<b>Keyport</b>

Real quality fluke were among keepers caught, and action with throwbacks was non-stop, and fluking continued to be good, Capt. Frank from the <b>Vitamin Sea</b> wrote in an email. Gulp out-fished bait, and room remains on open-boat trips Friday and Sunday, especially on Sunday. “Get your dose of Vitamin Sea!” Like the <a href=" https://www.facebook.com/vitaminseafishing" target="_blank">Vitamin Sea’s Facebook page</a>. 

A charter with Phil Ball’s family and friends knocked around steady action with fluke, throwbacks and a couple of keepers, and several throwback sea bass at Ambrose Channel on Wednesday aboard, said Capt. Joe from <b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b>. Bait, mostly spearing and squid, was fished, and open-boat trips for fluke are available daily when no charter is booked. Telephone to jump aboard. 

Anglers sailing for fluke often fished in deep water 40, 50 or 60 feet, said Joey from <b>Joey’s Bait Shack</b>. Lots of dog sharks filled Sandy Hook Bay. A few small striped bass, no keepers, were docked at the Keyport pier on small pieces of bunker. Snapper blues, and cocktail blues mixed in, swarmed Raritan Bay at Keyport and Cliffwood Beach. Peanut bunker seemed to be moving in. Many crabbers said that trapping the blueclaws improved in the past week, or took less time to put together a catch of keepers. All baits are stocked, including sandworms, fresh bunker that arrives daily, fresh clams, killies, eels, nightcrawlers and frozen bunker, clams, spearing, finger mullet, smelts and all the different types of squid, like tube squid and 1-pound boxes of squid. 

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

An 11-pound fluke was smashed on this morning’s trip on the <b>Atlantic Star</b>, Capt. Tom said in a phone call aboard the outing. Ted Sarn from Huddleston, Virginia, hauled aboard the fish, and used to fish on the Happy when Tom captained that boat years ago. Anglers throughout the trip picked away at fluke, mostly throwbacks, and probably more keepers than on both of Wednesday’s trips. Trips aboard fished in or between the channels lately. The fluking was pretty good, for the most part. Plenty of throwbacks bit, no lack of action, and sometimes keepers were bagged. Some anglers hit five or six throwbacks, and some yanked in eight, 12 or 15. Throwing back 17-1/2-inchers -- big, 2-pound fish -- ½-inch shorter than the size limit, was a little frustrating. Sometimes the keepers were sizeable, not huge. Pool-winning fluke mostly weighed maybe 4 pounds. Gulps with spearing probably caught as well as anything. Some anglers fished bucktails or Spros. When the fluke really bit, they bit anything. Tom suggests anglers bring two rods, including a heavier one, for when heavier weight like 8 ounces needs to be fished at the channels, where current can run strongly. 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.

“Very good fishing today!” Capt. Ron from the party boat <b>Fishermen</b> wrote about today’s fluking aboard on the vessel’s website. After terrible conditions for the angling on Wednesday’s trip, the boat drifted well for fluking today from the start. There was a little lull in the drift and fishing at the change of tide, but the fishing was “action packed.” Some of the anglers limited out, and some bagged four fluke, one less than a limit. Some caught on bucktails, and some on bait. A 7.2-pound fluke won the pool, and another angler smoked a 6.4-pounder. One group who fished the bow kicked butt on the fluke catches, including big fish.  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.

Fluke fishing was good, if anglers knew where to go, said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Good catches of the flatfish were boated on the ocean like all summer. On Raritan Bay, fluking was good once or twice a week. Porgies were around, like at mussel beds, Reach Channel and some of the jetties or piers, like at Rockaway. Small bluefish were around, and a few striped bass bit. One customer bought a flat of worms a week, and Jimmy knew where the angler was catching stripers on them. Stripers were also trolled. Ling bit well, and anglers often thought they had to sail to the Mudhole for them, but other places also gave up ling. In the surf, small blues, fluke and false albacore were slid in, like at Sandy Hook’s first parking lot, where they bit the last few days. Snapper bluefishing and crabbing were good along the back waters. All baits are stocked.

<b>Highlands</b>

Sailing from <b>Twin Lights Marina</b>, Angelo Giustino bagged six fluke 4 to 6 pounds at the West Bank on Saturday on Gulps and killies, Marion wrote in an email. Becky Raffa on the Second Home iced two 20- and 18-1/2-inch fluke that day near the range markers on Gulps and killies. Also on Saturday near the range markers, Dana De Munno on the Hammerhead whacked a 24-3/4-inch fluke on a Gulp with a killie, out-fishing dad. On Friday, Tracy and Jason on the Par Tee II bagged three fluke to 22 inches near the A buoy on squid and killies, and Teresa Urban bucktailed-with-Gulp a 27-1/2-inch fluke off Sandy Hook Point within 15 minutes of fishing. Last Thursday, Jay Amarosa on the Par Tee II did-in three fluke 25, 24 ½ and 18 ½ inches between the 7-and-8 and 5-and-6 buoys on killies and squid. Also last week, Frank Coolack on the Sam Jack squashed a 5-1/2-pound 21-inch fluke and a 5-pound 20-incher off the beach. 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>

This report was posted as an update on Wednesday and is being re-posted in case anybody missed it: An individual-reservation trip for sea bass on Monday scooped up fluke, winter flounder, sea bass, sea robins, cod and a lobster with <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b>, Capt. Ralph wrote in an email. All the cod hooked, about 10, were keepers. Chuck “The Anchorman” won the pool with a fluke larger than 5 pounds, and also caught sea bass to 4 ½ pounds and a 4-pound sea robin. On Tuesday’s weekly, individual-reservation trip for fluke, fishing was good toward the end. Those trips are sailing every Tuesday until fluke season is closed on September 28, and kids under 12 sail free, limited to two per adult host. A special, marathon, individual-reservation trip for fluke will sail on September 26, and kids under 12 won’t sail free on that one. An individual-reservation trip today was supposed to sail for sea bass and wreck-fishing. All individual-reservation trips for cod are currently booked. Charters are available.

<b>Belmar</b>

Nine yellowfin tuna 50 or 60 pounds were plowed on an overnight trip to the canyons Wednesday to today on the <b>Katie H</b>, Capt. Mike said. So that was a good catch, and the anglers, not seasoned, broke off nine or 10, so about 20 of the tuna might’ve been caught otherwise. All the fish were chunked at night, and a 150- or 160-pound mako shark was also chunked. That fish was actually hooked within 10 minutes of chunking, and caught on monofilament, not a wire leader. The angling gave up a good pick all night. Trolling for tuna during daytime wasn’t really happening during the trip. A dozen mahi mahi were trolled at the lobster pot buoys on the way home. Nighttime tuna fishing is unbelievable right now, he said. Anglers should go now if they want tuna. Space is available on weekdays this month, and some weekends remain in October. But if anglers can sail now, the fish are there, and the trips might get into the fish before weather closes in. Another trip is supposed to fish overnight Saturday to Sunday for tuna, but will likely be weathered out. Plenty more of the trips are booked aboard. 

On the  party boat <b>Big Mohawk</b>, fluke fishing was great the last two days, Capt. Chris said. Lots of anglers limited out, and lots of the fish were big, and many of the anglers were smiling, he said. Quite a few of the fish were nailed on Gulps on bucktails. Some were socked on strips of fluke belly. Most of the fish bit along rough bottom. The Big Mohawk is sailing for fluke 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

Blues began to be pitched aboard right away on today’s trip on the party boat <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b>, and the 8- to 15-pounders were picked until noon, mostly on bait, a few on jigs, an email said. Then the catches died off, and the fish were found at hills offshore from Shark River Inlet, at the same area they were the past month. Good readings of them were marked on the trip. On Wednesday’s trip, blues 8- to 14-pounds were fought the whole outing, and the fishing couldn’t have been better. The Miss Belmar Princess is fishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and 7:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. every Friday and Saturday. One of those trips was also sailing tonight. Kids under 14 are sailing free through Friday, when accompanied by a paying adult.

Bluefishing was super, for big ones 10 to 15 pounds, Wednesday on the party boat <b>Golden Eagle</b>, a report on the vessel’s website said. Tuesday’s trip only picked at big blues and a few false albacore, though blues could be seen in the chum slick, and read. Both trips hooked the blues mostly on bait, some on jigs. Fishing for large blues was terrific on Monday, and just good on Saturday and Sunday, 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. Fridays and Saturdays.  A tuna trip is sold out for September 26, and only two more of the trips are slated, for October 5 and 19. See the <a href=" http://goldeneaglefishing.com/tuna-reservation.html" target="_blank">Golden Eagle’s tuna trip page</a> online.

<b>XTC Sportfishing</b> was supposed to sail this morning to Hudson Canyon for tuna, Capt. Scott said. At the canyon on an overnight trip Saturday to Sunday, nine yellowfin tuna 80 to 90 pounds and a bigeye tuna 50 or 60 pounds were boated aboard, covered in the previous report. All the fish were chunked at night, and no tuna bit on the troll during daytime.

Conditions were excellent for fluke fishing the last two days on the ocean, and a trip sailed for them Wednesday with <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b>, Capt. Pete said. The anglers caught well, and fluke now seemed “on the move,” he said. Lots of big are biting, and Pete thinks the angling should be good this month, so long as no strong storm makes them migrate offshore. The angling is finding the fish aggressive to bite, when conditions are good. Parker Pete’s ran On the Water Seminars, individual-reservation trips that taught bucktailing for fluke, this summer, and might offer one more, because there was lots of interest. Charters can also book the seminars. 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?” Anglers can email Pete for info about the trips. 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.

Wow, fluke fishing was great on Tuesday, Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> wrote in an email. Many anglers on private boats limited out, and charter and party boats scored good catches. Big fluke were weighed in, and Justin Immordino from Burlington’s 11-pound 8-ouncer was largest. Ben Jacobs from Bristol checked in a 7-pound 8-ouncer from the same Belmar charter-boat trip. Kirk Hill from Cherry Hill stopped by with a 10-pound 5-ouncer from a Belmar party boat. Boat trips from Shark River Inlet docked many large fluke. Shark River’s fluking was holding up, though keepers remained a little scarce. Four keepers were bagged from the river on one of the shop’s rental boats that day. Snapper bluefishing was good on the river. Some kingfish were around in the river, and one angler picked up a winter flounder, a keeper, from the river. Crabbing was better than in past years in the river. Blackfish snapped along Shark River Inlet and Point Pleasant Canal.  More striped bass started to be seen than before that were caught, as fall approaches. Fishing is good, and the fishing season is far from over, Bob said.

<b>Brielle</b>

The following report was posted Wednesday as an update and is being re-posed in case any readers missed it: The party boat <b>Jamaica II</b>’s fluking bailed the fish on Labor Day, an email from the boat said. Too many anglers limited out to mention, and many of the fish weighed 4 to 7 pounds. Nick Demuro from Philadelphia took over the lead in the monthly pool with a 7-pound 12-ouncer, also winning the trip’s pool, and limiting out. All regular customers limited out, tossing back a number of keepers, bagging only those 3 ½ pounds and larger. All the fish were caught at wrecks, and better conditions weren’t possible for the angling. The crew plans to fish wrecks throughout the week. “If the wind blows, the anchor drops,” the email said, and fluke were caught well during several drops of the anchor during the weekend. Looks like this could be a great September for fluking, the email said.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

Another good day of fluke fishing, Capt. Matt from the party boat <b>Norma-K III</b> wrote about Wednesday aboard. The fishing was good on both the morning and afternoon trips that day, and a healthy number of the summer flounder weighed 3 to 5 pounds. A 6-pounder won the pool, and on nighttime trips, bluefishing was holding strong. Lots of blues were crushed on Wednesday night’s trip “again,” he said, and the blues weighed 10 to 15 pounds on the outing. 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>

Surf fishing for fluke lit up at Island Beach State Park, said John from <b>Murphy’’s Hook House</b>. Quite a few were bagged, and Island Beach’s limit is two fluke at 16 inches, compared with five fluke at 18 inches in the rest of the state. The fish under 18 inches must be checked in at the station a mile inside the park’s entrance to be legal outside the park.  Fluke swam Barnegat Bay, but fluking was better at the park. John smacked a good catch of blowfish, huge ones, in the bay near the BI and BB markers on a trip. They only bit 1 ½ hours on incoming tide, then shut off. But that was news, because the puffers had been scarce. A customer got into a ton of blowfish, but small, in the surf at Seaside Park’s 13th Avenue pier. They’re there, John said, but are small. Murphy's, located on Route 37, bought <b>Go Fish Bait & Tackle</b> this year, and is running both shops now.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

A mess of fluke – a lot – definitely including keepers, were pasted in the surf, said Kevin from <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>, and he bagged three on Tuesday. Where were the fluke? he was asked. He’s been catching them at Island Beach State Park, he said. Two fluke at 16 inches can be bagged there, while five fluke at 18 inches is the bag limit in the rest of the state. The fluke shorter than 18 inches must be checked in at the station a mile inside the park’s entrance to be legal outside the park. False albacore were heard about from the surf, but that was a matter of right place, right time. Party boats reportedly caught fluke well on the ocean. A lot of tropical fish seemed close to shore. A 17-pound mahi mahi was weighed in that was boated 4 miles from shore. The anglers were fluke fishing, saw mahi tearing up bait, and pitched diamond jigs to them. On Barnegat Bay, blowfish were flung in, and spots started to be caught, from the dock. Snapper blues were played from the dock, and started to grow to nearly cocktail size. Small fluke bit along the dock. Crabbing improved a little, and a couple of the rental boats returned with three and four dozen keepers. Crabs were also harvested from the dock, and sometimes were large. One of the shop’s crew plucked eight keepers to 7 inches or something from the dock this morning in a couple of hours. 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>

Barnegat Bay still harbored fluke near Barnegat Lighthouse, said Mike from <b>Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle</b>. But fluking was better on the ocean at the Tires. A couple of reports talked about blowfish catches from the bay, but not a lot of the fish. A trip would land like 10 in a couple of hours, compared with a hundred in a similar time last year. Snapper blues schooled lagoons, and bonito and mahi mahi swam Barnegat Ridge. Crabbing started to slow, but was still good.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Fishing was steady on the party boat <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b> the last few weeks, “a few better days here and there,” a report on the vessel’s website said. The boat’s been sailing for fluke and sea bass daily, and trips usually racked up lots of action with throwbacks, some keeper fluke and sea bass, cocktail blues and croakers. “Many groups going home with dinner,” the report said. The Miss Barnegat Light is sailing for fluke and sea bass 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily. Starting September 13, the boat will fish for bluefish, bonito and false albacore 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays only. However, the boat is charted on Saturday, September 20, and no open-boat trip will fish that day. 

Barnegat Bay’s fluke fishing wasn’t much different than before, giving up many throwbacks, at least 15 of the shorts for every keeper, said Ray from <b>Bobbie’s Boat Rentals</b>. Fluking was supposedly better in the ocean. Some anglers got lucky there and bagged four or five, and others bagged none. Ray saw blowfish from the bay, no great numbers, and small. He was aware about no weakfish from the bay, and heard about no bluefish. Blackfish were reported from the ocean, but not from the bay or along Barnegat Inlet’s jetties. Crabbing was slow, and nobody clammed, but clamming’s usually been fair on the bay. 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, minnows and grass shrimp. The shrimp should be ordered ahead.

<b>Barnegat</b>

<b>***Update, Saturday, 9/6:***</b> From an edited email from Capt. Dave DeGennaro from the <b>Hi Flier</b> on Friday: “The weather is sketchy for the next few days, with some gusty winds and an uncomfortable ocean. We’ll be focusing on bay fishing. Targeting weakfish, fluke, blues and all the other species that want to enjoy our live grass-shrimp buffet.  I have gallons of live shrimp ordered for the next three days.  Running open-boat 6 to 11 a.m. Saturday through Monday. (Back at the dock before any thunderstorms!)  Three people max. All fish are shared. Good way to beat the heat and enjoy some light-tackle, back-bay fishing.  Are there any weakfish? Yup. Three- to 4-pounders. Not in large numbers, but on almost every visit, we get a couple of these big fish, along with a good amount of fluke. Of course, you have to fish through the sand sharks, sea robins, snappers and, new this year: bar jacks. They’re in thick, and although they have no food value, they burn line off our 6-pound outfits!”

<b>Surf City</b>

In the surf, small blues popped in, and were fun to catch, except when they bit off lines meant for other fish, said Sue from <b>Surf City Bait & Tackle</b>. Beach buggy access was opened back up at Holgate, and surf casters there banked throwback fluke, sometimes keepers. Brown sharks, required to be released, were eased from Long Beach Island’s surf. Nothing was heard about blackfishing along Barnegat Inlet’s jetty. The surf remained warm, and anglers enjoyed wading in the warmth, but the temperature was high for angling for fish like striped bass that will arrive in fall’s cooler water and weather. Registration is available at the shop for the 60th annual Long Beach Island Surf Fishing Classic that will be held October 6 to November 30. 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>

Great Bay’s fishing was kind of lackluster, intermittent, said Scott from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Hit and miss – that’s the best way to say it, he said. Customers yesterday rounded up triggerfish and blowfish from the bay. Scott guessed most of the fish gathered toward the Fish Factory. Boaters who fished the bay around the mouth of Mullica River didn’t catch much, apparently because of freshwater from the river from rains. That seemed the case for some time now. Croaker fishing was good on the bay, and, again, away from the mouth of the river. Places like the stakes, around Sheepshead Creek and off the Fish Factory were spots to look for fish. Triggerfish like the ones those customers caught – those fish were 3 ½ pounds – were a catch anglers might want to pursue, anchored along the sod banks. Hear anything about blackfishing? Scott was asked, meaning including along the banks of the bay that can give up the fish this season. No repeat blackfish customers, he answered. When anglers never return for bait for a fish, that could mean they failed to catch. Green crabs, a favorite blackfish bait, are stocked, though demand for them isn’t great in the one-blackfish bag limit. The limit is increased later in the year. Lots of small black drum about 5 inches were around. Maybe that boded well for the future, when the boomers grow. The number was unusual, and absence of some fish, including kingfish, weakfish and spots, was also unusual this year. One customer hooked weaks in the bay toward Brigantine, but Scott didn’t know whether that was worth mentioning, he said. In other words, it wasn’t. He saw two spots this season. One porgy was copped when those customers fished for triggers and blowfish, and that was the first porgy Scott saw this season. Snapper bluefishing was good practically everywhere in the back waters, and the blues started to grow larger, like to 10 inches. Summer flounder fishing was good in the ocean. The fishing seemed “location specific,” or boaters took short drifts, working specific spots for the catches. Boaters weren’t going to catch as well by taking long drifts, sitting back or relaxing. But fishing for flounder was well worthwhile at Little Egg Reef on the ocean. No customers attempted to sea bass fish, despite the 15-sea bass bag limit from Monday through this Saturday. Scott was surprised, but maybe trips will sea bass Saturday.  Sea bass season will be closed the next day for a time. Crabbing was poor, a slow season for the blueclaws. Scott explained in a previous report that every time the bay freezes over in winter, crabbing seems to take a hit. The bay froze this winter. In addition to the green crabs, the store is stocking fresh, shucked clams and minnows. No live grass shrimp are stocked, and Scott never nets them once summer heat kicks in. The warmth kills the shrimp when the store tries to stock them then. One angler, while Scott gave this report, told him the shrimp were too small anyway, currently.

<b>Absecon</b>

Capt. Dave from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b> targeted weakfish on the back bay on Wednesday, he said. None was really found, and lots of throwback summer flounder and sea bass, and small bluefish, a variety of fish, bit. The blues weighed 1 to 1 ½ pounds, weren’t as large as tailors. Dave would call them big snappers, he guessed. But weakfish are supposedly “moving around” in the bay, and a good population reportedly swam toward Tuckahoe, farther north. Anglers hope the weakfish population grows locally, including because of all the baitfish in the bay. The baitfish included lots of peanut bunker, and mullet were moving around. Mullet were definitely more active than before, and they ran up and down Absecon Creek in past days. Though Dave’s trip hooked no keeper flounder, the trip targeted weaks, and other anglers bagged keeper flounder among the shorts in the bay. Ocean flounder fishing was good or maybe better than ever. Boaters who sailed for them ran to the reefs, and big flounder definitely held there. Nothing was heard about flounder fishing closer to shore. In the bay, more and more small striped bass started to show up. The water was warm, but the bait got the stripers active. Crabbing was a little off for the time of year. But crabbers caught, and plenty should be able to be trapped for dinner, especially from boats along the edge of the bay. That was for recreational crabbers, and crabbing for commercials was off all season. A few shedder crabs for bait and soft-shell crabs for eating are stocked, and the shop raises them. For crabs, shedding seemed to be slowing down for the year. Crabbers will see how the next shed goes, during the next full moon. The moons trigger the blueclaws to shed, and shedding on the next moon will probably produce either lots of shedding, or not much. Crabs shed during the warm months and stop shedding in fall through winter. Baits stocked include live peanut bunker and mullet. All the castnets are in supply, for those who want to net their own. This is the time of year to do that. Catch the shop’s <b><i>Striped Bass Fishing Kick Off Sale</i></b> from Friday through Sunday, September 14. Stock up on gear for fall striper fishing, before prices jump back up to normal while the fishing’s happening.

<b>Brigantine</b>

Kingfish and blues ran all over the surf, said Capt. Andy from <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>. The blues, 1 to 2 pounds, were on mullet that began to move to the surf, and fresh mullet is stocked. The kings nibbled bloodworms, not Fishbites, though the water was warm enough for Fishbites. Summer flounder, lots, gave up good fishing at ocean reefs and wrecks. Two anglers reported a catch of mahi mahi, a bluefin tuna and a 57-pound wahoo just offshore of 28-Mile Wreck from a trip. The annual Riptide Striper Derby will be launched Friday through December 23. Entry allows beach-buggy access to the entire length of Brigantine, when accompanied by a Brigantine beach buggy permit.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

At nearby Absecon Inlet, anglers on foot yanked in: good-sized summer flounder; blues probably 12 to 14 inches; sizeable kingfish; croakers; and lots of blackfish, many small, but some keepers, said Noel from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. The flounder swam the shallows, and were caught well on a rig with a bucktail on bottom and a floating jighead above, available at the store. The rig could be fished dead-sticked, letting the current work the float, or anglers could jig the rig, because of the bucktail. The kingfish were bloodwormed, and the croakers were clammed or bloodwormed. A 15-1/2-inch croaker was checked in. The blackfish chewed green crabs or clams. Green crabs are $4 per dozen or three dozen for $10. Minnows are $8.50 a pint, and bloodworms on Tuesdays and Wednesdays are two dozen for $20. Otherwise, the worms are $10.75 per dozen. Baits stocked also include fresh bunker, fresh clams, fresh mullet, 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. 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>

The back bay became dirty since last week’s wind, said Capt. John from the party boat <b>Keeper</b>. That slowed summer flounder fishing aboard, and he hopes the fishing picks back up, once the water clears. The angling a few days started to improve before the blow, and the wind was during the offshore hurricane. A few small bluefish and lots of small sea bass bit on trips. The Keeper is fishing for summer flounder, and after Friday, trips might only sail 8 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 to 5 p.m. every Saturday and 8 a.m. to 12 noon every Sunday, now that fewer crowds are showing up, after Labor Day. The boat had been sailing for flounder 8 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 to 5 p.m. daily. The schedule change is made every year. 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>

Fishing on the <b>Stray Cat</b> crushed summer flounder, croakers and small weakfish on the ocean, Capt. Mike said. The flounder swam 75- to 80-foot depths, and gobs of them were throwbacks about 16 inches, but keepers hit among them. To catch the big ones, big bait like large strips of squid, bluefish or artificial bait needed to be fished on the top hook, about 18 inches from bottom, of a double-hooked rig. The 16- or 17-inchers bit the bottom hook.  Flounder season will be closed starting September 28, so get after them while possible. Bluefish swam the deep in 80 feet with the flounder. The croakers and weaks schooled along the inshore edge of where the fluke did, holding deep, for some reason. They school close to shore during some years. The weaks were only the size of the croakers. But the cooler could be stuffed with croakers. Charters are fishing, and the next open-boat trips were set for today, Friday and Sunday, for whatever bites, like the flounder and croakers. Mike didn’t know how fishing for bonito was that trips trolled before aboard, because the boat’s trips stuck with the bottom-fishing that was so good. He knew a few mahi mahi and triggerfish remained in the area. White marlin fishing was off the hook between 50 and 100 fathoms, like toward Wilmington Canyon, all along the line in those depths, in that area. The bite was south of Hudson Canyon and moving south. A few tuna swam Hudson Canyon, somewhat south of the Hudson and offshore of 800 feet.

<b>Ocean City</b>

Lots of small summer flounder were around, said Bill from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. Some remained in the back bay, and many swam the ocean reefs, and bigger flounder gathered at the reefs, too. A bunch of sea bass hugged the reefs. Small sea bass schooled the bay, and tons of small blues skittered around different waters. A few striped bass were lifted from the bay, usually at night on surface plugs or soft-plastic lures. Back on the ocean, bonito sped around from Avalon Shoal to Sea Isle Lump, the last time they were heard about. Water is still warm, so Bill suspects bonito are still there. Lindenkohl Canyon attracted lots of tuna, mostly yellowfins, and a few longfins and bigeyes. Most were trolled during daytime, and a few were chunked at night. The farther north, the better the tuna fishing, and the father south, the better the white marlin angling.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Some great summer flounder reports rolled in from the ocean during the weekend, said Mike from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. Weather was good, so the reefs became somewhat crowded, and some of the anglers fished wrecks away from the reefs instead. They reported terrific results, and a few sea bass were mixed in. Private and party boats sometimes sea bassed on the ocean, since the bag limit became 15 sea bass on Monday through this Saturday. Mike wouldn’t say the angling was on fire, but anglers bagged eight, 10 or 12 sea bass, pretty good. Not much bit in the surf, but a few kingfish were picked from the beach, and angling at Townsend’s Inlet ran into plenty of 10- to 16-inch blues, a few kings and some throwback flounder. A few customers fished the back bay’s channels and creeks at night, tying into striped bass, good-numbers and good-sized. Some landed four, five or six, and the angling picked up quite a bit, maybe because of all the peanut bunker. Black Bomber lures were often fished for them, and sometimes soft-plastic lures were, like Bass Assassins. Flies beat up the stripers well. Not much was reported about offshore fishing, but Mike heard that some tuna bit. Crabbing was excellent.

Probably the year’s final inshore shark trips sailed aboard, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b>, affiliated with <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. He usually wraps up the fishing after Labor Day, and one of the trips, on Saturday with Chuck Bradley and friend, released dusky and brown sharks to 50 pounds. Another on Sunday, with Joe Pewdo’s family, released duskies to 50 pounds, and broke off two that were much larger. The trips, usually within 10 miles from the coast, are a chance to fight big fish without the long trek offshore. The sharks, including browns, duskies, spinners and blacktips, some required to be released, migrate away in late summer. Summer flounder fishing is good on the ocean. Flounder remain in the back bay, but anglers need to hunt for them. High tides will coincide with dusk starting today through the next week on the back bay. Those are ideal conditions, happening every other week, for popper fishing for striped bass that Joe does with lures and flies. The angling’s been good, and draws explosive, visual attacks along the surface, good sport. Ready for the fall migration of fish? Joe will begin annual traveling charters to meet the migration of striped bass, blues and false albacore at Montauk on the final weekend of September. The fishing can be epic from the legendary port, and he offers the trips there a moment during the peak of the angling, but also still fishes from Sea Isle during that time. In winter, Joe will run annual traveling charters to the Florida Keys, mostly on weekends. Those trips can wrestle a large variety of fish, from redfish and speckled sea trout to tarpon and sailfish. See <a href="http://www.captainjoehughes.com/page3.html" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s traveling charters Web page</a>. Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s blog</a>.

<b>Avalon</b>

Ocean City Reef’s summer flounder fishing reportedly piled up the fish, good catches, and <b>Fins and Feathers Outfitters</b> will fish this weekend, Capt. Jim said. He was guiding goose hunts since goose season was opened Monday, and reservations are being accepted for the hunting. Fins and Feathers offers a variety of outdoor adventures, including saltwater fishing on the back bay, ocean and Delaware Bay, goose and duck hunting during the waterfowl seasons, salmon and steelhead fishing on upstate New York’s Salmon River from Jim’s lodge, and fly fishing for trout on Pennsylvania’s streams like the Yellow Breeches. Anglers can even enjoy a combo of striped bass fishing and duck hunting on Delaware Bay in fall over a series of days. The salmon fishing is about to begin, and the first trips are booked for early October, when the angling usually peaks. For the salmon, Fins can put anglers together with guides, or anglers can stay at the lodge to fish on their own, or the crew from Fins can show anglers how to fish for the salmon, and then the anglers can angle for them on their own.

<b>Wildwood</b>

Not a lot of customers fished on the weekdays since Labor Day, of course, said Mike from <b>Canal Side Boat Rentals</b>. But through Labor Day, they ran into a strong population of summer flounder in the back bay. Not a lot of the fish were keepers, and many were 14 to 16 inches, but the fish remained in the bay, were yet to depart for the season. The bay’s population of sea bass was also strong, and the fish are usually never keepers. But one was relatively huge and a keeper the other week, reported here back then, and surely some like that are around. Mike was just watching snapper blues schooling at a dock this morning, when he gave this report. Snappers have just been lots of fun to catch. Spearing on Snapper Popper rigs took them. The bay’s crabbing was about the same as before. It was off the past couple of years, but a trip Tuesday nabbed 1 or 1 ½ dozen keepers, tossing back lots of throwbacks. In the surf, striped bass began to show up. A couple of anglers beached some 32-inchers at North Wildwood on Monday. 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. Baits stocked include minnows and frozen herring in three per pack, Canadian spearing, 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. Crabs, both live and cooked, are sold for eating, and picnic tables were set out this year to enjoy them. The crabs have been from Maryland, because the blueclaws have been scarce for commercial crabbers in New Jersey this season. The crab prices depend on the market price and the size of the blueclaws. Most were $32 per dozen live, lately. No. 2s were $28 per dozen live. A batch of especially large, beautiful crabs was $42 recently, expensive, but people bought them. They were from Miles River, and more of them were supposed to arrive today. Cooked crabs are $4 additional per dozen.

<b>Cape May</b>

Summer flounder fishing had good days and bad, depending on conditions, on the party boat <b>Porgy IV</b>, Capt. Paul said. The angling was no good on Saturday, but was good on Sunday through Tuesday. A bunch of good-sized flounder came in on a couple of days, but not on Wednesday. Wind blew against tide that day, and most of the trip’s flounder were hooked on the first drift. Then the conditions tangled lines, and skates bit, and things were a disaster. But flounder were around, even in a few different places, biting well when conditions were good. On some days, several customers limited out. Bill Barefoot from Lindenwold and brother-in-law Nick Brunetti from Beacon, N.Y., both limited out on flounder to 4 ½ or 5 pounds on a trip. They also lost one keeper that was already in the cooler, but jumped out when the lid was raised, and slid through the scupper and into the drink! Doesn’t happen every day. Al Bednarik from Philadelphia and Mike Chem from Somers Point limited out. The boat’s been fishing on the ocean, but signs started to suggest flounder might’ve showed up in Delaware Bay within range. Talk was heard on the radio about good catches from boats from Bidwell Creek. That’s at the southern half of the bay, and reports about flounder from the bay mostly came from farther north toward Fortescue previously. A local boat that had been fishing the ocean for flounder was also seen coming from the bay. The Porgy IV will probably flounder fish through flounder season and even afterward. That’s because the boat has a Research Set Aside Permit that allows the vessel to flounder fish after the fluke season is closed on September 28. The Porgy IV is fishing for summer flounder at 8 a.m. daily.

The <b>Heavy Hitter</b> is supposed to fish for summer flounder this weekend, Capt. George said. The angling is fairly good on the ocean, hanging in there. Trips are also tackling triggerfish and blues on the ocean, and are tuna fishing, on the boat.

Boaters decked good summer flounder fishing at the reefs, and Cape May Reef was best, said Dell from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. Delaware Bay’s flounder fishing slowed some but was still good, at usual spots like Bug Light, the Punk Grounds and near Fortescue. Croaker fishing seemed to slow a little in the back bay, but still gave up some. Surf fishing was mostly dead. Lots of short fluke and sometimes sharks were dragged in. Blackfish were hooked along Cape May Inlet’s jetties, but few fished for them in the one-blackfish bag limit. Bonito and Spanish mackerel were around in the inshore ocean. Farther off, tuna fishing was pretty good at Baltimore Canyon in past days for bigeyes and yellowfins. The shop’s owner was tuna fishing today.

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