<b>Perth Amboy</b>

A family trip sailed for croakers and porgies, and the angling was just super, on the <b>Vitamin Sea</b> this week, Capt. Frank wrote in an e-mail. Both species were sizeable, and one 5-gallon bucket of each was kept. Excellent eating, and fun fishing for families and kids, with non-stop action. Anyone interested should telephone. One space is available on an open-boat fluke trip Saturday. Three are available on Sunday, September 1, for a fluke trip to Ambrose Channel. Telephone to climb aboard or if interested in other open trips. Charters are sailing, and the Vitamin Sea also fishes from Staten Island. “Get your dose of Vitamin Sea!”

<b>Keyport</b>

Space is available on trips for fluke through the weekend with <b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b>, Capt. Joe said. The last trip for them, with two anglers, shuffled up 10 keepers, among plenty of throwbacks, from the ocean last weekend, covered in the last report. Open-boat trips for fluke are available 6:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. daily when no charter is booked. Telephone to hop on.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

A 7-pound fluke won the pool on Wednesday’s trip on the party boat <b>Fishermen</b>, Capt. Ron wrote in a report on the vessel’s Web site. At first on the trip, fluke gave up little action. When some tide, outgoing, began, a shot of sizeable fluke started to bite, “but not the action of the past few days,” Ron said. Current became too fast, so the boat was moved. The boat barely drifted then, but some beauties, including the 7-pounder, were cracked. One angler bagged four fluke, and some bagged three, and so on. Still, many only hooked shorts, and some hooked none of the fish. Tough fishing with “too much, and not enough,” Ron said. On Tuesday aboard, more big fluke were landed. Ian Jensen from Delaware won the pool with a 7-1/2-pounder, and also smacked a 5-1/2-pounder and a 3-pounder. Other anglers smoked several 3- to 6-pounders, including a 5-3/4-pounder, a 5-1/2-pounder and a 5-pounder. Ron wouldn’t call the fishing hot that day, but he’d take quality over quantity any time. “Jigs worked as well as bait (that day) for a change,” he said. On that night’s trip, croaker fishing was very good, and porgy catches began slowly, but picked up through the outing. The Fishermen is sailing for fluke 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. Trips are sailing for a mix of fish, like porgies, croakers, fluke, blues and striped bass, 6:30 to 11:30 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 3:30 to 9:30 p.m. Sundays. However, the boat is chartered this Friday and Sunday mornings, so no open trips will sail then. No open trip will sail this Sunday afternoon, either.

Fluke fishing somewhat slowed around the week’s full moon, said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. But keepers were bagged yet, and lots of throwbacks were hooked. Some bluefish schooled down the ocean beach, and boaters jigged them. Whether surf casters picked them up was unknown. Farther from shore, ling, great catches, were boated at the Mudhole. Sharks, maybe fewer than in previous weeks, roamed the mid-range ocean. But more than usual were talked about in recent weeks. Bluefin tuna were axed from the mid-shore ocean, and a few bigeye, longfin and yellowfin tuna got waxed from canyons farther out. In bays and rivers, croakers, spots and kingfish swam. Crabbing was terrific, and all baits are stocked.

On the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>, fluke fishing wasn’t great, but the fish were caught every trip, and trips were fortunate the fish bit at shallows at mussel beds between channels, Capt. Tom said. That was because the shallows, mostly 15 and 18 feet, 30 feet at most, could be fished better in strong currents from the full moon. Some better-sized fluke came in, and pool-winners usually weighed 3 ½ to 4 pounds. A trip fished down the ocean beach Tuesday afternoon, and a handful of keepers were hung, but sea robins bit ferociously. At the mussel beds, anglers picked at throwbacks and a few keepers. Trips would make a drift, and some keepers would be caught, make another, and one or two keepers would show up, or make another, and no keepers, only throwbacks, would chew. The fishing wasn’t consistent, like that. Sometimes winds against tide were tough to fish, preventing the boat from drifting best for catching. The boat would be touched in and out from gear to keep lines straight down. Some trips fished better than others. Many 17-inch fluke bit, a half-inch undersized. People started to joke they’d play the number at Atlantic City, because 17 seemed to come up a lot. One angler came one fish short of limiting out on Wednesday afternoon. Weather was great, and heat might’ve been uncomfortable on land on some days, but weather was beautiful on the waters. The angling might not have been great, but the crew was trying to keep anglers, including families, having a good time.  The Atlantic Star is fishing for fluke 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 6 p.m. daily.

<b>Highlands</b>

<b>Fisher Price Charters</b> steamed for bluefin tuna 50 miles offshore from Sandy Hook on Friday, Capt. Derek said. The fishing was tough for the fleet that day, but Fisher Price went 3 for 4 on bluefins to 40 pounds. Derek was happy with that, and the trip trolled and jigged. The fish hooked were trolled on ballyhoos, and jigs grabbed a couple of bites. The tuna fed on sand eels, and waters were 74 ½ degrees and not blue, but a clean green. Charters are fishing for the tuna, and open-boat trips will run for them, and telephone if interested. Derek is trying to mix-up trips between bluefins, sharks and fluke. Thresher and mako sharks held 20 to 40 miles from shore, and Fisher Price already tangled with them this season, and buddies sailed for them in past days. Their catches included a 150-pound mako and a 250-pound thresher, and they lost a 300-pound mako. On fluke trips with Fisher Price, the angling was very good last week, slowing during the weekend through Wednesday, probably because of the full moon. The fishing aboard this week, during the moon, picked away at keepers, and shorts definitely out-numbered them. Still, a trip Wednesday limited out on fluke to 6 ½ pounds. Trips are fluking rough bottom in deep water with bucktails and big strip baits. One space is available for an open fluke trip Friday. Telephone to jump aboard or to be kept informed about future open trips. Derek was yet to schedule possible open trips for fluke next week, but anglers can telephone if interested.

Good fluke fishing this past week overall, Capt. Pete from the <b>Hyper Striper</b> wrote in an e-mail. The fish reeled aboard weighed up to about 6 pounds, and the angling was good for the Jeff Sheats party on Saturday. The summer flounder weighed up to Judy Sheats’ 6-1/2-pounder on the outing. Sunday was the best fluking in the past week, and some of the anglers limited out on Mark Fidulli’s trip that day. Most of the trip’s keepers weighed 2 to 4 pounds. On Wednesday, Kurt DiLemma’s group sailed for striped bass, limiting out on the fish to 18 pounds, hitting them well. Then they added fluke to the catch. On a trip this morning, the Dave Ferris crew also fished for stripers early, limiting out on the bass to 25 pounds. “Overall, good action the past week,” Pete said.

Throwing off the dock ropes from <b>Twin Lights Marina</b>, Tracy Amarosa, daughter Kristian and Kristian’s friend Charlie on the Par Tee bagged fluke 18 ½ inches, 20 inches and 18 ½ inches, respectively, at Bug Light on killies and squid, Marion wrote in an e-mail. Tracy and husband Jay and another angler on another trip aboard returned with a 20-inch fluke from Ambrose Channel, after fishing with killies, spearing and squid. Greg Hanna on the Annie-H fluked Ambrose, limiting out on the fish to 21 inches on Gulps. Twin Lights, conveniently located on Shrewsbury River, with no bridges before Raritan Bay and the ocean, features boat slips, rack storage, a fuel dock, ship’s store supplies, and a complete bait and tackle shop. Baits carried include killies and frozen quarts and pints of salted clams, spearing, Peruvian smelts, the different types of squid, and scented shedder crab. Offshore baits like flats of ballyhoos are sold.

<b>Belmar</b>

Large bluefish – some – started to be caught in the last week on the party boat <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b> on the ocean, Capt. Alan said. Tons of small ones were shoveled aboard, like before, and that fishing was very good. But on some days, 10, 15 or 20 slammers, to 10 and 15 pounds, were tied into. Seven or eight were thrown aboard Wednesday, and 20 or 30 were the other day. Bonito were sometimes in the mix. None was on Wednesday, but six or seven were the other day. Bluefishing was good on nighttime trips, mostly for small ones, a handful of large. On the <b>Royal Miss Belmar</b>, some good fluke catches were made on the ocean, when conditions were good. This morning’s catch was off to a great start, when Alan gave this report in a phone call. Lots of keepers were zonked, and fluking was slow on Wednesday’s trip. The Miss Belmar Princess is sailing for bluefish 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.

Catches of big blues, 10 to 18 pounds, were very good on Wednesday’s trip early in the day on the ocean on the party boat <b>Golden Eagle</b>, a report on the vessel’s Web site said. Four- to 5-pounders were whipped on a few drifts next. Then bigger blues were plowed again in the afternoon. Several anglers limited out on big blues on the trip. Some 10- to 18-pounders were also clubbed on Tuesday night’s trip. Then smaller blues were nipped, and many customers limited out on blues on the trip. Bonito were sometimes in the mix on daytime trips. The Golden Eagle is bluefishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. daily.

Fluke fishing was a little slow the past couple of days, and the boat drifted lots slower than before, but a 10-pound 9-ounce fluke was clobbered aboard this past week, said Capt. Pete from <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b>. Fluking’s been good on deck when conditions were. Trips fished in 40 to 65 feet, like before, and the ocean was in the low 70s on most days. Not much was heard about bluefin tuna in past days, but trips are also sailing for them. Parker Pete’s fishes for any species available. Don’t have enough anglers for a charter? Contact Pete anyway, or <a href=" http://www.parkerpetefishing.com/" target="_blank">subscribe to Parker Pete’s e-mailed newsletter</a>, to be kept informed about individual-spaces available on charters. Look for the place to sign up on the right side of the page on the boat’s Web site.

Summer was “slipping away, and things are moving toward fall, not a bad thing for some of us,” Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> wrote in an e-mail. Surf anglers saw signs of fall, banking more keeper striped bass than before, along jetties north of Shark River Inlet. Bill Massey fly-rodded seven schoolie stripers from the surf Tuesday. For boaters, ocean fishing was great. They drilled big fluke, and caught tuna. Plus, big bluefish finally appeared, after small blues were boated previously. Numerous fluke larger than 6 pounds were checked in from Belmar’s party boats. Frank Melicharek, Bordentown, creamed an 11-pound fluke with Last Lady Fishing Charters from Neptune. Jesse and Aero Thomas on Jesse’s boat clocked seven keeper fluke, including four larger than 4 pounds. In Shark River, mostly throwback fluke, one in 20 a keeper, swam, and snapper blues schooled thick, and were growing in size. They were fun for kids. “Short days, cool nights, good fishing,” Bob said.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

Mostly ling, but also a few porgies, the season’s first, were scooped aboard bottom-fishing trips on the party boat <b>Dauntless</b>, Capt. Butch said. Trips might target porgies, if the fish are in range. They swam a little far north, but Butch hopes they migrate south. The ling fishing was okay, not as good as Butch would like, probably because of fishing pressure. Many boats had fished for them by this time of season. The boat fished in 120 feet to almost 200, and waters were about 70 degrees. On Wednesday, waters were 68 in the morning, reaching as high as 71, later. On nighttime bottom-fishing trips, ling catches were fair, not a bail. Mostly ling were hooked, and a few cod came in. Lots of out-of-season winter flounder bit and were released. On Saturday night’s bluefish trip, the blues were small, but the fishing was good. Most anglers landed 10 to 15. The Dauntless is bottom-fishing 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily and 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. Wednesdays through Fridays, and is bluefishing on Saturday nights during the same hours.

One of the mixed-bag trips to the mid-shore ocean iced bluefin tuna and cod Tuesday with <b>Andrea’s Toy Charters</b>, Capt. Fred said. Details were expected to be posted in a report on <a href=" http://reports.andreastoycharters.com/" target="_blank">Andrea’s Toy’s Web site</a> soon. Multiple fish kept being whacked on the trips lately, very good fishing. Catches of sharks, bluefins, mahi mahi and cod were consistent, and trips fished for all, if they had the time. Andrea’s Toy concentrated on the mid-shore fishing, because the angling was so good. But a trip is slated to compete in an offshore tournament next week, so Andrea’s Toy will head there. Charters and open-boat trips are sailing on the mixed-bag trips mid-shore, and will eventually concentrate on mixed-bagging offshore this season. Andrea’s Toy specializes in mixed-bag fishing for greater fun, better chances of hooking up and more variety for dinner. Telephone if interested.

With <b>Mushin Sportfishing</b>, Anthony O’Donnell’s daytime trolling charter fished Hudson Canyon on Wednesday, according to an e-mail from Alan, the boat’s owner, and a voicemail from Capt. Ray. The trip had been weathered out Monday, and the anglers were weathered out three times previously. But they got out this time, and began trolling in the deep at the east corner of the canyon, beyond the 100 Square. Longfin tuna and mahi mahi were picked, then a bigeye tuna attacked. The 150-pounder was landed in 25 minutes on stand-up tackle. In addition to that and the mahi, three longfins were boxed, and several longfins were lost. All the fish were found at “three distinct areas,” Alan said, but the longfins seemed spread over a large area, “which holds promise of good fishing to come,” he said. Ballyhoos on Ilanders and “usual spreader bars,” Alan said, caught best. Waters were clean and slightly gray, and water temperatures were good. “Lots of mammal life and bait,” Alan said. Boaters Ray spoke with who fished at night caught no tuna on Tuesday to Wednesday. A trip during the weekend also trolled a bigeye and some longfins with Mushin, covered in the last report. Inshore and offshore charters are being booked, and open-boat trips, by reservation, are being set up for offshore. Mushin means a relaxed state of readiness. The crew pride themselves on sharing the concept on outdoor adventures.

<b>Toms River</b>

Along the Toms River at Island Heights, crabbers plugged away at the blueclaws, and snapper blues schooled, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. The snappers were played on spearing, and some started to fish for them with killies, because the blues grew larger.  Lots of Snapper Zappers were bought for the fishing, and whole spearing were fished on the rigs. A good run of spots, some of them very large, held in the river and along Route 37 Bridge in Barnegat Bay. At the BB marker in the bay, blowfishing dropped off somewhat, and smaller ones were somewhat more common than before. The puffers might’ve been about to depart the bay, but the fishing might’ve been affected by the full moon. They’d bite a couple of days, then not on another, then again on another.  Fluke, mostly small, still gathered at Barnegat Inlet, but fluke seemed to be migrating to the ocean pretty well. On the ocean, they seemed to be boated in 45 to 60 feet, and killies will catch them, but big baits like smelts or stripers of mackerel seem best. Bluefish ½ pound to 2 pounds flew around the inlet and the surf. More anglers started to fish the surf for blues with mullet on mullet rigs than before. Loads of snapper blues 6 to 10 inches ran the surf, and many fished for them with Snapper Poppers, having fun. Sharks were chunked from the surf at night on mackerel or bunker, and skates chomped in the surf. 

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

In the surf, fluke and sometimes kingfish were beached, said Mario from <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>. Bluefish popped up in the surf sporadically, and brown sharks, required to be released, were eased from the beach at night. At the dock, on Barnegat Bay, snapper blues schooled all over, jumping on spearing on Snapper Zapper rigs. Crabbing improved a little along the dock, and boaters returned with very good-sized crabs from the bay, not a zillion, but maybe a couple of dozen per trip. Fresh bunker, fresh clams, sandworms and the full assortment of frozen baits are stocked. The Dock Outfitters, located on the bay, features an extensive supply of bait and tackle, a dock to fish and crab from, boat rentals for fishing and crabbing, and jet ski rentals.

<b>Forked River</b>

Ocean fluke fishing was picking up, said Joe from <b>Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle</b>. Two anglers just said they boated three keepers, each almost 6 pounds, on the ocean at the Tires, when Joe gave this report today in a phone call. To nab fluke in Barnegat Bay, incoming tides or slack, either high or low, had to be fished. Blowfish were flung from the bay in 4- or 5-foot shallows. Nothing was heard about weakfish, but croakers were reported caught, especially from Oyster Creek. Tons swam there. Snapper bluefishing was good in lagoons, and crabbing was excellent. Baits stocked include killies and fresh spearing, and a large order of Fishbites artificial worms just arrived.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Lots of weakfish piled up at Meyer’s Hole in Barnegat Bay, said Kevin from <b>Bobbie’s Boat Rentals</b>. They were grass-shrimped, and other catches were mixed in. A few fluke were lifted from the bay, and most fluke there were throwbacks. Better fluking moved to the ocean, and bigger ones were caught there. Not many crabs were trapped from the bay near the shop, but clamming is always good near the store there. Bobbie’s includes a bait and tackle store, a fuel dock, boat rentals for fishing and crabbing on the bay, and kayak rentals, and is known for a large bait selection. Baits stocked include live spots. Live grass shrimp are available, and should be ordered ahead of time.

<b>Barnegat</b>

From an edited e-mail from Capt. Dave DeGennaro from the <b>Hi Flier</b> on Tuesday: “The last couple of days on the water have been red hot with the live grass shrimp. Weakies on the east and west sides of (Barnegat Bay). We had every size from shorts to 22-inch fish. They’re averaging 12 to 15 inches, and are a lot of fun on the 6-pound ultra-lights. Lots of other species in the mix as usual. Our (Barnegat Inlet) jetty shrimping trips couldn't be better. Constant hook-ups with small stripers, 2-pound blues, a few houndfish, crazy big porgies, and tog. The tog are mostly under the 15-inch mark, but we had a pair of 17-inchers go in the cooler on (Monday’s) trip. We hit the Barnegat Ridge on Saturday, and it wasn't great, but we did manage four bonita on the troll. They hit small squid chains and cedar plugs. On Monday morning, I returned in hopes of more, but we only caught one Spanish mackerel. A big one though, 24-incher, that crushed my way-back cedar plug.  Then we came inside and hammered the weakies on the shrimp. Lots of bait readings at the ridge, so I’ll continue to try. The bonita we cut open had sand eels in them, and when that bait is at the ridge, things can heat up any minute, with any number of species. Good looking water, too – bluish green, 70 degrees. We’ll be running open-boat trips for weakfish and more from 6 to 11 a.m. and 12 noon to 5 p.m. Monday and 1 to 6 p.m. Tuesday. Three people max, and all fish are shared. These dates are also available for charter. Our next available date beyond these is not until Tuesday, September 3. Hope to see you on board.”

<b>Surf City</b>

Surf casters still pumped kingfish from the waters, “as far as I know,” Brendan from <b>Surf City Bait & Tackle</b> said. Fluke, mostly throwbacks, were banged from the beach, and Brendan landed a throwback fluke and a cownosed ray, small enough not to break off, Wednesday from the shore, and knew plentiful throwback-fluke scurried the waters, he said. He knew anglers headed out for sharks and striped bass at night in the surf, but heard no results. Anglers on foot had landed triggerfish from the condo docks, and nothing was heard about blackfish. Fresh bunker is stocked when available, and fresh clams are probably in too little demand to carry. Few wanted them to fish for stripers in the surf at night. Frozen, salted clams, the full supply of other frozen baits, bloodworms and green crabs are carried. The store’s annual <b><i>Free Surf Fishing Seminars</i></b> are under way. Held 6- to 7 p.m. every Sunday, rain or shine, in the parking lot until Labor Day, the classes cover the fishing that’s happening now, and bring a beach chair. Visit <a href="http://www.surfcitybaitandtackle.com/" target="_blank">Surf City Bait & Tackle’s Web site</a>. 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>

Fishing ocean reefs for summer flounder dominated, said Scott from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Boaters had the weather to sail to them, and all reefs produced, or the reef fished wasn’t important. But short drifts of the boat, over pockets of flounder, mattered. Occasional flounder were boated at Little Egg Inlet, and fishing there remained worthwhile, like if boaters lacked experience to sail to reefs, or weather was too rough. Blowfish bit along the Intracoastal Waterway behind Holgate at sandbars, and also along nooks and crannies around there. Croakers schooled at the mouth of Mullica River, after freshwater from rains previously slowed fishing for anything there. The croakers could keep anglers busy, could be fun. The mix of kingfish, blowfish, small sea bass and porgies were yet to give up the fishery they traditionally do this time of year in Great Bay. Fishing around the bay was fair, but happening, with the croakers and the blowfish, and that was better than usual, for the middle of August. Relatively cool weather helped, and these weren’t the usual summer doldrums. Nobody mentioned blackfishing, but the tautog surely could be angled along the banks of the bay. This was the time of year. Nobody mentioned white perch from brackish rivers like the Mullica, but good perch fishing was available, no doubt. This was the right time. Minnows, fresh, shucked clams and bloodworms are stocked, and green crabs will arrive Friday afternoon. No live grass shrimp are carried, but the store stocks them when in demand. They weren’t, currently.

<b>Absecon</b>

Fishing was looking good for the second half of August, said Capt. Dave from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. Summer flounder fishing seemed the “word,” and ocean fishing for them was the “hot one,” when weather was fit to boat there, he said. The reefs fished  best for flounder, and many boaters fished Atlantic City Reef, returning with good catches of flounder. But a few fished other places in the ocean for them, like individual wrecks away from reefs, and some of the lumps. That angling could also be good. Plus, bait gathered along beaches, and surf anglers started banking more flounder than before. Boaters sometimes pushed close to shore, scoring well on flounder. But back-bay flounder fishing held up, probably as well as when the fishing first took off there this year. If anglers fished the bay well, they bagged a few keepers every trip, and some caught even better. Some big flounder swam Absecon Inlet and holes behind the inlet and toward Brigantine Bridge. A 10-1/2-pound flounder was weighed in from Little Panama, just behind the bridge, last week. The bay’s weakfishing seemed to improve a little every day, though never really heated up this season. But if anglers tried for weaks, they’d bag their one-fish limit. Lots of panfish like croakers and spots filled the bay. The croaker population remained pretty big, and spots seemed somewhat more scattered than before, but “big eaters” were still around, and more of the bait-sized ones seemed to keep building, if anglers wanted to catch them to keep live for striped bass bait. The shop is loaded with castnets, baitwells and all supplies to keep the bait. Bait also included plenty of peanut bunker that schooled, and mullet that Dave saw lots more than before, along Absecon Bay’s edges. He thinks mullet move into back waters from the ocean on the current full moon, and move out to the ocean on September’s full. “That’s my theory, anyway,” he said. Curt who works at the shop, a white perch angler, caught the slabs very well this week, and this season is usually best for them. Perch swam Mullica River, and other fish like croakers and spots were mixed in. Crabbing was good, and the full moon, happening this week, typically slows crabbing a moment, but this time of year was one of the best for crabbing. Live spots are stocked, and live mullet began to be carried for the first time this year. Plenty of shedder crabs are on hand, and soft-shell crabs for eating are in supply. The shop raises the blueclaws. Lots of big minnows are stocked, and some stores seemed to have difficulty finding large ones.

<b>Brigantine</b>

Spots and brown sharks roved the surf, said Capt. Andy from <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b> in a phone call. The browns must be released by law, and, Andy wrote in a report on the shop’s Web site, fishing for them slowed a bit. Now that a few less seemed to haunt the waters, a few bluefish seemed to brave the surf. Kingfish and croakers were also around in the surf. Any summer flounder in the surf? he was asked. “Nah,” he said, but some hung around shore at the cove and along the back side of the island’s north end.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

A 12-pound 31-inch summer flounder was weighed in from Absecon Inlet today at <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>, Noel said. The fish was smashed from the Melrose Avenue jetty, and flounder, kingfish, spots, croakers and a few good-sized blackfish were slung-in from the inlet. The inlet, located near the shop, is lined with jetties that anglers fish along on foot. Bait jumped from the waters, including peanut bunker, mullet and spearing.  Fresh mullet is stocked. Baits also include minnows, green crabs, fresh clams, bloodworms and frozen sand eels, herring, peanut bunker, head-on shrimp, spearing, a large variety of squids and more. An outside vending machine was installed, so anglers can buy bait during after-hours. The baits are frozen clams, squid, head-on shrimp and filleted mackerel. Catch the sale on Bomber lures for $8.99 for the jointed Long A and 5.99 for the smaller, non-jointed. Quantum 7-foot rod-and-reel outfits with line are on sale for $60 for two. Topless, good-quality crab traps are on special for $20 for two or $12.99 for one, and can be stacked. Pyramid-shaped crab traps are two for $15. Bucktails are on sale for these prices, almost wholesale: 1/8 ounce, $1.79; ¼ ounce, $1.85; 3/8 ounce, $1.89; ½ ounce, $1.95; 5/8 ounce, $2; ¾ ounce, $2.09; 1 ounce, $2.20; 1 ½ ounces, $2.29; 2 ounces, $2.99; and 3 ounces, $3.49.  Colors are all-white, green-and-white, chartreuse-and-white, yellow-and-white, pink-and-white, red-and-white and purple-and-white.  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 was okay aboard, said Capt. John from the party boat <b>Keeper</b>. The fishing wasn’t like earlier this summer, but the fluke were decked on every trip. A few big ones, a 6-pounder and a couple of 5-pounders, were swung aboard in the past week. Though the angling showed signs that fall was coming, or that the season for the fish was winding down, flounder still swam the bay to be caught. Plenty of other fish like baby sea bass and sea robins bit. That kept kids happy, and a 14- or 15-inch kingfish was hooked the other day. The flounder bit minnows and mackerel supplied aboard and Gulps anglers brought. The 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>

Great Egg Reef harbored summer flounder, Dan from <b>Fin-Atics</b> said. Lots carpeted the back bay, but most were small. Spots, a mess, schooled the surf, and a few kingfish loitered the waters. “Nothing to write home about,” Dan said. A few sharks came from the surf, and very good catches of them came from the inshore ocean. Most tuna remained south, but they began to be heard about from Hudson, Toms and Lindenkohl canyons. Nothing was talked about bluefin tuna closer to the coast. Minnows, bloodworms and all frozen baits are stocked.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Summer flounder fishing was the thing, said Mike from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. Ocean City and Wildwood reefs were some of the best spots for the angling, and catches could be awesome. The fish were also lifted from the Table Top, somewhat farther offshore. The fishing’s just been good, and many anglers worked bucktails tipped with Gulps or mackerel to catch them. Some of the fish were weighed-in, including a 6-pound 4-ounce flounder from O.C. Reef on Wednesday. Lots of spots swarmed the surf and the back bay. They kept kids busy, and that could be good. Sharks were beaten from the surf pretty well in evenings and at night. Back on the ocean, a few catches of tuna, yellowfins and longfins, were heard about from the Lobster Claw.

From the ocean, summer flounder were tugged in with four anglers aboard Tuesday afternoon, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b>, affiliated with <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. A dusky shark bit one of the flounder, a keeper, in half when the fish was reeled up. The group also released out-of-season sea bass, and flounder fishing was better on the ocean on some days, and better on the back bay on others. A trip released a bunch of throwback flounder on the bay Monday. Following the flounder trip on the ocean, Mike Roth and granddaughter Ryah aboard that afternoon caught and released 15 blacktip and dusky sharks from the ocean. Mike landed four on a fly rod, and the rest were hooked on spinning rods with bait. Inshore shark trips like that have been great, usually within 10 miles from shore, a chance to pull on big fish without a trip offshore. The angling is catch and release, and some of the species including duskies are required to be let go. The sharks usually remain until Labor Day. Tom Durling and sons Frank and John released 15 blacktips and duskies Monday morning aboard on spinning rods.  In other news, croakers and weakfish, mostly throwbacks, began to appear in the ocean close to shore. They were the first reported from there on this site this year, a sign of the changing season. Joe heard nothing about offshore fishing for tuna or other big game, and this was “tournament week,” he said. Offshore contests including Cape May’s Mid-Atlantic $500,000 were under way, so anglers were mum.  Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s blog</a>.

<b>Wildwood</b>

Fishing was the same as before, said Mike from <b>Canal Side Boat Rentals</b>. Previously, he said the back bay’s summer flounder fishing slowed, but a few were sacked. Also on the bay, snapper blues and throwback striped bass were winged, and crabbing could’ve been better, he said then. Canal Side rents boats for fishing and crabbing on the bay. <b>***<i>GET $5 OFF A RENTAL</i>***</b> by mentioning Fishing Reports Now when renting. Baits stocked include minnows, 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, herring, frozen shrimp and a good selection of Gulp artificial baits. Crabs for eating are sold at market prices, currently $26 per dozen for No. 1’s and $14 per dozen for No. 2’s. The crabs can be steamed to order, fresh as can be, and prices are currently $30 for No. 1’s and $18 for No. 2’s.

From <b>No Bones Bait & Tackle</b>, fishing didn’t change since the last report, Fred said. In his last report, last week, he said summer flounder ambled around the back bay, but not just anyone could expect to bag some these days. The fishing took work or experience, and a trip with an angler, who used to work on a party boat, that week totaled 32 flounder, including six keepers, from the bay. But that was rare. Another experienced angler caught two keepers per trip, fairly consistently, on strips of spots. Flounder fishing was okay on the ocean at Wildwood and Cape May reefs, if anglers knew what they were doing, Fred said that week. Crabbing was good on the bay, but in mornings, and hand-lines caught them better than traps, he said then. In afternoons, crabbing turned off, he said that week. Rental boats are available to fish or crab on the bay. Baits stocked include plenty of minnows. Live spots are on hand. Anglers looked forward to autumn, including for striped bass fishing in the bay and surf.

<b>Cape May</b>

Many summer flounder that bit were throwbacks, and trips also dealt with weather, on the party <b>Porgy IV</b>, Capt. Paul said. The vessel fished the ocean, and a few anglers limited out on the flatfish Friday. Northeast winds blew strongly during the weekend. For fishing, that was tough Saturday and horrendous Sunday. Holding bottom was difficult. On Sunday, northeast winds blew 20 to 25 m.p.h., and many anglers fished 20-ounce weights. Good-sized flounder were sometimes caught on the outing, but no great numbers were. Paul almost wasn’t going to sail that day in the winds, but a group of anglers wanted to go. He wasn’t going to fish off Cape May Point in Delaware Bay to escape winds, because not much was heard about flounder from the bay locally. Vince Fiorentino, Philly, limited out on flounder to 5 ½ pounds Monday. On Tuesday, very few keepers were managed. On Wednesday, a few customers angled three or four keepers, and some landed none, and some quit fishing, because of tangles, in winds against tide. Was a bad day for the boat’s drifting. Anglers who limited in past days included Tyler Black from New York on Friday. An 8-pound flounder was the week’s biggest, one of two keepers for Dick Spotts, Phoenixville, Pa. The Porgy IV is fishing for summer flounder at 8 a.m. daily. 

Small bluefish were trolled Tuesday at 5-Fathom Bank on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>, Capt. George said. Plenty of 2-pounders stacked up there, and the anglers, Larry, his son and a friend, sharked afterward. That was slow, but one was caught and released. A trip aboard is supposed to fish for tuna Monday. Summer flounder were plumbed from the ocean at places like Reef 11 and the Old Grounds. Charters are fishing for all these catches, and telephone if interested.

From the surf, croakers were dragged in, and so were a few weakfish and some summer flounder and big sharks, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. The fishing was pretty good, and a few bluefish started to appear. They sometimes swam into the surf at Cape May Point, and were boated off Cape May Inlet. Blues were trolled at 5-Fathom Bank farther from shore and even farther out, 10 miles from the coast. Sharks were fought there, too. Boaters claimed flounder and weakfish from the ocean off the inlet, and ocean reefs gave up some healthy flounder catches, even Cape May and Wildwood reefs, closer to port than others. At ocean wrecks, triggerfish, blackfish and flounder could be angled, not a bad variety. The last time news rolled in from Delaware Bay, flounder were taken toward Fortescue and at the 9 and 10 buoys, and sharks were wrestled. Tons of bunker schooled the bay, so bluefish probably chased some. Bait including spots, peanut bunker, mullet and herring swam waters like the back bay. Fishing for striped bass was pretty good at bridges at night. Anglers tried to imitate spearing to catch them, and Nick likes a Bass Assassin firetail soft-plastic to match them. For offshore boaters, canyon tuna fishing seemed to pick up. Minnows, fresh clams and bloodworms are stocked. Fresh mullet will be stocked if available.

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