<b>Perth Amboy</b>

Two spaces remain for an open-boat fluke trip Saturday, and another is full Sunday, Capt. Frank from the <b>Vitamin Sea</b> wrote in an e-mail. Those are the final open fluke trips this year, and fluke season is open through two Tuesdays from now, on September 24. Charters are available, and the Vitamin Sea also fishes from Staten Island. “Get your dose of Vitamin Sea!”

<b>Keyport</b>

The most recent trip that fished aboard bagged fluke and released throwbacks at the West Bank during the weekend with <b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b>, Capt. Joe said. That was covered in the previous report, and space is available for open-boat trips or charters for fluke through the weekend. Telephone to climb aboard.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Fishing for fluke was “getting a little less,” said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>, but fluke were still boated. A friend ran a charter that totaled 15 keepers with five anglers. Bluefish sometimes popped up along ocean beaches for boaters. Waters remained warm for striped bass to be boated, but a few were, like all season. In the surf, blues sometimes pushed in, and a few stripers were beached. Back on the ocean, ling fishing became a little tougher than before. A charter-captain friend had to work for them. Eighteen blowfish were decked at Shrewsbury Rocks on one of the friend’s charters. Triggerfish snapped along the grounds. Lots of porgies could be pasted. In the bay and river, croakers and spots remained. Crabbing was pretty darn good in the river, and will be for a month. All baits are stocked.

Fluke fishing wasn’t great aboard, and Wednesday morning’s was probably better than during the rest of the week, and Tuesday morning’s was better than on previous days, said Capt. Tom from the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>. But even the better catches weren’t great. Some fluke were better-sized on trips. Sometimes throwbacks gave up lots of action. On Wednesday morning’s trip, action with shorts wasn’t great, but more keepers were hooked than before, or the ratio was improved. On Wednesday morning’s trip, one angler bagged three, another bagged two and some bagged one. Some landed no keepers, of course. That afternoon, southerly winds came up, making conditions horrible for fishing. Conditions played a part in fluking on trips. The Atlantic Star is fishing for fluke 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 6 p.m. daily.

<b>Highlands</b>

<b>Fisher Price Charters</b> picked away at fluke, bucktailing rough bottom in deep waters, Capt. Derek said. That was the same way of catching them as all season aboard, and trips now sometimes cleaned them up, and other days “you pick,” Derek said. That depended on “conditions.” An 8-1/2-pounder was biggest aboard the past week. The year’s final open-boat trips for fluke are set for Tuesday through Thursday, and charters are available. Fall striped bass and blackfish charters are being booked, and Derek hopes to start the striper fishing the final week of the month or the first week of October.  Anglers aboard will clam, eel or jig the fish, whatever it takes. Trips will troll them if necessary, only. Blackfishing will begin on November 16, when the bag limit is increased to six from the current limit of one. Bluefish are hitting, if charters want to fight them. Bluefin tuna fishing, on the inshore ocean, became slow. But if that picks back up, charters can steam for them. 

On the Good Action, motoring from <b>Twin Lights Marina</b>, Steve and Dan boated fluke to 22 inches on the ocean off Sandy Hook’s north beach, fishing with spearing and squid, Marion from the shop wrote in an e-mail. Jack Wall and Angelo and Karen Kelly Guistino bagged three fluke at Sandy Hook Channel on killies and Gulps. Greg Schnell and Bill Looney made a trip farther from shore in the ocean, dealing a blow to mahi mahi to 15 pounds and skipjacks, southeast of the Lillian wreck. Twin Lights, conveniently located on Shrewsbury River, with no bridges before Raritan Bay and the ocean, features boat slips, rack storage, a fuel dock, ship’s store supplies, and a complete bait and tackle shop. Baits carried can include killies and frozen quarts and pints of salted clams, spearing, Peruvian smelts, the different types of squid, and scented shedder crab. Offshore baits like flats of ballyhoos are sold. When in demand, baits include bushels of fresh clams and live bunker.

<b>Neptune</b>

The weekly individual-reservation trip for fluke piled up good fishing Tuesday with <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b>, Capt. Ralph wrote in an e-mail. Some anglers hooked more than a limit, keeping only their quota. A few openings remain on the next two Tuesdays, the final of these trips for the year. The final one is on the final day of fluke season, September 24. Sea bass season will be opened September 27, and a few spaces remain for an individual-reservation trip for inshore wreck fishing September 29. Another was just added for November 10. An individual-reservation trip for blackfish is on the books for November 16, when the bag limit will be increased to six from the current limit of one. More of the trips will be announced.

<b>Belmar</b>

Bluefish, all large, were bombed from the ocean on the party boat <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b>, Capt. Alan said. Very good fishing, he said, and trips sailed every day, including today in winds. The angling was also good on night trips, “when we get out,” he said. Fluke trips last sailed during the weekend on the party boat <b>Royal Miss Belmar</b>, and the outings caught, not tons, but definitely some big fluke. “It could make your day – how’s that?” Alan said, describing. The Miss Belmar Princess is bluefishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and 7:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays. The Royal Miss Belmar is fishing for fluke 7:30 a.m. to 12 noon daily and 1:30 to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

Another very good day of bluefishing on Wednesday, for big ones 10 to 18 pounds, on the party boat <b>Golden Eagle</b>, a report on the vessel’s Web site said. That was like on the previous days of the week, and on Wednesday’s trip, the fish attacked from the time the anchor was dropped until it was time to go home. Eight to 10 were hooked at all times. The Golden Eagle is bluefishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and 7:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. Thursdays through Sundays.

Some 8- and 9-pound fluke were plowed, but fluking slowed compared with before, on the party boat <b>Big Mohawk</b>, Capt. Chris said. Some anglers limited out on Wednesday’s trip, and a 7-pounder was cracked, but the fishing wasn’t good, on the outing. Trips picked the summer flounder, fishing rough bottom in the ocean. Gulps for bait caught best. The Big Mohawk is fishing for fluke 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. Trips will switch to sea bass fishing when sea bass season is opened September 27. The first three sea-bass trips will sail 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., instead of the usual 7 to 3.

With <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b>, fluke fishing was better on the ocean than before, Capt. Pete said. The boat fished the same areas as previously, and the fluke seemed more aggressive. Seemed if the right patch was found, catches took off. The fishing had to have the right conditions or a good drift of the boat and current. The fish were decent-sized, too. On one trip, three weighed more than 5 pounds, and several limits were made. Plenty of out-of-season sea bass bit and were let go. Charters are really starting to book up for sea bass, blackfish and striped bass. Sea bass season will be opened September 27. Blackfishing will begin aboard November 16, when the bag limit is hiked to six, from the current limit of one. Pete hopes striped bass trips will start in late October to early November. Trips then will jig stripers and blues, and, at night, will eel for stripers, if that bite happens. Don’t have enough anglers for a charter? Contact Pete anyway, or <a href=" http://www.parkerpetefishing.com/" target="_blank">subscribe to Parker Pete’s e-mailed newsletter</a>, to be kept informed about individual-spaces available on charters. Look for the place to sign up on the right side of the page on the boat’s Web site.

Fluke anglers should fish now, Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> wrote in an e-mail. It’s happening, is great. Robin Greenawalt, Mertztown, Pa., slammed a 12-pound 4-ounce fluke on a Belmar party boat. On the same day, three fluke larger than 10 pounds were creamed on another Belmar head boat. “This scenario has repeated itself with private boaters, as well,” Bob said. Several anglers were known about who reeled keeper fluke from Shark River. “The fish are feeding (as they prepare to migrate offshore),” Bob said. Bait kept building up in rivers, grabbing attention from small striped bass and bluefish. Surf anglers kept busy with kingfish, croakers and spots.

<b>Brielle</b>

Good fluke fishing most of the week on the party boat <b>Jamaica II</b>, especially when the boat drifted right, Capt. Ryan wrote in an e-mail. Some 4-, 5- and 6-pounders were sacked, and Bill Cochran, Rosyln, Pa., took the lead in the monthly pool with a 9-pound 14-ounce fluke. Bucktailing caught best, but Bill’s fish bit spearing with squid on a “standard fluke rig,” Ryan said. Customers who limited out during the week included Curt Masters, Philadelphia, whose fluke weighed up to 7 pounds, and John Branston, Lincroft, whose weighed up to 6 pounds. The Jamaica II is fishing for fluke twice daily at 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays and on an all-day trip at 7:30 a.m. Mondays.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

Offshore canyon fishing last got the weather to sail during the weekend with <b>Andrea’s Toy Charters</b>, Capt. Fred said. He hopes to make it out this weekend, but weather looks rough, because of the tropical storm. The trip, covered in the previous report, iced a half-dozen mahi mahi during daytime. Later, at night, a 30-pound yellowfin tuna was nailed, and several that bit were missed. At 5 a.m., the anglers went 2 for 5 on yellowfin tuna to a 65-pounder bagged. Blue sharks were also fought and released at night. Afterward in the morning, trolling for tuna was slow. Then the anglers tilefished, cranking in seven tiles to 25 pounds. Andrea’s Toy is only offshore fishing now, after sailing the mid-shore ocean for a mixed bag of bluefin tuna, mahi and cod. Bluefin were no longer around. The offshore trips, both open-boat and charters, are hunting a mixed bag that can include tuna, mahi, swordfish, sharks, tilefish and more, all in one outing. Andrea’s Toy specializes in mixed-bag trips for greater fun, better chances of hooking up, and more variety for dinner. Telephone if interested.

Porgies, fairly good catches, were plowed on the party boat <b>Dauntless</b>, Capt. Butch said. Anglers probably averaged 15 to 30 apiece, a little more on some days. A few fluke, a couple of blackfish now and then, blowfish when hard-bottom was fished, and sometimes small bluefish were mixed in. Out-of-season sea bass, including sizeable, were sometimes hooked and released. But trips targeted porgies, fishing rocks and Sandy Hook Channel to the north. Butch hopes sea bass stick around for when sea bass season is opened September 27. The Dauntless is sailing 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily. Night trips are finished for the season that bottom-fished and bluefished this summer.

Both the morning and afternoon trips ran into slow fluke fishing Tuesday on the party boat <b>Norma-K III</b>, Capt. Matt wrote in a report on the vessel’s Web site. That was the most recent report posted, and strong southerly winds blew, drifting the boat fast, and chilling the waters, and plenty of fluke were around. “We just have to find the right ones that want to bite,” he said. On Monday night’s bluefish trip, the report said, catches were very good. The 8- to 12-pounders began hitting at the stern. Then they bit along the sides after an hour. “Everyone went home with some meat!” Matt said.  The Norma-K III is fishing for fluke on two trips daily 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 to 6:30 p.m. and for bluefish 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. daily.

This report was posted Tuesday as an update and is being re-posed in case readers missed it: Except for a couple of trips, fluke fishing became good, and catches included lots of good-sized ones, the past week on the ocean on the party boat <b>Gambler</b>, Capt. Bob said. Trips fished deeper than before, in around 65 feet, mostly along rough bottom. Some “heart-breaker” sea bass, Bob said, had to be released – sea bass season is closed – and a few 1-pound blues were beaned. Tuna trips will begin September 20, and see the <a href="http://gamblerfishing.net/offshoretrips.html" target="_blank">tuna schedule</a> online to reserve, before spaces fill. On Friday and Saturday nights’ bluefish trips, fishing was good for larger blues 7 to 10 pounds. The angling wasn’t super-fast, but one or two were hooked at most times, and by the end, anglers boxed good catches. Thursday night’s wreck-fishing trip stayed docked, because weather forecasts apparently kept anglers from showing up. The Gambler is fishing for fluke 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 to 6:30 p.m. daily and bluefish 7:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Wreck-fishing trips are running 7:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Thursdays.

<b>Toms River</b>

Surf fishing for blues, half of a pound to 3 pounds, picked up, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. Frozen mullet and mackerel caught, but most were popper-plugged at dusk. Mullet didn’t really migrate the surf yet, but the coming cold front could trigger that. Usually, a small storm rolls in, and mullet migrate in a day, this time of year. The baitfish could crash into the waters by Saturday, Dennis thinks. Mullet and loads of peanut bunker currently schooled Barnegat Bay. Boaters picked away at fluke in the ocean, mostly in 50 to 60 feet. Barnegat Light Reef or the Tires held them. A couple of customers took the trip to Barnegat Ridge, trolling eight bonito and a couple of false albacore. That’s all they caught, but that was good, and fun. At Barnegat Inlet, striped bass were socked, and waters dropped to 74 or 75 degrees. A few weakfish were walloped at the inlet and nearby sod banks, on Fin-S Fish and Rat-L-Traps. In the bay, a few fluke, not many, remained. Blowfish thinned out in the bay at the BB and BI markers, and will probably be gone in another week, the cold front chasing them out. In the Toms River at Island Heights, good snapper bluefishing went down, more on killies than spearing. A few spots held in the river, and eels started migrating out from the waters, but large ones were around. After last week’s new moon slowed crabbing in the river, the catches picked up, and more males were around than before. Females had been especially abundant.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

Fluke, good-sized, bigger every day, were flung from the surf on bucktails with teasers with Gulps on the hooks, said Mario from <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>. Lots of snapper blues and cocktail blues raced the surf. In Barnegat Bay, a few kingfish were hooked from the dock. Snappers, spots and croakers hung around the waters. Blowfish with kingfish mixed in were located farther south at the BI and BB markers in the bay. Crabbing was a little slow from the dock but halfway decent from the rental boats. The Dock Outfitters, located on the bay, features an extensive supply of bait and tackle, a dock to fish and crab from and boat rentals for fishing and crabbing.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

<b>***Update, Friday, 9/13:***</b> Barnegat Bay’s fluke fishing became slower than before, said Vince Sr. from <b>Bobbie’s Boat Rentals</b>. The Tires, Garden State Reef North and other reefs in the ocean tossed up good-sized fluke. Blackfish fed along Barnegat Inlet’s jetties, and big bluefish swam along the north jetty. But blues basically showed up along the inlet’s jetties. Blowfish but fewer than before were yanked from the bay. Crabbing was slow, but clammers raked great catches. Bobbie’s includes a bait and tackle store, a fuel dock, boat rentals for fishing, crabbing or clamming on the bay, and kayak rentals, and is known for a large bait selection. Baits stocked include live spots and killies. 

<b>Barnegat</b>

<b>***Update, Friday, 9/13:***</b> From an edited e-mail from Capt. Dave DeGennaro from the <b>Hi Flier</b>: “We are catching weakfish and a variety of other fish in the bay on the live grass shrimp. Mostly 14- to 16-inch fish, with a few bigger ones in the mix. The usual suspects are there, too: hickory shad, snappers, spots, blowfish, fluke and more. Always a variety when throwing the shrimp. Barnegat Ridge has been lit up with lots of bonita and a few albacore. Most of the bonita are big, 3 to 6 pounds. There are also some 1- to 2-pounders in the mix, so we are just releasing those. Once in a while the rod doubles over screaming with a false albacore. We troll 20-class conventional outfits until we find them. Then we reel in a few of those, and replace them with 10-pound spinning rods. That's when the fun starts. Bonita are great sport on light tackle, and delicious to eat. The Hi Flier will be running open-boat trips this Saturday through Monday, three people max per trip. Saturday from 6 to 11 a.m.: Live grass shrimp in the bay. Sunday from 6 a.m. to 12 noon: Barnegat Ridge bonita and albacore. Monday from 6 a.m. to 12 noon: Barnegat Ridge bonita and albacore.”

<b>Surf City</b>

Surf anglers winged kingfish, said Brendan from <b>Surf City Bait & Tackle</b>. They beached fluke, mostly throwbacks. A few bluefish tumbled into the surf. One customer banked a 15-inch blue and, at sunset, a 32-inch striped bass on salted clam. Bloodworms, green crabs and all frozen baits are stocked. Visit <a href="http://www.surfcitybaitandtackle.com/" target="_blank">Surf City Bait & Tackle’s Web site</a>. 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>

Boaters on the ocean had scooped up very good summer flounder fishing, definitely worth the effort, said Scott from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. But seas became rough for them to reach places like Little Egg Reef and Garden State Reef South, where local flounder anglers had caught on the ocean. Winds howled today, and the shop was like a ghost town. The weekend’s weather doesn’t look promising. But extra bloodworms were ordered, anticipating that boaters will fish for white perch on brackish rivers like the Mullica, ducking out from winds. The fishery is viable, no doubt, this time of year. Kingfish, blowfish, sea bass and porgies never showed up that usually give up a fishery in Great Bay in summer. Small bluefish to maybe three-quarters of a pound could be chased at the mouth of the Mullica with lures like Rat-L-Traps or Got-Chas. Fish the west side, where peanut bunker swim out from creeks, in early mornings before winds build, to be able to see the bait along the surface, to find the blues. Crabbing just started to pick up, probably because of the moon phase, after slowing around last week’s new moon. Crabbing could be something to do in weather. New and full moons can trigger crabs to shed and mate, and they won’t eat then. But not all crabs shed and mate at once. In addition to the bloodworms, the store is stocking fresh, shucked clams, minnows and, for blackfishing, green crabs. Blackfish hovered along the banks of the bay, for sure, this time of season, though nobody mentioned fishing for them. That’s another catch to home-in on if weather keeps flounder anglers from reaching the ocean.

<b>Absecon</b>

If the wind would give boaters a chance to reach the ocean, summer flounder fishing was good just about everywhere there, said Capt. Dave from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. The back bay’s angling for them was slow now, but some big ones, and a few throwbacks, remained. A few weakfish swam the bay. The mouths of Mullica and Great Egg Harbor rivers were best for fishing in the bay or back waters. They turned out lots of action, including with weakfish, croakers, spots, and small striped bass, occasionally a keeper. Shedder crabs were best bait, but bloodworms worked. For white perch in brackish rivers like that, grass shrimp were tops. The bay’s population of spots was dropping off, but they were around. If anglers wanted to net them to keep live for striped bass bait this fall, they should go now. Many of the fish, but not all, grew too large to liveline for stripers. Striped bass started to bite at night along sod banks, bridges and jetties, or at the tops of tides in mornings or evenings. Crabbing bait and supplies sold about as quickly as possible. For fishing, live mullet, spots, peanut bunker, a few shedder crabs and practically all baits are stocked. Shedders will probably be available another week. The shop’s <a href="http://www.abseconbay.com/striperseasonkickoffsale.html" target="_blank">Striper Season Kick Off Sale</a>, featuring 25 percent off nearly all fishing tackle, crabbing gear and marine supplies, is being held through Sunday.

<b>Brigantine</b>

The annual striped bass derby, the surf-fishing tournament in Brigantine, will be launched Friday at <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>, Capt. Andy said. More on that in a moment. Not many stripers were seen yet from the surf, but mullet began to migrate the waters well. Kingfish, spots and blues nipped in the surf. From the back bay, Josh Biondi checked in a good-sized, 4-pound summer flounder he boated. Now, the tournament. Like each year, when entrants purchase a Brigantine beach-buggy permit, the contest will provide another permit to drive onto the beach along the entire island, instead of only at the cove, south jetty and north end. Prizes will be $500, $300 and $150 for first, second and third prizes, respectively. Plus, a monthly $100 prize and a weekly $25 prize will be awarded. Fresh mullet are stocked daily, and bloodworms are on hand.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

Quality-sized summer flounder, kingfish, lots of spots, and croakers were claimed from Absecon Inlet by anglers on foot, said Noel from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. Some anglers had difficulty catching, but some bailed them. Fishing was definitely on, Noel said. Quantum 7-foot rod-and-reel outfits with line are on sale for $60 for two. Topless, stackable, galvanized, American-made crab traps are on special for $10, and are regularly $13. Pyramid-shaped crab traps are $7.99, originally $10. New for 2014, 3-inch Gulp shrimp with orange, chartreuse and pink tails with white bodies are already stocked. Fishbites artificial bloodworms in chartreuse, that many anglers want, began to be carried. One Stop’s second store, located at Gardner’s Basin at 800 North New Hampshire Avenue, is also open.

<b>Margate</b>

Back-bay fishing slowed a lot for summer flounder on the party boat <b>Keeper<b/> the last few days, and waters became dirty, Capt. John said. Occasional keepers showed up, and throwbacks were let go. Baby sea bass, sea robins and sharks chomped.  The Keeper is fishing for summer flounder 8 a.m. to 12 noon daily. Telephone to confirm, because though all trips sailed, getting enough anglers, that might change, because the season is winding down. Prices are great, because the pontoon boat is economical on fuel, and the fishing on the bay is close to port. Trips are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors and $15 for kids.

<b>Ocean City</b>

Lots of small summer flounder, a few keepers, not many, carpeted the back bay, said Justin from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. Little was heard about flounder from the ocean, but fishing for them had been good before. Little Egg and Atlantic City reefs currently fished better than Ocean City Reef for flounder, though Ocean City Reef had been good. Small, 5-inch snapper bluefish, baby sea bass, and croakers swam the bay. Small striped bass were played along bridges both daytime and nighttime. During daytime, spearing nabbed them. Decent-sized blackfish 17 and 18 inches were lifted from the bay. A few triggerfish were hung along 9th Street Causeway. Green crabs copped both. In the surf, small stripers came from along jetties and structure on Fin-S Fish and top-water lures. Kingfish started to appear in the surf more than previously. Spots swam the surf, and fishing for brown sharks, required to be released, dropped off from the beach. Not many were heard about. Nothing was heard about offshore fishing for tuna and big game. Seas were often rough, but nobody talked about going on the few days when waters were calmer.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Kingfish and spots hovered the surf, and more bluefish than before started to show up in the waters, said Mike from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. A few of the blues were 3-pounders, larger ones. Ocean summer flounder fishing was “on fire.” An angler on Wednesday, who never fished for them before, and started fishing this year, boated four keepers to 24 inches at Townsend’s Inlet Reef on Wednesday. Faint rumors talked about false albacore in the ocean, but none was seen at the shop. Rumors were heard about bigger blues swimming the ocean to the north, and if they slid down to the local area, that would be nice. The back bay’s striped bass fishing really picked up at night. None was a keeper, but they were numerous, and were fought mostly on small soft-plastic lures, like Bass Assassins, or small hard lures, like Yozuris or Rapalas. A couple of anglers talked about hooking 10 of the bass in a row. Crabbing was excellent, and was slow on a couple of days, but for the most part, if crabbers found a hole, they loaded up, and the blueclaws were big. Some commercial crabbers reported consistently better catches.

Trips last fished Sunday aboard, but fishing for summer flounder remained good on the ocean, and blues 1 to 3 pounds schooled there that could be jigged or fly-rodded, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b>, affiliated with <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. A charter aboard recently, after catching on the ocean, shot into the back bay to try for striped bass on a Rapala Skitterpop, the popper lure, at dusk. One was landed, and the angling looked promising. High tides at dusk, ideal conditions, will come around next week, and Jersey Cape will get after the fish. Nothing was heard about offshore fishing since a friend’s trip on Friday landed four white marlin and three bigeye tuna at Wilmington Canyon. Joe heard the fishing was no good on Saturday. Jersey Cape will run annual charters to Montauk starting in two weeks to meet the migration of large stripers, big blues and false albacore. The trips will last through mid to late October, depending on the fishing. If you ever wanted to fish the legendary run from the historic port, Joe’s going. Also, trips are already being booked for annual wintertime trips to the Florida Keys aboard. Catches can include anything from speckled sea trout and redfish to tarpon and sailfish, a large variety. The trips mostly fish on weekends, and can be a mini, fish-filled vacation. Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s blog</a>.

<b>Wildwood</b>

Crabbing seemed to pick up in the back bay, and a customer today docked three dozen keepers, said Mike, not the owner Mike, but one of the crew, from <b>Canal Side Boat Rentals</b>. Just a few small summer flounder were left in the bay, and keepers were tough to find. Baby sea bass swam the bay, and small weakfish did. Snapper blues roamed the canal. Mike tried to catch spots in the canal, but saw none. He picked them up two weeks ago, not as many as in recent years, but some. They were large, like 8 inches, and that was too big to liveline for flounder. But he stripped them out, and that caught flounder well. Small striped bass were angled and released in the bay at night around grass on lures like Bombers or poppers. Catches from the surf started to be heard about. An angler said surf casters beached throwback striped bass, and one banked a keeper. Lots of blackfish hugged jetties in the surf, but 20 might be landed before a keeper was. Even triggerfish came from along the jetties, and one lady clammed them.  Canal Side rents boats for fishing and crabbing on the bay. <b>***<i>GET $5 OFF A RENTAL</i>***</b> by mentioning Fishing Reports Now when renting. Baits stocked include minnows, scented and unscented squid strips, scented pink and green strips, trolling squid, tube squid, pints and quarts of salted clams, non-salted clams in both 1 pound and 9 ounces, whole mackerel, filleted mackerel, mullet, spearing, herring, frozen shrimp and a good selection of Gulp artificial baits. Crabs for eating, when available, are sold at market prices, both live and steamed.

<b>Cape May</b>

The <b>Heavy Hitter</b> last fished Saturday and Sunday, Capt. George said. Summer flounder fishing was good Saturday and dynamite Sunday on the ocean on the trips, fishing at a different place than usual that George found. That was covered in the last report, and the fish probably weighed up 8 pounds. Small ones were mixed in, but some big doormats were nailed. The fishing’s been good, and flounder season is open through September 24, and space is available for charters. Anglers should telephone if interested in striped bass fishing this fall. Calls are already coming in about the trips.

Good action with summer flounder was beaten during the weekend on the party boat <b>Porgy IV</b>, Capt. Paul said. Wednesday’s fishing was slow for them aboard, not putting up many keepers. The trip probably fished the wrong place, a set-back. But Paul hopes trips will “get lined up” for the weekend,  he said. All trips fished on the ocean. On Saturday’s trip, flounder fishing gave up lots of action, including some limits. On Sunday’s, several limits were made. Northeast winds blew strongly on Monday’s trip, but flounder were caught. Strong southerlies blew on Tuesday’s trip, and a few flounder were picked. On Wednesday’s trip, during the slow fishing, Rob Campbell from South Jersey won the pool with a 5-pound flounder. Pools weighed 5 to 5 ½ pounds this week. But an 8-pounder was whipped last week on Wednesday’s trip. Customers with limits this week included Al Pavlichko from Seaville, Bud Callahan from Philadelphia and Pete Kostiopolous from Delaware.  The Porgy IV is fishing for fluke at 8 a.m. daily.

A few more bluefish than before began to be zapped from the surf, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. They were 18 inches the last few days, and croakers, big sharks sometimes, sizeable spots, and weakfish could be tugged from the surf. Summer flounder fishing was very good in the ocean, and that was the best place to limit out on them. A customer Wednesday limited on the fish to 6 ½ pounds at Reef 11, and Cape May Reef also gave up flounder. But the back bay still did, including hefty to 25 inches, including at Sunset Lake and Cape May Harbor. Lots of bait schooled the bay, and mullet were seen there. Some excellent populations of sea bass, out-of-season, schooled the ocean reefs. The season for them will be opened September 27. Nothing was really heard from Delaware Bay. Offshore will probably be tough to fish this weekend in rough seas. But a customer at Wilmington Canyon during the weekend fished on a trip that raised a few white marlins and boated six mahi mahi to 18 pounds, among like 250 boats. Another customer during the weekend arrived at the Wilmington, found too many boats, moved to Baltimore Canyon, and landed two blue marlin, raised some whites and missed a couple of yellowfin tuna. Tuna at the canyons seemed a little “shy,” Nick said, but some boaters caught them well, and good catches of other fish were put together. Fresh mullet will try to be stocked this weekend. Jumbo bloodworms, regular-sized bloods and minnows are carried.  

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