<b>Perth Amboy</b>

Strong northeast forced an open-boat trip for fluke to be scrubbed Tuesday on the <b>Vitamin Sea</b>, Capt. Frank wrote in an e-mail. The year’s final open trip for them will sail this coming Tuesday, the last day of fluke season, and a few spaces are available. Telephone to jump aboard. Good jigging for bluefish is available, under birds working bait. “No (striped) bass yet,” Frank said. Reservations are being accepted for striper fishing and blackfishing this fall on open trips and charters. The Vitamin Sea also fishes from Staten Island. “Get your dose of Vitamin Sea!”

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Fluke fishing was no good on Monday morning’s trip on the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>, and the afternoon’s trip never sailed, Capt. Tom said. None of the fleet fished Tuesday, because of weather. On Wednesday’s trips aboard, fluking was tough. A few were bagged, but not even many throwbacks bit. The afternoon fished a little better than the morning. So, the angling was tough in past days, for unknown reasons.  The Atlantic Star is fishing for fluke 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 6 p.m. daily through Tuesday, the final day of fluke season. Afterward, the trips will bottom-fish, first for porgies, then for sea bass and porgies starting that Friday, the day sea bass season will be opened. The twice-daily trips will continue through Columbus Day, October 14, sailing the same hours as currently. The schedule will be switched to one ¾-day trip a day either immediately afterward or soon afterward.

Were fluke caught? Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b> was asked. “They’re catching some fluke yet,” he answered. “Some days, yes. Some, no.” Bluefish bit in the ocean. They were busted on bait while boaters chummed on anchor, and were jigged sometimes, when the blues chased baitfish along the water surface. Blues like 2 pounds sometimes tumbled into the surf. Any striped bass from the surf? Jimmy was asked. A boater bought clams to fish for stripers this morning, Jimmy said. “I know he’s catching them,” he said. Porgies were boated, and sea bass season will be opened next week on Friday. Croakers and spots, fewer than before, schooled, and Jimmy wasn’t asked where. For last week’s report, he said they swam Raritan Bay and Shrewsbury and Navesink rivers. But the fish could migrate this time of year.

<b>Highlands</b>

Fluke fishing was docked the last couple of days because of winds, Capt. Derek from <b>Fisher Price Charters</b> said. Before then, catches were okay, better on some days than others, depending on conditions. Trips still picked the fish to 6 and 8 pounds at rough bottom in deep waters on bucktails and big strip baits. A few striped bass started to bite, and Derek will be away a moment next week, but trips aboard will begin sailing for stripers toward the end of next week. Charters and open-boat trips will fish for the bass this coming season, and anglers can telephone to be kept informed about the open trips.

Was good tuna fishing during the weekend on the <b>Hyper Striper</b>, Capt. Pete wrote in an e-mail. The Bob Williams party aboard smoked a mess of longfins. J.R. Bristow’s crew limited out on stripers to 23 pounds Monday. On Tuesday, Dennis Pratt’s gang limited on the bass to 25 pounds, and on Wednesday, Bob Visotsky’s group limited on healthy-sized stripers to the upper teens.

At <b>Twin Lights Marina</b>, Mike Nelson and Woody docked eight fluke to 6 pounds they bagged from the ocean off Sandy Hook on killies, Gulps and squid, Marion wrote. Tony and Ed on the Hammerhead returned with four fluke to a 7-1/2-pound 27-incher bagged on the ocean off Sandy Hook on jigs with Gulps. Jay Amarosa out-fished his crew on the Par Tee with a 25-inch fluke boated at the 10 can on a combo of a killie and a Gulp. 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 can 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. When in demand, baits can include bushels of fresh clams and live bunker.

<b>Neptune</b>

The weekly individual-reservation trip for fluke was weathered out Tuesday with <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b>, Capt. Ralph said. The next trips will include a fluke charter Friday and two charters Saturday. One will fish for fluke, and the other will sail for fluke or bluefish. Another trip is set for Monday, and the year’s final individual-reservation trip for fluke will sail 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, the final day of fluke season. That’s two hours longer than usual, at no extra charge. Sea bass season will be opened next week on Friday, and an individual-reservation trip will fish inshore wrecks two days later, on September 29, a Sunday, of course. An individual-reservation trip for cod is full October 7, but openings are available for another on November 4. An individual-reservation trip for blackfish will sail November 16, when the bag limit will be increased to six from the current limit of one.

<b>Belmar</b>

The party boat <b>Big Mohawk</b> will fish for fluke on the ocean through the final day of fluke season Tuesday, Capt. Chris said. The trips are running 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, and the fishing in past days just picked at them. The trips will switch to sea bass next week on Friday, opening day of sea bass season. The trips for them that Friday through Sunday will fish 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Big bluefish 10 to 17 pounds were bombed Wednesday on the party boat <b>Golden Eagle</b>, a report on the vessel’s Web site said. “All the blues you wanted,” it said, and several anglers limited out. That was the most recent report on the site since Sunday. On Sunday, catches aboard took a little to get going, the report said. But once they began, anglers drilled all the large blues they wanted. On Saturday, boat traffic slowed the fishing, but the trip ended up with a fair catch of large blues. On Saturday night, fishing for them was very good aboard. The Golden Eagle is bluefishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and 7:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. Thursdays through Sundays.

Bluefishing was super every day on the party boat <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b>, Capt. Alan said. The fish were large, hitting both jigs and bait. On some days, they showed up near the Mud Buoy. Now, including on today’s trip, they turned up at the reef. On the most recent nighttime trips, during the weekend, fishing was a slow pick for the blues. But anglers will see what happens this weekend on night trips. On the party boat <b>Royal Miss Belmar</b>, fishing for fluke on weekends, catches were slow last weekend. Fluke season will be closed Tuesday, so this weekend’s fluke trips will be the final for the year. The Miss Belmar Princess is bluefishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and 7:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays. The Royal Miss Belmar will fish for fluke 7:30 a.m. to 12 noon and 1:30 to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

The boat was stuck in port because of winds in past days, said Capt. Pete from <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b>. But trips are fluke fishing on the ocean, and fluke season is open through Tuesday. Pete  was looking forward to the opening of sea bass season next week on Friday. Trips are being booked for them and for fall fishing for striped bass and blackfish, and Parker Pete’s sails 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.

On Shark River most rental-boaters from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> saw plenty of action with summer flounder with keepers mixed-in, Bob wrote in an e-mail. Melissa Sierra from Wall bagged a 4-pounder at Shark River Inlet, fishing from the rocks. Plenty of keeper fluke were decked from the ocean on Belmar’s party boats, and Tuesday will be the final day of fluke season. Take advantage of “this fine table fish,” he said.  Mullet schooled thick in back waters, and began to migrate the surf. They now popped up along the beach at first light at most towns. Good reports were heard about striped bass and bluefish “hot on their tails,” he said. As the full moon wanes, “this will only get better,” he said.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

Weather was too rough for offshore fishing with <b>Andrea’s Toy Charters</b> after the weekend, Capt. Fred said. But an overnight trip offshore during the weekend whaled a large variety of fish at a canyon, covered in the previous report. The fish included yellowfin tuna to 70 pounds, longfin tuna to 30 pounds, a large mako shark, a small swordfish, mahi mahi and tilefish. Like each year, Andrea’s Toy is currently focusing on the fishing on both open-boat trips and charters, specializing in mixed-bag catches. That’s for greater fun, better chances of hooking up and more variety for dinner. Telephone if interested.

<b>Toms River</b>

In the Toms River, snapper blues, croakers, spots and a few weakfish and small striped bass swam, said Jeff from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. Snappers schooled many different back waters. Crabbing at places like the Toms slowed a little, and the moon was full. That can affect crabbing, because the moon can trigger some of the crabs to shed and mate, and they stop eating then.  Some crabbers talked about catching small ones, and others reported decent catches. Depended on location, and could depend on the crabber. A few weakfish reportedly bit in Barnegat Bay at Berkeley Island Park, but Jeff saw none or photos. Blowfishing slowed somewhat in the bay, but the fish still hovered toward the BI and BB markers. Fluke, mostly throwbacks, could still be found in the bay. Fluke, still many shorts, but some keepers, were cranked from the ocean at the Tires and Sea Girt Reef. From the surf, fluke, many shorts, a few keepers, bluefish 2 or 3 pounds, a few puffers, sometimes a striped bass, and fish like sea robins were dragged in. Some of the stripers were clammed, and some were plugged. Jeff would fish for them in mornings, and the blues showed up throughout the day.  

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

Along the surf, lots of cocktail blues scuttled around, and striped bass began to be picked up sometimes, said Mario from <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>. Tons of mullet migrated the surf, and the blues chased them, and the stripers followed underneath sometimes. Fluke were sometimes yanked from the surf, also feeding on the mullet. In Barnegat Bay, crabbing was slow from the dock, but was alright on the rental boats. Last week from the dock, snapper blues were played, and, believed it or not, Mario said, a few keeper fluke were latched into. Fresh mullet, clams, and bunker and assorted frozen baits, all the ones needed, are stocked. The Dock Outfitters, located on the bay, features an extensive supply of bait and tackle, a dock to fish and crab from and boat rentals for fishing and crabbing.

<b>Forked River</b>

Blowfish were plucked from Barnegat Bay at the research buoy, between the BI and BB markers, in 4 to 6 feet, said Kyle from <b>Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle</b>. Croakers were hooked while anglers blowfished, and were caught in Oyster Creek at the bridge. Weakfish were sometimes rounded up from the bay. Spots were caught from the bay to keep in livewells for striped bass bait this fall. On the ocean, fluke were hung at Garden State Reef North and the Tires and off the bathing beach at Island Beach State Park.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Fishing for fluke started slowly Saturday on the party boat <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b>, but ended up strong, a report on the vessel’s Web site said. On Sunday, fluking “started off where we … left off Saturday,” the report said. The fishing aboard was good a moment, and even the captain helped net the catches, because the fish were reeled-in non-stop. Then the wind calmed, making the boat’s drift slow down. But a few anglers limited out on the trip, and most caught keepers, and many of the fluke weighed 2 to 4 pounds. A 6-pounder was the pool-winner. The Miss Barnegat Light will fish for fluke 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, and Tuesday will be the final day of fluke season.

Barnegat Bay still gave up fluke, closer to Barnegat Inlet, like before, and customers mostly netted them off the tip of the Dike, but also along the channels near the shop, said Vince Jr. from <b>Bobbie’s Boat Rentals</b>. Fluke came from the ocean, and a customer caught them at Garden State Reef North today on the ocean, though he ran into lots of bluefish, he said. Party boats fished for fluke at the Tires on the ocean, though the fishing seemed slower than before. Blackfishing was good along Barnegat Inlet’s rocks. Crabbing was slow on the bay, but crabbers hoped it will improve a bit, after the current full moon. Clamming was good in the bay. Bobbie’s includes a bait and tackle store, a fuel dock, boat rentals for fishing, crabbing or clamming on the bay, and kayak rentals, and is known for a large bait selection. Baits stocked include live spots, killies and green crabs. 

<b>Barnegat</b>

From an edited e-mail from Capt. Dave DeGennaro from the <b>Hi Flier</b>: “We are still hammering away at big bonita and albacore at Barnegat Ridge. Both the north and south Barnegat Ridges are giving up fish. Seventy-degree, bluish water and lots of bait. Mostly sand eels. We are trolling our small, 20-class conventionals, and once we find a productive spot, we put some 10-pound spinning rods in the spread, with either a feather or a spearing hooked through the lips. You hold these rods, instead of using the rod holders, so you feel the violent hit. A lot of times this one doesn't get hit until one of the traditional lures gets whacked first. Then as I slow the boat down, the other lures do a slow sink, and that's when you wind up with multiple fish on. If you watch the wake right behind the boat, you can see the fish crash the lure. Small, 5-inch cedar plugs and little squid daisy chains are providing most of the action for us. Sailing open-boat to Barnegat Ridge 6 a.m. to 12 noon Saturday and Monday. Three person max per trip. All fish are shared. Call to reserve a spot.”

<b>Mystic Island</b>

For customers at <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>, summer flounder fishing was good on the ocean, Scott said. The catches might’ve been a little slower than before somewhat of a swell recently, or the fish might’ve seemed not as big. But anglers were pleased with the fishing in past days. It was good Sunday, and they caught this morning, though the fish seemed somewhat smaller. Deeper waters sounded key. Catches were heard about from 70 feet at Garden State Reef South. So the outer edges of the reef and maybe Little Egg Reef, or maybe Atlantic City Reef, a deeper reef, are probably places to look this weekend. Weather looks good for the fishing this weekend till Sunday. Forecasts are calling for 4- to 7-foot seas Monday, and Tuesday is the final day of flounder season. Nothing was heard about flounder from Atlantic City Reef. Flounder fishing might’ve been better at places like Garden State Reef South and Little Egg Reef lately than elsewhere in the state. Maybe flounder collected there, like how striped bass sometimes gather farther north toward Manasquan Inlet more than at other places, when stripers are migrating. Out-of-season sea bass were caught and released at the reefs, and sea bass season will be opened next week on Friday. A few interesting reports mentioned weakfish in the bay. Not many fished for them, because anglers took advantage of flounder. But weaks were heard about from Tuckerton Bay and the mouth of Mullica River, where the river enters Great Bay. Livelined peanut bunker and bloodworms were baits to dunk. Shedder crabs, bait that’s usually good, might no longer be available this season. Nobody mentioned blackfishing locally, but the tautog surely hugged the banks of the bay. The banks across from the Fish Factory are usually a place for them. The only blackfishing mentioned was at Barnegat Inlet, and lots of small ones were reported from there. One customer this morning said plenty of white perch chewed in rivers. News about them had been scarce, probably because anglers chased other fish. But this is a time of season for perch, and Scott could confirm that Nacote Creek gave them up. Rumors began to talk about striper catches, and eels began to be sold, and that at least meant anglers were looking. In 2000, striper fishing peaked locally in the third week of October. That’s early, but if the fish began to bite now, that wasn’t unheard of. Crabbing was poor, though crabbing would usually last to the third week of October. Maybe it’ll pick up after the current full moon. Minnows, fresh, shucked clams, bloodworms and green crabs are stocked. Scott might net live grass shrimp, a favorite white perch bait, Friday to begin stocking, if enough of the  store’s crew shows up to cover him. Anglers began to telephone for the shrimp.

<b>Absecon Bay</b>

Quite a few customers are “thinking on striper season,” said Capt. Dave from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. The shop is pretty busy with striper tackle sales, and is all geared up. All striper baits are stocked, including live mullet, peanut bunker and spots. Currently, most boaters sailing for summer flounder sailed far from shore. If they found a school, they bagged the fish. If they didn’t, they didn’t, or found small ones. Croakers were about the only fish swimming close to the coast to catch. A few schools of weakfish were heard about there. Not much was angled from the back bay. Even spots seemed to have moved to the coast or maybe beyond. The mouths of both Mullica and Great Egg Harbor rivers were the places to fish in back waters. A good variety of fish including croakers, good-sized  puppy black drum, good populations of white perch in the saltier waters, and mostly throwback striped bass, but a few keepers, were caught there. Shedder crabs were best bait at the mouths, and are stocked. This weekend might be the final time they are this year, because crabs will stop shedding until spring. But the full moon triggered a shed, and commercial crabbers supplied some of the crabs to the shop. The hardshell crabs were still around, and crabbing for the blueclaws was a good bet, and this is a good time of season for them. Catch them for Sunday’s football games, Dave said. 

<b>Brigantine</b>

Bluefish chased mullet in the surf today, said Capt. Andy from <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>. A fair number of mullet schooled the surf so far this season, and some, not a lot, were able to be stocked for bait. Spots and kingfish scurried the surf like before. This is the final week of the shop’s summertime fishing tournament, and Sunday will be the first day of fall. Anglers can still enter the tournament for only $5 per category, and it’s worthwhile, because about $150 is up for grabs for each. Currently, the category leaders were a 1-pound 8-ounce kingfish, a 2-pound 2-ounce bluefish and a 3-pound 13-ounce summer flounder. The Riptide Striper Derby, the annual Brigantine surf-fishing contest, is under way until December 23.  When entrants purchase a Brigantine beach-buggy permit, the tournament provides another permit to drive onto the beach along the entire island, instead of only at the cove, south jetty and north end. Prizes are $500, $300 and $150 for first, second and third prizes, respectively. Plus, a monthly $100 prize and a weekly $25 prize are awarded. The Atlantic County/Atlantic City Surf Fishing Derby starts Monday, lasting to November 3.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

Many blackfish bit along Absecon Inlet, said Noel from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. “You can pick the one you want to keep,” he said. Spots, croakers, occasional kingfish, summer flounder and blues were angled from the inlet. The croakers, good-sized, also swam the back bay. Striped bass were slugged from the inlet at night. Weakfish were whacked from the bay occasionally. No one fish was abundant, except blackfish, but fishing was on. If you can’t catch this month, you might as well hang up your gloves, Noel said! The species caught depended on where anglers fished. Peanut bunker, lots of large mullet, and spearing schooled waters. The inlet, near the shop, is lined with fish-attracting jetties. Fresh mullet are stocked, and the store carries a large supply of bait.

<b>Margate</b>

A few summer flounder remained in the back bay, said Capt. John from the party boat <b>Keeper</b>. Keepers were bagged aboard Saturday and Sunday, the most recent trips to sail. Anglers didn’t show up for trips to sail during the weekdays, and the season was winding down. A 5-3/4-pound flounder was the last keeper to be tugged in during the weekend. Some sea robins, baby sea bass, tiny bluefish, and sharks bit. The flounder bit minnows best, and minnows and mackerel are supplied aboard. Gulps worked, and anglers should bring them. The Keeper is fishing for summer flounder 8 a.m. to 12 noon daily through Tuesday, the final day of flounder season. Maybe enough anglers will only show up this weekend, but the crew will shape up to sail through Monday and Tuesday. Maybe anglers will show up on the weekdays. Afterward, the next trips will fish for blackfish the first two weekends of October, before John calls it a season. 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>Sea Isle City</b>

Mullet seemed to fully migrate the surf, said Mike from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. Bluefish chased them and were hooked, but some sizeable striped bass began to follow them and were landed. Anglers might have to fish through blues to catch them, and occasional weakfish were also beached underneath the baitfish. Good reports about summer flounder fishing rolled in from the ocean through the weekend and all this week. Weather might look iffy at the beginning of this weekend, but flounder should be there. Larger bluefish to 5 pounds trolled were heard about form 5-Fathom Bank. Boaters looking for fish like false albacore, bonito or Spanish mackerel found none of those species there, but found the blues. From offshore, a few bigeye tuna boated were about all that was heard about. But bigeyes did apparently roam the waters. In the back bay, quite a few small stripers swam. Anglers saw them, and not everybody caught them, but some landed lots. Average anglers fishing with like clams or bunker might not score. But ones who paid attention, figuring out what stripers fed on, connected on swimming lures or popper plugs in evenings or even livelined peanut bunker or mullet at night.

<b>Wildwood</b>

Winds blew, and nobody really fished, said Fred from <b>No Bones Bait & Tackle</b>. Summer flounder fishing was decent on the ocean the last time boaters sailed. Nothing was heard about crabbing in the weather. If striped bass fishing takes off in the back bay this autumn, that usually happens in late October and November. The fishing can be very good, and anglers fish clams, chunks of bunker or eels for them. Big bags of clam bellies are stocked for the fishing in usually a month. Clam bellies are what anglers call entire surf clams, the biggest clams, with all the goo. Back-bay boaters chum with the clams, drawing in the stripers, fishing with the clam on a hook. Live spots and the full array of frozen baits are stocked. Minnows won’t be re-stocked this year, because Tuesday is the final day of flounder season. No Bones rents boats for fishing and crabbing on the bay.

Things were quiet, but summer flounder fishing was good on the ocean, said Mike from <b>Canal Side Boat Rentals</b>. A few flounder were lifted from the bay, but fishing for them definitely slowed, and waters cooled. Striped bass, not many, were now taken from the bay. Nobody was known about who targeted them, but anglers ran into them by chance. One bagged two on Wednesday, for instance. Crabbing wasn’t good, but became a little better on the bay. 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 no longer stocked this season. The commercial crabbers Mike knows pulled their pots for the year, and their crabbing was slow this year. When crabs are available, the shop sells them either live or steamed.

<b>Cape May</b>

A few summer flounder were swung-in from the ocean on the party boat <b>Porgy IV</b>, but the angling was slowing down, and the fish were “moving off,” Capt. Paul said. They were migrating farther from shore, and some that were hooked were very small, “mixed in with the fish we are catching,” he said. Mike Wolfe from Philadelphia was high-hook with four flounder on Monday’s trip. A couple of anglers reeled in three keepers apiece on the outing. Nobody limited out in past days. The fishing that day – Monday – started to improve, but then weather became rough, and the angling became tough. Weather was often a factor since the weekend. Sometimes strong northeast winds blew. Saturday’s weather was especially rough. On Wednesday, two anglers bagged three and split the pool: John Cosenza from Philly and Matt Lamelza from Ocean City. The Porgy IV is fishing for summer flounder at 8 a.m. daily through Tuesday, the final day of flounder season. Afterward, the boat will be docked a couple of days, until fishing for sea bass at 8 a.m. daily starting next week on Friday, opening day of sea bass season.

Surf anglers sometimes banked bluefish, including at Cape May Point, and a few of them started to wing a few striped bass along inlets, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. Mullet migrated to the surf, and lots of bait schooled the waters. Stripers were picked up at bridges at night. Boaters landed blues along Cape May Channel off Cape May Point. They beat bigger ones at 5-Fathom Bank. The back-bay’s summer flounder fishing became a little slow, and most flounder seemed to swim ocean reefs, including right around Cape May. Not much offshore news was heard. A buddy was going to head offshore on an overnight trip this week. Not many tuna were bagged at the offshore canyons this season, and when anglers couldn’t fill up on tuna to make up a catch, not as many boaters fished offshore. That could change quickly, especially this time of year. Sometimes canyon fishing pops in autumn. Fresh mullet is stocked. So are minnows and sizeable bloodworms. No fresh clams will probably be available this weekend, because the clam boats were kept in port in weather.

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