<b>Keyport</b>

For anglers on the <b>Vitamin Sea</b>, fluke action was very good this week, Capt. Frank wrote in an email. Sixty to 70 fluke landed, including 12 to 16 keepers to 6 pounds, were averaged per trip. Most fluke hooked were 17 and 17 ½ inches, just under the 18-inch legal size, and bait caught better than jigs. That was because dogfish backed off from grabbing bait. Conditions were okay, not great. Conditions allowed each trip to fish the deeper channels 1 ½ hours. But results weren’t much better at the channels than in shallow water. The fishing for large fluke at the channels wasn’t like the potential yet. Time will tell whether the fish stack up there. “One thing for sure,” he said, “we will give it hell.” Charters are fishing, and the next open-boat trips will fish for fluke next week on Tuesday through Friday. Telephone to reserve, and only about a month remains of fluke season.

Ling and cod fishing was super for the <b>Down Deep Fleet</b>, Capt. Mario said. Cod and jumbo winter flounder were mixed in with the ling, and the number of fish that high hooks scored totaled in the upper 50s apiece. Fluke trips rounded up more consistent catches, a good number of keepers to 7 pounds, than before. Many of the fish were just under legal size. Trips aboard fished for fluke at the channels, both along the edges and on the top sides, and at rocky bottom, depending on conditions. Fluke seemed to start gathering for the fall migration, so the fishing looked like it would become good. Beat the heat in the air conditioning in both of Down Deep’s 40-foot boats. Enjoy the comfortable bunks in both. Charters and open-boat trips are fishing, 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 trips. Also see the site’s open-trips page for available dates. Open trips include 12-hour marathons, both for fluke or ling and cod.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Raritan Bay’s fluking was hit or miss, and fluke were boated well at Shrewsbury Rocks in the ocean Wednesday, said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Sizable fluke to 9 1/2  or 10 pounds were clobbered there. Bluefish popped up a couple of times in the bay off Leonardo during the week. Blues were hit in the bay off Keyport. Porgy fishing was good at Sandy Hook Reef. Good ling fishing was smashed in the deep in the ocean. In back waters, fishing for snapper blues and crabbing was great. All baits are stocked.

Conditions drifted the party boat <b>Fishermen</b> well for fluke fishing two days in a row on Tuesday and Wednesday, and the angling was good, Capt. Ron wrote in a report on the vessel’s website. Fluke were on the move, he said, and on Tuesday’s trip, two anglers limited out. One of them won the pool with a 7.2-pound fluke, and another customer bagged four fluke, one fewer than a limit. One of the deck hands fished aboard the trip, and this was his day off. He just missed limiting out, but his keepers included an 8.2-pounder and a 5.7-pounder. Some of the trip’s customers bagged three, and so did Capt. Ron Sr., and he also landed way too many throwbacks. The fishing was good in the morning. Throwing back 17- and 17-1/2-inch fluke, because of the 18-inch size limit, was ridiculous. These were 3-pound fluke. New Jersey anglers are looking at a 19-inch limit next year. If you want me out of business, buy me out! Ron said. Anglers need to step up and contact the governor. Where’s N.J. Congressman Frank Pallone? Ron asked. Delaware can keep 16-inch fluke. That’s what boats need to survive, and Delaware’s got it, Ron said. Space is available on a fundraising fluke trip Friday aboard for the Save the Summer Flounder Fishery Fund and the Recreational Fishing Alliance. Telephone Dave Daley to jump aboard at 973-479-7768. On Wednesday’s trip, high hooks pulled in four keeper fluke apiece, and plenty of throwbacks gave up action. Chris Beers, Nazareth, Pa., won the pool with a 7.9-pound fluke, and the pool changed hands several times. The Fishermen is sailing for fluke 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. However, the boat is chartered this Friday morning, for the SSFFF trip, with spaces available (see above), and is chartered this Saturday morning, so no open-boat trips will fish then. Trips are fishing for fluke, porgies, croakers or whatever bites 6:30 to 11:30 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 3:30 to 9 p.m. Sundays.

The past three days fluke fished the same as previously, pretty much, on the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>, Capt. Tom said. But a few better-sized fluke were lambasted aboard, including a 7-pounder on Wednesday morning’s trip. All trips, fishing on Raritan and Sandy Hook bays and Flynn’s Knoll, fished during those days. Cownosed rays drove the boat away from Flynn’s on one trip. Trips have rarely, almost never, not sailed this summer aboard. Some anglers during the past three days winged 12 or 15 throwback fluke, and some nipped two, three or six. But Wednesday afternoon’s fishing was terrible, in southeast wind. Seas held an annoying chop but weren’t rough. Tom was glad the boat’s not limited to fishing the ocean. The boat drifted fast on that trip, and the trip couldn’t get the right conditions for fluking anywhere. Fishing for throwbacks was even slow on the outing. Tom hoped good conditions would return quickly. Heat advisories scared some anglers from showing up for trips. But a breeze usually blew. No rain fell recently. A storm dropped rain 10 minutes on Monday or Tuesday. Storms mostly passed in surrounding areas. If a storm drops rain, that’s only been 20 minutes or so, and rare. 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>

Paul and Maddy Hess on the Boudicca, sailing from <b>Twin Lights Marina</b>, scooped up fluke from Sandy Hook Channel this weekend on Gulps and squid, Marion wrote in an email. Also on the weekend, Angelo Giustino and Brett Scaturo tugged in three keeper fluke to 6 pounds at the West Bank, and Sean Baird hung a 22-1/2-inch fluke near the Navy Pier. Both trips fished Gulps and killies. On Friday, Tim Best and Nick Scali on the Cara Marie rounded up two keeper fluke and some blues at Flynn’s Knoll on killies and squid. Twin Lights, located on Shrewsbury River near Raritan Bay and the ocean, with no bridges before them, includes a marina with boat slips, dry storage, a fuel dock, and a combined bait and tackle shop and ship’s store. Baits stocked include the full offshore selection. The fuel dock is available 24 hours a day with a credit card. 

<b>Neptune</b>

Fishing for fluke on the ocean was no good Tuesday on the weekly, individual-reservation trip for them, said Capt. Ralph from <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b>. South wind and south current kept the fish from biting, and Ralph canceled a fluke trip today, because he wasn’t going to fish for them in the forecast, 15-knot southeasterly. Fluking was great on a trip Sunday, before the southerly. Tuesday’s trip returned to the same area. An offshore cod trip Monday filled the box with cod to 30 pounds. An individual-reservation trip for cod offshore is full on September 2. Two spaces remain for an individual-reservation trip that will fish inshore wrecks August 30. Ralph will schedule more individual-reservation trips. Individual-reservation trips are fishing for fluke every Tuesday, and kids under 12 sail free on those outings, limited to two per adult host.

<b>Belmar</b>

Fluke fishing, on the ocean, was picky so far this week on the party boat <b>Big Mohawk</b>, Capt. Chris said. The angling was good Sunday, then south wind came up, slowing the bite afterward. Catches included good-sized fluke, including 8- and 9-pounders Wednesday. Trips just needed to land more. But the fishing will surely pick up again. Jigs with Gulps caught best, by far. The Big Mohawk is fluke fishing 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

Catches of blues and mackerel were okay Monday and good Tuesday on the <b>Golden Eagle</b>, a report on the party boat’s website said. Spanish mackerel were sometimes caught on Tuesday’s trip, too. On Wednesday’s trip, fishing for mackerel and blues was slow at first but better as the day went on.  The Golden Eagle is fishing at 7:30 a.m. daily. Fishing and sunset cruises are sailing at 4:30 p.m. daily, and reservations are required for those outings.

For the first hour of fishing, mostly blues bit Tuesday on the <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b>, and the anglers picked at them, an email from the vessel said. Toward the end of the trip, mackerel fishing was excellent, and the anglers nailed all they wanted. It was a great day, the email said. On Wednesday, fishing was slow the first half of the trip. Blues were picked then and throughout the trip. But mackerel boiled on top, in the chum slick, the second half of the trip, and fishing for them was great. A few false albacore and mahi mahi were also waxed on the outing.  The Miss Belmar Princess is fishing for 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 sailing 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.

Was a tough week of fluke fishing on the ocean, said Capt. Pete from <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b>. Lots of south wind blew, and lots of current ran, and the conditions forced trips to fish tight to shore, in sand. There was lots of life with throwbacks. But the keepers taken were decent-sized. Fluke trips aboard include On the Water Seminars that teach bucktailing for the big ones in a non-threatening environment. One of those on Tuesday is full, and Pete will wait to see how fluking goes and decide whether to add more in September. Charters can also book the seminars. Don’t have enough anglers for a charter? Contact Parker Pete’s anyway about individual spaces available on charters. Jump on <a href=" http://www.parkerpetefishing.com/" target="_blank">Parker Pete’s website</a> to subscribe to the email blast to be kept informed about the spaces. Look for the place to sign up on the right side of the page, where it says Join Our Newsletter.

Shark River’s fluke fishing was great, Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> wrote in an email. Lots of the fish and snapper blues could be hooked in the river. Kids and adults enjoyed the action, and a few of the fluke were keepers. Two regulars on one of the shop’s rental boats landed 150 fluke, including no keepers, on the river. “What will we see next year with a larger size limit?” Bob asked. The government is reducing the fluke harvest quota 29 percent for 2016, so the size limit and/or length of season will be changed for that year. Those same anglers caught 12 banded rudderfish to take home. “That’s what they call them,” Bob said. “They look like pilot fish to me.”

<b>Brielle</b>

A 9.6-pound fluke took over the lead in the monthly pool on the party boat <b>Jamaica II</b>, Capt. Ryan wrote in an email. “Big ones are arriving,” he said, “… and the time is now!” Young Park from Howell decked the fish Tuesday, and the winner each month gets the money and a free year of fishing aboard. Anglers who limited out on the trip included Fred Morris from Trenton, Chris Mantlick from Brielle, Kimmy Samms from Teaneck, Dave Nelson from Princeton, Greg James from Atlantic Highlands and a few more. Jigging or bucktailing was the “key” that day, and Spro jigs with Gulps hooked the better-sized fluke. Specifically, a rig with a heavier Spro on bottom and a lighter, ½-ouncer above, with a Gulp Swim Mullet worked.  Half-day trips are fishing 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, and an all-day marathon is fishing 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. every Monday.

<b>Toms River</b>

A customer and friends boated more than 100 fluke, including six keepers, off Manasquan on the ocean on a trip, on killies and squid, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>.  In the ocean in that direction, to the north, fluking seemed good at Axel Carlson and Sea Girt reefs. Not a lot of the fluke were keepers. To the south on the ocean, fluking was most productive off Seaside Park and Island Beach State Park in 45 or 50 feet. In Barnegat Bay, fluke were hooked near the BI marker and toward Barnegat Inlet. The nearer the inlet, the better the bay’s fluking. Small blowfish and loads of tiny black drum bit in the Toms River at Island Heights and along Route 37 Bridge on the bay. Was a good option for kids, and the fish could hardly not be caught. Bits of salted clams, or fresh could be used, could be dunked for them on white perch or kingfish rigs. Fishing for snapper blues 6 and 8 inches wasn’t fabulous but good in waters like the Toms. Crabbing was great, depending on location and times of day. Some places were slow. From the surf, small blues and a few fluke were sometimes beached.  Some kingfish began to appear in the surf, and bloodworms began to be stocked that could be fished for them. Customers headed out for the kings, but results were yet to be heard. Murphy’s, located on Route 37, also owns <b>Go Fish Bait & Tackle</b> on Fischer Boulevard in Toms River.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

Blowfish hovered and snapper blues schooled along the dock, said George from <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>. Crabbing had become okay along the dock and for the store’s rental-boaters, and slowed recently, because of especially low tides. In the surf, lots of small fluke skittered around. Small striped bass 24 inches were played along Barnegat Inlet’s north jetty in early mornings and at dark on white rubber shads and small Rapalas and X-Raps.  The same couple of anglers kept fluking on the ocean, picking at the fish, nothing crazy, off the batching beach at Island Beach State Park in 35 or 40 feet.  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 currently include killies, fresh bunker and clams, and sandworms.

<b>Forked River</b>

Barnegat Bay’s blowfishing was actually good near the 42 marker, said Mike from <b>Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle</b>. The bay’s fluke fishing was good only for 45 minutes at the top of incoming tides. But ocean fluking was good at Garden State Reef North and off the Seaside pipe, both in 60 feet. One angler reported boating weakfish from the bay on shedder crabs. Snapper blues swarmed around docks, and crabbing was great. Baits stocked include killies and the full selection of frozen. The shop tries to stock fresh spearing every weekend.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

A day-troll for tuna went well Tuesday on the <b>Super Chic</b> for a group from Ohio, the boat’s Facebook page said. Five tuna, a mix of yellowfins and bluefins, and some skipjacks were landed. The tuna were the first-ever for some of the anglers, and weather was great. An angler who commented on the post said the angler fished the Chicken Canyon on the same day, in 77.5-degree, “nice water,” he wrote, catching mahi mahi and, just inshore of the Chicken, bluefish.  Super Chic fluke fished the last couple of weeks, another post from the boat said Saturday. The fishing was pretty good, “when we have the conditions,” it said, though the number of keepers could be better. Some good-sized fluke to 5 pounds were reeled aboard. Another fluke trip was slated for tomorrow.

Fishing landed fluke from Barnegat Bay, but mostly throwbacks, said Al from <b>Bobbie’s Boat Rentals</b>. The angling was similar on the ocean, giving up lots of the shorts, occasionally a keeper. He fished the ocean, experiencing that. A friend sailed for weakfish on the bay yesterday, but reported no results. Al figured the friend failed to fare well, because the friend departed quickly, instead of talking about any catches, when Al saw him next at the dock. Blues 2 and 3 pounds schooled Barnegat Inlet. Not much was heard on blackfish from along the inlet’s rocks. Crabbing began to improve a little locally. Crabbing can pick up later locally in the season than elsewhere, because of cold, ocean water from the inlet. Plenty of clams could be gathered at Clam Island in 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. Baits stocked currently include minnows, green crabs and fresh bunker. Customers can order live grass shrimp a day ahead. Live spots are yet to be carried.

<b>Barnegat</b>

Weakfish were crushed on Barnegat Bay on Wednesday on the <b>Hi Flier</b>, Capt. Dave DeGennaro wrote in an email. The 1- to 3-pounders were live-grass-shrimped on 6-pound spinning rods on the mainland side of the bay in 8-foot depths. “It was a hot slick with some small blues, puppy drum and sand sharks peppered in,” he said. The shrimp were fished on hooks under floats and on 1/8-ounce jigheads cast into the chum. One space is available on an open-boat trip 12 noon to 5 p.m. Friday. Sunday and Monday are available for charter or open-boat. <b>***Update, Saturday, 8/22:***</b> From an edited email from Dave today: “Beautiful weather for the next few days. Light and variable NE winds. Looks like the seas could be calm enough for a Barnegat Ridge exploration. I'm going to give it a try -- if it's not a flat ocean, we’ll stay in the bay to target weakfish on live shrimp and light tackle. I’m ordering a batch of shrimp as an insurance policy, in case the seas are too rough or we’re not catching at the ridge. It only takes an hour out there to find out. If there's readings, birds, slicks or hook-ups, we stay. If it's lifeless or the water is ugly green, we shoot back into the bay to salvage the trip with some light-tackle action. Whoever signs on has to be willing to do either. Sunday and Monday, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., three people max. All fish are shared.”

<b>Mystic Island</b>

Awesome weekend of ocean summer flounder fishing, said Brian from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Customers who fished Garden State Reef South and Little Egg Reef either limited out or nearly limited out then in 60-foot depths. One trip boated five keepers and 12 throwbacks in a few hours. One angler said all the blackfish his trip wanted were hooked Tuesday at Garden State South. One is the bag limit, but blackfish heavier than 4 pounds bit the whole time. Out-of-season sea bass littered the reefs. A run of kingfish was heard about from the bay toward Barnegat Light, farther north, today. No blowfish and croakers were reported from bays. Brian wasn’t asked about flounder fishing in any of the bays, but not a lot of flounder were nabbed from local bays, since weather became hot, the shop reported in the past. Sharking for browns and sand tigers, both required to be released, picked up again in Great Bay. A customer let go six on a trip.  White perch fishing was phenomenal in side creeks along Mullica River. Nothing positive was talked about tuna fishing during the weekend. Crabbing was phenomenal, and even if small crabs were trapped, keepers were in the mix. Baits stocked include minnows, fresh, shucked clams and green crabs. No live grass shrimp are carried, because they’d die in the heat.

<b>Absecon</b>

The back bay still held decent summer flounder fishing, said Capt. Dave from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. He ran a short trip Tuesday that boated three 20-inch keepers and a bunch of shorts inside of Brigantine Bridge at Mankiller Bay. Sea robins and sea bass bit on the trip, the first time they did for his trips this season. A couple who had difficulty bagging flounder all season whacked four keepers at Mankiller on Wednesday on a trip. Not many reports were heard from the ocean about flounder. A few were picked, but the bay seemed just as good, or trips might as well have fished there. Lots of panfish schooled from Absecon Inlet to near the shop. The shop is along Absecon Creek at the back of the bay. Spots were hooked from the dock. Kingfish swam the surf and began to move to the back waters. Blowfish were found along with the kings in the back. More about blowfish was heard than before. Anglers with kids could chum for these panfish, and the fish could hardly be kept off hooks, and some of the fish could be eaten. Baby black drum swam back waters, showing up for five summers now, and the ones that have grown must be someplace these days.  Drum 16 inches to 20 pounds, probably a couple of years old, Dave guessed, often show up at the mouth of Mullica River, earlier in the fishing season. Weakfish remained pretty scarce in the bay. Nobody really found them, but shedder crabs are stocked for bait, if the weaks show up. Soft-shell crabs were on hand for eating, and the shop raises them. Keep up on availability on <a href=" https://www.facebook.com/SoftshellCrabs" target="_blank">the shop’s soft-shell crabs Facebook page</a>. Baitfish are showing up in back waters that do each summer. Dave castnetted some great, 6-inch peanut bunker to stock live. He wished striped bass were around to use the peanuts for bait for them. But the peanuts were terrific for flounder fishing at ocean reefs. Baitfish like these hatch and grow in back waters each spring to summer, then migrate to the ocean in late summer and fall, forage for autumn’s southern migration of striped bass and blues in the ocean. Jay from the shop sailed on another offshore trip, like before, that docked another bigeye tuna Tuesday night. Bigeye fishing’s been consistent.

<b>Brigantine</b>

One brown shark released in the surf was known about, but no more were, said Capt. Andy from <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>. Browns must be let go, by law, but some good catches of kingfish came from the surf, on bloodworms, and incoming tides to the tops of tides seemed the time. Summer flounder seemed mostly angled from ocean wrecks. They liked the cooler water, Andy guessed. Look for dates to be announced soon for the shop’s annual fall striper derby, probably beginning September 9. Entry provides a permit to drive Brigantine’s entire surf, when accompanied by a Brigantine beach-buggy permit. Otherwise, not all the beach can be driven. The store’s annual Fall Striper Bounty will be up for grabs for the season’s first striper 43 inches or larger weighed-in from Brigantine’s surf. Entry is $5, and the winner gets all the cash, and the bounty was already up to $180. The store’s Summer Fishing Tournament is under way until September 26 for three categories: kingfish, bluefish and summer flounder. Entry is $10 per category, and anglers can enter one, two or all, and the winners get the cash. An 11.2-ounce king and a 2-pounder flounder were in the lead.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

An 11.8-pound summer flounder was weighed-in today that was heaved from the Pacific Avenue jetty from shallow water on a Fluke Candy with mullet fillet, said Noel from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. Fluke Candy is a floating jighead that suspends bait and works well for shore anglers and is stocked. Customers yanked in flounder, lots of croakers, good-sized kingfish and occasional bluefish. They fished on foot at the Vermont and Melrose avenue jetties and the sea wall, with baits including minnows, bloodworms and clams. Those locations are along Absecon Inlet or in the proximity, not far from the shop. The inlet is lined with jetties, and loads of spearing, some mullet, swam along the jetties. Not many bunker did, but some peanut bunker were in the water.  All baits, a large supply, are stocked. Bloodworms are two dozen for $20 on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Minnows are only $8 a pint or $15 a quart. 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 also has a shop at Gardner’s Basin.

<b>Egg Harbor Township</b>

Because summer flounder fishing seemed to be slowing down from the bay and ocean, the fish might’ve been transitioning, migrating to the ocean, said Austin from <b>24-7 Bait & Tackle</b>. But mostly flounder were the catches for customers, and few other fish caught were reported. White perch fishing was good and picking up in brackish rivers and creeks. Lots of mullet schooled creeks. Austin’s been hooking tiny spots locally. Crabbing was good, including along Patcong Creek, running past the shop. The store’s rental boats are available for fishing and crabbing on the creek and nearby, including on Great Egg Harbor River and the bay. Nothing was heard about tuna or other big game from offshore. Baits stocked include live spots and minnows, fresh clams and bunker, and all offshore baits. <b>The company also own 24-7 Bait & Tackle in Marmora</b>.

<b>Margate</b>

A few keeper summer flounder were pitched aboard from the back bay on the party boat <b>Keeper</b>, Capt. John said. But not a lot were, and the number of throwbacks hooked was down this season, compared to usual. The bay was dirty, for unknown reasons. Good-sized crowds climbed aboard, and lots of baby sea bass, and sea robins, were hooked. Tons of bait schooled the bay, including silversides that filled the water. Flounder caught spit up silversides, all over. Minnows and mackerel were supplied for bait. Gulps that anglers bring always catch, too. Sea bass nipped off the Gulp tails. 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>

New grounds were found that held summer flounder, and a trip today was headed right back, said Capt. Mike from the <b>Stray Cat</b>. He was excited, and some good-sized fluke were stacked up in the waters, in 90 feet. Six- and 8-ounce weights were fished with 22-inch leaders, and the ocean, 76 to 77 degrees, cleared considerably, and flying fish were seen again. Stray Cat will flounder fish until the season for the fluke is closed beginning September 27. Charters are fishing, and the next open-boat trip will fish for flounder next Thursday. Bookings are being set for September and October. Sea bass fishing aboard will begin when sea bass season is opened starting October 22. News about tuna was scarcer this week because the MidAtlantic $500,000 tournament was under way from Cape May. But trips picked away at bigeye tuna, like before, and which canyon was fished for them didn’t seem to make a difference. Yellowfin tuna were small and few. A good shot of tuna historically lights up around the final week of August, after the MidAtlantic, at Lindenkohl and Wilmington canyons, where the boat often fishes. Storms begin to roll in, because of the changing seasons, pushing the water around, turning on tuna. Nighttime fishing for tuna should ratchet up in the next 10 days or so. Most tuna are trolled during daytime until late summer, when the fish begin to feed at night, for whatever reasons.   

<b>Ocean City</b>

Kingfish were sometimes banked from the surf, when the water was clear, said Nick from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. No big catches of them were made. Anglers waited for the next full moon that could trigger mullet to start migrating to the surf from back waters, because that could start striped bass biting a bit along jetties and the surf. More and more snapper bluefish appeared in inlets. Lots of small summer flounder and small sea bass swam inlets. Flounder fishing on the ocean was sometimes best at Ocean City Reef, other times at Great Egg Reef, switching back and forth. They gave up lots of action a little away from wrecks and bottom structure. Many boaters stuck tight to the structure, mistakenly. White marlin were trolled at Lindenkohl and Wilmington canyons. Bigeye tuna were trolled at night.

Anglers aboard worked the back bay two and three times daily for summer flounder, said Capt. Victor from the party boats <b>Miss Ocean City</b> and <b>Captain Robbins</b>. A few keeper flounder 18 and 18 ½ inches were drilled. Just lots of action, lots of short flounder, lots of baby, out-of-season sea bass, keeping kids and families occupied. The trips are fishing 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. daily and 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. every Monday and Wednesday.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Surf fishing picked up somewhat, turning up more and more kingfish, said Mike from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. He wouldn’t call the fishing good, but it became lots better. Some croakers, a couple of spots and small blues were mixed in, keeping anglers pretty happy. Surf casting for brown sharks, required to be released, also improved, after slowing, because the water warmed and cleared somewhat. Ocean summer flounder fishing was reportedly tougher this week than before. Old timers say south wind like this week’s is bad for the angling. Occasional keeper flounder still came from the back bay, and most of the bay’s flounder were small. A tremendous number of baby sea bass swam the water. Bigeye tuna were hauled from the offshore canyons, mostly the Wilmington. A couple of reports from boaters competing in this week’s MidAtlantic $500,000 tournament from Cape May said white marlin, not a lot, but some good catches, were landed, and tons of mahi mahi were.

Inshore shark fishing lit up catches, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b>, affiliated with <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. Peter Rotelli and friends released 15 of the sharks to 80 pounds, spinners, duskies and browns, on Tuesday afternoon. Jim Cambell’s family on Wednesday morning released 15 of the fish, the same mix of species, to 80 pounds. In the afternoon, John Bosworth and friends let go 16 of the sharks, the same mix, to 100 pounds. The angling, catch-and-release, usually within 10 miles from shore, is a chance to fight big fish without the long trek offshore. Tom Herter aboard Monday bagged three flounder 3 ½, 5 and 6 pounds, sizable, and released throwbacks and out-of-season sea bass on the ocean. Another angler and niece and nephew boated a 4-pound flounder and released throwbacks, sea bass and two big rays, a cownosed and a stingray, on the back bay Tuesday morning, before the shark trip that day. Fishing’s been good. Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s Blog</a>.

<b>Wildwood</b>

Trips for summer flounder were slated for today and Saturday with <b>Fins & Grins Sport Fishing</b>, Capt. Jim said. Flounder swam ocean reefs. Some trips steamed 25 miles to fish for flounder off Delaware, and Fins does that, too, when anglers want. That takes a longer trip, and the anglers should be experienced, not “tourists,” to fish in the deep water. Flounder fishing will probably become outstanding in the next month, Jim thinks, because the angling usually picks up now. Blues and kingfish schooled off Cape May Point. Fins is trolling the blues on light tackle, fun fishing, and catching the kings, good-eating, on small pieces of clam or mackerel on small hooks. The bluefishing’s been phenomenal, and the blues are growing bigger, reaching 2 ½ or 3 pounds. A few croakers began to school the ocean off Wildwood. Trips are fighting and releasing sharks inshore, tagging them for NOAA. The angling’s an opportunity to wrestle big fish without the long sail offshore. This was a time of season for evening trips from 5 to 9 o’clock. That’s good including for families, fishing and seeing the sunset, with the sun setting at about 8 o’clock, or seeing other sights, like dolphins, too. Lots of bait including silversides and peanut bunker are showing up. Things are coming along.  Fins & Grins fishes for all species available. Trips fish every day, and reservations aren’t required but suggested. Telephone for availability.

One or two summer flounder were hooked from the back bay here and there, but the angling slowed this past week, said Mike from <b>Canal Side Boat Rentals</b>. Maybe the report about the angling will be better next week. Snapper blues schooled, and lots of baby sea bass swarmed. Mullet appeared in canals, making anglers talk about striped bass fishing already. Stripers forage on the baitfish when the bass began to migrate south for the season. Crabbing could be better, but wasn’t bad, and not a ton were trapped. Trips trapped 1 or 1 ½ dozen keepers apiece. Hit or miss, some trips trapped two or three dozen. Canal Side rents boats for fishing, crabbing and pleasure and kayaks. <b>***<i>Get a $5 discount</i>***</b> on a rental boat if you mention Fishing Reports Now. Baits stocked include minnows, scented and unscented squid strips, trolling squid, tube squid, spearing, sand eels, herring, mullet, whole and filleted mackerel, clams in quarts, pints, a pound or nine ounces, whole or cut bunker, and Gulps. Tackle and supplies carried include bucktails, rigs, hooks, minnow boxes, minnow buckets, minnow traps, nets, different crab baskets and more. Crabs, both live and cooked, are sold for eating, and picnic tables are set out to enjoy them, with umbrellas. The crabs were currently No. 1’s for $35 per dozen live and $40 per dozen cooked, and No. 2’s for $20 per dozen live and $25 per dozen cooked. The crabs are cooked in advance in the morning. The shop will clean and cook crabs that people catch. That’s $10 per dozen to clean. The cooking is $10 for up to two dozen and $5 for every additional dozen. The shop was cooking crabs, when Mike gave this report this afternoon in a phone call, that someone caught elsewhere.

<b>Cape May</b>

Inshore shark fishing was good on a trip on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>, Capt. George said. A half-dozen were fought and released, and four or five spit the hook. A tuna trip is supposed to sail Friday, but the anglers might reschedule to next week, because of forecasts for possible storms. Summer flounder fishing had good days and bad on the ocean. George knew about a couple of boats that caught them well Wednesday. This was getting to be the time of year when flounder bunch up, preparing to migrate offshore. So maybe the fishing will amp up. Plenty of bluefish could be trolled at ocean shoals, and plenty of triggerfish could be cranked from ocean wrecks. Telephone if interested in any of this fishing.

On the party boat <b>Porgy IV</b>, summer flounder were pasted every trip, but the angling, on the ocean, was inconsistent, Capt. Paul said. The fishing was slow Saturday but good Sunday. Lots of sizable fluke were creamed Sunday, including the 7-1/2-pound pool-winner and several flounder heavier than 5 pounds. Monday’s trip returned to the same place, but the angling wasn’t so good. Afterward, the boat drifted too fast, and the fishing picked. Wednesday’s trip didn’t get on a great number of the flatfish, and the pool-winning flounder only weighed 4 ½ pounds. Mark Angelo from Philadelphia claimed that one. Flounder are there, Paul thinks, and he tried to find them on Wednesday’s trip, but the trip ran out of time. Trips have been sailing a little farther to find flounder. But another boat found them closer to port Wednesday, at Cape May Reef. The Porgy IV is fishing for summer flounder at 8 a.m. daily.

Sounded like ocean fishing for summer flounder gave up some good catches at wrecks, on Gulps or large baits, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. Flounder bit along the Intracoastal Waterway and bridges, off Cape May Point and in the surf. Some good catches of flounder were known about from Delaware Bay at Flounder Alley and the 9 and 10 buoys. Sharking from shore gave up catches of sandbars and duskies, both required to be released, again. The fishing had slowed a moment, and baits they bit included mackerel, or croakers that surf anglers caught then used for bait. Kingfish sometimes nibbled in the surf.  Croakers and kings are usually found in Cape May Channel, off Cape May Lighthouse. Bayshore Channel surely offered up croakers. Bluefish swam along Poverty Beach, Cape May Point and shoals like 5-Fathom Bank. Lots of snapper blues showed up in the back bay this week. The MidAtlantic $500,000 offshore tournament was under way this week from Cape May. Looked like good catches of bigeye tuna and white and blue marlin were made during the event. One customer got covered up with whites toward Poorman’s Canyon, though he was disappointed, because he aimed for bigeyes. He found flying fish everywhere around the whites, and the flying fish even jumped in the boat. Nick fished on an offshore charter at Wilimington Canyon last week that landed a couple of mahi mahi and missed a couple of knock downs.

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