<b>Keyport</b>

A fluke trip met strong wind and rough seas Saturday on the <b>Vitamin Sea</b>, Capt. Frank wrote in an email. That prevented fishing at usual places, and the trip had to settle for two keepers and a handful of throwbacks caught. Plenty of fluke are around, and good conditions make for a good catch. Sunday’s trip was cancelled, because of forecasts for heavy rain that never fell. Charters are fishing, and the next open-boat trips will fish for fluke Wednesday and Thursday, and each trip has two spaces available. Several spaces, or a charter, are available on Friday for fluking. “Get your dose of Vitamin Sea!”

Wind and bumpy seas were tough on a fluke trip Saturday on Sandy Hook Bay with <b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b>, Capt. Joe said. One keeper, 15 throwbacks and some dogfish were landed. The trip at first fished alongside the Ammo Pier with the fleet.  Seas were difficult, and party boats left that had fished there. So Papa’s Angels moved to the end of the pier, and that’s where the fish bit. Gulps, spearing, smelts and squid were fished.  Fishing for fluke will keep becoming better, Joe thinks. The fish are around, and lots of fluking is ahead. Open-boat, 7-hour trips for fluke are available each morning in the coming week, when no charter is booked. Telephone to jump aboard.

Fierce wind was no good for fishing on a trip Saturday, and Sunday’s trip was cancelled, because of weather forecasts, said Capt. Mario from <b>Down Deep Sportfishing</b>. But fishing was good aboard for sea bass, ling and cod mixed in, until then. Cod to 10 pounds were boated. Trips are concentrating on sea bass while 15 is the bag limit through the month. Afterward, two will become the limit, and then the Down Deep will often run special trips for cod and ling. Starting then, the Down Deep Bull, the company’s other vessel, licensed for up to 15 passengers, will often fish for fluke. Charters and open-boat trips, reservations required, sail on both. 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.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

A charter fished on the party boat <b>Fishermen</b> on Saturday, a nasty, windy, misty day, Capt. Ron wrote in a report on the vessel’s website. But the customers had a good time, catching fluke, including a bunch of keepers. Only a handful of diehards showed up for Sunday’s trip, after a week of forecasts for a deluge from rain and wind that turned out inaccurate. Some good-sized, keeper fluke were bagged, and throwbacks gave up action. A 6-1/2-pound fluke was the pool-winner. On Saturday night’s trip, striped bass fishing wasn’t good. Just a couple of throwbacks were landed, and Sunday night’s trip didn’t sail. The Fishermen is sailing for fluke 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. Trips are fishing for stripers 6:30 to 11:30 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 3:30 to 9 p.m. Sundays.

Fluke fishing was about the same as before on the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>, Capt. Tom said. Every trip fished, despite forecasts for rough weather sometimes. Weather never became bad on Raritan Bay, where the trips fluked. Not as many keepers were hooked as wanted, but a few were bagged, and throwbacks gave up action. Anglers all had a good time. Sometimes an angler landed 15 fluke, including a keeper. Sometimes an angler landed that many, including a couple of keepers, or no keepers. Many fluke ½-inch or an inch short bit. The boat was fortunate to be able to fish Raritan Bay. The bay sheltered fishing from wind that sometimes affected ocean fishing, and sometimes cooled the ocean. Forecasts called for a chance of thunderstorms on most days, typical this time of year. But the storms usually passed to the north or south. On the rare times a storm passed overhead, that lasted 10 minutes. Sometimes wind pushed the boat’s drift a little fast, but that was still fishable. On some days, only a few anglers showed up, because of forecasts. The trips fished anyway. 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>

Was a good week of fishing aboard, until the weekend’s rough weather, Capt. Pete from <b>Fin-Taz-Tic Sportfishing</b> wrote in an email. Trips before the weekend limited out on sea bass and piled up good numbers of sizable fluke and even a few striped bass. The boat is slated to fish for sea bass and fluke this week, but if a charter wants to target stripers, Fin-Taz-Tic will. Big stripers are still around.  Charters are fishing, and space is available on open-boat trips in the coming week. Women and children are welcomed, and the boat includes a clean restroom. Give a call for a great day on the water and to put fish in the freezer, he said.

<b>Neptune</b>

<b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b> fished for sea bass every day except Thursday in the last week, Capt. Ralph wrote in an email. Sea bassing couldn’t be better than now, and Thursday and Friday are the only dates with spaces available for the fishing on individual-reservation trips this month. Fifteen sea bass is the bag limit this month, and two will become the limit in July. On Thursday, a charter tried for striped bass aboard, trolling and fishing with bait. But only a few bluefish bit. Room is available on an individual-reservation trip for cod on July 22, and another is full on July 7.

<b>Belmar</b>

“Not a great weekend, but a few bright signs,” Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> wrote in an email. Despite difficult weather, some good-sized fluke were seen. Throwbacks outnumbered keepers 10 to 1. Tommy Cook from Shark River Surf Anglers plugged a 27-pound striped bass from the surf. Not the best fishing for the time of year, but any fishing is better than sitting at home, Bob said.

The <b>Katie H</b> sailed for sea bass Saturday and during trips last week, and the fishing was great, Capt. Mike said. Saturday’s trip didn’t limit out, but nearly did. Like on many boats, a trip Sunday was cancelled aboard, because of forecasts for rough weather, but weather turned out fine. If anglers want sea bass, go now, while 15 is the bag limit. Two will become the limit for July. Trips aboard will fluke fish when the ocean becomes warmer. The Katie H will compete in Mako Mania, the shark tournament, this coming weekend. Mike looks forward to tuna fishing afterward, and good reports were heard about tuna trolled at southern canyons.

Bluefishing turned on today on the party boat <b>Golden Eagle</b>, and the ocean had settled, a report on the vessel’s website said. Blues to 12 pounds, great catches, were decked on jigs. The angling was slow during the weekend, in 25-knot, northeast wind, not forecasted, on Saturday, and a big swell leftover on Sunday. Bluefishing was decent aboard Friday. The Golden Eagle is fishing at 7:30 a.m. daily and 7:30 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday.

<b>***Update, Tuesday, 6/23:***</b> Bluefishing bounced back in a big way Monday on the <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b>, an email from the party boat said. The fishing was horrible in weather and seas during the weekend. On Sunday, a few sea bass were added to the catch. But on Monday, bluefishing was excellent. Sometimes two to six of the 6- to 14-pounders were hooked at once. Ava 27’s and 47’s, plain or tailed, caught them, like usual on trips lately. The Miss Belmar Princess is fishing for striped bass and blues 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and 7:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. every Saturday. 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.

<b>Brielle</b>

Striped bass were still boated from the ocean here and there, spotty fishing, but when the bass were caught, they were big, said Eric from <b>The Reel Seat</b>. Many weighed about 40 pounds, and Shrewsbury Rocks gave up stripers most consistently on the ocean, he guessed. Sea bass fishing was good on the ocean, and anglers often limited out on them. Many of the sea bass swam Axel Carlson Reef, the hot spot currently. Ava 27’s were best lure, and clams scored well. Ling fishing was pretty good on the ocean, many anglers boating 12 to 25 apiece. Ocean fluke fishing picked catches, and 30- to 40-foot depths seemed best. Some sizable fluke 6 to 7 pounds were bagged. Manasquan River’s fluking was steady, and many throwbacks bit, but keepers came in. Bluefish, usually small, but 6- to 8-pounders on occasional days, ran Manasquan Inlet, and first light seemed best. Shots sometimes raced through at the end of the day. Tuna fishing turned on a Hudson Canyon. Many small yellowfin tuna and a handful of bigeye tuna were trolled. The bigeyes weighed up to just under 200 pounds, and white marlin and a couple of blue marlin were in the mix on trips. Closer to shore, scattered reports said bluefin tuna began to be caught along the 30-fathom curve, nothing great, but a few 50- and 60-pounders. For shark fishing, the Triple Wrecks seemed best to fish in past days, shifting north from the Fingers that fished better previously. Lots of mako, blue and dusky sharks were fought, and a handful of thresher sharks were.  

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

With <b>Mushin Sportfishing</b>, a trip Friday to Saturday first fished for sharks midshore at night, Capt. Alan wrote in an email. The trip fished for tuna at an offshore canyon the next day, and for sharks again on the way home that day.  During the first sharking, at night, a 200-pound mako was fought until lost at boat side. During the tuna fishing, yellowfin tuna bit almost non-stop, “in the deep,” on trolled ballyhoos and spreader bars, in the morning. Three-dozen were landed, and nine were keepers and were bagged. The fish ranged from rats to 45 pounds, and a good spread of the yellowfins swam in the 73- to 75-degree water. The tuna fishing was finished by 10 a.m., and looked promising for good fishing close to port in coming weeks. The charter wanted to fish midshore for sharks again, on the way back to port. The anglers hooked but lost three more makos. Sharking looks good for future trips, too.

Anglers aboard bagged “some nice fluke,” Capt. Matt from the party boat <b>Norma-K III</b> wrote about the past few days, in a report on the vessel’s website. Some trips fished better than others, and afternoons seemed to give up a better bite than mornings during the weekend. Fewer throwbacks put up action than before, but more keepers were hung than previously, a good thing. Pool-winning fluke usually weighed 4 to 5 pounds, but a fluke heavier than 8 pounds won the pool on Sunday afternoon’s trip. No particular bait caught better than another, and Matt saw fluke hooked on bait and tackle including Gulps in Nuclear Chicken, Green Gulps, Viper Spoons, spearing with squid, Spros and more. On nighttime trips, bluefishing was slow. A few 6- to 10-pound blues were picked on Saturday night’s trip. More blues seemed to be reported farther from shore, just beyond range. So Matt hopes they’ll push closer to the coast in the next few days. The crew will keep giving bluefishing their best. The Norma-K III is fishing for fluke 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 to 6:30 p.m. daily and for blues 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. daily.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

Bluefish could keep anglers busy in the surf and Barnegat Bay, John from <b>The Dock Outfitters</b> wrote in a report on the shop’s website. To hook them, fish cut baits, popper lures or metal. Bluefishing sometimes lit up from the dock. Fluke catches were picking up in the surf and inlets, though the keeper ratio wasn’t great. He’d fish a bucktail with either a Gulp artificial bait or a strip of natural bait for them. But rigs fished with a combo of a killie and a strip of squid on the hook have always nabbed many fluke. Crabbing was okay, not a “blitz” yet. 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>Barnegat Light</b>

Fishing for fluke and sea bass was kicked off Friday on the party boat <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b>, a report said on the vessel’s website. The angling was good, serving up a handful of keeper fluke, a bunch of throwbacks and a good number of sea bass bagged. The fishing was a little slower on Saturday, turning out fewer keeper fluke. Throwback fluke still gave up action, and sea bass were bagged. The Miss Barnegat Light is sailing for fluke and sea bass 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily, and the boat bluefished previously.

<b>Beach Haven</b>

Trips will fish Thursday and Friday on the <b>June Bug</b>, Capt. Lindsay said. Those will be the year’s first trips that fish aboard from Beach Haven, and the vessel begins fishing from the port in June each year. That’s after the boat is returned from its winter home in North Carolina. The trips will bottom-fish for sea bass, fluke or whatever bites. Lots of 1- to 3-pound blues also seemed around. The crew during the trip will use surround-view sonar, the latest available, that was installed aboard for this fishing season. June Bug also does a lot of tuna fishing from Beach Haven in summer through fall. Late June and early July has always been Lindsay’s best tuna fishing. Yellowfin tuna and bigeye tuna are trolled, and so are marlin, both white and blue. Some anglers wait until later in summer to fish for the big game, but that’s a mistake. Tuna might also swim along the coast later in the season. But the fish are here now, and this is prime time.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

A great turnout showed up, and summer flounder to 9 pounds were weighed Saturday at <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>, a report on the store’s website said. A bunch of different places served up the fish, including off the Fish Factory and the 126 and 139 markers in Great Bay. The clam stakes also tossed up flounder, but generally smaller. The top of the tide into outgoing fished best. Sea bass fishing went well on the ocean at Garden State Reef South and Little Egg and Atlantic City reefs. Crabbing was strong.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

A 5-pound, 24-inch summer flounder won the flounder tournament this past week at <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>, Jeremy said. The store and Atlantic City’s Duck Tavern sponsored the week-long contest, benefitting The Valerie Fund Team Anthony Road to Recovery. Customers tied into flounder, a few kingfish, croakers and weakfish at the sea wall, Absecon Inlet’s jetties, off Harrah’s and places like that. They mostly fished on foot, and Jeremy heard about striped bass and bluefish sometimes caught still in those areas, but saw none. One Stop also has a store at Gardner’s Basin that’s now open for the fishing season.

<b>Longport</b>

After the fishing had dropped off a moment, sea bass catches improved dramatically on the <b>Stray Cat</b>, Capt. Mike said. That was in 80- and 90-foot depths, 10 miles from shore, and the water became much clearer than before. The ocean inshore of there was murky, cloudy and gray, apparently because of rain or wind. Snapper bluefish also bit, and catches of ling and summer flounder slowed in past days, for unknown reasons. A shark trip will fish aboard Tuesday, probably 25 miles out. Quite a few mako sharks were fought this weekend, and conditions appear good for sharking. The ocean was 72 degrees during the sea bass fishing. Brown sharks and lots of porpoises were seen during that angling, and that, again, was closer to shore. An open-boat trip will fish for flounder on the Fourth of July in 80 to 110 feet on the ocean, limited to 12 passengers. An open trip will fish for flounder, sea bass and whatever bites on July 5, probably also in deeper water. If groups from organizations like the Elks or VFW want a fundraiser, fishing trips are available during the week or on a Friday or a Monday. 

<b>Ocean City</b>

Sea bass, ling and blues were cranked from the ocean aboard, said Capt. Victor from the party boats <b>Miss Ocean City</b> and <b>Captain Robbins</b>. Trips are also working the back bay for summer flounder, and telephone for the schedule.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Nine or 10 yellowfin tuna, many small, but some to 41 pounds, were trolled at Wilmington Canyon aboard Saturday, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b>. That was covered in the last report here, in an update posted that day. The fish jumped all over the spread two or three times, all before 7 a.m., an early bite. One of Jersey Cape’s inshore shark trips fought and released dusky sharks and a 5-foot hammerhead shark Friday, also covered in the update. The sharks are in, and the trips have begun, and the angling will only become better. The trips, usually within 10 miles from shore, are a chance to fight big fish without the long trek offshore. Jersey Cape is also catching summer flounder from the back bay, and popper-plugging or popper-fly-rodding striped bass on the bay. The popper fishing is best on high tides and mostly in evenings. Bluefish are mixed in on bay trips. Blues aren’t around in numbers like before, and that’s typical after spring. But blues usually remain throughout summer. Wreck-fishing is good on the ocean for sea bass and some cod. Out-of-season blackfish are also biting at the wrecks, and one blackfish will become the bag limit starting on July 17. Looking ahead, Jersey Cape’s annual traveling charters to the Florida Keys will fish again this winter, mostly on weekends. A large variety of catches can be made, from redfish, speckled sea trout and snook to tarpon, sailfish and plenty more. Anglers can arrive on a Friday, fish all day Saturday and part of Sunday, return on Sunday evening, and be back to work on Monday. Or they can fish on a different schedule. The trips can be a mini vacation.  See <a href="http://www.captainjoehughes.com/page3.html" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s Traveling Charters Webpage</a>.

<b>Wildwood</b>

Shark fishing was great Saturday with <b>Fins & Grins Sport Fishing</b>, Capt. Jim said in a voicemail. The trip, fishing 30 miles from shore, landed five mako sharks, two dusky sharks and the biggest blue shark he ever saw. The ocean is alive with sharks, plenty of them. Sharking is also phenomenal on Delaware Bay for sand tigers and duskies. Both are required to be released, but anglers fish for them, an opportunity to fight big catches without the long trip offshore. The Delaware Bay sharking was also great for Fins & Grins on a trip in past days. In other news, a few sizable summer flounder began to bite at the Old Grounds on the ocean, for anglers who could fish the deep water and pay attention. Sea bass fishing on the ocean wasn’t that great, giving up a few of the fish everywhere. Fishing is available every day with Fins & Grins, and reservations aren’t required but suggested. Telephone for availability. <b>***Update, Monday, 6/22:***</b> A 400-pound sand tiger was release on Delaware Bay aboard today, Jim said in a phone call. The bay shark trips are tagging the fish for NOAA, and sand tigers can be big and are full of teeth. Anglers like the 6-hour trips, and those outings are half the price of the ocean shark trips farther from shore. 

<b>Cape May</b>

Capt. George from the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> worked the deck on a friend’s boat that fished for sea bass during the weekend, he said. The fishing, 25 miles from shore, went well. Ling were also boxed, and throwback cod were released. Summer flounder fishing sounded like it began to pick up on the ocean at places like Reef 11 and the Old Grounds. Good catches of the flatfish were heard about. Tuna are sometimes being caught, and the Heavy Hitter is fishing for all of these catches, and telephone if interested. Shark fishing is also available.

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