<b>Keyport</b>

With <b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b> the next charters are tentatively scheduled to fish for fluke Saturday and Sunday mornings, Capt. Joe said. The last trip, covered in the last report, cracked 13 keeper fluke from Raritan Bay on Saturday. Open-boat trips for fluke are available 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>

Not much was heard about striped bass by this time of season, but a few of the catches in mornings were heard about, and surely some were socked at night, said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Bluefish were fought from the ocean to Raritan Bay. Cocktail blues had schooled the rivers, but Jimmy hadn’t checked out the rivers during the week. Crabbing was good on the rivers. Fluke fishing was good on some days. That included on Wednesday, Jimmy believed, because boaters had a drift. Fishing for sea bass and ling scooped up plenty of the catches on the ocean. The full supply of baits is stocked.

The party boat <b>Fishermen</b> was brought to the shipyard Tuesday, Capt. Ron said in a report on the vessel’s Web site. The boat blew an engine, and he’ll give an update about when fluke trips will resume when he has an idea.

A few anglers showed up for Monday morning’s fluke trip on the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>, Capt. Tom said. Forecasts called for stormy weather that day. Some of the anglers bagged one to three fluke, and the fishing was somewhat better on the afternoon’s trip, for whatever reason. One angler in the afternoon limited out on fluke, after fishing on the morning trip, landing no keepers. Also in the afternoon, another angler reeled in four keepers, and another three, and another two, and some one, and a couple none. Winds blew strongly on Tuesday, and the morning trip headed to the ocean, instead of Raritan Bay, to escape the blow. But fluking was no good along the beach front, and the trip finished on the bay, grabbing a few keepers. Tuesday afternoon’s trip stayed on the bay, and catches were better than in the morning, but weren’t good. Fluke fishing wasn’t good on Wednesday morning’s trip, but Zach DeFilippo beat a 6-pound 3-ounce fluke. The fishing was a bit better on Wednesday afternoon’s trip. Action with shorts was better, but the number of keepers wasn’t much better. Quite a few 17-inch fluke, a half-inch undersized, bit. They looked big in the waters. On this morning’s trip so far, a handful of keepers came in, Tom said in a phone call on the outing at 10 o’clock, when he gave this report. So, trips were picking fluke, mostly throwbacks. Seemed crazy how some trips were better than others, for no apparent reason. One in three fluke might’ve been a keeper on some outings. One in seven or eight might’ve been on another. Every day was different. The Atlantic Star is fishing for fluke twice daily 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 6 p.m. The trips will fish on the Fourth of July on the same schedule.

<b>Highlands</b>

With striped bass fishing slowing down, trips on the <b>Hyper Striper</b> fluke fished, scooping in very good catches, Capt. Pete said in an e-mail. Bob Centamore’s charter on Wednesday limited out on fluke to 5 pounds on bucktails. Mike Gallo’s party on Tuesday limited out on fluke to 4 pounds, tossing back many shorts, excellent fishing. Frank Scappatorri’s gang met thunderstorms on Monday, but picked away at fluke to 4 pounds. Now’s the time to jump aboard for fluke and bluefin tuna.

From <b>Twin Lights Marina</b> Tom Tanacredi and Lohn Lucciola  bucktailed a limit of fluke to 5 pounds at the Twin Sticks on a charter boat, an e-mail from the marina said. Jay and Tracy Amarosa on the Par Tee totaled 24 ½ pounds of fluke off Sandy Hook Point on killies. The full-service marina features boat slips and rack storage, ship-store supplies, a full line of bait for inshore and offshore, tackle and a fuel dock, and is located on Shrewsbury River. No bridges before the bay. Convenient, fast access to fishing.

<b>Neptune</b>

Fishing wasn’t great, but was good enough, on an individual-reservation trip for fluke Wednesday with <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b>, Capt. Ralph said. At least a dozen good-sized fluke were clocked. That was the final one of the trips to sail on a Wednesday, and the individual-rez trips for fluke will now run every Tuesday. The next openings are available on July 17, or the trips are booked before then. Reserve early to ensure a spot, and Ralph thanks anglers for the support on the trips. Individual-reservation trips for sea bass will fish the wrecks 25 miles from the coast on Saturday, July 8, and the Sundays of July 15, 22 and 29. An individual-reservation trip for cod offshore was moved to Monday, July 16, and was originally scheduled for the previous Monday.

<b>Belmar</b>

A mako shark and a couple of blue sharks were landed on a trip that competed in Mako Mania on Sunday on the <b>Katie H</b>, Capt. Mike said. The mako was small, not big enough to enter. A trip today was probably going to sail for sea bass and fluke on the ocean. If striped bass popped up, the anglers would go for them. That would likely happen in the early morning, if the bass appeared. Mike will try to give results of the trip that will be posted here if he does. A trip is booked to fish for bluefin tuna on the inshore ocean this weekend. The anglers might mix in shark fishing.

Bunker were being netted aboard from the ocean on a fluke trip Wednesday evening when Capt. Pete from <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b> gave this report in a phone call on the outing. A pod of bunker came through, so the crew took advantage, to keep the menhaden for striped bass bait. Twilight to night became a good time for striper fishing in low light and little boat traffic. Fluke fishing was picking up well in the ocean. Anglers could load up on sea bass at the right pieces. The popular spots were picked over by this time in the season. Sea bass were also picked while trips fluke fished. Shark fishing remained very good. Parker Pete’s is sailing for all these species, and runs for any catches 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.

Fluke fishing was good, super, on the ocean on the party boat <b>Big Mohawk</b>, Capt. Chris said. A couple of days would be slow, like on Monday and Tuesday because of winds. But the catches were good again Wednesday. Fluke 10, 8 and 6 pounds won pools, and Gulps on bucktails caught best by far. Trips usually fished the rough bottom. Tuesday’s trip couldn’t, because of winds. Evening trips fished for striped bass a couple of times a week on the ocean. A very good catch of the bass was axed on the last trip on Monday. The Big Mohawk is fishing for fluke 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. Dates for evening striper trips are announced on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/BigMohawkPartyBoat" target="_blank">Big Mohawk’s Facebook page</a>. Or call for the schedule.

On the party boat <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b>, bluefish were smaller than before, but a ton were bombed from the ocean on daytime and nighttime trips, Karin said. Still, a 12-pounder won the pool on Wednesday. Elizabeth Kozlick drilled a 41-1/2-pound striped bass last week. The bluefish were mostly jigged, occasionally baited, during daytime, and were baited at night. On the party boat <b>Tropical Adventure</b>, the company’s other vessel, fishing for fluke and sea bass was starting to pick up on the ocean. Sea bassing was very good on Wednesday’s trip. Jayson Sohn heaved in a 9-1/2-pound fluke last week.  The Miss Belmar Princess is sailing for bluefish 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. daily. On the Fourth of July, the evening trip won’t fish, but a cruise at 4 p.m. will watch the Macy’s fireworks off New York City. The Tropical Adventure is fishing for fluke and sea bass 7:30 a.m. to 12 noon and 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Both trips will fish on the Fourth of July.

Summer fishing was upon us, said Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> in an e-mail. Fluke fishing was amping up, and seemed good on the ocean off Monmouth County. Jesse Thomas and brother Ario iced nine keeper fluke to 6 pounds 8 ounces on the ocean off Deal on smelts. Richard Gentile on Shark River whacked a 7-pound 8-ounce fluke on one of the shop’s rental boats. Lane Ensminger, 9, reeled up a 3-pound 12-ounce fluke from the river. The rental boats are available to fish the river.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

Seas were rough on a wreck-fishing charter Tuesday on the ocean with <b>Mushin Sportfishing</b>, Capt. Ray said. The anglers, the Hank Kochan party, were hardy, but the trip couldn’t fish as far from shore as would be better for catches, because of seas. So the charter fished 6 or 7 miles from shore, no farther than Axel Carlson Reef, and 25 or so keeper sea bass and a few ling were pumped in. Lots of throwback sea bass bit that close to shore. Mushin is probably finished striped bass fishing for the season, and will keep fishing the wrecks and will sail for fluke and big game. Recent trips pasted sharks, bluefin tuna and yellowfin tuna, covered in previous reports. Mushin means a relaxed state of readiness. The crew prides themselves on the concept of professionalism and sharing the experience in outdoor adventures. <b>***Update, Saturday, 6/30:***</b> The crew’s been waiting to sail back offshore for tuna, Alan, the Mushin’s owner, said in an e-mail. In the meantime, anglers aboard fished for fluke on Manasquan River, barreling up excellent catches.

Hickory shad could be fought fairly reliably at Manasquan Inlet at dusk or 6:30 p.m. into dark, said Gary from <b>Gates Bait & Tackle</b>. A hickory shad rig the shop makes with Fin-S Fish whaled them. Fewer blues were mixed with the shad than previously. Surf fishing for the shad and blues was good in early mornings on the shop’s shad rig or any mackerel tree with an Ava 17 or 27 jig. Fluke fishing was slow but picking up at the inlet, “and it’s got to break open sometime,” Gary said. Fluking was on the upswing on the ocean on party boats but to the north, not south. <b>***THIS TACKLE SHOP IS FOR SALE! CALL: 732-899-5760.***</b>

Sea bass, ling and a few cod and fluke were swung aboard from the ocean on the party boat <b>Dauntless</b>, Capt. Butch said. The fishing was fairly decent, and anglers averaged 15 to 40 fish apiece, depending on skill. Ling fishing was a little better than sea bassing Wednesday, and sea bassing was better the previous two days. Lots of big winter flounder, out of season, were released, like they were this time last year. Trips fished in 60 to 150 feet, and waters averaged 65 degrees. Bluefishing was very good on the last night trips for them. Customers clobbered 5 to 15 of the 7- to 12-pounders apiece.  The Dauntless is bottom fishing 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily and is bluefishing 7:30 p.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays.

For customers on the party boat <b>Norma-K III</b> on the ocean, fluke fishing was good on Wednesday morning’s trip, and was tough on the afternoon’s, a report on the vessel’s Web site said. Two to four keepers and lots of throwbacks were clubbed on each drift on the morning’s trip. But in winds and a fast drift on the afternoon’s, the angling was much slower. Gulps on bucktails caught best on trips. On nighttime bluefish trips on the ocean, after difficult fishing for them Tuesday, “we decided to go for the 1- to 3-pounders (on Wednesday),” the report said. Fishing for the smaller blues was very good, and lots of anglers limited out. Trips will probably stick with those fish on Thursday and Friday nights, “unless those big fish pop up somewhere,” the report said. The smaller blues were perfect eating size. The Norma-K III is fishing for fluke 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. daily and for blues 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. daily.

Trips for fluke fished shallow on the ocean in past days on the party boat <b>Gambler</b>, ducking out from strong northwest winds, Capt. Bob said. Anglers copped a slow, steady pick of throwback and keeper fluke, not great fishing, but not bad. Fluke 4 and 5 pounds were pool winners. Sea bass were mixed in. On the last nighttime wreck-fishing trip, angling was similar to the previous trip. A shot of six or ten big ling would bite. Then the boat would be moved 50 to 100 feet, and another shot of large ling would come in. No large numbers of ling nipped, but the fish were very good-sized. Squid kept schooling on the trips like they’d been. One angler on the trip jigged for them 20 minutes, picking up eight or ten. Bluefishing aboard Saturday night was great. Bluefishing since then on other boats sounded tougher, slower. Big blues seemed to move around a lot, chasing bunker. 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>Toms River</b>

Barnegat Bay anglers picked at fluke toward the BI and BB markers, nobody bailing them, but catching if they put in time, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. A friend there tugged in four including one keeper. Blowfish, fewer than before, were taken at the BB. The fluking was somewhat better at Oyster Creek and Double Creek channels. Blues 1 pound schooled the bay off Berkeley Island Park in early mornings. A very occasional weakfish was hooked there in early mornings. Crabs were trapped there. Crabbing was great at Good Luck Point, in the Toms River and along Route 37 Bridge. Dennis in two pots trapped three quarters of a bushel, and the blueclaws were huge, some of the biggest in years. One kid on the Toms nearly every day caught 3-inch spots, 9- or 10-inch croakers and the same size drum for fun. Nightcrawlers fished along bottom from a float nabbed them. In the surf small blues and occasional kingfish were yanked in. Small blues popped into the pocket at Barnegat Inlet’s north jetty. The blues also schooled the inlet. Most surf casters fished mullet for the blues. At the pocket they threw bucktails. On the ocean a couple of boaters steadily picked a few sea bass and fluke at Barnegat Reef, sometimes running into bluefish. Most striped bass were caught farther north on the ocean. Most bunker schooled there, and a few pods schooled locally. But waters were warm or in the high 60s.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

Small blues 2 to 5 pounds started swimming the surf, said John from <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>. Use cut bait or any metal or bucktail to catch them. No striped bass were weighed in from ocean boaters anymore, though bunker still schooled the waters. Better catches of fluke than before started to be bagged on Barnegat Bay toward the BB marker and Barnegat Lighthouse. Fluke were reeled in from Manasquan Inlet. Crabbing was steady, a little better from the shop’s rental boats than from the store’s docks. The catches of blueclaws weren’t as good as earlier this year, but crabbers now could easily trap a dozen keepers.

<b>Forked River</b>

Somewhat better catches of keeper fluke were heard about from Barnegat Bay, said Kyle from <b>Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle</b>. They were cranked in from Oyster Creek and Double Creek channels and between the BI and BB markers. Fishing for blowfish was slower than before but produced catches on the bay. Between the BI and BB was a good place to anchor for them, chumming with clam. Nothing was heard about weakfish or kingfish. Snapper blues started to be caught from the lagoons and docks. Crabbing was good at Berkeley Island Park, the lagoons and docks.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Bluefish trips jigged plenty of the fish, and a few bonito mixed in, from the ocean on the <b>Super Chic</b>, Capt. Ted said. The blues were smaller but abundant. A bottom-fishing trip is set for Friday. The season’s first tuna trip, a daytime trolling one, is scheduled for mid July. Tuna already bit, but that was currently the first trip for them booked. Overnight tuna trips aboard usually concentrate on September and October. Fishing at night would currently be about sharking, not tuna fishing. But tuna usually begin to bite at night by the end of July and through August. Overnight trips could sail for them as soon as the fishing was on. The 56-foot Super Chic can accommodate up to 25 passengers. Overnight tuna trips are limited to 10, and the boat sleeps 10 passengers.

Bluefish were picky on the daily trip for them Wednesday on the party boat <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b>, a report on the vessel’s Web site said. Some anglers limited out. “But you had to work it,” the report said. The blues, 1 to 3 pounds, the same size as recently, were jigged. Bring a lighter rod to maximize fun. Fishing for the blues was good on Tuesday’s trip, after slower angling for them in the early morning. Most were jigged, but some were baited. Seas were somewhat choppy in strong northwest winds. The catch of the blues was very good on Monday’s trip, serving up lots of action throughout the outing. “Jigs were the ticket,” the report said, and the lures sacked all the blues anglers could want. The Miss Barnegat Light is bluefishing 8 a.m. daily and 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

At <b>Bobbie’s Boat Rentals</b> customers clubbed fluke at Oyster Creek and Double Creek channels on Barnegat Bay, Lauren said. They scraped up fluke and sea bass from the ocean. Nothing was heard about striped bass. Nobody mentioned bluefish or weakfish. Crabbing was good, and a bunch of customers clammed, plucking great catches. Live spots and minnows are stocked. The shop can get live grass shrimp if customers want, but demand is low. Fresh clams and fresh bunker are on hand. Bobbie’s is known for bait selection, and features boat and kayak rentals, a tackle shop and a fuel dock.

<b>Barnegat</b>

From an edited e-mail from Capt. Dave DeGennaro from the <b>Hi Flier</b>: “I ran to Barnegat Ridge this morning with my son Max (and my friend). Right off the hop we had good readings, slicks and chicks, and rods bending with 2- to 4-pound bonita. We were hi-speed trolling small daisy chains and cedar plugs. There were also small blues, but we stayed throttled up over 7 m.p.h., and that helped keep them off, and the bonita on. I still have room for two more tomorrow (Friday), leaving at 5 AM and returning at 11 AM. All fish are shared. Bonita are delicious. Anyway you prepare tuna, you prepare bonita, including sashimi or seared ahi, my personal choices. Also sailing 6-hour open-boat trips for bonita on Saturday and Sunday from 5 AM to 11 AM, same info as above, three-person max. Also sailing open-boat bay trips for fluke and more every afternoon.”

<b>Surf City</b>

Surf fishing was slow, but fluke were banked from the waters, said Sue from <b>Surf City Bait & Tackle</b>. Lots more were throwbacks than keepers, but some were keepers. Anglers fished for them with Gulps, squid and minnows. Bluefish, not big, sometimes ran the surf. Kingfish were reported lifted from the surf at times on Fishbites artificial worms. Dog sharks and skates scurried along the surf. Crabs were trapped from the back waters. Fresh bunker, fresh clams, minnows and all the frozen baits are stocked. Keep up with the news in <a href="http://www.surfcitybaitandtackle.com/" target="_blank">Surf City Bait & Tackle’s fishing reports</a> on the shop’s Web site. Or keep in touch on <a href=" http://www.facebook.com/pages/Surf-City-Bait-and-Tackle/207533229268619
" target="_blank">Surf City Bait & Tackle’s Facebook page</a>.

<b>Mystic Islands</b>

From Great Bay to the ocean, boaters boxed fluke, good catches, said Chris from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. From the bay, they fished near the 126 marker, near the Fish Factory and the inlet. From the ocean, they fished from waters off the beaches to the reefs like Little Egg, AC and Garden State Reef South. Though plenty of flounder remained in the bay, they were starting to migrate to the ocean, because of warming waters. The bigger ones will be found in the ocean as that happens. Bluefish were scattered around, but not much was heard about them. Weather kept many from boating this week. Sea bass fishing was good on the ocean in 60 feet or deeper. Good-sized, out-of-season blackfish to 8 and 10 pounds snapped in the same waters and were released.  Crabbing’s been great this season, probably better than in a couple of years. Fresh, shucked clams ran out, and none was re-stocked in low demand in weather this week. Call ahead to confirm whether more are re-stocked. No live grass shrimp are on hand at the moment, and, again, call to see when they might be re-stocked. Bloodworms, minnows and all the frozen baits are stocked. Frozen baits include the full supply for offshore, like ballyhoos, sardines and butterfish.

<b>Absecon</b>

<b>***Update, Friday, 6/29:***</b> Plenty of summer flounder filled the back bay, said Curt from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. Bigger flounder started to be angled from the inlet and the ocean, and a greater population of smaller ones seemed to bite in the bay than before. So the fish seemed getting ready to migrate to the ocean, but fishing for the fluke remained good in the bay. Capt. Dave, the shop’s owner, ran a charter that crushed 14 keeper flounder and a 3-pound weakfish from the back waters. Another charter aboard put up four keeper flounder from the back. Weakfish gave up action when tide changes coincided with early mornings along the Intracoastal Waterway and the mouth of Mullica River. Black drum 10 to 20 pounds, sometimes 25, were hauled from the area in early mornings, mostly on shedder crabs. A few small blues swam the back waters like the mouth of the river, “but nothing consistent,” Curt said. Nothing was heard about striped bass from the bay recently, but surely stripers were caught at night there. Lots of bait was around, like spots that were getting larger, so the bass should be around. In general, the moon phase and slow tides were good for fishing on waters like the bay currently. White perch fishing was decent on the rivers. Curt, a perch angler, scored a good day on them during the weekend.  From the surf, kingfish and occasional weakfish were beached. Crabbing was good in the back waters. Live spots, eels, minnows and shedder crabs are stocked. The shop carries one of the most comprehensive bait supplies.

<b>Brigantine</b>

Surf anglers waited for kingfish and blues to hit the surf for the season, said Capt. Andy from <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>. Steve Berman was wrangling up lots of summer flounder on foot from under the Brigantine Bridge. An 11-pound flounder was weighed in that was boated at the bridge, covered in the last report. Boating for flounder was very good from the 171 to 175 on the back bay and at the bridge. Catch Riptide’s summer tournament with prizes for the top three largest flounder, blues and kingfish caught from land on Brigantine. Entry is $5 per species, and anglers can sign up for one species, a combo or all.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

From Absecon Inlet anglers on foot toggled in kingfish, summer flounder, bluefish and triggerfish, said Jeremy from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. Off the Flagship Resort and Pacific Avenue were some of the places. The kings inhaled bloodworms, and the flounder pounced on minnows or squid. The blues swiped minnows or squid and could  be angled on baits like mullet. The triggers bit clams along the rocks in the wall and jetties there. All the baits mentioned and more, the full supply, are stocked.

<b>Margate</b>

Fishing for summer flounder became good on the back bay a moment on the party boat <b>Keeper</b>, Capt. John said. Then stormy weather blew in Monday, and the angling became tougher since then. Keepers were still caught, but lots more throwbacks bit than before, apparently because of the storm. Still, forecasts look better for the next days, and John hopes the flounder fishing jumps back into a good pattern in the summertime conditions. Silversides 4 or 5 inches and peanut bunker 2 or 3 inches were netted for bait and kept in the livewell. They worked  well on the flounder. Minnows and mackerel supplied aboard also caught. One weakfish, the second of the season, was landed during the week. Bluefish were sometimes seen schooling. The Keeper is fishing for summer flounder 8 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The fare is only $25 per adult, $20 for seniors and $16 for kids.

<b>Ocean City</b>

More summer flounder started to be boated at the ocean reefs than in the back bay, said Bill from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. Good catches of sea bass and flounder came from reefs like Ocean City and Great Egg. But flounder were still picked from the bay. Striped bass were landed from the bay at night on hard plugs or soft-plastic lures. In the surf, one angler would bail a good catch of kingfish, and another would find none. But kings were around. Sand sharks and rays bit in the surf. Brown sharks, fish that must be released, were occasionally dragged from the surf. More browns swam the reefs. Offshore boaters trolled plenty of yellowfin tuna around Wilmington and Baltimore canyons. Bigeye tuna were sometimes trolled there, and so were a few blue marlin. Nothing was heard about bluefin tuna closer to shore. Few boaters shark fished anymore this season.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

The ocean really began to churn out summer flounder, said Mike from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. Great catches like 20 or 25 keepers in a trip were heard about from places like Townsend’s Inlet Reef, Wildwood Reef and Ocean City Reef. Long, 6- or 8-inch squid strips or chartreuse Gulps were popular for bait. A few sea bass were hung from the same waters, but sea bassing was best 20 miles or farther from shore. Lots of triggerfish filled waters closer to shore. Anglers who tried for sea bass inshore got covered up with triggers. Flounder were still caught from the back bay, but the ocean was better. Toward the inlets seemed the better place for catches from the back waters. Customers were gearing up for good tides or high tides in evenings for popper-lure fishing for striped bass on the bay this weekend and next week. They bought tackle like the lures and fluorocarbon. Fishing for brown and dusky sharks, catch and release, close to shore was only getting started. A few anglers tried for them, landing a few. The next heat wave will probably draw in the sharks. In the surf, a mix of kingfish, blowfish, spots and weakfish catches were heard about. Still, sand sharks made up 90 percent of fish banked from the surf. Little was heard about yellowfin tuna fishing offshore in winds this week, but reports should roll in this weekend, as boaters get back out. Satellite charts showed that the warm, perfect ball of waters that attracted yellowfins to Wilmington Canyon last week was gone. The waters now were more broken up. But yellowfins were jumping in the boat this season, and anglers will likely keep plowing them. Trolling ballyhoos was the way to go to catch them, and the shop is loaded up with ballys and the other offshore baits and tackle, like Green Machines and spreader bars. For inshore, fresh clams, minnows, bloodworms and all the frozen baits are stocked.

Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b>, affiliated with <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>, ran striped bass trips on Merrimack River in Massachusetts near Newburyport in the last couple of days, he said. Patty Gaudet and sons Ryan and Brady were aboard, plugging a bunch of the bass and a few 4-pound blues on lures. The stripers weighed up to a big one 30 to 40 pounds on one day and 14 pounds the other. The fish were released. Back at home, Jersey Cape is fishing for summer flounder from the back bay to the ocean and for striped bass on the bay on popper lures and flies. The striper fishing, a specialty aboard, draws vicious, visual attacks along the surface. Trips are about to begin sailing for brown and dusky sharks, catch and release, on spinning or fly rods, on the ocean close to shore. The fishing is a chance to land big catches, 20- to 100-pound sharks, 7 to 12 miles from the coast, instead of far offshore. Jersey Cape is also fishing for yellowfin tuna and billfish offshore. 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>Wildwood</b>

The back bay’s summer flounder fishing was good, said Mike from <b>Canal Side Boat Rentals</b>. Stormy weather and winds caused a setback, but catches started to bounce back. The fishing could use a break from winds. Crabbing was beginning to pick up from the bay. Good catches of the blueclaws were made in April and early May, and now crabbing looked like it was running late. It should be hopping in July and August. The rental boats are available, and a large supply of baits is stocked. Big minnows, from the South, are $5 a pint, the best price on the island, Mike said in a previous report. Baits also include Gulps, shedder crabs, frozen, chopped shedders in brine, all the different squids, including colored and scented squid strips, tube squid and trolling squid, and frozen herring, whole mackerel, mackerel fillets and salted clams in quarts and pints. Mike hopes crabs for eating will arrive for the season next week. Check out <a href="http://www.canalsideboatrentals.com" target="_blank">Canal Side’s Web site</a>.

<b>Cape May</b>

No boaters were known about who fished in winds in past days, Capt. George from the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> said. He’s supposed to mate on another boat today on a summer flounder trip and Friday on a sea bass trip. Good catches of flounder were heard about from the ocean at places like the Old Grounds before the winds. Sea bass fishing’s been solid on the ocean this season, turning out lots of throwbacks, but plenty of keepers. A trip on the Heavy Hitter is slated to fish the inshore ocean Saturday, probably looking for bluefin tuna. Lots of yellowfin tuna swam farther offshore at the canyons. But the anglers wanted to stay inshore. Bluefins supposedly roamed the inshore ocean, but the trip will see. The outing will probably head to waters like the Hot Dog. The anglers originally wanted to shark fish, but this was late in the season for sharking from Cape May. Warm waters usually push sharks like makos north by now. Other sharks, smaller but sizeable, remain closer to shore through summer. Anglers catch and release them for a fight. Charters are available for flounder, sea bass, inshore sharks, and yellowfin tuna offshore, and call if interested.

Stormy weather, or downpours and lightning on Monday, and winds that blew the next days, hampered summer flounder fishing, but the catches were good Sunday before the weather, on the party boat <b>Porgy IV</b>, Capt. Paul said. A couple of anglers limited out that day, and the fluke to 6 ½ pounds were boxed. Anglers with limits included Al Pavlichko, Seaville, and Al Bednarik, Philly. Glen Constantino caught the 6-1/2-pounder, one of three keepers he decked. Dave Thompson, Green Creek, limited out on one of the other trips. Trips fished the Old Grounds, an area of rough bottom on the ocean off Delaware, through Monday. Then winds, like a 30-knot blow on Tuesday and strong winds Wednesday, kept the boat from reaching there. “The deck is probably re-shuffled,” Paul said, but he hopes to get back out to the grounds and find good flounder fishing. The Porgy IV is fishing for summer flounder at 8 a.m. daily.

Summer flounder seemed to be pushing out from the back bay, probably moving to cooler waters or Delaware Bay and the ocean, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. Look for them at places like the Cape May Rips, Brandywine Shoal or 4-Fathom Bank. Flounder fishing was good on the ocean at Reef 11 and the Old Grounds. Lots of flounder and sizeable ones, many of them 18 to 23 inches, a few larger, swam there. Surf casters beached good fishing for weakfish at Sunset Beach at the Concrete Ship and along the surf jetties from Higbee’s Beach to Cape May Point. Fish bloodworms along the jetties or soft-plastic lures, plain minnows or squid strips in open waters. Croakers sometimes bit in the same places, including at Higbee’s. Croakers, kingfish and a few weakfish could be boated from Bayshore Channel. More weaks could be boated toward Bug Light. Bluefish probably schooled spots like 5-Fathom Bank, like they usually do now. As summer goes on, pelagics like bonito could be mixed in. Shark fishing for catches like makos seemed to slow down. But thresher sharks probably kept chasing bunker schools, and sand tiger sharks, fish that must be released, probably swam Delaware Bay. Yellowfin tuna fishing was good, mostly toward Wilmington Canyon. The 40- to 60-pounders and a few blue marlin and white marlin were trolled. Minnows, bloodworms, fresh clams and all frozen baits are stocked.

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