<b>Staten Island</b>

Anglers stacked up lots of sea bass with <b>Outcast Charters</b> from the ocean Sunday, Capt. Joe said. The fishing remained great aboard, and the sea bass were good-sized, including several topping 4 pounds, and many 2 and 2 ½ pounds. Some fluke were bagged. Though the boat had to be moved around to catch sea bass more than earlier this year, the angling held up. Outcast pays bridge tolls with a receipt. Anglers can also be picked up from Perth Amboy, N.J.

<b>Keyport</b>

Fluke, five keepers to 20 inches and many throwbacks, were tugged from the ocean on a trip Sunday with <b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b>, Capt. Joe said. That was covered in the last report, and the boat drifted too quickly most of the outing. Lots of sea robins bit then, but the drift slowed toward the end of the trip, and fluke began to strike. A charter for fluke is tentatively scheduled for Friday, and spots are available for an open-boat, deep-water trip for fluke Sunday. Open trips are available daily when no charter is booked and enough anglers want to go. Call to climb aboard.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

After better fluke fishing Monday and Tuesday aboard than before, the fishing became tougher Wednesday, said Capt. Tom from the party boat <b>Atlantic Star<b>. He was optimistic the better fishing would continue Wednesday, and a few fluke were flung in on the morning trip. But fishing was slow on the afternoon trip, probably weather-related. Stormy weather and changing winds came up, and one shot of rains fell, and the boat drifted fast. Anglers were troopers, fished through the conditions. A few fluke were managed. Tom hopes the fishing rebounds with settling weather, and today’s weather was supposed to be good. The Atlantic Star is fishing for fluke twice daily 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 6 p.m.

Most fluke, good catches, were snatched from the ocean, said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b> Lots of kingfish hovered from the surf to Raritan Bay. Worms for bait were unavailable, though. Spots schooled the same waters, and weakfish collected in the bay and rivers. But again, worms for bait couldn’t be gotten. Blues began to be jigged in the bay, and continued to be caught on the ocean. Bottom fishing dredged up many ling and plenty of sea bass. Crabbing was good. All baits, the full supply, except worms, are stocked. 

<b>Highlands</b>

Catches of fluke remained strong on the <b>Hyper Striper</b>, Capt. Pete said in an e-mail. The angling was best on Saturday, when Bob Centamore’s gang nailed fluke to 5 pounds, two fish short of a boat limit. On Sunday Ritch Beckman’s group scored good fluking, and Ritch limited out. Some very good-sized fluke were hung. Good fluking was socked on the Russ Schofield family’s trip Monday and the Barry Kantrowitz group’s charter Tuesday. Fluke to 7.6 pounds were clobbered on Barry’s trip. On Wednesday Kurt and the boys put up a solid catch of keeper fluke to 5 pounds and lots of action with throwbacks. The Hyper Striper is also tuna fishing.

Trips all limited out on fluke or nearly limited with <b>Fisher Price Charters</b>, Capt. Derek said. Bigger fluke, a bunch of 5- to 7-pounders, were smashed on a trip today. The fish bit all trip, very good fluking. Trips mostly bucktailed, fishing rough bottom in deeper waters. One spot is available for an open-boat trip Friday for fluke. The open-boat schedule for next week wasn’t set yet, but anglers could call for the dates or to be kept informed about future open dates. Charters are available currently, and trips for fall are being booked for striped bass, bottom fish and blackfish.

In the Saltwater Anglers of Bergen County’s fluke tournament Saturday that <b>Twin Lights Marina</b> hosted, Mike Pelligra won first place with a 7.4-pounder, an e-mail from the marina said. He fished with Capt. Vinny Makfinsky, and Ed Grant copped second with a 6.14-pounder, fishing with Capt. Doug Corbet. Capt. Mike McKeever claimed third with a 6.1-pounder. In other news, Ray Reide and crew on Sunday totaled 11 keeper fluke to 5 ½ pounds and 40 throwbacks at Ambrose Channel on bucktails and bait. Dave Prybylowski today checked in a 22-1/2-pound mahi mahi for the Dream Boat Fishing Challenge, catching the fish at Monster Ledge. Killies and all the frozen baits for inshore are carried, including frozen pints and quarts of clam bellies, spearing, Peruvian smelts, cut up shedder crabs, and the different squids like pre-cut, whole and more. Offshore baits are in full supply. 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.

<b>Neptune</b>

A mess of big cod and large pollock 20 and 30 pounds were plastered Monday with <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b>, Capt. Ralph said. The fishing was the best he ever saw for cod and pollock any place, including Connecticut and Massachusetts. Three spots remain for another one of the trips 2 a.m. Monday, August 27. Spots are available Sunday for the weekly trip to the inshore wrecks for sea bass, ling and blackfish. Weather looks great, and the fishing was excellent last Sunday. Fluke fishing was very good, and individual-reservation trips for fluke are running 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Sunday and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Tuesday. Kids under 12 sail free on the two trips, limited to two kids per adult. Bluefishing was super, both day and night. If anglers want tuna, “all depends on where you want to go and what you want to spend,” Ralph said. Charters are available for all this fishing.

<b>Belmar</b>

Shark River’s fluke fishing was good, said Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> in an e-mail. “Some keepers are there for the taking,” he said. Brien Beidinger from Shark River Surf Anglers on the river drilled a 5-pound 8-ounce fluke and a 4-pounder on one of the shop’s rental boats. Plenty of snapper blues, spots and sea robins swam the river. Lots of action, including for kids. “Time’s running out to get (them) fishing before school,” Bob said. Ocean fluke fishing was good, and Chris Hutchinson, Trenton, and two anglers boated 14 keepers to 6 pounds 11 ounces on a trip off Long Branch. Triggerfish and sea bass also chomped in the ocean. Lots of bluefish were beaten on the ocean on Belmar party boats, and false albacore began to be fought on the trips. Blues, fluke, triggerfish, sea bass and other fish could make for a fun family day on the ocean.

On the party boat <b>Big Mohawk</b> ocean fluke fishing was good, Capt. Chris said. One day was tough recently, but fluking was very good on Wednesday’s trip, shoveling up a ton. Fluke on trips weighed up to 8 and 9 pounds, good-sized. The catches continued in shallows, were yet to slide offshore. Trips fished rough bottom, and bucktails with Gulps caught best by far. The Big Mohawk is fishing for fluke 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

Big, jumbo blues to 17 pounds, excellent catches, were walloped at the Mudhole on both day and night trips on the party boat <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b>, Karin said. A few false albacore were mixed in, and albies were seen, in past days. Three or four run-offs from tuna broke off. A 20-pound cod was even pumped in. On the party boat <b>Tropical Adventure</b>, the company’s other vessel, fishing for fluke and sea bass wasn’t outstanding, Karin wouldn’t say, but was decent. Better catches have been seen, and so have worse. But keepers of both were caught. The Miss Belmar Princess is sailing for bluefish 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. daily. The Tropical Adventure is fishing for fluke and sea bass 7:30 a.m. to 12 noon and 3:30 to 6 p.m. daily.

Anglers motored out for bluefin tuna on the inshore ocean Wednesday on the <b>Katie H</b>, though the trip was actually quite a ride out, Capt. Mike said. Though tuna were caught there a few days previously, none showed up on the trip, and many boats found none. Not much was marked on the fish finder, and not much life filled waters. One trip on another boat landed three, sticking out the fishing all day. So the Katie H was stopped on the reef on the way back, so the anglers could at least catch something, and they reeled in some good-sized sea bass and a bunch a fluke. They were at least happy with that, Mike said. An overnight tuna trip is slated to fish offshore Saturday to Sunday.

A cruise with 15 young women toured the ocean, Manasquan River and Point Pleasant Canal on Monday with <b>Fin-Ominal Sportfishing</b>, Capt. Jared said. Some of the group began to feel seasick, though seas were calm, so some were dropped back off at port. About five then sailed back to the ocean to fish an hour, toggling in sea bass, having fun. Trips during the weekend, covered in the last report, clocked sea bass, fluke and large, monster blues on the ocean. More trips are slated for today through the weekend, including double trips Saturday. The 50-foot boat can accommodate large to small groups, up to 23 passengers on cruises, up to 14 on fishing trips. Cruises available include trips to watch fireworks on the ocean off Asbury Park every Wednesday and Point Pleasant Beach every Thursday through August. Cruises can also include cocktail trips or any trips imaginable, from the rivers and ocean to the Manhattan skyline. 

Fluke fishing was great aboard the ocean Wednesday with <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b>, Capt. Pete said. Stormy weather had to be dodged in the afternoon sometimes, and the trip fished rocky bottom to the south. None of the fish was huge, but keepers averaged 3 to 5 ½ pounds. Some were sizeable. A school of cobia was seen, and none would bite, but the charter enjoyed the sight. Waters have been clear and clean, tropical-like. Southern fish like cobia and triggerfish have been swimming. Fluke fishing was decent aboard the ocean Tuesday, and the boat didn’t drift the best. Like usual, when conditions are good, fluke fishing is excellent. Triggerfish gave up very good fishing on the trip. Fluke trips will keep running, including a trip that will compete in the Shillelagh Fluke Tournament this weekend. A couple of spaces are available for open-boat fluke fishing this week. Charters can target sea bass if they’d like. A bluefish trip is set for Sunday, and boaters fishing the grounds ran into false albacore this week. Yellowfin tuna were even fought aboard the bluefish grounds on occasion. Pete looked forward to seeing whether albies or even a tuna showed up on the bluefish trip, and should give the results in the next report. Not much was heard about bluefin tuna in past days, but bluefins were probably around. Parker Pete’s sails for any species available, and 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>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

A fluke trip limited out Wednesday by lunchtime on the ocean 15 minutes from Manasquan Inlet with <b>Mushin Sportfishing</b>, Alan, the boat’s owner, said in an e-mail. Both bait and bucktails with Gulps caught plenty. Fluking’s been hot! he said. The e-mail included a photo of Kevin Cantwell with a 6-pound fluke on the trip.

Ling and sea bass were swung aboard the party boat <b>Dauntless</b>, Capt. Butch said. Ling fishing was fairly steady, and not a lot of sea bass bit, but some did. Quite a few triggerfish were decked the past two days, and a few porgies, not many, but big ones, began to be boated on trips. A few cod and fluke were in the mix. Anglers averaged 15 to 30 fish, and some could total 30 on a good day. Trips fished 45- to 50-foot shallows first for sea bass, triggers and porgies. Then trips moved deeper for ling in 120 to 200 feet. Waters were very warm, usually 78 degrees, sometimes 80, on sunny days with no winds. On nighttime bluefish trips, catches were very good. Blues schooled in a small area, but 8- to 12-pounders were tackled. 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. Wednesdays through Sundays.

Though fluke fishing aboard was much slower Wednesday on the ocean, the angling was very good Tuesday, a report on the party boat <b>Norma-K III</b>’s Web site said. On Tuesday many keepers were iced on both the morning and afternoon trips. Pool-winning fluke weighed about 5 pounds on both outings. On Wednesday’s trips keepers and throwbacks were eased in, “but the action was not as fast as the day before,” the report said. Bucktails with Gulps caught best on trips. On nighttime trips, bluefishing was “still rocking!” the report said. Blues 6 to 14 pounds were mugged. 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.

Plenty of blues and fluke crammed Manasquan Inlet, said Chuck from <b>Gates Bait & Tackle</b>. Hickory shad were around, and sometimes weakfish were heard about from the inlet early in mornings and at dusk. Fluke carpeted Manasquan River. Striped bass were reportedly slugged from Point Pleasant Canal at night. Not a lot was heard about northern Barnegat Bay at Mantoloking Bridge. But Chuck had been off from work a couple of days. Surely crabbing was great around the bridge. Kingfish nipped in the surf, and triggerfish hugged the jetties.  The shop’s grounds include the Gates Motel, popular with anglers, within walking distance of the inlet and surf and the charter and party boat fleet. <b>***THIS TACKLE SHOP IS FOR SALE! CALL: 732-899-5760.***</b>

<b>Toms River</b>

 A few fluke and some kingfish and blowfish were boated from Barnegat Bay off the Forked River power plant, said Jeff from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. Blowfish, kingfish, croakers and sometimes snapper blues were pumped aboard between the BI and BB markers on the bay. In the Toms River, spots, croakers, snappers, small striped bass and even occasional fluke were cracked. Crabbing slowed but began to pick back up. Many small ones were trapped, but so were some decent-sized ones. Surf anglers beached kingfish, spots, blowfish, small blues, a few fluke, not big, and skates. Brown and sand tiger sharks were caught and released from the surf at night. Ocean boaters put up fluke, good catches, at the reefs. Not a lot was heard about sea bass.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

A mix of snapper blues, blowfish, kingfish, spots, small striped bass and juvenile sea bass kept anglers busy from the docks at <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>, John said in a report on the shop’s Web site. In the surf, spots and kingfish were “still the hot bite,” he said. They whacked clams and squid on high-low rigs. Crabbing was slow, but crabbers hoped cooler nights forecast in the next week would jump start catches. 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 good, but all toward Barnegat Inlet, on incoming tides, said Joe from <b>Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle</b>. Cooler waters made the difference, and weakfish to 18 inches were knocked around in the bay on livelined spots in evenings. The bay’s blowfishing was good, and spots swam all over the bay and lagoons. Peanut bunker schooled everywhere, and now was a time to castnet bait like spots and peanuts. Snapper blues swarmed everyplace. In the ocean, cobia were caught close to shore, and fluke, good catches, held in 85 feet at reefs and wrecks.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Super, super bluefishing, a report said about Wednesday’s trip on the party boat <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b> on the vessel’s Web site. “All you want,” it said. Limits of 8- to 14-pounders were whaled all around the boat. The fishing was super for blues the same size every day this week aboard the ocean. The Miss Barnegat Light is bluefishing 8 a.m. daily and 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. However, no fishing will sail Friday, because a cruise will steam instead to watch the Atlantic City air show from the ocean.

Lots more fluke than before, and better-sized ones, started biting in the ocean, said Vince Sr. from <b>Bobbie’s Boat Rentals</b>. Fluke were cranked from Barnegat Bay at Double Creek and Oyster Creek channels and High Bar Harbor. Weakfishing was excellent at Meyer’s Hole and the west side of the bay while anglers chummed and fished with live grass shrimp. Lots of small sea bass filled the bay. Blowfish schooled the bay. Live spots are stocked. So are live grass shrimp, but the shrimp should be ordered ahead. 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>Surf City</b>

Lots of kingfish were beached from the surf, said Joe from <b>Surf City Bait & Tackle</b>. Also in the surf, small blues ran, and plenty of keeper fluke were yanked in. Small croakers were plucked from the beach, too. Catch the shop’s free surf-fishing classes 6 to 7 p.m. Sundays in the parking lot, rain or shine. 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>

<b>***Update, Friday, 8/17:***</b> Lot of fish, not a lot of keepers, said Scott from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Small blues and 8- to 14-inch weakfish pushed peanut bunker against the shore of the bays. Off Oyster Creek on Great Bay was a place to look. A surf angler even talked about playing with small fish at Pebble Beach. Snapper blues, spots, and small summer flounder showed up. Sharks were seen chasing the peanuts. A few flounder were boated at Little Egg Inlet off Little Beach. Three keepers was high hook. Nothing too exciting, Scott said. Word was heard about good flounder fishing in deep waters 70 feet at Atlantic City Reef. Little Egg Reef was too shallow, 50 or 55 feet, to hold flounder. An occasional flounder and mostly junk fish bit there.

<b>Absecon</b>

Weakfishing kept getting better on the back bay, said Capt. Dave from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. If anglers ever caught weaks in past years, they could return to old haunts, and almost couldn’t miss hooking weaks. If anglers never before fished for weaks, the fishing was a good time. The fish swam the deep holes, and small, livelined spots seemed best bait. Fish a 4-inch spot on a 4/0 hook on a long leader. Spots could be caught nearly everywhere from the surf to the bay to the rivers. The population seemed to keep increasing. Or spots could be bought from the shop. Weaks could be nabbed on baits like Gulps on a bucktail or shedder crabs. But lots of small sea bass pecked at baits like that. Summer flounder could still be found in the bay, but ocean flounder fishing really began to turn on. The biggest flounder seemed to gather right on structure in the ocean. But good numbers also hovered on other places like usual lumps in the ocean. Shorts had to be culled to grab keepers on the ocean, like the fishing was in the bay this year. The warmth of the ocean pulled in fish like small mahi mahi that showed up at wrecks. Tuna were heard about that began to push in to structure close to shore or 10 miles out. Back inshore, a few blackfish held along jetties and bridges, but waters were warm for blackfish. No sheepshead catches were reported recently like in previous weeks, but sheepshead were surely around. Though back waters were warm, they did cool to the 70s, after being 85, and that seemed to perk up striped bass catches in the bay somewhat. One angler landed a couple of stripers and some slammer blues at the Brigantine Bridge on Tuesday night. Curt from the shop, a white perch angler, scored a bang-up weekend on the whiteys. Twenty striped bass to 24 inches, short weakfish and pretty good-sized blues also pounced on his pieces of shedder crab on perch rigs. The rigs couldn’t be kept in waters long without a bite. Live spots in two sizes, small and large, are stocked. Plenty of small spots remain, but are growing as the season goes on. Now is a time to stock up on spots for striped bass fishing this fall. Shedder crabs for bait and soft-shell crabs for eating are in plentiful supply, and the blueclaws are undergoing a good shed.

<b>Brigantine</b>

Fishing remained about the same as last week, said Bill from <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>. Spots dominated from the surf to the back bay. If any fishing changed, reports about bluefish and weakfish caught increased somewhat. Blues were bombed from the surf, and weaks were wrangled from the surf and bay. Weakfishing might not have been consistent from the surf, but when they were found, there were lots. Croakers, probably small, were plucked from the surf. Summer flounder, no exceptional amounts, but catches, came from the surf. Ocean reefs produced flounder, the last Bill heard.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

Phenomenal populations of fish were angled from shore around Absecon Inlet, said Noel from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. Spots and kingfish went crazy. A 5-gallon bucket of spots and half a bucket of kings could probably be filled in a couple of hours. Weakfish were whacked from the T-jetty. Many small croakers schooled along the T and off Pacific Avenue. Good-sized fluke could be hooked. Blackfish remained along the jetties, and catching a keeper among throwbacks was the thing. A couple of striped bass were heard about that were rounded up at night. But striper fishing wasn’t really worthwhile. A bunch of baitfish schooled, including 8- or 9-inch mullet, herring, peanut bunker and spearing. Lots of snapper blues, small ones – the mullet were bigger – swam the back bay. 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 somewhat slowed after last week’s storm, compared with an upswing in catches previously, said Capt. John from the party boat <b>Keeper</b>. But the fishing started to pick up a bit Wednesday, and keepers were bagged every trip this week. John was pretty happy with the fishing. Lots of small blues, some small croakers, a few small weakfish, a kingfish or two every trip, tons of small sea bass, and plenty of sea robins, fish that kids enjoy catching, were also hooked. Minnows and mackerel, supplied on the boat, caught. Sometimes sharks caught were stripped out for bait. Gulps, especially chartreuse, that anglers brought pelted flounder especially well.  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>

The ocean reefs, including Atlantic City, Ocean City and Great Egg, served up good summer flounder fishing, said Ed from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. A mixed bag of fish including sea bass, triggerfish and small blues also chewed along the reefs. Flounder fishing was decent at the inlets in deeper waters. Lots of small fish including juvenile sea bass littered the back bay. Lots of small flounder, not many keepers, paved the bay, though the bay cooled a little, wasn’t extremely warm like before. Crabbing was great. In the surf, small fish swam abundant, including spots, kingfish, blues and weakfish. Though the weaks were small, the population was large, not just a weak here or there. Ed hadn’t seen that many in seven years. Brown sharks prowled the surf, and someone landed a sand tiger shark from the beach. Occasional striped bass were winged from the surf. From offshore waters, not much was heard about tuna. A little bit of a tuna bite, on medium-sized yellowfins, was trolled last week at the Elephant Trunk. A few tuna were supposedly caught farther north, not as far offshore as Hudson Canyon. Fewer white and blue marlin were boated than before, but decent numbers were landed, reportedly at southern canyons like the Baltimore.  

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Many spots swarmed from the surf to the inlets to the back bay, said Mike from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. One angler bailed more than a hundred in two hours to keep for striped bass bait. He caught three spots at a time on a Sabiki rig with Fishbites. Assorted other small fish bit while anglers spot fished, including blues, sea bass and weakfish. Blues 1 or 1 ½ pounds, fun to fight, seemed to become more abundant in the surf, inlets and bay. Striped bass fishing was fairly good on the bay this week on lures, mostly poppers, during high tides at dusk, ideal conditions, coming around every couple of weeks. Getting a striper to swipe a lure among loads of baitfish was a challenge. On the ocean, plenty of brown, blacktip and dusky sharks roamed 2 to 5 miles from the coast. Ocean flounder fishing was reasonably good at Ocean City and Townsend’s Inlet reefs. Some boaters made the trip farther away to Reef 11 to the south. Ocean flounder fishers sometimes came up empty handed, but most seemed happy with catches. Nobody mentioned focusing on sea bass on the ocean. A keeper sea bass or two might be in the mix inshore. But to catch numbers of keepers, deeper waters were the place. Nothing was heard about tuna. One trip landed a 70-inch wahoo at the Lobster Claw in a double-header that hit. The other wahoo got off, couldn’t be stopped. White marlin were sporadically caught at the canyons. A bunch would be leadered at a canyon one day, and none the next. Nothing solid.

A mixed bag of summer flounder, sea bass, triggerfish, amberjacks and other fish were cleaned up from the ocean on a trip with Wayne Moore, his buddy and their two sons, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b>, affiliated with <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. Another trip this week with Rob and Bob Smith jabbed blues, amberjacks, sea bass, triggers and other fish, not a lot of sizeable fish, but lots of catches, from the ocean. Patty Gaudet and sons Ryan and Brady on Tuesday landed 15 weakfish, none big, a bunch of croakers and some porgies. Joe wasn’t saying where. The trip set out to look for weaks, and found them. Patty and sons Monday evening popper-plugged striped bass to 26 inches, a great catch, from the back bay. High tides at dusk this week were ideal for the popper fishing, a specialty for Jersey Cape, with both lures and flies. The tides come around every two weeks, and tides next week will be high at night, ideal for striper fishing on the bay with soft-plastic lures and Clouser Minnow flies. A few summer flounder were around, if anglers wanted to target them. Inshore shark fishing, catch and release, was very good for browns, duskies and blacktips. The trips are a chance to fight big fish without the long trip offshore. Jersey Cape is also fishing offshore for tuna and marlin. Annual weekend trips will sail again this fall from Montauk, New York, for the legendary run of striped bass, blues and false albacore. The fishing’s been epic for Jersey Cape in recent years, and book now. Reserve dates for annual weekend trips to Florida in winter. The trips can fish for a large variety of catches including redfish, speckled sea trout and tarpon in the back country to king mackerel, blackfin tuna and sailfish out front. See info about both trips on Jersey Cape’s <a href="http://www.captainjoehughes.com/page4.html" target="_blank">Traveling Fisherman Charters</a> Web page. Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s blog</a>.

<b>Cape May</b>

Four-hour family trips fished with <b>Legal Limit Charters</b>, piling up non-stop action with blues, small croakers and a few weakfish and summer flounder on the ocean, Capt. T.J. said. If charters wanted to take a longer trip on the ocean to reach the grounds, flounder fishing was fairly good. Nothing was heard about tuna fishing since good catches were sometimes made last week. But a tuna trip is slated to run Friday. Charters are fishing, and dates for open-boat trips get posted on<a href=" http://www.legallimitcharters.com/open-boat.php" target="_blank">Legal Limit’s open-boat page</a> online.

Summer flounder fishing was good on the ocean, said Capt. Mario from the <b>Down Deep</b>. Trolling for bluefish was excellent, and sea bass fishing was improving. A tuna trip is slated for Sunday. Book fall striped bass charters now, and not much space remains. Reserve dates for blackfishing this winter from Delaware. The state’s bag limit is larger than Jersey’s, and warmer waters can make the bite better, and the fishing grounds are less pressured.

Nobody was heard about who fished in weather in past days, said Capt. George from the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>. The Heavy Hitter was kept docked, but will fish this weekend. Summer flounder fishing seemed good on the ocean, and plenty of blues could be trolled. Little was heard about offshore, but a few trips ran offshore for tuna Monday that were known about. Two bagged one tuna apiece, and the other caught none. Lots of white marlin swam offshore, if anglers wanted to fish for them. The Heavy Hitter is available for all this fishing, and call if interested. 

Summer flounder fishing was very good several days, though slow Wednesday, on the party boat <b>Porgy IV</b>, Capt. Paul said. “Maybe the captain went the wrong way (that day),” he said. So he might run the boat to the Old Grounds today instead, or will bounce around, looking for a good bite for the weekend. All trips fished in the ocean, and Mike Wolf limited out on flounder to 8.2 pounds Sunday. He also limited out Monday, this time on the fluke to 7 ½ pounds. Then he split the pool with Bill Kaufman. Anglers with limits in past days also included Bill Conn from West Deptford and Matt Citron from Canton, Ohio. Mike Powell from Glendora axed three keepers to 6 ½ pounds on Tuesday. The Porgy IV is fishing for summer flounder 8 a.m. daily.

The back bay gave up summer flounder, alright catches, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. Many throwbacks like 16-inchers started to be caught more often. Juvenile sea bass held thick in the bay, and bluefish sometimes began to pop up in the bay. One angler boated a half-dozen of the blues. Lots of bait schooled the bay, including mullet that began to appear. Ocean fishing for flounder was good during the weekend at Reef 11 but sounded tougher Wednesday, according to a couple of trips. Cape May Reef reportedly attracted lots of skates. Cape May Channel served up a mix of fish including kingfish, small croakers and a few weakfish and flounder. Nothing was heard about flounder from Delaware Bay. Look for weakfish in Delaware Bay at the flats and stakes. Brown and sand tiger sharks stalked Delaware Bay and off Cape May Point. Small blues schooled off the point and in the ocean at places like 5-Fathom Bank and 4-Fathom Bank. Nothing was heard about sea bass from the ocean. But sea bass could probably be sacked at Reef 11 or along southern Cape May Reef. Nick fished on a trip offshore Wednesday that landed a couple of white marlin and some bull mahi mahi. Little was reported about tuna except about some chunked a bit to the north at a place anglers wouldn’t like mentioned. Somewhere around the Cigar. The fish seemed to bite in mid afternoon. Bloodworms, fresh clams, minnows and all the frozen inshore baits are stocked. Offshore baits include flats of butterfish and sardines and trolling ballyhoos and squid.   

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