wrecks 5 a.m. every Sunday. A one-day trip for tuna to the canyons, trolling or chunking, whatever it takes, is set for 12 midnight Monday, August 20. Individual-reservation trips are fishing for fluke 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Tuesday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Sunday. Kids under 12 sail free, limited to two per adult, on those two trips. Charters are on tap for all species available. 

<b>Belmar</b>

Ocean fluke fishing was very good Monday and Tuesday aboard, and became picky on a trip Wednesday, when a ground swell lingered in morning from north winds the previous night, said Capt. Pete from <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b>. Conditions improved as the day went on, and so did the fishing. None of the fluke was huge, and most keepers were 3 to 4 pounds, and the largest were 4 to 5. Trips fished the sticky bottom, so tackle would be snagged and lost sometimes. Bucktailing caught best, and anglers had to work the lines to catch best. For bait, Gulps caught much better than other choices. Cocktail bluefish swam around. Sea bass were picked along the rock bottom during fluke fishing. No trips fished where sea bass would concentrate, but surely sea bass gathered, if anglers wanted to target them. The other captain who runs the boat found bluefin tuna 20-plus miles from shore, close to the coast, on Wednesday. Parker Pete’s sails for 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.

A family of nine or ten jigged loads of bluefish, limiting out in an hour, releasing the rest, 10 miles from shore Monday with <b>Fin-Ominal Sportfishing</b>, Capt. Jared said. The fish were a little smaller than usual but abundant. The next trips are slated for Friday and Saturday and the following Wednesday through Sunday, a busy schedule. Trips Wednesday and Thursday will run for bluefin tuna on the mid-shore ocean. Some of the charters will bottom fish for sea bass and fluke. Fin-Ominal’s 50-foot boat, able to cruise 25 knots, a larger boat this year than the previous vessel,  can accommodate 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. Cruises can also include cocktail trips, enjoying waters from the rivers to the ocean to the Manhattan skyline. 

Plenty of fluke shingled Shark River, but the keeper ratio was sliding, said Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> in an e-mail. Experienced anglers had an edge at catching the larger ones, and larger baits helped. Snapper blues swam the river, fun to catch. Crabbing was good on Shark and Manasquan rivers. Big blueclaws were reported trapped. On the party boats, the “pros” decked plenty of keeper fluke, and the “tourists” scored so-so. On bluefish trips on the head boats, good catches of smaller fish were cracked. Fluke swam the surf, but throwbacks were the norm.

<b>Brielle</b>

“Decent fishing (for fluke) again,” an e-mail on Wednesday from the party boat <b>Jamaica II</b> said about Tuesday’s angling aboard. A few anglers limited out on both the morning and afternoon trips, “with a decent amount of sea bass action on the a.m. trip,” the e-mail said. Don and Ellie Colson, Trevose, Pa., combined for nine sizeable keeper fluke on the afternoon trip. On the morning trip, Gene Alexander reeled in fluke and a 5-pound sea bass. An 8-pound 1-ounce fluke, a fish that Ron Wach, Philadelphia, belted, was the largest this week. Fred Morris’s 10-pound 7-ounce fluke had him in the lead for the monthly pool. 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.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

Fluke fishing was “getting a little better every day,” a report on the party boat <b>Norma-K III</b>’s Web site said. Decent-sized keepers and some sea bass were pulled from the rocks and rubble along the ocean bottom. Bucktails with Gulps caught best. On nighttime trips, big bluefish were back! the report said. Blues 6 to 12 pounds, super catches, were socked on the ocean on Tuesday night’s trip, and the crew expected to get back on them on Wednesday night. The Norma-K III is fishing for fluke 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 to 6:30 p.m. daily and for blues 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. daily.

Good fluke fishing was nailed from the ocean Tuesday aboard, especially in the afternoon, said Capt. Bob from the party boat <b>Gambler</b>. The catch included good-sized keepers to 5 pounds, and sea bass were sometimes slung in. The fishing was slower Wednesday aboard, for some reason. On the nighttime trip Sunday, ling fishing was fair, not great, for mixed sizes to 2 or 3 pounds. A few sea bass, cod and squid were angled. On the night trip Saturday, bluefishing was kind of slow, giving up a few. The Gambler is fishing for fluke 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. daily. Bluefish trips are running 7:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Wreck-fishing trips are steaming 7:30 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursdays and Sundays.

With <b>Mushin Sportfishing</b>, the Gabriel family on Tuesday wanted action, and got it, “and then some,” Alan, the boat’s owner, said in an e-mail. The anglers jigged countless small bluefish on the ocean, less than a half-hour from Manasquan Inlet, hooking the fish on every cast. They kept a few, released the rest, and added some sea bass and ling to the cooler.

Hudson and Toms canyons are back, baby! an e-mail from <b>Canyon Runner Sport Fishing</b> said. On the only satellite shot available, good waters were seen moving in to the general vicinity of the Hudson. Canyon Runner’s two boats headed there on trips Sunday to Monday. Lines were in the waters by 1 p.m., and a good pick of healthy-sized yellowfin tuna was trolled through the afternoon. A few tuna were landed at night. Back on the troll in the morning, a good pick of the fish resumed. Was nice that the fish bit throughout the day, instead of during short shots that had be waited for. One of the boats ended up going 14 for 25, and the other went 11 for 25. A white marlin was also released. The reason so many tuna got off couldn’t’ be explained. Just one of those times with “short” bites, when hooks pulled. The action came in 600 feet, and trolled ballyhoos “were the ticket,” the e-mail said, and Canyon Runner squid spreader bars “(were) a close second.” Forecasts looked like the weather would keep trips docked afterward a while this week. Dates are filled for charters until the last week of August, and September is very full. A few spaces are available on open-boat trips August 2 to 3, 7 to 8, 15 to 16 and 17 to 18.

<b>Toms River</b>

Anglers on the Toms River at Island Heights nipped snapper blues, spots and a few croakers, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. Crabbing was fantastic, really, he said, including throughout the river upstream to Island Heights and on Barnegat Bay along Route 37 Bridge, Good Luck Point and all the traditional places. Fluke fishing put up a slow pick on the bay at the BI and BB markers. Double Creek Channel was probably best for the fluking. An angler there Wednesday iced two keepers and threw back six shorts, fishing with spearing and squid. On the ocean a few fluke and sea bass, slow catches, were snatched from the Tire Reef. Lots of skates and some sharks bit there. The offshore side seemed best for fluke at the Tires. A few weakfish were trolled on Toms River and on the bay off Berkeley Island Park in early mornings or evenings. The weaks were 10 to 14 inches, and no great numbers were around, and they were often a by-catch when anglers fluked, but the weaks were there. A few blowfish remained in the bay at the BI and BB markers. A trip could put together a dozen. Small bluefish moved through Barnegat Inlet. Blackfish, triggerfish and fluke were sometimes sacked from the inlet jetties. Surf casters mostly beached small blues. Kingfish scurried the surf, and fluke were picked from the shore. Most anglers bucktailed for the fluke with Gulps or Uncle Josh Meat baits, a good bait.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

In the surf, sizeable sharks and rays were bunker chunked, and fluke and kingfish were sometimes banked, said John from <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>. Blues 1 to 3 pounds pushed in and out from the surf. For boaters on the ocean, fluke fishing was slow off Ocean County. Anglers had to sail north to Monmouth County for the good catches. Barnegat Bay’s weakfishing was actually good, better than anglers expected, after fishing for the weaks had been off in previous seasons. One was the bag limit, but the trout were there. Snapper blues started to grow big enough to bite, including for kids fishing from the shop’s docks. Lots of small fish like baby black drum, sea bass and blowfish hovered the waters. Clams were fished on bottom to catch them. Crabbing was fairly good in the last week or so for both dock anglers and rental boaters, though was slow this morning. The shop rents different types of boats for fishing, crabbing and cruising, rents water skis, and features the full supply of bait and tackle, a free pier for fishing and crabbing, and more.

<b>Forked River</b>

Barnegat Bay’s fluke fishing was very good on incoming tides at Double and Oyster creek channels within a half-mile of Barnegat Lighthouse, said Grizz from <b>Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle</b>. He was on a trip that pumped in 10 keepers and probably 50 throwbacks on Wednesday and another that reeled in four keepers Sunday. Blowfish still hovered in the bay, and an angler Wednesday boated 30 and some big kingfish. Weakfish were now caught in the bay, and a few small blues, not many, schooled the bay. Nothing was heard about blackfish, but surely they were around. In the ocean fluke hugged the reefs and wrecks, but fishing for them was hit or miss anyplace else there. Crabbing was very good.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Anglers steamed for blues 12 miles from Barnegat Inlet the last three days on the <b>Super Chic</b>, Capt. Ted said. They jigged good catches of 2- to 3-pounders in 65 to 70 feet. No bonito were mixed in for more than a month. Bottom-fishing is scheduled aboard for Saturday. Bottom catches could include sea bass, fluke and more. Tuna fishing is also available aboard. The 56-foot Super Chic can accommodate up to 25 passengers on inshore trips and 10 on overnight, offshore trips. The boat sleeps 10 passengers.

Bluefishing resumed Tuesday on the ocean on the party boat <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b>, and catches were great, a report on the vessel’s Web site said. The boat had been docked for maintenance for six days. The blues were small, and nearly all anglers limited out. The angling was good on Wednesday’s trip, and some anglers, who worked at it, limited out on the 2- to 3-pounders. The Miss Barnegat Light is bluefishing 8 a.m. daily and 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

The ratio of keeper fluke was better than before in Barnegat Bay, and a good number of keepers were actually docked, said Vince Jr. at <b>Bobbie’s Boat Rentals</b>. More fluke carpeted the bay than the ocean, and lots blanketed Double Creek Channel and alongside the Dike. The bay’s weakfish were back, and many were sizeable, and anglers chummed with live grass shrimp and fished the shrimp for bait for the trout. Meyer’s Hole and the flats between Oyster and Double creek channels gave them up. Lots of small sea bass schooled the bay. Once in a while one was a keeper, and the sea bass turned out action. Blackfish were hung from along Barnegat Inlet’s jetties. Sometimes blues schooled the inlet, but not so many. Crabbing was okay or good, and look for them in the warmth of the shallows. Clamming was very good in the bay. Live grass shrimp are stocked, but anglers should order them ahead. Live spots are carried, and a rental boater walloped a 7-1/2-pound fluke on a spot. The big fluke are often whacked on spots, and many anglers like fluking with them. Bobbie’s rents boats and kayaks, including for fishing, crabbing and clamming, is known for bait selection, and features a tackle shop and a fuel dock.

<b>Barnegat</b>

This report was posted Wednesday but is being re-posted in case anyone missed it. From an edited e-mail from Capt. Dave DeGennaro from the <b>Hi Flier</b>: “Had more great weakfishing this past Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.  Even in the awful weather. Friday was the only washout – it rained from sunup to sundown. The water stayed clean, and the fish cooperated. Fourteen- to 20-inch, 1- to 3-pound weakfish, on live grass shrimp. Both sides of the Dike are giving up fish. All while chumming live grass shrimp with ultralite tackle. Plenty of hickory shad in the mix, and both species are visually eating our live grass shrimp chum right next to the boat. We have also been catching fluke, sea robins, sand sharks, spots, sand perch, blowfish and more. I will be running open boat for these fish in the bay: Friday 6AM to 11AM and Noon to 5PM, Saturday 3PM to 8PM, and Sunday 6AM to11AM and Noon to 5PM. If the weather and sea condition are forecasted as perfection – i.e. no mention of thunderstorms, light and variable winds – I could run open-boat tuna on Friday and/or Sunday. If that happens, the afternoon weakfish trips will be bumped to 2PM to 7PM on those days. There is also a potential to do it all. We can fish offshore early and then finish up in the bay with the weakies. This week coming up, the potential to shrimp the jetty for stripers and blackfish are the afternoon trips on Friday and Sunday. We do this in combination with the weakfish in the bay, a few hours of each. Give me a call to reserve a spot.”

<b>Surf City</b>

From the surf kingfish, lots of spots and fluke were bonked, said Joe C. from <b>Surf City Bait & Tackle</b>. Try for fluke from the Barnegat Inlet jetty to the jetties to mid island. The kings were good sized, 6 to 14 inches. Brown sharks, fish that must be released, were wrangled from the surf at night along the southern island. Not many blues ran the surf at all. Snapper blues gathered in the bay at Harvey Cedars. Crabbing was okay. Catch the shop’s free surf-fishing classes 6 to 7 p.m. Sundays in the parking lot. The classes are informal but informative, covering the beach fishing that’s happening currently. Bring a lawn chair. Keep up with the 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>Mystic Island</b>

Any summer flounder in the back waters were likely located at Little Egg Inlet instead of the bay, because of warm waters, said Chris from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Flounder fishing even seemed slow on the ocean at Little Egg and Atlantic City reefs, because tides pushed warm bay waters there. The better flounder fishing was to the north. Some were hooked locally, but no great catches. A billion small bluefish schooled the ocean a dozen miles from shore. Chris ran into them at Barnegat Ridge. Sea bass fishing was okay, and blackfishing probably was, but not much was heard. Back in the bay, weakfishing could be good, but few catches were talked about in the one-weakfish bag limit. One or two hooked while anglers tried for other fish was more common. Fish including spots, kingfish and porgies could be clam-chummed in the bay and toward the inlet. Triggerfish were around in the back waters. Crabbing was good, served up lots of the blueclaws, but trying for them at places with little crabbing pressure mattered for catching keepers. Many of the bigger ones were already trapped by this time of season.
 
<b>Absecon</b>

All fishing held steady, generally, said Capt. Dave from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. Some said summer flounder were moving to the ocean from the back bay. “But from my experience,” Dave said, the fish were just picky. He ran a trip that bagged three keepers Sunday, and though those fish were hooked on baits like Gulps and minnows, most bigger flounder seemed to be caught on livelined spots. Spots flooded waters around all the docks, and if anglers go flounder fishing, Dave recommends they stop a moment to catch spots for the livewell. Or buy spots from the shop. Catches of weakfish were definitely picking up. Most came from Great Bay or the mouth of Mullica River or Main Marsh Thorofare. But schools of weaks kept swimming through Absecon Inlet, and running into them was always possible. Many of the weaks were 16 to 18 inches, so if anglers land a 13-incher, they might want to release it, until catching a larger one to keep in the one-weakfish bag limit. Not much was heard about bluefish seen anyplace, but some were probably around in the bays. Dave saw bait showering from the waters, and peanut bunker schooled, so blues were probably around. A few more striped bass than before were caught from the bays at night. Some say stripers migrate north in summer. But striper catches always increase in the bays at night when baitfish begin to choke waters like now. Blackfishing was a little tricky, and waters weren’t very clear at the Brigantine Bridge. But Curt who works at the shop and customer Tony Genovese managed a couple of healthy-sized, 4- or 5-pounders, their one-tog limits, at the bridge at the top of the tide. Eian Donati, who works at the docks, hauled in a 13-pound sheepshead from the bridge. Big sheepshead like that kept occasionally being seen at the shop, and they were around, if anglers searched for them, putting in time. White perch fishing was probably reaching a summer peak on the brackish rivers. Just about all baits are stocked. Flounder-fishing-sized spots are $10 a dozen, and striper- or tuna-sized are $20 a dozen. Shedder crabs are on hand, and the price of minnows is reduced a little, because of the abundance in summer.

<b>Brigantine</b>

Surf fishing claimed kingfish, and bluefish popped into the waters sometimes, said Capt. Andy from <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>. Kim Dinardo today beached six blues to 3 pounds. Summer flounder were bagged from the surf at times. Arlene Perkowski landed a 19-1/2-incher at the cove Saturday, despite lots of beach goers, and Joey Smith banked a keeper and released six throwbacks. Teasers with Gulps were fished for the fluke in the surf. Plenty of spots now filled back waters in addition to the surf, if anglers wanted to catch them for bait. Brown sharks, required to be released, stalked the surf at night. It’s been steady summer fishing, Andy said. Bloodworms, minnows and all the frozen baits are stocked.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

At Absecon Inlet anglers fishing on foot tugged in summer flounder, blues, triggerfish and spots, said Noel from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. Lots of baitfish were caught including spots, small and large mullet, peanut bunker and spearing, all together. Kingfish were occasionally beached along the ocean front, including at the T-jetty and Vermont Avenue. Big sharks were banked at night, including a 119-pound blue shark wrestled in from land off Harrah’s Casino. For a while, the shark couldn’t be stopped on 150-pound braid. One Stop opened a second store at Gardner’s Basin at 800 North New Hampshire Avenue. The original, remaining open, is at 416 Atlantic Avenue.

<b>Margate</b>

Back-bay fishing for summer flounder was somewhat improved this week on the party boat <b>Keeper</b>, Capt. John said. Today was windy, not the greatest conditions, but otherwise an okay bite was copped. A few keepers were usually nabbed, and the numbers of flounder picked up a bit. An occasional bluefish and kingfish were in the mix. Lots of baby sea bass bit. The flounder were grabbed on minnows and mackerel supplied aboard. Gulps that anglers brought caught well. Sometimes a shark was landed and used for bait. The Keeper is fishing for summer flounder 8 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 to 5 p.m. daily. The fare is only $25 per adult, $20 for seniors and $16 for kids.

<b>Ocean City</b>

<b>***Update, Friday, 7/27:***</b> When fishing inland, anglers scooped summer flounder from deep waters along the Longport Bridge, said Phil from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. Six-inch Gulp grubs caught well, and when fishing the ocean, anglers tackled awesome flounder fishing at the reefs. Six-inch Gulps also did the job there, and so did any long strip baits like squid or mackerel, or big baits like livelined spots. Sea bass, good catches, were rustled from the ocean wrecks. Lots of yellowfin tuna were bailed at the Hot Dog on the chunk. One of the staff from the shop kept jigging the fish shallow or down 50 or 60 feet, where balls of bait were marked. In the surf, decent catches of kingfish, and good catches of spots, were sacked, and brown sharks, required to be released, were eased in, mostly at night. Nothing was heard about striped bass from anyplace. A few big sheepshead came from places like along bridges. Crabbing was good on Great Egg Harbor River.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Twenty dusky sharks to 80 pounds, a great catch, were caught and released on the ocean Wednesday with Jason Cuff’s family, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b>, affiliated with <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. On Tuesday Mark and Dominic Lescue landed and released brown, dusky and blacktip sharks to 60 pounds. A big fish spooled a reel, the first time that happened on one of the trips. On Monday Chad Sharber’s family battled and released duskies and blacktips to 80 pounds. All the trips fished with spinning rods with mackerel fillets, and Jersey Cape also fly fishes for the sharks. The trips, catch-and-release within 15 miles from shore, usually closer, are a chance to fight big fish near the coast, instead of the long trip offshore. A trip today was scheduled to bottom fish on the ocean. Trips like that are catching a variety of fish including summer flounder, sea bass, blues, triggerfish and sharks. Plenty of flounder swam the back bay, and trips are available for them. So are trips that are popper-lure or –fly fishing for striped bass on the bay. Ideal tides or high tides at dusk are coming around next week. High tides are currently happening at night that are ideal for striper fishing. The night trips aboard fish with soft-plastic lures or Clouser Minnow flies. Jersey Cape is also fishing for tuna and billfish offshore. Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s blog</a>.

Kingfish were yanked from the surf, and one angler kept nine in 15 to 20 minutes, then returned to the shop for more bloodworms for bait, said Tim from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. But bloods and artificial worms caught equally well. An occasional striped bass or two were clammed from off the ends of the surf jetties. Now and then someone reported clamming a striper or two in the back bay at night under the lights. Summer flounder, mostly throwbacks, littered the back bay. Quite a few flounder hung in the ocean at places like Sea Isle Lump. Sea bass fishing was okay on the ocean. The local party boat caught some every trip from the reefs and wrecks, and triggerfish, like along the buoys. Lots of sharks haunted the ocean, including sand sharks and browns closer to shore, and duskies and blues somewhat farther out. The Hot Dog and Elephant Trunk had produced tuna, mostly on the chunk, but sometimes anglers jigged them. But not a lot was heard lately.

<b>Wildwood</b>

For anglers at <b>Canal Side Boat Rentals</b>, summer flounder fishing was fairly good on the back bay, when the boaters could get out, Brian said. Weather was often rough. Spots swam the bay. When customers crabbed, Brian saw up to a dozen keepers from a trip. The rental boats are available, and a large supply of baits is stocked. Big minnows, from the South, are on hand, for only $5 a pint, the best price on the island, Mike from the shop said in a previous report. Baits carried include Gulps, shedder crabs, frozen, chopped shedders in brine, all the different squids, including colored and scented squid strips, tube squid and trolling squid, and frozen herring, whole mackerel, mackerel fillets and salted clams in quarts and pints. Check out <a href="http://www.canalsideboatrentals.com" target="_blank">Canal Side’s Web site</a>.

<b>Cape May</b>

Yellowfin tuna to 60 pounds were jigged and chunked in 30 fathoms Tuesday on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> with the John Grimmie charter, Capt. George said. A decent catch was landed, and some of the fish pulled the hook or broke the line and got off. The angling was game on as soon as the anchor was set. Winds kicked in, and seas built to 5 and 6 feet, as soon as the trip reached a certain distance from shore, despite forecasts for calmer conditions. That lasted until the conditions calmed as soon as the boat was returned to the same area on the way home. A trip Friday is booked to fish inshore, probably for summer flounder, but weather might be questionable. Trips for sea bass, lots of small, 1- to 3-pound blues that are swimming around, and inshore sharks like browns, catch and release, are also available. Call if interested.

The storm that began Friday and the ocean swell that followed seemed to scatter summer flounder, said Capt. Paul from the party boat <b>Porgy IV</b>. Rains fell Friday, and winds blew Friday through Saturday, and the swell remained afterward. Not many of the fluke were bagged aboard through Monday. A better catch was made Tuesday, and Jay Beecroft, Del Haven, limited out that day. Winds blew again Wednesday morning, reaching 20 or 25 knots, hampering fishing, though a few of the flatfish were bagged on the trip. One angler took several keepers, and many landed no keepers. Bill Bishop won the pool with a 6-1/2-pound flounder. But the trip was tough, and the boat couldn’t be sailed to the Old Grounds, where trips had been fishing. The outing reached only as far as Cape May Reef, because of winds. Winds are supposed to blow again today, but Paul hoped they settled for this weekend. Very few sea bass were mixed in on trips, but not a lot of fish bit in general. Limits made last week included those from Alex Levantovsky, Philadelphia, and Allen Gelok, Wanaque, on the same day. The Porgy IV is fishing for summer flounder 8 a.m. daily.

Summer flounder fishing became a little slower in the back bay, and the fish seemed to be moving out, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. Good catches were made in Cape May Canal and in the ocean outside Cold Spring Inlet and at the sea buoy. Quality catches were booted up from the ocean reefs like at the Old Grounds. Sea bass were slugged at Reef 11, the southern end of Cape May Reef and other reefs. For boaters fishing Delaware Bay, Nick was telling anglers try for flounder in deep waters around the shoals or for croakers and weakfish along the flats. Cape May Channel served up weaks, blues and small flounder. Surf anglers beached kingfish and spots from the ocean and weakfish and croakers along Delaware Bay’s jetties. Chunking for yellowfin tuna seemed to drop off at the Hot Dog. But the wrecks in the area probably held them. Bloodworms, minnows and all the frozen baits for inshore are stocked. Offshore baits including flats of butterfish, sardines and ballyhoos are carried.

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