<b>Keyport</b>

The storm kept the boat slipped, said Capt. Joe Romaniello from <b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b>. The last trip, fishing for fluke at Ambrose and Sandy Hook channels last Thursday, covered in the last report, met ripping, full-moon currents. Only a few fluke could be plucked, but cocktail blues were wrestled. Open-boat, deep-water trips for fluke are available 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Call to reserve.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Nobody really fished in the weather, said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b> this morning. But anglers were headed out today, and fluke fishing had been okay until winds from the storm. Porgies had begun to snap between the channels along the mussel beds. Weakfish and blues bit Wednesday along the bay surf. But the ocean still held a roll. Fish like spots schooled the bay. Striped bass got rubber-shad-ed in the river. All baits are stocked.

The trip for fluke this morning sailed, Capt. Tom from the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b> said at 10 o’clock in a phone call on the outing. Was amazing how beautiful the weather turned out on the ocean after the storm. A couple of keepers were bagged, and most anglers, a small group, probably landed a couple of throwbacks apiece, so far. Sea robins were a little annoying, and fishing wasn’t good, but there was life, and Tom would see how the catch ended up. Most trips stayed docked because of weather in past days. None of the fleet sailed Wednesday. Tuesday morning’s trip headed out, and a few keeper fluke were boxed, and throwbacks gave up action, and seas had calmed a surprising bit on the ocean. Weather was crummy aboard Monday, and fluking was no good on the boat. 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>***Update, Saturday, 9/8:***</b> On this morning’s trip Irwin Meyers won the pool with a 4-1/2- or 5-pound fluke, Tom said. This was the first fishing trip for Christian Bockelmann, 9, Middletown, and he bagged a keeper on his new rod and reel.

After being kept in port Tuesday and Wednesday, the party boat <b>Fishermen</b> fluke fished today, Capt. Ron said in a report on the vessel’s Web site. The ocean held a slight roll, “nothing to worry about,” he said. So the trip motored to the grounds fished previously. A slow pick of fluke, more throwbacks than keepers, was copped, but a few better-sized keepers were coolered. Dave Bachovchin won the pool with a 6-pounder, one of four keepers he sacked. Ron himself tossed a line, swinging in a 5-pound fluke for dinner. Slack tide gave up the best fishing. The Fisherman is sailing for fluke 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. However, the boat is chartered this Saturday, so no open-boat trip will sail then.

<b>Highlands</b>

The deep-water fluke trips aboard probably weren’t going to be able to sail through the weekend with <b>Fisher Price Charters</b>, Capt. Derek said. Forecasts called for 8-foot swells, and the trips, fishing the rough bottom with bucktails or big strip baits, were weathered out this week. Previously all trips limited out or nearly limited on the fluke, covered in previous reports. Call to reserve charters or open-boat trips or to be kept informed about future open-trip dates. Fall charters are being booked for striped bass, bottom fish and blackfish.

Fishing was weathered out with <b>Raritan Bay Charters</b>, Capt. Dave said.  The most recent trips pasted fluke and sometimes sea bass at the channels and rough bottom Saturday and Sunday, covered in the last report. Open-boat trips are fluking when no charter is booked.

Before the weather, Kevin Pease and dad Joe, fishing from <b>Twin Lights Marina</b> on Rich Blarr’s Sara Ann, on Friday, boated three fluke 18 to 20 inches at Sandy Hook Channel, an e-mail from the marina said. A charter sailing from the marina ran into a slow pick of fluke Saturday at Ambrose and Sandy Hook channels and the Scotland Light Buoy. Ryan Fisher and uncle John Cuozzo on John’s Elsea Nora returned with a 20-inch sea bass from Scotland last week. 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. Live bunker and clams will be carried again this fall. Offshore baits are in full supply, including flats of herring, sardines and butterfish. Half flats might be available for certain baits, if anglers want to save. 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>

“Getting the land-lover blues,” Capt. Ralph from <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b> said in an e-mail. Trips will resume Friday, and weather was breaking. Fishing was slow Sunday on both of Last Lady’s boats in a big swell around the full moon. Here’s a rundown of the <b><i>upcoming schedule</i></b>. Individual-reservation trips on Last Lady II will include those for: <b><i>fluke</i></b>, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Sunday and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Tuesday until fluke season closes on September 29, and a Special Fluke Marathon 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, September 27 (kids under 12 sail free, limited to two per adult, on all these fluke trips); <b><i>sea bass</i></b>, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. the Tuesdays of October 2 and 9; <b><i>striped bass and blues</i></b>, the  Tuesdays of October 16, 23 and 30 and November 6 and 13; and <b><i>blackfish</i></b>, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Tuesday starting November 20, bait included. On the Last Lady, space is available for an individual-reservation trip for canyon <b><i>tuna</i></b> overnight Friday to Saturday, October 5 to 6, and one of the trips is already full in September. Also on the Last Lady, space is available on an individual-reservation trip for <b><i>cod inshore</i></b>, up to 35 miles out, 3 a.m. Sunday, September 16 (one of the trips is already full this month), and for <b><i>cod offshore</i></b>, 35 to 75 miles out, 2 a.m. on both Monday, September 17, and Tuesday, November 13. <b><i>Charters are also available</i></b> on both boats.

<b>Belmar</b>

Fishing for fluke was good on the party boat <b>Big Mohawk</b> before winds in last days, Capt. Chris said. Some 10-pounders were cracked, and plenty of anglers limited out. Fluke were hooked along both open and rocky bottom in 40 to 70 feet on the ocean. Bucktails with Gulps caught best by far. Forecasts looked like today’s trip would be weathered out, but Chris expects to sail Friday. The Big Mohawk is fluke fishing 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

Boats were docked in the storm, but more reports than before started to come in about striped bass hitting in the surf in early mornings on swimming plugs, including Bombers and Daiwa SP Minnows, and popper lures, said Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> in an e-mail. Some anglers took the bass on clams or worms, and mullet, peanut bunker and other baitfish showed up in the surf. In Shark River Inlet and Shark River, kingfish, spots and snapper blues swam. When the ocean calms, “fluke should be a hot commodity,” Bob said. Larger fluke are traditionally clobbered this time of year. Anglers targeting blackfish snatched them up from Point Pleasant Canal.

The ocean held a long-period swell, but otherwise was flat, said Capt. Pete from <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b>. Still, fluke trips aboard were nixed because of seas, and another storm was now barreling up the coast. Ocean fluke trips will resume when possible. Looking ahead, porgy fishing should come on, and sea bass season will open on September 23. Striped bass and blackfish trips will begin in fall. Parker Pete’s sails for all 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.

Weather was beautiful Wednesday, said Capt. Jared from <b>Fin-Ominal Sportfishing</b>. The storm broke, and seas were tall at Shark River Inlet, but that was probably from an ocean swell. The ocean was probably flat besides that. Trips aboard were scrubbed because of seas this week, and Jared hopes to get back out this weekend. Trips previously bluefished, catching swarms of big ones, 15 miles from the coast. If large groups want blues, go now, and the 50-foot vessel can accommodate up to 15 passengers on fishing trips and 23 on cruises. Trips also bottom-fished on the ocean, wrangling up mostly fluke. Yellowfin tuna fishing reportedly broke open at Hudson Canyon at night, and Jared hopes to sail for them next week. Cruises also ran recently, everything from a trip with a bunch of young women up Manasquan River to a cocktail trip along the ocean. Practically any type of cruise imaginable can sail, from the rivers to the ocean to the Manhattan skyline.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

Though none of the open-boat, mixed-bag trips ran offshore in the weather with <b>Andrea’s Toy Charters</b>, yellowfin tuna fishing turned excellent at the canyons at night, Capt. Fred said. Choosing a weather window between hurricanes is usually the drill in September, and that began to happen this week. A short window looked to happen today, but Andrea’s Toy wasn’t taking the chance. The annual, unique, open trips target tuna and a mix of fish like mahi mahi, swordfish and tilefish, all in one outing. Call for info. Andrea’s Toy specializes in mixed-bag fishing for greater fun, better chances of hooking up and more variety for dinner.

The storm blew out fishing all week, except on Manasquan River, said Chuck from <b>Gates Bait & Tackle</b>. Not much bit in Manasquan Inlet, except a few fluke, and that was usual during weather. The inlet was chocolate. But on the river, plenty of blues swam around, and Gary from the shop landed nine this morning. Striped bass swam the river, and somewhat bigger ones appeared lately than before. None of the boats sailed, and most probably wouldn’t sail today. Maybe one or two would, like the party boat Dauntless. Though the storm was the remnants of the hurricane that traveled from the Midwest, the other half of the storm, a hurricane that split, was now barreling up the coast offshore. The effects of that were forecast to hit the local ocean. Crabbing was probably good, and many enjoyed crabbing from the new, free park at the foot of Mantoloking Bridge, on the mainland, northern side, where a marina used to be. Now people can enjoy crabbing and fishing from the bulkhead there, and the park is a great place for families. <b>***THIS TACKLE SHOP IS FOR SALE! CALL: 732-899-5760.***</b>

<b>Toms River</b>

In Barnegat Bay fluke gathered around Barnegat Inlet, said John at <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. Fluke were honked from the ocean when boaters could sail in weather. Blowfish hovered the bay toward the BI and BB markers. Weakfish were Fin-S Fished from the bay at Berkeley Island Park in early mornings and evenings, when boat traffic was light. Kingfish were dinged from the surf. Weather wasn’t conducive to fishing.

<b>Forked River</b>

Fewer fluke than before seemed to swim Barnegat Bay, but more keepers, and fewer throwbacks, were zinged than previously, or the keeper ratio improved, said Grizz from <b>Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle</b>. Ocean fluke anglers fished a half-mile off the Island Beach State Park bathing beach and the reefs. Lots of blowfish schooled the bay. Spots and juvenile sea bass held abundant in the waters. Weakfish were winged from the bay on livelined spots. Crabbing was okay, seemed to begin improving, after slow catches last week.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Seas and weather kept a trip Wednesday from reaching the bluefishing grounds on the party boat <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b>, a report on the vessel’s Web site said. But the trip was able to catch false albacore. Tuesday’s trip was weathered out, but fishing for big blues was good on all previous days aboard recently. The Miss Barnegat Light is bluefishing 8 a.m. daily and 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays through this Sunday. Afterward trips will bluefish on weekends.

<b>Surf City</b>

Many kingfish and spots were banked from the surf, said Bruce from <b>Surf City Bait & Tackle</b>. Fluke and tailor blues were beached, and livelined spots rocked the bigger fluke. One angler reeled in a couple of 6-inch weakfish from the surf while kingfishing. A few keeper weaks came from the surf a week or so ago. But south winds sort of blew away fishing in the last days. Still, Bruce was going to fish from shore tonight. For bay fishing, lots of customers bought chum for blowfishing. Fish like small sea bass swam the bay. 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>

Fishing’s going to be in trouble for now, said Scott from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. On Wednesday 4 inches of rain poured locally from 4 to 8 p.m., and 11 inches deluged Chatsworth, and all that water filled Mullica River basin, and was now flooding Great Bay. The bay, lagoons and everywhere were cedar water. Previously fishing was off to a good start in September. A bunch of fish like kingfish, spots and even a few weakfish bit in the bay. Blowfish had begun to appear locally toward Graveling Point and the mouth of the river. No flounder had really remained in the bay, and only an occasional one had come from Little Egg Inlet. But good flounder catches were made at the ocean wrecks. The flatfish held tight to structure, so short drifts on the boat were key. Long drifts weren’t productive. But the ocean today held 4- to 6-foot seas, and an offshore hurricane was pummeling up the coast that would build seas. Better days are coming, Scott said. But bait is stocked, including fresh, shucked clams, bloodworms, green crabs, minnows and live spots. Crabbing dropped off even before the rains. Plenty of the small blueclaws skittered around. 

<b>Absecon</b>

Weakfish, weakfish, weakfish, said Capt.  Dave from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. The bay’s weakfishing was about as good as he could remember, even if the one-weakfish bag limit was a shame. But the fishing was good, and livelined peanut bunker or small spots caught them best. Many spots grew big for weakfish bait by this time of season. But shedder crabs or jigged Gulps also grabbed weaks, and plenty of shedders are stocked. Spots in two sizes, small and large, are also carried, but not a lot of small ones could be found anymore. Weather actually wasn’t so bad, “but was enough to slow people down,” Dave said. Summer flounder remained in the bay, giving up good catches, usually as a by-catch while anglers weakfished. Flounder piled up around the ocean wrecks and reefs, and fishing for them seemed to keep improving. Croakers were reported caught from 40 feet in the ocean finally, and Dave had been waiting to hear about them. Kingfishing was good in the surf and seemed to get better. More spots than before seemed to return to the surf, and Dave would probably start looking there to catch them. Striped bass fishing began to pick up in the bay, and a few keepers were taken. Fish for the stripers at night. Still, Dave landed a 32-inch striper during daytime while jigging for weaks. They were definitely around. A few bluefish were around in the bay, randomly popping up. Only a couple of anglers talked about fishing for white perch in the rivers, but they caught well. Fishing for them was good at the mouth of  Mullica River. Plus a good mix of fish including the perch, small stripers and a few weakfish nipped there. Mostly shedder crabs were the bait at the mouth.  Catch the shop’s <b><i>Striped Bass Season Kick-Off Sale</i></b>, running this Friday through Sunday, September 16, featuring at least 25 percent off on nearly all gear in stock.

<b>Brigantine</b>

Spots and kingfish swam all over the surf, said Capt. Andy from <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>. Weakfish were around, and a buddy yanked a 15-incher from the surf today. Another angler nailed a 31-inch striped bass and another on the back bay along the sod banks on livelined spots. Details about the shop’s annual surf-fishing Striped Bass Derby, slated to start in late September, will be announced soon. The Atlantic County striper derby will begin later this month. One couple of anglers weighed in a 32-pound wahoo smoked a dozen miles from shore.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

At Absecon Inlet anglers on foot tugged in lots of kingfish and spots, said Noel from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. Weakfish, summer flounder and blackfish were pulled from the waters. Loads of bait schooled, including peanut bunker, mullet, herring and spearing. Small blues were socked from the sea wall. Striped bass began to be rustled up at night. 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>

On the party boat <b>Keeper</b> summer flounder kept biting on the back bay until rainstorms kept trips from sailing in past days, Capt. John said. Lots of spots and small blues, a few weakfish and a gazillion juvenile sea bass chomped, and fishing wasn’t bad. Trips fished with minnows and mackerel provided aboard. But mackerel will probably stop being carried, because sea bass jump all over the bait. Gulps that anglers bring always work well. The Keeper is fishing for summer flounder 8 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 to 5 p.m. daily. Starting next week, the afternoon trips might stop sailing Mondays through Wednesdays or so. But morning trips should keep running daily, and both the morning and afternoon trips will probably fish Thursdays through the weekends or so, starting then. The fare is only $25 per adult, $20 for seniors and $16 for kids.

<b>Ocean City</b>

Before the swell, surf anglers beached lots of small fish like kingfish, spots, croakers, blues and occasional weakfish, said Ed from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. The swell lasted four or five days now, keeping anyone from boating the ocean to fish reefs and wrecks. On the back bay, “water doesn’t look bad,” Ed said, and surely small summer flounder, sea bass, spots and other small fish swam around. A bit more started to be heard about striped bass caught from the bay at night at bridges, sod banks and dock lights. The season was early, and traditionally the catches amp up once the first cold front hits. Then bait like mullet begins to move around, and mullet already started to get more active. For offshore boaters, before the weather, mahi mahi gathered at the Cigar and 750 Square, and a good number of wahoos were hung there. Inshore a little, false albacore were axed. The last anything was heard from the canyons, white marlin were on a bite at the Wilmington.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

The fall migration of striped bass and bluefish will begin locally in late October in the ocean, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. Trips then lambaste the best fishing of the year. Tons of baitfish filled the back bay, and will begin moving to the ocean. The migrating bass and blues will blitz on them. But currently striper fishing in the back bay will get better and better as waters cool, both in evenings on popper-lures and –flies and at night on soft-plastic lures and Clouser Minnow flies.  Jersey Cape’s trips were already catching them.  Trips were also jigging weakfish on the ocean. Summer flounder, good catches, could be bucktailed at ocean wrecks and structure. Trips needed to target them, not “drift and dream,” Joe said. Yellowfin tuna fishing began to shape up at night at Hudson Canyon and maybe North Toms Canyon. A few trips on bigger boats planned to sail for them today in a break in weather.  Coming soon, later this month, annual weekend trips will sail 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. 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>

The back bay’s summer flounder fishing slowed a little, but the fish were still there, said Mike from <b>Canal Side Boat Rentals</b>. A couple of quality weakfish were docked in the past week. Crabbing wasn’t as good as Mike had hoped, though rains affected them recently, and most customers fished, didn’t crab, in past days. One customer hit small blues from the surf Wednesday. A few striped bass, not many, were beached from the surf earlier this week.  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 live spots, 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 sand eels, herring, whole mackerel, mackerel fillets and salted clams in quarts and pints. The spots will be stocked as long as possible this season. 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>

Weather kept summer flounder trips docked the last several days on the party boat <b>Porgy IV</b>, Capt. Paul said, but he planned to sail today. Anglers picked at fluke aboard the ocean previously, not great fishing, but a few catches. Sean Potichen decked four keepers on Sunday’s trip. Before the storm, flounder remained in the back bays and along the beach, so they should still be around at the ocean grounds the boat fishes. On recent trips the boat bounced around to several areas to fish, depending on conditions. The Porgy IV is fishing for summer flounder 8 a.m. daily.

Capt. George from the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> fished for weakfish on Delaware Bay on Saturday, scoring well, though one was the bag limit, he said. The weaks were 10 to 18 inches, and many were small, but keepers could be hooked easily. Small croakers the size of a hand were mixed in. The Heavy Hitter was tied to the dock in weather this week. But previously summer flounder fishing was good on the ocean, and plenty of small blues could be trolled off Cape May Point. George hopes yellowfin tuna fishing cranks up at night at the offshore canyons like it usually does this month. One of the mates from the boat was supposed to steam offshore on another vessel today in a break in weather. Trips are available for all this fishing, and call if interested.

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