<b>South Amboy</b>

A great morning of striped bass fishing was slugged Wednesday on the ocean with <b>Reel World Charters</b>, Capt. James said. The anglers, the Baxter group, livelined bunker and chunked bunker to whack the bass to 35 pounds. They landed about four apiece, keeping no more than their limits, and the fish stopped biting by 10 a.m. On Monday the Motola party clubbed slow fishing for fluke on Raritan Bay. But Sean Motola was high hook with four keepers, and each angler iced at least one keeper, fishing with a combo of squid and killies. On Sunday the Polin group racked up good fishing for sea bass on clams. West winds knocked down seas, and the reefs were full of life. 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>

Bluefish began to be tugged in from Raritan Bay on Monday on the Ted Wren group’s trip with <b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b>, Capt. Joe said. But stormy weather started to roll in, and the trip had to return to port early. Space is available on open-boat trips for fluke 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Call to jump aboard. Open trips are available 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. daily when no charter is booked.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Ocean boaters clammed and bunkered striped bass, said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Livelined bunker or chunks of bunker worked, depending on location. Lots of blues filled the ocean and Raritan Bay. Fluke fishing somewhat improved. Fishing was good for sea bass and ling. Plenty of crabs were nabbed from the rivers, and waters were warm. All baits are stocked.

Somewhat improved fluke fishing was grabbed in the past days aboard, said Capt. Tom from the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>. After fluking that was no good on Monday morning’s trip, a couple of limits were bagged on the afternoon’s, covered in the last report. On Tuesday no limits were boxed, but the fluking was better than recently. Some anglers bagged two or three, and a 6-pounder was sacked. Fluking was no great shakes on Wednesday morning’s trip, and the afternoon’s trip stayed dock, because of lack of anglers, despite beautiful weather. On this morning’s trip, the fishing was a slow pick so far, Tom said at 9 a.m. in a phone call on the outing. But one angler decked three keepers. Landed three, and three were keepers. He was lucky, Tom guessed. 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>***Update, Thursday, 6/7:***</b> Looked like “things are starting to happen, hopefully,” Tom said after today’s trips. A good pick of fluke was had on this morning’s trip, despite not much drift. Jene Alexander, Jackson, bagged a 5.9-pound fluke, and one angler bagged four, and some bagged two. Some landed no keepers, of course. The afternoon’s trip was a little better, and one angler bagged four, and a couple bagged three, and more bagged one than before. Short action was also improved. <b>***Update, Saturday, 6/9:***</b> Fluking aboard Friday wasn’t as good as Thursday, but some catches were made, Tom said. Friday morning’s trip was about as good as Thursday morning’s, and Friday afternoon’s, compared with Thursday afternoon’s, was “probably half as good,” Tom said. But one angler on the trip bagged four fluke, and Vinny Vinntastic won the afternoon’s pool with a 5-pound 12-ounce fluke. So some good-sized fluke were still around. Short action was fair, not as busy as on the previous afternoon.

A handful of anglers braved weather forecasts, jumping aboard Monday’s striped bass trip on the party boat <b>Fishermen</b>, Capt. Ron said in a report on the vessel’s Web site. “So we gave it hell,” he said. But conditions were terrible. The ocean was out, Reach Channel was a disaster, rain squalls came through, and so on. Ron’s not one to quit, he said. But after two keepers were boated, and 10 of the 12 anglers stayed in the cabin, and Ron didn’t “see the light at the end of the tunnel,” he said, he headed the boat back in. No trip was slated to sail Tuesday. Only a few customers showed up Wednesday, so the crew sent them to another striper boat. Striper fishing was good, and good-sized ones were honked. Stripers were on the bite on recent evening trips for stripers on the Fishermen. The Fishermen is sailing for striped bass 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and 3:30 to 9 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

<b>Highlands</b>

Fishing for striped bass was picking back up on the ocean for <b>Fisher Price Charters</b> the last couple of days, Capt. Derek said. The bass to 37-pounds were socked aboard on livelined bunker. Lots of blues were waded through to catch the stripers. Trips are also available for fluke or bottom fishing for catches like ling and sea bass. But the last trips ran for stripers, because the angling was good. Trips aboard will begin to focus on fluke in July, bouncing bucktails and big strip baits along the hard bottom for the big ones. Charters are available, including in the next week, and the next-open-boat trips will probably run late next week. Call to climb aboard or to be kept informed about the open schedule.

Up and down striped bass fishing, “but pretty damn good on some days,” Capt. Pete from the <b>Hyper Striper</b> said in an e-mail. John Fessock’s party limited out on Monday. On Tuesday Bob Finan’s crew in the morning bagged six bass to 23 pounds and fought lots of large blues. Jeff Ambrose’s gang that afternoon limited out on stripers to 25 pounds. Russ Schofield’s charter today crushed super fishing, limiting out early on stripers, then going into release mode. Plus they axed lots of blues. Anglers who want bluefin tuna should call now to book trips for them in July. Also in July, after striper fishing slows, trips for jumbo fluke will kick in.

The Highlands Striper Cup, a tournament for Jason’s Dreams for Kids, was hosted through the weekend at <b>Twin Lights Marina</b>, an e-mail from the marina said. Entrants donated the catches to local food banks. Paul Hess returned to the marina today with a 25-inch fluke he boated at Romer Shoal. Ed and Tony on the Hammerhead from the marina limited out on fluke at Bug Light on Wednesday. Their biggest were 21, 22 and 23 inches. The full-service marina features boat slips and rack storage, a complete supply of baits, ship-store supplies, and a fuel dock, and is located on Shrewsbury River, with no bridges before the bay. Convenient, fast access to fishing.

<b>Neptune</b>

<b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b> was on the way to compete in the weekend’s South Jersey Shark Tournament, Capt. Ralph said. Only a few dates remain for shark charters. Striped bass, great catches, were smacked on trips Monday and Wednesday, mostly on livelined bunker. Individual-reservation trips for fluke and sea bass will sail every Wednesday starting next week. Space is available on all the trips, and reserve a spot now. An individual-reservation trip filled up for cod offshore on June 18.

<b>Belmar</b>

Fluke, fantastic catches, were scooped from the ocean Wednesday on the party boat <b>Big Mohawk</b>, Capt. Chris said. Many anglers limited out, and jigs and Gulps worked best on trips. The fluke were caught along the rough bottom, but not only there. The fish were also pulled from open bottom around the hard bottom. A few sea bass, not as many as before, were mixed in. The sea bass population was thinning out in the areas fished. Striped bass fishing remained good on the boat’s trips that are sailing for them on certain evenings. 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.

Both daytime and nighttime trips did a job on bluefish and occasional striped bass on the ocean on the party boat <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b>, Karin said. The 5- to 15-pound blues were jigged during the day and baited at night. On the party boat <b>Tropical Adventure</b>, the company’s other vessel, fishing for fluke and sea bass was beginning to pick up on the ocean. The fluke weighed up to 4 pounds, but a very good catch was walloped on the last trip. Only a couple of the trips got out this week because of weather. The Miss Belmar Princess if sailing for bluefish 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. daily. 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.

Striped bass catches were good on the ocean very early Wednesday, then bluefish invaded, said Capt. Pete from <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b>. Trips aboard were livelining bunker to catch them, and plenty of bunker schooled that the bass and blues chased. More sharks than before also attacked the bunker, and a few thresher sharks that were hooked among the baitfish were heard about. A few mako sharks were known about that were gaffed farther from shore. A friend who bottom-fished at Shark River Reef saw lots of sharks sunning. Sea bass fishing became somewhat picky after rough weather during the weekend, but the fish began to bite well again. Parker Pete’s did no fluke fishing in the last days, but will compete in Saturday’s Jersey Coast Anglers Association’s fluke tournament.  Parker Pete’s sails for all species 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.

With <b>Fin-Ominal Sportfishing</b> blues were plowed from the ocean on two trips Saturday and a trip Monday, Capt. Jared said. Blues, blues, blues, he said. “I love it.” He hopes the blues stick around, and they weren’t so plentiful last year. Sea bass were sometimes pumped in on the trips. Seas were large Saturday morning because of weather Friday. The season’s first shark fishing is set to compete in one of the tournaments next week on Friday and Saturday. Fin-Ominal  has won some of the tournaments in recent years, including last year’s Brett T. Bailey Mako Rodeo. Shark charters are available, and lots of sharks are around. Water temps were right, with pockets of 68 degrees in surrounding waters 62 or 63 degrees. Fin-Ominal will fish for yellowfin tuna at the canyons later this year, when the fishing takes off locally. Bluefin tuna were around, but mostly far out in the canyons. If anglers were diehard tuna anglers, going often, they could find tuna now. With the two-fish bag limit for bluefins, the trips for them were less popular, when the tuna swam mostly far from shore. Charters aboard were enjoying Fin-Ominal’s new, larger, 50-foot boat, accommodating larger groups than the last boat. The new boat is licensed for up to 23 passengers, instead of 6 like most boats. Up to 23 can sail on cruises aboard, and up to 15 can fish on the boat. That number is just practical for fishing. The charter Saturday morning included nine anglers, and the charter that afternoon included eight. A cruise is set to sail around Manhattan tonight, docking afterward at Liberty Landing Marina in Jersey City across from New York City. The passengers will fish the next day 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. Again, groups to 23 can cruise. Small groups are also welcomed aboard fishing trips and pleasure cruises. Even anglers lately enjoyed lounging in the salon’s couches in air conditioning.

Weather was rough much of the week, but fishing wasn’t so bad, said Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> in an e-mail. One charter limited out on striped bass to 38 pounds on the ocean by 8 a.m. Wednesday. Fluke fishing was good on Shark River. Charles Dana and Wayne Graber, Freehold, on one of the shop’s rental boats totaled five keeper fluke to 4 pounds on the river in 2 hours. Ralph Ragnoli, Wycombe, Pa., rental-boated three keepers to a 6-pound 4-ouncer.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

Bluefish swam Manasquan Inlet and Point Pleasant Canal, said Chuck from <b>Gates Bait & Tackle</b>. Pods of blues could pop up at the inlet any time of day when boat traffic was light. At the canal, anglers in the know seemed able to get on blues fairly reliably, catching them on spoons or Ava 007 or 17 jigs, often at night. Fluke fishing seemed spotty or picky at the inlet, but sometimes sizeable ones were creamed. Fluke fishing was probably improving everywhere, including on the ocean. But even the ocean seemed spotty, maybe turning up a better catch of fluke on a party boat one day, and a slow one on another. Fishing for striped bass seemed best to the north for ocean boaters. The boaters seemed to catch big ones at times, if they got on a pod of bunker that the bass chased. Good shark catches started to be heard about from the ocean. Chuck in last week’s report was misquoted, he said. The report said Gary from the shop caught fluke from the inlet, but he caught blues, not fluke, Chuck said. The shop is within walking distance of the surf, charter boat fleet and party boat fleet. The grounds include the Gates Motel, popular with anglers. <b>***THIS TACKLE SHOP IS FOR SALE! CALL: 732-899-5760.***</b>

<b>Toms  River</b>

Most striped bass and bunker schooled the ocean from Long Branch to the north, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. Occasional stripers were boated farther south toward Barnegat Inlet on the ocean, and trolling to search for the fish was best there. Phil LaGrossa checked in a 45-pound 8-ounce striper he nailed off Monmouth County on a livelined bunker. That was the biggest striper at the shop this year. Warren Brown brought in two stripers he livelined off Bay Head on bunker: a 28-pound 7-ouncer and a 25-pound 11-ouncer. Richard Weber stopped in with a 25-pound 8-ounce striper he live-bunkered off Island Beach State Park. Surf fishing for stripers wasn’t terrible, wasn’t great. Stripers to 12 and 14 pounds were clammed from the surf. One customer banked two or three stripers every trip to the surf. Surf-fishing conditions kept changing, requiring lots of weight one day to hold bottom, less weight another. A few 2- to 3-pound blues popped into the surf. Fishing for the same-sized blues was most consistent in Barnegat Inlet. The blues were bucktailed or beaten on metal. In the bay, stripers were occasionally landed along the sod banks at Island Beach. A few stripers swam Toms River, but waters were warming. Anglers picked away at fluke, not great fishing yet, on the bay around the BI and BB markers. Snot grass fouled tackle, but was becoming less abundant. Keeper fluke were had from the northern bay at Mantoloking Bridge. Back on the southern bay, a few blowfish held from the BI to BB. Anchor and chum with clam while fishing with clam. Small blues and occasional weakfish were reeled from the bay at Berkeley Island Park from the docks. The weaks bit first thing in the morning. Small blues also swarmed the bay from the BB to Good Luck Point. Trolled Pony Tails or small lures caught them. A fair population of bunker schooled the bay. Blues swam Toms River, and crabbing was very good in the river and at Route 37 Bridge and Good Luck Point on the bay. Dennis trapped three-quarters of a bucket of the keeper blueclaws in his pots every two days. All the baits are stocked, including another batch of eels that just arrived.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

Lots of 2- to 3-pound blues were reeled up from the Seaside Heights Casino Pier, said Scott from <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>. Striped bass to maybe 18 pounds were sometimes dragged from the surf on clams and cut bunker. Sometimes blues punched into the surf, and lots of hickory shad raced the surf. Boaters snatched big bluefish and stripers from the ocean north of Manasquan Inlet on bunker snagged from the waters then livelined. In Barnegat Bay cocktail blues schooled plentiful. The bay’s fluke fishing was slow, but some were plucked toward the BB marker. Crabbing was great from the shop’s docks and rental boats on the bay. “They’re killing them,” Scott said.

<b>Forked River</b>

Catches of fluke improved a lot from Barnegat Bay, said Kyle from <b>Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle</b>. Striped bass, not a lot, but catches, were clammed along the sod banks at night. Not much happened with stripers in the local ocean. Bluefish swam abundant through the bay. Blowfish were boated at the 42 on the bay. Weakfish were heard about a week ago from the bay at Berkeley Island Park but not since. Crabbing was good.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Another fantastic day of bluefishing, a report said about Wednesday’s trip aboard on the party boat <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b>’s Web site. And the weather couldn’t be better, it said: “Cool and dry with lovely ocean breezes.” Some anglers limited out on the 6- to 12-pound blues. No report was posted for Tuesday, but nasty weather was expected that day, the report said. Bluefishing aboard Monday was great and on Sunday was fantastic, it said. The Miss Barnegat Light is bluefishing 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily and 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Those trips return between 12 midnight and 2 a.m.

Barnegat Bay’s fluke fishing became good the last few days, said Vince from <b>Bobbie’s Boat Rentals</b>. Many rental boaters brought in fluke, and many of the fish were good-sized including 5 pounds. Striped bass boaters on the ocean had been running north for the catches. But they nailed them locally near Barnegat Inlet today. Probably a dozen of the bass hit the cleaning table by mid day. Bluefish swam all over the ocean and Barnegat Bay. Sea bass fishing produced lots on the ocean. Many customers blowfished on the bay last week, but only fluke, not blowfish, were heard about from the area this week. Crabbing picked up, and one group of rental-boaters clammed during the weekend, saying gathering a bushel was easy. Bobbie’s rents boats and includes a tackle shop and fuel dock. The shop is known for baits, including live.

<b>Barnegat</b>

<b>***Update, Saturday, 6/9:***</b> From an edited e-mail from Dave: “This has to be quick as it is 5 a.m., and I am headed to the boat to meet my charter for a full day of striper fishing. Ran offshore Friday. Ran to the west side of the Monster Ledge in the Mud Hole, about a 30- to 35-mile run from Barnegat Inlet. Trolled two big false albacore and a 30-pound bluefin tuna. Saw acres of bunker off Island Beach State Park on the ride home, but had to get back to the dock. Found out later there was a really good bass bite in my own backyard. Headed there this morning to snag some bunker and get into some big stripers. Tomorrow, Sunday, is still available. The ocean is going to be flat in a mild west wind. I'm going to run open boat for tuna or stripers, whatever you want to do … maybe both! Call for details: 732.330.5674.”

<b>Surf City</b>

Surf fishing started to pick up, said Sue from <b>Surf City Bait & Tackle</b>. Good-sized striped bass were sometimes beached. Big blues came in. And fluke were banked. One report talked about 13 fluke landed from a trip. None was a keeper, but they were up to 17 inches. Fresh bunker and fresh and salted clams took the bass. Bunker, clams and Ava’s bonked the blues. The 13 fluke were hooked on white Gulps. Cocktail blues, fluke and weakfish were winged from the bay. All the different clams are stocked. Fresh bunker is supposed to be resupplied today. Minnows, eels and all the frozen baits are on hand. 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 Island</b>

A 5-pound summer flounder was weighed in from Marshelder Channel before Scott from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b> gave this report over the phone today, he said. Flounder carpeted the bay, and fishing for them was worthwhile, but they only bit for short times, turning off as quickly as they turned on, making for slim pickings. Whether the weather or something was the reason couldn’t be known. Nobody mentioned bluefish from the bay, and whether that was because nobody fished for them wasn’t known. Scott would look for 1-1/4-pound blues along the west bank of Mullica River, like around Oyster and Motts creeks. No striped bass were heard about, and fishing for them even seemed to dry up to the north on the ocean. Sales of eels dropped for striper fishing on the river. People talked about weakfish, but none was seen at the shop. Wishful thinking, Scott guessed. Lack of white perch reports, he said. But perch probably migrated closer to the mouth of the Mullica, after gathering farther upstream earlier in the season. Four-foot smooth sand sharks arrived in Great Bay. Anglers have fun with them at night. Nothing was heard about brown sharks that usually arrive in the bay in the second week of June. Catching browns is prohibited, so if they’re caught, they must be released. Sea bass fishing was great on the ocean but farther from shore in 60 feet. Crabbing was great. Fresh, shucked clams, minnows, bloodworms, eels and live grass shrimp are stocked.

<b>Absecon</b>

Fishing was mostly about summer flounder, and the catches were very good on the back bay, said Capt. Dave from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. Tides from the full moon slowed the angling early in the week, but catches seemed to be getting back to normal, and should be super this weekend. Forecasts are calling for perfect weather then. Flounder seemed scattered all around, after they mostly held far back in the bay at first this season. A commercial crabber along the Inland Waterway saw nets going down everywhere. Not a lot was heard about striped bass, and the moon tides also made that fishing more difficult early in the week. But Dave hoped things were settling, and expects to get a better read on striper fishing in the next days. Blues 2 to 3 pounds schooled all over the bay. Fishing for them, like with poppers, was something fun. The fish were really around, and willing to attack. Nothing specific was heard about weakfish, but they could be found fairly consistently. Little was heard about river fishing, like for perch, because everyone flounder fished. Crabbing was excellent. Many of the blueclaws were large, and crabs were finished shedding. Fresh clams, minnows and nearly all baits, a large supply, are stocked. No live spots are available yet from the South. But baby spots filled Dave’s minnow nets, so local spots should become abundant for bait later this season. Currently the spots would probably make good flounder bait, and Dave planned to try them this weekend.

<b>Brigantine</b>

A 24-pound striped bass was weighed in from the surf today, said Capt. Andy from <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>. The angler, Ginny Iannacone, reportedly said her husband also beached a sizeable one, and they saw six or seven others that anglers plopped on the beach. A bite apparently turned on this morning. Clams were the bait to soak, and a few blues and kingfish, not many, came from the surf. But anglers waited for both to arrive in numbers. One customer mentioned beaching 10 summer flounder from the surf in a trip. Whether any was a keeper was unknown.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

Anglers from foot banked kingfish, summer flounder, blues and weakfish off the Flagship and from the T-jetty, said Jeremy from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. Striped bass were sometimes pulled from the area on clams or bunker, and nighttime was better. The kingfish were bloodwormed, and the flounder were nipped on minnows or squid. The blues were minnowed or plugged, and the weaks were bloodwormed or plugged. Fresh clams, fresh bunker, minnows, bloodworms and all the baits, the full supply, are stocked.

<b>Margate</b>

On the back bay, summer flounder fishing somewhat slowed compared with before on the party boat <b>Keeper</b>, Capt. John said. But good catches, including good numbers of 4- and 5-pound pool-winners, were sometimes made, and John was still happy with the fishing. Somewhat fewer flounder were landed than before, and the bay became dirtied, so maybe that was the reason. Waters started to clear by mid week, and maybe that would make a difference. The fluke bit mackerel and Gulps, and minnows began to grab them nearly as well, as waters warmed. Mackerel and minnows are provided on trips. Bluefish schooled the bay, and none was hooked, but they were around. 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>

Summer  flounder were yanked from the bay from 12- or 15-foot depths, a little deeper than before, mostly on mackerel or Gulps, said Bill from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. Striped bass were plugged from the bay at night. A few stripers were still beached from the surf, mostly on clams. Kingfish, not a ton, but a few per trip, were tugged from the surf. Small bluefin tuna, mixed in with lots of bluefish, were heard about from A.C. Ridge, for the first time this season. Yellowfin tuna were trolled at Baltimore Canyon. Bill last heard about the yellowfins during the weekend. Nothing was heard about sharks, and offshore boaters might’ve mostly by-passed sharks to hit the tuna. Fresh clams are stocked, and fresh bunker is carried at times. Bloodworms, minnows, eels and nearly all baits are in supply. “You name it,” Bill said.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Surf fishing for striped bass became somewhat slower than before, but a few were toggled in, and a couple were seen every day at the shop, said Mike from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. The fish were clammed, and a few kingfish, not great catches, were bloodwormed from the surf. A few blues and summer flounder were wrestled from Corson’s and Townsend’s inlets. The back bay dished up a mixed bag. Stripers were plugged on the bay in mornings and evenings on swimming or popper lures. Summer flounder in the bay preferred minnows. Roving schools of blues swam the bay. Mike wasn’t asked about sea bass from the ocean. Sharks were caught from the ocean during the week. A mako was heard about from the Misty Blue wreck, and decent sharking was heard about from the Cigar. Many anglers planned to fish offshore for sharks and tuna this weekend, including in Cape May’s South Jersey Shark Tournament. Bluefin tuna were heard about from the inshore ocean to the north. Anglers will probably look for them locally this weekend. Inshore and offshore baits are stocked. They include fresh clams, minnows, shark chum, ballyhoos and much more.

Popper fishing for striped bass, with lures and flies, was good on the back bay on high tides, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b>, affiliated with <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. Jersey Cape specializes in the fishing, lots of fun. Vicious, visual attacks from the fish, along the surface. Plenty of bluefish also smacked poppers on the bay. Summer flounder kept chewing in the bay, and weakfish were around in the waters. Joe was getting ready to steam offshore for tuna this weekend. Good catches of yellowfin tuna were trolled at Baltimore Canyon. Lots should be heard about tuna fishing from this weekend. Not much was heard about bluefin tuna, since early in the season, when bluefins were mixed in with yellowfins, when tuna catches started getting made this season. Closer to shore, blue sharks and some makos were around. Even closer, brown and dusky sharks were yet to arrive in numbers. When they do, usually in July and August, Jersey Cape catches and releases them, on spinning and fly rods. The charters are a chance to fight big fish 20 to 100 pounds, 7 to 12 miles from shore, instead of the long trek 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 Special Trip from 4:30 p.m. till dark, a convenient, productive time.

<b>Wildwood</b>

At <b>Canal Side Boat Rentals</b> anglers reported strong catches of summer flounder from the back bay, Mike said. They scored well, and one angler docked a 6-pounder Wednesday. A few bluefish appeared in the bay here and there. Rental boaters didn’t manage so many crabs, and the season was early, but neighbors of the shop’s along the canal trapped okay catches. Striped bass were beached from the Wildwood surf, and the fishing was very good last week, but not a lot of anglers fished the surf this week. The shop carries a large supply of baits, including minnows for only $5 a pint. The minnows are big, coming from the South, where they grow larger in the longer warm season. Crabs for eating will be sold at the shop through the season when they become available.

<b>Cape May</b>

A sea bass trip is slated to fish the ocean Saturday on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>, Capt. George said. Someone asked about a charter for tuna that day, but the sea bass trip was already booked. George heard about nobody fishing for tuna in past days, probably because of weather. But yellowfin tuna were trolled at the southern canyons previously. A satellite chart, not a good shot, because of clouds, seemed to show cold waters at Baltimore and Wilmington canyons since then. It showed warm waters at the Elephant Trunk, though. Anglers who competed in Jim’s Bait & Tackle from Cape May’s shark tournament during the weekend talked about a few makos, usually small, and lots of blue sharks caught during the event. Charters are fishing for sea bass, tuna and sharks, and call if interested.

Capt. Paul from the party boat <b>Porgy IV</b> started telling anglers the vessel would begin summer flounder trips this Friday, he said. But as soon as he did, trips aboard started catching sea bass better than before. The trips for sea bass piled up good catches the last three days from the ocean. Fewer small boats fished for them during the week, so the Porgy IV was able to target sea bass alone at times, and that seemed to help. Still, Paul’s going to stick with the plan to begin flounder fishing daily on Friday. A few flounder were around, and whether the trips will fish for them on Delaware Bay or the ocean, like at the Old Grounds off the state of Delaware, will depend on weather. If weather allows drifting for fluke, the boat will fluke. But if the anchor has to be thrown on some days, trips might fish for sea bass. The Porgy IV on Friday will begin fishing for summer flounder at 8 a.m. daily.

A 10-1/2-pound summer flounder was weighed in from Cape May Harbor today, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. Flounder were swung in mostly from the harbor or back bay. But winds during the week usually prevented trying for them at the ocean reefs or places like Brown Shoal on Delaware Bay. Winds usually kept anglers from sea bass fishing on the ocean. But sea bass catches were good when boaters sailed, and the weather might’ve kept the fish from getting pressured. Good catches of weakfish came from the surf all around Cape May Point or from 2nd Avenue to Higbee’s Beach. Bloodworms or lightweight bucktails with Fin-S Fish or Gulps banked them. A few resident striped bass bit in the surf. Stripers like schools of shorts put up good fishing at the inlets. Stripers were clubbed from along the bridges. A buddy drilled a 37-incher at a local bridge on a strip of squid. “So you never know,” Nick said. Thresher sharks and makos seemed to haunt the ocean. Fresh clams, minnows, bloodworms, all the frozen baits for inshore, chum for sharks, flats of mackerel for sharks, trolling squid for tuna and more are stocked.

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