This report was updated on a Friday instead of the usual Thursday because
of a storm.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Fluke fishing resumed Thursday on the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>, after trips were docked because of the storm, Capt. Tom said. The ocean held a roll, so Raritan Bay was fished, and fluking was no good. He was now waiting for seas to settle, including so trips could fish the ocean again. Settling seas were probably key to better fishing, and Tom hopes fluke catches rebound. Fluking had begun to be decent aboard before the storm, covered in previous reports. On Wednesday’s fishing on the bay, a mix of a few blues, weakfish, fluke and porgies were hooked. Fishing for no one species was good. Fishing wasn’t good at all. An easterly wind, not terrible, but wind, blew all day Wednesday. By nighttime the wind had calmed, when Tom gave this report in a phone call at the dock at 8 o’clock. A few regular customers, not many people, showed up to fish Wednesday, so Tom headed out. The Atlantic Star is fishing for fluke twice daily 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 6 p.m.

Boaters clammed a few striped bass at the channels, said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. They eeled a few at night. Surf anglers banked a few stripers, and bluefish swam everywhere from the surf to the ocean to Raritan Bay. Panfish like spots and kingfish chomped in the bay. Seas remained somewhat slopped Wednesday after the storm, but some fluke were managed. Porgies lately began to bite. Blackfish were around, and sea bass season will open Sunday. Stripers and blues roamed Shrewsbury River. All baits are stocked.

<b>Highlands</b>

Striped bass fishing somewhat began to pick up this past week for anglers on the <b>Hyper Striper</b>, Capt. Pete said in an e-mail. Mostly throwbacks bit, but a couple of keepers were mixed in on every trip. The anglers added either fluke or blues to the box to round out the day.

Striped bass will be targeted on trips this afternoon and Saturday with <b>Fisher Price Charters</b>, Capt. Derek said. No trips sailed during rough weather in past days. A trip will fluke fish Sunday, if weather allows. More rough conditions are forecast starting Saturday. Two open-boat “fluke marathons” are set for Thursday and Friday, the final two days of fluke season. Call to climb aboard or to be kept informed about future open trips. After fluke season, Fisher Price will concentrate on stripers, bottom fish and blackfish. Fall charters are being booked for all three.

One boat ventured out from <b>Twin Lights Marina</b> on Wednesday after the storm, Marion said. Results were yet to be heard from the fishing trip, probably sailing for fluke. Most anglers from the docks fished for fluke, but charters on the Hyper Striper, sailing from the marina, might’ve begun catching striped bass, Marion thought. Johnny Beer on the Par Tee clubbed a 4-pound 21-inch fluke Sunday at the 3 buoy.  Killies and all the frozen baits for inshore are stocked, 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. Live bunker and clams will be carried again this fall. Offshore baits are in full supply, including flats of herring, sardines and butterfish. 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>Belmar</b>

The party boat <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b> sailed for bluefish on the ocean Wednesday, after being tied to the dock previous days in weather, Karin said. Fishing wasn’t as good as before the storm, but some blues were cracked. A 16-pounder was the pool-winning blue. A 15-pound cod was also clocked. Bluefishing was very good aboard previously. Karin was unsure whether Wednesday’s fluke fishing got out on the party boat <b>Tropical Adventure</b>, the company’s other vessel. Probably not, she thought. 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 7:30 a.m. to 12 noon and 3:30 to 6 p.m. daily.

For the first time since the storm, the party boat <b>Big Mohawk</b> fished today, a post on the vessel’s Facebook page said this morning. Throwback fluke and keepers mixed in were hooked from the ocean. Trips will keep sailing for fluke 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. But sea bass season will open Sunday, and a special sea bass trip, with limited space, will run 6 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday. Call to reserve: 732-974-9606.

The ocean was rough Wednesday after the storm, said Capt. Pete from <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b>. He heard about party-trips that began to return to the waters that day. Strong winds blew from the northeast in the morning. No results were heard about fluke trips on the vessels. But bluefishing sounded picky on the head boats that day, running into shots of catches, but nothing spectacular. Pete would think seas that far out were also stiff. Parker Pete’s did no fishing in the weather the past days. A trip is supposed to fish for bluefish, false albacore and bonito Saturday aboard. Trips on deck will fish for fluke in the final days of fluke season next week. The season will close that Saturday, Sept. 29. Parker Pete’s sails for any species available, and charters and open-boat trips are fishing. 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.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

<b>***Update, Friday, 9/21:***</b> From an e-mail from Alan, the boat owner, from <b>Mushin Sportfishing</b>: “Mushin was at the dock most of the week with the blow. Got out (today) for an albie special with Ed and Rich's group. Steamed to (an) area less than an hour from our inlet, put the spoons/feathers out while looking for the concentrated schools to bait fish. Had fish on in minutes on the troll, found our spot to set up. Had albies by the dozens zipping through our slick like fireflies! The spearing baits floated back were hit almost instantly. The guys fought as many fish as they wanted to. Done by lunchtime and on our way home. Cancelled tonight's canyon overnighter with marginal weather, but heard some good reports offshore.”

Mostly ling were scooped aboard the party boat <b>Dauntless</b>, Capt. Butch said. The fishing was good, and sea bass were sometimes caught and released on Wednesday’s trip. Butch hopes sea bass are around for the opening of sea bass season Sunday. A few fluke, blackfish and cod were landed lately. A couple of haddock even came in during Wednesday’s trip. Out-of-season winter flounder were let go lately. Trips fished for ling in 180 to 200 feet. Waters on the grounds were 72 degrees, starting to cool, but Butch would like to see them cool quicker, for catches like sea bass. Nighttime bluefish trips sailed this weekend for the last time this season aboard. Demand drops off this time of year, but the fishing was great for blues averaging 8 to 12 pounds. The Dauntless is bottom-fishing 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily.

Great fluke fishing was crushed from Manasquan Inlet, said Chuck from <b>Gates Bait & Tackle</b>. Lots of keepers were swung in recently, and fluke seemed to be getting ready to push to the ocean. “Balling up,” Chuck said. But they remained, including tons in the surf. Anglers trying for striped bass hooked them. Blues and stripers were sometimes dragged from the surf. Stripers were whipped from Point Pleasant Canal. Gary from the shop was catching a couple in mornings just before daylight. He usually fishes with rubber shads or metal like Ava jigs. Blues raced the canal at night and in early mornings. The store and motel are within walking distance of the charter and party boat fleet, inlet and surf. <b>***THIS TACKLE SHOP IS FOR SALE! CALL: 732-899-5760.***</b>

<b>Toms River</b>

Mostly blues 2 to 3 pounds, sometimes 4 or 5, were yanked from the surf, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. The surf was rough, so most were banked at the Barnegat Inlet pocket or from the inlet itself. In the surf, mostly mullet caught them. A few were clocked on popper plugs or metal. Loads of mullet – all you could want, Dennis said – schooled the surf. A few token fluke were landed from the surf on Ava jigs with Gulps or bucktails with Gulps. Again, toward the inlet was best in the seas. A token striped bass was caught from the surf, but waters were warm. A few bass were plugged mostly from the inlet jetty. A few kingfish remained in the surf, holding 20 feet from shore. Nothing was heard about boating for fluke since the storm. Previously fluke were boated from the ocean close to shore, in 20 to 30 feet. Blowfish, spots snapper blues and weakfish hovered in Barnegat Bay at the BB marker. Anchor and chum for them. Blowfish and snappers were tugged from the bay’s piers at Seaside Heights near Route 37 Bridge. Spots and crabs skittered around Toms River.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

Lots of blues crashed the surf, said Mario from <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>. They were usually small, but larger ones chased mullet and weakfish through the waters recently. Fluke and kingfish milled around the surf, and a few striped bass were reported caught from shore. From the shop’s docks, lots of blowfish and some kingfish and snapper blues were angled. Crabbing was slow. The store rents different types of boats for fishing, crabbing and cruising, and features the full supply of bait and tackle, a free pier for fishing and crabbing, and more.

<b>Forked River</b>

Blowfish swam abundant in Barnegat Bay, said Grizz from <b>Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle</b>. So did spots, and weakfish and kingfish were around in the bay. Small black drum were sometimes heard about from the bay. Fluke in the bay mostly gathered near Barnegat Inlet. Or they held in the inlet itself. Crabbing wasn’t good. Fishing news was scarce in the weather.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Anglers were supposed to resume fishing today, after the storm, on the <b>Super Chic</b>, sailing for fluke then and the next couple of days on the ocean, Capt. Ted said. A trip Wednesday was cancelled because of weather that was supposed to bluefish on the ocean. Lots of blues, good sized, bit before the weather. Ted hopes to get after sea bass once the season for them opens Sunday. Overnight trips for tuna are also running. The 50-foot boat can accommodate up to 25 passengers on inshore trips and 10 on offshore, overnight trips. The vessel sleeps 10 passengers.

<b>Surf City</b>

The surf was 4 to 6 feet this morning, though forecasts called for 2 to 4, said Joe from <b>Surf City Bait & Tackle</b>. But the surf is calming, and will probably be all right Saturday. Snappers schooled all over the surf. Kingfish were lifted from the surf, and fluke fishing was spotty from the beach. Joe jumped on a trip to Garden State Reef North today, and nothing was doing. One weakfish was snagged by chance. 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>Absecon</b>

A few striped bass were bagged on the back bay, said Curt from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. That was during daytime, not just nighttime, on live spots or Gulps. The fishing wasn’t hot and heavy, and the average angler wasn’t going to catch during daytime, but there was activity that began from stripers. The fish were likely younger, non-migrating stripers, not the stripers that will migrate to the local area on the trek south this fall. Weakfishing remained good on the bay on shedder crab or livelined peanut bunker or spots. Cocktail bluefish 1 or 2 pounds, maybe up to 3, ran around the bay. Curt wasn’t asked about summer flounder, because the storm likely kept news about them scarce from the ocean. They mainly held in the ocean by this time of season, according to past reports from the shop. A few blackfish were around. Sea bass season will open Sunday. Curt, a white perch angler, hadn’t fished for the slabs on Mullica River in two or three weeks. But he fished for them Sunday in an area in the bay that wasn’t very accessible, and scored well. Probably one perch in 50 pounds was a throwback. The area was accessed from a mouth where the tide was high enough for a boat for 2 ½ hours. The place could be reached from open waters, but in a long trip. The fish bit well, then turned off. Curt started to look elsewhere for more, then decided to wait for the tide to move again. The perching turned back on then. The fish were a different color than in rivers. Anglers could have fun with lots of fish that filled creeks like perch, spots, small black drum and small blues. Now was a good time to catch spots to keep in livewells for bait, and the shop is loaded with all the supplies to catch and keep baitfish. Customers kept buying lots of bait for crabbing, so they probably caught. Curt wasn’t sure whether lots of small crabs were around or something. Shedder crabs, bloodworms and live spots, eels, peanut bunker and mullet are stocked. The shop carries one of the largest bait supplies around.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

Summer flounder, lots, before the storm, were supposedly boated farther north on the ocean, like around Barnegat Light Reef and Barnegat Ridge, said Chris from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Little happened with flounder fishing at Little Egg Reef. Only a mix of small fish like croakers seemed to bite there. One customer showed photos of good-sized sea bass caught and released at an ocean wreck. Seemed a good sign for the opening of sea bass season Sunday. Croaker fishing was phenomenal 1 to 3 miles from the coast near Little Egg Inlet. Drift in 35 or 40 feet until a croaker or two are hooked, to locate the school. Then anchor to keep catching. Surf anglers kept talking about banking summer flounder on Long Beach Island on metal with Gulps. Chris figured the flatfish fed on sand eels, so they honed in on the jigs with Gulps. Blowfish, tons, were bailed in Tuckerton Bay. A few were picked in Great Bay, but Great Bay held lots of variety. Boaters on the bay off Graveling Point waxed lots of schoolie striped bass 8 to 18 inches, spots, weakfish, kingfish, porgies and other fish, a large variety. Anglers never knew what they’d reel in next.

<b>Brigantine</b>

From <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b> Capt. Andy and friend Homer plucked 70 spots and some pompanos, kingfish, blues and a puffer from the surf Monday in 4 hours, Andy said. Action was non-stop. “Couldn’t even drink a beer,” Andy said. They fished from chairs, the angling was so easy. The blow hit the area Tuesday, and Andy fished the beach again Wednesday, but only a few spots bit, not much.  Wonder how the surf looks today? Andy’s friend set up Brigantine’s only live surf cam, and check it out: <a href=" http://www.brigantinebeachlive.com/" target="_blank">BrigantineLive.com</a>. Riptide’s annual Striped Bass Derby launched Monday, awarding cash prizes for the biggest stripers beached from Brigantine’s surf until December 23. Weekly and monthly prizes are also awarded, and entry is only $20, and, with a Brigantine beach buggy permit, entry allows anglers to drive the entire Brigantine beach, unlike the permit alone.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

At Absecon Inlet anglers on foot toggled in kingfish, spots, summer flounder and blues, said Noel from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. Blackfish were plentiful, and some were keepers. Lots of action from the inlet. That was the main thing. Striped bass were sometimes slugged from the waters at night, mostly on plugs, sometimes on clams. Sometimes anglers fishing with worms for kingfish chanced into a striper. All kinds of bait, including lots of mullet, schooled the inlet. Bait included peanut bunker, herring and spearing. Waters were fine after the storm. Rains fell Tuesday night, and conditions were calm the next day.  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>

The back bay turned up a few summer flounder during the weekend on the party boat <b>Keeper</b>, Capt. John said. Bluefish bit, and lots of blues swarmed the bay. A few kingfish and porgies were landed, if he remembered. No weakfish showed up, but a few weakfish swam the bay.  Trips will fish 8 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, 8 a.m. to 12 noon Sunday, and 8 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 to 5 p.m. next Friday. That’s the final day of flounder season. Then the boat will be on break from fishing through winter. The fare is only $25 per adult, $20 for seniors and $16 for kids.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Winds from the storm seemed to have affected the ocean, when Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b> got back on the waters afterward, he said. His trips had been catching bluefish after bluefish there. But he did fly rod a big Spanish mackerel a couple of miles from shore on a trip after the storm. He also fished after that on Wednesday evening, and winds came up, but he fished from his flats boat, so they weren’t that bad. Seas were fine. He expects to keep fishing for blues and amberjacks on the ocean and striped bass on the back bay in the near future. Tides were currently high at night, ideal for fishing for the bass in the dark on soft-plastic lures or Clouser Minnow flies. Tides next week will be high at dusk, ideal for popper fishing for the bass with lures or flies on the bay. The migration of large stripers and blues should slam the local ocean in late October and November. Book trips for them now if interested. Coming in the next weeks, annual weekend trips will sail from Montauk, New York, for the legendary run of stripers, blues and false albacore. The fishing’s been epic for Jersey Cape in recent years. Check out a <a href=" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nybGtTsIGQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player" target="_blank">video of the Montauk blitz</a>. 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>Wildwood</b>

Many snapper blues and small sea bass filled the back bay, said Mike from <b>Canal Side Boat Rentals</b>. Not much was heard about summer flounder, but business was slow in weather this week. Crabbing was somewhat slow, or the same as it’s been. Some good catches of the blueclaws were seen, but that wasn’t consistent. But again, business was slow, difficult to tell how crabbing was now. Striped bass began to show up at different waters. Some swam the canal, and some began to be reported hooked right off the inlet at North Wildwood. A buddy pulled in a couple of stripers from the sounds. Weakfish, not a lot, but some, were around in the bay. Canal Side will be open through the second week of October, unless there’s demand to stay open. Then the shop will be closed for a break through winter. The rental boats are available, and a large supply of baits is stocked. Minnows are only $5 a pint, the best price on the island, Mike said in a previous report. Baits carried also include Gulps, frozen, chopped shedder crabs in brine, all the different squids, including colored and scented squid strips, tube squid and trolling squid, and frozen sand eels, herring, whole mackerel, mackerel fillets and salted clams in quarts and pints. Crabs for eating are $22 per dozen for No. 1’s and $12 per dozen for No. 2’s. Check out <a href="http://www.canalsideboatrentals.com" target="_blank">Canal Side’s Web site</a>.

<b>Cape May</b>

A heave remained on the ocean Wednesday, and northeast winds blew 10 to 15 m.p.h. in the morning, and a few summer flounder, not many, were found in one small area on the trip that day on the party boat <b>Porgy IV</b>, Capt. Paul said. The trip at first fished closer to shore, and croakers, blues and weakfish were reeled in. Paul hopes weather and seas settle, after the week’s storm, and trips will stumble into better fishing for flounder. Sea bass season will open Sunday, and trips will keep trying for flounder, but sea bass will be able to be kept, and the croakers, blues and weakfish schooled close to shore, and trips will target whatever can be caught if necessary. But if anglers want to try for flounder, trips will be attempting to nail the flatfish. The Porgy IV is fishing 8 a.m. daily.

Fishing for summer flounder was good, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. Catches were cranked from the ocean at places like Cape May Reef. Sea bass should be caught from the ocean when the season opens Sunday for them. Inlets and the back bay also gave up flounder. Bluefish and striped bass swam inlets, chasing mullet. Striper fishing was very good in the back bay at places like docks on bait like clam, mullet or squid. Incoming tides seemed somewhat better. Mullet also swam the surf, and a few stripers were pulled from the surf. Kingfish nipped in the ocean surf, and croakers probably snapped in Delaware Bay’s surf. Weakfish and small croakers swarmed Delaware Bay. One angler hooked weaks there and at Cape May Canal and bridges. Sometimes he used croakers for bait that were mixed in and hooked. Fresh clams, fresh mullet, bloodworms, minnows and all the frozen baits for inshore are stocked. Offshore baits carried include flats of butterfish and sardines and trolling ballyhoos and squid.

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