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New Jersey Inshore Saltwater Fishing Report 6-27-16


<b>Keyport</b>

Fishing for fluke was good throughout the weekend, and on each trip lately, usually, some anglers, the “Cracker Jacks,” limited out on the <b>Vitamin Sea</b>, Capt. Frank wrote in an email. The fish weighed up to 5 pounds, and Reach Channel was loaded with bait that fluke gorged on. The fluke often spit up baby bunker, shrimp and baby butterfish. Throwback and keeper fluke gave up action pretty much non-stop. If you like fluke, this is the time to jump aboard. Trips also ran into bluefish that swam everywhere in the bay. Charters are fishing, and space is available on open-boat trips this coming Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, next week on Wednesday and the following Sunday, July 10. Telephone to reserve. See photos on <a href=" https://www.facebook.com/vitaminseafishing/" target="_blank">Vitamin Sea’s Facebook page</a>.

Fluke fishing improved much during the weekend, said Capt. Mario from the <b>Down Deep Fleet</b>. High hooks aboard landed eight keepers apiece, keeping no more than a limit of five apiece. The fish weighed up to 6 ½ pounds, and open-boat trips are fluking at 6 a.m. daily, and special open trips will fluke at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. That’s all on the Down Deep Bull, one of the company’s two 40-foot boats, and fluke charters are available. The Down Deep, the other vessel, is fishing open for ling, cod and winter flounder at 6 a.m. daily, and charters are available for that angling. Open striped bass trips had been running on certain evenings, and one of the trips Thursday crushed a 51-pounder, the angler’s personal best, a 44-pounder, a 40-pounder and a 37-pounder. But the angling was slow the next two evenings, and stripers might’ve moved on. Join the <a href=" http://downdeepsportfishing.com/short-notice-list/" target="_blank">Short Notice List</a> on Down Deep’s website to be kept informed about open trips. See available dates on the site’s calendar.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Was amazing how good-conditions affected fluke fishing, Capt. Ron wrote in a report on the party boat <b>Fishermen</b>’s website. Big fluke bit on Friday’s trip in favorable conditions. Quality fluke were decked around the boat, and some anglers limited out, and many bagged three or four. The trip’s fluke included the 7.7-pound pool-winner and a 7.3-pounder. Gulps and bait caught equally, and a couple of anglers who fished bucktails scored well, including one who limited. No report was posted for Saturday, and Sunday’s trip turned out just a pick of fluke, and a handful of anglers scored well. A couple of anglers limited out, including one who landed six, keeping no more than a limit of five, on peanut bunker. The fishing was better once tide and wind were together, creating favorable conditions. The day was beautiful on the water. The Fishermen is sailing for fluke 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and for striped bass 6:30 to 11 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 3:30 to 9 p.m. Sundays.

Conditions just began to drift the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>, when Capt. Tom gave this report at 10 a.m. today in a phone call aboard. A handful of keeper fluke were already bagged and some throwbacks were picked so far on the outing, and a 5-pound keeper was decked while he spoke. The angling, at Reach Channel, was off to a slow start. Still, those fish were already claimed, and he hoped the fishing picked up, as the drift became faster. A ship had sailed past, and sometimes ships can disturb the water at the channel, slowing the fishing, but the ship was light, not heavy. Fluking’s been okay in general on the boat, and pretty good when conditions were good. Trips fished Reach Channel when possible, including when ships failed to disturb the water, and fished Sandy Hook Bay otherwise. Saturday morning’s trip gave up some good fluking at the channel, and no ships disturbed the water until late in the morning. The afternoon’s trip fished Sandy Hook Bay, because wind came up, and the fluking was tough. Sunday morning’s trip fished the Reach, copping good fluking, and a ship came through but was light, never disturbing the water. The afternoon’s trip fished Sandy Hook Bay, because wind blew up. Good action was nabbed with lots of throwbacks but some keepers. Tire John smashed a 9-pound fluke that morning and a 7-pounder that afternoon aboard. Another angler whacked a fluke just under 7 pounds on the afternoon’s trip. And both those 7-pounders came from the bay. Action with throwbacks has been pretty darn good. The Atlantic Star is fluke fishing 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 6 p.m. daily.

<b>Highlands</b>

Capt. Steve from <b>Lady M Charters</b> was traveling on an out-of-state fishing trip on another boat, he said. But open-boat fluke trips will fish with Lady M this coming Monday, July 4, and on July 16, and a few spaces are available. A few spots remain for an open trip July 11 that will bottom-fish with Lady M at the Mudhole for ling, cod and winter flounder.

<b>Neptune</b>

With <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b>, fluke fishing was fair Friday and Saturday on the ocean, Capt. Ralph wrote in an email. Too many sea bass, big, had to be released, he said, and two sea bass will be able to be kept per angler beginning Friday. On Sunday ling fishing aboard lit into a steady pick and one cod on the ocean. The weekly, individual-reservation fluke trip tomorrow was cancelled, and the trips, fishing every Tuesday, will resume next week. Kids under 12 sail free on those outings. A few spaces remain on individual-reservation trips for cod July 13 and 27 and August 3, 17 and 31. Don’t wait to book, if you want cod.

<b>Belmar</b>

Striped bass fishing had been awesome in afternoons on the ocean, said Capt. Pete from <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b>. Trips aboard bluefished this weekend and will begin fluke fishing this week. Striper fishing was great on a couple of trips that limited out on the fish to 44 pounds late last week aboard. A trip Friday afternoon was probably the best striper fishing of the year on the boat, limiting out on over and unders. Individual spaces are available on fluke charters that need anglers throughout this holiday weekend and on Tuesday and Thursday of next week. Charters are also available then, and sea bass will be available to be mixed in, because two sea bass per angler will be able to be bagged beginning Friday. Annual On the Water Seminars will sail once again this season that teach bucktailing for big fluke in a non-threatening environment. Dates for that include July 11, 18 and 26.  Twilight trips will also fluke this season. Family cruises will enjoy fishing and sunsets at twilight this season, also. Don’t have enough anglers for a charter? Contact Parker Pete’s anyway about individual spaces on charters. Sign up for the email blast on <a href=" http://www.parkerpetefishing.com/" target="_blank">Parker Pete’s website</a> to be kept informed about the spaces.

Bluefishing was slower Saturday and Sunday than previously on the <b>Golden Eagle</b>, a report said on the party boat’s website. Boat traffic was an issue. Blues would be seen along the water surface, and some would be caught, then boat traffic would beat them up. Blues were pitched aboard the Golden Eagle, but not enough. On the previous days, the angling was great aboard. The crew hoped boat traffic would ease up for today’s trip. The Golden Eagle is fishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. Afternoon fishing and sunset cruise trips are sailing 4:30 to 8:30 Fridays through Saturdays, reservations required.

Blues 8- to 14-pounds were clobbered Friday on the <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b>, an email, the most recent at press time, said from the party boat. All the trip’s drifts of the boat bombed the fish, swimming from along the water surface to stacked up underneath the vessel. Ava 47 jigs and crocodiles caught them great. That was after terrible fishing for blues Thursday aboard, probably because of weather. The Miss Belmar Princess is fishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.  Family fishing and sunset cruises are sailing 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. every Friday through Sunday.

<b>Brielle</b>

Ocean fluke fishing, at reefs and hard bottom, seemed to be picking up, said Alex from <b>The Reel Seat</b>.  A 10-pounder caught was heard about, and Manasquan River’s fluke fishing was definitely pretty good. Lots of cocktail bluefish like 1 to 2 pounds swarmed the river, and ocean striped bass fishing seemed slower than before, but a few of the fish remained. When the stripers, big, were found, they usually foraged on bunker along the water surface. The bass could be plugged on pencil poppers or swimmers then. Surf fishing was slow, but a few surf casters bunker-chunked stripers. Inshore shark fishing was pretty good this past week, anywhere from 4 to 40 miles from shore. Lots of 200-pound thresher sharks were around. Farther from shore, tuna fishing was best at southern canyons for yellowfins and bigeyes.

On the party boat <b>Jamaica II</b>, ocean fluke fishing provided anglers the opportunity to catch some nice this weekend, Capt. Ryan wrote in an email. Keepers averaged 3 to 5 pounds, and jigs out-fished bait, except bait caught best on Sunday afternoon’s trip. One angler on the trip landed 11 keepers to 5 pounds, keeping no more than a limit of five. Ian Wagner won the trip’s pool with a 5-pound 13-ouncer, also taking the lead in the monthly pool. A 7.1-pound fluke was nailed Saturday aboard, but the angler wasn’t in the pool. The monthly pool winner wins the cash but also an amazing unlimited free trips for a year aboard. The pool leader seemed to keep changing daily. This month is almost finished, and the pool is easily beatable, but you have to be in it to win it. So come down and try your luck. This has been the best fluking of the season. Fluke trips are sailing 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 6:30 p.m. every Tuesday through Sunday and 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. every Monday. <b>***Update, Tuesday, 6/28:***</b> Four- to eight fluke began to be hooked at once when Monday’s full-day fluke trip arrived on the fishing grounds, Ryan wrote in an email. The trip met a light southerly breeze, and picked steadily at the flatfish in the morning. Most anglers landed two to four keepers by 10:30 a.m. Then wind became stronger, drifting the boat faster, and fluke hooked were smaller than before, a bit. The trip looked in a few other places, and some of the anglers ended up limiting out. Young Park took the lead in the monthly pool with a 6-pound 12-ounce fluke.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

Was a beautiful weekend on the water, and fluke fishing improved a little on the <b>Norma-K III</b> on the ocean, Capt. Matt wrote in a report on the party boat’s website. Morning trips fished a little better than afternoon trips, and some decent-sized were hung. A 9-pound 2-ouncer won the pool on Sunday morning’s trip, and Bob Holloway from Bordentown bagged an 8-pounder on the outing. “So there is some bigger fish moving in,” Matt said. Trips fished rocks and rubble, so bring extra tackle, because of snagging. Plenty of sinkers and plain hooks are kept aboard. Nighttime trips picked away at 1- to 2-pound blues and some mackerel. Fun on light tackle, and Matt hopes bigger blues show up soon. The Norma-K III is fishing for fluke 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 to 6:30 p.m. daily and for blues 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. daily. 

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

Summer was here, along with crowds of anglers and beachgoers, so fishing was much better on weekdays than weekends, a report said on <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>’ website. Striped bass were picked from the surf on occasion. Fluke fishing began to improve. Crabbing was terrific from the dock and the store’s rental boats. The Dock Outfitters, located on Barnegat Bay, blocks from the ocean surf, features a bait and tackle shop, a café, a dock for fishing and crabbing, boat rentals and jet-ski rentals.

<b>Forked River</b>

<b>Tuna-Tic Sportfishing</b> was headed back from a shark trip last evening when Capt. Mike gave this report in a phone call aboard, he said. Two mako sharks were landed, and another got off. Two bit right away on the outing, and a 130-pounder was kept. A couple of brown sharks and a big blue shark were also landed and released. That might’ve been the year’s final shark trip aboard, unless somebody wants to sail for them. The water was 68 degrees, getting warm. The crew will now get ready to begin tuna trips, including three-day ones that fish the canyons. Tuna fishing will probably begin to light up locally in the latter part of July.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Trips bluefished in past days on the <b>Super Chic</b>, but the angling wasn’t so good, Capt. Ted said. Sometimes small blues were found schooling Barnegat Inlet. A trip Saturday looked for blues at Barnegat Ridge in the ocean, but the fish failed to show up. No bonito were heard about from the ridge yet this season. Fluke fishing, on the ocean aboard, doesn’t really begin until July. A couple of boats that tried for them did pick away at some in past days on the ocean. More bluefish trips are slated for this coming Sunday and Monday. A trip is supposed to fish for tuna offshore Friday.

A few keeper fluke and lots of throwbacks were swung from the ocean during the weekend on the <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b>, the party boat’s Facebook page said. Gulps on bucktails tied into more action, “worked back along the bottom,” it said. Some great-sized, out-of-season sea bass bit, and two sea bass will be able to be kept per angler beginning Friday. The Miss Barnegat Light is fishing at 8 a.m. daily.

<b>Beach Haven</b>

The <b>June Bug</b> was brought to Beach Haven from the boat’s winter home at Oregon Inlet, N.C., Capt. Lindsay said. The vessel is brought to Beach Haven, home port, each June to fish from New Jersey until fall. Tuna fishing was getting hot from Oregon Inlet, when the vessel left. Eight to 10 bigeye tuna per day were docked, and, in maybe the last six weeks, a bunch of 30- or 35-pound yellowfin tuna were taken. Lots of mahi mahi also bit, and not much seemed to happen with tuna near Beach Haven yet this summer. But tuna should arrive there before long. 

<b>Mystic Island</b>

Multiple summer flounder to 6.7 pounds were weighed-in, and lots of reports rolled-in about flounder fishing, Saturday at <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>, a report on the shop’s website said. That was a good day of fishing, and Tuckerton Bay produced some good catches. The clam stakes shoveled up the fish on outgoing tide, and holes lining Great Bay Boulevard gave up the fluke. Little Egg Inlet even produced a flurry of keepers that morning on incoming tide. Custom jig rigs the shop tied scored well on flounder in bays. Flounder were also boated at ocean reefs, so don’t count that out. Little Egg Reef’s northeast side produced. Also try the Gloria wreck, a little offshore from the reef. Bluefish were scattered from Mullica River to bays to the inlet. Anglers ran into them once in a while. A 118-pound mako shark was checked-in. Abundant thresher sharks swam off Long Beach Island. Look for bunker pods the threshers fed on.

<b>Brigantine</b>

Kingfish and brown sharks swam the surf pretty heavily, a report said on <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>’s website. The year’s first kingfish, a 1.58-pound 13-1/2-incher, was entered in Riptide’s Summer Fishing Tournament for kings, blues and summer flounder. An angler sent a photo to the shop of a 4-foot brown the angler released. Browns are required to be let go.

<b>Longport</b>

<b>***Update, Tuesday, 6/28:***</b> Coast Guard inspections were completed, and the <b>Stray Cat</b> is fully operational, Capt. Mike said. Charters will resume, and open-boat trips will fish for summer flounder and sea bass on the ocean Thursday through Monday, the Fourth of July holiday. Mike fished a couple of times last week, cranking in a few flounder, ling and 4-pound sea bass. The sea bass, out-of-season, were released, but two sea bass per angler will be able to be kept beginning Friday.  Trips had been on hold because the boat was being repowered. Two new engines are installed, and the vessel is better than ever. 

<b>Ocean City</b>

The party boat <b>Miss Ocean City</b> is fishing for summer flounder at 8:30 a.m. daily on the back bay and at 12:30 p.m. daily on the ocean, Capt. Victor said. The schedule just began, after the vessel underwent maintenance previously. The party boat Captain Robbins, the company’s other vessel, is fishing on 6-person charters.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

The back bay’s summer flounder fishing was picking up, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. It had been slow, and he had almost been concerned, but now the fishing was much better. Joe, his wife and Joe’s dad on Thursday boated three keepers to 20 inches and consistent action the whole trip. On Friday, Jim Kerr and Jim’s dad reeled up two keepers 20 inches and had consistent action the whole morning trip. The bay was 66 to 70 degrees, depending on location, weather and time of day. Flounder also bit in the ocean, and the season was a little early to fish there for the fluke locally. Joe’s trips fish for flounder with a rig with a bucktail with a plain minnow on a red hook trailing above. Gulp grubs are fished on the bucktails, and the bucktails usually catch the biggest flounder. But the minnows hooked a bunch of the flatfish on these trips, too. Two anglers jumped on one of Jersey Cape’s inshore shark trips Saturday, releasing four sharks: a hammerhead, two browns and a dusky. Another one of the shark trips with an angler and friends Sunday  released six sharks: four browns and two duskies. A bunch of hammerheads were seen on the outing but refused to bite. The ocean was 67 to 69 degrees, and some of the sharks on the trips, including the browns and duskies, are required to be released. These are catch-and-release trips anyway, a chance to fight big fish without the long trek offshore. The fishing is usually within 10 miles from shore. Both of these trips fished with conventional rods, and a mackerel fillet is usually the bait then, fished in a chum slick. The trips also fly-rod for the sharks, usually with a chum fly in the slick, when anglers want.  Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s Blog</a>.

<b>Avalon</b>

Throwback summer flounder were angled along the Intracoastal Waterway on a trip Sunday that mostly pushed to the ocean for flounder, but the ocean was a little rough in northeast wind, said Capt. Jim from <b>Fins and Feathers Outfitters</b>. Nothing was doing with flounder on the ocean, at Avalon Shoals, 4 miles from shore. But a few kingfish were nabbed tight to shore, in 16 feet of water, on the trip on bloodworms on top-and-bottom rigs. The trip needed to be careful about rollers close to shore in the wind. Wind weathered-out boating Saturday aboard, and Jim had been going to do a little pre-fishing for the next day’s trip. Lots of bunker schooled the ocean on the trip that sailed.  The next fishing is supposed to sail Thursday or Friday on the boat, for flounder. If seas are okay, the trip might fish Delaware Bay, like toward Miah Maul and East Point and the stakes in the area. If the trip needs to fall back on weakfish, that might be an option. Spike weaks supposedly schooled at the 1 buoy there.

<b>Wildwood</b>

Fishing was good for kingfish, weakfish and summer flounder on Delaware Bay the last few days, Capt. Jim from <b>Fins & Grins Sport Fishing</b> wrote in a text. He was traveling and couldn’t say more, but catches like that are usually made off Cape May Point on the bay. That seemed where the fish probably bit. Fins fishes every day, and reservations aren’t required but suggested. Telephone for availability.

<b>Cape May</b>

Wind weathered-out a trip Saturday, but Rodger Dillow’s charter Sunday bagged three yellowfin tuna, released three and broke off two at Poorman’s Canyon on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>, Capt. George said. That’s where all the fleet headed for tuna, and many of the boats seemed to catch none that day. The yellowfins on the Heavy Hitter weighed 40 pounds apiece, and the trip sailed 77 miles to return to Cape May. The water was 68 degrees along the Continental Shelf. Farther inshore at the canyon, the water was 70 to 73. Pockets of warm water would be found, like 70 degrees at one place, 73 at another. Tuna were marked pretty well, down 100 feet, on the trip. But the fish wouldn’t come up and bite. A spot was found where the fish bit, and the Heavy Hitter kept working that area. A tuna trip is slated for this coming Sunday. A 4-hour trip is scheduled for Saturday that will probably fish for small blues that are schooling 5-Fathom Bank. George heard nothing about summer flounder this weekend. But good flounder catches were known about the previous weekend, in good weather, at the Old Grounds and Cape May Reef on the ocean.

<b>Caveman Sportfishing</b> was supposed to sail for tuna at 12 o’clock last night, Capt. John said before the trip. The trip was supposed to fish at Poorman’s Canyon that gave up yellowfin tuna and bigeye tuna in past days. John recently had said trips would depart at midnight to be fishing at daybreak, when some of the best tuna fishing erupted recently.

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