<b>Perth Amboy</b>

Fishing limited out on striped bass Tuesday and Wednesday on the <b>Vitamin Sea</b> on Raritan Bay, the outer reaches, Capt. Frank wrote in an e-mail. Just three anglers, fishing with bunker chunks, sailed on the two trips. The bass averaged 15 pounds, not large. Past trips had to battle through bluefish to reach stripers. But on these trips, dog sharks had to be battled through. Was surprising few blues swam the bay. The next fluke trip will run Friday. Fluking had been slow, because of rains, but improved the last couple of days. Charters and open-boat trips are fishing, and telephone about the open trips. Vitamin Sea also fishes from Staten Island. “Get your dose of Vitamin Sea!”

<b>Keyport</b>

An evening bluefish trip beat the fish to 11 pounds Tuesday on Raritan Bay with <b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b>, Capt. Joe said. The anglers, Brian Wolenuk’s group, fished with chunks of bunker, and a 4-pound 23-inch fluke was also bagged on a chunk on a 6/0 hook with wire leader. Space is available for an open-boat fluke trip 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Open trips are available during those hours and 4 to 9 p.m. daily when no charter is booked. Telephone to climb aboard.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

The season’s first double-digit fluke, an 11.6-pounder, was smashed on the party boat <b>Fishermen</b> on Tuesday, Capt. Ron wrote in a report on the vessel’s Web site. Wendell Ferris, Bethlehem, eased in the fish. Fluke were nabbed everywhere the trip fished, and catches were slowly bouncing back then, after rains and runoff. Fluking was good on some drifts, and not so good later in the trip. Some current was battled on the trip, but that was better than the boat not drifting at all. No report was posted for Wednesday, but on today’s trip, Ron, and the anglers, he was sure, never had to work so hard to put together a fluke catch. Fluke held in a number of areas lately, but current became horrendous in past days, preventing fishing in many of them. The three high hooks bagged four apiece, but Ron wouldn’t call fluking good so far this year. He hopes the fishing gets back to “normal,” and everyone can catch, not just sharpies. Weather looks great for the next days, and he’ll be busting his tail to “get it done,” Ron said. 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.

After some of the season’s better fluke catches on Tuesday morning’s trip, weather came through, Capt. Tom from the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b> said. That turned fishing conditions lousy, and the afternoon’s trip’s fluking was nowhere near as good. On Wednesday, conditions were crummy on the morning’s trip in north winds, and the fluke fishing wasn’t as good as on the previous morning. But on Wednesday afternoon’s trip, the angling became better than the morning’s. So, which trip would be better on a day couldn’t be known. All trips fished the bay, and lots of fluke, including many just undersized, gave up action in every area tried. Whether spearing supplied for bait, or killies or Gulps anglers brought, caught better on Wednesday’s trips was difficult to tell. Sometimes that depends on the angler. So does whether Spros or bucktails catch better. Some anglers fish a rig with a Spro or a bucktail on bottom and a trailer above. Some fish a rig with a Spro or a bucktail on bottom and a smaller one on a trailer above. Both catch, and some anglers work the line, and others don’t. If anglers like to fish with killies, Tom suggests they buy the smallest amount available, usually a half-pint for $5 or $6, at a tackle shop on the way to a trip. The tackle shop at the marina is closed. An amount like a half-pint should last through the half-day trip. Bring a cooler with an aerator to keep the killies in water or a tray to keep them in the cooler on ice. The tray keeps killies alive well, and sometimes better than an aerator, on a hot day. 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, Sunday, 6/23:***</b> On Saturday morning’s trip, conditions were fine, and catches were made, but fluke didn’t seem to want to bite as well as would be liked, Tom said. On the afternoon’s trip, conditions were great, and fluking wasn’t bad. The fish, including a few keepers, were picked, and some better-sized ones came in. Paul and Nina totaled three good-sized fluke, and Paul won the pool, got lucky and out-fished Nina. Weather was nice, and everyone enjoyed themselves, Tom said.

Fishing for fluke was pretty good, said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Many were throwbacks, “but they get their keepers,” he said. Striped bass were clammed and caught on bunker. Plenty of bluefish were around, and were big and mean, he said. Spots and kingfish were showing up. Weakfish swam the rivers and bay. Lingfishing was very good at the Mudhole, and sea bass catches were good in shallower waters than that. Crabbers began to trap the blueclaws. All baits are stocked.

<b>Highlands</b>

Livelined bunker plowed striped bass, good catches, all the past week on the <b>Hyper Striper</b>, Capt. Pete wrote in an e-mail. On Monday, J.R. Bristow’s trip limited out on the fish to 24 pounds. Tuesday’s trip limited out on stripers to Ed Stehly’s 33-pounder. On Wednesday, Jim Herbold’s group limited out on the bass to 25 pounds, and this morning, Dan Sweeney’s party boated a limit to 23 pounds. Up next: Charters for jumbo fluke, and tuna.

Eleven striped bass to 15 pounds were bunker-chunked from Raritan Bay on Monday with <b>Fisher Price Charters</b>, Capt. Derek said. No trip fished Tuesday, and a trip Wednesday limited out on stripers to 22 pounds by 7:45 a.m. from the mouth of the bay on bunker chunks. No bluefish showed up on trips in a couple of weeks. Charters are fishing, and space is available on open-boat trips for stripers Tuesday and next Thursday. Room is available on trips that will try deep-water fluke fishing for the big ones along hard bottom with bucktails for the first time this season next week on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Telephone to climb aboard or to be kept informed about future open dates.

Steaming from <b>Twin Lights Marina</b>, Tracy Amarosa on the Par Tee bagged a 21-inch fluke near the 10 buoy on a killie, out-fishing her husband and another angler aboard, an e-mail from Marion from the marina said. On the 2F’s, Frank Rella, Ray Pharoe and Matt Fatovic docked five fluke to 23 inches from off Sandy Hook Point on Gulps and spearing. Twin Lights includes a marina, including boat slips and rack space, a bait and tackle shop, ship supplies and a fuel dock. Baits stocked 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. Bunker chum and flats of mackerel for sharks and ballyhoos for tuna will be carried by the weekend.

<b>Neptune</b>

The individual-reservation trip for cod aboard Wednesday was one of the better ones, Capt. Ralph from <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b> wrote in an e-mail. Seas were rough on the way out, but the fishing was worth that. The boat was loaded with cod at two spots, and one of the spots gave up non-stop catches. The next one of the trips is slated for 1 a.m. July 24. Cod charters are also available on weekdays. Morning and afternoon charters are also available for other fish. The DeBlasio charter from Nutley on Tuesday afternoon, in rains, scratched out two striped bass and some bluefish. Book now for individual-reservation trips for fluke and sea bass that will sail every Tuesday starting next week. Kids 12 and under will sail free on the fluke and sea bass trips, limited to two per adult host.

<b>Belmar</b>

On the <b>Big Mohawk</b>, fluke fishing was holding up on the ocean, giving up catches, Capt. Chris said. Some days were better than others, and extremely strong currents were a problem recently. A trip was fishing for striped bass on the ocean Wednesday evening, when Chris gave this report aboard in a phone call. Evening trips for stripers are still running at times, and the Big Mohawk is fishing for fluke 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

The party boat <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b> sailed every day for striped bass and blues on the ocean, and catches were slow, Capt. Alan said. But Wednesday was the first day in some time that striped bass were netted aboard. The catch included two stripers larger than 40 pounds and five bigger than 25. Bluefishing was bad lately, and Alan hopes catches improve. The party boat <b>Royal Miss Belmar</b> fished for fluke and sea bass on the ocean. Fluke started to give up quite a bit of action, not a ton of keepers. 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.

Bluefishing was challenging, to say the least, a report on the party boat <b>Golden Eagle</b>’s Web site said. So Wednesday’s trip tried bottom-fishing, and sea bass, ling, whiting and fluke were cranked up. Until fishing for striped bass and blues picks up, trips will try for stripers and blues in mornings, and if they bite, trips will keep after them that day. But if none do, trips will bottom-fish for fluke, sea bass, ling and cod afterward. Weather looks great in the next days, and come on down for a mixed bag of fish. The Golden Eagle is sailing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and for blues 7:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. daily.

Fluke bit in Shark River, but not as much as before, because of freshwater runoff from rains, Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> wrote in an e-mail. Trips on the store’s rental boats barreled up some good catches of fluke to larger than 4 pounds. In overcast days and choppy seas much of the week, striped bass were landed best on clams from the ocean. Boaters checked in stripers to 45 pounds, but fewer than in previous weeks. Many anglers geared up for shark fishing, and plenty of shark bait and chum was just stocked. Fishing on the whole was slow in the week’s weather, “but some bright spots between rain drops,” Bob said.

On some days, anglers cracked a few striped bass from the ocean, and on others, they didn’t, like the fishing’s been, Capt. Pete from <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b> said. The bass were good-sized, like recently. Ocean fluke fishing was up and down, better on some days than others, like before. Some sizeable ones were in the mix, and the fluke were boated shallow, in 35 to 50 feet. No trips aboard focused on sea bass recently, but one probably will on Saturday, and the fishing’s been decent on the ocean. Sea bassing was a matter of fishing someplace that wasn’t already fished hard. A trip today was headed offshore for sharks, and could also look for bluefin tuna in the area. Pete will try to give the results that will be posted here this evening or soon afterward if he does. 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>***Update, Thursday, 6/20:***</b> A 76-inch mako shark, probably 170 pounds, was bagged on today’s trip, Pete said in a phone call at 9 p.m., soon after the boat was docked. Plenty of blue sharks were around, and no tuna were seen. Turtles and whales, but no crazy life, was seen. Waters were 62 to 63 degrees or cold, and somewhat green, not as blue as Pete would like. “But it worked,” he said. The day was beautiful on the waters.

<b>Brielle</b>

<b>***Update, Saturday, 6/22:</b> Sea bass and ling “had the feed bag on,” Capt. Ryan from the party boat <b>Jamaica II</b> wrote in an e-mail. The fish were boated on Friday morning’s trip  aboard, and so were some good-sized fluke. On the afternoon trip, fluke fishing took off, and many anglers bagged between two and a limit of five apiece. A bunch of throwbacks were let go, and ½- and ¾-ounce bucktails with two strips of squid really cleaned up on the fish on that outing. “Red hot!” Ryan said. Dale Isaacs, Manchester, won the morning trip’s pool with a 5-pound fluke. Corey Graham, Lindenwold, clocked a 4-1/2-pound fluke on the afternoon trip. The Jamaica II is fishing for fluke and sea bass twice daily at 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays and on an all-day trip at 7:30 a.m. Mondays.

Bluefishing was tough on the ocean, an e-mail from the party boat <b>Big Jamaica</b> said. Large schools of blues passed through last week, and should return any time. Big bluefish to 14 pounds were sometimes caught Saturday night. On the Jamaica, plenty of the fish were marked, and fishing for them looked like it would be good. But catches were slow. Daytime trips picked up “some of the smaller blues close to (Manasquan Inlet),” the e-mail said. During the last daytime trips, a few blues were punched in mornings, and anglers bottom-fished afterward, shoveling aboard ling and sea bass.  Recent pool-winners included Jose Martinez, Wrightstown, with a 16-pound blue, Everett Diglio, Sussex, with a 4-pound blue, and Todd Smith with a 4-pound blue. The Big Jamaica is bluefishing on two trips daily at 7:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

One of the mid-shore, mixed-bag trips sailed with <b>Andrea’s Toy Charters</b>, shooting for bluefin tuna, sharks, cod and pollock, a report on Andrea’s Toy’s Web site said Wednesday. Trolling for tuna picked up no bites at two places, and the anglers switched to wreck-fishing. Pollock and cod were jigged, “(and) once we had a nice box of tasty treats,” the report said, the anglers began shark fishing. The boat drifted perfectly for sharking, and blue sharks started to be caught. Nearly a dozen were landed, about one every 15 minutes. Then a small mako shark hit, jumped three times and was landed, tagged and released. Another mako, a beautiful one, 83 inches, was hooked, landed and bagged. Scales were closed when the trip returned to port, but the mako was estimated to weigh 220 to 240 pounds. A trip today would fish for the same mix, Capt. Fred said in a phone call. Tuna were around, and bluefins were seen shooting through the shark chum slick on the last trip. An attempt was made at jigging them, but too many sharks swam around the boat, and the trip concentrated on them. These annual, mixed-bag, mid-shore trips, targeting several species in one outing, will start to be a focus aboard, both on open-boat trips and charters. But charters will still fish inshore. Inshore fishing was amazing for sea bass. Bluefish were around inshore, but not so many striped bass were. Andrea’s Toy specializes in mixed-bag fishing for greater fun, better chances of hooking up, and more variety for dinner. Telephone if interested in the trips.

Aboard the party boat <b>Norma-K III</b>, fluke fishing seemed to improve on Tuesday morning’s trip, Capt. Matt wrote in a report on the vessel’s Web site. A few keepers and good action on shorts was copped. Waters were 65 degrees, so Matt hoped this was all a sign more fluke were moving into the area. Spearing and squid combos, Gulps and bucktails caught well. A 3-pound fluke was the pool-winner. The afternoon’s and nighttime’s trips were weathered out, and that was the most recent report posted at press time. 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.

<b>Toms River</b>

Bluefish 1 pound were trolled on Barnegat Bay toward Route 37 Bridge on Pony Tails, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. The blues were also fought from docks on Toms River, and whole spearing under a bobber caught best, though anglers sometimes wanted to use a smaller piece. White perch, not a lot, were plucked from the river. Crabbing became spotty along the Toms, because of dirty, brown waters, because of rains. But some were trapped. Crabbing was better at Good Luck Point, farther south, though rains also affected there. Trolling for blues was somewhat better on the bay farther south. Also down there, blowfishing was good toward the BB marker, on clams while boaters chummed on anchor. A few fluke were bagged from the bay around the BB and BI, and 1 in 10 or 12 of the flatfish was probably a keeper in the area. At Barnegat Inlet, anglers on foot reeled in small blues and an occasional, small striped bass. On the ocean off the inlet, sea bass fishing was good at the Tire Reef. Not much was heard about fluke from the ocean, but few boated the waters. Little was heard about stripers from the ocean, except an occasional one pulled in, and few sailed for them. Trolling was the best chance to catch the stripers, and pods of bunker were sometimes around in the ocean. The ocean along the shore was 62 to 65 degrees, a little warmer than before. From the surf, fluke fishing was fairly good, and a bucktail with bait like squid or Gulp will hook them. A few small blues and sometimes a striper were beached, mostly on bait. But not many of either were found.   

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

Surf casters axed a slow pick of striped bass and blues, said Mario from <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>.  Fluke started to move into the surf, and blowfish remained in the waters. In Barnegat Bay, small blues schooled, and large blowfish were around, “if you can find (the blowfish),” Mario said. Crabbing was progressively improving, and more and more keepers were trapped every day.  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 work should be completed soon, “hopefully,” Mario said.

<b>Forked River</b>

Blowfish swam Barnegat Bay like crazy, said Kyle from <b>Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle</b>. Boaters whaled large numbers at the research buoy between the BI and BB markers, on clam while chumming with clam while anchored. Fluke, not great catches, but catches, were flung in from around the BI and BB and at Double Creek Channel. Blowfishing was so good that many anglers fished for the puffers. A few bluefish popped up in the bay, and a weakfish was yanked from the bay here and there. Nothing was really heard about striped bass.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Charters on the <b>Super Chic</b> wreck-fished on the ocean, Capt. Ted said in a voicemail. The trips scooped aboard good catches of sea bass and ling in past days, he wrote on his Facebook page. Fishing on the boat had no luck finding bluefish, he said in the voicemail. A trip Saturday put in a few hours searching for them on the ocean, he wrote on Facebook, but located none. So the charter wreck-fished, grabbing plenty of sea bass and ling. A trip Friday will scope out blues again, and charters are slated for then through Monday. A few spaces are available for an open-boat tilefish trip July 7. The fishing’s been good, and telephone to reserve. The 56-foot boat can accommodate up to 25 anglers on inshore trips and 10 on overnight, offshore trips. The vessel sleeps 10 passengers.

None of the bluefish trips sailed Monday through Wednesday on the party boat <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b>, a report on the vessel’s Web site said. Today’s trip ran, “(but) still no luck,” it said. A few sea bass and some sand sharks were hooked. “Where are the blues?” the report asked. The Miss Barnegat Light is bluefishing 8 a.m. daily and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays.

Plenty of throwback striped bass were hooked from Barnegat Bay on livelined spots, said Lauren from <b>Bobbie’s Boat Rentals</b>. Lots of fluke to 21 and 24 inches were bagged from the bay. 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. No minnows, scarce, are on hand. Live grass shrimp usually begin to be carried in July.

<b>Surf City</b>

Surf anglers banked fluke, good catches, said Sue from <b>Surf City Bait & Tackle</b>. Keepers were around, and an 8.2-pound fluke was beached Wednesday on Long Beach Island’s south end on a bucktail with Gulp. Dog sharks, dog sharks and more dog sharks swam the surf. Skates held in the waters, and sometimes big bluefish, not many, were hit there. A keeper striped bass came from the surf today. Surf fishing for stripers was really slowing down, but anglers still tried for them, hoping the catches lasted another couple of weeks. On the ocean, party-boat wreck-fishing for sea bass was “the way to go,” Sue said. Trips bailed them, and party boat fluke fishing was okay. Bluefishing wasn’t so good on the ocean.  In the bay, blowfishing was tremendous. Throwback stripers were sometimes hooked in the bay, and fluke were sometimes bagged from the waters. All baits are stocked except minnows. The baitfish are scarce, almost impossible to obtain, maybe because of the hurricane. The media wrote articles about it. The store’s annual, <b><i>Free Surf Fishing Seminars</i></b> will be kicked off June 30. Held 6- to 7 p.m. every Sunday in the parking lot, the classes will feature instructor Jim Massa once again. Bring a beach 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. 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>

Muddied, murky waters, because of rains and winds, slowed summer flounder fishing on Great Bay, said Chris from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Lots of small ones, like 20 for every keeper, were claimed at places like the stakes, like happens in dirty waters. Fishing for flounder might’ve been best from the 126 to 129 markers, because of cleaner waters closer to the ocean. Croakers were around off Graveling Point and at the stakes. They’re typically not big this time of year. Whether a substantial blowfish population remained off Graveling was unknown. The population, unusually large earlier this spring, had been disappearing. But blowfish usually show back up later, in summer. Bluefish are always around in the bay around now. On the ocean, sea bass fishing was good at Little Egg Reef, and a few flounder were rustled up there. Back in the back waters, crabbing was super. Fresh, shucked clams and minnows are stocked. Grass shrimp are currently carried, and whether they last through the weekend depends on demand and how many the shop’s owner can net.

<b>Absecon</b>

More catches were coming in every day, as waters cleared, Capt. Dave from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b> said. Unsettled weather had been tough, but didn’t chase summer flounder from the bay, he thought. Customers worked hard at the cleaning table today. Bill Lake and grandson docked seven good-sized flounder and a striped bass today. That was above average, but a few good catches were seen during the week. As waters improved, fishing did. Fishing incoming tides and first light will be key this weekend. Not a lot of weakfish were seen at the store, but stories kept being told about weakfish catches. The mouth of Mullica River seemed best for the fishing, and some 4- and 5-pounders swam. The government is quick to shut down fisheries, like the one-weakfish bag limit, a virtual closure, but should realize weaks aren’t that threatened. A somewhat higher limit would be good, so putting a trip together for them would be possible. More and more reports said striper fishing at night was phenomenal. Most were schoolies, but they were plentiful, and temperatures were getting a little high for daytime striper fishing. Livelined spots become best for stripers during daytime this time of year. But at night, the fish hit nearly anything, including lures, spots and eels. Eels are always a night striper producer. Not a lot was heard about stripers from the surf, but if they were caught, they were probably tackled at night. Anglers who fish for them at night tend to be quiet. Lots of kingfish and some large spots swarmed the surf. Spots in the bay ranged from bait-sized to eating-sized. The population seemed to bode well for a healthy run this year. More and more panfish were tugged from the bay. Curt from the shop, a white perch angler, caught more throwback stripers and weakfish than perch at the mouth of the Mullica during the weekend. If anglers found the perch, they’d catch, Dave guessed. Crabbing was picking up, after the major shed that just happened. Crabbers should get out and trap the blueclaws that just became bigger from shedding, before commercial crabbers get them first, like happens. Live spots, plenty of eels and a few fresh clams are stocked. Keeping shedder crabs on hand will be a little tough this weekend, and anglers need to telephone ahead for them, if they absolutely need them.  Frozen shedders are in good supply, and pretty much all other baits are. 

<b>Brigantine</b>

The surf tossed up kingfish and spots, said Capt. Andy from <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>. One angler bagged a 15-1/2-pound striped bass from the surf on clam from the shop today. But most anglers gathered kings and spots from the beach. Another angler caught a spot, livelined it back into the waters, and landed a 4- to 5-pound weakfish. Plenty of summer flounder carpeted the back bay. Minnows, fresh clams and jumbo bloodworms are stocked.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

Anglers on foot toggled in kingfish, spots, summer flounder, weakfish and occasional striped bass from nearby Absecon Inlet, said Noel from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. Bloodworms hung the kings and spots, and minnows and squid iced the flounder. The weaks and stripers pounced on lures, bloodworms or clams. Herring schooled the waters, and bluefish could be found in the back bay.  Baits stocked include minnows, though minnows are scarce at most stores, fresh clams, fresh bunker, bloodworms 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>

Dirty waters from rains seemed to slow the back bay’s summer flounder fishing, Capt. John from the party boat <b>Keeper</b> said. But waters should clear in gorgeous weather now, and he hopes that amps the catches back up. No bluefish were in the mix, though they were earlier this season. Mackerel supplied aboard hooked the flounder, and minnows, scarce, caught, when minnows could be provided aboard. The supply wasn’t steady, or minnows were available on some days, not on others. Gulps that anglers brought caught well, like usual. 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>

Freshwater runoff from rains kept much from being heard about fishing on the back bay, said Dan from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. Surely summer flounder swam the bay at usual places like off Kennedy Park and 17th Street and at Rainbow Channel. But by this time of year, flounder will probably start moving toward inlets, on the way to the cooler ocean. So anglers might look for them there. Weakfish were sometimes heard about from the bay, and not much was reported about bluefish at all. Surf angling for kingfish was good, and most gathered around the fishing pier. Authorities discouraged anglers from fishing the surf along the sides of the pier, because that’s a bathing beach. But anglers could fish there during off hours. Spots started showing up in the surf. On the ocean, mako sharks and small bluefin tuna gathered at the Hot Dog.  Waters were warmer at the 750 Square, so blue sharks swam there, and a friend saw a tiger shark swim around the boat at the 750. Farther from the coast, yellowfin tuna were boated between Baltimore and Wilmington canyons. Not much first-hand news rolled in about sharks and tuna. Minnows, bloodworms, sandworms, fresh clams, fresh bunker and frozen baits are stocked. Sardines and butterfish are carried for tuna fishing.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

The shop was expanded to triple the previous size today, Mike from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b> said. Surf fishing was excellent for croakers, spots, weakfish and blues. The fish were small, but Mike never saw such a mix, and anglers had a ball fishing for them. Blues, weaks and summer flounder were lifted from Townsend’s Inlet. A customer at the inlet this morning landed three good-sized weaks and a keeper flounder on pink Fin-S Fish. A 17-pound striped bass was weighed in from the inlet the other night. Flounder remained in the back bay, and catches were spotty, but if trips ran into a nook, good catches were made. The fish weren’t spread out. A few stripers were picked from the bay on plugs or soft-plastic lures. On the ocean, sea bass fishing was pretty darn good, Mike said. A 76- or 78-inch thresher shark was subdued on the ocean this week, and other sharks were fought, Mike knew, but no specifics were heard. Tuna but no specifics were also heard about from the ocean. But many boaters planned to sail for sharks and tuna Friday through the weekend. Minnows were currently stocked but were scarce, so how long they’d be on hand would be seen. Bloodworms are carried, and shedder crabs should arrive Friday. A few fresh clams are carried, and they might stop being stocked for now, because demand drops off.

Summer flounder still bit in the back bay, and weakfish were around in the bay, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b>, affiliated with <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. High tides now coincided with evenings, good conditions for popper fishing for striped bass on the bay’s shallow flats on lures and flies. So Joe hopes to popper them up, a specialty aboard charters. Inshore sharks started to bite, and Joe usually fishes for them by late June. The sharks – browns and duskies, both required to be released, and blacktips – range 20 to 100 pounds, usually swimming inshore of 10 miles. The fishing is a chance to pull on large fish without the long trek offshore. Charters fish for them in a chum click with fresh mackerel or bluefish fillets or orange chum flies. Joe heard nothing super about offshore tuna fishing in past days, but he’d like to run for them Friday. He’s got plenty of trips set for today through the weekend. Joe’s new boat he’s adding to his fleet arrived. The Eastern Boat Works 24-foot custom center console was built to feature everything Joe wants for his fishing, and nothing he doesn’t, and will be used on the inshore ocean. The boat is great, he said, and he was doing final touches on the vessel, and then it should be ready to fish. He also runs a flats boat on the bay and two larger boats for fishing 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>

The back bay turned up decent summer flounder fishing, when conditions were right, said Fred at <b>No Bones Bait & Tackle</b>. But rains, like inches that fell the other night, muddied the waters, slowing the angling. Spots by the ton swam the back bay. They nibbled Gulps non-stop on a friend’s trip. Weakfishing slowed at Hereford Inlet. But crabbing was good along the bay or back waters.  The shop’s rental boats are available to fish the bay. Baits stocked include frozen quarts and pints of salted clams, bulk bags of clam bellies, mullet, herring, mackerel and all the usual. Minnows are scarce and aren’t stocked.

Need some weather, said Mike from <b>Canal Side Boat Rentals</b>. If weather like rains cleared out, fishing should be good, he thinks. Summer flounder held in the back bay, and one rental boater Wednesday returned with a flounder, a weakfish and a 2-pound bluefish bagged. He fished with herring, mackerel and Gulps, and Gulps in New Penny were hot. A mix of those fish seemed around in the bay. Rental boaters mostly fished, but some crabbed, and one trapped four dozen keepers. Another trapped a dozen keepers and lots of throwbacks. From the surf, lots of weakfish were beached along jetties. A few bluefish were banked last week, and not many surf anglers fished in winds this week. Canal Side rents boats for fishing and crabbing and stocks the full supply of bait. Bait includes scented and unscented squid strips, scented pink and green 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. Minnows became difficult to obtain, so none is available. Crabs for eating are carried. Prices can change, but are currently $24 for No. 1’s and $12 for No. 2’s.

<b>Cape May</b>

On a friend’s boat, Capt. George from the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> mated on a sea bass charter on the ocean Wednesday, he said. Weather and seas were sloppy, a good 4 to 6 feet, and the angling wasn’t great. Sea bass were caught, but not like usual. Usually the fishing’s been good on the Heavy Hitter. A sizeable, 4- or 5-pound summer flounder was also bagged while the trip was anchored for sea bass, as opposed to drifting for flounder, the usual way to catch them. George heard nothing about flounder fishing recently, except about one boater who landed flounder on the back bay. Most boaters sailed for sea bass. A few drum were still hauled from Delaware Bay, George thought, but few boaters seemed to sail for them. Bait was becoming an issue for drum fishing, because quantities of clams, like a bushel, were becoming difficult to obtain, like usual this time of year. Demand drops, and suppliers provide fewer. Little was heard about tuna, except second- and third-hand reports about yellowfins taken between Baltimore and Wilmington canyons. Few seemed to sail for tuna, and weather’s been difficult, not just rains, but winds. In past years, bluefin tuna started to be caught closer to shore in late June or around Fourth of July.

Sea bass fishing was great on the ocean, and marathon, open-boat trips for them went well on the <b>Down Deep</b>, Capt. Mario said. The year’s first summer flounder trips, including open-boat, will sail aboard next week. So will the year’s first tuna fishing, including open-boat. Charters are fishing, and sign up for the <a href=" http://www.downdeepsportfishing.com/ddsf/76-2/" target="_blank">Short Notice List</a> on Down Deep’s Web site to be kept informed about dates for open trips. Also see the  <a href="http://www.downdeepsportfishing.com/ddsf/special-trips/" target="_blank">Special Trips</a> page for open-boat dates.  Delaware Bay’s drum fishing was about finished for the season aboard.

A few summer flounder were pasted from the ocean on the party boat <b>Porgy IV</b>, Capt. Paul said. Not a lot of the fish were around, but a few were bucketed on every trip, and some anglers caught them, and others didn’t. How conditions drifted the boat, “and the fish,” Paul said, determined how a trip’s fishing went. A few sea bass were mixed in, and trips will keep flounder fishing, and if weather becomes summery, like gorgeous weather predicted for the next couple of days, the angling should keep improving. Strong northeast winds blew on Wednesday’s trip, and half the anglers wore hooded sweatshirts, “and it’s June nineteenth,” Paul said. John Riccardi, Williamstown, bagged the season’s first limit of flounder, fish to 5 ½ pounds, aboard Sunday. Phil Woznuk, Marlton, bagged three on Saturday, and Sam Citron, Wildwood Crest, bagged two to 5 pounds on Tuesday. The Porgy IV is sailing for summer flounder at 8 a.m. daily.

From the surf, specifically along jetties, near Cape May Lighthouse and at Sunset Beach, croakers, weakfish, kingfish and a few flounder were banked, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. Bloodworms hooked the croakers and kings, and the weakfish were jabbed on bloods on float rigs or bucktails with soft-plastic lures. Flounder fishing was fairly good in the back bay along the Intracoastal Waterway. Flounder seemed to begin to be boated from the ocean over the weekend. Inshore reefs probably fished better for flounder on the ocean, and deeper reefs probably did for sea bass there. Nothing was heard about flounder from Delaware Bay. A few drum remained in Delaware Bay, and the year’s final ones will probably depart around the next full moon. One customer boated for flounder on Delaware Bay, caught none, and decided to drum fish. But the angler kept hooking kingfish and weaks. Back on the ocean, a few sharks were heard about that were battled at 28-Mile Wreck. Nothing was heard directly about tuna, but some were known to be caught during the weekend around Baltimore and Wilmington canyons. Minnows are stocked but scarce, so the price went up slightly. Fewer fresh clams are stocked than before, and telephoning to reserve them is best, always. Shedder crabs are carried, and can be fished for weakfish. Shedders will also nail drum, though clams are popular bait for them.

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