<b>Staten Island</b>

A sea bass trip limited out and threw back more Saturday with <b>Outcast Charters</b>, Capt. Joe said. Plus the fish were big, many of them 3 pounds, and fluke were mixed in that made New York’s 19-1/2-inch size limit. The fishing was super, and so was sea bassing aboard Sunday. Fewer large sea bass were socked than on Saturday, but 3-pounders were still drilled. Just not as many. A trip Tuesday was the first this season that came short of a limit of sea bass, but only a few short. The fish were big again, though. Outcast is fishing for sea bass, ling and fluke. Outcast pays bridge tolls with a receipt. Anglers can also be picked up and dropped off from Perth Amboy, New Jersey, including to follow New Jersey’s bag and size limits.

<b>Keyport</b>

Twelve keeper fluke were iced, and throwbacks were released, on the ocean on a trip Monday with <b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b>, Capt. Joe said. The weather was good, and the boat drifted well for the angling. The anglers, Chris Knox, wife Tammy and sons Josh and Garrett, were from Ohio, and got the hang of the fishing well. They soaked killies, spearing and squid for bait. Open-boat trips for fluke are available 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 8 p.m. daily through the weekend. Call to climb aboard.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Good catches of fluke were boated on Raritan Bay, including at the Triangle and Reach Channel, and on the ocean, said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Lots of spots and kingfish swarmed the bay. Weakfish were wormed from the bay. Bottom-fishers cranked aboard very good catches of ling offshore. Ling fishing this year was “constant,” Jimmy said, and the fish were sizeable. Plenty of sea bass were snatched up when bottom trips fished the right spots. Not a lot of porgies were heard about yet this season. But a few porgies were plucked on bottom trips. Lots of triggerfish gathered at the rocks to the south. Bluefish were chummed at the Mud Buoy. Lots of sharks kept being reported caught. In the rivers, crabs, great catches, were trapped, and snapper blues schooled. Baits are fully stocked.

New areas were searched out on Wednesday’s fluke trip on the party boat <b>Fishermen</b>, and some beauties were found, despite lack of current all day, Capt. Ron said in a report on the vessel’s Web site. Some anglers limited out, and large sea bass were sometimes scooped aboard. Tony Russi won the pool with a 7-1/2-pound fluke. Bait caught better than bucktails, except for some regular customers who bucktailed four keepers apiece and plenty of throwbacks. The Fisherman is sailing for fluke 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and 3:30 to 9 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

Action with fluke was good the last three days, probably the best in two weeks, and sometimes keepers were socked, on the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>, Capt. Tom said. Trips fished off Sandy Hook Point, not along Ambrose Channel like before. Fishing off the Hook was somewhat easier than angling the 70-foot depths at Ambrose, and fluking seemed the same there as at Ambrose. Some anglers would get lucky and bag two or three fluke, and one bagged four. Nobody limited out, but lots of the flatfish bit, and anglers sorted through shorts to grab keepers. A good number of fluke were an inch or half-inch shorter than the 17-1/2-inch size limit. No very big fluke came in during the days, and pool-winners weighed up to maybe 4 ½ or 5 pounds. Spro jigs might’ve caught somewhat better on some days, but everything caught about equally the last several days: Spros, killies, spearing, Gulps or a combo of killies or spearing with Gulps. 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, Saturday, 8/11:***</b> Seas rolled a lot, so Friday morning’s trip was crummy, Tom said, and fishing wasn’t as good as he’d like. He hadn’t planned to sail on the afternoon’s trip, but enough anglers showed up, so the boat headed out, and conditions were surprisingly better. Seas held a gentle roll, and the trip fished at Sandy Hook Channel, and lots of fluke were caught. Everyone landed at least throwbacks, and a few keepers came in. The ratio was probably 12 to 1.

<b>Highlands</b>

Motoring from <b>Twin Lights Marina</b>, Ed and Tony on the Hammerhead limited out on fluke Wednesday at Sandy Hook Channel on bucktails, an e-mail from the marina said. Also at the channel, Jacques and Aret Kartalyan on the GiGi landed six keeper fluke and lots of throwbacks on bait: killies and squid. Brian Pease on the Sara Ann fluked the channel, Shrewsbury Rocks and the ocean near Long Branch, managing one 18-inch keeper. Keith Wakefield’s gang from Rahway on Tuesday fished Ambrose Channel, totaling 38 fluke, including 13 keepers, including two 5-pounders, on bucktails and bait. John Cuozzo and crew on the Elsea Nora at Ambrose bucktailed one keeper fluke and 12 throwbacks Saturday. Mathew Fatovic on the 2F’s decked some keeper fluke to 19 inches at Ambrose on Gulps. The Saltwater Anglers of Bergen County will hold a fluke tournament at the marina Saturday, and the captain’s meeting is tonight.  Killies, large ones from the South, are stocked. 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. Offshore baits are in full supply. 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>

Bluefin tuna, a good catch, were fought Wednesday on the inshore ocean with <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b>, Capt. Ralph said. The fish were trolled, but most anglers baited or jigged them now. Trips aboard lately chummed big bluefish and flung aboard large sea bass and good catches of fluke. Yellowfin tuna fishing could be good at the offshore canyons. Individual-reservation trips for fluke and sea bass are sailing 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Sunday and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Tuesday, and kids under 12 sail free, limited to two per adult, on the Last Lady II. On the Last Lady, individual-rez trips are fishing the inshore wrecks 6 a.m. every Sunday for sea bass, ling, blackfish and cod. An individual-reservation trip for cod offshore was just added for 2 a.m. Monday, August 27, after another booked up next week. Charters are available for all this fishing, including inshore and canyon tuna.

<b>Belmar</b>

Many sizeable fluke were docked from the ocean on the Belmar party boats Tuesday, said Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> in an e-mail. The catches included Chuck Clayton’s 9-pounder and 5-pounder hooked on the Big Mohawk on a 6-inch Gulp mullet. Big bait, big fish, Bob said.

Bluefishing plastered 8- to 15-pounders, lots, on the ocean on both daytime and nighttime trips on the party boat <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b>, Capt. Alan said. Trips kept returning early, because the anglers caught their fill, quit fishing. The angling bailed the most and biggest blues of the season. A 70-pound yellowfin tuna was axed on one of the trips, and trips on a couple of other bluefish boats caught 30- or 40-pounders. “Yellowfins, not bluefins,” Alan said. On the party boat <b>Tropical Adventure</b>, Alan’s other vessel, good catches of fluke were wrangled up the last couple of days. Lots more keepers than before were taken. “Not that we’re killing them,” Alan said, but many anglers clubbed two, three or four keepers, and some limited out. A few sea bass, not many, were mixed in. 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. The Tropical Adventure is fishing for fluke and sea bass 7:30 a.m. to 12 noon and 3:30 to 6 p.m. daily.

With <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b> anglers picked away at fluke and a few sizeable sea bass, an okay catch, Wednesday on the ocean, Capt. Pete said. All the anglers bagged two or three fluke and some sea bass, and winds against tide slowed the drift, so sometimes the boat was power-drifted. Like all season, when conditions drift the boat well, fluking is good. Trips can also target sea bass specifically or bluefin tuna.  Parker Pete’s sails for any species available, and 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.

One trip fished Tuesday, and two trips fished Wednesday, with <b>Fin-Ominal Sportfishing</b>, Capt. Jared said. Lots of trips fished last week, covered in the last report. Tuesday’s trip bottom fished, dredging up lots of big sea bass to 2 ½ or 3 pounds and three or four keeper fluke. Wednesday morning’s trip, with 14 anglers, bottom-angled a mess of sea bass and fluke, so that Jared had to help the mate fillet the fish. A family trip Wednesday afternoon showed up with 18 anglers, but was supposed to come with about 13, and Jared usually likes to limit fishing trips to 14, though the boat can accommodate 23 passengers on cruises. But the trip sailed, also bottom fishing, and the anglers weren’t so experienced, but they bagged a few sea bass and fluke, tossing back lots of shorts. A bonito was landed, and so was a huge sand shark probably 25 or 30 pounds or 5 feet. Bluefishing’s been good on the boat 18 miles from shore. The large ones usually averaged 8 pounds. But a boat from the docks ran into slammers 12 to 15 pounds. Bluefishing was usually best in afternoons or evenings, when fewer boats, including party boats, filled waters. A canyon tuna trip is slated to fish in 1 ½ weeks aboard. Cruises available include trips to watch fireworks on the ocean off Asbury Park every Wednesday and Point Pleasant Beach every Thursday through August. Cruises can also include cocktail trips or any trips imaginable, from the rivers and ocean to the Manhattan skyline. 

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

Catches of fluke were better than before on the ocean the past few days on the party boat <b>Gambler</b>, Capt. Bob said. “Not too bad at all,” he said. Good-sized keepers were sometimes winged. “Nice, steady pick of keepers,” he said. Throwbacks were let go, and sea bass were slugged on some trips. The fluke trips fished mostly in 65 feet. The last bluefishing trip, on Saturday, was very good. Big blues to 12 pounds were bombed in 125 feet, about 20 miles from shore. Nighttime wreck-fishing trips were also good lately. Plenty of ling, mixed sizes, from small to 3 ½ pounds, were looted, and lots of squid were jigged. So all three types of trips scored well. The Gambler is fishing for fluke 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. daily. Wreck-fishing trips are steaming 7:30 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursdays. Bluefish trips are running 7:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

“Another decent day of fluking,” a report said about Wednesday’s fishing on the party boat <b>Norma-K III</b> on the vessel’s Web site. “Good trip in the morning, and a decent trip in the afternoon,” it said. Trips are fishing the ocean rocks and rubble, so bring extra tackle for inevitable snags. Gulps on bucktails caught best, and 4-pound fluke were pool-winners that day. On nighttime trips, bluefishing was awesome. Blues 8 to 12 pounds were ransacked. Sore arms, happy faces and big bags of fillets came off the boat once again Wednesday night, the report said. The Norma-K III is fishing for fluke 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 to 6:30 p.m. daily and for blues 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. daily.

<b>Mushin Sportfishing</b> steamed to Hudson Canyon at 10 p.m. Tuesday to chunk for tuna a few hours at night before trolling for them during daytime, Capt. Ray said. The trip arrived at the East Wall, began chunking “as hard as possible,” Ray said, in the dark, and the fish finder didn’t read much. One fish, maybe a shark, picked up a bait and broke off. Up on the troll in the morning, tuna fishing was very slow. A 50-pound yellowfin tuna and a bunch of mahi mahi were landed. The trip switched to tilefishing to save the day, and did. A very good catch of golden tilefish and blueline tilefish was pumped in. Five or six pushed 20 pounds. Waters at the canyon were very warm, 78 or 79 degrees, and “homogenous,” Ray said. Not many temperature breaks were around to concentrate tuna. A few were caught, and boaters just had to run over them. “But you’re not going to run over them at the dock,” Ray said. Lots of mammals or whales and porpoises filled waters. A couple of bluefish trips are slated for the weekend, and a couple of tuna trips are scheduled for next week. Mushin means a relaxed state of readiness. The crew pride themselves on sharing the concept on outdoor adventures.

Two bigeye tuna were heaved aboard last week with <b>Canyon Runner Sport Fishing</b>, an e-mail from Canyon Runner said. Fourteen or 15 bigeyes – the crew might’ve  lost count – were decked so far this season on the company’s trips. Tuna fishing “isn’t exactly red hot,” the e-mail said, “but we seem to keep running over a couple of bigeyes.” Trips on other boats sometimes scored great catches of yellowfin tuna at Hudson Canyon on Friday night. The crew hoped “that (signaled) the beginning of the chunking season,” the e-mail said. But the fishing was slow for Canyon Runner on Monday night, “so who knows,” it said. The trip then ran inshore and caught bluefin tuna. Trips with Canyon Runner last week sometimes totaled six or eight yellowfins. But many trips aboard only landed one to three. The two bigeyes were caught last week on Monday and Thursday, one trolled on a Canyon Runner spreader bar, the other trolled on a ballyhoo with a Joe Schute skirt. Very few openings remain for charters and open-boat trips until September, but some do. Call promptly.

<b>***Update, Friday, 8/10:***</b> A trip Thursday ran 60 miles offshore “to the hot spot,” a report on Andrea’s Toy Charters’ Web site said. The trip, with one angler, began chunking and jigging after lunchtime, and two chicken mahi mahi were caught. Tuna fishing turned out slow a moment, but sharks kept being seen. Then makos appeared. Two were hooked at the same time, and landed. The larger one, 60 inches, was kept for the grill. Then another shark was fought but pulled the hook. Then a 60-pound yellowfin tuna was nailed. The angler decided he had plenty of meat, and the trip headed for the barn. Andrea’s Toy is focusing on open-boat, mixed-bag trips for big game. See <a href="http://www.andreastoycharters.com" target="_blank">Andrea’s Toy’s home page</a> for a write-up about the fishing, or call for info.

Excellent fishing was pasted at Manasquan Inlet, said Chuck from <b>Gates Bait & Tackle</b>. All kinds of fish hung there, including fluke and lots of blues. Triggerfish hugged the rocks, and blackfish began to appear there. Hickory shad crammed the inlet and Manasquan River, especially in early mornings and at dusk. Tons of bait filled waters, including lots of spearing and rainfish. Spots schooled along the bridges, and were good baits to liveline for fluke. Ocean fluke fishing went well, including at Shrewsbury Rocks, Sea Girt Reef and Axel Carlson Reef. For fluke, Gulps for bait were “the name of the game,” Chuck said. Surf anglers seemed to beach kingfish from locally to Seaside. A false albacore was supposedly banked from the surf at Mantoloking on an Ava 007. Kings were hooked at the Mantoloking Bridge on northern Barnegat Bay. Small striped bass were played at the bridge in early mornings and at dusk. Weakfish were kayaked at the bridge last week but seemed to disappear this week. One kayaker talked about catching them last week but not this week. The shop’s grounds include the Gates Motel, popular with anglers, within walking distance of the inlet and surf and the charter and party boat fleet. <b>***THIS TACKLE SHOP IS FOR SALE! CALL: 732-899-5760.***</b>

<b>Toms River</b>

Lots of spots and snapper blues, some small fluke and a few blowfish gathered in the Toms River and along Route 37 Bridge on Barnegat Bay, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. Occasional weakfish were trolled in the river on Rat-L-Traps, but more came from the bay off Berkeley Island Park in early mornings. Crabbing was good on the river at Island Heights Yacht Club and along the 37 Bridge. The top two winners in a crabbing tournament Saturday nabbed the blueclaws at the yacht club. Many fluke were boated at Double Creek Channel in the bay, but few were keepers. Fifteen or 20 throwbacks might be hooked for every one or two keepers. Sea bass and fluke were picked at the Tire Reef on the ocean. The ocean around the moaning buoy produced catches a little better. A 10-pound 14-ounce fluke was weighed in from Shrewsbury Rocks in the ocean. Blowfishing picked back up, became good, at the BB marker on the bay. Fish with bits of clam and chum with clam. Surf fishing banked a mixed bag of 1- or 1-1/4-pound blues, blowfish, spots and kingfish. Fluke were picked, mostly bucktailed, from the surf. Abigail Murphy landed a 4-pound fluke from the surf at Island Beach State Park.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

From the surf, kingfish, fluke, snapper blues, rays and brown sharks were beached, said Scott from <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>. Healthy-sized fluke were seen that were yanked from the surf. Fluke in back waters mostly gathered toward the inlets. From the shop’s docks, small fish including blowfish, kingfish and spots were nipped. Crabbing was fair. 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>

Barnegat Bay’s boaters tugged in fluke, good catches, from Double Creek and Oyster Creek channels, said Kyle from <b>Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle</b>.  Grizz, the shop’s owner, sailed on trips that boated at least four keepers each at Double Creek in past days. Weakfish were swung in from the bay from the BI to BB markers and other places at mid bay, including toward Oyster Creek Channel. Some said the weaks departed the area, but Kyle didn’t know how accurate that was. Blowfishing was good in that area. Smooth puffers, larger than blowfish, were weighed in since earlier this season, and were never seen at the shop before. One angler checked in a 6-pounder and a 3-pounder recently. Crabbing was good, after slower catches because of the shed around last week’s full moon. 

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Big bluefish were swiped from the ocean every day on the party boat <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b>, a report on the vessel’s Web site said. The fishing was super for 6- to 12-pounders Wednesday. Anglers could limit out on 15 if they wanted. Terrific catches of 8- to 12-pounders were hammered on all previous trips this week. The Miss Barnegat Light is bluefishing 8 a.m. daily and 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

On the <b>Super Chic</b> blues 8 to 12 pounds were crushed Wednesday on bait while chumming on the ocean, 25 miles from port, Capt. Ted said. Bit of a ride, but very good fishing. Bottom-fishing trips are slated for Saturday through Monday. Bottom trips lately rustled up a mix of sea bass and fluke at the reefs and wrecks. A trip Saturday also found fluke on open bottom, and a trip Sunday couldn’t fish open bottom, because of conditions. Another bluefishing trip is set for this Saturday might. A charter is available to watch the Atlantic City Air Show from the ocean Friday, August 17, for up to 25 people. The 56-foot boat can accommodate up to 25 on inshore trips and 10 on overnight, offshore trips. The vessel sleeps 10 passengers.

More keeper fluke than before were docked from Barnegat Bay the past couple of days, said Vince Jr. from <b>Bobbie’s Boat Rentals</b>. Customers mostly lifted them from along the Dike and Oyster Creek Channel. Very good weakfishing was clobbered from the bay, mostly from Meyer’s Hole, while boaters chummed and fished with live grass shrimp. Kingfish and sometimes blowfish were seen from the bay. Triggerfish reportedly hovered along Barnegat Inlet’s jetties. Crabbing had been a little slow, but a rental-boat trip today whaled nearly a bushel. Maybe crabbing was picking up. Clamming was very good on the bay. Live spots are stocked. So are live grass shrimp, but the shrimp should be ordered ahead. Orders were taken every night. Green crabs, minnows and a large supply of other baits are carried. 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>Barnegat</b>

The following report was posted Wednesday but is being re-posted in case anyone missed it. From an edited e-mail from Capt. Dave DeGennaro from the <b>Hi Flier</b>: “All weakfish, all the time! I am taking a break from the offshore fishing this week, as the weather seems too erratic for my small craft. Besides, I did two zeros last week, one at the Monster Ledge on Friday, and a short effort at Barnegat Ridge on Saturday. No life, no birds, no readings. So we came back inside, and, in the middle of the day, with boats and jet skis running through my slick, we caught weakfish. I will be running two trips a day for weakfish and all the other species that gather in our live-grass-shrimp chum slick. That fishing has been excellent, still with 15- to 20-inch fish being the norm, and no sign of slowing down. As the tides are this week, the afternoon trips also have a chance to try for stripers and blackfish, using the same technique, (but) out on the ocean side of the inlet jetty. Availability is as follows: 5 to 10 AM and 10:30 AM to 3:30 PM Friday and 11:30 AM to 4:30 PM Saturday and Sunday. The mornings are booked Saturday and Sunday. Maximum four anglers. If we fish both the jetty and the bay, the trip is 6 hours instead of 5, and we use a whole second batch of live grass shrimp, (so the cost is a little more). Call, don't e-mail, if you would like a spot. Thank you.” <b>***Update, Friday, 8/10:***</b> From  an edited e-mail from Dave: “Had a great bite on weakfish over by the Dike (Thursday) on live grass shrimp. Baited hooks and shad darts tipped with shrimp, vertical jigging the bottom. All the weakfish were 14 to 22 inches, solid 1- to 3-pound fish. Lots of hickory shad, spots, and blowfish. Eight species in all, when you count fluke, sea robin, sea bass and snapper blues. On the ultralite 6-pound outfits, these fish scream drag, and the rods bend all the way to the reel seat. Still room on Saturday and Sunday, 11:30 AM to 4:30 PM trips.  Call me, don't e-mail me, I’ll be on the water, two trips a day. Shrimping weakies.”

<b>Surf City</b>

Fishing remained exactly the same as last week, said Sue from <b>Surf City Bait & Tackle</b>. That was good, because anglers caught. Most fished for kingfish that held abundant in the surf. Spots swam from the surf to the bay, and small blues popped into the surf. Weakfish sometimes nibbled in the surf, and they schooled the bay. Fluke, mostly throwbacks, lounged in the surf. Anglers had to work for keepers, but keepers were there. Brown sharks, required to be released, gave up hit or miss fishing from the surf on the southern end of Long Beach Island. Big cownosed rays patrolled the surf. Nothing was heard about blackfish. Catch the shop’s free surf-fishing classes 6 to 7 p.m. Sundays in the parking lot, rain or shine. The classes are informal but informative, covering the beach fishing that’s happening currently. Bring a lawn chair. 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>

Deeper waters in the ocean seemed to churn out summer flounder, Chris from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b> said in a report on the shop’s Web site said. Good catches were waffled today in 70 feet or deeper. “Now, that’s deep for fluke,” he said, but the flounder seemed to prefer the somewhat cooler waters. Atlantic City and Little Egg reefs gave up the fish, and AC Reef probably put up more, because of deeper waters. Sea bass were mixed in on flounder trips, and Chris would recommend bringing clams for bait for sea bass on the trips, in case flounder fishing was slow. One customer said weakfish, just under keeper size, and spots schooled the ocean just off Little Egg Inlet and Beach Haven. Snapper blues ran the inlet. In the bay, blowfish, kingfish, spots and weakfish loitered around the clam stakes. Lagoons harbored white perch, spots and snappers.

<b>Absecon Bay</b>

Some said summer flounder were moving to the ocean, but Capt. Dave from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b> thinks the fish are still moving into the back bay, “and they’re hungry,” he said. In the ocean the fluke gathered in somewhat deeper waters. They hung tight to wrecks or other structure. The bay’s weakfishing was becoming better and better. Was too bad one was the bag limit, because plenty of the trout schooled, and they were good-sized. A charter with Dave on Tuesday landed three weakfish, though the anglers weren’t so experienced, and a 4-pound 20-incher was largest. The biggest weaks seemed to jumped on live bait or finger mullet or peanut bunker. Anglers lately targeted triggerfish along the sod banks, dunking clams for bait, and chumming well for the fish. Triggers were fairly abundant. Blackfishing was picky, along the bridges and jetties, and waters were warm, up to 80 degrees. Lots of juvenile sea bass, mostly undersized, could be a nuisance, biting blackfish baits. White perch fishing seemed consistent in the brackish rivers in warm waters. Loads of spots grabbing baits could be challenging for perching.  Live spots are stocked in two sizes: smaller for $10 per dozen or $1 apiece, and larger for $20 per dozen or $2 apiece. The smaller could be fished for flounder, and the larger could be used for stripers or tuna. The shedder crab supply is improving. Green crabs, minnows and lots of other baits are on hand.

<b>Brigantine</b>

Spots dominated the surf, said Bill from <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>. More and more blues were heard about from the surf, and anglers caught spots, hooked them, and sent them back out to catch the blues. Kingfish swam the surf, but getting past the spots was the challenge. One angler said he cast beyond the spots to catch kingfish. Maybe that was a way. A few good-sized weakfish began showing up in the surf. Anglers were heard about who got into the weaks today. Brown sharks, required to be released, were eased from the surf, mostly at night. More and more people asked about how to gear up for them. Bill banked throwback summer flounder at the cove Wednesday. Boaters headed to the ocean reefs and wrecks to bag flounder. Sometimes keepers boated were heard about from the mouth of Absecon Inlet, when tides and winds drifted the boat right. Blues could also pop up there.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

A 17-pound striped bass was weighed in that was plugged from land at 8 a.m. today from Absecon Inlet at Melrose Avenue, said Noel from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. Surf casters at the inlet angled lots of spots, good-sized kingfish, summer flounder and blues. The weakfish population was larger, was growing, in the waters, after weaks were scarcer in recent years. Triggerfish and blackfish were caught along the rocks at the inlet, but fewer than before, apparently leaving because of warm waters. Tons of bait, more than Noel ever saw, jammed the inlet. Both finger mullet and larger ones 7 or 8 inches swam. Peanut bunker, spearing and minnows swarmed.  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 aboard, said Capt. John from the party boat <b>Keeper</b>. The fishing picked up last week, when waters became clearer, and catches were similar this week. Keepers were hung on every trip, if John remembered, and he was fairly happy with the angling. A few bluefish, kingfish and weakfish were mixed in. Spots were hooked, and lots of bait schooled, including peanut bunker. Minnows supplied aboard caught the flounder, and so did mackerel. But zillions of baby sea bass pecked the mackerel, so the bait probably wouldn’t be carried much longer on the boat. Gulps that anglers brought also nailed the flounder. 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>

Reef fishing for summer flounder was alright on the ocean, said Bill from <b>Fin-Atics<b>. Some anglers would score well, and a friend boated a bunch of flounder, some large sea bass and lots of triggerfish at Cape May Reef. Sea bass were picked at the reefs. In the back bay, not many flounder were bagged, except an occasional one from deeper waters. Anglers in the know reeled in striped bass 20 or 22 inches from the bay at night, only on artificials. Surf fishing for stripers was similar: anglers in the know hooked occasional smaller ones along the jetties at night. Tons of spots and some kingfish, sometimes croakers, “that sort of thing,” Bill said, were dragged from the surf. Any yellowfin tuna caught, a few, were chunked around 30 fathoms far to the south. Wasn’t great. However, a few yellowfin tuna were actually landed at Ocean City Reef. Several reports were heard. White marlin were fought far to the south, like at Washington Canyon.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Tons of spots flooded the surf, biting bloodworms or Fishbites, said Mike from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. Most anglers fished for them with kingfish rigs, but some used Sabiki rigs, because some of the spots were small. Lots of small sea bass, two at a time, were hooked from the back bay on the same set ups. If anglers were looking for fun or had kids fishing with them, that was a thing to do. Weakfish were pulled from the surf, and they weren’t numerous, but every surf angler seemed to mention catching one or two. A few kingfish and other assorted fish, like blowfish, were mixed in along the surf. Brown, blacktip and dusky sharks roamed plentiful from the surf to 4 miles from shore. The fishing seemed to slow beyond 4 miles. Be sure to know the shark regs. Browns and duskies are required to be released, for example. Bluefish began to “move around,” Mike said, and were reported caught from the inlets, back bay and surf. They were either landed accidentally, or were targeted with tackle like Snapper Zapper rigs or small spoons. Summer flounder fishing was excellent the past week in the back bay and inlets. Most were throwbacks, but some were keepers. Flounder fishing was very good on the ocean, and good numbers and sizes were seen from Ocean City, Townsend’s Inlet and Wildwood reefs. Small sea bass and some keepers were mixed in while anglers drifted for flounder at the reefs. Any populations of sizeable sea bass seemed to hold 25 to 35 miles offshore. Little was heard about tuna in past days. White marlin seemed abundant at the canyons like the Wilmington. Reports were heard about catches from Baltimore Canyon.

No winds blew, so the boat never  drifted, making shark fishing tough on one of the inshore trips for them aboard Monday with Robbie Troutman and crew, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b>, affiliated with <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. Still, they caught and released three, and broke off four, an okay catch, considering conditions. The trips fight and release sharks including browns, blacktips and duskies close to shore on spinning or fly rods, a chance to tug on big fish, without the long trek offshore. On Monday Shane Duffy and son on the ocean jigged loads of blues and landed a variety of catches including triggerfish to 4 pounds and summer flounder. High tides at night were currently ideal for striped bass fishing on the back bay. High tides next week will coincide with dusk, ideal for popper fishing for striped bass with lures or flies. Jersey Cape does both fishing. Back on the ocean, yellowfin tuna were sometimes chunked inshore, and scattered white marlin swam the canyons. Jersey Cape is also fishing for them. Looking ahead, book now to fish Montauk’s legendary fall run of striped bass, blues and false albacore on weekend trips. The fishing’s been epic for Jersey Cape in recent years. 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>.

<b>Wildwood</b>

At <b>Canal Side Boat Rentals</b> Mike had just filleted a 20-inch summer flounder a customer rental-boated today, he said. Flounder fishing was good in the back bay, hadn’t dropped off much yet this season, and a few keepers kept being brought in. Crabs were somewhat bigger than before, and catches went up and down. A good run of keepers turned on toward mid week, and a customer today reported trapping not many keepers. A few weakfish, good-sized, showed up in customers’ catches. Nobody targeted them, but the trout were hooked while anglers fished for other catches. Juvenile sea bass, rarely keepers, schooled the bay, and no bluefish were seen. 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 herring, whole mackerel, mackerel fillets and salted clams in quarts and pints. Crabs for eating are currently $22 per dozen for No. 1’s. The price can change, depending on the market. No. 2’s just arrived, and the price wasn’t set yet. They’d probably be at least $12 per dozen, and the shop will probably set up lower prices for crabs bought in larger quantities. Check out <a href="http://www.canalsideboatrentals.com" target="_blank">Canal Side’s Web site</a>.

<b>Cape May</b>

Trolling for bluefish beat excellent catches, and bottom-fishing rounded up good sea bassing, said Capt. Mario from the <b>Down Deep</b>. Summer flounder were beginning to serve up quality catches from the ocean. Tuna fishing slowed but should pick back up. Looking ahead, don’t miss out on trophy striped bass fishing aboard this fall. Book now. Blackfishing will be offered from Delaware aboard this winter for the first time. Delaware’s bag limit allows more of the tog to be kept, and fishing for the tog can be better from Delaware, because of less pressure and warmer waters. Reserve dates.

Summer flounder fishing had been good aboard last week, until southerly winds Saturday and Sunday, said Capt. Paul from the party boat <b>Porgy IV</b>. Then the fish seemed scattered. Trips the last couple of days fished deeper, after previous trips fished at Cape May Reef. Lots of action was copped in the deeper waters, and some anglers pulled in keepers, and some didn’t. Matt Lamelza on Thursday’s trip limited out on flounder and won the pool with a 6-1/2-pounder. Al Bednarik limited out toward the end of the week. On Saturday Amy Lind won the pool with a 5.4-pound flounder. In the last couple of days, an angler from North Jersey who limited out said he hadn’t done that in a while, so he seemed happy. Kevin Porter on Wednesday won the pool with a 7-1/2-pound flounder, and all customers landed flounder that day, but not all reeled in a keeper. Very few sea bass were mixed in recently. The Porgy IV is fishing for summer flounder 8 a.m. daily.

A couple of trips today cracked good fishing for summer flounder at Cape May Harbor, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. Ocean flounder fishing seemed best at Cape May Reef. Sea bass fishing was probably best at Reef 11. One trip Wednesday, fishing Cape May Channel, boated a couple of flounder and some kingfish and weakfish, and blues were around. So a mix of fish swam there. Not a lot was heard about Delaware Bay, but Cape May Channel was near the bay, and fishing was good there. Big sharks were fought in the bay. Weakfish likely schooled the bay along the flats and stakes. Croakers, mostly small, were around in the bay and Cape May Canal. In the surf, large sharks were subdued toward Cape May Lighthouse. Spots and kingfish were beached from the surf. Mullet began to appear in the surf, maybe a good sign for striped bass fishing this fall.  Nick fished offshore Wednesday, seeing lots of boats along the 100-fathom line, probably fishing for marlin. Maryland’s White Marlin Open tournament was taking place. If yellowfin tuna were caught, they were probably chunked at the notch of the Hot Dog. Bloodworms, fresh clams, big minnows and all the frozen baits are stocked for inshore. Offshore baits include flats of butterfish and sardines and trolling ballyhoos and squid.

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