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New Jersey Inshore Saltwater Fishing Report 9-19-16


<b>Keyport</b>

Both porgy fishing and fluke fishing were excellent this weekend, Capt. Frank from the <b>Vitamin Sea</b> wrote in an email. Big, pork-chop porgies to 14 inches were swung in at a fast pace on each trip for them. Only 10-inchers and larger were kept, though 9 inches is the legal minimum size. The fishing was that good. The year’s final open-boat fluke trip with space available will fish Saturday. “The Vitamin Sea books up quickly for a reason,” he said. Sunday will be the final day of fluke season. Afterward, trips will focus on porgies, until striped bass arrive. Book striper trips now. 

Excellent porgy fishing was smashed with the <b>Down Deep Fleet</b> on the ocean, Capt. Mario said. The fish weighed up to 3 pounds, and a ton of out-of-season sea bass were released. Looks like sea bass will give up a good fall run, he said, and sea bass season will be opened beginning October 22. Open-boat trips are fishing for porgies daily, and fluke fishing aboard held up. The high hook on fluke yesterday landed eight, keeping no more than a limit of five. Most fluke were found in the bay in shallow water, not in the ocean, currently. Open trips are fluking daily, and will fish for striped bass daily, once fluke season is closed beginning next Monday.  Charters are available, and 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 open trips. Book charters for fall striped bass, sea bass and blackfish.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

A few fluke were pitched aboard each trip in past days on the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>, but the angling was a struggle, Capt. Tom said. Still, trips will stick with the fishing through Sunday, the final day of fluke season. Afterward, the trips will fish for porgies. Customers were enjoying the day on the water, he said. When conditions were right, more fluke bit than at other times. The trips fished Raritan Bay, like at Flynn’s Knoll and Chapel Hill Channel. The Atlantic Star is fishing for fluke 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 6 p.m. daily.

A small group fished aboard Sunday, fluke fishing a while, then porgy fishing on the <b>Fishermen</b>, a report said on the party boat’s website. All went home with dinner, and the porgy action turned a bad day into a good one. Only a handful of fluke were caught each day recently, so daytime trips will mostly fish for porgies beginning Wednesday. No daytime trips will sail today and Tuesday, and the trips fished for fluke daily previously. Beginning Wednesday, trips will fish mostly for porgies 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. Trips are fishing for striped bass 6:30 to 11:30 p.m. Mondays through Wednesdays and for porgies 6:30 to 11:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays.

<b>Highlands</b>

An open-boat trip bottom-fished Sunday on the ocean with <b>Lady M Charters</b>, Capt. Steve said. The trip first blackfished, limiting out on the tautog to 8 pounds, releasing a bunch more. Then the trip fished for porgies. That angling was up and down, but whaled the biggest kind of porgies, up to 16 inches, also bagged a few triggerfish and released a ton of out-of-season sea bass. The size of the porgies was phenomenal. Was a good day of fishing. Charters and open-boat trips fish, and fall sea bass and blackfish trips are being booked.

<b>Neptune</b>

If anglers want porgies, they better fish for them now, said Capt. Ralph from <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b>. Two trips during the weekend loaded up on them and returned early aboard, and blowfish, blackfish and triggerfish were mixed in. Charters are fishing, and space is available on individual-reservation trips for sea bass Thursday, October 27, and for blackfish Wednesday, November 16. Sea bass season will be opened beginning October 22, and six will become the blackfish bag limit beginning November 16, from the current limit of one. An individual-reservation trip for cod offshore was just added for 2 a.m. Saturday, October 1, and a few spaces are left. Book fall charters for sea bass, striped bass and blackfish, and limited openings are available on weekends and weekdays. <b>***Update, Monday, 9/19:***</b> One space is available for an individual-reservation trip for fluke Sunday, the final day of fluke season.

<b>Belmar</b>

<b>***Update, Tuesday, 9/20:***</b> Ocean fluke fishing was hot, and the best-sized of the season were getting weighed-in, Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> wrote in an email. Hunter Schlegel’s 10-pounder was heaviest and was caught on a Belmar charter boat. Several fluke limits were bagged on a party boat from the port yesterday. A 9-pound 12-ounce fluke was biggest on the trip. More striped bass were beached from the surf than before, and one angler reported popper-plugging five at Deal in a morning. Daiwa SP Minnow lures reportedly hooked stripers in Spring Lake’s surf. Back on the ocean, boaters did a number on porgies at rocks north of Shark River Inlet on clams. Reports came in today about large numbers of false albacore boated on the ocean, including on a Belmar charter. Bob saw photos from the boat.

Fishing picked away at fluke in deep water on the ocean with <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b>, Capt. Pete said. Fishing through large, out-of-season sea bass was the most difficult part, but the fluke boated aboard were good-sized, up to 8 ½ or 9 pounds. Plenty of porgies schooled, and trips will probably focus on them once fluke season is closed beginning next Monday. Trips then will probably also chase false albacore. 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.

A great catch of false albacore and plenty of blues to 18 pounds were hammered Sunday on the <b>Golden Eagle</b>, a report said on the party boat’s website. On Friday’s and Saturday’s trips, bluefishing wasn’t as good, but some big to 18 pounds were picked, and some albies were also cranked in Friday. The Golden Eagle is fishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. <a href=" https://www.goldeneaglefishing.com/tunafish" target="_blank">Tuna trips</a> are sailing on certain days through October 24.

<b>Brielle</b>

Tuna fishing seemed slow, said Eric from <b>The Reel Seat</b>. A stray one was caught sometimes, and a few mahi mahi swam the water. A fair number of wahoos held at Hudson Canyon. White marlin catches seemed to shift south, like to Wilmington Canyon. Fishing for them could be good south but not locally at the Hudson. In the midshore ocean including the Mudhole, most lobster-pot buoys held mahi that could be trolled on feathers and small jets. Quite a few albies schooled the Mudhole, and Eric fished for them Sunday, catching practically all he could want, including double-headers, and mahi mixed in. Albies also swam closer to shore, all the way to the surf, where they popped up here and there. Fluke fishing seemed fair on the ocean. They seemed “balled up,” and if a trip found a pod, it could score well. Most trips struck out. Porgy fishing was excellent from the rough bottom off Sandy Hook to Axel Carlson Reef, at nearly any hard bottom. Back in the surf, cocktail bluefish were fought on small metal. Boaters could also chase the blues along the coast. An occasional striped bass was picked from the surf. Stripers were hooked on Manasquan River at the Route 35 and Railroad bridges and at Point Pleasant Canal. Most were jigged, and a few anglers eeled them. But jigs worked better.

Pretty good fluke fishing was mopped up from the ocean on the <b>Jamaica II</b> this past week, Capt. Ryan wrote in an email. Throwbacks were caught, but so were quite a few 3- to 6-pound keepers, “which kept it interesting,” he said. Some anglers limited out, and huge porgies were in the mix on some days. Ho J King from Fort Lee on Friday took the lead in the monthly pool with a 9.4-pound fluke. He also limited out, and the winner not only wins the cash but a free year of fishing aboard. Customers and their fluke catches during the week also included: Ed Nolan, Manasquan, and Pete Talevi, Trenton, limits to 6 pounds apiece; and Young Park, Howell, limit to 5 pounds. Bucktails hooked fluke best on most trips, and jump aboard before fluke season is closed beginning next Monday. The Jamaica II will fish for fluke 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Extended Fluke Marathons will sail 6 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. today and Sunday, the final day of fluke season. A cod trip will fish 2 a.m. to 5 p.m. next Monday, and telephone for reservations. Mudhole wreck-fishing trips will sail for ling, cod and winter flounder 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. October 1, 8, 9 and 16. <b>***Update, Tuesday, 9/20:***</b> Anglers got rained on a little, but most limited out on fluke on yesterday’s marathon trip, Ryan wrote in an email. Chris Molinaro from North Haledon won the pool with a 7.2-pounder and landed 21 legal-sized, keeping no more than a limit. Some anglers landed 12 or 14 legal-sized, keeping no more than their limits. Tons of throwbacks also bit, and action was great. A few anglers who also limited were Ralph Molinaro, John Delmonte, Pete Talevi, Chris Alfredsson, Bill Thompson and Chan Park.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

<b>***Update, Tuesday, 9/20:***</b> Mahi mahi, a great catch, and a 100-pound swordfish were nailed on a trip to the offshore canyons Saturday to Sunday aboard, during a weather window, Capt. Alan from <b>Mushin Sportfishing</b> wrote in an email. Tuna fishing was slow, and the crew is waiting for a better body of tuna-holding water to slide in from offshore. Autumn is the best time for tuna fishing, and that should happen soon. Mahi during the trip were skittish because of fishing pressure, but the anglers landed all they wanted, “which was a lot,” Alan said! The mahi included good-sized to 20 pounds and lots of 5- to 8-pounders. On the chunk at night, the sword was bagged from the deep, and another got off. In the morning, the anglers did more mahi catching. Open-boat trips to the canyons were just announced that might be the year’s final open trips for the fishing. The dates are October 3 to 4, 5 to 6 and 8 to 9. Everything is included except food and drinks. “Please don’t wait until the bite gets hot and your friends are dropping tuna steaks off at your house to book your trip!” he said. Tuna fishing was slow last week but is expected to take off. Telephone to book.

Was a tough weekend of fluke fishing on the <b>Norma-K III</b> on the ocean, a report said on the party boat’s website. Throwbacks and a keeper here and there were reeled in, nothing great, but a few were still around. Trips are fishing rough bottom, so bring extra tackle because of snagging. Plenty of sinkers and plain rigs are carried on the boat. On Friday and Saturday nights’ trips, fishing was fair for 8- to 15-pound blues. Eighteen-pounders won the pools each night. The angling would’ve been expected to be great, considering the number of blues marked. The moon was full, and will be waning next weekend, so they should bite better, the crew expects.  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 bluefishing 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. When fluke season is closed beginning next Monday, daytime trips will sail for porgies, ling and cod.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

The migration of mullet was increasing in the surf, a report said on <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>’ website. The fall migration of striped bass and bluefish was far from underway, but blues and stripers, sometimes a keeper striper, were beached, and more seemed to find the mullet to forage on each day. During the mullet run, lures seem to catch well. Small swimming lures and popping plugs are two top choices. Metal is a third choice. But cut bait, especially cut mullet, is hot  during the run, and bunker and clams are next-best baits. In Barnegat Bay, snapper to cocktail blues and sometimes small striped bass bit bait and lures. Crabs were trapped, just not large numbers. 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>

Fluke, pretty good catches, were tugged from the ocean this weekend on the <b>Super Chic</b>, Capt. Ted said. Lots were hooked, and a fair number were keepers. Most of the flatfish were found in 70 to 75 feet of water. Bluefishing was okay on a trip Saturday. No blues, only a bunch of chub mackerel, bit during daytime. But big blues 10 to 17 pounds were tackled after dark. A friend fished for false albacore Sunday at Barnegat Ridge, only decking a couple. But albies have been around, and maybe they just didn’t bite so well during the trip. The season’s first tuna trip is supposed to overnight this weekend on the Super Chic. Ted will see how the fishing is before, deciding whether the angling’s a go. 

On the <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b>, fluke fishing the last two days was still decent on the ocean, the party boat’s Facebook page said Sunday. Plenty of keepers for those who worked hard, it said, and trips are fluking at 8 a.m. daily. <a href="http://www.missbarnegatlight.com/TunaFishing.html" target="_blank">Tuna trips</a> will sail September 29 to October 30.

<b>Beach Haven</b>

Three blue marlin and two white marlin were released on a trip Saturday on the <b>June Bug</b>, Capt. Lindsay said. Was a great trip, and began fishing at Carteret Canyon a half-hour before sunrise. The trip didn’t troll a quarter of a mile before the first blue screamed off with a line. The fish was landed and released, and another blue was soon landed and let go. Then a white marlin was hooked, fought to boatside and released. Some of these marlin jumped in wild displays, and some of the anglers had never seen marlin before. All of this happened in 2 square miles. Nothing else bit, so the trip sailed north to Toms Canyon, and trolled for tuna at heavy concentrations of bait marked, but nothing bit except a 10-pound mahi mahi that was bagged at a lobster pot buoy. The trip worked back to where the marlin were found that morning, then three blues got off. Then another blue, then another white, were landed and let go. The number of marlin was fantastic.  The water was 70.5 degrees to 71.9, coolest when the trip began fishing before sunrise at the Carteret, warmest at the Toms. Before the trip, commercial boats caught bigeye tuna at the Toms in 100 fathoms. On Saturday evening, many boats fished Wilmington Canyon’s mouth, because satellite water-temperature services had predicted a warm-water eddy there. The water was reportedly a parking lot, but few fish were caught that evening. Lindsay noted that Joe Dieffenbach from Custom Marine Electronics installed June Bug’s latest electronics and how pleased Lindsay is with how the electronics work.

<b>Brigantine</b>

A ton of snapper blues were nabbed from the surf Saturday, a report said on <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle’s</b> website. One angler beached two 18-inch summer flounder on Brigantine’s north end that day. On Sunday, complaints sometimes rolled in about the surf being weedy. A trip on the ocean boated 10 keeper flounder and an angel shark at a reef. The ocean’s been 74 degrees.

<b>Longport</b>

Summer flounder fishing was slow Saturday on the ocean on the <b>Stray Cat</b>, Capt. Mike said. The catches picked up a little in the afternoon, but still weren’t good. Maybe the full moon was a reason, and the fishing was awesome previously aboard, the fish carpeting a large area of depths 6 to 12 miles from shore, covered in previous reports here. An open-boat trip today would see how the fishing is now. Open trips will also sail Wednesday through Friday, the year’s final open trips for flounder. Flounder season will be closed beginning next Monday. Mike expects the angling to pick up again. A trip Sunday aboard landed a few mahi mahi and false albacore.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Annual traveling trips to Montauk kicked off this weekend aboard, and were great, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. Three anglers fished on the two trips Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday, they tackled at least 15 albies on flies and Deadly Dicks and bluefish 4 or 5 pounds that bit during the albie fishing. They also fished for sea bass, socking big ones to 23 inches on jigs. They kept a number of the sea bass, none smaller than 18 inches. On Sunday, the anglers pounded more than 20 albies on flies and Deadly Dicks and a bunch of bluefish 4 or 5 pounds that bit during the albie fishing. The trips target the migrations of striped bass, blues and albies from the legendary port each year until the end of October. Then Joe turns all attention to the migration of stripers and blues off Sea Isle. Joe also runs traveling charters to the Florida Keys each winter. See the <a href=" http://www.captainjoehughes.com/page3.html" target="_blank">traveling charters’ page</a> on Jersey Cape’s website. Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s Blog</a>.

<b>Wildwood</b>

Mixed-bag fishing for catches including summer flounder, weakfish and blues continued on the ocean with <b>Fins & Grins Sport Fishing</b>, Capt. Jim said. The catches were underway throughout summer, like usual, and were yet to slow down. Not a lot of keeper flounder were around, but a couple were keepers, and trips mixed it up to put catches together. Flounder season will be closed beginning next Monday, and room is available for a trip Saturday. Fins fishes every day, and reservations aren’t required but suggested. Telephone for availability. Fall sea bass and striped bass fishing is being booked aboard. Trips fish for stripers with jigs, bait, on the troll or whatever it takes.  Many boaters trolled the fish, including with Mojos, on the ocean the past couple of years, after trolling locally wasn’t so popular previously. Fins fishes for stripers from the ocean to the Cape May Rips to Delaware Bay, wherever the angling’s best.

<b>Cape May</b>

Yellowfin tuna, some of them sizable or 65 to 75 pounds, were trolled yesterday in 40 fathoms and inshore of Wilmington Canyon, Capt. John from <b>Caveman Sportfishing</b> said. He telephoned to give that update today, after he had no news about tuna last evening in a phone call. Those were the first tuna he heard about in some time. Caveman has been standing by to jump on tuna when they arrived, specializing in the fishing.

Capt. George from the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> jumped aboard a friend’s boat for summer flounder fishing Sunday, he said. A bunch of flounder including one 19-inch keeper were pumped in. Most were 14 to 16 inches, and the trip fished deep water, a distance from shore. Anglers George knew about who fished for big game Saturday caught white marlin and mahi mahi, no tuna. Plenty of whites were around, and anglers will see how tuna fishing goes after the full moon in past days. George is a tuna captain, and the fish should show up any moment. The angling’s usually good this time of year. If they fail to show up in a week or so, that would be surprising. He told anglers who wanted tuna fishing aboard to hang loose. Fall sea bass and striped bass trips are being booked.

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