<b>Keyport</b>

Trips will switch to fluke fishing now on the <b>Vitamin Sea</b>, Capt. Frank wrote in an email. The boat sailed for striped bass previously, and big fluke were sometimes caught on boats currently. A 14-pounder was heaved aboard a party boat from Atlantic Highlands. When the Vitamin Sea fluke fishes on the ocean, if bunker pop up, the trips will investigate whether stripers follow them. June is a good month for that, he said. For fluke, Gulps will be carried aboard for bait, “and please remember to bring your own bucktails,” he said. Available dates for charters include June 6, 11, 13, 18, 20, 25 and 27. Some dates remain on weekends, and if no charters book them, open-boat trips will sail, if enough anglers want. Like the <a href=" https://www.facebook.com/vitaminseafishing" target="_blank">Vitamin Sea’s Facebook page</a> for real-time reports and more open-trip dates.  “Get your dose of Vitamin Sea!”

<b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b> will sail next on Saturday, Capt. Joe said. Fishing is booked aboard that day, and space is available Sunday on an open-boat trip for fluke. Trips last fished during the weekend on the boat. One of the trips wrestled bluefish to 10 pounds on Raritan Bay, and the other tried for stripers near Sandy Hook, and the striper angling was slow, so the anglers switched to jigging blues. That was covered in the last report, and open trips are available twice daily, from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 8 p.m., when no charter is scheduled. Telephone to jump aboard.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Fluke fishing was fair, said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Some were boated on Raritan Bay and around Sandy Hook. Fluke were lifted from the rivers and the surf. Boaters landed striped bass on livelined bunker on the ocean. Stripers were bagged on the bay on some days, and stripers swam the bay, but getting past bluefish was a problem. Plenty of blues swarmed anywhere boaters sailed. Surf anglers wormed and clammed stripers. If they wanted blues, they just dunked bunker. On the ocean, sea bass bit on some days and not on others. A friend decked a beautiful catch of sea bass. “You go the next day, and they won’t bite,” Jimmy said. Ling fishing had started to pick up at the Mudhole, but the ocean roll slowed that down. All baits are stocked.

On the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>, fluke fishing’s been okay, Capt. Tom said. The fish were reeled in on Tuesday morning’s trip. The afternoon’s trip stayed docked, because forecasts caused few anglers to show up at the marina. Weather turned out beautiful and 85 degrees. On Wednesday morning’s trip, catches, a handful of keepers and some shorts, weren’t that great. But fluking was better on the afternoon’s, giving up more keepers than in the morning. Though the afternoon was better that day, neither mornings nor afternoons fished better than the other consistently. Conditions seemed to make a difference. When conditions were good, catches were usually better. But conditions were good on Wednesday morning’s trip, and the fishing wasn’t so great. Sometimes fluke bit at one place on one trip, and when the next trip returned to the place, the fish didn’t bite. The Atlantic Star is fishing for fluke on two trips daily from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 6 p.m.

<b>Highlands</b>

Motoring from <b>Twin Lights Marina</b>, Ed and Tony on the Hammered bagged six fluke to 4 pounds at Bug Light and off Sandy Hook Point on jigs with Gulps, killies and squid, Marion wrote in an email. Rich Bushey from Middletown whipped a 7-1/2-pound 27-inch fluke on Shrewsbury River across from the marina while fishing killies and squid. Tracy Amarosa on the Par Tee II squashed a 20-inch fluke near the 10 can while swimming killies, and out-fished husband Jay again, Marion said. Twin Lights, located conveniently on Shrewsbury River near the bay and ocean, with no bridges before them, includes a marina with boat slips and dry storage, a fuel dock, and a combined, complete bait and tackle shop and ship’s store. The fuel dock is available 24 hours a day with a credit card. 

<b>Neptune</b>

All the sea bass and ling anglers could handle were pitched aboard Tuesday, said Capt. Ralph from <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b>. The bottom-fishing was poor previously. Striped bass fishing was hit and miss, and those with patience, caught. Big crowds couldn’t liveline bunker effectively aboard. Fewer crowds on the boat were the way to go. Still, more can fish for the bass aboard than on many vessels. The season’s first individual-reservation trip for sea bass, ling and fluke every Tuesday is sold out next week. But spaces are available on future ones, and kids under 12 will sail free, limited to two per adult host. The trips are expected to focus on sea bass while the sea bass bag limit is liberal. Afterward, the trips will focus on fluke.  Space is available on individual-reservation trips for cod June 19 and July 17, and the trips cracked great catches last year.

<b>Belmar</b>

Short report, tired from a long night’s surf fishing, Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> wrote in an email. Striped bass fishing was still on, he said, and was best for boaters on the ocean. But Bob apparently fished for them from the beach. Boaters mostly snagged bunker then livelined them for bait or trolled the bass on spoons or Stretch plugs. Bunker swam, spread out, all along the coast, vast schools seen from the surf to 3 miles from shore. Striper fishing is closed beyond 3 miles. Jason Testa from Toms River and Brian Sweet from Wall released many large stripers boated on a charter, weighing-in a 38-pounder and a 32-pounder. Belmar’s party boats clobbered bluefish, good catches. The port’s head boats sailing for fluke and sea bass shoveled up good catches, when weather was conducive. Shark River gave up large numbers of fluke, including a fair number of keepers. A Gulp on a ½-ounce jig caught them well, and the store’s rental boats are available to fish the river. “Good luck,” Bob said. “Going to rest for a long night of fishing.”  <b>***Update, Saturday, 6/7:***</b> Bob won for the largest striper in the Monmouth Beach Car Toppers Tournament, according to results he forwarded from the club in an email. Spring Lake Live Liners won with 83 points, and Asbury Park Fishing Club came in second with 36 points. “There were no other weigh-ins,” the email from the club said. “Congratulations also to Gerald Cece, Terry Martuscelli, Joe Melillo Sr. (and) Mike Comune,” it said.

Bluefishing “bounced back” on Wednesday on the party boat <b>Golden Eagle</b>, a report on the vessel’s website said. The fishing was tough on Tuesday but good on Monday, and pretty good, the report said, on Sunday. On Wednesday’s trip, the blues were found 16 miles to the east.  Run Off hammered jigs, Krocodiles and bait drilled them, and the Golden Eagle is fishing for striped bass and blues at 7:30 a.m. daily and for blues at 7:30 p.m. daily. But the boat is chartered today and Friday, so none of the 7:30 a.m. open-boat trips will fish then.

At first, the party boat <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b> was anchored to the east on Wednesday’s trip, a report on the vessel’s website said. A few cod were copped, and the boat was moved farther east. Anglers picked at 4- to 12-pound bluefish in shots, fair to good fishing, on diamond jigs, Krocodiles, popper lures and bananas. On Tuesday’s trip, bluefishing turned tough, unlike before. A handful of blues were managed. Bluefishing was good aboard previously, and the Miss Belmar Princess is sailing for striped bass and blues 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.

Striped bass fishing was very spotty on the ocean, said Capt. Pete from <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b>. Sometimes the angling was terrible in the morning and great in the afternoon. Other times the morning was good, and bunker couldn’t even be located for bait in the afternoon. The fishing was no good on Wednesday morning but okay on the previous afternoon. The angling’s been “no crazy ball of fire.” Just a few trips aboard this season ran into a crazy bite. But the stripers that were hooked were big, and the bass were still around. Anglers need to capitalize on any bites, and fish hard. The water temp’s starting to creep up. Bluefishing was sometimes good, sometimes not, changing drastically. A trip will bottom-fish aboard Sunday, so Pete expects to give an update on catches like sea bass afterward.  Don’t have enough anglers for a charter? Jump on <a href=" http://www.parkerpetefishing.com/" target="_blank">Parker Pete’s website</a> to subscribe to the emailed newsletter to be kept informed about last-minute, individual spaces available to fill in charters. Look for the place to sign up on the right side of the page.

<b>Brielle</b>

The new <b>Jamaica II</b> is expected to start fishing Wednesday, the vessel’s Facebook page said. The party boat will replace the old one, and trips were on hold while the old boat was sold, and the new one was bought and is being readied.  Trips will fish on the usual schedule for fluke and sea bass twice daily at 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays, and for fluke at 7:30 a.m. every Monday, on an all-day trip.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

The mates reported good striped bass fishing on the ocean on livelined bunker from trips on other vessels the last couple of days, and back-to-back striped bass trips are slated for Saturday morning and evening with <b>Mushin Sportfishing</b>, Capt. Alan wrote in an email. The year’s first tuna trip will head to the canyons that night aboard to fish into Sunday, trolling for the tuna, and also drifting for mako sharks and tilefish. Canyon waters looked great on satellite charts, seemed to show lots of promise. Charters are being booked for inshore and offshore fishing, and see the <a href=" http://reports.mushinsportfishing.com/" target="_blank">individual-reservation tuna trips schedule</a> on Mushin’s website.  The Mini-Mushin, a 13-foot Whaler, sailed Manasquan River several times this week. Fluke were decked, on Gulps, but cold water affected them, or they “dug into the mud,” he said. Bluefish were also fought on diamond jigs during daytime, and schoolie stripers were played at night on soft-plastic lures, aboard the river. Mushin means a relaxed state of readiness. The crew pride themselves on sharing the concept on outdoor adventures.

A few keeper and throwback fluke and sometimes sea bass were swung aboard the party boat <b>Norma-K III</b>, Capt. Matt wrote in a report on the vessel’s website. But the fishing was slow, nothing great. The gauge said the water was 65 degrees along the surface Wednesday, and that was good. So Matt hoped fluke start to bite more in the next days. He thinks no lack of the fish are around, but the bottom was cold for them to feed much. On Wednesday night’s trip, “we were back into the blues (after Monday and Tuesday),” he said.  No report was posted for Monday and Tuesday, but a report said Sunday night’s bluefishing was good aboard. On Wednesday night’s trip, bluefishing took a moment to get going. But then customers plugged away at 6- to 10-pounders. When Matt saw the number of blues marked, he thought the angling was going to be nuts. But the fishing was a decent pick, he said. The blues seemed a new batch, so they might stick around a while, he thought. The Norma-K III is fishing for fluke twice daily from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 to 6:30 p.m. and for blues 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. daily.

<b>Toms River</b>

Bluefish 2 to 3 pounds raced around the Toms River, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. Anglers yanked them in from the bulkhead at Island Heights on bunker chunks on a wire leader and a 2-ounce sinker. Boaters trolled the same-sized blues, a few bigger, from Barnegat Bay along Route 37 Bridge and off Good Luck Point on pony tails. Dennis trolled four the other day on the lures. Occasional striped bass bit at the bridge, and one boater at the bridge tugged-in two throwback fluke, some bluefish and a couple of throwback stripers, a mixed bag. In the bay off the Forked River power plant, blues swarmed all over, and weakfishing, in mornings, slowed, but still produced some. Boaters plucked a few blowfish near the BB marker on the bay. Fluke were lifted aboard from the bay at Oyster Creek Channel, “where you can fish,” Dennis said. Buoys were removed from nearby Double Creek Channel, because of shallow waters after Hurricane Sandy, and the channel will be re-dredged. In the surf, bluefish made up probably 80 or 90 percent of catches, but striped bass came from the surf. Boaters on the ocean smashed the best striper fishing 2 miles off Monmouth County on bunker snagged then livelined for bait or on the troll. Crabs just started to be trapped, and Dennis potted his first few of the season late last week.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

For surf anglers, striped bass and blues controlled the bite, John from <b>The Dock Outfitters</b> wrote in a report on the vessel’s website. Fluke also skittered the surf, and those who participated in surf angling took home some fish. Barnegat Bay’s fishing came alive with small to medium-sized blues, mostly hooked on small popper plugs and metal, from both boats and docks. Keeper crabs, not a bunch, some, started to be trapped Wednesday, “a nice sign that things are about to pop,” he said. The Dock Outfitters, located on Barnegat Bay, blocks from the ocean surf, features a bait and tackle shop, boat and jet ski rentals, a café and a dock for fishing and crabbing.

<b>Forked River</b>

Good catches of fluke were sacked on Barnegat Bay between the BI and BB markers and at Double Creek Channel, said Kyle from <b>Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle</b>. But the buoys were removed from Double Creek, because the channel became shallow from Hurricane Sandy, and it’ll be re-dredged. Nothing was heard about blowfish from the bay in weeks. Customers sometimes tried for weakfish on the bay, but not much was heard about the angling. Bluefish schooled everywhere from the bay to the ocean. On the bay, trolled pony tails bailed them. Striped bass were trolled from the ocean on bunker spoons in 25 feet. A few customers anchored and clammed for stripers on the bay along the sod banks, but not many of the fish seemed around, and not many anglers tried for them. One said he landed six, but only to 27 ½ inches. Crabbing started to become good, and seemed a little better every day.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

The party boat <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b>’s bluefishing was a struggle Saturday but awesome Sunday, a report on the vessel’s website said. The vessel’s only been fishing for them on weekends, and stayed on a school of 6- to 8-pounders the whole trip Sunday. “There were limits all around the boat,” the report said. Trips will bluefish at 8 a.m. this Saturday and Sunday, and next week’s schedule will be announced on the site, depending on how that angling goes.

Wreck-fishing, for sea bass, was okay during the weekend on the <b>Super Chic</b>, Capt. Ted said. Conditions weren’t favorable, but catches were better than on the previous weekend. The keeper ratio was pretty good, and the fish weighed up to 3 pounds, and gave up plenty of action aboard this weekend. On Saturday, a northerly breeze blew, but seas weren’t as rough as forecast. But a strong current began. Sea bassing started well at the first drop. Then the current picked up, and catches tapered off. The ocean held a big swell on Sunday, not usually good for sea bassing. A couple of wreck trips and a bluefish trip are slated aboard for this weekend. Bluefish were bombed well Sunday on the party boat Miss Barnegat Light. Ted knew about nobody who sailed for blues since. The next open-boat tilefish trip offshore is slated to fish overnight Saturday to Sunday, July 5 to 6. Telephone to reserve, and the last trip scooped up good catches, covered in a previous report. Striped bass fishing on the ocean seemed a little slow during the weekend but good on Monday, according to radio talk and friends who fished for them. The breeze Saturday and swell Sunday seemed the cause. Barnegat Bay’s fluke fishing improved and actually sounded decent.

Fishing was pretty good, said Josh from <b>Viking Outfitters</b>. Big striped bass roamed the surf, for sure, and toss fresh bunker for them. Boaters knocked around the bass on livelined bunker on the ocean. A 36-pounder was the largest striper known about from the beach recently. Large bluefish crashed the surf, and one angler subdued five today that weighed 5 to 7 pounds.  Sizeable fluke, like 20- and 22-inchers, were known about from Barnegat Bay. Striper fishing seemed difficult on the bay. Some anglers tossed top-water plugs to them along sedges and flats. But the catches seemed few. Live spots are stocked. Minnows, fresh bunker and all the frozen baits are carried. Fresh clams can be ordered, if anglers want like a bushel or half-bushel. But the clams didn’t seem in demand enough to carry them otherwise.  Anglers can telephone the shop, located in historic Viking Village, 24 hours a day, and if that’s afterhours, one of the crew can be at the store soon. Bait can be delivered to a boat, a home or the beach anywhere on the island. Besides all the bait and tackle, the shop features fishing clothing, beach clothing, embroidery, beach gifts and more.

<b>Barnegat</b>

From an edited email from Capt. Dave DeGennaro from the <b>Hi Flier</b> on Tuesday: “We had some good trips, and some not-so-good trips, over the past few days. Saturday was awful. Wind really blew, and I turned the boat around, after only a half-mile cruise from the inlet. Came back in the bay and struggled to catch a short fluke and a bluefish in some windy conditions. On Sunday morning, I had Jeff Boyer, Fred Baker and Brian Jacobson aboard, who caught three 34-, 38- and 40-pound stripers on trolled Tony Maja  No. 4 white spoons off Island Beach State Park. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zE0UgI7RDZo " target="_blank">Here’s the video</a>. I went right back to the same location with my afternoon charter, with high hopes, and we caught nothing for 2 ½ hours. I took them back in the bay, where twins Jake and Zach Milone did battle with a bunch of small bluefish, on the troll between BB and the 40 buoy, the only place that allowed us to troll, because of all of the ‘slime’ everywhere else. Back out on Monday morning, and couldn’t a buy a fish, from the inlet to Lavallette. We did get some ‘blow ups’ from bluefish on our poppers, at the top of Oyster Creek Channel, on the way home, and I did eventually subdue a nice 5-pounder before releasing him. What should you take away from all of this? Just keep going. The only way to see those big fish days are to get out now. We still have all of June with this fishery, and now is when it gets interesting. The snag bite heats up, and the troll keeps producing. The bass start crashing the bunker at the surface. You could wait and see how everyone does, or you can get out there and let them read about your trip. This is the west/northwest pattern we’ve been waiting for, coming up this weekend. Calm seas make for easier bunker spotting. We’ll run wherever we have to. I have no north to south limits. My boat can run for two days, when she is topped with fuel. So pack a lunch! Also, there’s been some interest in mixing things up, with an early morning effort for the big stripers, and then an hour or more of light tackle blues and/or fluke in the bay. Majority rules, so whatever you guys would like to do.  It's always best to discuss it beforehand, to make sure we’re putting people with similar agendas together on the same trips. Running open-boat 1 to 7 p.m. Friday. Saturday is already double-booked, morning and afternoon. On Sunday, the morning is booked, and I have been informed by my family not to book an afternoon/evening trip, as alas, it is my 50th birthday, and I’m taking the rest of the day off. I’ll run open-boat again on Monday, 6 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 to 7 p.m. Three people max. All fish are shared. Calling me on my cell is the best way to make a reservation. See you on board.”

<b>Surf City</b>

From <b>Surf City Bait & Tackle</b>, Joe beached his season’s first keeper striped bass from the surf Wednesday, he said. He also banked a big bluefish, lost another that was larger, probably 10 pounds, and a 4-foot dog shark, all on bunker chunks. Big stripers and lots of big blues were around in the surf.  Striper fishing lit up along Barnegat Inlet’s south jetty the other night. One angler landed five of the fish to 38 pound, and could keep no more than two, the limit. Fluke started to chomp in the surf, and a customer this morning released a 17-incher. They’re biting bunker chunks. Fresh clams will arrive today, and fresh bunker will arrive Friday, so all the bait is ready for the weekend. The store’s annual <b><i>Free Surf Fishing Seminars</i></b> will be held again this year on Sunday evenings in the parking lot, Sue from the shop said in last week’s report. The starting date was yet to be announced, when she gave the report, but last year’s began in June sometime. Bring a lawn chair. Like <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Surf-City-Bait-and-Tackle/207533229268619" target="_blank">Surf City Bait & Tackle’s Facebook page</a>.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

Weather was rough for summer flounder fishing on bays in past days, said Brian from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. He joined a trip Wednesday that only hooked throwbacks on Great Bay at the clam stakes and from the 129 to 135 buoys. But the fishing was phenomenal during the weekend, and lots of 3- to 8-pounders were weighed-in. Bluefish schooled the bay, including for shore anglers at Graveling Point. Blowfish no longer swam the bay, after they did earlier this season. They move into the bay to spawn in early spring, and return to the bay in summer, around August. Then a mix of small but fun-to-catch and tasty fish can hold in the waters, including the blows, kingfish, spots and snapper blues. Baby sea bass, throwbacks, also give up action. Boaters anchor and chum for all of them. Nobody was known about who boated for sharks yet in Great Bay. But soon sharks like browns, required to be released, and sand sharks haunt the bay, biting at night at Grassy Channel, and a brown was banked and released at Pebble Beach from shore. Boaters out of Barnegat Inlet zapped large striped bass on livelined bunker. The weather kept boaters from fishing farther off for sea bass. But one boater limited out on sea bass last week on Monday. The fish were there. Crabbing wasn’t good. “Horrible,” Brian said. Fresh, shucked clams and fresh bunker will be stocked Friday. Minnows were scarce for Scott from the shop to net, but minnows will try to be stocked. Live grass shrimp are on hand.     

<b>Brigantine</b>

Surf casters eased-in big fish in past days, a report said on <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>’s website. Striped bass to 33 ½ pounds were weighed-in through Wednesday. Then a 34-pound 46-incher was checked-in that afternoon. “There are fish getting caught,” the report said then. “Tonight (Wednesday night) is going to be another good night,” it said. Drum were also pumped-in, and bluefish were around. Kingfish started to be reported caught from the shore. The back bay’s summer flounder fishing was terrific. A steady supply of minnows, jumbos, were stocked, costing the shop an arm and a leg, the report said, from a local supplier. But the baitfish were yet to run out. Fresh clams and healthy-looking bloodworms were carried. 

<b>Atlantic City</b>

Waters were warming, but big striped bass were slammed from Absecon Inlet, said Noel from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. Forty-plus-pounders were tackled the past couple of days, and anglers couldn’t know how long the fishing will last, because of the warmth. But get down there while it does. Fresh bunker, fresh clams, pink Zooms and Daiwa SP Minnows were fished for the bass. Customers – they fish the nearby inlet, lined with jetties, on foot – also reeled-in sizeable summer flounder, bluefish, kingfish and croakers from the waters. Good catches of kings and croakers were made today. Plenty of bait is stocked, including lots of minnows, though minnows are scarce in the state. The shop’s had no shortage of the baitfish, and baits also include fresh bunker, fresh clams, all the frozen flounder baits, like mackerel and the different types of squid, and lots more baits. A vending machine dispenses bait afterhours.  Friend <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/One-stop-bait-tackle/362952943747080?rf=151870514855225" target="_blank">One Stop on Facebook</a>.

<b>Margate</b>

A 9.38-pounder and an 8.58-pounder were among the summer flounder plowed from the back bay this past week on the party boat <b>Keeper</b>, Capt. John said. The fishing was pretty good – “It’s that time of year,” he said – and catches included some big flounder.  Lots were 4 and 5 pounds. This peak of the angling won’t last forever, and the early season usually fishes best on the shallow, warm bay for flounder. But the boat sails for the fish on the bay all flounder season long, though summer. Occasional bluefish were picked up, and sea robins and lots of sharks bit. Minnows for bait remained scarce, and a gallon per day were available to supply on trips the past couple of days. Mackerel is also supplied, and caught well. Gulps worked well that anglers brought. A combo of mackerel and Gulp on the hook probably caught better than minnows. The Keeper is fishing for summer flounder twice daily from 8 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 to 5 p.m. The trips are only $25 for adults, $20 for seniors and $15 for kids, because the fishing is near port, and the pontoon boat is economical on fuel.

<b>Longport</b>

Lots of sea bass, lots of good-sized, snapped for anglers on the <b>Stray Cat</b>, Capt. Mike said. Now is the time for large sea bass on the inshore wrecks, he said. A limited number of open-boat trips, sailing 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., are fishing for them aboard. That includes next week on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, and anglers must telephone and reserve.

<b>Ocean City</b>

One angler dragged a 23-1/2-pound 41-1/2-inch striped bass from the surf on Saturday, and a 35.8-pound 45-inch striper from the shore on Sunday, both from the south end of the island on bunker chunks, said Justin from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. Others also talked about big stripers around in the surf, and a 33-pound 45-incher was checked-in Wednesday that was clammed from the waters. Bluefish raced all around the surf and back bay. Lots of summer flounder blanketed the bay. Seemed like half the anglers said only throwbacks bit, and half said all the fluke were keepers. Deeper holes, just random holes, reportedly held flounder in the bay. The fish supposedly weren’t spread throughout the channels, for instance. Many were hooked on Gulps, and the smaller fish were taken on bait, mostly minnows, mackerel and squid. Weakfish were whacked at night along bridges and sod banks. Not much was heard about sea bass from the ocean. Anglers bought bait for sharks and tuna, but no results were heard. But fishing’s been pretty good, Justin said.

A light crowd fished on Wednesday’s trip on the party boat <b>Captain Robbins</b>, but managed to pull in a few sea bass to an 18-incher, some good-sized ling and the year’s first summer flounder, a 21-incher, a decent catch, from the ocean, Capt. Victor said. The Captain Robbins is fishing for sea bass 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily. The <b>Miss Ocean City</b>, the company’s other boat, is hoped to start fishing for summer flounder after Fathers’ Day on the back bay. The trips will sail twice daily from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 4 p.m. Like the <a href=" https://www.facebook.com/captrobbinsfishing" target="_blank">Captain Robbins on Facebook</a>.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Mike Vaughn’s family, with young children, fished the bay aboard Monday, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b>, affiliated with <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. A couple of the youngsters wanted to catch sharks, so that’s what they did. They fought sand sharks to 12 pounds on clams, were ecstatic, a crowd-pleaser, Joe said. Then the family caught and released throwback flounder from the bay. Flounder fishing’s been excellent aboard the bay, and catches have included hefty ones, including a 7-pounder and a 5-pounder Saturday, covered in the previous report. Joe expects to fish the bay soon for striped bass on popper lures and flies, on ideal tides, high tides in evenings. The bay is warm enough for the bass to attack poppers along the water surface, and the angling, drawing vicious attacks from the bass, is a specialty aboard through summer. The year’s first inshore shark trip is slated for mid-month aboard, and Joe will scout the fishing on some trips before. The angling, usually within 10 miles from shore, for sharks like blacktips, duskies and browns, caught and released on spinning and fly rods, is a chance to fight big fish, without the long trek offshore. Joe heard about a handful of mako sharks boated farther from shore, and about tuna trolled at Baltimore and Poorman’s canyons. Keep up with his fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s blog</a>.

The back bay’s summer flounder fishing was excellent, said Mike from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. Frankly, he said, anglers in the know pasted some good-sized ones, and others landed lots of shorts. Some sizeable ones were weighed at the store. Bluefishing slowed, but blues weren’t gone. They mostly swam the bay and inlets. In the surf, a few striped bass still migrated, and some reports rolled in about kingfish and blowfish from the waters. The local party boat wreck-fished on the ocean, reporting good sea bass catches. The boat also reported more ling hooked than in 25 years, from tons gathered along the 10-mile line. Shark anglers talked about wrestling some threshers and a couple of makos. A buddy and friend lost a big thresher Wednesday. Mike’s brother and friends are competing in this week’s South Jersey Shark Tournament from Cape May, and Sea Isle Bait & Tackle is sponsoring them. Shark news should come from the contest. No customers sailed for tuna yet this season, and Mike saw reports online about tuna taken, but heard no first-hand reports. The store is loaded with minnows, a favorite flounder bait that’s scarce this season. Minnows only ran out a couple of hours one day. 

<b>Cape May</b>

A few summer flounder were beaten on the party boat <b>Porgy IV</b>, Capt. Paul said. Not great fishing, he said, but a few of the fish were around. Dan Inemer from Philadelphia limited out on the flounder on Monday’s trip. That was the year’s first limit of flounder aboard, and only a few of the fish were bagged on the trip. But a limit this early in the season seemed a good sign, Paul thought. Ed McGovern from Delran won the pool with a 4-1/2-pounder that day. On Sunday’s trip, the waters held a big swell, and not many flounder were hooked. This wasn’t hot fishing, Paul said, but a few flounder, a few decent-sized, were around, and throwbacks were, and trips will concentrate on flounder through summer. Paul hopes the angling keeps improving as waters warm. The Porgy IV is fishing for summer flounder at 8 a.m. daily.

<b>Melanie Anne Sport Fishing</b> was supposed to begin competing today in the South Jersey Shark Tournament at South Jersey Marina in Cape May, Capt. Frank said. He expects to give the scoop on the sharking for the next report.

The <b>Heavy Hitter</b> last fished on trips for drum on Delaware Bay during the weekend, Capt. George said. That was covered in the last report, and drum were still boated from the bay since, he heard. He didn’t know how great the angling was, and anglers will drum fish aboard this weekend. The fishing might not last a long time now, and act fast to sail for drum. George hopes bluefin tuna fishing turns on at places like Massey’s Canyon and the Hambone. The fish usually arrive at the beginning of July. Reports were heard about tuna caught farther away at Wilmington, Baltimore and Poorman’s canyons. Not much was heard about sea bass. Summer flounder fishing aboard usually begins around July 4 or the second week of that month. The trips fish the ocean, and that’s when the angling there usually becomes better aboard.

Anglers sometimes snatched croakers and weakfish from along jetties at Higbee’s Beach and near the ferry and from the Intracoastal Waterway, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. A few striped bass still came from the surf. Bluefish might’ve popped up along the jetties once in a while, but were scarce. Blues showed up in Delaware Bay at times. Drum were still heaved from the bay, now mostly from deeper waters, like at 60-Foot Slough and Tussy’s Slough, after they gathered in shallows off Cox Hall Creek previously. Nothing was really reported about summer flounder from Delaware Bay. But flounder fishing was pretty good along the Intracoastal. Lots were throwbacks, but some were 24 or 25 inches. Little was heard about flounder from the ocean. But ocean boaters should be able to hit places like Wildwood Reef for a few flounder and sea bass, putting a catch together. Nick jumped on a shark trip Saturday that pulled the hook on a big thresher and went 8 for 9 on blue sharks, a good catch. The water was blue and beautiful, and the temperature gauge was busted. But Nick thought the waters were 66 degrees. He’s trying to stock fresh bunker, and fresh clams are on hand. Minnows, bloodworms and all the frozen baits are stocked.

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