<b>Staten Island</b>

Fishing for sea bass socked a super catch Friday with <b>Outcast Charters</b>, Capt. Joe said. The anglers limited out and came home early. A super catch of sea bass was also pummeled Sunday aboard. Then the anglers ling fished a while, rounding up 40 for the cooler. Next they fluke fished a moment, bagging three good-sized ones 20 or 21 inches. Both trips fished on the ocean, and fishing for all these species has been good. Outcast pays bridge tolls with a receipt. Charters can also be picked up from Perch Amboy, New Jersey.

<b>South Amboy</b>

Anglers averaged three to four keeper fluke and ten throwbacks apiece on Raritan Bay on Saturday with the Reid party with <b>Reel World Charters</b>, Capt. James said. The largest fluke, a 6.8-pounder, bit a green Gulp and killie combo. The Harris party aboard Sunday averaged about the same aboard Raritan Bay: three to four keeper fluke and eight to ten throwbacks apiece. The fish weighed up to 5 pounds, and Gulp with killie combos caught them, and green Gulps seemed to catch more than white. Fluke fishing definitely picked up with warmer weather, James said. Active and retired military, first responders and law enforcement get a $50 discount on charters. To receive the discount, call ahead and let Reel World know.

<b>Keyport</b>

Thirteen keeper fluke were swung in from Raritan Bay on Saturday with <b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b>, Capt. Joe said. The anglers, Rich Jasnowitz with sons Richard and James, bucktailed the fish, and also threw back shorts. Space is available on an open-boat trip for fluke 4 to 9 p.m. Wednesday. Other anglers expressed interest in going, and open trips are available for fluke 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4 to 9 p.m. daily when no charter is booked. Call to reserve.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

On the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>, fluke fishing started slowly on Saturday morning’s trip, and produced some catches toward the end, and the angling was somewhat improved on the afternoon’s trip, Capt. Tom said. That was covered in the last report, and one angler limited out on the afternoon’s trip, but Tom wouldn’t call the fishing good. The fishing was similar on Sunday’s trips, and a few more keepers were taken than recently, and shorts gave up somewhat more action than usual. A 6-pound 12-ounce fluke was bagged on Saturday afternoon’s trip, but no especially sizeable ones turned up on Sunday aboard. Fluke 4 or 5 pounds probably won pools. This morning’s trip was off to slow start, when Tom gave this report at 10 a.m. over the phone on the outing. A storm with lots of rains and lightning had just ended, and maybe waters needed to settle. The Atlantic Star is fishing for fluke twice daily 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 6 p.m.

<b>Highlands</b>

The four anglers on a trip Sunday totaled 14 keeper fluke, 30 throwbacks and a couple of sea bass with <b>Raritan Bay Charters</b>, Capt. Dave said. One of the sea bass was a whopper larger than 7 pounds, and the trip fished a bunch of spots from the shallows to the channels. Most places gave up the catches, and a couple didn’t. The anglers – Ambrose, Eddie, Bob and Kelly – fished with spearing, squid, sea robin strips and Gulps. They mostly fished rigs, but bucktailed a little. None of the baits seemed to work better than another. Open-boat trips are fishing when no charter is booked.

Striped bass fishing slowed the last couple of days, but fluke fishing was very good aboard, and sea bass fishing was also good, said Capt. Derek from <b>Fisher Price Charters</b>. For the fluke, Fisher Price bounces bucktails with big strip baits along the rough bottom for the big fish. None of the fluke was huge in the last days, but every trip limited out or nearly did, and the fish weighed up to 5 pounds. Charters are fishing, and the next open-boat trips for fluke will sail Wednesday and Thursday and probably during the weekend. Call to climb aboard or to be kept informed about the future open schedule. Also, bluefin tuna bit, and Fisher Price can sail for them, when the fish are in range.

<b>Neptune</b>

A charter competed in the shark tournaments during the weekend with <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b>, Capt. Ralph said in an e-mail. Two small makos, a blue shark and a 200-pound tiger shark were nailed on Saturday, and the fishing was no good on Sunday. On another shark trip Friday, five blue sharks to 200 or 250 pounds were ransacked. On the Last Lady II on Saturday, a morning trip pummeled a good catch of sea bass, fluke to 7 pounds, blues and a striped bass, and an afternoon trip did a job on eight stripers to 40 pounds. On that boat on Sunday, bluefishing was very slow. Space is available on individual-reservation trips for sea bass, ling, blackfish and cod on July 8, 15, 22 and 29. Room is available on an individual-rez trip for cod at 12 midnight July 9. The next openings available for the weekly individual-reservation trips for fluke and sea bass, sailing every Tuesday, are on July 17. Book the trips early to ensure a spot. “Thanks for the support on these trips,” Ralph said.

<b>Belmar</b>

<b>Fin-Ominal Sportfishing</b> entered a nearly 200-pound mako shark Friday in the Mako Fever tournament, Capt. Jared said. The 172-pounder was in fifth place, and 10 blue sharks were caught and released on the trip. Fin-Ominal’s won a couple of the shark tournaments in recent years, including last year’s Brett T. Bailey Mako Rodeo. On Saturday Fin-Ominal landed a smaller mako that wasn’t entered. On Sunday Fin-Ominal released probably a 600-pound thresher shark 14 feet long and probably 30 blue sharks. An amazing day, Jared said. So, Fin-Ominal had a good weekend of sharking, and waters remained beautiful for the fishing. A trip aboard before the sharking whaled a good catch of fluke and sea bass. Large to small groups can fish aboard Fin-Ominal’s 50-foot boat. Up to 23 passengers can join cruises, and up to 15 can fish aboard. Cruises available include trips to watch fireworks on the ocean off Asbury Park every Wednesday and Point Pleasant Beach every Thursday in July and August.

A bunch of small mako sharks were released Saturday while <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b> competed in Mako Mania, Capt. Pete said. None was entered, and the trip also trolled small bluefin tuna on ballyhoos, while attempting to catch bait for sharks. Waters were clear and good-looking and 71 or 72 degrees. That was according to the temperature gauge, and could be off by a few degrees. Not a lot of life filled waters, but once a chum slick got going, sharks moved in. Striped bass fishing was good early in mornings like at 4 or 4:30 on the ocean. A trip Sunday began later, so the anglers loaded up on cocktail bluefish then fluke fished. They were happy, Pete said, and tons of bunker schooled the ocean. Lots of sharks chased the baitfish. Fluke fishing was excellent on the ocean when conditions were right. Sea bass fishing was good, but anglers had to fish the right pieces. The popular spots could be fished over by this time of season. A few sea bass were angled when the trip drifted for fluke. Parker Pete’s fishes for all fish available. Charters and open-boat trips are running. For availability on the open trips, see <a href="http://parkerpetefishing.com/belmar-fishing-trips/open-boat-trips" target="_blank">Parker Pete’s open-boat page</a> online, and sign up for the e-mailed newsletter on the site. Dates are announced in both places.

Big striped bass seemed in no hurry to depart the local ocean, despite warm waters, last week, Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> said in an e-mail. “Quite to the contrary,” he said, some boaters reported better catches than all year. Mark Anthony and Mike Holowitz on Mike’s boat ran into some of the best striper fishing of their season, keeping a 45-pounder. “On the fluke scene,” Bob said, a 10-pound 8-ounce fluke was weighed in from one of the Belmar party boats. An 8-pound 12-ouncer was checked in from another. A report from another talked about better than average fluke catches last week, saying limits were not unusual aboard.

<b>Brielle</b>

Fluke were chewing, Capt. Ryan from the party boat <b>Jamaica II</b> said in an e-mail. Fishing for them was good from Tuesday through the weekend aboard, including on Sunday. On the boat Sunday, lots of fluke bit, and a decent number were keepers. The fluke were reeled up from sand and rough bottom in some areas “that have been kind of blank lately,” Ryan said. Anglers who limited out included: Howard Brown, Levittown, a limit to a 6-pound 6-ouncer; Art Crane, Bordentown, a limit to 5 pounds; Chester Moore, Philadelphia, a limit to 4 ½ pounds; Al Lerner, Trenton, a limit to 4 pounds; and Chimney Pete, Manasquan, a limit to 4 pounds. Other customers also limited, and many axed two to four keepers, and a bunch of throwbacks, apiece. Nick Albert is the Mega Monthly Pool Leader with an 8-pound 1-ounce fluke. The Jamaica II is fishing for fluke and sea bass on two half-day trips daily at 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays. An all-day trip is sailing for fluke and sea bass at 7:30 a.m. Mondays. Bluefish trips are running at 7:30 p.m. Saturdays.

Good catches of striped bass were still made from the ocean, said Dave from <b>The Reel Seat</b>. The fish were bailed Saturday, and lots of bunker still schooled the waters. The bass were on them, and not so many blues schooled the area as before. Party boaters lately jigged small blues like 2 pounds. Fluke fishing was good on the ocean, and a 7-pounder was the largest weighed in on Saturday. Manasquan River’s fluke fishing was okay when boat traffic wasn’t heavy. Traffic this time of year picks up from Thursdays through weekends. Lots of hickory shad swam the area. Catching them was nearly a guarantee at Manasquan Inlet at dusk. For sea bass anglers on the ocean, the popular spots to fish for them were picked over. When boaters could get on smaller, less popular pieces, they could score better. Very good shark fishing was had on the ocean. One trip landed five makos and lost two. A catch like that is almost unheard of. Lots of anglers competed in shark tournaments during the weekend. Bluefin tuna fishing was going well, mostly from the Atlantic Princess wreck to the Chicken Canyon. Many were trolled on squid spreader bars or ballyhoos. But a few anglers were able to jig the tuna. Trolling for yellowfin tuna gave up lots of catches, but to the south. Wilmington Canyon was best, holding the most temperature breaks. A few blue marlin were landed. The Reel Seat’s hours were expanded to 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays to Thursdays, 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. Fridays, 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays. Wahoo Baitfish Bucktails and Stingo jigs are on sale at 30 percent off to celebrate the shop’s 30 years in business. The supply is winding down. The shop’s fluke tournament for Manasquan and Shark rivers is running to Labor Day. The top three fluke from Manasquan River were currently 4.65 pounds, 3.05 pounds and 2.07 pounds, and none was entered yet from Shark River.  Entry is $10, and half the money is donated to Save the Summer Flounder Fishery Fund, and the other half is donated to Shark River Surf Anglers Kids Trout Tournament. The store makes no money on the event, and prizes will be awarded for the first and second heaviest fluke from each river, the heaviest fluke from a lady entrant, and the heaviest from a kid age 16 or younger.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

With <b>Mushin Sportfishing</b> the Pat Kameen family on Saturday scored a bluefish “jig-athon,” Capt. Ray said in an e-mail. They also fished for sea bass, bagging three dozen sizeable ones. What’s more, the sea bass were all jigged, instead of caught on bait. The bluefish were 1 to 4 pounds or small, but the bite was great. The family also had fun holding a fishing tournament among each other on the trip.  A crew trip competed in Mako Mania on Sunday. They entered no fish in the tournament, but caught and released two makos. Mushin is also fishing for bluefin tuna on the midshore ocean and yellowfin tuna at the offshore canyons. The last trips for both caught plenty, covered in the last report. Mushin means a relaxed state of readiness. The crew prides themselves on the concept of professionalism and sharing the experience in outdoor adventures.

So long as winds and tides drifted the boat well, good catches of fluke were clubbed from the ocean the last few days on the party boat <b>Gambler</b>, Capt. Bob said. Some of the fish were healthy sized, and sometimes lunker sea bass and a few triggerfish were clocked. Trips fished hills, valleys and rough bottom, and covering ground on a drift helped. Some mornings were hot and stagnant, hampering the drift, and catches were still managed, but not as well as on better drifts. The drift was good on Friday afternoon’s trip, and Dennis Wargo limited out on fluke to 4 pounds on the outing on a Spro jig. Fluke 4, 5 and 6 pounds were sacked on trips. But Jim Custer, Edison, waxed an 8.04-pound fluke, and Kurt Williams, Mantua, drilled a 7-1/4-pounder. Sea bass caught weighed up to 5 pounds. The Gambler is fishing for fluke 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. daily. Bluefish trips are running 7:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Wreck-fishing trips are steaming 7:30 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursdays and Sundays.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Limits of bluefish were bombed all around the boat on Friday, a report on the <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b>’s Web site said. The fish were small, but abundant. On Saturday on the party boat, most customers limited out on the fish. On a trip that night, fishing for small blues was great again, and many anglers limited. On Sunday’s trip, fishing for 1- to 3-pound blues was good again. “Not jumping in the boat,” the report said, but those who worked at the angling were able to limit out.  The Miss Barnegat Light is bluefishing 8 a.m. daily and 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

<b>Barnegat</b>

<b>***Update, Tuesday, 6/26:***</b> From an edited e-mail from Capt. Dave DeGennaro from the <b>Hi Flier</b>: “It was an awesome weekend of fishing. After a good bluefin tuna trolling trip Thursday, I rode shotgun on my nephew Chris' boat, the Kaley Marie, out of Manasquan, on Friday, with my two sons, Nicholas, 13, and Maxwell, 11. We arrived at the Atlantic Princess wreck early, and started to catch tuna on the troll. The boys each got to do battle. After a good morning and four or five fish, we ran inshore for sharking. After just 10 minutes, a big blue shark put on a cool show, playing with our floats, swimming under the boat. The kids had seen this on NatGeo, but never in real life. Just when they thought their day was made, the deep line I was standing next to went screaming. I set up on what I was sure was a mako, but in a few moments a big thresher shark took to the air in an awesome display. Forty five minutes later, we had him boat side, and steamed in just before the storms. He hit the scales at 205 pounds. Saturday was a lay day. On Sunday, I ran the Hi Flier back out to the Atlantic Princess with Pete Menges and Bill Hirst. We went 3 for 3 on 30-pound bluefin tuna, their first tuna, trolling mostly spreader bars. Winds were light, seas were flat, and the fish were biting. Here's a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJA-7kraV9w 
" target="_blank">video of  Pete’s second tuna of the morning</a>. The bunker/bass fishing seems to be slowing up, though I wouldn't count out one more blast before it wraps up. I plan on early departures that have us either leaving for the offshore grounds for tuna or combing the shore for bunker and bass, and then bouncing to Barnegat Ridge for bonita and albacore. It is very possible to find bluefin and mahi there, as well. The run to the Atlantic Princess is 50 miles each way, and I will only consider it with the most mild of weather forecasts. Light and variable winds and no storms predicted. Running open boat or charter every day for stripers, bonita, albacore and tuna from Thursday through Sunday. Offshore or striper/offshore combos 4 or 5 AM to Noon or 1 PM. Three person max.  We will also sail afternoons those dates for fluke and anything else we can target. 2 PM to 7 PM.  Four person max. The tide happens to be perfect for afternoon light-tackle stripers. We anchor up and chum with live grass shrimp. The stripers are mostly under 28 inches, so it is catch and release. Lot of fun on 10-pound spinning tackle. We occasionally catch a few keepers. Blackfish are almost always in the mix, but they are in closed season, so they go back. Why target two fish we can't keep? Because it is great sport on light tackle, with species you don't usually encounter in the warm summer months. Even the technique is worth seeing, catching stripers and tog without sinkers or terminal tackle. Just a hook, sometimes even a bobber! The bait needs to be ordered well in advance, so if this is something you would like to try, give me as much notice as possible. Call for reservations.”

<b>Tuckerton</b>

Summer flounder fishing was good during the weekend with <b>Legal Limit Charters</b> on the ocean, Capt. T.J. said. “The bug-free zone,” T.J. said! Sea bass fishing was also good aboard during the weekend. A bunch of big ling were reeled aboard from the same waters, 25 miles from the coast. Legal Limit is also fishing for sharks and tuna. Charters and open-boat trips are fishing. See <a href=" http://www.legallimitcharters.com/open-boat.php" target="_blank">Legal Limit’s open-boat page</a>.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

A few anglers raked in good catches of summer flounder during the weekend, a report on <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>’s Web site said. Catches came from Great Bay but also from the ocean, including in 30-foot depths off Long Beach Island and farther from shore at Little Egg Reef.  Photos of four and five keepers were seen from trips on the ocean. Three-inch chartreuse Gulps worked great on the bay. Anglers bought 4-inch white or chartreuse Gulps for the ocean. For anglers using natural bait, squid and minnows were top choices, but lots of spearing were sold. Sea bass fishing was awesome in 60 feet or deeper in the ocean.

<b>Brigantine</b>

At <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b> word was waiting to be heard about kingfish and bluefish beginning to flood the surf for the season, a report on the shop’s Web site said. Boaters pasted good catches of summer flounder. An 11-pound flounder was checked in from the waters along Brigantine Bridge. No other locations were mentioned for flounder catches, but most were probably hooked from the bays.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Two trips aboard Sunday, one with Mike Spaeder and son, the other with Kevin McCarthy and son, cranked aboard summer flounder from the back bay, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. Probably an 80-pound stingray, 4 feet across, was caught and released on McCarthy’s trip. Fishing for striped bass on popper lures and flies was also happening on the bay with Jersey Cape currently. Most of the bay’s good fishing was taking place toward the inlets in cooler waters. Weather and winds could change that, shaking up the bay. Jersey Cape’s inshore trips for brown and dusky sharks, catch and release with spinning or fly rods, usually begins July 1, and often earlier. Joe will head out for them soon, and the angling is a chance to catch big fish, 20 to 100 pounds, close to shore, 7 to 12 miles from the coast, instead taking the long trip offshore. Fishing for yellowfin tuna’s been good at the offshore canyons, and Jersey Cape is fishing for them. A few bigeye tuna were caught at Wilmington Canyon. Fishing for billfish or blue and white marlin was getting started at the canyons. Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s blog</a>. Take an after-work trip from 4:30 p.m. to dark, a convenient, productive time.

<b>Cape May</b>

A couple of sea bass trips totaled decent catches from the ocean aboard the <b>Down Deep</b> through the week, Capt. Bob said. Harold McKeown’s charter pumped in plenty of sea bass, and John Schemel’s trip slugged sea bass and summer flounder. Was good to see flounder from the ocean, and maybe fishing for them was starting early. Dan Kurkowski’s trip wrestled in a couple of sharks. Bluefish a couple of pounds schooled the ocean shoals. Nothing was heard about catches like bonito among them yet. Yellowfin tuna fishing was reportedly productive from Hudson Canyon to Poorman’s Canyon. A few bluefin tuna showed up inshore. Bob was unsure about location, but guessed places like Massey’s Canyon.

The ocean put up very good catches of summer flounder, said Capt. George from the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>. Flounder fishing there, at places like rough bottom and reefs, can depend on conditions, like winds and tides that create the right drift. A trip just has to go, and see how conditions turn out. But impressive catches came from the waters. A mate from the boat ran a trip that plowed 23 keepers Saturday and 15 Friday, and many of the flounder were large, like 24 or 26 inches. Someone from the docks returned with a limit of the flounder that were all big. George sea bassed with a friend on the ocean Friday, and a good catch was piled up. Throwbacks had to be picked through on sea bass trips, but plenty of keepers could be boxed. Shark fishing for catches like makos seemed to slow down for the season from Cape May. A friend who often shark fishes said the fishing dropped off in warm waters. But inshore trips could fight smaller species that were still sizeable, giving up a tough fight. Yellowfin tuna fishing was solid at the offshore canyons. Bluefin tuna might’ve swam inshore waters like at Massey’s Canyon and 19-Fathom Lump. But not enough was heard about them to know how reliable the fishing might be. The Heavy Hitter is sailing for summer flounder, sea bass, inshore sharking and offshore tuna fishing, and call if interested.

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