<b>Keyport</b>

Fluke fishing was a little on the slower side this weekend, Capt. Frank from the <b>Vitamin Sea</b> wrote in an email. Trips aboard covered lots of water looking for good fluking. Eight to 12 keepers were bagged per trip, and keepers weighed up to 4 pounds. Throwbacks dominated, like usual. Anglers who work always catch most keepers. “There’s much more to fluke fishing than just dragging bait,” he said. Charters are fishing, and the next open-boat trips with room will fluke Thursday through Saturday.

<b>***Update, Tuesday, 7/26:***</b> Fishing was very good for jumbo fluke to 11 pounds on the ocean this past week with the <b>Down Deep Fleet</b>, Capt. Mario wrote in an email. Two 8-pounders were plowed on back-to-back trips, and a smattering of 4- to 6-pounders were aced. Bucktails and Gulps were “magical,” and open-boat trips are fluking daily, fishing structure, piles and pieces for jumbos. An open Marathon Fluke Trip will fish 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday on the Down Deep Bull, one of the company’s two 40-foot boats. On the other boat, the Down Deep, a Marathon Mudhole Trip will fish during the same times Wednesday for ling, cod and winter flounder. 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 special trips.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Conditions and tangles were fought until things got right on Sunday’s fluke trip on the <b>Fishermen</b>, a report said on the party boat’s website. Then the trip was “on the meat,” and some good-sized fluke were clobbered. Two anglers tied for the pool with a 6-1/2-pounder apiece, and other 6-pounders were also caught. A few anglers limited out, and plenty of throwbacks bit. Bring weight and heavier rods, at least medium-action that can handle 12 ounces. No noodle rods, if you want to catch. The Fishermen is sailing for fluke 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily, for striped bass 6:30 to 11 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays and for fluke, blues, porgies and whatever can be bagged 6:30 to 11 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays.

Fluke trips reeled in the fish every day, some trips better than others, fishing Raritan and Sandy Hook bays at usual places, depending on conditions, on the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>, Capt. Tom said. Sunday morning’s trip fished Reach Channel and Flynn’s Knoll, for example. Then southwest wind blew up, and the afternoon’s trip fished Sandy Hook Bay. More keepers were hung in the afternoon than in the morning. A few fluke bit no matter where trips fished. Fewer keepers hit than preferred, of course, and throwbacks gave up action. An 8-1/2-pound fluke whacked Thursday was biggest last week aboard. This morning’s trip began with pretty good action with shorts and some keepers on good drifts of the boat, Tom said at 10 a.m. aboard, when he gave this report in a phone call. Then wind shifted. All trips fished, and when forecasts called for possible storms, either none developed or the rougher weather was short. 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>

Fishing began slowly on an open-boat fluke trip on the ocean Saturday with <b>Lady M Charters</b>, Capt. Steve said. The boat failed to drift, and the vessel was power-drifted a little. Then the trip moved, and a little current was found, and some keeper fluke and shorts began to bite. Fifteen keepers, including 4- and 5-pounders, and some sea bass to 3 pounds ended up bagged on the outing. On Sunday, a Mudhole Marathon Trip tied into jumbo ling, a super pick of them, a few fat winter flounder, some sea bass and one keeper cod. Room is available for an extended fluke trip Saturday. Telephone if interested in Mudhole Marathon Trips, open or charter. 

<b>Neptune</b>

With <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b>, an inshore wreck-fishing trip Sunday limited out on sea bass in less than an hour, then fished for ling, Capt. Ralph said. The anglers left the ling biting, and could’ve sunk the boat with them. A couple of more drops looked for cod inshore, but none bit in tight. On a trip Saturday, porgy fishing improved a little, compared with Friday, after a blow Thursday. Porgies were caught Wednesday. One space is available for an individual-reservation trip for cod offshore Wednesday. Very limited spaces remain for more of the cod trips August 3, 7 and 31. Limited spots remain for an individual-reservation trip for sea bass October 25, after the bag limit is increased to 15 beginning October 22. Spots are available for the weekly individual-reservation trip for fluke Tuesday. Kids under 12 sail free on those outings, limited to one per adult host, fishing every Tuesday.

<b>Belmar</b>

<b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b>won second place in Saturday’s Point Pleasant Elks fluke tournament with a 9-pound 4-ounce 29-incher, and the trip limited out, Capt. Pete said. The trip’s fluke also included a 7.7-pounder and 5- and 6-pounders. Fluking, on the ocean, was great this past week aboard. Many sizable fluke and plenty of limits were bagged. The size of the fish was some of the best Pete’s seen in some time. Trips include On the Water Seminars that teach bucktailing for big fluke in a non-threatening environment. Space is available Tuesday for one of those. Don’t have enough anglers for a charter? Contact Parker Pete’s anyway about individual spaces available 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. Plenty of the spaces are posted on a calendar on the site.

A ¾-day trip bombed a bunch of fluke, a great catch, limited out on sea bass and added some ling from the ocean Sunday on the <b>Katie H</b>, Capt. Mike said. A trip Friday also cleaned up a good catch of fluke, sea bass and ling from the ocean. That trip had been slated to fish for bluefin tuna inshore, but reports about the angling were terrible. So the anglers decided to fish for the fluke and other catches, a good choice, Mike said. A buddy fished for the bluefins Sunday, so Mike would find out how that went.

More keeper fluke were shoveled from Shark River than in recent years on rental boats from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b>, Bob wrote in an email. Anglers from party boats that fished the ocean, and even surf anglers, reported landing more fluke than before, too. Fluking is good and maybe better than in the last couple of years. Noah Gomez from Jackson rental-boated a great catch of fluke to a 6-pound 10-ouncer from the river Sunday.  Last week, Charlie Dana from Freehold rental-boated a 7-pounder from the river. Beatrice Soto limited out on fluke to a 6-pound 6-ouncer on a charter. Scott Christensen from the Bradley Beach Surf Casters whaled a 9-pounder and a 5-pounder off Long Branch. Soto’s and Christensen’s catches apparently came from the ocean. Sea bass swam plentiful in the ocean, helping fluke boaters fill coolers. Big porgies were plentiful in the ocean. Kingfish were spread throughout the surf form Spring Lake to Asbury Park. Some swam into Shark River. Many cownosed rays swam the surf. Snapper blues schooled back waters, fun for kids. The snappers were also nabbed to liveline for fluke bait. Striped bass were available for “anglers willing to lose a little sleep – they can be had in low-light conditions,” Bob said. He mentioned no location for stripers caught, but has been getting some to 17 pounds, only at night, he said. Here’s an unusual catch: Hunter Llewellyn from Lehigh Valley, Pa., weighed-in a 73-pound drum.

Bluefishing was tough Sunday on the <b>Golden Eagle</b>, a report said on the party boat’s website. But toward the end of the trip, the boat was stopped for sea bass, fluke and ling that were caught for something to bag. A few blues, not enough, were reeled in during Saturday’s trip. On Friday’s, bluefishing was kind of a slow pick. But fishing for blues and mackerel was better previously during the week aboard. 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 and mackerel were fought “pretty quick” first thing in the morning Friday on the ocean off Shark River Inlet on the <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b>, an email from the party boat said. That was the most recent email at press time, and the fishing slowed considerably by mid-day. The small blues were picked slowly the rest of the trip.  On Thursday’s trip off the inlet, blues and mackerel served up decent fishing in the morning. During the rest of the trip, the fish were picked “with shots.” 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>

Most trips cracked great fluke fishing from the ocean this past week on the party boat <b>Jamaica II</b>, Capt. Ryan wrote in an email. That depended on how well the boat drifted for the angling, and tons of throwbacks bit, but so did plenty of 3- to 5-pounders. Large sea bass were mixed in, and trips mostly fished deeper water in 60 feet. Bucktailers caught best, but rental-rodders also caught, especially because Gulps are provided on the rental rods. Four- or five-inch, chartreuse Gulp swim mullets especially nailed the fish, both on a plain hook or on a small Spro jig. Jermaine Potter, Trenton, won a pool on one of Sunday’s trips with a 7-pound 10-ounce fluke. Potter wasn’t in the monthly pool, and a7.6-pounder currently leads the monthly pool. Bigger fluke than that were boated this month aboard, but the anglers weren’t in the monthly pool. The winner each month wins the cash but also a whopping entire year of free fishing aboard. Customers who limited out recently included Alex Pilewski, Eric Lebrun, Ed Nolan and Cason Wendal. Those anglers’ fluke weighed up to 5 to 7 pounds.  The cabin is air-conditioned for summer’s heat. The Jamaica II is sailing for fluke and sea bass 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.

Yellowfin tuna, mostly small but good numbers, were trolled from Toms Canyon to Spencer Canyon, said Eric from <b>The Reel Seat</b>. Fairly decent catches of blue marlin came from the canyons. Up to 800-pounders were reported, and canyon fishing wasn’t fantastic but caught. Closer to shore, bluefin tuna fishing seemed hit and miss, mostly on the troll, not really on the chunk or on jigs. All traditional spots held the fish, like the Atlantic Princess wreck, the Triple Wrecks, the Bacardi wreck and farther offshore. A few mako sharks were heard about from 30 fathoms, a little far from shore for sharking, but not too far, if anglers want the fish. Up to 150-pounders were heard about. Ling fishing was pretty good in 80 to 120 feet. Some winter flounder were mixed in. Tons of small blues and chub mackerel schooled the ocean, and that could be fun on light tackle. Fluke fishing was very good including at Axel Carlson Reef, farther north at Shrewsbury Rocks and the Rattlesnake, and other rough bottom in 60 to 80 feet. Jigs with Gulps worked best, like usual, and no color seemed best. Different colors sold equally. Manasquan Inlet’s fluking improved, and hickory shad began to arrive in the inlet. Snapper blues were appearing in the inlet. A typical summer pattern was coming along in the inlet.    

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

On the <b>Norma-K III</b>, fluke fishing on the ocean was mostly slow last week but improved the past two days, a report said Friday on the party boat’s website. That was the most recent report at press time. Gulps in Nuclear Chicken seemed to hook most keepers, and northwest wind was forecast for this past Saturday, “which should help us out,” it said. On nighttime trips, bluefishing was excellent for up to 3-pounders most of the week through Friday. Thursday and Friday nights were tough, for some reason, and the trips afterward were expected to fish a different area. Trips are 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.

Trips for fluke on the ocean fished pretty well most days on the <b>Gambler</b>, an email from the party boat said. Some better-sized, including 4- and 5-pounders, were decked, and Kyle Miller from Medford nailed an 8-1/2-pounder. Most trips fished deeper water for good-sized fluke. Young angler Todd Burger from Freehold pumped in three fluke that each weighed 4 to 5 pounds on Saturday afternoon’s trip. Another angler on the trip bagged four fluke 3 to 5 pounds. On Sunday’s trips, the boat failed to drift well, so catches were slower. But some were caught, and the anglers had a good time, the email said. A combo of spearing and squid seemed best bait on trips. Good-sized sea bass to 3 pounds were sometimes socked on trips. On Thursday night’s wreck-fishing trip, a fair catch of sizable ling to 4 pounds came in. “Not a lot of variety … this time,” it said. On Saturday night’s bluefish trip, fishing was slow. Small blues were marked, but catching them was difficult. Fluke trips are fishing 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 to 6:30 p.m. daily. Trips from 7:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. are fishing wrecks every Thursday and are bluefishing every Friday and Saturday.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

Hot, hot, hot, a report said on <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>’ website! So standing at water’s edge with a rod in hand is surely the place to be. In the surf, fluke fishing was spotty, and occasional bluefish “just may save the day,” it said. Crabbing was steady “with a pick of blowfish and snappers mixed in.” 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>Barnegat Light</b>

The first drift of the <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b> on Sunday produced a few keeper fluke, and the fishing, on the ocean, looked like it was going to be good, a report said on the party boat’s website. The angling fizzled afterward, but a few more keepers were added. During the previous few days, trips landed fluke and sea bass, and catching keeper fluke was tough. Throwbacks “and other assorted fish” gave up action, always. The Miss Barnegat Light is fishing for fluke and sea bass at 8 a.m. daily.

Ocean fluke fishing was a little better the past couple of days than before, said Capt. Ted from the <b>Super Chic</b>. Sea bass catches were “holding on,” and trips aboard did no bluefishing during the days. But talk on the radio reported some bluefish catches, and Super Chic is supposed to bluefish toward the end of the week. The radio talk mentioned a few bonito caught. Nothing was really heard about tuna fishing, except about tuna landed at Massey’s Canyon, south of Cape May, too far for a trip from Barnegat Light. A few white marlin were heard about from Baltimore Canyon.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

Summer flounder exist locally! a report said on <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>’s website Thursday. They gave up steady bites in Tuckerton Bay along the channel near the Brick Pile. Good numbers were bagged, like three to six 18- to 25-inchers in a trip. Anglers also sometimes reported bagging multiple keepers on multiple days on Great Bay, the local bay. No exact locations were reported, but if the fishing produced near the Brick Pile, that’s deeper, probably cooler water. Look for similar depths near the Fish Factory. Farther south toward Absecon, off Black Point tossed up good numbers of flounder last week. Nine in a trip was the high hook known about. Outgoing tides fished best at all of these places last week. Gulps, squid, spearing and filleted mackerel caught on jigs and rigs. None seemed to fish better. A zillion sea bass and sea robins were scattered throughout bays, so anglers will probably run into them. Sea bass are babies, usually throwbacks, in bays this time of year. Snapper blues schooled here and there, nothing impressive. The ocean gave up better life, including flounder in random areas. Fishing for them at Little Egg Reef was iffy at best. Miscellaneous wrecks, places not picked over, fished better for the flounder in the ocean. Sea bass fishing was good on the ocean, so bring bait and tackle to limit out on two per person. Be prepared for the heat while fishing. Performance Shirts are available at the shop to keep anglers cool and dry. Most come with an SPF rating of 20 or 30.

<b>Brigantine</b>

Another scorcher in Brigantine, Capt. Andy wrote today in a report on <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>’s website. In a report there yesterday, he said the store’s air conditioning was on full blast, and a sign on the door said Free Air Conditioning. That will be the final time he writes that, he said, because the air conditioner tanked 2 hours later, and the store had no air-conditioning. But if that’s the worst news, he’s having a good day, he said. The surf continued to dish up kingfish, sharks and rays. The angling’s been good this season. Summer flounder fishing was good at Brigantine Bridge and off Harrah’s. 

<b>Longport</b>

Fishing for summer flounder and sea bass was slower on the ocean in past days, for unknown reasons, said Capt. Mike from the <b>Stray Cat</b>. Water temperature fluctuated a lot, from 69 to 77 degrees, during the weekend, for unknown reasons. The water was 69 when the boat met the ocean Saturday, and as warm as 73 that day. On Sunday, the water was 75 degrees on the fishing grounds and reached as high as 77. The boat drifted fast for fishing Saturday and decent for angling Sunday. Tons of ling schooled, and anglers like ling fishing in the northern state, but ling fishing isn’t popular in the southern state. So, fishing made the best of it. “We try harder,” he said. Canyon trips for big game are slated for Sunday and the Wednesday afterward. Those are day trips that sail 12 or 14 hours. Bluefin tuna fishing fell apart six or seven days ago that had been good in inshore waters south of Cape May.  

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Fifteen dusky and brown sharks were landed and released Saturday on one of the inshore trips for sharks aboard, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. Action was non-stop, and another one of the trips the previous day, with one angler, fought and released four browns and duskies. Plus, a cobia heavier than 80 pounds was released on the trip. Cobia fishing is closed in federal waters, and that was a big cobia. An 87-pounder is the New Jersey record. Both trips fished with conventional rods, but double-digits could’ve been fly-rodded on the trip with 15 sharks, and Jersey Cape offers the fly-fishing. Browns and duskies are required to be released, and the trips, usually within 10 miles from shore, are catch-and-release anyway. The fishing is a chance to fight big fish without the long trip offshore. Two summer flounder trips aboard, mostly on the back bay, each bagged one of the fish and released 20 to 50 throwbacks on Thursday and Sunday. Action’s been great on flounder trips, great fishing.  Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s Blog</a>.

<b>Avalon</b>

Three or four keeper summer flounder were scooped up, and throwbacks were released, on a trip to Delaware Bay with <b>Fins and Feathers Outfitters</b>, Capt. Jim said. He was glad for the bay’s 17-inch size limit, compared with 18 in most of the rest of the state, and the angling fished toward the number 1 buoy and Maurice River Cove. A trip today was going to fish for flounder at Wildwood Reef on the ocean. A trip earlier last week looked for flounder at Avalon Shoal and Ocean City Reef on the ocean, but the angling was slow. A trip Thursday might troll along lobster pots on the ocean and see if mahi mahi bite.

<b>Wildwood</b>

Kingfish and weakfish schooled near shore in the ocean and off Cape May Point, said Capt. Jim from <b>Fins & Grins Sport Fishing</b>. Triggerfish bit along wrecks. Bluefish 1 ½ to 2 pounds, typical summer size, good-eating, gathered in the ocean off Hereford Inlet, off Cape May Point and at 5-Fathom Bank. Summertime, mixed-bag fishing was underway for catches like these. Summer flounder gave up lots of throwbacks and a few keepers on the ocean. Inshore shark fishing was good. Crabbing was fantastic in the back bay, and Fins offers crabbing, too. Let the captain find the blueclaws. Crabbing’s been steady this year. Fins fishes every day, and reservations aren’t required but suggested. Telephone for availability.

<b>Cape May</b>

Tuna fishing, inshore, was lousy Thursday on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>, Capt. George said. It was also no good Tuesday, covered in the last report, and George attributed the bad angling to the full moon. Some boats caught the fish during that time, and some didn’t, but the fishing became good again Friday and Saturday. Catches were heard about Sunday, too. The catches, bluefin and yellowfin tuna, had been good on the Heavy Hitter until the two slow trips. A trip for tuna was canceled Saturday aboard, because of forecasts for rough weather, though weathered turned out beautiful. Anglers better fish for the tuna as soon as possible, because the fish won’t stick around forever. Someone asked to sail for the fish August 15, but George recommended the angler jump on the tuna sooner, and the angler was going to see if he could. Trips are also fishing for summer flounder and bluefish. George climbed on a friend’s boat Saturday that fished for sea bass on the ocean. Lots of small sea bass were picked through, but good-sized, the boat’s limit, were also beaten.

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