<b>Staten Island</b>

Trips bottom-fished Sunday, Monday and Wednesday with <b>Outcast Charters</b>, limiting out early on sea bass each time, Capt. Joe said. Rain poured Monday, and the fish on the trips were good-sized, up to 4 ½ pounds. Lots of 2-pounders and some 3-pounders were clocked. Ling and out-of-season blackfish were mixed in. The blackfish, released, weren’t large, ranging from throwback-sized to 4 pounds. So the fishing was super, and Outcast is bottom-fishing from Perth Amboy. Trips are always available from the New Jersey port, in addition to Staten Island, including so anglers can follow Jersey’s fishing regulations, including for sea bass. Striped bass trips are also available. 

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Because of strong northwest winds against the tide in the bay, Wednesday’s trip fluke fished on the ocean on the party boat <b>Fishermen</b>, Capt. Ron wrote in a report on the vessel’s Web site. Conditions didn’t improve for fishing on the bay until the afternoon, and fluking wasn’t good on the ocean. A handful of keepers and a bunch of shorts were hooked during lots of searching. Weather hasn’t been easy on fishing, and rain runoff had the bay looking like chocolate milk, affecting fluking. But fishing was very good for striped bass to 23 pounds on Wednesday evening’s trip. The Fisherman is sailing for fluke 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. Trips are fishing for striped bass 6:30 to 11:30 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 3:30 to 9:30 p.m. Sundays.

The rivers and bay dished up fluke, pretty good catches, said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Bluefish swam everywhere, and clamming for striped bass was very good for boaters Wednesday. Surf anglers picked stripers, mostly in early mornings and late in the day. If surf casters sat there long, Jimmy said, they’d score their bites, land their keepers. Bottom-fishing was great for sea bass at ocean wrecks and reefs and ling farther off at Mudhole wrecks. Crabs were a little small and will become a little bigger after they shed on the next full moon. All baits are stocked.

Fluke began to be netted on Monday morning’s trip, until rains began to fall, and winds started to blow, or weather became nasty, said Capt. Tom from the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>. The afternoon’s trip was docked in the storm. The fishing wasn’t as good on Tuesday morning’s trip as on Monday morning’s, and Tuesday afternoon’s trip didn’t sail, because of lack of anglers. Whether forecasts kept them from coming wasn’t known. After these trips fished the bay, strong west winds blew on Wednesday morning, so the trip then fished along the ocean beach. Fluke were reeled in, but not as many as from the bay. The winds backed off afterward, so Wednesday afternoon’s trip fished the bay. Action was good, and many fluke just under keeper-sized bit, and not as many keepers chomped as before. But Tom McCall won the pool with a 6-1/2-pounder. The Atlantic Star is fishing for fluke 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 6 p.m. daily. <b>***Update, Friday, 6/14:***</b> No trips sailed Thursday and this morning, because of weather, but this afternoon’s trip fished, Tom said in a phone call during the outing. Only a small group of anglers showed up, because of forecasts for rougher weather, but that was too bad, because weather was good. So was the fishing, and all anglers snatched up at least one keeper, and lots of fluke bit. Tom hadn’t expected this, because of rains and winds previously.

<b>Highlands</b>

Fishing for striped bass was up and down aboard, said Capt. Derek from <b>Fisher Price Charters</b>. At least a couple were hooked on every trip, and a trip Sunday limited out on the fish, including two that weighed 42 ½ pounds and 41 pounds. The smallest was 20 pounds on the outing. So the fishing, all on livelined bunker, was day-to-day, he said. A few bluefish, not many, bit where the boat fished. Mostly stripers chomped there. Charters are fishing, and the next open-boat trips will be scheduled for next week. Telephone for the dates or to be kept informed about future open trips.

The weekend was one of the busiest this season at <b>Twin Lights Marina</b>, Marion wrote in an e-mail. Customers fished for fluke, but most talked about either muddy waters or catching throwbacks. Roy Wurst and friends docked three keepers jigged on the ocean off Long Branch. Steve Monobianco returned with an 18-inch keeper he boated near Bug Light and a bluefish he decked near the ocean beach. Both were hooked on bunker with squid. Twin Lights includes a marina, including boat slips and rack space, a bait and tackle shop, ship supplies and a fuel dock. Marion didn’t mention baits stocked, but they can include live bunker, bushels of fresh clams, killies and frozen baits, including quarts and pints of salted clams, spearing, Peruvian smelts, the different types of squid, and scented shedder crab.

<b>Neptune<b/>

With <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b>, sea bass and ling were slung aboard an open-boat bottom-fishing trip Tuesday on the ocean, Capt. Ralph wrote in an e-mail. Seas were calm. “Is the weatherman ever right?” he asked. Fishing’s been good to excellent on the last few bottom trips. Striped bass were slammed on two trips Saturday, covered in the last report. “We didn’t have any boat traffic,” Ralph said. A few spaces remain for an individual-reservation trip for cod, pollock and hake on Wednesday. Space is available for one of the trips for sea bass and ling Sunday, June 30, the season’s first individual-reservation trip on a weekend.  Book now for individual-reservation trips for fluke and sea bass that will sail every Tuesday starting June 25. Kids 12 and under will sail free on the fluke and sea bass trips, limited to two per adult host. The ocean is warming, so Ralph expects fluking to become good there.

<b>Belmar</b>

For anglers on the party boat <b>Big Mohawk</b>, fluke fishing was pretty steady, Capt. Chris said. The angling was fairly good on Wednesday’s trip, and the boat’s been fishing for them along the ocean rough bottom. Customers usually fished a rig with a bucktail or jig on bottom and a trailer above. Gulps on the hooks caught best, and though anglers used to fish with Spro jigs often, they now used other jigs. Spros are expensive. Striped bass fishing picked up on the ocean, and a trip was fishing for them aboard Wednesday evening, when Chris gave this report over the telephone. Catches were good, though traffic from small boats was difficult. The boat runs trips for stripers in evenings this time of year, whenever the angling lights up. The Big Mohawk is fluke fishing 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily and striper fishing on certain evenings.

Bluefish were belted on the party boat <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b>, and the angling was different every day, Capt. Alan said. Big blues were Mohawked aboard Sunday. On Monday, blues were difficult to find, and small ones were angled. Bluefishing was slow aboard the past couple of days and on all nighttime trips recently. On the <b>Royal Miss Belmar</b>, fluke trips began. One trip came up with a handful of keepers, including two larger than 5 pounds and two bigger than 4, and 10 times as many throwbacks, for example. The Miss Belmar Princess is sailing for striped bass and blues 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. daily. The Royal Miss Belmar is fishing for fluke 7:30 a.m. to 12 noon and 1:30 to 6 p.m. daily.

Was a tough day of bluefishing Wednesday aboard, a report said on the party boat <b>Golden Eagle</b>’s Web site. Lots of the fish and bait were seen, but the blues “would not cooperate,” the report said. Tuesday’s bluefishing wasn’t the best either. Some were boxed, but not enough. Blues wouldn’t bite on Monday’s trip, but fishing for them was outstanding on previous days on the vessel. Today’s trip was expected to be weathered out, but trips were expected to resume Friday. The Golden Eagle is sailing for striped bass and bluefish 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and for blues 7:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. daily.

Three striped bass were hooked aboard the ocean when Capt. Pete from <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b> was telephoned for this report Wednesday evening, he said. He couldn’t come to the phone, but called back afterward. The fishing became excellent in afternoons, and stripers larger than 40 pounds swam. A 46-incher had just been decked, and Pete could tell that a new population of stripers had arrived recently. They were long fish, “filling up,” he said. Trips caught them on livelined bunker, and if anglers could locate bunker that stripers chased, they caught. The new body of stripers, and waters that warmed, were good news. The ocean was 62 to 64 degrees when he checked while giving this report. Trips are also available for sea bass and fluke, and Parker Pete’s sails for any species available. But Pete would like to concentrate on stripers while they’re around. Charters are fishing, and <a href=" http://www.parkerpetefishing.com/fishing-reports" target="_blank">subscribe to Parker Pete’s e-mailed newsletter</a> to be kept informed about individual-spaces available on charters and for the latest fishing reports. Click on that link to Parker Pete’s fishing reports online, and newsletter sign up can be found on the right side of the page. Or go to the site’s Contact page, and e-mail, asking to subscribe.

<b>Brielle</b>

Angling picked away at fluke and sea bass all week, when weather allowed trips to sail, mostly along rough bottom in 60 feet in the ocean, on the party  boat <b>Jamaica II</b>, Capt. Ryan wrote in an e-mail. Alex Pisani, Trenton, won a pool with a 5-pound fluke, and bagged five sea bass. Wilson Johns, Camden, scooped up eight sea bass and three fluke to 4 pounds, and Carl Dressner, Middletown, cranked in seven sea bass and four fluke. The Jamaica II is fishing for fluke and sea bass twice daily at 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays and on an all-day trip at 7:30 a.m. Mondays.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

Bottom-fishing shoveled up good catches, pretty steady, on the party boat <b>Dauntless</b>, Capt. Butch said. Sea bass and ling were slung in. A few cod and fluke were hung, and most anglers totaled 15 to 30 fish apiece. On some days, more sea bass made up catches, and on others, more ling did. Lots of out-of-season blackfish, good-sized, were let go. One woman hooked three in a row that weighed 5 or 6 pounds. Last week’s tropical storm didn’t really stir up waters or affect fishing. Lots of rains fell, but winds weren’t bad, and seas weren’t rough. Water temperatures fluctuated lately on the fishing grounds. The waters were 54 degrees on Wednesday’s trip and 51 or chilly on Tuesday’s. That was about the range through the week: 50 to 55. Close to the surf, in 15 feet, waters were 55 or 56 degrees, holding steady. Trips fished 5 to 6 miles from shore, and water temps were different every day there. So the trips fished in 60 to 80 feet, and dog sharks were a nuisance in deeper waters. Lots of conger eels bit in the deep, too.   The Dauntless is bottom-fishing 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily. Bluefish trips will sail 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays starting this week. The blues trips will probably run Wednesdays to Sundays after July Fourth.

Weather will probably scrub a mako shark charter Friday with <b>Mushin Sportfishing</b>, Alan, the boat’s owner, wrote in an e-mail. But weather will probably straighten out overnight Friday, allowing another charter to compete Saturday in the Brett T. Bailey Mako Rodeo. The same charter aboard last weekend bagged a 180-pound mako, released a blue shark and boated tilefish. Mako fishing looks promising, with 62- to 66-degree waters on last weekend’s trip, though waters were a little green. Plenty of forage swam for the sharks. Maybe today’s storm will knock cleaner waters in.  More mako trips and some bluefishing trips, closer to shore, are slated for next week. Space is available on a couple of make-up, daytime charters that will troll for tuna in coming weeks, including on Saturday, June 29. Southern canyons will probably be targeted, because great waters already held there, and tuna were already taken from them. Anglers can telephone Capt. Ray to jump aboard: 732-691-0949.  <b>***Update, Saturday, 6/15:***</b> Two mako sharks, including a 175-pounder bagged, and about a dozen blue sharks, large, were landed in only four hours of fishing on Friday’s charter, Alan wrote in an e-mail.

Anglers jumped on an annual trip with <b>Andrea’s Toy Charters</b>, a report on Andrea’s Toy’s Web site said today. First, bunker were caught for bait, then the anglers went 3 for 6 on striped bass to 32 pounds. That happened in the first half-hour, so the fishing seemed “game on,” the report said. But boat traffic increased, because seas were settling, and the fishing went downhill. So the trip switched to sea bass fishing, limited to where the fishing could be done, because the boat couldn’t be sailed beyond 3 miles from shore, where striper fishing is closed, and possession of stripers is prohibited. But a few sea bass were bagged. The anglers wanted to try striper fishing again, but the catches never materialized again. Andrea’s Toy is chartering for a mixed bag including stripers, blues and sea bass, all in one outing. The crew specializes in mixed-bag trips for greater fun, better chances of hooking up and more variety for dinner. Soon, annual, mixed-bag trips, both open-boat and charters, will push farther from shore, for catches that can include bluefin tuna, sharks, cod, pollock and more. Telephone to find out about the angling.

The day was beautiful on the water Wednesday, but conditions were tough for fluke fishing on both the morning and afternoon trips on the party boat <b>Norma-K III</b>, Capt. Matt wrote in a report on the vessel’s Web site. Lots of current and the wind drifted the boat fast, and a few fluke were picked on the morning trip, and a few fluke and sea bass were eased aboard the afternoon trip. On Tuesday, forecasts were wrong, and weather ended up beautiful, but the morning trip stayed docked. In the afternoon, a few fluke, sea bass and ling were flung in. Strong current ran, but against the wind, so drifting was reasonable. Waters were up to 64 degrees on the outing, and that could be promising for fishing, Matt hoped. The crew was going to shape up this morning for fishing aboard, but if weather forecasts continued to look rough, the fishing was expected to be cancelled. Matt hoped tonight’s predicted northeast wind will “clean up the water,” he said, and improve the fishing for the weekend. None of the boat’s nighttime trips sailed in the past few days. The Norma-K III is fishing for fluke on two trips daily 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 to 6:30 p.m. and for bluefish 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. daily. Need a Fathers’ Day gift? Telephone for gift certificates.

<b>Toms River</b>

Striped bass mostly vacated Toms River and nearby Barnegat Bay, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. Waters reached 75 degrees in the river, and also warmed in the nearby bay along Route 37 Bridge. A few small bluefish were still trolled in the area. Crabbing became better and better in the warmer waters, though dirty waters, runoff from rains, from the river was an issue. Fluke, a keeper for every 12 landed, were boated from the bay around the BB and BI markers, farther south. A few fluke and sometimes striped bass, blues and blowfish, a mixed bag, were toggled in from nearby Barnegat Inlet. Bluefishing was better in the bay toward the BB and BI than locally, because of cooler waters closer to the inlet and ocean. Blowfishing was fantastic near the BB or west of there. Boaters bailed scores while anchored, chumming and fishing clam. From the surf, mostly blues 2 to 5 pounds were dragged in. Mostly bait or fresh bunker nipped them, and a few started to be socked on lures. Striped bass were sporadically banked from the surf, or sometimes a school came in. On the ocean, boaters picked stripers, mostly on the troll. Bunker schooled the ocean, but not all schools held stripers. A couple of customers sea bassed on the ocean at the Tire Reef, copping a good catch.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

Surf angling was a pick for striped bass and blues, but good catches were sometimes made, said Mario from <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>.  Anglers had to find the catches, fish the right tides, “and the whole nine yards,” he said. Clams and bunker caught best, and no lures did to speak of. Weakfish also swam the surf, and fluke began to enter the waters. In Barnegat Bay, blues 3- to 5-pounds and sometimes throwback stripers were around. Keeper crabs started to be trapped better than before, definitely. Fresh clams, fresh bunker, sandworms, eels and all frozen baits are stocked. The Dock Outfitters features bait and tackle, docks to fish and crab from, once the docks are repaired since the hurricane, and boat and jet ski rentals. The end of June has been the target date to complete the docks, and the decking began to be installed. Construction should be completed soon.

<b>Forked River</b>

Blowfish were way abundant in Barnegat Bay, said Kyle from <b>Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle</b>. Anglers talked about drilling a ton in a short time, anchored and chumming, fishing with clam or squid. The bay around the research buoy, the yellow buoy between the BI and BB markers, held them. Fluke fishing was good between the BI and BB. Bluefish were trolled in the area on Pony Tails. A few weakfish, not many, were heard about from the bay. Stripers were sometimes clammed at Double Creek Channel or along sod banks in the bay. A few boaters trolled the ocean for stripers with bunker spoons, but the angling wasn’t great recently. Fresh clams, killies, chum for blowfishing and all frozen baits, like spearing, are stocked.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

The party boat <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b> sailed for bluefish Tuesday through today, a report on the vessel’s Web site said. “Still looking for them,” it said. The fishing was tough, and one small blue was hooked on one of the trips. No trip ran Monday in rough weather. June is usually the best month for bluefishing, but the crew is waiting for them to arrive. Lots and lots of bait schooled. The Miss Barnegat Light is bluefishing at 8 a.m. daily and at 7:30 p.m. Saturdays.

Livelined spots and popper plugs zonked striped bass along Barnegat Inlet’s jetties, said Vince Jr. from <b>Bobbie’s Boat Rentals</b>. Spots also tied into them at Oyster Creek Channel. Not as many stripers were caught from the ocean, and not many bunker schooled the waters, and weather affected that. Fluke fishing was okay on Barnegat Bay, and many fished for them at Oyster and Double creek channels on incoming tides. Fluke weren’t numerous from the bay, but ones seen were sizeable. Fluke weren’t really caught from the ocean yet this season, but sea bass were. Back in the bay, lots of blowfish schooled all over. The season was early for crabbing near the shop, located on the back side of the island, along cooler waters near the inlet and ocean. But crabs were trapped from lagoons, Vince thought. He knew people who clammed the bay, harvesting plenty, like usual.  The shop rents boats for fishing, crabbing and clamming and kayaks. Bobbie’s includes a bait and tackle store and a fuel dock, and is known for a large bait selection. Baits stocked currently include live spots, fresh clams and fresh bunker. Minnows, scarce, are sometimes carried currently. Live grass shrimp usually begin to be stocked in July.

<b>Surf City</b>

Surf casters still banked striped bass, said Bruce from <b>Surf City Bait & Tackle</b>. “It’s not red-hot,” he said, and dunk clams or bunker for them. Sometimes bluefish tumbled into the surf. Most were 1 to 3 pounds, but occasionally a large one showed up, like a 12-pounder beached Wednesday. Fish frozen mullet on a mullet rig for the blues. Sometimes sizeable fluke were yanked from the beach, mostly when anglers fished bunker for stripers. But bucktailing with Gulp or squid on the hook is the way to target the flatfish from shore. Blowfish swam the bay. Fresh bunker, fresh clams, bloodworms and nearly any bait needed, including frozen mullet and squid, is stocked. The store’s annual, <b><i>Free Surf Fishing Seminars</i></b> will be held once again this season. Held in the parking lot, they feature experts talking about how to catch what’s biting currently. Bring a beach chair, and the starting date will be announced soon. 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. 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>

Great Bay’s summer flounder fishing was good the past couple of weeks, said Chris from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. The fish were claimed at the clam stakes near the Fish Factory and off Seven Bridges Road. Depths 10 to 15 feet were fished, and deeper could be angled, but sharks and skates bit there. Sharks and skates gathered at Grassy Channel and Little Egg Inlet. Blowfish hovered in the bay, and fishing for them was becoming picky, but was better, and lasted longer, than expected this season. Customers sometimes began to shark fish in evenings into night on the bay that becomes popular this time of year. They target large sand sharks, and release sizeable brown sharks that must be let go by law. The fishing is a chance to wrestle a big catch without sailing offshore, and the shop sells a bay shark rig. On the ocean, sea bass fishing went very well in depths like 55 or 60 feet, and good-sized ling were hooked. A few flounder, not many, came from the ocean. Anglers grabbed them while sea bass fishing, and one customer limited out on five like that. Fresh, shucked clams, bloodworms, minnows and grass shrimp are stocked.

<b>Absecon</b>

On a charter with Dave Morris on Wednesday, Capt. Dave from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b> first ran the ocean from Absecon Inlet to Corson’s Inlet, searching for striped bass chasing bunker, Capt. Dave said. But a bunker that an osprey carried was the only one of the baitfish seen, so the trip was returned to the back waters. Three keeper stripers and about five throwbacks were landed, and a couple of stripers got off. Livelined spots were the “bait of choice,” Capt. Dave said. So plenty of stripers swam the back bay, if anglers find none in the ocean. Today’s weather was rough for sailing the ocean, but forecasts look like the ocean will be fishable for the weekend. Maybe boaters will get out and search for bunker. The bay’s summer flounder fishing became somewhat tough, because of cold waters. Anglers who caught flounder found them far back in the bay, away from colder waters toward the inlet. The bay’s weakfishing was becoming better all the time. No place specifically held them, but catches were “consistent,” Capt. Dave said, and any usual holes should hold them. Bluefish were really absent this season, despite all the other fish being in. One blue was caught on the trip with Capt. Dave. A fairly good population of kingfish swam the surf. Drum were sometimes hauled in from the surf in past days. Spots were scattered everywhere, from the bay to the surf, not only for bait, but some were eating-sized. Not a lot of customers talked about white perch fishing in brackish rivers, but the perching was very good. Crabs finished shedding, so crabbing should turn on now. Plenty of shedder crabs for bait and softshell crabs for eating are stocked, and will be for this Fathers’ Day weekend. The crabs are raised at the store, and see <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SoftshellCrabs" target="_blank">Absecon Bay Sportsman Center’s Softshell Crab Facebook Page</a>. Live spots and fresh clams are carried. Minnows have usually been able to be stocked, though the baitfish have been scarce.

<b>Brigantine</b>

Drum 40 to 60 pounds were heaved from the surf about four days, said Capt. Andy from <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>. The catches just ended, and kingfish and spots made up most catches from the surf. Bloodworms landed them, and Fishbites artificial worms should work on them soon, because waters are warming. Fresh clams, bloodworms and Fishbites are stocked. The store’s summer fishing tournament is under way for summer flounder, bluefish and kingfish. Entry is $5 per species, and the cash is awarded to the anglers with the largest of each.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

On foot, anglers pasted summer flounder and kingfish from nearby Absecon Inlet, said Noel from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. Minnows and squid, “peanut butter and jelly,” he said, cracked the flounder, and bloodworms and Fishbites artificial worms winged the kings. The inlet is lined with abundant, fish-attracting jetties. Bluefish were around in the waters, and so were a few croakers, but fishing for the croakers was slowing down. No big numbers showed up. Spots were sometimes lifted from the waters, but not in the past two days. Sometimes striped bass were beaten at night there. Fish bunker, clams or plugs for them. Those baits and plugs also honked weakfish at times, both day and night, not a lot, but a few, from the area. A few puppy drum were banked from the ocean surf. Baits stocked include fresh clams, fresh bunker, bloodworms, minnows and frozen sand eels, herring, peanut bunker, spearing, a large variety of squids and more.  One Stop’s second store, located at Gardner’s Basin at 800 North New Hampshire Avenue, is also open. The original, remaining open, is at 416 Atlantic Avenue.

<b>Margate</b>

Back-bay summer flounder fishing wasn’t too bad on the party boat <b>Keeper</b>, Capt. John said. The fish were bagged on every trip, though Wednesday afternoon’s fishing was a little slow. Mornings produced better, and waters have been like chocolate, but when they clear, people catch. A few bluefish were hooked, and other fish like sand sharks were landed. Mackerel and Gulp nabbed the flounder. Mackerel is supplied aboard, and anglers brought their own Gulp, and John recommends that. Minnows were scarce, no longer available on trips. Keeper is fishing for summer flounder 8 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 to 5 p.m. daily. Prices are great, because the pontoon boat is economical on fuel, and the fishing on the bay is close to port. Trips are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors and $15 for kids.

<b>Ocean City</b>

A ton of summer flounder remained in the back bay, but more were throwbacks than before, said Justin from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. Lots of weakfish were around. Fishing for them, including very large, was good at inlets. Many weaks were hooked along bridges at night, and many were landed while anglers flounder fished during day. A few bluefish, not large, schooled the bay. Small sea bass and a few croakers hung along bridges. An occasional striped bass was pulled from the bay. In the surf, kingfish, lots, schooled, mostly along southern Ocean City. Stripers were sometimes banked from the surf, and a bunch of sand sharks bit along the shore. Not much was heard from offshore yet this season. But mako sharks and blue sharks were fought at the 750 Square and the Hot Dog, reportedly. A great white shark made the news, including on TV and online. The coverage said the shark circled a 28-foot boat, 30 miles southeast of Atlantic City. The anglers aboard video-taped the fish, about half the size of the vessel, or 14 feet long. The fish “scratched the boat with its teeth,” an article from ABC News said online, before disappearing back underwater. One angler said football bluefin tuna swam at the Hot Dog, Justin said. But not a lot of people seemed to fish offshore so far. Fresh clams, fresh bunker, bloodworms, sandworms, minnows and all frozen baits are carried. The shop’s carried minnows all along, though the baitfish have been scarce.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

In the surf, kingfish have showed up well, said Mike from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. Plus, sometimes spots, small croakers and weakfish were mixed in, and that was nice that a variety was available, and many anglers targeted that. Most boaters who sailed for sea bass on the ocean became very pleased with catches. One of the party boats reported the best sea bass trip aboard so far this season. Lots of throwbacks still bit for the sea bassers, but the keeper ratio went up. In the back bay, summer flounder and weakfish remained. Bluefish were scattered around. On one day blues were heard about from the surf, and on another they were reported from the inlets or bay. Fewer seemed around than before, but blues still popped up. Two thresher sharks 90 inches and 73 inches were checked in during the past week. Threshers seemed abundant, and makos caught were heard about. So were duskies, required to be released. One angler reported catching under-keeper-sized bluefin tuna Wednesday. Mike thought that was at Wilmington Canyon, and other reports were heard about tuna recently, but no specifics. Fresh clams, bloodworms and all frozen baits are stocked. Minnows, scarce, are trying to be kept stocked. Shedder crabs have been stocked on weekends, and will be as long as they’re available.

Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b>, affiliated with <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>, took a busman’s holiday Wednesday with friend Capt. Chris Goldmark, Joe said. They fly-rodded weakfish, a bunch, mostly spikes, but 3- and 4-pounders mixed in, on Clouser Minnows in Electric Chicken on sinking lines. Joe wasn’t naming location, because Chris, a Cape May guide, hosted the trip. But in Joe’s haunts in the back bay from Sea Isle City, weakfish swam, and summer flounder fishing was good, and some blues remained. Next week, high tides will coincide with dusk, ideal conditions for popper fishing for striped bass in the shallow flats of the bay, a specialty with Joe, with lures and flies. He throws Skitter Pop lures and crease flies, a modified version he ties with a larger cup to throw more water. Joe was sure sharks roamed the inshore ocean, and his trips for them usually begin in late June. His first trips usually pound them. The angling is for species like blacktips and browns, a chance to fight big fish without the long trek offshore. Browns are required to be released. From offshore waters, no news was heard first-hand. But Joe knew yellowfin tuna were boated at Baltimore Canyon, though he didn’t know how good the fishing was. Joe’s new boat he’s adding to his fleet, a 24-foot custom center console that Eastern Boat Works is building, is supposed to arrive Sunday.  The vessel will feature everything he wants for his fishing, and nothing he doesn’t, and will be used on the ocean. He also runs a flats boat on the bay and two larger boats for fishing the ocean farther offshore for big game. Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s blog</a>.

<b>Wildwood</b>

At Hereford Inlet, weakfish, croakers and spots were tugged in, said Fred from <b>No Bones Bait & Tackle</b>. Bucktails with any pink soft-plastic lure were fished for the weaks, and clams or bloodworms were soaked for the croakers and spots. A few summer flounder were managed from the back bay, but waters were churned up, because of weather. Fishing news was scarce, because of that. Nothing was heard about the surf, because most sharpies stop fishing the shore once beach-buggy access is closed for the season. Farther south, drum fishing sounded like it slowed on Delaware Bay. The shop’s rental boats are available to fish the back bay. Baits stocked include frozen quarts and pints of salted clams, bulk bags of clam bellies, mullet, herring, mackerel and all the usual. Fred wasn’t asked whether minnows were stocked this week, but minnows were scarce previously.

Last week’s report could just be repeated, said Mike from <b>Canal Side Boat Rentals</b>. Last week he said weather could be better, but when rental-boaters fished, they pulled in some good catches of summer flounder from the back bay. Weakfish also swam the bay. Weakfishing was strong, he added this week. Few customers crabbed yet this season, because they fished for flounder and weaks, he also said this week. Canal Side rents boats for fishing and crabbing and stocks the full supply of bait. Bait includes minnows, scented and unscented squid strips, scented pink and green squid strips, trolling squid, tube squid, pints and quarts of salted clams, non-salted clams in both 1 pound and 9 ounces, whole mackerel, filleted mackerel, mullet, spearing and herring. Crabs for eating are carried. Prices can change, but currently No. 1’s are $20 per dozen, and No. 2’s are $12 per dozen.

<b>Cape May</b>

On the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>, the six anglers aboard the Cobley charter Saturday on Delaware Bay wanted to bag six drum, and did, then sailed back to port, Capt. George said. They also dropped a couple, and the fishing was pretty good that day, and was slower Sunday. A trip aboard Sunday, with Austin, son Jared, Shane, John and P.J., landed three. Trips on many boats caught none that day. The drum on the Heavy Hitter, fishing the New Jersey side of the bay, mostly weighed 30 to 50 pounds, and reached 70 pounds. Nothing was heard about drum fishing after the weekend. Charters are also available for sea bass and summer flounder. Telephone about tuna fishing, and the boat will tuna fish so long as tuna are around.  

The season’s first summer flounder trip sailed Wednesday on the ocean on the party boat <b>Porgy IV</b>, Capt. Paul said. A few flounder were bagged, and the high hook, Matt Lamelza, Ocean City, reeled in four. Al Stromback, Cherry Hill, won the pool with a 5-pounder. Paul had planned to begin flounder fishing Monday, but Wednesday was the first day with calmer weather that would drift the boat right. Weather was often rougher lately, so when it is, the boat will be anchored for sea bass, instead of drifted for flounder. Trips fished for sea bass on the ocean previously. Sea bass fishing wasn’t good aboard, but a few were managed. Not a lot of flounder were around yet, where the boat fishes, on the ocean and Delaware Bay. But the trips were a chance to get out and fish. The Porgy IV is fishing at 8 a.m. daily.

Good catches of weakfish came from the surf, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. The fishing was probably best on bloodworms on float rigs, but bloods on non-float rigs worked well for catching croakers from the surf. Weaks especially hung around the Cape May Inlet jetties, and also gathered around the mouth of Cape May Canal. Kingfish schooled the surf along the ocean and around Cape May Point, at the confluence of the ocean and Delaware Bay. Summer flounder were caught from the surf at Sunset Beach, on the bay just north of the point.  A few striped bass still came from the surf. In the back bay, not a lot of flounder were boated, but most were keepers. Along the Intracoastal Waterway is a place to find them. Nothing was really heard about flounder from the ocean or Delaware Bay. A few drum were still picked from Delaware Bay at places like Tussy’s Slough and the Pin Top or “strong, moving water,” Nick said. Weakfish schooled Delaware Bay at the stakes and the Bug Light area. From offshore, sharks – makos, blues and threshers, all three common species – were heard about. Not much was heard about tuna from offshore, but seemed anglers will try for them this weekend. Earlier in the season, Nick sometimes talked with anglers who reported small yellowfin tuna taken. One angler looked for tuna very early in the season, finding none, but seeing lots of life. Plenty of life seemed to fill offshore waters this season, and now waters suitable for tuna seemed to be pushing in. Fresh clams, bloodworms, minnows, shedder crabs when available and the full supply of frozen baits are stocked. Crabs were between sheds, so no shedders were on hand.

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