<b>Keyport</b>

Eleven keeper fluke were coolered from Ambrose and Sandy Hook channels Sunday, and seven keepers were plopped in the box at Ambrose Saturday, with <b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b>, Capt. Joe said. Throwbacks and sea robins were let go, and the trips were covered in the last report. But space is available on open-boat trips for fluke 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. through the weekend. Call to reserve. Charters are also fluking.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Fluke were boated in the deep on the ocean Wednesday, said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. He heard nothing about how fluking was “inside,” he said. Bottom fishing was slow for him on a trip that day on the ocean. A few blackfish and sea bass bit, but not like he expected. Maybe that was because of the full moon coming. He saw a few bluefish on the ocean, and blues were probably chummed offshore. Weakfish swam Raritan Bay, and so did fish like spots and porgies. In the surf, small blues sometimes popped in, and occasional false albacore showed up, and small fluke carpeted bottom. Crabbing was good in the rivers. The full selection of baits is stocked.

Catching fluke was tough the last three days, said Capt. Tom from the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>. The fishing somewhat improved on Wednesday afternoon’s trip, turning up a bit more throwbacks and keepers. By 10 o’clock on this morning’s trip, action with throwbacks was better than during the last three days, and more keepers were claimed than on some of the trips the last three days, Tom said in a phone call on the trip then. “Don’t know what it means,” he said. The fluking wasn’t good, but at least short action was better. None of the fish was big in past days. Pool winners were lucky if their fluke weighed 4 pounds, and some pool-winners didn’t even weigh that. Conditions weren’t so bad. Winds against current made drifting the boat tough on a couple of afternoons. The Atlantic Star is fishing for fluke twice daily 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 6 p.m.

Great weather was finally ahead this week, and Wednesday was beautiful on the waters, Capt. Ron from the party boat <b>Fishermen</b> said in a report on the vessel’s Web site. Fluke fishing was tough in past days, and seas were nasty on the ocean during the weekend. Forecasts finally looked better by Tuesday, and many miles were covered on the day’s trip, without much success. In the beautiful weather Wednesday, anglers aboard picked at fish, “till the ocean laid down offshore,” Ron said. An area with better numbers of fish was finally found, and the trip worked it hard the rest of the day. One angler cracked four keeper fluke and some keeper sea bass. Big Jim won the pool with a 6-1/4-pound fluke. Another angler slugged away at short fluke and sea bass, and Ron was unsure whether he grabbed a keeper, but the angler got into plenty of action. A couple of young first-timers on the boat had a blast catching a few keeper fluke and sea bass, shorts and sea robins. “Back at it (today),” Ron said. The Fisherman is sailing for fluke 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.

<b>Highlands</b>

All trips limited out or nearly limited on fluke with <b>Fisher Price Charters</b>, and some bigger ones were socked, including a 12-1/2-pounder, Capt. Derek said. That doormat was heaved in Wednesday on a trip that limited out by 12 noon. Trips fished deep waters along the rough bottom with bucktails or big strip baits. Charters are fishing, and one space is available for an open-boat trip for fluke Friday. A few spaces remain for another Saturday. Call to jump aboard or to be kept informed about future open-boat dates. Fall charters for striped bass, blackfish and bottom fish are being booked.

Most fluke came from the ocean like at the channels or Shrewsbury Rocks, said Wayne from <b>Twin Lights Marina</b>. Fisher Price Charters docked a 12-1/2-pound fluke Wednesday that inhaled a peanut bunker and squid. A boater from the marina today planned to sail for weakfish, but nothing else was heard about weakfishing. Wayne steamed offshore two Sundays ago, and a few  skipjacks and bonito bit. Something big grabbed a line 4 or 5 miles southeast of the HA buoy, when the boat fished near a troller, but the line broke off for the angler, inexperienced. Frozen sand eels will arrive Friday, and couldn’t be gotten all season. Killies and all the frozen baits for inshore are carried, including frozen pints and quarts of clam bellies, spearing, Peruvian smelts, cut up shedder crabs, and the different squids like pre-cut, whole and more. Live bunker and clams will be carried again this fall. Offshore baits are in full supply, including flats of herring, sardines and butterfish. Half flats might be available for certain baits, if anglers want to save. 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>

A fair number of cod and some big ling were axed on a trip Monday, Capt. Ralph from <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b> said in an e-mail. The cod weren’t big like on the previous trip. “Someone was on the last spot I nailed them two weeks ago,” Ralph said. So this week’s trip wreck jumped. “We’ll get the big ones again on the next trip,” Ralph said. Canyon fishing was slow on an overnight trip Saturday to Sunday. At night, one shark was caught. The next day, one 60- to 70-pound yellowfin tuna was trolled, and two white marlin were raised. “Water has just moved in,” Ralph said, and he expects very good fishing in two or three weeks. Big bluefish bit in the ocean, including on a trip Wednesday. Fluke fishing’s been good on the ocean. An individual-reservation trip for cod is set for Monday, September 17. An individual-rez trip for tuna at the canyons is slated for Sunday to Monday, September 23 to 24. Space is available Sunday for the weekly, individual-reservation trip for fluke and sea bass. The fluke trips are running Tuesdays and Sundays till fluke season closes on September 29, and kids under 12 sail free, limited to two per adult. The trips are running full, so book early.

<b>Belmar</b>

The year’s first report about mullet schooling the surf rolled in, said Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> in an e-mail. Surf anglers saw the baitfish, a small amount, “but a good sign for the fall, and better things to come,” Bob said. The surf casters beached a few small, throwback striped bass, “but bass, nonetheless,” Bob said. Rivers were loaded with bait including mullet, peanut bunker and spearing that were poised to slide to the ocean when waters cool and days grow shorter. Most surf anglers who were regular customers were waiting for Labor Day to pass to start patrolling favorite shorelines. “Think fall,” Bob concluded.

Bottom fishing so far today iced about 10 keeper fluke, including some better-sized ones 3 and 4 pounds, and probably 50 keeper sea bass on the ocean, said Capt. Mike from the <b>Katie H</b> at 2  p.m. in a phone call aboard while the trip was still fishing. Lots of throwbacks were waded through. Fishing began slowly, but really came together. A box full of fish was sacked, and the anglers had a good time, Mike said. Another inshore trip is slated for Saturday. The next offshore trip for tuna is scheduled for the following Saturday. Tuna fishing sounded slow, and Mike rescheduled recent tuna trips because of that. So he’ll see if the fishing changes before the next scheduled trip.

After the ocean swell, fishing for fluke was tougher the last few days, said Capt. Pete from <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b>. Catches somewhat picked up Wednesday afternoon, and Pete hoped would continue to improve today. Otherwise fluking was nothing crazy, but was decent, and catches should continue until fluke season closes, so long as no big storm changes the bite. Fluke began to swim deeper. Triggerfish and sea bass were mixed in, more on some days than others. Tom hoped porgy fishing would pick up like it should this season. Bluefishing on the ocean was silly, for the most part. Pelagics like false albacore and skipjacks were mixed in. Parker Pete’s sails for all species available, and charters and open-boat trips are fishing. 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.

<b>Brielle</b>

Fishing for fluke was very good aboard the ocean Wednesday, and began to bounce back Tuesday, after a couple of sluggish days, because of effects of the weekend’s easterly winds, an e-mail from the party boat <b>Jamaica II</b> said. Anglers and their catches Wednesday included: Pete Talevi, limit to 7 pounds, on the afternoon trip; Don Colson, Ted Osterly and Donnito Patrick, each a limit to 5 pounds; Dave Nelson, limit to 4 ½ pounds; and Carter Rhames, limit to 4 pounds. “Looking forward to some very good fishing this upcoming week,” the e-mail said. An 8-pound 14-ounce fluke led the monthly pool, and the crew expects some customer to reel in a bigger one this week. The Jamaica II is fluke fishing on two half-day trips 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays and on a full-day trip 8 a.m. Mondays. A Special Fluke Marathon will run 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. the final Monday of fluke season, Sept. 24, and call to reserve. “Limited,” a previous report said.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

<b>***Update, Friday, 8/31:***</b> “It finally happened,” an e-mail from <b>Canyon Runner Sport Fishing</b> said today. Great yellowfin tuna fishing was crushed at night at the canyons. The fishing happened close to port to boot, within 70 to 80 miles, “and no more,” the e-mail said. During the last two nights, trips on boats chunked 10 to 20 yellowfins apiece, and bigeye tuna and swordfish spiced up catches. Bigeyes and blue marlin were also tackled during daytime, and one trip on a vessel totaled four bigeyes. A trip with Canyon Runner returned Thursday from a trip that whacked “a blue marlin, sword, wahoo and yellowfin!” the e-mail said. Not many dates remain for trips aboard. Now’s the time to grab them. Contact Canyon Runner if interested.

The following report was posted in an update Tuesday and is being re-posted in case anyone missed it: Winds and weather kept <b>Mushin Sportfishing</b> docked since the weekend, Alan, the boat’s owner, said in an e-mail Tuesday. But the crew is looking to set up a number of light-tackle trips for bonito and false albacore in September. “(We) target them with fresh spearing we seine ourselves,” Alan said, “and adjust our methods to target these speedsters on light spinning gear.” For dates and details, call Capt. Ray: 732-691-0949.

On the party boat <b>Dauntless</b> bottom fishing on the ocean was fairly steady, not a bail, but steady, Capt. Butch said. Sea bass and ling were swung in. A few fluke started to be caught, and a few cod continued to be claimed. Porgy catches just began to pick up, and Butch hoped that continued, so trips could fish for them. Anglers averaged 10 to 20 fish apiece, a mix of the species. Seas held a little ground swell, but conditions were beautiful. Trips fished for sea bass shallow in 50 to 60 feet and for ling deep in 150 to 200 feet. On nighttime trips, bluefishing was very good. Lots of blues, big ones, 8- to 12-pounders, were creamed.  The Dauntless is bottom fishing 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily and bluefishing 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. Wednesdays through Sundays. After Labor Day, the bluefish trips will sail Fridays and Saturdays during the same hours.

Dynamite fluke fishing was crushed from the ocean and Manasquan River, said Chuck from <b>Gates Bait & Tackle</b>. Some bigger ones began to be smacked from the ocean. The river’s fluke were smaller. Striped bass began to be reported caught from the surf to Point Pleasant Canal, but only at night. Blues to 8 pounds ran the canal, and that was large for blues there. Nothing was heard about weakfish. In the surf, kingfishing seemed to slow locally, and only a few landed were heard about. Croakers appeared last week in the local surf, but fishing for them was slow this week. Sometimes false albacore crashed the surf. Plenty of triggerfish lined the rocks at Manasquan Inlet and the jetties. All baits are stocked, including sand eels, spearing and sandworms. <b>***THIS TACKLE SHOP IS FOR SALE! CALL: 732-899-5760.***</b>

<b>Toms River</b>

From Barnegat Bay fluke were lifted from near the BI and BB markers, said Jeff from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. Blowfish, spots and croakers snapped there. Blues popped up here and there in the bay. A few weakfish were heard about, but not a lot was heard about how the fishing was going. A few small weaks like 10 inches were hooked at Pelican Island. In the Toms River, snapper blues, croakers, spots, puppy drum and a few small striped bass swam. Crabs skittered around the river. Crabbing slowed, and many caught were small, but some better-sized ones were nabbed. The catches depended on where people crabbed. Surf casters latched into blues, kingfish, lots of spots, fluke, croakers, sea robins and dog fish. Good-sized fluke were sometimes banked at Ortley Beach and Lavallette, and kings were yanked from shore at Island Beach State Park. From the ocean most fluke were boated to the north in 50 to 75 feet. Axel Carlson Reef, Shrewsbury Rocks and off the Red Church gave them up. But one trip with two anglers reportedly decked nine keeper fluke straight off Manasquan Inlet in 75 feet.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

Lots of small fish including blowfish, kingfish, spots and snapper blues were drilled from the docks at <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>, John said. All kinds of stuff, he said. Crabbing was “off,” but rental boaters could manage 12 or 18 keepers. Barnegat Bay at the BI and BB markers was jammed with lots of fish like blues, kingfish, croakers and sea bass. All the usual suspects, John said, and anglers could put a good catch together, if they’d like. Surf casters dragged in 1- to 4-pound blues that swiped mullet and a few fluke. No false albacore were heard about from the surf, but that didn’t mean they weren’t there. The shop rents different types of boats for fishing, crabbing and cruising, rents water skis, and features the full supply of bait and tackle, a free pier for fishing and crabbing, and more.

<b>Forked River</b>

Weakfish, fairly good catches, were pink Fin-S Fished from Barnegat Bay at Oyster Creek Channel and between the BI and BB markers, said Kyle from <b>Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle</b>. Killies also caught them, and blowfishing was excellent near the new research buoy between the BI and BB. Most customers fished for them. Fluke fishing actually picked up a little at Oyster Creek and Double Creek channels, toward the BI and BB, and on the ocean at the Tires and Garden State Reef North. Crabbing slowed the past couple of weeks, but some were trapped. Maybe they were mating or something. 

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Bluefishing was super, couldn’t be better, and lots of false albacore were mixed in, Wednesday on the party boat <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b> on the ocean, a report on the vessel’s Web site said. The blues were 8 to 15 pounds, and fishing for them was fantastic Tuesday and good Monday. Monday’s trip “got on them a little late,” the report said, but then the fish were belted. The Miss Barnegat Light is bluefishing 8 a.m. daily and 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

Barnegat Bay shoveled up good catches of fluke at places like off the Dike, mostly on killies, some on spearing, said Vince Sr. from <b>Bobbie’s Boat Rentals</b>. Ocean fluke fishing was much better than before, was good, including at the Tires and off the Seaside pipe. Lots of weakfish flooded the bay. A mess were live-grass shrimped on the west side of the bay and at Meyer’s Hole. Other fish including small sea bass and fluke were mixed in. Lots of blackfish were tugged in from along the Barnegat Inlet rocks. Lots of customers bought green crabs for bait for them. The bay’s crabbing was slow, but its clamming was very good. Live spots are stocked, and some big fluke were plastered on them today. Live grass shrimp are carried, but should be ordered ahead. Bobbie’s rents boats and kayaks, including for fishing, crabbing and clamming, is known for bait selection, and features a tackle shop and a fuel dock.

<b>Surf City</b>

One angler today beached a keeper fluke and two throwbacks from the surf, said Sue from <b>Surf City Bait & Tackle</b>. Kingfish, spots, small blues, and weakfish were banked from shore. In the bay, snapper blues, weakfish and small sea bass were snatched up. The shop’s free surf-fishing classes were wrapped up last weekend, always concluded the weekend before Labor Day weekend. Covering the beach fishing that’s happening currently, the classes will be back again next summer. 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 fishing line could hardly be kept in Great Bay, because so many fish swarmed, said Scott from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Weakfish, porgies, sea bass, kingfish, spots – you name it – almost all the fish were there. Few were big enough to keep, but weakfish and kingfish could be bagged. If boaters chummed at the clam stakes off the Mystic Island side of the fish factory, they could pluck all those fish. Not many blowfish swam the area, but lots did farther north. White perch became difficult to catch among all the small fish in the brackish rivers. Sharks were caught from the bay Sunday, though the season was getting late for them. Summer flounder fishing was very good in the ocean in the deep: 60 feet or more. The fish were very spot specific. Boaters repeating short drifts or power drifting small areas caught. Boaters taking 2-mile drifts did not. One boater reported catching small mahi mahi just offshore of Little Egg Reef. Fresh, shucked clams, bloodworms, green crabs and live spots and mullet are stocked. Plenty of minnows are on hand, and no grass shrimp or eels are stocked.

<b>Absecon</b>

Summer flounder  fishing was good, mostly in the ocean, said Curt from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. Not a lot of flounder remained in the bay. In the ocean, flounder gathered tight to structure like wrecks or along significant changes in open bottom like a shelf. Lots of weakfish to 24 inches, some of them good-sized, swam the bay. Previously they began to gather more in the north of local waters, but now they moved back to local areas a bit. Small spots, shedder crab or Gulps caught them. Lots of small fish like juvenile sea bass and baitfish like spots, mullet and peanut bunker schooled the bay. Snapper blues ran the bay. A few blackfish and some triggerfish were caught, and nothing was heard about sheepshead that were sometimes landed earlier this season. White perch fishing was decent in brackish rivers. A bunch of other fish like small striped bass and blues filled the rivers. Crabbing was good. Shedder crabs and two sizes of spots are stocked. Soft-shell crabs are on hand for eating. 

<b>Brigantine</b>

Spots, kingfish, blues and weakfish swam the surf or all over, said Capt. Andy from <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>. Not many summer flounder were pulled from the Brigantine surf, except a few at the cove, unlike good numbers of flounder that reports said came from farther north at Long Beach Island and Island Beach State Park. But near Brigantine, lots of flounder covered the ocean wrecks and reefs. Fishing for flounder was a little slow on the back bay. The shop is loaded with bait including bloodworms and Fishbites. Fishbites were scarce at some other locations. Details about the shop’s annual Striped Bass Derby, slated to start in late September, will be announced soon.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

Absecon Inlet anglers on foot toggled in summer flounder, blues, kingfish, spots, blackfish, weakfish and porgies, said Noel from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. All fish remained, were yet to depart. If anglers couldn’t catch now, they might as well have hung it up. This was a time of year to catch. Loads of bait, astronomical amounts, filled the waters, including mullet, peanut bunker, spearing, herring and minnows. Lots of snapper blues schooled the back bay.  One Stop opened a second store at Gardner’s Basin at 800 North New Hampshire Avenue. The original, remaining open, is at 416 Atlantic Avenue.

<b>Margate</b>

Back-bay fishing for summer flounder wasn’t bad, said Capt. John from the party boat <b>Keeper</b>. Legal-sized ones were still around, and a few weakfish were caught. Lots of snapper blues began to chomp. A gazillion baby sea bass bit, and croakers showed up here and there. A half-decent amount of fish were hooked, and customers seemed happy. Mackerel and minnows, provided on board, caught, and sand sharks that were hooked were sometimes used for bait. Gulps worked well that anglers brought, and John recommends them. The Keeper is fishing for summer flounder 8 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 to 5 p.m. daily. The fare is only $25 per adult, $20 for seniors and $16 for kids.

<b>Ocean City</b>

<b>***Update, Friday, 8/31:***</b> Lots of kingfish and spots scurried the surf, said Phil from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. Back-bay fishing was mostly shut down. But a few striped bass were hung from the bay at night. A bunch of mullet schooled the bay. Summer flounder, sea bass and a few cobia gathered at the ocean reefs. Wahoos were gaffed at the Cigar, and plenty of white marlin and blue marlin swam Wilmington Canyon.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

<b>***Update, Saturday, 9/1:***</b> Two white marlin were landed on a trip Thursday at Wilmington Canyon on trolled naked ballyhoos with Jay and Luc Vonczoernig aboard, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b>, affiliated with <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. Waters were 77.7 degrees, holding no real temperature breaks, only small ones. A blue marlin and some mahi mahi were heard about that were caught on other vessels in the area that day. In the evening, J.R. Smith aboard popper-plugged striped bass on the back bay. The popper fishing, with lures or flies, should explode as water temps drop. High tides in evenings, ideal for the fishing, happened this past week, coming around every two weeks. This coming week high tides at night will be ideal for fishing for stripers in the dark on the bay on soft-plastic lures and Clouser Minnow flies. A bunch of summer, flounder, sea bass, triggerfish and amberjacks could be caught on trips to Townsend’s Inlet Reef on the ocean. Starting the last two weekends of September, annual weekend trips will sail from Montauk, New York, for the legendary run of striped bass, blues and false albacore. The fishing’s been epic for Jersey Cape in recent years, and book now. Reserve dates for annual weekend trips to Florida in winter. The trips can fish for a large variety of catches including redfish, speckled sea trout and tarpon in the back country to king mackerel, blackfin tuna and sailfish out front. See info about both trips on Jersey Cape’s <a href="http://www.captainjoehughes.com/page4.html" target="_blank">Traveling Fisherman Charters</a> Web page. Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s blog</a>.

Fishing was about the same as last week, said Mike from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>, or nothing really changed. Lots of spots crammed the surf, and bluefish sometimes showed up from the surf to the inlets to the bay or everywhere. They bit spot heads in the surf, mullet at the inlets and livelined peanut bunker or lures in the bay. A few striped bass and weakfish were wrangled from the bay at night under lights. One angler sailed for sharks on the inshore ocean, saying plenty remained. Few anglers fished for them anymore this season. Nothing was heard about sea bass from the ocean in seven or ten days. From offshore waters, a few wahoos fought at the Cigar and the Lobster Claw and a few mahi mahi taken from the Cigar were the catches heard about.

<b>Wildwood</b>

One customer and two granddaughters, 8 and 12, rental-boated a 21-inch summer flounder, two 19-inchers  and a 19-inch weakfish from  the back bay on a trip, releasing the fish, said Mike from <b>Canal Side Boat Rentals</b>. Flounder still swam the bay, hadn’t all left for the ocean, and weakfish held in the bay. Weaks weren’t everywhere, but they were there. A couple of 19- and 20-inchers were docked. Lots of spots were around, and kids Sabiki-jigged them from the canal on clam and Fishbites. Crabbing was decent, not real strong, but better than it had been, and will keep getting better a while this season. The rental boats are available, and a large supply of baits is stocked. Minnows are only $5 a pint, the best price on the island, Mike said in a previous report. Baits carried 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 sand eels, herring, whole mackerel, mackerel fillets and salted clams in quarts and pints. Crabs for eating are currently $22 per dozen for No. 1’s and $12 per dozen for No. 2’s. The price can change, depending on the market. Canal Side will probably remain open till the second week of October, before a break through winter. Check out <a href="http://www.canalsideboatrentals.com" target="_blank">Canal Side’s Web site</a>.

<b>Cape May</b>

<b>***Update, Friday, 8/31:***</b> Ocean summer flounder anglers caught at places like the Old Grounds, Reef 11 and Cape May Reef, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. The flatfish could be found in the back bay, and high tides, cooler waters, were probably best. Good catches of flounder were reeled in around the inlet buoys. Sea bass were probably best slugged at places like Reef 11. Cape May Reef might’ve held a few. Small blues schooled off Cape May Point. A mix of fish including kingfish, croakers and weakfish loitered along Cape May Channel. Big sharks were eased in from the surf, mostly at night, and high tides were likely best. A few redfish, the southern species, were picked along the surf jetties. Warm waters apparently attracted them. Big sharks, mostly browns and sand tigers, required to be released, haunted Delaware Bay. Anglers fished for them at deep spots like 60-Foot Slough. Croakers, mostly small, but some of them large enough to keep, schooled Delaware Bay. Nick on Thursday steamed to Baltimore Canyon. Lots of white marlin were seen. If anglers wanted tuna, Lindenkohl Canyon was probably best. Reports might’ve said tuna fishing was slow. But many tuna were entered in the recent Mid Atlantic $500,000 tournament. Fresh clams, bloodworms, minnows and all the frozen baits for inshore are stocked. Offshore baits include flats of butterfish and sardines and trolling ballyhoos and squid. Chum is on hand for sharking.

A bunch of bluefish were trolled off Cape May Point on Wednesday on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>, Capt. George said. The trip was an annual event when Atlantic County ARC jumps aboard to fish on the fleet. Plenty of blues schooled off the point, and seas were calm on Delaware Bay and the ocean around the point, except at the Cape May Rips. Mahi mahi could be caught at the lobster pot buoys 25 or 30 miles from shore. Little was heard about tuna, but overnight tuna trips are slated for September. Summer flounder fishing was good on the ocean when winds and currents drifted the boat right. Sea bass season will close in a few days, opening back up in late September. Weakfish bit in Delaware Bay, but one was the bag limit. Reports said some of the weaks were sizeable to 23 inches. Trips are available, and call if interested.

Winds blew since Friday or Saturday, and the fishing grounds held a big swell on the ocean, and fishing for summer flounder aboard was about as lousy as the weather, said Capt. Paul from the party boat <b>Porgy IV</b>. But seas and weather were supposed to calm today for the first time since then. A few flounder, not many, were flung aboard in past days, but sizeable ones were hung. Brian Gallo, Somerdale, on Monday whacked a 10.4-pound flounder, the biggest aboard this year. On Saturday Mike Sullivan, Langhorne, Pa., cracked an 8.6-pound flounder, despite winds. On Wednesday “South Philly Joe” reeled in three keeper flounder to 5 ½ pounds. A few sea bass were mixed with catches. Few boats sailed the flounder grounds in the weather, cutting back on chances of someone finding a bite. But Paul hopes weather settles and he or another boat will stumble into more flounder. He’ll get on them then. The Porgy IV is fishing for summer flounder 8 a.m. daily. Labor Day’s trip will sail on the usual schedule.  

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