<b>Keyport</b>

Six keeper fluke to 23 inches were axed Saturday from Raritan Bay with <b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b>. The five anglers, Steve Spina’s group, also released throwbacks. Fluke fishing was slower on a trip Sunday on the bay, and four keepers to 21 inches were plucked, and throwbacks were let go. The five anglers, the Alex group, fished with live and dead peanut bunker and squid. Drifting was good on both days. Two spaces are available on an open-boat trip for fluke 4 to 9 p.m. today. Two more are available on one of the trips 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday. 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>

Wasn’t a great week of fluke fishing aboard, but a few better-sized ones 5 and 6 pounds were tugged in, said Capt. Tom from the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>. Plus, Bill Carter, Denville, whacked a 7-pound 10-ounce fluke on Sunday morning’s trip. On Sunday afternoon’s trip, Ben Santo, Keansburg, drilled a 5-pound 12-ouncer, and Terry McCorkell, Red Bank, belted a 5-pound 10-ouncer. Fluking was slow through the week all in all, but the larger fish kept anglers’ interest, and the fishing was somewhat better, not a lot, on Sunday’s trips. Nobody limited out on the trips in past days, but sometimes anglers bagged three or four apiece. Sometimes an angler got lucky and aced a catch like that. Even action with shorts wasn’t as good as expected. On some trips during the week the keeper ratio was great. “Just not enough,” Tom said. Though weather on land was hot, trips were lucky and had a breeze, making the weather no problem on the waters. Was a shame that on some trips fewer anglers seemed to show up because of forecasts, because the weather felt great on the boat with the breeze. If winds were dead, that could become hot. But weather was different on the waters. Many of the fluke seemed either 17 inches or well over the 17-1/2-inch size limit. Not many were actually 17 ½. Very small fluke were around, too. 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>

A 10-pound fluke, weighed on the hand scale, was hauled aboard an open-boat trip Sunday with <b>Raritan Bay Charters</b>, Capt. Dave said. The anglers, Lou, Tom, John, Bob and Jamal, pumped in eight keeper fluke and probably 20 throwbacks. Jamal iced the 10-pounder. The trip fished from Raritan Bay to a couple of spots on the ocean with live peanut bunker, spearing and squid. Open-boat trips are available daily when no charter is booked.

After fishing for striped bass this season, <b>Fisher Price Charters</b> pretty much switched to fluke fishing, Capt. Derek said. The fluke trips bounced bucktails with big strip baits along the rough bottom for the large flatfish. Fluking was very good on a trip Saturday that limited out on 35 of the fish to 8 pounds. Fluking was a little tougher on Sunday, because of no drift. Still, fluke to 7 pounds were coolered. A fluke trip today was picking away at the fish to 5 pounds so far, Derek said in a phone call at 10 a.m., when he gave this report aboard.

<b>Neptune</b>

Striped bass were still around, and <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b> caught them Friday night, Capt. Ralph said in an e-mail. Sea bass and ling were also shoveled aboard the outing. An excellent catch of fluke was plowed Sunday aboard. The next spaces available for individual-reservation trips for fluke and sea bass, sailing every Tuesday, are on July 17. Book early to ensure a spot. Individual-reservation trips for sea bass, ling, cod and blackfish will sail every Sunday to the wrecks 15 to 25 miles from shore. One blackfish per angler will be able to be kept starting July 17. Three spots remain for an individual-reservation trip for cod and pollock offshore at 2 a.m. Monday, July 16. Tuna can be trolled at the canyons in a one-day trip, so charters for them are available, leaving at 12 midnight.

<b>Belmar</b>

After steaming to the Resor wreck Sunday, a charter trolled a bunch of bluefin tuna, keeping one, releasing the rest, on the <b>Katie H</b>, Capt. Mike said. Probably a dozen of the tuna were landed in the 72-degree, clear, beautiful-looking waters, with a few whales and turtles swimming around. The charter originally planned to fish the Resor for bluefins then shark fish at the Fingers afterward. But the tuna fishing was so good that the anglers decided to stick with the bluefins the whole time. They had a great time, Mike said. Bluefish apparently inundated the bluefin grounds at the Atlantic Princess wreck, making tuna fishing difficult there. But no bluefish showed up at the Resor, and the Glory Hole reportedly gave up a bluefin bite in mornings in past days. The Katie H will keep sailing for bluefins, and yellowfin tuna trips farther offshore to the canyon usually begin in late July on the boat. A couple of inshore trips are scheduled aboard for later this week, and will probably fish for fluke and sea bass. Charters and open-boat trips are available.

A bunch of anglers limited out on fluke on the ocean today with <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b>, Capt. Pete said. One of the anglers landed twice his limit, keeping no more than his quota. The fluking’s been very good, and sea bass fishing’s also been productive, and some were mixed in with the catch today. Striped bass currently might pop up for 20 minutes on the ocean, and the fishing was about like that. Waters were warming, and acres of bunker still schooled the ocean, and bluefish were on them. Trips for sharks or bluefin tuna are an option on the midshore ocean aboard, and the summer weather is beautiful to be out there. Parker Pete’s fishes for any species available. Charters and open-boat trips are running. For availability on 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. Cruises are available to watch fireworks on the ocean off Asbury Park every Wednesday, and see the boat’s Web site for times.

Good fishing for fluke was beaten from the ocean and Shark River, said Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> in an email. From the ocean, good fluke reports came from sharpies who fished on several of the Belmar party boats. Ten-pounders were reported heaved in on every one. On the river, the shop’s rental boaters also waxed healthy numbers of keeper fluke. The fish weighed up to 7 pounds. Fishing for striped bass “was nothing to write home about,” Bob said. “It’ll take more than a cell phone to get a trophy bass now. Good, old-fashioned fishing is needed now.”

<b>Brielle</b>

Fishing for striped bass was slow through the weekend on the ocean, but the fish were boated toward the end of the week around Spring Lake in mornings, said Eric from <b>The Reel Seat</b>. Maybe boat traffic was a factor, and bunker were snagged from the waters then livelined for bait. Fluke fishing was fair to good on the ocean to the north, like off Monmouth Beach and at Shrewsbury Rocks. Most anglers bucktailed the fish with 6-inch rubber grubs. Fluke fishing was spotty on Manasquan River, serving up a handful, not on fire. Sea bass fishing was great on the ocean if boaters got on the right wreck that wasn’t over-fished. Bait seemed best for sea bass, and jigging for them seemed to turn off. Excellent catches of ling were hung from the Mudhole. Not much was heard about bluefishing on party boats, but surely the trips caught, Eric guessed. Bluefin tuna fishing became difficult on some of the midshore grounds because bluefish now  filled the waters. Farther from shore at the canyons, plenty of yellowfin tuna were trolled to the south. The better waters were there, and a couple of trips were heard about that picked up a few yellowfins at Hudson Canyon farther north. Bigeye tuna were heard about that were nailed at Wilmington Canyon.  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. Entry is $10, and half the money is donated to Save the Summer Flounder Fishery Fund, and the other half 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>

Fifteen overnight trips fished for tuna through June this season with <b>Canyon Runner Sport Fishing</b>, and 225 yellowfin tuna and six bigeye tuna were totaled, an e-mail from Canyon Runner said. “Not a bad start,” the e-mail said. “That’s a season for some.” That was the best June ever for the catches aboard. Waters to the south that the trips fished now seemed to be “moving out,” the e-mail said. But the Gulf Stream waters seemed to be headed either to Hudson or Toms canyon. July seemed to promise good fishing closer to port, starting any day. Trips are booked this week. But spaces are available on rare open-boat trips on the 60-foot Ritchie Howell overnight next week on Monday to Tuesday and Thursday to Friday. However, if anglers want to fish earlier, the next space available on an open trip on the 48-foot Viking is this Saturday. Act quickly, and the space is likely to fill. More open trips are slated on the Viking in the following weeks. The open trips run similar to charters, sailing 24 to 26 hours. They troll in the afternoon, fish for tuna, swordfish and mako sharks at night, and troll a few more hours in the morning. The trips, with six anglers, get 20 to 24 hours of actual fishing time. An angler can jump aboard solo or bring friends. The crew will get anglers to fill remaining spaces.

The plan was to load up on ling at the Mudhole on a bottom-fishing trip Sunday with <b>Andrea’s Toy Charters</b>, a report on Andrea’s Toy’s Web site said. The charter crushed a bunch of ling and some cod, then sea bassed a moment, toggling in a dozen “before (the) south wind kicked in,” the report said. Andrea’s Toy is also running open-boat trips for a mixed  bag of bluefin tuna, sharks, cod, pollock and mahi mahi on the midshore ocean. For more info about the unique, annual trips, see a write-up on <a href="http://www.andreastoycharters.com" target="_blank">Andrea’s Toy’s home page</a>. Soon the open trips will run all the way offshore for a mixed bag of yellowfin tuna, sharks, swordfish, mahi mahi and tilefish, when yellowfin fishing kicks in locally. Both trips are an experience, and Andrea’s Toy specializes in mixed-bag fishing for greater fun, better chances of hooking up and more variety for dinner.

On the party boat <b>Norma-K III</b> fluke fishing was hit or miss on the ocean the past couple of days, a report said Sunday on the vessel’s Web site. Lots of throwbacks chomped, but the keeper ratio was a little lower than previously. Still, big fluke usually start to show up this time of year, so the hope is that they will. Gulps on Spro bucktails worked best on the fluke on trips. On nighttime bluefish trips, the blues were 1 to 2 pounds or small, but the angling was good for the most part, and the fish were good eating size, and lots of fun on light tackle. Trips used small hooks and baits to catch them at first. Once the angling turned on, teasers and jigs were used, and the fish were really caught.  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. Space remained for a cruise to watch fireworks on Wednesday, the Fourth of July, on the ocean off Long Branch.

Fluke, throwbacks but a fair number of keepers, gave up decent action on the party boat <b>Gambler</b>, Capt. Bob said. Pool-winning fluke weighed 5 and 6 pounds, and a few sea bass were hooked, but not as many as previously. Trips in past days fished in 50 to 60 feet on the ocean. Brian Rubins, Freehold, decked a 6-1/2-pound fluke that was the biggest Sunday. On a nighttime wreck-fishing trip Thursday, a good catch of mixed-sized ling, from small to large or 4 pounds, was honked. Not many squid appeared that night, but plenty schooled on previous trips. Sometimes anglers like to jig the squid. Bob gave this report over the phone Sunday before that night’s wreck trip would’ve sailed. On a bluefishing trip Saturday night, good fishing for 1- to 2-pounders was clubbed. Big blues seemed to move out from the area, but Bob expects them to return before too long, but couldn’t be sure when. 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>

Another fantastic day of bluefishing on Sunday aboard, a report on the party boat <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b>’s Web site said. The blues were small, but all anglers limited out, and the weather was cool and breezy on the ocean, despite the heat on land. The fishing wasn’t as good on Saturday night’s trip, but some anglers limited out on the blues, and all caught them. “Plenty, plenty, plenty of fish,” the report said about Saturday’s daytime trip for blues. The fish remained small, “but so many of them,” the report said. The weather was beautiful on the waters. The Miss Barnegat Light is bluefishing 8 a.m. daily and 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

<b>Barnegat</b>

Striped bass and blackfish could be live-grass-shrimped, and an open-boat trip Wednesday morning, the Fourth of July, will start out with the angling, Capt. Dave DeGennaro from the <b>Hi Flier</b> said in an e-mail. Then the trip will fish the ocean reefs for sea bass and maybe fluke. “This way you get some sport, and some fillet,” Dave said. That’s because the fishing for stripers and blackfish is catch and release with light tackle. The stripers are usually smaller than the 28-inch size limit, “except for those that run us over the inlet jetty, and either dump the spool or shred the line on the mussels,” Dave said. “You’ve got to apply some pressure and turn them as soon as you hook up.” The blackfish are out of season. “Light spinning rods and no sinkers … just a hook!” Dave said about fishing for both. After a few hours the trip will bounce out to the reefs. Bottom fishing is new for Dave. “I just don’t want anyone thinking they are sailing with a seasoned bottom fisherman,” he said. But he’s getting better at positioning the boat over a piece, and sea bass, at least, should be able to be slid into the cooler. He did some of the fishing with folks on Sunday, “and I have to admit,” Dave said, “I see the appeal.” In a short time, some keeper sea bass, a large porgy and a big triggerfish were socked. The open trip, limited to three people, will sail 5 a.m. to 12 noon Wednesday, and call to reserve. 

<b>Mystic Island</b>

The bay was stirred up from storms, a report said Saturday on <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>’s Web site said. That was the most recent report, and fishing news was scarce from the bay because of the churned up waters. The bay off the Fish Factory was probably the best bet for summer flounder, because of cleaner waters. But ocean boaters reported better success on the fluke. The number of keepers wasn’t high. The ocean at the Rutgers buoys, Little Egg Reef, Garden State Reef South and A.C. Reef usually give up the fish. 

<b>Brigantine</b>

Surf anglers began to report banking kingfish for the first time this summer, a report on <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>’s Web site said. One angler beached eight on Saturday, and another saw an angler yank in five or six. “I guess they must be starting to trickle in,” the report said. Another angler dragged in a 33-inch striped bass from the surf on a Fishbite artificial worm on a kingfish rig.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

The year’s first inshore shark trip walloped the catches aboard Sunday, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. The fishing, catch and release, was extremely good, tackling 14 dusky and blacktip sharks to 80 pounds. The trips are a chance to fight big fish, on spinning or fly rods, close to shore, within 15 miles, usually closer. That’s instead of the long trek offshore. The sharks on the trip were landed on mackerel fillets on spinning rods in a chum slick. When anglers aboard fly fish for them, they toss chum flies in the slick. Though sharks would seem ferocious, the fly presentation must be right or delicate, or the sharks will become spooked. The trips fish structure, waiting for the sharks to come to the slick. The fishing looks like it’ll remain good for the near future. Closer to shore, summer flounder fishing became good on the ocean, and Jersey Cape is fishing for them. Trips aboard are also fishing for striped bass on the back bay on popper lures or flies on ideal tides or high tides at dusk. Jersey Cape is also fishing for tuna and billfish offshore, and one of the trips was supposed to sail today. 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>

Though not much had been heard about tuna caught inshore, anglers on a trip Saturday wanted to fish the area anyway, said Capt. George from the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>. One tuna grabbed a line, spooling a reel. Two other boats fished there and got no bites. The trip fished along 20 fathoms and pushed farther away to the Elephant Trunk, though the charter hadn’t booked the trip to fish that far. George mated on another boat on a summer flounder trip Thursday and a sea bass trip Friday. An okay catch of flounder to 5 pounds was made at the Old Grounds, and a good catch of sea bass was socked on the ocean. Plenty of bluefish swam the ocean, and 4-hour trips for them are available. Catch-and-release fishing for sharks inshore is also available. So is fishing offshore for yellowfin tuna that was going well. A few mahi mahi and billfish were also showing up offshore. Trips are available for all of these fish, and call if interested.

Trips clobbered small bluefish, usually 9 to 12 miles from shore, on the <b>Down Deep</b>, Capt. Greg said. Often the blues were trolled at first, then the trips would fish for something else. Sometimes summer flounder were targeted afterward. One trip, after trolling blues, fished for flounder a moment at Reef 11 on the ocean. Three keepers to 7 pounds and a handful of throwbacks were reeled in. Fishing for flounder was good at the Old Grounds on the ocean. More throwbacks might’ve been appearing there than earlier in the season, and the shorts seemed especially abundant in the past few days. Catch-and-release fishing for brown sharks was great from Delaware Bay to the bluefish grounds on the ocean. One trip, targeting the sharks after bluefishing, landed one, but some trips landed double digits. One of the boat’s mates joined a trip that pasted about eight yellowfin tuna and a white marlin at the offshore canyons. Yellowfin fishing’s been productive.

Back to Top