<b>Keyport</b>

Fishing for fluke bagged three on Raritan Bay on Tuesday with <b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b>, Capt. Joe said. Throwbacks were released, and more keepers actually bit than throwbacks. The trip fished at Reach Channel with spearing and squid, and the two of the keepers were 22 inches and were hooked on incoming tide. The other was 20 inches and was landed on outgoing. Was a great trip, Joe said, and the boat drifted great, and weather was great. Space is available for charters or open-boat trips for fluke Friday and Sunday. Open trips are available twice daily, in the morning and afternoon, when no charter is booked. Telephone to climb aboard.

Fluke fishing was good, so long as conditions were good, said Capt. Mario from the <b>Down Deep</b>. Sometimes conditions failed to drift the boat, slowing the angling. But plenty of fluke were around. Four or five charters also ling fished in the past week, and the catches were good.  Cod, blackfish and winter flounder were mixed in. Charters and open-boat trips are sailing. <a href=" http://www.downdeepsportfishing.com/ddsf/special-trips/" target="_blank">Click here</a> for the open-trip schedule for the next weeks, including open trips for sea bass, while the sea bass bag limit is increased to 15 a short time, from September 1 through 6. Three is the current limit, and sea bass season will be closed starting the next day for a time. Or sign up for the <a href=" http://www.downdeepsportfishing.com/ddsf/76-2/" target="_blank">Short Notice List</a> on the Down Deep’s website to be kept informed about open trips.

Boating for fluke was really good, said Joe from <b>Joey’s Bait Shack</b>. Lots of the fish were shorts, but the keepers were large, like 5- and 6-pounders weighed-in. A 12.4-pounder was even checked-in. Fluke were boated on the ocean off the Rockways and Coney Island, and on Raritan Bay toward the islands at the West Bank, near Verrazano Bridge, and off Mount Loretta on Staten Island. A charter also picked up a few sizeable sea bass off the Rockaways. Snapper blues swarmed all around the bay. One small striped bass was heard about that was reeled from the Keyport Pier. All kinds of fish, including croakers, spots and blues, swam around the Navy Pier. Nothing was heard about porgies and blackfish. Crabbing was good, improving a lot along the Keyport Pier and bulkhead. The store is a sponsor for a snapper bluefish tournament for kids on August 30 on the Keyport waterfront, featuring prizes and free hot dogs and beverages. The contest will be held 10 a.m. to 12 noon, and entrants should register before, like at 9 a.m.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

How fluke fishing will go now, in runoff from rain, couldn’t be known, but the catches were good previously, said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Only 2 ¾ inches of rain fell locally, but lots more fell at some places. Weather kept most boats from fishing Wednesday. Ling fishing was good at the Mudhole. One of the party boats, fishing in afternoons to nights, scooped up porgies. Small fish like porgies began to appear, and were late this year, apparently because of cooler water than usual. Weather felt like September now. Striped bass were trolled in mornings, and weren’t hooked at night. The boat catching the porgies was trying to catch stripers without success. Small bluefish were around. Crabbing was becoming better and better, was pretty good on Shrewsbury River and at Red Bank. Some were nabbed along Oceanic Bridge, but more were grabbed farther upstream. 

The weather seemed to affect fluking previously on the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>, but the catches improved on this morning’s trip, Capt. Tom said in a phone call aboard the outing at 11 a.m. Trips fished Raritan Bay, and on this morning’s trip, the first area fished gave up throwbacks, no keepers, but lots of the shorts, and that was an improvement. Some anglers released four or five throwbacks on the first drift. Then the trip moved to another area, and shorts and a handful of keepers bit. Anglers picked away at them, and more keepers had already been copped than on the previous day, and Tom hoped the catches continued. Some of the throwbacks were 17 inches, just under the 18-inch legal size, and the 17-inchers were big, thick fluke.  All the boat’s trips fished in past days, even in the crummy weather the past couple of days. Sometimes the boat was the only one to sail from the docks, and sometimes a couple sailed. Not a lot of anglers showed up at the marina, because of forecasts. Monday and Tuesday morning’s trips fluked best during the days, because of better conditions. On Tuesday afternoon, conditions were miserable, and lots of fluke were hooked, but not many keepers were. Some anglers let go 15 to 25 shorts. The bay wasn’t rough in the south wind, but the boat drifted quickly. Not all places could be fished where Tom wanted, because of the drift.  On Wednesday morning’s trip, Romer Shoal, at the confluence of the bay and the ocean, held white caps, and the ocean was rough. The trip fished the bay again, and that wasn’t rough, and throwbacks were found at every place fished, but the number wasn’t like the previous afternoon at all. Wednesday afternoon’s trip fluked a little better, and some anglers totaled eight or nine throwbacks, not the numbers like previously, and not enough keepers bit. Only a few people still showed up to fish on the outing, because of forecasts, but weather was beautiful, and fishing conditions were great. This morning’s fluking seemed to be picking up, after the weather, and Tom would see how that turns out.  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>***Update, Saturday, 8/16:***</b> Capt. Ron from the party boat <b>Fishermen</b> had a computer meltdown, but now started posting reports again on the Fishermen’s website, he wrote in a report there. Fluke fishing aboard Friday took until the end of the trip to get going, but finally came on. The anglers cashed-in on plenty of big fluke, and a 7.4-pounder won the pool. A couple weighed 6 pounds, and some weighed 5 and 4. Wind against tide prevented the boat from drifting in the morning, making the fishing tough. But the trip toughed it out, ending on a high note, he said. The Fishermen is fishing for fluke 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and for croakers, porgies and bottom fish 6:30 to 11:30 p.m. daily except Sundays.

<b>Highlands</b>

<b>Twin Lights Marina</b> hosted last weekend’s Saltwater Anglers of Bergen County Fluke Tournament, Marion from the marina wrote in an email. Jeff Crilly won first place with a 9-pound fluke. Colleen Shea won second with an 8.4-pounder, and Dave Demarco took third with an 8.2-pounder. In other news, on the Par Tee II, Jay and Tracy Amarosa and “the other guy,” Marion wrote, boated seven fluke to 22 inches at the Atlantic Beach Reef. Amanda, Donald, Mandy, “little” Mike, “big” Mike and Gina rounded up two fluke to 5 pounds and a bluefish on Raritan Bay while fishing killies with squid. Teresa Urban pasted a 19-pound fluke off Sandy Hook Point on a bucktail with Gulp. Greg Schnell and Chris Toner sailed to the mid-shore ocean to the Glory Hole and Chicken Canyon, totaling 11 mahi mahi to 12 pounds. On the next day, one of them plucked a dozen crabs from Navesink River. Gary Topche fly-rodded a 17-1/2-pound mahi mahi on the ocean 5 miles off Monmouth Beach. All those trips sailed Friday through Monday, before the rough weather. Twin Lights, located conveniently on Shrewsbury River near Raritan Bay and the ocean, with no bridges before them, includes a marina with boat slips and dry storage, a fuel dock, and a combined bait and tackle shop and ship’s store. The full supply of bait is stocked for inshore and offshore, and the fuel dock is available 24 hours a day with a credit card. 

<b>Neptune</b>

No trips fished the past couple of days with <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b>, Capt. Ralph said. Weather was rough, and looking ahead, the weekly, individual-reservation trip for fluke every Tuesday, next week is full. Five spots remain for August 25, and the trips will sail until fluke season is closed on September 28, and kids under 12 sail free, limited to two per adult host, on these trips. Ralph will add a marathon individual-rez trip for fluke on the final day Last Lady isn’t chartered before the season is closed.  Four spots remain for an individual-reservation trip for cod on September 11, and all other trips for cod are currently full. Eight spaces remain for an individual-reservation trip that will wreck-fish on August 24. Space is available for a special, individual-reservation trip for sea bass that will run on September 4, during the only week when 15 is the bag limit, before sea bass season is closed afterward for a time. <b>***Update, Saturday, 8/16:***</b> Five openings became available for Tuesday’s individual-reservation trip for fluke, because of a cancellation, Ralph said. He was away at a wedding in Vermont, and phone reception was terrible, so email him to jump aboard at lastladycharter@optonline.net.

<b>Belmar</b>

<b>XTC Sportfishing</b> fished overnight at Hudson Canyon from Sunday to Monday, Capt. Jody said. The charter liked tilefishing, so the trip tilefished most of the morning, cranking up 40 of the fish 15 to 25 pounds. Then the trip trolled for tuna a while, and the angling wasn’t that great, but sometimes tuna were caught among the fleet. In the evening, XTC went 6 for 9 on yellowfin tuna 60 to 90 pounds. The trip was originally going to fish at Lindenkohl Canyon, where tuna fishing was reportedly great. But reports were heard about lots of life at the Hudson, so the trip took a shot.  The Hudson ended up the place to be. Lots of life including bait and whales filled the 78-degree, beautiful, clear water. Green-stick boats caught especially well. A few bigeye tuna were taken those days at the Hudson, including one that a friend’s trip landed that night. XTC is supposed to bluefish today. A friend told Jody about nailing big blues at the Mud Buoy, and Jody told one of the Belmar party boat captains, then saw a report that the boat got into them. Party boats decked small blues previously. More overnight trips will fish the canyons Friday to Saturday and Tuesday to Wednesday. A trip Sunday will fish for bluefin tuna on the mid-shore ocean.

With <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b>, fluke fishing on the ocean had to be cancelled recently, because of weather, and Capt. Pete was going to wait through today, before returning to the angling Friday, he said. But the fluking was phenomenal aboard Monday. Numerous big fluke to 8 pounds were smashed. Large fluke were definitely coming into the area sometimes, and Pete recommends anglers fish for them as soon as possible, because one tropical storm could chase the fish off for the season. Plenty of dates, including choice, are available for charters in September. The Saturday of Labor Day weekend just opened up, because the anglers had to switch to another date. Parker Pete’s this season hosted On the Water Seminars to teach bucktailing for fluke. Three of the trips sailed, and because response was good, two more of the trips were added for this week and this coming Wednesday. This week’s was weathered out, but space remains on next week’s. An email about the seminars said: “Are you tired of reading reports of people catching big (fluke)? Do you usually ‘drag’ bait and hope for the big one? Are you being out-fished when you go out fluking? Are you ready to get hooked on bucktailing in a non-threatening way?” The trips are inexpensive, and email Pete for more info. Also, 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.

Weather “slowed us down a tad,” Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> wrote in an email, but fishing should bounce right back. Fluke fishing was the best bet, both in back waters, like Shark River, and the ocean. The store’s rental boats are available to fish the river. Fishing on the ocean for big blues was next best. The fish showed up again, after small blues were the catch previously. Snapper bluefishing on the back waters was third best. That could be a great way for kids and adults to spend free time. The next best fishing, in the order that Bob ranked them, was for: both sea bass and blackfish that are “there for the taking”; and mahi mahi and members of the tuna family, he said. He ranked crabbing next, and crabbing was peaking in many local waters. Finally, fishing for large cownosed rays was the last action he ranked. The rays swam the surf at most local spots, surprising anglers, when the large catches took off with tackle. Be on the guard for them. “I did not forget stripers,” Bob said. Striped bass will arrive soon enough. “Think fall,” he said.

Bluefishing took time to get going today, but improved as the trip continued, on the party boat <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b>, an email from the vessel said. Eight- to 14-pounders ended up caught, and the trip began fishing at the edge of the Mudhole. Fishing aboard was apparently weathered out Tuesday and Wednesday. But on Monday’s trip, big blues, the same size as today, were bailed, and bonito were mixed in, on the ocean east of Shark River Inlet. On the party boat Royal Miss Belmar today, fluke fishing was slow, maybe because of a large swell. A few keepers and shorts were tugged in, and a 4-pounder won the pool. The Miss Belmar Princess is fishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. daily.

Weather kept the party boat <b>Golden Eagle</b> docked, a report on the vessel’s Facebook page said on Wednesday, the most recent report at press time. But forecasts looked beautiful for the next several days afterward, and the crew expects fishing for big bluefish to “pick up right where it left off the other day,” the report said. Trips aboard started finding big bluefish, good catches, on Saturday through Monday, after landing small blues, lots, previously. Afternoon trips latched into fluke and sea bass. A good catch of fluke, keepers to 4 and 5 pounds, shorts and sea bass was made on Monday. That was apparently the last time the vessel fished through Wednesday, because of weather. The Golden Eagle is fishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.  Fishing trips/sunset cruises have been running 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. daily, and reservations have been required on those outings. Some of those trips have been sold out, so check with the boat. Also, it’s time to book tuna trips. Twenty-four-hour trips are scheduled for September 28 and October 5 and 19, and space remains, but is filling up. See the <a href=" http://goldeneaglefishing.com/tuna-reservation.html" target="_blank">Golden Eagle’s tuna trip page</a> online.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

The party boat <b>Norma-K III</b> was supposed to resume fishing today, after trips were weathered out in downpours and wind on Tuesday and Wednesday, Capt. Matt wrote in a report on the vessel’s website.  Fluke fishing on the ocean seemed to improve daily, and bluefishing at night on the ocean had begun to plunder large ones, good catches. That was the case during Friday and Saturday nights’ bluefishing, but fishing for the large blues was no good on Sunday and Monday nights. Maybe that was because of the full moon. On Monday night’s trip, after large blues failed to show up, the boat was returned inshore to catch small blues, plenty. Many of the anglers limited out on the 1-pounders. On the fluke trips, good numbers of keepers were bagged, and so were a few sea bass. The trips didn’t often fish rough bottom, where sea bass would be found. But a few “small hard spots” were fished, giving up the sea bass. An 8-pound 1-ounce fluke led the monthly pool, and some bigger were around, so come on down to see if you can tie into them, he said. The Norma-K III is fluke fishing on two trips daily from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 to 6:30 p.m., and is bluefishing 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. daily.

<b>Toms River</b>

In the surf, fishing for small blues 4 to 8 inches was gradually becoming better, said Dennis  from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. Lots of spearing schooled, and the blues were hooked on Snapper Poppers, but the larger ones grabbed cut bait. Fluke were beached from the surf on bucktails and teasers, but the angling was no better than before. Anglers put in time for them. A few kingfish and blowfish popped around the surf, nothing great. Fluking was pretty good in Barnegat Inlet, and most were throwbacks, but some were keepers. A combo of killies and squid worked best there. Fluke were picked at the Tire Reef in the ocean, and the fishing improved a little. Farther from shore, loads of bonito roamed Barnegat Ridge. Nos. 2 and 3 Clark spoons and feathers were trolled for them, and Spanish mackerel and mahi mahi were mixed in. In Barnegat Bay, fluke remained mostly in the BI and BB markers area, but the keeper ratio declined. The fish were getting picked through, and a few blowfish, none to speak of, swam that part of the bay. Not many fluke, just a few small, were located in the bay closer to the shop. Snapper blues, mostly 6 and 7 inches, sometimes 8, schooled the bay all around. Fresh spearing, great bait for them, was just stocked. Loads of bait including peanut bunker, spearing and mullet filled the bay. That looked good. Crabbing remained fantastic at Good Luck Point, the Toms River and along Route 37 Bridge, like it has been this season. Murphy’s, located on Route 37, bought <b>Go Fish Bait & Tackle</b> on Fischer Boulevard in Toms River this year, and is running both shops now.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

False albacore started to be sighted along the surf, but being at the right place and right time to catch them was like winning the lottery, for most anglers, John from <b>The Dock Outfitters</b> wrote in a report on the shop’s website. Small blues and occasionally a keeper fluke were slid from the surf. Brown sharks, required to be released, were fought from the beach at night. In Barnegat Bay, snapper blues swam all around, “and still no blowfish to speak of,” he said. Crabbing became a bit off in the bay, because of shedding around the weekend’s full moon. The blueclaws won’t eat while shedding, but crabbing is expected to bounce back after the shed, and that doesn’t usually last long. 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>

Many fluke seemed to migrate to the ocean, said Mike from <b>Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle</b>. Good catches were made at the Tires on the ocean. On Barnegat Bay, fluke hung around the BI and BB markers, but were mostly throwbacks. No blowfish were really around in the bay. Snapper bluefishing was good at places like docks. Bonito zoomed around Barnegat Ridge in the ocean. A 22-pound mahi mahi was picked up at the ridge. Crabbing was outstanding. Baits stocked include killies, fresh spearing and all the frozen baits like sand eels, bunker and clams.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

On the party boat <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b>, there were some better days of fishing, and some slower, depending on conditions, a report on the vessel’s website said. The boat is fishing for fluke and sea bass, and sometimes drifted too slowly or too fast. Better-sized fluke started to bite than before, and a few 3- to 6-pounders were typically bagged in a trip. Sometimes bait caught best, and sometimes bucktails did. Weather looks perfect for the weekend. The Miss Barnegat Light is fishing for fluke and sea bass 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily.

One trip today from <b>Bobbie’s Boat Rentals</b> docked two keeper fluke and released throwbacks from Barnegat Bay, Ashley said. Fluking’s been pretty good on the bay, at all the usual spots. Nothing was heard about weakfish, but dolphins were seen in the bay, sometimes a sign that weaks were around, because the dolphins feed on them. Nothing was reported about blowfish from the bay. Bluefish, small, not a lot, swam Barnegat Inlet. Nothing was mentioned about blackfish along the inlet’s rocks. Crabbing was slow, but clamming was good. Bobbie’s features a complete bait and tackle shop, a fuel dock and boat and kayak rentals. The boats are used for fishing, crabbing, clamming and pleasure. The store is known for bait supply, including live baits. Baits stocked currently include live spots, green crabs and minnows. Just a few spots remained today, but more would be stocked.

<b>Barnegat</b>

Finally, weakfish! Capt. Dave DeGennaro from the <b>Hi Flier</b> wrote in an email. Good catches of weakies 2 to 4 pounds were plowed from Barnegat Bay on three trips aboard Monday and Tuesday. “We also had two monster blowfish,” he said, and he hopes they also start to arrive. The first trip started by shrimping striped bass, blues and houndfish along the Barnegat Inlet jetty. Trips are also crushing bonito at Barnegat Ridge North on the ocean, like previously. Open-boat trips will sail to the ridge 5:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday through Monday and 12 noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, limited to three anglers. All those trips are also “capable of being charters instead,” he said, and the times and species targeted are also flexible. Weather looks especially good for Saturday, “and can easily be turned into an offshore tuna and mahi safari,” he said. Fishing is excellent for so many different fish, “let me know what you want to fish for, and we’ll make it happen,” he said. To reach him, telephoning is always best. 

<b>Surf City</b>

Surf caster targeted brown sharks, catching them okay, said Sue from <b>Surf City Bait & Tackle</b>.  Fluke could be found in the surf, and anglers worked for them, some landing keepers. The fishing was supposedly best at both ends of the island. Snapper and tailor blues, but no numbers, sometimes tumbled into the surf. No kingfish were heard about from the surf. Junk fish like dog sharks and rays loitered the surf. The surf is warming, so anglers hope that will pick up fishing there. Actually, jigging for blues at Barnegat Inlet was the only consistently good angling. Triggerfish, blackfish, small sea bass and bergals gathered around the bay end of the inlet rocks. The bay’s snapper bluefishing was fine. Party boats, fishing for fluke on the ocean, found mostly throwbacks, but the keepers were good-sized.  The store’s annual <b><i>Free Surf Fishing Seminars</i></b>, held 6 to 7 p.m. every Sunday in the parking lot in summer, are under way. Hosted by Bob Massa, the classes are now being called Sundays with Bob. 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>. The 60th annual Long Beach Island Surf Fishing Classic will be held October 6 to November 30.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

The bay held small summer flounder, said Brian from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. The larger ones swam the deeper holes by this time of season, because of cooler water. The deeper holes or pockets were also the place to hit at Little Egg Inlet for flounder. Lots of croakers ran the bay, and Brian heard that blowfish hovered behind Holgate. Many brown sharks, required to be released, haunted Grassy Channel at night. On the ocean, Garden State Reef South fished best for flounder, giving up good catches. Flounder angling was alright at Little Egg Reef on the ocean. One trip sailed to the Cigar on the ocean, fighting dusky and tiger sharks, both required to be released, breaking off a sizeable mahi mahi. Then the trip axed bluefish, probably 2 to 6 pounds, at Little Egg Inlet. Yellowfin tuna fishing went nuts at Lindenkohl Canyon offshore. Chris from the shop joined a trip that boated nine there during the weekend. A customer said a buddy’s trip fought 32. Yellowfins swam from the Lindy to Wilmington Canyon, and were chunked during daytime. A few bigeye tuna were trolled.

<b>Absecon</b>

The back bay’s summer flounder fishing sort of dropped off, and lots of the fish were small, or the keeper ratio was tough, said Jay from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. But ocean flounder fishing was good at the reefs. Croakers became the fish to target in back waters, and many gathered in Mullica River’s mouth. The mouth also harbored weakfish and small striped bass. Stripers were plugged along the bay’s sod banks in early mornings. Lots of blues a couple of pounds, a little bigger than snappers, swam the bay. Lots of bait like peanut bunker filled creeks. Blackfish were hooked at bridges and structure like that. Crabbing seemed about the same as before, kind of slow, picking up a little, but not as well as preferred. Baits stocked include plenty of live spots. Live mullet will be carried as soon as the shop’s owner nets more. Plenty of bloodworms are on hand, and good-looking shedder crabs are in supply. The shop raises the shedders and, for eating, soft-shell crabs, and soft shells are in.

<b>Brigantine</b>

Brown sharks roamed the surf, and fishing for them was better at night, said Capt. Andy from <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>. Browns must be released, and KD shark rigs, tied specifically for the store, were stocked and selling unbelievably. One angler banked seven spots at the jetty at Absecon Inlet, and two anglers beside him landed none. Spots were around but weren’t a fish Andy could send anglers to target. Kingfish were like that. Some anglers beached six or seven, and some could find none. Andy couldn’t tell customers to target them. Snapper bluefish showed up well, and one angler racked up 20 or 22 today on spearing. In the back bay, summer flounder fishing was okay. Throwbacks were usually caught, and most larger flounder seemed to migrate to the ocean. Striped bass 18 inches were seen around the bay, and anglers threw plugs to them. The DO/AC Beach N Boat Challenge, the fishing tournament set for August 22 to 24, will include Brigantine, as well as Atlantic City, the two places fish entered can be caught.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

Just about every bait possible crammed Absecon Inlet, and the channel’s fishing was on fire, said Noel from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. The bait seemed to show up before the storm, and Noel saw that happen before Hurricane Sandy. The bait currently included tinker mackerel, butterfish, mullet, peanut bunker, spearing, minnows and herring. Snapper blues “exploded” everywhere. Croakers and kingfish were hooked on bloodworms. Blackfish were green-crabbed along the jetties, and the inlet, located near the shop, is lined with them. Customers fish the nearby inlet on foot. Good-sized summer flounder were sacked on minnows, spearing, filleted mackerel and squid. Fishing was definitely on, he said.  All the baits mentioned and more are stocked. Green crabs are $4 per dozen or three dozen for $10. Minnows are $8.50 a pint, and bloodworms are two dozen for $20 or $10.75 per dozen. Baits carried also include fresh bunker, fresh clams, all the frozen baits, like mackerel, mullet, head-on shrimp and all the different types of squid for flounder fishing, and more, a large supply. A vending machine dispenses bait afterhours. One Stop, at 416 Atlantic Avenue, also owns a shop with the same name at Atlantic City’s Gardner’s Basin that stocks the same baits and also rents rods. Sign up for the DO/AC Beach N Boat Challenge, set for August 22 to 24, for free, by using the number 5072. Without the number, entry is $20. The tournament will award $1 million if an entrant breaks the New Jersey record for largest summer flounder, and will award exceptionally lucrative prize money for the rest of the heaviest fish caught from Atlantic City. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RSNjwOrUJk" target="_blank">Watch a video about the DO/AC Beach N Boat Challenge shot at the shop</a>, including footage of Noel in the shop and at the counter.  <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/One-stop-bait-tackle/362952943747080?rf=151870514855225" target="_blank">One Stop on Facebook</a>.

<b>Margate</b>

Summer flounder fishing picked up somewhat on the back bay on the party boat <b>Keeper</b>, Capt. John said. The angling was no good on Wednesday, probably because 6 inches of rain had fallen, but the fish began to bite again on the afternoon trip, and John hoped the catches picked up again, after a couple of tides cleared out the rain water. Lots of throwbacks, only a few keepers, hit, but the number of keepers increased a little. Some of the fish were around, he said. Small sea bass were landed that always turn up in summer. Tons of bait filled the bay. Snapper blues, small or 6 and 7 inches, showed up, chasing silversides, and were caught on trips. Minnows and mackerel were provided for bait, and Gulps that anglers brought always catch well. When John could castnet peanut bunker, he threw them in the livewell. They worked well when livelined for larger flounder. The peanuts were usually 3 to 4 inches, good-sized for flounder bait. On John’s most recent throw, they were larger.  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>

Bonito and mahi mahi were trolled at the Triple Lumps and just inshore of Atlantic City Ridge on Wednesday on the <b>Stray Cat</b>, Capt. Mike said. The fishing for bonito’s been great, and other fish are mixed in, including mahi, bluefish, Spanish mackerel and more. Triggerfish were the only fish missing, for some reason. Bunker that had schooled close to shore also disappeared. For the bonito, natural-colored cedar plugs are catching best, and Clark spoons and feathers are next best. The feathers are colored black-and-white or red-and-white. The water is clear and gorgeous, and flying fish are everywhere. The water is 76 degrees, from 5 miles from shore, all the way to the continental edge. Water 79 degrees might be found along the edge, at the canyons. All the bonito and other fish are spitting up 6-inch squid. Even summer flounder are spitting up the squid, and flounder fishing’s been outstanding aboard. Four- to 6-pounders are coming up from 90-foot depths. Deep-dropping, Mike said. The next open-boat trips for flounder will sail Wednesday and Thursday and, during the following week, August 26 through 28. A tuna trip will sail Saturday, and yellowfin tuna fishing was on fire at Spencer and Lindenkohl canyons. The fish were chunked during daytime on 30-pound fluorocarbon. The yellowfins were leader-shy, so light leaders and tackle had to be fished. 

<b>Ocean City</b>

Surf anglers flung in kingfish, not a ton, and snapper blues, 6 to 8 inches, sometimes up to a pound, began to appear in the water, said Matt from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. A few croakers crept around the surf, and summer flounder were sometimes beached, on bucktails with Gulps. Surf fishing for brown sharks, required to be released, improved a little, because the water somewhat warmed.  Lots of small flounder, mostly 13 to 16 inches, scurried the back bay, kind of everywhere. Snappers and small sea bass schooled the bay. Small striped bass were occasionally played on the bay, like along bridges, on soft-plastic lures, hard lures or, in mornings and evenings, popper plugs. Nothing was heard about fishing for tuna offshore in past days, but previously tuna were chunked during daytime, and Matt was unsure about location.

The party boat <b>Captain Robbins</b> was docked for maintenance, but the <b>Miss Ocean City</b>, the company’s new party boat, was supposed to start fishing today, Capt. Victor said. Trips will now sail for summer flounder and sea bass on the ocean 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and for flounder on the back bay 1 to 4 p.m. daily on Mondays through Fridays and for flounder and sea bass on the ocean 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. That will be the schedule until the Captain Robbins begins fishing again. However, the Miss Ocean City is chartered this Saturday, so no open-boat trip will sail that day. When the Captain Robbins starts fishing, the vessel will fish for flounder and sea bass on the ocean on two half-day trips on weekdays and one full-day trip every Saturday and Sunday, and the Miss Ocean City will fish for flounder on the bay on several trips daily. The Miss Ocean City will fish for striped bass on the bay daily in fall. 

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Mike Roth and granddaughter Ryah sailed on one of the inshore shark trips today aboard, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b>, affiliated with <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. Two dusky sharks larger than 100 pounds were released, so that was great, and Ryah landed them. A brown shark was let go, and the trips catch and release sharks like duskies, browns, spinners and blacktips, some of them required to be let go, on bait or flies, usually within 10 miles from the coast.  Joe wasn’t asked, but this trip apparently fished with bait, and that’s always mackerel fillets aboard. Chum flies are fished on the fly trips. The shark trips are a chance to fight big fish without the long trek offshore. In the morning today, before the sharking, George Lamphere’s family aboard plumbed a bunch of flounder, including one keeper, and sea bass from the back bay. The bay’s number of flounder was about the same as previously, and fishing for them was a little more challenging than before, but the number of keepers started to rise recently. The ocean’s flounder fishing was good, but the conditions were needed. The flatfish were bigger, and the keeper ratio was better, on the ocean than the bay, even if the angling was more “technical” on the ocean. But the flounder were there in the ocean, and Joe knew where to find them. Anglers needed to decide whether they wanted numbers on the bay or bigger on the ocean. Darrel Cooper and friends on the bay aboard Wednesday bagged a 4-pound flounder, lost a monster flounder, and tossed back throwbacks. Fishing was weathered out on Tuesday. On Monday, Tom Herter, wife Judy, Tom’s brother Ed, and their friend Kenny on the ocean cracked two keeper flounder, including a 5-pounder, a bunch of throwbacks, a couple of sea bass and a ling. Jersey Cape is also fishing for tuna offshore, and that angling’s been good at the canyons. Nothing was really heard about inshore tuna. Many mahi mahi swam the inshore ocean, and that fishing’s been good, kind of fun. Some were small or 2 pounds, but up to 10-pounders were boated aboard, and a trip will run for them Saturday. Bonito were around inshore, and a few will probably be hooked on Saturday’s trip. Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s blog</a>.

“What’s happening?” Mike from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b> was asked. “Everything,” he said. Good reports rolled in about summer flounder fishing on the ocean at places like Townsend’s Inlet and Ocean City reefs. He had customers who limited out, and pretty much everybody who fished for them seemed into catches. Big bucktails with big Gulps hooked the flounder, but some good catches were made on spearing, mackerel and squid. Lots of mahi mahi flooded the ocean, everywhere from 5 or 6 miles out to the canyons. They were trolled, and some anglers pitched bucktails to them, and a few swam live bait like minnows. A few cobia swam among the dolphin. Bonito were trolled from the ocean on Clark spoons, anywhere from sizes 1 to 4. A skipjack trolled among them was heard about, and no Spanish mackerel were yet, but their arrival should be impending. Tuna fishing was excellent, and the fish seemed spread around the southern canyons. On one day the fishing was better at the Lindenkokl, on another the Wilmington, and so on. Yellowfin tuna, longfin tuna and bigeye tuna were heard about. A couple of bluefin tuna were, and a few white marlin were in the mix. Fishing closer to shore was kind of tough. In the surf, kingfish and croakers scurried around, no huge numbers, but anglers were picking them. Flounder remained in the back bay, and were small, but more larger ones turned up recently than before. A few 5- and 6-pounders were seen. Crabbing slowed a little because of shedding around the weekend’s full moon. But crabbing was pretty good for the most part.

<b>Wildwood</b>

Not a lot of customers fished the last couple of days, because of weather, said Mike from <b>Canal Side Boat Rentals</b>. But all the boats were booked today, and summer flounder continued to hit in the back bay. Many were throwbacks, but this cool summer seemed to help the fishing. During some summers, the bay warms more, causing the fish to depart for the cooler ocean already. That didn’t happen this year. Four inches of rain filled the rental boats on Wednesday, after rain had fallen. But not as much rain fell locally as at some places in the state. Millville was drenched Wednesday night, and a good downpour fell locally then, but not as much as at places like Millville. Snapper blues swarmed all around, including in the canal. Lots of Snapper Popper rigs were sold for them, and anglers, including kids, had a blast with the blues. Spearing were used for bait on the rigs. Small sea bass schooled the bay, like every summer. One of the rental-boat trips reported a healthy catch of them, none keepers. Sea bass never reach the 12-1/2-inch legal size in the bay. Before there was a size limit, anglers used to bag them, and the sea bass were delicious. Many people still crabbed on the bay, no matter the weather, and catches were so-so. Nothing was heard about ocean fishing for summer flounder, probably because the weather kept trips from sailing. Baits stocked include minnows and frozen herring in three per pack, great-looking spearing, peeler crabs, mackerel fillets, whole mackerel, mullet fillets, whole bunker, bunker fillets, salted clams in quarts and pints, bags of fresh-frozen clams, all the different types of squid, like tube squid, trolling squid, strips of unscented and scented squid, green strips, pink strips and more. Canal Side rents boats for fishing and crabbing and kayaks. <b>***<i>Get a $5 discount</i>***</b> on a rental boat if you mention Fishing Reports Now. Crabs, both live and cooked, are sold for eating, and picnic tables were set out this year to enjoy them. The crabs were currently from Maryland, like previously. The blueclaws were scarce for commercial crabbers in New Jersey this season. The live crabs were currently $28 to $36 per dozen, depending on size and market price. The cooked crabs were currently $4 additional per dozen.

<b>Cape May</b>

Tuna fishing was lit up at the canyons, said Capt. George from the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>.  Yellowfin tuna 50 to 70 pounds, sizeable, lots, were chunked during daytime. Some trips dropped down to 40-pound leaders, but others used 80-pound. George hopes the fishing hangs in, but if anglers want tuna, they should go now, while the fish are biting. A tuna charter cancelled aboard for this weekend, and that date is available. Individual anglers and small groups should also call for make-up trips for tuna. Trips Saturday to Monday aboard fished for summer flounder on the ocean, and also triggerfish. Lots of throwback flounder were hooked, but keepers were bagged. The trips fished away from the fleets, where no other boats were around. The trips stopped elsewhere on the ocean to add triggerfish to the catches, reeling them in. Another one of the trips was weathered out Tuesday. Trips can also troll bluefish 1 to 1 ½ pounds that are schooling 5-Fathom Bank. Blues also reportedly schooled off Cape May Point, but every time George sailed there, none was around. They seemed around here and there.    

Ocean fishing for summer flounder sounded pretty good at wrecks and reefs, at places like the Old Grounds and Reef 11, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. Some good-sized were clubbed, and a couple of customers scored well on flounder at Cape May Reef. Another at Cape May Reef pounded 12 sizeable bluefish, a few bonito and four keeper flounder. Triggerfish gathered at wrecks and reefs. Bonito and mahi mahi were around at places like the East Lump or lumps in that area or that range. Not a lot was heard about flounder fishing on Delaware Bay, except about catches toward the Old House toward Fortescue, a long sail from Cape May. Carol Hanson wrenched a 7-1/2-pound 26-inch flounder from Cape May Canal. Lots of flounder carpeted the back bay, giving up lots of action, but catching a keeper was tough. Croakers were around in the bay but were small. Croakers were also around in the surf. Sharks were fought from the surf. Flounder came from the surf around Cape May Point. Snapper blues kicked around the water there. Blackfishing could be good along jetties. A couple of customers sailed for tuna to Lindenkohl Canyon, chunking them during daytime. Nick hopes to stock fresh clams, and the clam boats should’ve sailed today, after the rough weather. He hopes to stock green crabs on Friday. Bloodworms, both jumbos and regular-sized, are carried.  

Back to Top