<b>Keyport</b>

With <b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b> six keeper fluke to 18 ½ inches were decked Saturday, Capt. Joe said. The anglers, Michael Sheehan, Kyle and Dominic, released “their share of throwbacks,” Joe said, and winds and seas were rough, not the easiest day to fish. They first fished the bay, and when angling slowed, moved to the ocean. But blustery winds seemed to worsen there, so the trip returned to the bay. Squid, spearing, killies and peanut bunker were fished. Open-boat trips for fluke are available 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 to 9 p.m. daily when no charter is booked and enough anglers want to go. Call to reserve. An open trip an hour shorter had been offered until now, but the better fluking seemed to push toward the ocean, so the extra hour could be used to reach the waters.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

“I must have died and went to fluke heaven,” Capt. Ron from the party boat <b>Fishermen</b> said in a report on the vessel’s Web site Saturday. Excellent catches of sizeable fluke were pounded four days in a row through that day’s trip. The pool-winning fluke that day was the smallest of the week, weighing 5 ¾ pounds. Several anglers, who worked hard, bucktailing, limited out on Saturday’s trip. Several others landed three to six keepers, keeping no more than a limit of five apiece. No report was posted since then. 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.

Fluke fishing on Sunday aboard wasn’t great, but was “not bad at all,” said Capt. Tom from the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>. A light crowd joined the morning’s trip, picking at fluke. A few more people jumped on the afternoon’s trip, and the fishing was better. Donata Lombardi, Freehold, eased in a 7-pound 6-ouncer, and Kurt Williams, Mantua, heaved in a 7-pound 3-ouncer, in the afternoon. A couple of anglers bagged two or three keepers, and throwbacks and sea robins put up lots of action. Saturday’s fluking was terrible in rolling seas. “Was just crummy,” Tom said. “Was a terrible day.” On this morning’s trip so far, fluking was off to a fair start, Tom said in a phone call at 10 a.m. aboard. On trips in past days, both bait and Spros caught. Combos of Gulps with spearing or killies caught a little better than other baits. On some trips Gulps with spearing caught better, and on other trips Gulps with killies did. Spearing are provided on trips. 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>

Good fluke fishing was belted the past few days on the <b>Hyper Striper</b>, Capt. Pete said in an e-mail. Jack Wallace’s party limited out on fluke Sunday along the rough bottom. Bob Centamore’s crew nearly limited out on fluke, to 4 ½ pounds, on Saturday. Jack Schmidt’s gang iced a good catch of the flatfish Friday.

Limits of fluke were crushed Friday and Saturday on the ocean with <b>Fisher Price Charters</b>, Capt. Derek said. The fish weighed up to 8 pounds both days, and the keepers were generally 3 pounds, sizeable. The fish were bucktailed with big strip baits. 

<b>Neptune</b>

Sea bass, large ones, ling, cod and blackfish snapped at the inshore wrecks, said Capt. Ralph from <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b> in an e-mail. Cod fishing was good offshore, “when weather cooperates,” he said. Fluke fishing was good, and bluefish were slammed, both chumming and trolling. Chumming was best in afternoons or early nights. Now was the time to troll or chunk the canyons for yellowfin tuna, 40- to 60-pounders. Closer to shore, bluefin tuna fishing was good, and two could be kept per trip: a 27- to 47-incher and one larger than 47 inches. 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>

Fluke fishing was slow for the fleet Saturday on the ocean, and a trip that day managed a couple of keepers on the <b>Katie H</b>, Capt. Mike said. Fortunately, the anglers, a father and two kids, were able to fight a bazillion small blues on light tackle. So they had a great time, Mike said. Another charter was supposed to fish offshore for tuna during the weekend but had to reschedule. Tuna fishing at the canyons is scheduled for this weekend aboard.

Conditions including a heave and currents pushing in all different directions weren’t the best for fluke fishing, said Capt. Pete from <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b>. When conditions were okay, some fluke were taken, “nothing spectacular,” he said. The fishing was good Friday. On Saturday a bottom-fishing trip sailed aboard, and the ocean held somewhat of a heave in the morning. But sea bass, triggerfish and ling were swung in, and each angler bagged a limit of one blackfish. Fluke were even pulled in, though the boat was anchored. Fluke fishing is usually done while drifting, but anchoring is typical during bottom fishing.  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.

Some bigger fluke were seen this past week, said Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> in an e-mail. James Chambers, Edison, whacked a 10-pound 3-ouncer on the party boat Big Mohawk. On Shark River, Brien Biedinger from Asbury Park Fishing Club axed a 6-pound 4-ounce fluke on a live snapper blue, and Danny Costantino nailed a 7-pounder on a Gulp. In the surf, lots of kingfish bit, and sandworms or bloodworms caught them best. The shop’s rental boats are available to fish the river.

<b>Brielle</b>

Weather was beautiful, the ocean was calm and fluke fishing was good most of the day Sunday on the party boat <b>Jamaica II</b>, Capt. Ryan said in an e-mail. The boat drifted well most of the day, until the breeze stopped toward the end of day. Then the fishing slowed. Customers and their catches included: William Chen, Palisades Park, four fluke to 7 ¼ pounds; Chris Molinari, North Haledon, three fluke that were each larger than 6 pounds; Clark Linaberry, Mount Bethel, Pa., 7-pound fluke; Walter James, Bristol, Pa., limit of fluke to 6 pounds; Art Curry, Clark, limit to 5 pounds; and Terry Bressner, Washington, limit to 5 pounds. Weather forecasts apparently kept some anglers from showing up for the fishing. “Keep hiding from three raindrops and two clouds y’all gonna miss a lot of good fluking,” Ryan said. Fishing for fluke was okay on Friday aboard, Ryan said in another e-mail, and was better in the afternoon, especially late, when winds finally picked up. Catches included George Bara from Jackson’s limit to 6 pounds, Sun Chin from Howell’s limit to 5 pounds and John Judge from Point Pleasant’s limit to 4 pounds. Fluking was okay on Thursday’s trip, “picking away at some nice fluke,” Ryan said. John Hancock from Bordentown won the morning trip’s pool with a 7-pound 3-ouncer. 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.

Ocean fluke fishing was good for some anglers, slow for others, said Dave from <b>The Reel Seat</b>. The catches were made at places including Sea Girt Reef, and a few cobia were landed there Saturday. Fluke were hung from Manasquan River when boat traffic was light. Many of the fish were throwbacks, but a few keepers could be picked. Spots filled the river. Fishing for sea bass and ling was holding up on the ocean. But for sea bass, anglers had to fish small, unpopular pieces that weren’t over-fished and that party boats couldn’t fish. Lots of triggerfish were around. Nothing was heard about blackfish, and Dave wasn’t asked about porgies. Anglers sometimes trolled a mile and a half off the coast for catches like Spanish mackerel, bonito and small blues. Farther from shore, bluefin tuna fishing wasn’t bad, and sometimes yellowfin tuna swam inshore with them. Sometimes a yellowfin or two were trolled on a bluefin trip. One trip pumped in a 54-inch bluefin, lost a yellowfin at the boat and jumped a white marlin 45 miles from shore. Farther from land, good catches of yellowfins were trolled at Hudson Canyon on Saturday. Nothing was heard about whether yellowfins were chunked there at night, but that didn’t mean they weren’t. The store started a pre-season sale on surf-fishing plugs including Yozuris.  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>

A daytime trolling trip fished Hudson Canyon with <b>Mushin Sportfishing</b>, Alan, the boat’s owner, said in an e-mail Saturday night. The trip was apparently that day, also the date of a photo attached. A white marlin was dropped soon after the trip began fishing. Yellowfin tuna 50 to 65 pounds were picked during the morning. The photo showed seven of the fish docked, so at least seven were caught. All the trip’s tuna bit ballyhoos. A blue marlin was on briefly. Tons of life filled waters. “Looks like (the) Hudson is primed and ready!” Alan said. Mushin means a relaxed state of readiness. The crew pride themselves on sharing the concept on outdoor adventures.

One of the open-boat, mixed-bag trips offshore sailed to the canyons with four anglers with <b>Andrea’s Toy Charters</b>, a report on Andrea’s Toy’s Web site said Saturday. The trip arrived on the fishing grounds at night, and a yellowfin tuna was chunked in the first minutes. Many tuna were marked a moment, and another was hooked but lost, and the bite slowed. Later, “in between storms,” the report said, another yellowfin was landed, and a tuna broke off. At first light, the boat was trolled along the chunking slick, because fish were marked. A 60-inch wahoo skyrocketed through the spread, and was landed. The anglers decided to deep-drop for tilefish, and a handful were cranked in. The trip went back on the troll, and another yellowfin was bagged. The trip left the canyon, and looked for bluefin tuna, with no luck. So the boat was stopped on a wreck, because one of the anglers wanted fresh ling. A dozen were toggled in “to top out the box,” the report said. Andrea’s Toy focuses on open-boat, mixed-bag trips offshore this time of year. See <a href="http://www.andreastoycharters.com" target="_blank">Andrea’s Toy’s home page</a> for a write-up about the unique outings. Or call for info.

On the party boat <b>Norma-K III</b> on Saturday and Sunday, “decent fluke fishing continued,” a report on the vessel’s Web site said. Pool-winning fluke weighed 4 to 6 pounds, and most anglers who caught keepers fished with bucktails with Gulps or whole squid. Trips are fishing the ocean rocks and rubble, “so make sure you bring some extra setups,” the report said. On nighttime trips, bluefishing was very good. On Saturday night’s trip, the  fishing took a little time to get going. Then 8- to 14-pound blues started flying into the boat. Too few anglers showed up for Sunday night’s bluefish trip to sail. Weather looks great for this week, “so come on down, and get into the action!” the report said. 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.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Lots and lots of bluefish, limits around the boat, were plowed on the daytime trip Friday on the party boat <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b>, a report on the vessel’s Web site said. The fish remained small, “but quantity makes up for size so far this year,” the report said. Bluefishing was good on trips that night and during both daytime and nighttime Saturday. “Limits if you wanted them,” the report said. On Sunday’s trip, fishing was fair to good for blues, and some experienced anglers limited. The Miss Barnegat Light is bluefishing 8 a.m. daily and 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

In a tournament during the weekend, most summer flounder anglers fished at Little Egg Reef on the ocean, a report on <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>’s Web site said. No huge flounder were entered, but the fish averaged 2 to 5 pounds. Garden State Reef South also produced the flatfish. Previously the shop reported slow flounder fishing from the local ocean, because of warm waters and because of draggers. Back then, the store suggested looking for flounder farther south. If anglers currently wanted flounder from the back waters, Little Egg Inlet or the deeper holes behind Holgate were the best bet, because of warm waters elsewhere. A 9-pound flounder was weighed in Saturday that was walloped near “the old red ball behind the Fish Factory, by some stroke of luck,” the report said. Small blues sometimes swam the inlet, and weakfish were caught from the bay. Snapper blues and spots were played in the creeks.

<b>Brigantine</b>

Summer fishing was great, a report on <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>’s Web site said. Kingfish, blues, summer flounder and spots swam all around the island. The kings nipped in the surf. Kim Denardo checked in six blues to 3 pounds from the surf. Brown sharks, required to be released, stalked the surf at night. Flounder seemed to be moving toward the ocean for cool, deep waters. But good catches were scored at Absecon Inlet, and more keepers than before were beached from the cove. One avid spot catcher nailed one after another from his dock, saying the population was one of the most numerous in a long time. The Hooked on Fishing, Not on Drugs Kids Fishing Tournament will be held Saturday. Registration begins at 8 a.m. at the beach entrance at 16th Street. The first 100 kids get a free rod and reel.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

One angler and his two sons aboard Saturday morning reeled in a variety of fish from the ocean, including triggerfish, blues, summer flounder, sea bass and sharks, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. Later that day Judy Fellheimer and three grandkids fished the back bay aboard, landing a bunch of summer flounder, including the first-ever flounder for each child. On Friday on deck Dustin Laricks fought and released dusky sharks to 70 pounds. The sharking, close to shore, has been great, and the trip also had a shot or two at cobia. Sharks including duskies, browns and blacktips are caught and released on bait or flies on the trips. On Thursday on the boat a family tugged in a  bunch of flounder including one keeper from the bay. High tides at dusk, ideal for popper fishing for stripers on the bay, are happening this week. Jersey Cape fishes for them with popper lures and flies, and catches were terrific during the last ideal tides, a couple of weeks ago. Joe was sailing offshore for tuna and big game today. Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s blog</a>.

<b>Cape May</b>

Tuna fishing was slow during the weekend or since about Thursday, said Capt. George from the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>. Some trips aboard previously ran into lots of the fish. But during the weekend aboard, John Nicola’s trip never got a bite while chunking during daytime 5 hours. So the hook was pulled, and the boat was trolled, and still no fish bit. Kevin Driscoll’s trip aboard Sunday, with Butch, Dan, Joe, John and another John, steamed to Baltimore Canyon, because reports talked about catches there. Life including porpoises and whales was seen, but no tuna showed up. A 50- or 60-pound wahoo was trolled on the way in. Some anglers on the radio talked about catching two or three tuna during the weekend on other boats. In other news, summer flounder are surely biting in the ocean when boats get the right drift. Plenty of sea bass are around, and small bluefish can be trolled. Inshore sharking is an option. Charters are available for all these fish, and call if interested.

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