New Jersey Fishing Reports

Tropical Storm Danny should keep trips from sailing this weekend, and the hurricane forced trips to be cancelled last weekend, said Capt. Akira from True World Charters and True World Tackle Charters. A friend snuck out to fish at the Mud Buoy this week between the blows, wrangling up five keeper fluke and five keeper sea bass among lots of short sea bass. An okay catch, not great, Akira said.

Keyport

Anglers on smaller boats who are fluking on the ocean all seemed to get weathered out because of strong winds, like April Ann Charters was, Capt. “Shamrock” Eddie Coleman said. The tropical storm was forecast for this weekend to boot. But Ed attempted to sail for mahi mahi on Wednesday, reaching the BA buoy before rough seas and winds forced the trip to turn back. April Ann will keep fluke fishing until the flattie season closes next week on Saturday, and Ed seriously looked for weakfish at the channels but found none, and knows nobody who did, despite reports floating around about weaks caught. After fluke season, April Ann was going to target sea bass, because hefty ones were around, but the government might shut down that fishery. If sea bassing is closed, porgies and blues will be options, until fall fishing for striped bass and tog kicks in.

Atlantic Highlands

Weakfish flooded the rivers, “and no one’s fishing for them,” said Jimmy from Julian’s Bait & Tackle. He limited out on the trout among 17 hooked in one drift. Reach Channel on the bay held a few weaks, too. Fluke were reeled aboard at Ambrose Channel and down the ocean beaches, and lots of shorts swam the bay. A mess of small blues were jigged on the ocean close to shore and in the bay. Bigger blues were bombed at the Mud Buoy on bait in chum slicks. Lots of sea bass were on the chew in the ocean, but the government might shut down sea bassing next week. Tons of porgies swarmed around the piers and in the ocean, and sometimes anglers failed to find them, but they looked in the wrong places. The government might also shut down porgy fishing next week. Gangs of ling were looted along the edge of the Mudhole and at wrecks. Crabbing was good.

Much better fluke fishing on Wednesday than previously, Capt. Ron from the Fishermen said in the report on the boat’s Web site. The trip fished the “nasty” bottom, so some rigs were lost, but it was worth the catches of sea bass and fluke. “Nice, all-day fishing,” he said. The high hook bagged three fluke, and a 4-1/2-pounder won the pool. On Tuesday Ron thought the heave from Hurricane Bill would be gone on the ocean, but it wasn’t. The trip fished at places including Scotland, the Mud Buoy and the Shrewsbury Rocks at the “great bottom” from 40 to 70 feet, he said. Plenty of keeper sea bass, some keeper fluke and a bunch of short fluke were swung in. “Couldn’t take hanging in the bay and working the channels for another day, (and) had to search for something better, even if it was wrong,” he said. “Think I made the right choice today, though,” he said. Monday’s trip fished the ocean all day, with a good swell left from the hurricane. A handful of sizeable, keeper fluke, including the 5-1/2-pound pool winner, came up, and so did a few quality sea bass, but not enough action. The boat fished several spots, and the fishing was the same no matter where the trip went. Bluefishing was excellent on Sunday night’s trip, and a striped bass was in the mix. The Fishermen is sailing for fluke 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. Trips are running for bluefish 7:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Fridays and 3:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

Fluke fishing was “definitely not like it was,” said Capt. Tom from the Atlantic Star, but conditions weren’t the best for the angling in the past days, and he hoped catches would turn around. Monday morning’s fluking was slow, and the afternoon trip’s fishing began to improve. A few fluke came up on Tuesday morning’s trip on the bay. In the afternoon the boat started fishing at Sandy Hook Channel for lots of shorts and some keepers. Currents got too fast, and either the fish shut down or the weights couldn’t hold bottom, and the trip moved to the bay for a few catches. Conditions were tough on both of Wednesday’s trips, making for one of the most difficult days in a while. In the morning west winds rocked and rolled seas on the bay, so the boat moved down the ocean beaches. But a good drift was impossible there, and conditions turned out to be some of the worst. The afternoon trip began fishing at Sandy Hook Channel, but the west winds with outgoing tide pushed the drift fast, and the boat moved down the ocean beaches. Conditions were a lot better, though the drift was quick. Anglers had to use lots of weight, and shorts, a few keepers and some sea robins bit. Not a good day. No tackle or bait could be said to out-fish another, but one angler on Tuesday morning’s trip waxed five keepers while working a Spro jig. He always fishes a Spro and works for the fish. He fishes a plain Spro with no teaser above, if Tom remembered. The Atlantic Star is fluke fishing on two trips daily 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Highlands

One trip got out for fluke on the ocean, and the fishing was so-so, with the waters somewhat stirred up since the weekend storm, said Capt. Derek from Fisher Price Charters. Big strip baits were fished on bucktails, and Fisher Price targets the bigger flatties in the deep with that tackle or with live peanut bunker and snapper blues. Bluefishing seemed unaffected by the blow, because catches were apparently great at the Shrewsbury Rocks and the Mud Buoy. Fisher Price is also bluefishing and is also sailing for bluefin tuna on the inshore ocean, and that bite was top-notch. Derek heard about a few weakfish dredged up from the bay, but nothing phenomenal. If the trout turn on, the boat goes after them. Dates are being booked for fall striped bass fishing and for bottom fishing, including for tog.

Friends were fishing for bluefin tuna, and Capt. Brian from Jersey Devil Charters was waiting to hear the results, he said. His trips were focusing on the tuna, limiting out on the fish so far, usually playing catch and release with more, often on jigs, but sometimes on sardines. But the weather put the kibosh on the last charters. Open-boat trips are also running for the bluefins, and call if interested, because the more anglers who want to go, the easier to arrange the trips.

Neptune

The storm during the weekend had no effect on Wednesday’s weekly, individual-reservation fluke trip, because the fishing was a success, said Capt. Ralph from Last Lady Fishing Charters. The 17 anglers “all left with a smile,” he said. No large flatties, like last week’s 13-pounder on the boat, were hooked, but some weighed 4 to 5 pounds, and many were 18 to 23 inches. Space remains on this coming Wednesday’s individual-reservation fluke trip, and that will be the last of the year, because the season will end. An offshore trip was supposed to sail overnight today to the canyons, but Ralph was going to give the anglers the option of whether to fish at the canyons overnight or on a daytime trip for bluefin tuna closer to shore. The canyon tuna fishing was tougher than the bluefin angling.

Belmar

Blues were pounded on both day and night trips on the Golden Eagle, Capt. Greg said. The slammers, averaging 8 to 10 pounds with pool winners “upwards of 14 pounds,” Greg said, hammered bait and jigs during the daylight and bait during the dark. The Golden Eagle is fishing for blues 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. daily. Canyon tuna trips will begin Tuesday, and see the boat’s Web site for info.

Catches of fluke took a bit of a beating after the weekend’s storm, but good fishing for them went down Wednesday on the Big Mohawk, and six or seven patrons limited out, Capt. Chris said. A 7-1/2-pounder won the pool. Trips fish the rocky bottom in the ocean, and most patrons jig for the flatties. Tackle will be lost in snags, but the fish gather around the rocks. The Big Mohawk is fluke fishing 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

Fluke to 21 inches were reeled from lumps off Deal on the ocean Wednesday on the Nan Sea J, “pretty good” fishing, Capt. Tom said. None was huge, but lots bit, and sea bass were also clubbed. Winds blew, but the drift was a productive speed. In other news, Tom heard about bluefin tuna and even yellowfin tuna waffled at the Mudhole, close to shore. He was about to carve up sashimi from yellowfin somebody gave him from a trip. Call if interested in fishing for the inshore tuna, possibly including open-boat trips. Overnight tuna charters to the offshore canyons will start in September.

Shark River served up lots of fluke, and all anglers seemed to bag a couple of keepers, said Jessie from Fisherman’s Den. Lots of snapper blues ran the river, and a few porgies, enough to keep anglers interested, were picked from the waters. Customers kept buying worms for the scup fishing. Anglers on the party boats on the ocean seemed to box a few keepers on Wednesday and more today. Bluefish party boats ransacked big slammers, and most seemed to limit out early. Surf anglers managed an occasional striped bass, usually on clams before sunup or at dusk. One angler reeled four stripers from the river while fishing with peanut bunker. The river’s crabbing was better than usual, turning out a few catches.

Brielle

Anglers on the Big Kid competed in the Tuna Stakes tournament Monday and Tuesday at Hudson Canyon, banging out a bunch of white marlin, a 300-pound blue marlin and tilefish, Capt. Ken said. On the way home the group stopped at the inshore grounds, limiting out on two bluefin tuna. The boat was headed back to the canyons today and Friday. Charters are also fishing for fluke and sea bass.

Any customers who tried limited out easily on 6- to 12-pound blues on Wednesday’s daytime trip on the Jamaica, an e-mail from the boat said. Both bait and jigs got hook-ups while the crew chummed, and anglers on the night trip easily limited out on blues the same size. Fishing on both trips was best 15 miles to the north and offshore. Pool winners included Carlos Hills from Philly with a 14-pounder and Justin Gross from Easton, Pa., with a 12-pounder. The Jamaica is fishing for blues on two trips daily 7:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. through Labor Day and on weekends afterward. Check the boat’s Web site for discounted specials. Special trips for bluefin tuna, bonito and false albacore will fish the inshore ocean on Monday and on September 7 and 10. The boat’s canyon fishing for tuna is about to begin.

Point Pleasant

Two anglers jumped aboard Tuesday to fish the inshore ocean for pelagics, said the report on Andrea’s Toy Charters’ Web site. On arrival the anglers started jigging, knocking out skipjacks and false albacore but not tuna. So they switched to fishing sardines, and a sizeable yellowfin tuna swiped the bait and was landed. Still, tuna fishing was slow, so the anglers switched to mahi mahi fishing to wait for tuna angling to heat up. Six gaffer mahi to 15 pounds were mugged. Then they returned to tuna fishing, and bluefins began to turn on. The anglers limited out on two, “then the fish ate everything—jigs, bait, it didn’t matter,” the report said. Andrea’s Toy specializes in mixed-bag fishing for more fun, greater chances of hooking up and more variety for dinner. Trips are running for inshore pelagics and near-shore fluke and sea bassing. Canyon trips, including open-boat outings, will run for tuna and big game when that action amps up. See the boat’s home page for info on the open trips.

The boat broke Manasquan Inlet on Wednesday, meeting 3- to 5-foot seas in 15-knot, southerly winds, worse than expected, on a Fluke Till You Puke Trip with Reel Class Charters, Capt. Allen said. So the open-boat trip fished closer to home than expected on the ocean, starting a few miles to the north. The anglers fished from there to a bit south though much of the trip, but the fluking was tough, and four keepers to 6 pounds among 25 shorts were yanked in. Plus three keeper sea bass, a bunch of shorts and three blues were knuckled in, and an 8-pound false albacore was boated that grabbed a fluke jig on the bottom. That was the first time Allen ever saw an albie hit on the bottom. By 2 p.m. winds screamed at 20 knots, so the trip moved to Manasquan River. Twenty-five throwbacks and no keepers were hooked. The ocean fishing was horrible, Allen said. A short, 4-hour charter fished the river Tuesday, light-tackling three keeper fluke among 50 shorts, despite a big fleet that fished and lots of boat traffic. A great trip, Allen said. Reel Class will keep fluke fishing on open trips and charters until the season ends and will go after pelagics like albies until fall fishing for striped bass and blues begins.

On the Norma K fluke fishing on the ocean was slow, affected by the weekend’s storm, but nighttime bluefishing was on a tear, Capt. Matt said. Many anglers limited out on blues or caught enough and played catch and release afterward. The blues averaged 6 to 10 pounds, but smaller ones, 3- to 4-pounders, popped up the other night. Trips are fishing for fluke twice daily 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and for blues 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. daily. When fluke season closes, the daytime trips will bottom-fish for sea bass twice daily. The nightly bluefish trips will continue, even after Labor Day.

Blues, blues and more blues, epic fishing for them, was slammed Wednesday on the Cock Robin, an e-mail from the boat said. The e-mail shared a letter from a long-time customer who fished on the boat Friday and said the crew provided “a five-star experience” that day. The angler, who manages restaurants, said the crew understands customer service more than his staff does, and that he wished he could bring his whole staff on a trip, so they could see the meaning of hospitality. “We can only aspire to live up to his praise,” the e-mail from the boat said. A note from a customer on Tuesday’s trip was shared in another e-mail from the boat. The angler in the note said the catch on Tuesday’s trip ranged from a steady pick to “stupid” fishing. The Cock Robin is fishing for blues 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and 7:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. On Thursday’s trips, customers can help donate fish to Joan Valentine House, providing meals to people. Captain Jim’s Camp Cock Robin for kids, limited to 12 anglers, is under way for summer, featuring a dedicated mate for the youngsters. Join the boat on Tuesday to fish with members of the Lakewood Blueclaws minor league baseball team. Stay tuned for a schedule of inshore tuna and false albacore/bonito trips.

Bottom-fishing bailed plenty of catches on the Dauntless, Capt. Butch said, and the weekend’s storm failed to affect the angling. Seas were no issue while the hurricane passed offshore, despite forecasts for worse. When a storm passes far offshore like that, it creates a swell, but the ocean near the beaches is the only place where large waves become an issue. Seas a little farther out were only a swell that anglers on the boat could feel gently rise up and down. No trip sailed Saturday during the height of the weather, because forecasts scared anglers away. But the trip could’ve sailed, and a trip did run Sunday during the tail end of the storm. Excellent fishing was nailed, mostly for porgies, and a couple of patrons came close to limiting out on them. Porgy catches were a little slow Wednesday for a change, because of strong currents, and the boat switched to ling fishing, and the angling ended up okay. Porgies mostly made up catches on trips lately, because the boat usually targeted them the most, because that’s what customers wanted. They were a little tired of ling fishing, but lots of ling were around. When porgies were less cooperative, the trips moved deeper for ling. Sea bass, blackfish, fluke, blues, striped bass and cod were mixed in on trips. The stripers were surprising to see, because waters were warm at 74 to 75 degrees close to shore. The temp was a couple of degrees higher than before the storm, when waters near the coast were 77 degrees, even though one might think the waters should have cooled because of the weather. Another storm is forecast to roll through on Saturday, and if the blow cools the waters, that will probably only make bottom-fishing better. Some of the stripers were large, and some were undersized. Some of the cod were big, like an 18-pounder clocked on Wednesday’s trip. Bottom-fishing was good on the boat since spring, a productive year so far. On the boat’s night trips bluefish were creamed, lots of catches, and sometimes stripers showed up, like seven or eight that were angled in during the other night. The Dauntless is bottom fishing 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily and is bluefishing 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. daily.

Toms River

People kept saying fluke were stacked up at Barnegat Inlet, but customers kept saying they weren’t really, although one said they were, said Jeff from Murphy’s Hook House. Rich Lombardi smoked a 10-3/4-pound doormat at the inlet Wednesday. But the flatties were wrenched in from Barnegat Bay at Oyster Creek and Double Creek channels and around the BI and BB markers. Kingfish supposedly gathered near the inlet, and two blowfish that one customer bagged from the bay were the only puffers Jeff heard about. Small blues roamed the bay, and a few weakfish were pelted in the early mornings at the BI and Berkeley Island Park. In the Toms River snapper blues and white perch got toggled in, and small striped bass were caught and released at Huddy Park. Ocean flukers connected at the Tires and Barnegat Ridge. Not great catches, but a few, and many took several of the flatties, and some located none. Surf casters beached a few fluke and some blues, cownosed rays, skates and sea robins. They also knocked down sharks at night. Barnegat Ridge boaters muscled in big false albacore, bonito, Spanish mackerel and king mackerel.

Seaside

Surf fishing for blues seemed to fade, after they were beached previously, said the report on Grumpy’s Tackle’s Web site. Fluking from the surf was a good option, but the throwback ratio was high. Rumors said short striped bass smacked Mambo Minnows at dusk in the suds. Few anglers hunted sharks at night in the wash like weeks ago, so no news was available about them. <a href="http://www.grumpystackle.com/fishingreports/" target="_blank"> Click here</a> for updates.

Forked River

Barnegat Bay anglers grabbed weakfish from the BB marker to the BI marker, off Forked River and at Oyster Creek Channel on pink Fin-S Fish, white bucktails or sandworms, said Jana from Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle in an e-mail. They picked up fluke from the BB to the BI and at Double Creek Channel and the 40 can on spearing, killies, squid or jigs. The middle of the bay held bluefish from Bayville to Barnegat that smacked trolled Pony Tails. The bay near the 40 attracted blowfish that nibbled squid fished in clam chum.

Barnegat

A couple fished on Barnegat Bay on Wednesday with Perfect Drift Sport Fishing, because the ocean was somewhat snotty in winds in the morning, and about three keeper fluke, a bunch of shorts, one keeper, 19-inch weakfish, some short weaks and maybe a couple of dozen blues were hooked, Capt. John said. So the bay was loaded with fish, and reports from anglers who fluke fished on the local ocean sounded like the bite was somewhat slow, remained affected by the weekend’s storm. Kingfish also swam the bay. The blues and weaks on the trip were found together underneath birds that worked bait on the waters, and the weaks were difficult to catch, because the blues above them would hit the lures before the tackle could reach the weakfish on the bottom. The anglers went through lots of soft-plastic lures like Bass Kandy Delites and Fin-S Fish from the toothy blues chomping them up. A fluke trip will fish on the boat Friday, if the storm doesn’t come too soon, and will probably fish on the ocean if possible. Trips were normally fluking on the ocean when the weather allowed, and the bigger flatties were out there, at least on the last trips that broke the inlet, tackling productive catches.

Barnegat Light

With fluke season about to end, anglers dragged bottom for a last shot at the flatties, putting together quality catches, better than all year, including occasional, big doormats, in 30 to 50 feet in the ocean, said the report on Barnegat Light Bait & Tackle’s Web site. A plain killie on a fluke rig was a popular bait, but the bigger fluke were batted down on live snapper blues or spots. Good-sized sea bass held thick at the ocean wrecks. Fluking was tougher on Barnegat Bay, but the keepers honed in on the deeper waters at Barnegat Inlet. Tog, triggerfish and sheepshead hugged the inlet rocks. Kingfishing was gaining steam on the bay, and anglers lit them up at the 42 buoy. Try chumming on a moving tide. Surf anglers began to pilfer croakers and dialed up a few kingfish along the jetties on high tides. Blues were in the mix in the wash, and big brown sharks filled the waters for beach anglers at night. They were a blast to fight but a protected species that must be released. Blues also schooled the ocean for boaters.

Tuckerton

Churned up waters from the weekend’s storm affected flounder fishing in the ocean in the last days, and a few of the fish, including an occasional keeper, were reeled aboard, unlike good catches made on trips last week on Wednesday and Thursday before the weather, said Capt. T.J. from Legal Limit Charters. A trip this week on Wednesday boxed a couple of keepers. A 4-year-old on the boat drilled a 41-pound cobia, wrestling in the fish all by himself after an hour. He had no interest in letting anyone help, and the fish attacked when the young angler was having fun snagging bunker. T.J. heard little about other types of fishing, except that offshore boaters supposedly found a bite at Carteret Canyon this week, but that was second-hand. T.J. knew anglers who fished farther south, including at Lindenkohl Canyon, who found slower fishing. Another fluke trip was supposed to sail with Legal Limit today, and a half-day trip with kids is supposed to fish the bay on Friday, if the forecast storm doesn’t arrive too early. Shared charters are sailing Tuesdays and Thursdays when no full charter is booked. Those trips are fishing for flounder, but T.J. wasn’t asked about the species that will be targeted once flounder season closes next week on Saturday.

Mystic Island

Anglers surprisingly racked up respectable catches of flounder from the Intracoastal Waterway, said the report on Scott’s Bait & Tackle’s Web site. Customers sometimes showed off catches of five or six, more keepers than some scored all season. Tropical Storm Danny will put a halt to ocean flounder fishing on this last weekend of the flattie season. Triggerfish loitered along the banks of the bay opposite the Fish Factory. Clams and crabs are the preferred baits, but one angler had luck on squid. Mixed reports, some good, some not, were heard about kingfishing on the bay. One customer on a trip picked a low number of kings but put porgies and blowfish in the cooler. Anchor and chum with clams while fishing with bloodworms and clams on Great Bay for a catch this weekend. Occasional keeper weakfish and near-keepers were tied into at Osborne Island on live peanut bunker swum 3 feet under a bobber. Lagoon fishing, fun for kids, was as busy as it gets with small snapper blues busting the waters. Watch for peanut bunker jumping to find snappers that chase them.

Port Republic

On Great Bay kingfish were boated, and weakfish were picked mostly at the mouth of the Mullica River, and shedder crabs, the favorite weakfish bait, are stocked, said Keith from Chestnut Neck Boat Yard. Flounder were mostly taken from the ocean, and nothing was heard about bluefsih. Plenty of white perch were snatched from the rivers, and good crabbing was had.

Brigantine

Surf anglers finally began to land kingfish, good catches at Brigantine’s south-end jetty on bloodworms or Fishbites artificial worms, said Fred from Riptide Bait & Tackle. Blues 1 ½ to 2 pounds were beached from the suds, and so were flounder. Sharks were fought from the wash at night. Boaters on the bay beat 30 flounder including a keeper or two per trip. They ran into healthy numbers of flounder and croakers in 35 feet in the ocean. Catch the 22nd annual Atlantic County Carpenters Fishing Tournament benefitting the South Jersey Cancer Fund on Saturday, featuring cash prizes for the biggest flounder, weakfish and blues lifted from the surf or boats. Entry is $20, and anglers can enter at Riptide. For info, call the tournament at 609-345-0016.

Absecon

Back-bay fishing for fluke seemed somewhat to pick up in the past few days, and a better number of keepers were copped, said Capt. Dave from Absecon Bay Sportsman Center. Anglers at the ocean reefs made off with good catches of the flatties, and the fish also hugged the shoreline all the way to the surf, but finding a keeper in the surf was tricky. Sea bass were also claimed at the reefs. Kingfishing seemed to improve a little in the surf but never was consistent so far this year. Tons of blues ½ pound to 5 pounds schooled the bay and all over. Decent catches of weakfish were searched out at the deep holes in the bay, and the fish were reportedly jigged in the Cross Tides area on Hopkins lures today. Local weakfishing in the bay usually kicks in better as September and sometimes October come. September was a good month for them in the recent past, but sometimes October is great, depending on how much the season’s storms affect the fishing. An amazing amount of stripers swam the bay, but night was the time to land them, like at the bridges or along the sod banks on live spots or eels. Croakers were spread all over the ocean near the shore. Plenty of live spots are carried, though few spots swam local waters. Dave threw a batch of peanut bunker in the livewell today, and the population of the baitfish looked thicker in the back waters in the past couple of days. Mullet were a little scarce, and none were in the tank so far. Plenty of shedder crabs are carried, and a shed is going on. Live eels and a large supply of all the usual baits is on hand.

Margate

Trips for flounder found a little slower fishing on the back bay at first after the weekend’s storm, but the angling improved through the week, said Capt. John from the Keeper. By the middle of the week the fishing rebounded almost to what it was like before, not quite as many catches, but still tons of the fish, mostly shorts, with a few keepers. So the flatties remained in the bay, and a few small blues were boated. Minnows and squid caught them and are supplied on trips, and Gulps worked well. John heard that ocean flounder fishing also began to rebound after getting affected by the storm, and also heard about a few weakfish hung from the bay. The Keeper is fishing for flounder on two trips daily 8 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Longport

False albacore, Spanish mackerel and snapper blues were trolled non-stop 8 miles from shore with Stray Cat Charters during the last several days, Capt. Mike said. Now was a great time for the inshore trolling. The boat also moved closer to shore for flounder fishing a bit, and two big ones, 23 and 24 inches, were claimed, and so were sea bass. A charter is supposed to fish the canyons for tuna and big game this weekend but will probably get cancelled because of the storm. Stray Cat’s annual, daily, open-boat trips will resume on September 11, and if anglers are looking to fish on Saturdays and Sundays during striped bass and blackfish seasons, they better reserve quickly, because the schedule was filing. One Saturday in September remained. Black Friday was already full.

Ocean City

Ocean reef fishing had begun to pick up for flounder and sea bass, better-sized fish than before, but now the tropical storm was going to prevent fishing for them in the next days, said Bill from Fin-Atics. Not a lot of fishing news was around, because last weekend’s hurricane kept most anglers from fishing until Tuesday. Anglers hope for a last shot at the ocean flounder when seas settle after the storm, before the flattie season closes next week on Saturday. Lots of striped bass collected around the bridges and along the sod banks, and could be plugged at night on dark poppers or swimming lures. Small blues and tons of baby sea bass held in the bay. A few kingfish could be located in the surf. Only a handful of customers fished offshore during the week, mostly trolling white marlin and a few mahi mahi.

After the weekend’s storm shut down fishing, a trip got out Tuesday for a good catch of flounder and a fair catch of sea bass at one of the reefs, said Capt. Craig from Fish Tale Charters. A couple of keeper flounder among a few shorts and a respectable number of blues were angled aboard from the ocean on a trip Wednesday. The ocean cooled slightly because of the storm and was 73 degrees on Wednesday. That was a more seasonable temperature than the warm, 76- to 78-degree waters before. Craig hoped the cooler waters helped fishing. No brown sharks were seen on the flounder grounds this week, even though a brown or two and sometimes more were fought as a bonus on trips previously. Browns usually stick around at this time of the year, begin to feed on croakers and weakfish that show up. Craig heard about someone catching croakers a little to the south on Wednesday. So the hardheads were in the area, and could appear off Ocean City overnight. He was going to look for them today. He heard about no weakfish around and saw none, but they could move through any time. He looks forward to fishing for croakers and weaks if they come in. A few open dates are available on weekends for charters in September. Craig encourages anglers to book at least by September his fall striped bass trips that sail from Cape May, because the schedule almost gets full come October.

Sea Isle City

False albacore were suddenly trolled 2 to 3 miles offshore, maybe moving in ahead of the storm, said Wes from Gibson’s Tackle. Small bluefish schooled the ocean, and flounder hugged the reefs. Two doormats to 6 pounds were weighed in today from Ocean City Reef. A trip with five anglers shellacked 20 flounder, each more than 4 pounds, at the Old Grounds on Wednesday. In the surf a few kingfish and spots appeared in the past couple of days, and both bit bloodworms. Occasional fluke were banked from the surf, and anglers fishing along the jetties might pick up one or two. Schools of blues sometimes tumbled into the surf, but no fishing was consistent from the beach. In the back bay striped bass were drilled in the early mornings and at sundown on popper plugs or a variety of small, swimming lures. Small blues could be found in the bay, and small fish like baby sea bass and juvenile oyster crackers gathered in the back. Tog could be tricked up along the bridges. Bigger blues ran around the inlets at times, and so did a handful of flounder. Crabbing was good. Offshore news was scarce, and offshore trips got weathered out this weekend and probably will again this weekend. But several got out during the week, tackling marlin and mahi mahi, finding tuna scattered.

Mike Jarvis and Tom Breazle ran to Lindenkohl Canyon on a trip Tuesday, and Mike released his first-ever white marlin, and a couple of more whites were raised in the trolling spread without getting hooked, and a mahi mahi was landed, said Capt. Joe Hughes from Jersey Cape Guide Service, affiliated with Gibson’s Tackle. Joe heard about one or two tuna boated in the area, and a 70-pounder was nailed on a nearby boat. Waters were 72 degrees, blue and great-looking with scattered weeds. Joe’s offshore trips were looking for breaks in water color, like a line where blue waters and off-color waters meet, to find fish, instead of searching for temperature breaks, because water temps were the same everywhere. Brian Damiani, his son and their friend fished at the ocean front on a trip Wednesday, whaling a bunch of blues on small Clark spoons on the troll. Then they bottom-fished, releasing a few throwback flounder. Flounder fishing on the ocean had slowed by Monday, probably because of the weekend’s storm. A trip fished Monday with Luc VonCzoernig and Rich Linus, covered in the last report. They fought a bunch of blues to 2 or 2 ½ pounds on trolled Clark spoons and on cast lures along the ocean front off Sea Isle. In the back bay high tides in the middle of the night were currently ideal for striped bass fishing, like at the bridge lights on soft plastic lures or flies. Joe did none of the striper fishing in the past days, because the other trips ran, but specializes in striper fishing and said the fish were definitely there. His trips also popper fish for the linesiders with lures and flies during ideal tides: high tides at dusk or dawn. Open-boat trips are sailing offshore weekly, usually on Wednesdays, but sometimes on other days, depending on the weather and when anglers can go, and the trips are a learning experience. Offshore charters are available that troll for tuna or other big game during the mornings and cast bait, lures or flies to mahi at the lobster pots during the afternoons. Joe, Capt. Mike Corblies and Capt. Chris Goldmark will hold a Ladies Saltwater Fly Fishing Clinic probably on the first weekend of October, teaching everything from casting to equipment, knots and so on. They hope to include hands-on fishing experience on the waters. Stay tuned for details, or call Joe for info. Also stay tuned or call for info about traveling charters that Joe will offer. One will be on weekends in Montauk for the blitz of stripers and blues in mid September to late October, and the other will be to Martha’s Vineyard and the Elizabeth Islands in Massachusetts for fly-rodding for stripers on Columbus Day weekend.

Wildwood

The back bay’s flounder fishing was beginning to taper off, but some were dusted up, said Josh from Canal Side Boat Rentals. Many were shorts, but a few were keepers. Small bluefish sometimes schooled through, and weakfish, including a few keepers, were sometimes hooked. Small sea bass carpeted the bottom, and schoolie striped bass were everywhere in the bay. Fishing for them shut down in the middle of the day, but anglers could play them in the daylight if they fished early in the mornings. Crabbing slowed down because the blueclaws were shedding, but crabbers hoped catches bounced right back after the shed. Minnows and frozen shedder crabs, whole and filleted mackerel, various types of squid, fresh-frozen clams, salted clams, frozen mullet and bunker, including for crabbing, and more baits are stocked. Live blueclaw crabs are carried for eating. They were currently number 1’s and 2’s, and the crabs will be carried though September. Canal Side rents canopy boats and kayaks for fishing, crabbing and sightseeing. The shop is open 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

Flounder fishing became a little “off” on the ocean since the weekend’s storm, but some were bagged on the boat, and bluefish catches picked up on the trips, said Capt. Gary from the Adventurer. A few croakers were added to the catch, and sea bass and triggerfish got swung aboard when the vessel fished around wrecks. Trips mostly fished along the wrecks, because the bigger flounder were found there, and the reefs seemed to attract small flatties, and the open bottom seemed to draw in few of the fluke, neither shorts nor keepers. Bluefish became a lot more abundant after the storm. The speedsters were fought on the daytime trips among the fluke and other fish, and open-boat trips are sailing for blues on Saturday nights, but last Saturday’s was weathered out, and this Saturday’s might get nixed because of the coming storm. The Adventurer is fishing on open-boat trips 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily and 6 p.m. to 12 a.m. Saturdays, but call to confirm, making sure no charter is running instead.

Cape May

False albacore, probably 35 of the fish, slammed the trolling spread, two and three knock downs at a time, on a trip Wednesday on the Heavy Hitter, Capt. George said. A couple of Spanish mackerel and a load of blues were also trolled, and the charter first fished at the East Lump, a little more than 20 miles offshore, somewhat farther from the coast than inshore trolling trips usually sail. The albies and Spanish were nailed in rough seas at the Lump. Then the trip moved inshore to 5-Fathom Bank, clobbering the blues in calm seas. Inshore trolling was hopping this year. The Heavy Hitter will also flounder fish until the flattie season closes at the end of next week, and a boater from the dock pummeled 15 or 16 keeper flounder and some sea bass on the ocean Wednesday. Only have three or four anglers for a trip instead of six to create a full charter? Call George, because he can probably put you together with other anglers on a make-up trip during mid week.

A few customers talked about catching plenty of flounder at the Old Grounds and some at Cape May Reef, said Danny from Hands Too Bait & Tackle. Some also hooked the fish on Delaware Bay at Miah Maul and far up the bay near Fortescue, so the flatties seemed yet to leave there on the migration toward the ocean. A buddy on Tuesday cranked in a bunch of short flounder and some keepers from the back bay. Weakfish were scarce, few and far between. Surf anglers at Higbee’s Beach and near the Cape May-Lewes ferry landed snapper blues, croakers, small sea bass, sharks and an occasional flounder. Boaters in the area mostly dialed up flounder, 2- to 4-pound blues and small sea bass. Fishing was good overall.