<b>Staten Island</b>

Trolling pounded blues and some striped bass around Ambrose Channel with <b>Angler Sportfishing Charters</b>, Capt. Chuck said. A trip Wednesday first fished bunker chunks in the morning. Only dogfish bit, so trolling spoons was begun, and fish started smacking them within 15 minutes. A bunch of blues were pasted, and some stripers were. But the anglers were happy, he said, and the stripers weighed 15 to 26 pounds. Had to put up with the blues, but at least trips are catching stripers, he said. If anglers wanted to fish for stripers at night, Chuck had the feeling that was a time to go. He’s up for the night charters.

<b>Keyport</b>

Fluking’s definitely on the upswing, Capt. Frank from the <b>Vitamin Sea</b> wrote in an email. More and more keepers were cracked on each trip, and jiggers caught better than bait anglers. Small dogfish pestered bait. Bring Gulps and bucktails to improve chances. Space is full the rest of the week aboard, and the next open-boat trips with availability are next week on Monday, Tuesday and Friday. One space is available Wednesday on an open trip. Open trips seem to be filling quickly this season, so reserve soon. “The fluke are biting,” he said.

A trip with <b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b> was supposed to fish for a combo of fluke and bluefish today, Capt. Joe said. Space is available Saturday and Sunday, and open-boat trips are fishing daily, when no charter is booked. Trips are on tap daily for fluke 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. and for fluke or blues 3 to 8 p.m., and telephone to jump aboard.

Fishing for fluke is becoming better and better, said Capt. Mario from <b>Down Deep Sportfishing</b>. Sea bass fishing is excellent, and fishing is good. Charters are sailing, and join the <a href=" http://www.downdeepsportfishing.com/ddsf/76-2/" target="_blank">Short Notice List</a> on Down Deep’s website to be kept informed about special open-boat trips. Also see the site’s open-trips page for available dates.

Raritan Bay’s fluke fishing actually picked up a few keepers, said Joey from <b>Joey’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Some boaters scored pretty well. The fish were also hung from Keyport Pier. Both the bay’s boaters and shore anglers ran into 1- to 2-pound blues. Sometimes stripers, nothing to brag about, he said, were landed from shore at Sandy Hook. Nighttime, on high tides, fished best. Crabs trapped were small, and the season was early. Baits stocked include killies, fresh bunker, fresh clams and all frozen baits, including for fluke, like spearing.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

It’s striper time! Capt. Ron wrote on the party boat <b>Fishermen</b>’s website. Patience paid off, he said, and the boat’s nighttime trips began tackling stripers, and its daytime trips began hitting some, too, among bluefish. Monday night’s trip bagged a dozen good-sized stripers, with a small crowd of anglers. On Tuesday’s daytime trip, one angler landed three good-sized stripers, including a 33-pounder. Another reeled up two sizable stripers, including the 31-pound pool-winner, and another decked a 24-pounder. The trip totaled nine sizable stripers, some throwback stripers and all the blues anglers could handle. Great day on the water, Ron said, and only a handful of customers joined the trip, because of weather forecasts. Go figure, he said about the forecasts, and he only saw one other boat the whole trip. Tom Krako on the trip donated $200 to the Save the Summer Flounder Fishery Fund in remembrance of his son David.  On that night’s trip, on Tuesday, more than 16 keeper stripers were drilled, and the high hook landed six of those. Was an excellent night, Ron said, and on Wednesday’s daytime trip, three hefty stripers were taken, including an 18-pounder, while the bite was on. Plenty of big blues were in the mix. The fish erupted along the water surface, and were hooked on bait, but a couple of anglers fished top-water lures to connect. The fishing also turned on at the end of the trip. Another angler made a generous donation to the SSFFF on that trip. The Fishermen is sailing for striped bass 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. However, the boat is chartered this Saturday morning, so no open-boat trip will fish then. Trips are also striper fishing 6:30 to 11:30 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 3:30 to 9 p.m. Sundays.

Boaters socked striped bass in the back of Raritan Bay early in the morning and late in the day, said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. That was toward Staten Island or somewhere in the back like that, mostly on bunker, and a couple of 50-pounders were had. The bite shut off later in morning, and usually, not always, turned on again late in the day. Fluke, lots of throwbacks, sometimes keepers, came from the bay. Bluefish swam the bay near the 20 buoy along Reach Channel. On the ocean, lots of sea bass and ling were piled aboard trips. All baits are stocked.

Fishing for fluke, on Raritan Bay, was about the same as before on the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>, Capt. Tom said. Action depended on how well conditions drifted the boat, but plenty of throwbacks often bit, and just a few keepers did. On Tuesday afternoon’s trip, with only seven anglers, two bagged three of the fish apiece, and one bagged two, and another bagged one. Forecasts kept more anglers from showing up, and that’s been happening, though weather was fine on the bay. Trips sailed with light crowds. On Wednesday morning’s trip, many throwbacks and just a few keepers were pulled in, though more than usual were. On the afternoon’s trip, the fishing wasn’t as good, but the throwbacks still bit. Some anglers on trips landed 12 or 15 fluke with no problem. Sometimes one might hook 20. Sometimes an angler would land like 14 with no keepers. If the size limit were 17 or 17 ½ inches, instead of 18, many more fluke would be keepers. Was amazing how heavy the 17-inchers were, like 2 pounds and heavier. Spearing is provided for bait aboard, and some anglers brought killies to fish. Whether killies caught better, or the anglers who brought them fished harder, was difficult to say. Some anglers brought high-low, bucktail rigs to fish. Some trips fished better than others, but that’s fluking. 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>

After tougher fishing last week, angling started to get back on track, Capt. Pete from <b>Fin-Taz-Tic Sportfishing</b> wrote in an email. Wind was difficult on fishing last week, and now, more striped bass bit than before, and a better ratio of fluke were keepers. That’s not to mention sea bass, he said. Space is available for a trip 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, because of a cancelation. The fishing will target stripers, but if striper catches are slow, the angling will switch to fluke or sea bass. Don’t forget the boat’s clean cabin and full head, he reminded. 

Sailing from <b>Twin Lights Marina</b>, Rick Behar, Roseland, N.J., docked a 46-1/2-pound striped bass on the Scales N Tales on Friday, Marion wrote in an email. Also on Friday, Ron Reomond, Freehold, weighed-in a 42-pound striper. On Saturday, Brian Hiles, Berkeley Springs, W. Va., docked a 56-pound striper (!) on the Scales N Tales. On Wednesday, Ed and Tony on the Hammerhead limited out on fluke to 20 inches on Shrewsbury River on Gulps and killies. Twin Lights, located 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. Live bunker are stocked when available. The offshore selection, like frozen flats of baitfish, is carried. The fuel dock is available 24 hours a day with a credit card. 

<b>Neptune</b>

The individual-reservation trip for sea bass was weathered out Tuesday with <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b>, Capt. Ralph said. That was the first of the annual, individual-rez trips that sail every Tuesday, during the fishing season. The outings are targeting sea bass this month, and fluke afterward, and kids under 12 sail free, limited to two per adult host, on those trips, only. An individual-reservation trip for striped bass was sailing today. Two spaces remain for an individual-reservation trip for cod at 1 a.m. July 7. Charters are available daily.

<b>Belmar</b>

On the <b>Katie H</b>, sea bass fishing was great on the ocean Wednesday, Capt. Mike said. The catches didn’t last the whole trip, but happened in the morning, and were terrific, and blues were found and caught later. The blues were 2 pounds, not big, but were perfect for shark bait for sharking coming up aboard. The boat will compete in the Mako Mania tournament at the end of the month but will shark before then, too. Ninety-five percent of the sea bass hooked were keepers on the trip, and many other boats scored well on sea bass that day, too. The fishing currently seemed on. More charters will fish aboard this weekend.

Fluke fishing began Wednesday on the party boat <b>Big Mohawk</b>, Capt. Chris said. One trip fluked previously aboard this season, before the vessel began sea bass fishing, but Wednesday’s trip kicked off fluking daily on the boat. The fishing was alright, and Chris wishes it were better, but the angling was better than he expected, was okay. Good enough. Some anglers bagged three, and the Big Mohawk is fluke fishing 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. A few striped bass were bagged on other boats that day, and Chris will watch what happens with that angling, and decide whether evening trips will fish for stripers, like previously aboard this season. Watch the boat’s website, and if he decides to sail for stripers, that’ll be posted on the site immediately.

After a week of bad weather and fishing, bluefish 8 to 14 pounds were crushed Wednesday on the party boat <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b>, an email from the vessel said. The fish schooled north of Shark River Inlet, and the catches on some drifts lasted quite a while. Sometimes three to five were fought at once, and most of the time, the angling picked away at one or two at once, throughout the trip. Ava 27 and 47 jigs beat them, and a few were whacked on Krocodiles, and lots of bunker schooled. The Miss Belmar Princess is fishing for stripers and blues 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. Family Fun Days are fishing 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. every Friday and Sunday for fluke, sea bass, blues or whatever bites. The trips enjoy a sunset cruise on the way home.

Anglers today picked at blues in the morning, and had some great shots of the catches in the afternoon, on the party boat <b>Golden Eagle</b>, a report on the vessel’s website said. The fish, up to 12 pounds, were hooked on jigs and bait. Bluefishing was super aboard Wednesday on jigs and bait for up to 12-pounders. Weather kept Tuesday’s trip docked, and fishing was slow on Monday’s, probably because the ocean was “pretty nasty,” the site said. Weather looks hot the next couple of days. Come down and enjoy the ocean’s cool breeze, it said. The Golden Eagle is fishing at 7:30 a.m. daily and 7:30 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday.

Water was cold, but some anglers fished, Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> wrote in an email. Lynn Edlis, 80, Spring Lake, fished the surf, banking three striped bass to 16 pounds and a 20-inch fluke on bait. Another angler landed a 15-pound striper, “on 8th ave Belmar,” Bob wrote, on a killie, oddly enough. F.A. Theone, who frequents the K Street Pier on Shark River to fish, stopped in with a 6-pound fluke he took from the pier, on a Gulp. “Don’t give up on the cold water,” Bob said. “Fish have to eat.”

<b>Brielle</b>

Trips mixed it up, catching mostly sea bass, sometimes fluke, even a few big ling, on the party boat  <b>Jamaica II</b>, Capt. Ryan wrote in an email. That was on the boat’s half-day trips, and the vessel is also fishing on a full-day trip each week. The schedule is below. The angling on the half-day trips was decent on most days, and red hot on days when south wind failed to blow. The fluke were hooked when conditions were right, on those outings. Customers and their catches this week from those trips included Bruce Casagrande’s limit of sea bass to 4 pounds and Ralph Molinari’s limit of sea bass and an 8-pound cod. The Jamaica II is fishing for sea bass and fluke on two half-day trips daily at 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. and for fluke and sea bass on a full-day trip every Monday at 7:30 a.m.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

Sea bass, ling and a few cod were plumbed from the ocean on the party boat <b>Dauntless</b>, Capt. Butch said. The sea bass catches were pretty good the past couple of days, and sometimes anglers limited out on sea bass, and sometimes others nearly limited. Five to 15 sea bass apiece was probably average on Wednesday’s trip, and maybe an angler would also bucket a ling or two and a cod. Anglers on trips probably averaged five to 20 fish apiece, a mixed bag. Trips fished in 60 to 100 feet, and the water was 52 to 58 degrees on the fishing grounds. Butch liked that temp, but didn’t want higher in the next weeks, because sea bass will disappear from the grounds, if the temperature rises. Fifteen is the bag limit for sea bass this month, and two will become the limit in July. The Dauntless is bottom-fishing 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily. Nighttime bluefishing will be added in probably two weekends, probably fishing three or four days a week, from Wednesdays or Thursdays through Saturdays.

<b>Toms River</b>

For Barnegat Bay boaters, fluke fishing was a little slow, for some reason, but they picked the flatfish near the BB and BI markers, said Mario from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. Cocktail blues swam that area, and blowfish seemed to be moving into the bay around there. That seemed a good sign about blowfish. Anglers waded for fluke behind Island Beach State Park on the bay, catching if they knew where to toss small ball jigs or bucktails in the holes. Ocean striped bass fishing was mostly quiet, but some were found off Island Beach on Wednesday on bunker pods. The bass were probably hooked on bunker snagged and livelined for bait, he guessed. Nothing was really heard yet about thresher sharks in the bunker schools that can appear. Something was heard about them now and then, but until confirmed, Mario wouldn’t report it. Surf fishing was mostly slow, giving up bluefish now and then. The Toms River’s crabbing was steady. A crabber posted a couple of photos of good catches from the river on the shop’s Facebook page. Killies, fresh clams, fresh bunker and all frozen baits, any baits for local fishing and crabbing, are stocked. Murphy’s, located on Route 37 in the town of Toms River, also owns <b>Go Fish Bait & Tackle</b> on Fischer Boulevard in the town.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

Some better catches of crabs were finally made from the dock, said George from <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>. Bluefish departed Barnegat Bay near the store. Snapper blues were yet to appear in the water, and the season was early for them. George fluke fished on the bay from the 40 to BB markers, farther south, on Saturday, and the fish weren’t stacked, but three keepers were bagged among 14 of the flatfish hooked, on Spro jigs with Gulps. Anglers talked about blowfish in that area earlier this season, but George saw none now. In the surf, a couple of anglers managed striped bass, none big, at Barnegat Inlet’s north pocket at night on black Bomber plugs or early in mornings on big, white, rubber shads. A few small fluke were dragged from the surf on green Gulp swimming mullets. A couple pounced on mullet rigs while anglers tried for blues. Blues were snatched from the surf at Ortley Beach a couple of days ago, but not many, maybe a 10-minute rush. 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. Baits stocked include killies, fresh bunker, fresh clams and all the frozen.

<b>Forked River</b>

Good fluke fishing was boated on Barnegat Bay at High Bar Harbor and Double and Oyster Creek channels, said Kyle from <b>Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle</b>. Spearing, killies, squid and Gulps, usual baits, were dunked for them. Some said a few blues remained in the bay, grabbing bait meant for fluke. Blowfish were heard about a little. Some showed up in crab traps. One angler who tried for blowfish only hooked five. Crabbing was good, improving a lot. Not much was heard about striped bass, but Tony “Maja” Arcabascio, from Tony Maja’s bunker spoons, said some stripers were eased from the ocean toward Seaside Park or Heights. Baits stocked include killies and local and Canadian spearing. All shark baits, like flats of mackerel and butterfish, and shark chum is stocked. Three mako sharks and some blue sharks were reportedly landed on the Tuna-Tic the past two weekends, and that’s unconfirmed. Thresher sharks weren’t really heard about from anybody.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Barnegat Bay’s fluke fishing was good at High Bar Harbor, off the Dike and at Oyster Creek and Double Creek channels, said Vince Sr. from <b>Bobbie’s Boat Rentals</b>. Bluefishing kind of slowed in the area. Sea bass fishing went well on the ocean. No striped bass were seen at the dock in a week.  Someone said crabbing produced sizable blueclaws, but Vince found that difficult to believe. The season was early for crabbing locally, because of cold water from nearby Barnegat Inlet. No customers mentioned clamming 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 in season. Vince is trying to stock the season’s first live spots. Minnows are on hand.

A bunch of bluefish trips will fish on the <b>Super Chic</b> this weekend, Capt. Ted said. Trips sea bassed aboard throughout last weekend, and that angling was good, considerably improved, covered in the previous report here. A trip Saturday might sea bass.

<b>Barnegat</b>

From an edited email from Capt. Dave DeGennaro from the <b>Hi Flier</b>: “We ran north to the Seaside Piers for Wednesday’s open-boat trip with Bill Buckham and daughter Liz from Lansdale, Pa . We put out a pair of Maja bunker spoons, and about 1 ½ hours into the troll, the green spoon got hammered. Liz grabbed the rod, and 15 minutes later, we decked a 38-1/2-pound striper. An hour later, the center rod goes off hard, and we dropped that fish, after a short battle. Seemed to be another good fish, considering how much line it dumped off the reel. We were in 60 to 65 feet of water. Good single fish marks. A few pods of bunker on the surface. Some more on the machine. Whales and porpoises throughout. Nice, clean water, 61 degrees. We came back into the bay, and added a 19-inch fluke on the drift, along with a few shorts, before we hit the dock. Have one guy for this afternoon's trip. Need at least one more to sail. Can take up to two more. Short notice is O.K. Have two people signed on for Friday afternoon -- room for one more. Also running Sunday and Monday.”

<b>Surf City</b>

Three striped bass, 8 pounds apiece, were weighed from the town’s surf today at <b>Surf City Bait & Tackle</b>, Holden said. A few 5-pound blues were reported slid from Long Beach Island’s surf. All these fish were hooked on bunker. No kingfish nibbled in the surf. Did any fluke? A few were mentioned, he said. A few fluke, mostly all throwbacks, were heard about from the bay. No blowfish were. Fresh bunker, fresh clams and minnows are stocked. Keep up with the latest on <a href=" https://www.facebook.com/pages/Surf-City-Bait-and-Tackle/207533229268619" target="_blank">Surf City Bait & Tackle’s Facebook page</a>.

<b>Beach Haven</b>

A crew trip is expected to kick off the <b>June Bug</b>’s fishing from New Jersey this weekend, Capt. Lindsay said. The boat was returned to Beach Haven, from its winter home in North Carolina, two weekends ago, in time to fish from the Garden State starting in June, like every year. The trip might look for bluefish and bottom-fish, and will use new electronics to see how the equipment produces. June Bug will also fish for tuna offshore this season, and nothing was reported from offshore. None of the Beach Haven boats made the trip in the weather. Beach Haven Inlet remains tough to navigate since Hurricane Sandy, four years ago. Boats can jump past the bar in a couple of spots. New Jersey is failing to fund a solution, and Lindsay is active in solving that.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

Great Bay’s summer flounder fishing was good, so long as deeper water, 10 feet or more, was fished, said Brian from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>.  Bluefish 5 to 15 pounds schooled Little Egg Inlet and behind Holgate.  Blues 1 to 5 pounds were hooked while anglers flounder fished at the clam stakes in the bay. Blues could be found at Grassy Channel at times, under working birds or when marked. Sharks and skates were moving into the bay. Some decent sea bass fishing came from the ocean reefs in 60 to 80 feet. Not a lot of boaters tried for them in weather recently. One confirmed thresher shark, 275 pounds, was boated a mile off the inlet, on Wednesday. Anglers bought flats of baitfish and chum for sharking this weekend. Farther from shore, few fished for tuna, but few reports rolled in about that. Crabbing was good in moving water and slow in slow-moving water, like the lagoon behind the shop. The supply of minnows, a favorite flounder bait, was scarce, and the shop’s minnowers attempted to catch the baitfish constantly, nabbing only a few. But plenty of other baits in stock, like Gulps, spearing, squid and even bunker beat flounder well. Strips of fresh bunker, salted the night before the trip, worked great. Lots of grass shrimp are carried, and fresh, shucked clams will be carried for the weekend. Fresh bunker will probably be on hand.

<b>Absecon</b>

Looks like summer flounder fishing was finally kicking in on the back bay, whenever wind calmed, said Capt. Dave from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. He ran a couple of successful charters for the fish, not great, no limits. But a charter today on the bay with him racked up six good-sized flounder, including a 5-1/2-pounder and a 4-1/2-pounder, and the rest were 19 and 20 inches. Just, the wind keeps howling lately. Scattered blues swam the bay. A couple whacked lures in Great Bay on a trip with Dave on Wednesday. Reports were had about some striped bass belted at night at bridges. Sometimes stripers were claimed from the surf or jetties. Jetties are always spots for stripers in the surf. Boaters infrequently could fish the ocean, because of weather. But a few stripers definitely roamed the ocean, and a couple of boaters were known about who looked for them. Crabbing picked up well, and the blueclaws were nearing the end of a shed. Lots of soft-shell crabs for eating are stocked, and shedder crabs are for bait, “by default,” he said. The shop raises them, and no live spots are carried yet. But Dave had just spoken with someone who said the baitfish began to be caught in Maryland. They might be on hand soon at the store. A good supply of minnows is stocked, because the baitfish are from Virginia. They’re scarcer in New Jersey. 

<b>Brigantine</b>

Not much happened in the surf, but some big striped bass were plowed from the water, said Capt. Andy from <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>. Tom Leehan released probably a 45-pounder, and Mike Keane released a monster striper that night. Tom Brunetto banked a 34-pounder, and the shop’s Facebook page said another angler let go two stripers 39 and 37 inches, and Sean Kosch beached a 34-pound drum. The fishing was nothing consistent, but big stripers were tied into here and there. Few anglers fished in wind that often blew strongly, but some fish seemed around in the surf. The back bay gave up some summer flounder. Andy fished for them on a trip, but boated none. A full line of Calcutta shirts, hats and visors was stocked.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

Customers rounded up summer flounder, some blues, striped bass at night, but some during day, and kingfish, said Jeremy from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>.  Good-sized croakers began to be reported. The flounder were yanked from off the T-jetty or farther back along Absecon Inlet, like off Atlantic Avenue. Baits like minnows or squid hooked them. All these fish were reeled from that area, and the anglers fish the inlet, lined with jetties, on foot. The stripers were laid into on bait like clams or bunker, or, at night, on plugs. Again, sometimes the bass were caught during daytime, and Jeremy saw a couple from then. Customers did well at fishing.  Bloodworms are two dozen for $20 on Mondays and Tuesdays and $10.75 per dozen the rest of the week. Minnows are only $8 a pint. Catch the special on bucktails at $1.79 for 1/8 ounce, $1.85 for ¼ ounce, $1.89 for 3/8 ounce, $2 for either ½ or 5/8 ounce, $2.20 for 1 ounce, $2.29 for 1 ½ ounce, $2.99 for 2 ounce and $3.49 for 3 ounce. The bucktails come in white, pink-and-white, yellow-and-white, chartreuse-and-white and red-and-white.  One Stop and Duck Tavern are sponsoring The AC Flounder Pounder Week Long Flounder Tournament from July 14 to 21, benefitting The Valerie Fund Team Anthony Road to Recovery. Entry is $5, and prizes will be awarded for the three heaviest flounder from land or sea in Atlantic City waters. Anglers must be entered before catching to win, and entrants get 10 percent off from One Stop and Duck Tavern, and a flounder jighead.

<b>Egg Harbor Township</b>

Summer flounder, throwbacks, not many keepers, were hit along 9th Street Bridge in the bay, said Collin from <b>24-7 Bait & Tackle</b>. Bluefish, 18 to 20 inches, smaller than before, remained fairly thick in the bay from Beesley’s Point all the way to 9th Street Bridge and Longport Bridge. Not much was reported about striped bass anymore. Some talked about playing stripers along piers and bridges on Fin-S Fish. But the last big news about stripers was 1 ½ or 2 weeks ago, when striper fishing remained busiest along Atlantic City’s T-jetty. A 125-pound mako shark was weighed at the shop Wednesday. Sharking was good for blues, makos, browns and a few threshers. Makos had been most abundant far offshore, toward the canyons, earlier this season. But now they migrated closer to shore, because of warmer water. Yellowfin tuna swam the canyons, Collin believed, but few fished for them recently, because of weather. Crabbing had been good on Patcong Creek, running past the store, and slowed a little at the moment. The store’s rental boats are available for crabbing on the creek, one of the best places for crabbing. The boats are also available for fishing from the creek and Great Egg Harbor River to the bay. Patcong is a tributary of the Great Egg, meeting the river near the river’s mouth at the bay. Minnows, fresh bunker, fresh clams, eels and a large supply of baits is stocked. That includes offshore baits like flats of mackerel and the different sizes of ballyhoos from small to horse, and lots of different chum. <b>The company also own 24-7 Bait & Tackle in Marmora</b>.

<b>Margate</b>

The back bay’s summer flounder fishing was good on Wednesday morning’s trip on the party boat <b>Keeper</b>, Capt. John said. Wind was calm, and the water had cleared up. On the afternoon’s trip, wind picked up, and the water dirtied, and the fishing was no good. Flounder blanketed the bay, but trips needed calm wind and clear water to catch them, and the wind was often strong, dirtying the water. Morning trips fished best in past days, because low tides coincided with mornings. During low tides, the bay was in the 70 degrees, and the fish bit best in the warmer water. On high tides, the water was in the 60s. The bay was a little cool for the time of year. No other fish like blues bit. The flounder jumped on minnows and mackerel supplied aboard. They also pounced on Gulps anglers brought, and anglers should bring Gulps, because the artificial bait works. Four-inch swimming minnow Gulps in green, chartreuse or white seemed to catch. A 5-1/2-pound flounder was biggest aboard this week. Half of last week’s trips had to be cancelled, because of wind, and that was unusual.  The Keeper is fishing for summer flounder 8 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 to 5 p.m. daily. The trips are only $28, because the fishing is near port, and the pontoon boat is economical on fuel. Rental rods are free, too.

<b>Longport</b>

Lots of sea bass and summer flounder were swung aboard from the reef in 70 to 80 feet Wednesday on the <b>Stray Cat</b>, pretty good fishing, Capt. Mike said. Fishing’s good, he added, and the next open-boat trip will fish Friday. Afterward, the next open trips won’t fish until two Mondays from now, June 22. Plenty of dates are available for charters. Prime dates available include the Saturdays of August 22 and 29 and Sunday, July 5, and flounder fishing is one option for those. Telephone to climb aboard. 

<b>Ocean City</b>

A bunch of summer flounder were weighed the past couple of days at <b>Fin-Atics</b>, Bill said. That was about the first time anglers had the weather to fish for them, and just some of the fish caught were heard about previously. Flounder now probably bit in 10 to 15 feet in the bay, because water became a little warmer. A few blues 1 to 3 pounds were hooked from the bay. Lots of small striped bass swam both the bay and the surf. No keepers were heard about, and a few blues swam the surf. No weakfish were reported from anywhere. Nobody fished offshore for tuna or sharks that was known about in 10 days, because of weather. A few crabs were trapped along the bay or back waters. Crabbing’s never great in June, or that’s early, but some of the blueclaws were around. Plenty of minnows are stocked. Shedder crabs, fresh clams and fresh bunker are on hand.

No trips fished this weekend aboard, but an open-boat trip for sea bass on the ocean is set for 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, said Capt. Victor from the party boats <b>Miss Ocean City</b> and <b>Captain Robbins</b>. Fishing is chartered aboard Sunday, and open trips will fish for summer flounder 8 to 11:30 a.m. daily starting Monday on the back bay.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

A trip was set to fly fish the back bay tonight aboard, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b>. Striped bass would be the targeted species, along the shallow flats. Trips on the bay aboard are picking away at summer flounder, lots of shorts, but some really healthy-sized keepers. Bluefish remained in the bay, and the population was dwindling. Fishing was getting into a summer pattern. Sharks probably swam the inshore ocean in force. Trips with Jersey Cape will catch and release them, species like browns and duskies, soon. That’s usually within 10 miles from the coast, an opportunity to fight big fish, without the long trek offshore. Wreck-fishing was great for sea bass on the ocean. Many out-of-season blackfish bit there, but couldn’t be kept, of course. Nothing was reported about tuna fishing offshore recently, because of weather. Fishing for yellowfin tuna was good at the offshore canyons previously. Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s blog</a>.

<b>Wildwood</b>

Fishing for sea bass on the ocean produced a few catches, and trips had to work for them, said Capt. Jim from <b>Fins & Grins Sport Fishing</b>. Summer flounder mostly bit in back bays, and a few chomped along deep-water wrecks, in the ocean. A few drum remained in Delaware Bay, and Fins will fish for them, if somebody wants. But the angling isn’t like earlier this season. The fishing was excellent three weeks this spring. Many junk fish like sharks and skates now bit on the drum grounds. A couple of shark trips are coming up on the ocean soon, and plenty of sharks are swimming the water. This month and July are usually good for catching mako sharks and thresher sharks. Fishing is available daily aboard, and reservations aren’t required but suggested. Telephone for availability.

Wind calmed, finally, but the back bay was like chocolate, said Mike from <b>Canal Side Boat Rentals</b>. That was from previous wind, and better weather than recently was needed, because summer flounder blanketed the bay. The dirty water and wind weren’t as good for the fishing as he’d like. A flounder or two, sometimes keepers, were lifted from the bay, despite the conditions. He was surprised how many, considering. But the angling was affected. A big flounder tournament will be held this weekend from the canal. Anglers hope the wind drops out and the water becomes clearer.  Crabbing was yet to start this season, really. A couple of customers crabbed, not plucking many. Crabs were shedding currently, and that slows catches, too.  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. A full supply of bait is sold at the shop. That includes minnows, scented and unscented squid, trolling squid, cleaned tube squid, spearing, herring in three per pack, mullet in 12 per pack, whole mackerel, beautiful mackerel fillets, salted clams in quarts and pints, 1-pound of packaged clams, 9 ounces of the clams, frozen, cut clams, whole and cut bunker and plenty of Gulps. All sorts of tackle and supplies are stocked, including bucktails, Spro jigs, Kalins jigheads, rigs from the different companies like Aqua-Clear, Gamakatsu hooks, minnow boxes, pails and buckets, minnow traps, dip nets, hand-woven nets with 6- or 7-foot aluminum handles that are more expensive, therefore less-popular sellers, but great nets, all sorts of crab baskets and more. Mike likes to carry local tackle when available. Spooling reels with line is available. Rods and reels are sold. Crabs, both live and cooked, are sold for eating, in season, and picnic tables are set out to enjoy them. The crabs will begin to be sold when available from suppliers. None was available from New Jersey crabbers yet. The store has carried them from out of state when necessary.

<b>Cape May</b>

The <b>Porgy IV</b> began fishing for summer flounder Wednesday, Capt. Paul said. Some of the flatfish were landed. Not many were keepers, but some anglers bagged two apiece, and a few of the fish were around. Some bagged none, and that happens on all flounder or fluke trips anyway. This was a good start to the angling. Maybe some anglers weren’t satisfied. The boat didn’t even drift well, and that matters in flounder fishing. Karl Ziegler from Cape May bagged a 23-incher and a 21-incher on the trip. When he landed the 21, that was a double-header with a throwback on the other hook. The Porgy IV, sailing at 8 a.m. daily, will fish for summer flounder the rest of flounder season. Some days will be good, and some will be bad, Paul expects. A few flounder were around to be caught.

Summer flounder fishing was okay, nothing spectacular, but not bad, mostly on the back bay, said Joe from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. Anglers who usually catch flounder scored okay. Ocean flounder fishing usually kicks in starting around the second week of July, at places like the reefs and the Old Grounds, when the water becomes warmer. Nothing was heard about drum from Delaware Bay. What happened, he said, was that drum fishing lit up a couple of weeks this season. Then the fish seemed to spawn a moment, and not bite, and strong wind began, preventing the fishing. Next, a few drum were picked, and wind was still rough, until the angling considerably slowed. Now nothing was heard about the fishing. But drum catches probably weren’t finished for the year, he guessed. The numbers like before probably weren’t around, but drum didn’t depart the bay in great numbers yet, he thinks, because little was reported about drum beached from the surf yet, at places like Sea Isle City and Brigantine. When many drum depart the bay, the catches usually pick up from the surf like that.  Those seem to be drum departing the bay. For those who missed the bite during the two weeks, shame on them, he said. A few drum remain in the bay all summer, don’t migrate away, and are caught. Croakers began to appear along the surf jetties, along the back bay’s channels, and in Delaware Bay. Weakfish were hooked along the jetties, and a few stripers remained in the surf. Nick, the shop’s owner, and a buddy beached a couple of sizable stripers, when trying for weaks the other evenings, with pink, soft-plastic worms on bucktails. Kingfish were reported from the surf, but whether that was accurate was unknown. One angler said a bunch of anglers reported the kings. The South Jersey Shark Tournament is under way in town through this weekend. A big thresher shark was caught in past days, and a few other threshers boated were heard about lately. That was farther from shore, at usual shark grounds, and threshers should move to near the beach soon, like every year, when they feed on bunker. Loads of bunker appeared off the jetties the other night, and bunker like that were around. Nothing was reported about tuna, maybe because of weather. Plus, offshore boaters mostly sharked.

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