<b>Staten Island</b>

Boaters who pushed out to the ocean came back with impressive-sized striped bass that chased bunker from Sandy Hook to Belmar, said Joe from <b>Michael’s Bait & Tackle</b>. The crew from the Troublized showed off four bass around 30 pounds apiece. Big blues with a few stripers mixed in were the catch from the bay along Staten Island. Customers who fluke fished in the bay actually pulled up pretty decent catches, Joe said. New York’s 20.5-inch size limit can keep the state’s anglers from fluking. Large weakfish that had been a common catch from the Staten Island surf were no longer checked in. No customers reported shark fishing, but one said he caught bluefin tuna Monday at the Triple Wrecks.

<b>Keyport</b>

Bunched-up striped bass chased bunker in the ocean off Long Branch and Belmar the past couple of days, said Capt. Joe from <b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b>. Boaters nailed the fish, and Papa’s Angels is fishing the bay for fluke and blues. Both Saturday and Sunday or Father’s Day are available for open-boat trips or charters, and open trips fish daily when no charter is booked.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Water temps at long last hit 66 degrees, and striped bass pounced on bunker schools, and some beautiful linesiders were finally boated today, said Capt. Ron from the <b>Fishermen</b> in an e-mail. Ron Solin took the lead in the pool for the biggest bass of the season with a 25.8-pounder and dusted three keepers. Mopar Charlie also totaled three, and so did Tony Santostephano. Tom Krako and friend Rocco combined for three between them. The boat had to fish far to the east, “but it was worth it,” Ron said. “Can’t wait till tomorrow.” The vessel is chartered Saturday morning, so no open-boat trip will sail then. But its open trip Saturday afternoon will still fish. Ron had been thinking about switching to fluke fishing next week, and always switches to fluking at some point. But now he’s going to wait until the weekend to decide what to target, and he hopes stripers. Still, the boat will fish for fluke Sunday.  The Fishermen sails on open trips 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily unless chartered like this Saturday morning. Magic Hour Trips are running for stripers and blues 3:30 to 9:30 p.m. Fridays through Sundays. Eventually the afternoon trips will concentrate on blues.

Check out these catches from customers at <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>, according to Jimmy. Frank Petillo hit the Monmouth Beach surf on Friday and nailed five stripers to 29 pounds and seven blues to 15 pounds on poppers and swimmers. On another trip at Monmouth he muscled in 17 stripers, including three from 18.5 to 24.18 pounds that he kept, and two blues to 16 pounds. Buddy Brazaitis also plied Monmouth Beach’s suds and drilled two stripers 35.36 pounds and 17.5 pounds on poppers. Joe DeGruptola tackled a 36.16-pound striper at Sea Bright. That’s all impressive! Loads of fish swam at Monmouth Beach and Sea Bright. But there’s more. Marshall Allegra trolled Swash Channel and bailed eight stripers from 14 to 35 pounds on Montauk bunker spoons. John McDonald boated a 29-pound striper at Flynn’s Knoll on bunker, and Ken Reese Jr. hauled in a 12-pound, 30-inch fluke at Old Orchard Light. Fluke anglers hooked fish, but lots of shorts. Jimmy himself fished for fluke on the river an hour and bagged four keepers and released 10 shorts “before the heat got to me,” he said. Scorcher this week. Plenty of stripers and blues held in the river.

Fluke fishing remained about the same on the bay on the <b>Atlantic Star</b>, and lots of fish were hooked, some days better than others, and anglers had to cull through shorts to find the keepers, and this year’s size limit was tough, Capt. Tom said. A flattie probably 5 ¾ pounds was the biggest yesterday morning. The boat fished off Sandy Hook Point and also along the channels, including Reach Channel, and Tom was trying to see if the bigger fish gathered at the channels. A new body of fluke seemed to move in that was largely made up of 14- to 17-inchers. Others said fluke hugged the bottom near the ocean beaches but were mostly shorts, so the Atlantic Star didn’t fish there. Sometimes Spro jigs could draw more bites, but anglers really had to work them and be familiar with how to do it. The pool winner yesterday morning bagged three keepers and fished a Spro, working the jig all trip. But fishing with a Spro could be done and produced. Sometimes anglers fished a rig with a Spro as the weight and a leader tied above that trailed a killie behind. The boat supplies squid and spearing, and sometimes, not all times, killies can be an advantage, and customers might want to bring a small amount of killies. The Atlantic Star is fishing for fluke on two trips daily from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.

A few keeper fluke were bagged, and a bunch of busting blues were jigged, on charters on the bay Saturday and Sunday on the <b>CRT II</b>, Capt. Mick said. He pretty much gave up on striped bass fishing on the bay and switched to fluke and blues or summer species in those waters, even though charters now had been booked to sail for stripers. But if stripers return to the bay, he’ll certainly go back after them. But otherwise fluke and bluefish charters are being booked.

<b>Highlands</b>

On the ocean last evening off Sea Bright and Long Branch Capt. Brian from <b>Jersey Devil Charters</b> said he was running a trip that whacked striped bass pretty consistently. He telephoned from the waters. Bluefish had recently moved in, too. Jersey Devil specializes in trophy striped bass and will continue to chase them probably through mid July. The boat is also launching shark fishing this weekend.

<b>Fisher Price Charters</b> was fishing this morning at 8:30 when Capt. Derek called and said his anglers had already limited out on striped bass along the beach front. Catches were often plentiful on the boat through the week on live and chunked bunker in the 63- to 65-degree waters. One slow trip produced two bass, but a charter that afternoon tackled 22. A 29-pound striper was the biggest in the past days, and slammer blues 14 or 15 pounds were also on a tear. A few openings remain for charters this week, and dates are available the first and second weeks of July, and the bite usually lasts through then. Fisher Price is also available for fluke fishing. Fluking seemed good on some days and iffy on others.

The Shrewsbury Rocks gave up heavy striped bass catches, said Capt. Mike from the <b>Katie H</b>. Bunker schooled thick off Deal, and a friend last weekend hit the area off Deal, caught bunker for bait, moved to the rocks, and loaded up on stripers on the bunker baits. Trips on the Katie H on Sunday and Wednesday will probably fish for stripers in the mornings and then try fluke fishing, both in the ocean. Plenty of short fluke seemed to hold along the bottom. Katie H will shark fish in two weekends in the Mako Mania tournament. Mike heard from nobody who shark fished yet, and cold waters probably kept most from trying, but they’ll go soon. Eventually Katie H runs a busy schedule of tuna trips from the warm months to fall.

<b>Neptune</b>

The two boats from <b>Last Lady</b> will fish Saturday, one for striped bass and the other for sharks, Last Lady’s first sharking of the year, Capt. Ralph said. He did hear about shark catches, including makos. For striped bass, Last Lady is trolling and livelining, but livelining could only be done when boat traffic wasn’t crowded, so weekdays were best. Individual-reservation fluke trips will fish every Wednesday beginning June 25. Those trips were supposed to start already but were postponed because of a cold ocean. Sea bassing was on tap, and the first canyon tuna trip of the year will sail July 29 to 30, and a few spots are available.

<b>Belmar</b>

“Striped bass gone wild,” said Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b>. That’s the probably the best way to describe fishing from boats and the surf in the ocean, he said. “It’s just phenomenal, crazy,” he said. Stripers 30 and 35 pounds were commonly caught, on pencil poppers in the surf, and on snagged and dropped bunker from boats. A 49-pound, 50-incher that Amber Rooney, 5, caught on her dad’s boat was the biggest weighed in during the week. Fluke were plentiful in Shark River and the ocean, but keepers were rare, because of the year’s size limit. “But we expected that,” Bob said. The 18-inch limit is very tough, he said. The shop’s rental boaters usually landed maybe two keepers per vessel. Eight keepers was the best catch on a rental boat, and three anglers scored that catch on one vessel.

Fluke fishing picked up on the <b>Big Mohawk</b> at the rough bottom in the ocean, Capt. Chris said. “You can’t even believe the difference,” he said. Some good-sized flatties, including 6 -½- and 7-pounders, were bagged. Good fishing, he said. The boat supplies spearing and squid, and rigs could be used, but patrons landed lots of the fish on bucktails. The Big Mohawk is fishing for fluke 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

Bluefishing turned on during nighttime trips offshore on the 77-foot <b>Bandit</b>, after the action had been slower from cool waters, Capt. Scotty said. The fish weighed 4 to 12 pounds and were hooked on bait. But daytime trips also battled blues, both on bait and jigs. The boat did no bottom fishing in past days but previously put patrons into plentiful ling.

Excellent catches of 6- to 10-pound blues were fought to the boat at night on the <b>Golden Eagle</b>, on both the eastern and western edges of the Mudhole, Capt. Greg said in an e-mail. Many patrons limited out and then played catch and release, and one even hooked and released a 90-pound blue shark on Monday night. A decent-sized thresher shark entered the slick that night.  Good bluefish catches were also made during daytime trips, and a few striped bass were landed then. Fishing seemed to be getting on track as waters warmed. The Golden Eagle is sailing for blues and stripers 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and for blues 7:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. daily. Remember dad on Father’s Day, and take him on a trip!

Shark fishing launched on the <b>Nan Sea J</b> yesterday, Capt. Tom said. That was the boat’s first trip of the season for the monsters. Four blue sharks were wrenched in, and no makos showed up, but the blues were big, up to 200 pounds. The boat headed south on the trip and fished in relatively warm, 66- to 69-degree, somewhat greenish waters. A few bluefish, shark forage, swam around. That was only the beginning of season that should include plenty of sharking on the Nan Sea J, Tom’s favorite time of year, favorite fishing. The boat annually runs open-boat shark trips every Wednesday in June and July, a tremendous opportunity to pick a fight with the ornery beasts without having to charter the whole boat. Reserve dates while still available. Nan Sea J is one of the few charters that offers open-boat sharking. Shark charters are also sailing. Another trip fluke fished in the ocean, and the fishing would’ve been great if the size limit hadn’t increased this year. Lots of the fish measured 16 and 17 inches, and would’ve made previous year’s limits. But five keepers were bagged, including a 5-pound doormat. Probably 150 or 175 of the fish had to be hooked to cull the five.

<b>Point Pleasant</b>

The second tilefish trip of the season steamed offshore Sunday on the <b>Voyager</b>, an e-mail from the boat said. A bunch of the fish were boated at both areas the vessel fished. At the first area 10- to 15-pounders and a few bigger ones were wrestled up, but dogfish became a problem. Patrons stuck it out with patience, though they must’ve felt reluctant after reeling up double headers of dogs from 600 feet. Tiles kept getting picked, but the crew decided to move. At the next area just a few tiles bit at first, during a slow drift. A short move was made in the same area, and soon the drift picked up, and tiles started to bite, and catches got better and better, and no dogfish stole baits. Tiles here were bigger, and a number of 20-pounders came up, and so did a few 30-pounders and some double headers. Mike Paras was high hook with nine tiles and a pollock. Dave Arbeitman, owner of The Reel Seat from Brielle, Tony Pusso, Peter Christoforiou and Kevin Feaster each scored seven. Leroy Armes won the pool with a 37-pound 4-ouncer, and he also claimed a 32-pounder and a total of six. The Voyager is fishing for tilefish every Sunday, and the next two dates are sold out, but spots are available June 29. Fluke trips are also fishing twice daily, and a number of nighttime bluefishing trips are running, and check the boat’s web site for dates, times, availability and other info.

Bottom fishing was okay on the <b>Dauntless</b>, and patrons boated sea bass and ling, and ling fishing was better early in the week, and more sea bass came up in the past couple of days, maybe because the heat started to warm waters, Capt. Butch said. Some patrons came close to limiting out on sea bass, catching maybe 20 of the lumpheads and a handful of ling. Waters were 63 degrees on top and 44 degrees on bottom in the 60- to 90-foot depths the boat fished. Dog sharks ran wild in deeper waters, and the boat typically fishes deeper as the season wears on, and ling can make up more catches in the cooler waters there. But whether the boat fishes deeper depends on the dogfish. Dogs usually go deeper as temperatures rise, but last year they failed to leave shallower areas until August. A couple of cod and some out-of-season winter flounder also grabbed baits. On the boat’s half-night bluefishing trips over the weekend, catches were okay, a little slower than last year at this time, because of cooler waters. But that only meant bluefishing would be more productive later in summer, so it wasn’t a bad thing. Patrons probably averaged two to five blues, not bad, and they were happy with that on a half-night trip, Butch said. Loads of dogfish filled the bluefish grounds, and could be seen swimming all around when the lights were turned on for bluefish chumming. The Dauntless is bottom fishing 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily. Bluefishing trips are running 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. every Friday and Saturday and will begin to run daily in the evenings in mid month.

<b>Angela Rose Charters</b> on Monday will kick off a summer schedule of Happy Hour charters, including shared charters, that fish 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Capt. Anthony said. The trips are offered for a particularly reasonable rate and fit well with summer schedules for everyone, like those with children home from school, vacationers, anglers who want to knock off from work on a summer evening to enjoy the outdoors, and so on. Anthony and crew were already fishing the schedule to scope out the scene this week, and fishing on Manasquan River produced blues left and right toward dusk on top-water popper lures and jigs. They did no fluke fishing yet, though trips will primarily fluke fish soon. Ocean fluking sounded like it was picking up, and friends nailed a five-person limit on Sunday, a great catch. But Anthony and crew sailed for striped bass in the ocean. Lots and lots of stripers swam the waters, but anglers did have to work for them. Bunker schooled everywhere, including off Manasquan Inlet, but the pods had to be found that held stripers. But if they were found, the effort was well worth it, because the stripers were big and, when found, numerous. Certainly time to jump on striper action. Happy Hour trips can also choose to watch Point Pleasant’s Thursday night fireworks from the waters toward the end of the trip. So Angela Rose will now offer shared charters, including during Happy Hours, from Mondays through Wednesdays, and regular charters on Thursdays through Sundays. Anglers can enter the monthly pool for only $5, and the entrants with the biggest fish win impressive prizes, including free spots on trips, a bunch of tackle from Mai Tai, who is exclusively outfitting Angela Rose with rigs this season, and clothing like T-shirts. Check out details on the boat’s web site.

Striped bass that are chasing bunker in the ocean might only turn on during an hour or half-hour, but then it’s “lights out,” and all are big, said Capt. Fred from <b>Andrea’s Toy Charters</b>. The action was so good that he’s extending his striper focus another couple of weeks through June 30, instead of starting to sail for sharks. So striper anglers have to be in the right place at the right time, but it’s worth it. Dr. Mike Cane took a trip Tuesday and reeled in his first-ever striper and the largest fish he ever rod-and-reeled, a linesider more than 20 pounds. On Monday the Brushkin charter with two anglers, both newbies at livelining bunker for stripers, headed out of Manasquan Inlet, and found bunker schools thick from there to the Shrewsbury Rocks. The right pod was found, and the anglers limited out on the first drift. They stayed on the same drift, and 10 bass to 30 pounds were reeled in, and even the captain got in on the action. Triple-headers were scored, and the linesiders boiled on the baitfish, hitting live or dead bunker, didn’t matter. They smacked everything. Andrea’s Toy is also bottom fishing for sea bass and ling when striper fishing slows down, like when striper charters are waiting for the tide to change. But that’s only an extra on striper trips. Plenty of the bottom fish could be found.

Lots of striped bass were moving up and down the ocean beaches, feeding on bunker schools, and boaters were knocking the heck out of the bass, said Rob from <b>Gates Bait & Tackle</b>. Local anglers found the fish from Manasquan Inlet to waters farther north, Some anglers might’ve had difficulty finding the bass at times, but the mates from the Norma K, docked near the shop, nailed the fish every time they went out on their private boats. They landed three 20-pounders in two hours on Tuesday. Surf anglers got into a load of the fish at Sea Girt and Monmouth Beach. Sharpies on the beach usually cast clams, bunker or plugs like schoolbus or black and purple Bombers. On the fluke scene the ocean was cold, but ocean fluking was definitely picking up, and the fishing was a matter of conditions that created good drifts. The water surface was warm because of the heat wave, but the bottom was cold. Rob fluked in the ocean Tuesday, and the surface was 60 degrees, but sinkers came up cold. Lots of fluke covered the bottom of Manasquan River, but many were shorts, and few were keepers. Fluke were probably also spread in the back waters from Barnegat Bay at Bay Head all the way to Egg Harbor. Striped bass anglers at the Point Pleasant Canal were typically tight-lipped, but they were surely catching, mostly on Fin-S Fish or eels, but if they could still find live herring, though the herring run ended, the baitfish also worked. Bluefish sometimes still appeared in Manasquan Inlet, but not the blitzes like earlier in spring. Blues now popped up 20 minutes or so. Bottom fishing seemed to keep producing plenty of sea bass. The Gates Motel, located on the grounds, is running full steam, the height of its season. The motel is popular with anglers, who spend the night to avoid early or late drives before or after trips on the local boats. Or they visit simply for a fishing vacation. Both the motel and tackle shop are located within walking distance of the charter and party boat fleet, Manasquan Inlet and the surf.

<b>Toms River</b>

Ocean striped bass fishing seemed up and down, and sometimes anglers found the fish, and sometimes they didn’t, said Jeff from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. But boaters often located them, because of mobility, and surf anglers had to rely more on being at the right place at the right time. One customer checked in a 25-pound 14-ounce striper from the surf at Ortley Beach and said he saw a few others caught. A few blues, not many, sometimes showed up in the surf. Another customer boated a 33-pound striper that inhaled a bunker that he nabbed for bait, and that’s how most boaters were catching the linesiders. Keeper fluke were pretty scarce, but a few were dragged aboard from Barnegat Bay from the BB to 40 markers. Many would’ve made last year’s size limit. Blues swam the bay and inlet, and big, 10- to 15-pounders could be found around the inlet. A weakfish or two might’ve been hooked at Berkeley Island Park, but nothing was really heard about the trout anymore. Crabbing was the main action now on the Toms River, and crabbers were picking up some of the blueclaws, a lot of small ones, because of cold waters. The season was a little early.

<b>Seaside</b>

Plenty of bunker schooled the ocean yesterday but failed to move into the surf, but the baitfish were in abundance in the surf the previous two days or Monday and Tuesday, and a slough of striped bass were weighed in that bit in the suds, and anglers just had to be on the beach to find them, said the report on <b>Grumpy’s Tackle</b>’s web site. A long list of weigh ins was posted even on Monday, the slow day at the shop. Many of the bass were taken on bunker, and the report said that the lack of fish hooked on lures was surprising, but maybe few anglers tried tossing artificials. A number of blues were checked in Tuesday but not on the other days. <a href="http://www.grumpystackle.com/fishingreports/" target="_blank"> Click here</a> for updates.

<b>Waretown</b>

Capt. Mike from the <b>Tuna-Tic</b> took a trip with friends Tuesday morning and angled up six striped bass in the ocean off Long Beach Island within 30 minutes at first light, he said. They fished bunker that was snagged and dropped. The Tuna-Tic is now shark fishing through June 23, only during the peak of the season. Most sharking will take place on charters, but an open-boat shark trip is slated for Wednesday, and space is available. Three-day, open-boat tuna trips will begin in July, and many spots are booked, but some remain. The boat recently returned to Waretown after striped bass fishing in the Sandy Hook area from the Highlands through spring.

<b>Forked River</b>

Capt. John from <b>Seafood Fishing Charters</b> took a trip with friends Monday and scored great striped bass fishing along the ocean front, he said in an e-mail. They reeled in 10 stripers 25 to 38 pounds and some huge, monster blues. “Glad to see we still have bass around,” he said. Bunker, somewhat fewer than on past trips, schooled, and the anglers snagged them for bait, dropped them back down and hooked up. In the past, John has sometimes wondered whether ridiculous numbers of bunker were too much competition when fishing for stripers. The only problem on this trip was getting the menhaden passed the blues. Charters will search for stripers Friday and blues Saturday, and John was certain that finding blues would be no problem.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Boating for striped bass off Long Beach Island put good numbers of 20- to 40-pounders on deck from among schooling bunker, said Josh from <b>Barnegat Light Bait & Tackle</b>. Surf fishers were starting to land more of the linesiders, mostly at night, and also put the skids on big blues 8 to 10 pounds during the day. The same blues swam the ocean toward Barnegat Inlet. In Barnegat Bay fluke were pulled from Meyer’s Hole, near the lighthouse and Double Creek Channel. The ocean in 50 to 70 feet also put out the flatties. Weakfish were sometimes found in the bay in early mornings, and try live spots or Gulps. Nobody mentioned shark fishing first-hand, but a few sharks were around, and customers were preparing to go this weekend. Spots, minnows, fresh bunker, fresh clams, eels and all the frozen baits are stocked.

<b>Tuckerton</b>

Anglers flounder fished on Great Bay yesterday with <b>Legal Limit Charters</b>, Capt. T.J. said. Lots of shorts bit, probably 25 or 30, and three keepers, good-sized ones to 25 inches, were boxed. All the 2-pound blues anyone could want schooled Little Egg Inlet. T.J. just returned to Tuckerton after fishing from Cape May for stripers and drum on Delaware Bay this spring. Trips for bluefish are lined up to run 17 or 18 miles offshore this week, and Legal Limit’s first shark trip of the season will fish over the weekend. Legal Limit’s smaller boat was already fishing from Tuckerton this spring, while the bigger one was docked at Cape May, and trips on the smaller boat caught plenty of sea bass in the ocean.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

Striped bass fishing in the ocean dropped off today, although probably 150 boats went after them, but plenty of the fish were hooked before, said Scott from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Still, a 43.8-pounder was checked in and was the biggest of the day at the shop, and other ones including a couple of 31- and 22-pounders, caught by two separate anglers, were weighed in. The fish were generally there, but then again, boaters could spend all day looking for them with no luck. A few flounder were starting to bite in the ocean at spots like Garden State Reef South. Sea bass were somewhat picked over but still offered good fishing. Bottom bouncers might have to try more than one spot to connect, and they might have to fish farther offshore, and they might not limit out, but could come close. One customer bagged four good-sized fluke in Tuckerton Bay, and that was interesting news, could be a good sign, though short fluke were usually dominant in the bays. No customers talked about landing bluefish, and the only blues that were heard about came from offshore at Barnegat Ridge. Perch fishing seemed to be tapering off in the rivers, although maybe interest was waning, as anglers fished for other species. The slabs were probably moving farther down the river systems to places like Roundabout Creek. The shop’s live grass shrimp, the favorite perch bait, died in the heat this week. No shedder crabs were carried, because no weakfish that love shedders were biting. But one customer flipped out a cell phone to show Scotty a photo of a weakfish he caught at the mouth of the Mullica River. Bloodworms, fresh clams, minnows, squid and spearing are stocked.

<b>Port Republic</b>

Boaters from <b>Chestnut Neck Boat Yard</b> came back with big striped bass they hung in the ocean off Long Beach Island, Mary Ann said. Carl Riek checked in three hefty ones to 35.1 pounds. Anglers on the bay and along the Intracoastal Waterway toward Atlantic City stuck flounder, including lots of throwbacks. Blues were scattered throughout waters, and perch always bite in the rivers and surrounding areas. Crabs just came off a shed, so crabbing should pick up in another week. Shedder crabs, the favorite weakfish bait, are stocked, but not many weaks were around. The trout usually hold at the mouth of the Mullica River, but maybe only one or two were found occasionally so far. Bloodworms, minnows,  squid and spearing are stocked.

<b>Absecon</b>

Big striped bass--probably fewer than toward Long Beach Island, but decent numbers--were sometimes taken from among bunker schools in the ocean off Atlantic City, said Capt. Dave from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. Anglers snagged and dropped the bunker to hook the bass. Lots of the linesiders appeared off Ventnor on Tuesday, and Dave went looking for them the day before and found none. Blues might’ve been around, but everybody was looking for bass, so little was heard about blues. Surf fishers were probably nailing good numbers of stripers, and the action was hot at Atlantic City’s T-jetty. Kingfishing was off and on in the suds, like always at this time of year. Flounder lay thick across the bottom of the back bay, but an awful lot met last year’s size limit but not this year’s. Still, anglers could pick a few keepers, and Dave stopped about an hour yesterday and grabbed two legal ones. Low-light or nighttime bass fishing along the sod banks and the Brigantine Bridge was supposedly good on popper lures or bait. Sharpies fishing in the early mornings were the only anglers really finding weakfish, and the mouth of the Mullica River was probably best. Now was probably the best season to go crabbing. The blueclaws were now off the shed, and the hardshells were plentiful. The shop raises its own shedders and stocks lots. Fresh bunker were on hand, because adult ones were even pushing up Absecon Creek. Lives spots, eels and just about every bait was fully carried.

<b>Brigantine</b>

Back-bay flounder trips on the <b>Fish Finder II</b> scored lots of action but many flatties that missed the new size limit by less than an inch or so, Capt. Joe said. Two or three 5-pound keepers probably came up a week, and a few 10-pounders were found this season. Winds that cooled waters dropped off the fishing the past couple of days. A bunch of 1- to 3-pound cocktail blues were mixed in. Flounder trips will run twice daily until Labor Day from 8 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. In other news, boaters from the marina traveled north to the ocean off Long Beach Island, walloping big striped bass to 40 pounds the past couple of weeks on snagged and dropped bunker. Joe’s charter boat was getting ready to start bluefin tuna trips. Spotty bluefins seemed to appear about 40 miles offshore.

Mako and thresher sharks cruised the 20-fathom line, said Capt. Tom from <b>Fishin’ Fever</b>. Bluefin tuna already arrived in the stretch from 20 fathoms to the 100 line. Tom’s ready to roll on trips for the big game. Bluefish also schooled anywhere from 20 fathoms on out, and flounder held both in the back bays and in the ocean at the reefs and the Old Grounds, and Fishin’ Fever is also geared up to fish for them. The boat just returned from Cape May after fishing for stripers and drum on Delaware Bay this spring.

Customers were making a left out of the inlet and traveling to Long Beach Island to crush big striped bass from 25 to 40 pounds on snagged and dropped bunker, said Capt. Andy from <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>. Back on Brigantine, surf fishers checked in four to five big bass each day, and a 26-pounder was the biggest so far this week, and the anglers also picked up kingfish, but had to cast to the second bar. No drum, often a by-catch for striped bass anglers who soak clams in the suds in spring, were heard about in a week. Andy noted that the northern end of Brigantine was reopened to beach buggies to the Coast Guard Station. Striped bass and bunker had schooled in the ocean off Margate and Ventnor, and Brigantine’s anglers were waiting to see whether the fish moved north to local waters. Sometimes they will, and other times they might pass right by on a trek north. Back-bay anglers were lighting up keeper striped bass along any of the sod banks on live spots. Fred from the shop was doing a number on them.  A mess of flounder filled the bay, but few keepers. Andy and crew reeled in 15 in minutes but no keepers. The bait bins are fully loaded, including with fresh clams, fresh bunker, live spots, minnows and the full selection of frozen baits.

<b>Longport</b>

Bottom fishers boated healthy catches of sizeable sea bass and ling, not as many as before, but quality, said Capt. Mike from the <b>Stray Cat</b>. Trips sailed for them the past couple of days. The boat ran a squid trip over the weekend that was covered in the last report, and it was a ball, fantastic. “We’re very excited,” Mike said. Another squid trip will fish 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. Friday to Saturday, and space is available, and call to reserve. If you enjoy eating them, like calamari, or if you want to stock up on bait for the fluke tournaments, get onboard and load up. Squid filled the waters from the surface to 50 feet down as soon as the boat stopped on the last trip, and the waters were all lit up from the glow. No fluke were holding in the local ocean, and the flatties sometimes appear in summer and sometimes don’t, depending on currents. None arrived last year, but the previous year’s fluking was great. Anglers this year will see what happens. Recent bluefishing trips were also productive, and slammers schooled the triangle from 28-Mile Wreck to Sea Isle Ridge to the AC Ridge. Mako sharks chased the blues, and shark charters are running. Bluefin tuna 10 to 60 pounds swam the historic spots on the 30-fathom line, so an open-boat tuna trip was slated in two Sundays and is already full. If interested in a spot on another, give Mike a call, and he’ll try to put one together. Stray Cat is primarily fishing on charters in summer, although open trips were the focus until now. But special open trips, like the squid and tuna trips, will sail, and open trips will fish every Thursday and Sunday, including Father’s Day. Plenty of room for dads, Mike said. The open trips at this time of year are captain’s choice, chasing whatever’s best.

<b>Somers Point</b>

Throwback flounder but occasional keepers carpeted the bay, and customers seemed to fish all over for them, not mentioning particular go-to spots, but east of the Parkway like around Ship’s Channel and toward Great Egg Inlet were more popular, said Wayne from <b>My Bait & Tackle</b>. Lots of the flatbacks would’ve been keepers during last year’s 17-inch size limit, and this year’s 18-inch limit seemed to create more shorts than usual. John Marsh took down two 20-inch keepers and a 24-incher very early Tuesday morning on minnows. Dennis Fish took a run up Patcong Creek and hooked 15 perch on bloodworms, and then he fished the Great Egg River along the Parkway and picked up six blues. There were blues throughout the bay, too. Customers crabbed right off the docks near the shop and kept seeming pleased with catches. A dozen or half-dozen good-sized blueclaws seemed to be able to be nabbed with little problem. The shop is fully supplied with baits including live shedder crabs, bloodworms and minnows and frozen squid, bunker, herring and mackerel. A number of fishing tournaments are coming up, including the Jersey Coast Anglers Association Fluke Tournament on Saturday, the Brutus Fluke Tournament from the local Elks and VFW the following Saturday, June 21, and the Ocean City Exchange Club Bay and Ocean Fishing Tournament for flounder, blues and weakfish the next Saturday, June 28.

<b>Ocean City</b>

Ocean boaters could score striped bass on bunker they snagged for bait and dropped back in the waters, said Bill from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. Good-sized bass were also checked in that pounced on artificials at night at Corson’s Inlet. Weakfish to 26 inches were also taken there at night this week, and they hung around the shell bed there. He heard about no stripers landed from the surf the past couple of days. But kingfish were reeled from the wash. Many of the flounder in the back bay were shorts, but a few keepers made the coolers. Crabbing was excellent in the back waters. Sharks were on the prowl, including makos, threshers and blues at 28-Mile Wreck and the Cigar and blues and threshers at Sea Isle Ridge. Nobody reported tuna fishing, but a slug of warm waters moved into Spencer Canyon, a long ride. Fresh clams, fresh bunker and even fresh squid are carried. Frozen squid and all the frozen baits are also stocked.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Surf casters dragged in quite a number of striped bass, mostly small ones, but a few moderate to large fish, said Wes from <b>Gibson’s Tackle</b>. A 25-pound 40-incher was weighed in that sucked down a whole surf clam along the open beach at Strathmere. That was the biggest Wes saw, and he saw lots of 34- and 36-inchers and was selling many clams baits. Kingfish continued to nab bloodworms in the suds. Back-bay flounder fishing was good, and the best catch today was taken by an angler who bagged three keepers to 4 pounds and released six shorts at Ludlam Bay in two hours. He fished a minnow on a plain, 4/0, Gamakatsu hook on a long leader. The shop was selling Fin Strike Pro Series flounder rigs with fluorocarbon that worked well. Small blues roamed the bays, and small weakfish and small stripers could be found there, but more as a by-catch. Anglers had a better shot at weaks and stripers at the inlet, especially at night. Lures like 4-inch paddletails in dark colors will draw attention, but so will a number of other lures that Wes could recommend. Baits including shedder crabs, bloodworms and clams could also score, but artificials are enjoyable. Crabbing improved, even if crabbers reported lots of small ones, not unusual in the early season. The shop is running a special on crab traps. Ocean bottom fishing seemed to produce well for sea bassing, maybe in 80 to 110 feet, and small fluke began to appear around the deeper wrecks. Shark anglers were gearing up to begin trips, and the shop is stocking mackerel chum and other sharking supplies. Small bluefin tuna might be pushing into spots like Sea Isle Ridge, the AC Ridge, 28-Mile Wreck, the 750 Square, 19-Fathom Lump and the East Lump.

A bunch of blues 2 to 4 pounds traveled the back bay, and striped bass were just beginning to become more cooperative there, and the bay’s flounder fishing was good,  though many of the flatties were shorts, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Gibson’s Tackle</b>. High tides this week were starting to coincide with mornings and evenings, ideal conditions for fishing for stripers with popper lures and flies, one of Joe’s specialties. That fishing will become better and better as waters warm, triggering the bass to attack on the surface, and as more of the blues depart the bay for the ocean. The bass sort of become docile while aggressive blues storm the bay a few weeks in spring. Surface temps on the bay reached as high as 75 degrees, but the temps were deceptive, because the bottom was colder. The heat this week warmed the surface but not the bottom. The inlets were still 60 or 61 degrees. Joe’s thrilled with the season so far, and waters surrounding Sea Isle teemed with more and more life each year lately. The whole spectrum of bait’s been increasing, and that equals more fish. Joe even saw a bazillion peanut bunker yesterday, early in the year for peanuts, and that bodes well for the entire ecosystem. Spearing, bay anchovies and other bait and life was abundant. Good to hear.

<b>Wildwood</b>

Locals held a flounder tournament over the weekend, and lots of flatties they caught were shorts, but a decent number of keepers were boated, said Mike from <b>Canal Side Boat Rentals</b>. He thought a 4-pound 9-ouncer was the winning fish. The anglers mostly fished with minnows or mackerel, and minnows were best, but mackerel was a second-best bait. A few blues but not many were around. A couple 1- or 1-1/2-pounders were brought in yesterday. Crabbing was a “little light” so far, but customers plucked up some. July and August could produce more. Crabbing turned on earlier last year, but every year can be different. The store sells live crabs and stocked none yet but probably will in a week or so. Canal Side rents canopy boats for fishing and crabbing and also kayaks. Bait, ice and tackle are sold.

Fairly good catches of sea bass were scored on the <b>Adventurer</b>, Capt. Gary said. The boat’s usually been fishing the wrecks at Cape May Reef, and a few flounder were beginning to bite, and out-of-season tog were hooked and released, so waters were cool. As waters warm, and sea bassing becomes slower toward the end of June, flounder fishing should improve, and the boat will probably drift for flounder more often. The vessel then usually mixes up wreck and flounder fishing, depending on conditions, like whether winds and currents create good drifts. By early July, founder fishing normally dominates, with occasional wreck fishing. The boat sometimes travels to Delaware Bay for flounder, if that bite seems the best option. The boat’s been drum fishing on charters on the bay, and drum kept biting, and the charters will continue. The Adventurer is sailing on open-boat trips 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

<b>Cape May</b>

A charter was drum fishing on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> on Delaware Bay yesterday evening when Capt. George gave this report, and seven of the fish had already been landed. The fishing was “hanging in there,” he said. The boat will sail for drum through the weekend before George calls it a season for the boomers. Then other fishing becomes in demand, including sharking and bottom fishing for flounder and sea bass. Shark anglers were picking at the fish. George knew one boater who fought three makos--two shorts and a 150-pound keeper--to the boat in the past days. A few makos haunted the Cigar, and thresher sharks were around. George heard nothing about flounder fishing. The Heavy Hitter also trolls for bluefish, and although George didn’t mention blues, others reported blues schooling offshore. Charters on the vessel do lots of tuna fishing, and the Heavy Hitter usually launches its tuna season on trips for bluefins at the inshore lumps to the south in early summer.

Delaware Bay boaters kept decking drum, and the fishing was starting to taper off a little, but spots like the Pin Top and Tussy’s Slough produced, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. Surf casters beached decent catches of striped bass, usually on clams, but sometimes on bunker. Henry Suwala, 75, weighed in a 44-pound, 1-ounce, 49-inch striped bass with a 29-inch girth that he nailed at Poverty Beach. Poverty was one place to surf fish, but use a 10-foot rod to sling baits far. A few blues also showed up in the surf, and weakfishing was fairly good at Higbee’s Beach on bloodworms with a slip shot under a float. Reports of flounder hooked came from the back bays at Wildwood and Stone Harbor. Delaware Bay anglers reeled up flounder, but lots of shorts, and Miah Maul was popular there. A few striped bass will probably start trickling down from the Delaware River or the far northern Delaware Bay, now that waters were warming. Bug Light or Brandywine will probably produce a few, and drumfishers should have a shot at them soon, because both fish love clams. A few mako and thresher sharks started to get battled, and Bill Garrison subdued two threshers and missed a mako near the boat. Fresh clams and fresh bunker are carried. Even fresh bluefish were currently stocked. Frozen mackerel and all the frozen baits were carried. Bunker and mackerel chum were on hand.

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