<b>Keyport</b>

Fluke fishing was no good during the weekend, Capt. Frank from the <b>Vitamin Sea</b> wrote in an email. Trips dealt with no current, wind against tide, an ocean swell and fluke that were spread out, not concentrated. Fluke are certainly around to be caught – and big ones at that, he said – but trips couldn’t get good conditions. The best fluking is farther from shore, and the conditions are needed to fish there. In addition to fluke moving offshore, porgy fishing is improving, bluefish are around to jig, and striped bass are biting at night. Summer fish are leaving, and fall fish are moving in. Charters are fishing, and the year’s final open-boat fluke trip will sail Thursday, and a few spaces remain. “So come and join us,” he said. Trips are also carrying fresh clams for the option to bottom-fish, if fluking isn’t good enough. Frank’s looking forward to bottom-fishing, “chunking, eeling, doing some jig fishing,” he said, and maybe even worming for stripers and weakfish. As fall fish migrate in, trips will be tailored to fish for whatever optimizes the chances for a good catch. Fall can also bring weather, so telephone for the open-boat schedule for these trips. The dates will be picked to sail during better weather, like sunny instead of rainy, and west wind instead of east. Book fall striped bass and blackfish charters now, before preferred dates are taken. Anyone who books a striper charter will be provided a bonus tag to bag an extra bass.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Some of the fluke trips fished Flynn’s Knoll, picking at throwbacks, some keepers, not bad action, on the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b> in past days, Capt. Tom said. This morning’s trip fished the ocean, picking at throwbacks, an occasional keeper, so far, he said aboard at 9:30 a.m., when he gave this report in a phone call. He expected to fish the ocean, not Flynn’s, on this afternoon’s trip, because of west wind forecast. No trips fished Thursday in weather, but all trips fished since. Fluking was similar at all locations fished, and the trips worked around the elements. Sometimes fluke were hooked on one trip, and then the weather turned. The angling was okay on Saturday morning, and wind picked up in the afternoon. Rain fell that day. Weather began calm on Sunday, though seas were a little rocky and rolly, and a few fluke were picked at Flynn’s. Wind picked up in the afternoon. The Atlantic Star is fishing for fluke 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 6 p.m. daily.

The party boat <b>Fishermen</b> sailed for fluke Thursday, Capt. Ron wrote in a report on the vessel’s website. “Fluking in the snot!” he said, and that was the most recent report at press time A handful of customers fished on a roll on the ocean and a swell from east and south on the trip. But an 8.2-pounder was nailed, and the conditions were uncomfortable but fishable. Fluke were “hungry” in the morning, and the best fluking was during an hour in the rain. “Paul had the first limit of the day, followed by Dana B. with her limit of fish up to 5 ½ pounds,” Ron wrote. Another angler and Capt. Ron Sr. bagged four good-sized fluke apiece. The angler with the 8.2-pounder won the pool with the fish, releasing it, after weighing the catch and taking a photo. Bring heavy rods to fish the depths this time of year. The Fishermen is sailing for fluke 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. 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.

<b>Neptune</b>

The year’s final individual-reservation trips for fluke will sail Tuesday and next week on Friday with <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b>, Capt. Ralph wrote in an email. Good catches were made on the most recent one of the trips, last Tuesday, covered in the last report here. Individual-reservation trips will fish for cod October 1 and 20 and will fish inshore wrecks October 4. Charters are available daily.

<b>Belmar</b>

Surf fishing came to life in past days, Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> wrote in an email. Small striped bass – but some to 11 pounds were seen – smacked popper lures most of the time, and the stripers fed on mullet. “Hope it is just the beginning of the fall run,” Bob wrote. Fluke fishing was good on the ocean. The fish to 8 pounds were reported caught on Belmar boats. Good porgy fishing was reported from some of the boats this weekend. On Shark River, fishing for snappers and fluke kept going strong. <b>***Update, Tuesday, 9/15:***</b> Reports flew in about stripers beached from the surf “from all areas,” Bob wrote in an email. The fish swiped poppers, and fluke also bit in the surf. “Everything enjoying the abundance of bait,” he said. Bluefish and false albacore stormed into Belmar’s surf this morning. “Wonderful time to be a surf fisherman,” he said.

Tuna failed to show up on a trip 60 to 70 miles from shore Saturday aboard, said Capt. Scott from <b>XTC Sportfishing</b>. False albacore and skipjacks were hooked, and a trip on the boat last Sunday to Monday landed two bigeye tuna and a couple of yellowfin tuna. Another trip is supposed to fish for tuna Wednesday on the boat, and tuna fishing will make up much of the schedule for now aboard.

Bluefish 4 to 10 pounds were run into Friday on a few drifts of the <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b>, to the north, an email from the party boat said. Small blues were hooked before and afterward on the trip, a good day of fishing. The locations where the small blues were found included along the beach, north of Shark River Inlet. Saturday’s trip whacked a couple of good shots at 4- to 12-pound blues between the channels, and small blues off Highlands, an okay day of fishing. Sunday’s trip’s fishing was slow, tackling a few small blues off Highlands, and a few big between the channels. The Miss Belmar Princess is fishing for striped bass and blues 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily. Nighttime trips for blues on Saturdays will no longer sail, until the fish show up in the dark. 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.

Great fishing for big blues 8 to 15 pounds was smashed Friday on the <b>Golden Eagle</b>, a report on the party boat’s website said. Bluefishing was decent on Saturday’s trip for small blues early in the morning, 10- to 12-pounders at mid-day and small blues later in the day. On Sunday’s trip, big blues were pounded, “just not enough,” the report said.  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. See the <a href=" http://goldeneaglefishing.com/tuna-reservation.html" target="_blank">tuna schedule and reservation form</a> on the boat’s website.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

Bigger fluke were sometimes lit into on the party boat <b>Gambler</b> on the ocean, Capt. Bob said. Nico Mattino from Brick hauled in one that weighed more than 9 pounds, hooking the fish simply on a spearing-and-squid combo. The number of fluke bagged was a little off in past days, or fewer were bagged than wanted. But some bigger came in, and throwbacks still gave up action. Fish including sand sharks, 1-pound blues, out-of-season sea bass, skates and sea robins also bit, plenty of action. On the last nighttime bluefish trip, this weekend, fishing was kind of slow for 1- to 2-pounders, and some mackerel were still around on the outing. The nighttime ling trip was weathered out this weekend. The Gambler is fishing for fluke 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 to 6:30 p.m. daily. Trips are fishing for ling 7:30 p.m. to 12:30 .m. every Thursday and for blues every Friday and Saturday during those hours. That’s the schedule until only tuna trips will sail beginning on September 21. For the tuna trips, weekends are filling, and more spaces remain on weekdays. See the <a href=" http://www.gamblerfishing.net/offshoretrips.php" target="_blank">tuna schedule</a> online.

<b>Brielle</b>

On the <b>Jamaica II</b>, fluke fishing was great, “on the days when conditions were reasonable,” Capt. Ryan from the party boat wrote in an email. Strong wind often blew, making the fishing tough on some trips. The fluke bagged were bigger fish, and 3- to 6-pounders were common, especially when the boat drifted slowly. Ed Nolan from Manasquan, Ray Bryant from South Orange and Pete Talevi from Trenton all limited out on fluke to 6 pounds.  Frank Pogue was in the lead for the monthly pool with a 9.6-pounder. Fluke season will be closed starting September 27. “Let’s get ‘em while we still can,” Ryan wrote.  Half-day trips are fishing for fluke 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, and Fluke Super Marathons are fishing 6 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. every Monday.

Bigeye tuna were trolled at Hudson Canyon from the East Elbow to the 100 Square at night on Bomber CD30 lures, and a few were trolled on clones fished deep, said Eric from <b>The Reel Seat</b>. The fish were also chunked and jigged at night, and, if anglers got lucky, they chunked and jigged a few yellowfin tuna and longfin tuna in the area at night. Lots of mahi mahi, from chickens to 30 or 40 pounds, were reported from the area. Not much was heard currently about yellowfins that were caught at the Bacardi wreck before, probably because of weather. But clear water was known to push into the Glory Hole, and a few boaters picked away at mahi mahi at lobster-pot buoys there. False albacore and Spanish mackerel were trolled at the Mudhole on Nos. 0 and 1 Clark spoons and feathers. Tons of small bluefish were fought from Sea Girt Reef to Shrewsbury Rocks, “kind of inshore” of there. Not much was heard about mackerel that were abundant on bluefish trips previously. Sometimes the blues now pushed into the surf. Quick shots of false albacore, like 10 minutes, tore into the surf at first light. More about surf fishing in a moment. First, fluke fishing on the ocean was similar to all season: up and down, hit and miss. Sometimes a trip put together a good catch, and other trips drifted and dreamed.  Most of the fluke were throwbacks, and junk fish also bit. The fluking seemed the same from Ambrose Channel to down the coast. Ling fishing seemed to hold up okay on the ocean. The ling were small to medium, and high hooks clobbered 30 or 40. Big winter flounder were hooked on ling trips. Cod fishing was good. Wrecks 30 miles from shore gave up bigger cod 20 and 30 pounds. Shark River Reef and the Mudhole turned out smaller cod to 10 and 15 pounds. Here’s more about the surf. Mullet began to appear in the surf, migrating from back waters, three or four days ago. That picked up surf-fishing for small striped bass from Spring Lake to Island Beach State Park. Lots of fluke, mostly throwbacks, were banked from the surf. Manasquan River offered some of the best fishing. Fluking continued in the river, mostly for shorts, but some keepers. Shots of sizable blues 10 and 15 pounds popped up in the river. The river’s striper fishing was fairly consistent at night at Routes 35 and 70 bridges. The bass also bit in Point Pleasant Canal at night. Bigger stripers were eeled at both places, and up to a 38-incher was reported. Lots of the stripers were throwbacks 25 or 27 inches, hooked on lures like Fin-S Fish or rubber shads.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

From the surf, small blues and small striped bass were sometimes beached, a report on <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>’ website said. Concentrate fishing toward Barnegat Inlet’s north jetty at Island Beach State Park. Surf fishing will pick up as baitfish migrate to the surf and ocean from back waters. Mullet sometimes already migrated the surf, and medium-sized blues were on them at Island Beach at times this weekend. Brown sharks, required to be released, were reported caught in the surf at first light. Each month, the angler who weighs-in the  biggest fish from the surf wins a $50 gift certificate to the shop. Barnegat Bay turned out some bigger blowfish and decent-sized kingfish mixed in. Crabbing gave up many throwbacks waded through to nab keepers. Catching keepers was picky. 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. Fresh mullet began to be stocked. Catch the blowout sale on selected models of Penn reels from $69.99 to $119.99, while supplies last. The shop is selling 2011 Yamaha VX waverunners for $3,000 apiece.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

A couple of fluke trips fished the ocean, straight off Barnegat Inlet, this weekend on the <b>Super Chic</b>, Capt. Ted said. Saturday’s trip hooked maybe 10 keepers and 50 or 60 throwbacks, not bad. The fishing on Sunday’s trip, at the same place, wasn’t so good. Weather was beautiful Saturday, and seas were bumpy in wind Sunday. A bluefish charter is supposed to sail aboard Tuesday. Super Chic’s next tuna fishing is supposed to sail late this month, unless somebody books before then. Trips picked away at tuna, like before, Ted guessed. But he heard no reports in past days.

<b>Beach Haven</b>

Fishing for tuna was weathered out this weekend on the <b>June Bug</b>, Capt. Lindsay said. The anglers were flexible to fish either overnight Friday to Saturday or Saturday to Sunday, and that helps. But forecasts were rough for either option. A trip on another boat Wednesday to Thursday at Hudson Canyon landed a 190-pound bigeye tuna and one yellowfin tuna that looked like it weighed 30 or 35 pounds. The trip also cracked 40 mahi mahi at lobster pots. A scallop boat was heard about that got covered up with big bluefin tuna and yellowfin tuna at the Elephant  Trunk this weekend. Anglers waited for the boat to return today to hear more.

<b>Brigantine</b>

Lots of smaller fish bit in the surf, but that was action, Capt. Andy from <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b> wrote in a report on the shop’s website. “The kingfish have been non-stop, and the snapper blues (have been) right there with them,” he said. Snappers are one of the best baits, so keep them to slice up for bait, he said. “When will the stripers show up?” he asked. Fresh mullet have been stocked daily. The annual Fall Riptide Striper Derby kicked off on Wednesday. A new category for bluefish, awarding cash for the three heaviest, was added this year. The contest is for stripers and blues beached from Brigantine’s surf. Entry includes a permit that allows beach buggies to drive the entire Brigantine front beach, when accompanied by a Brigantine beach-buggy permit. Without the tournament’s permit, not all the beach can be driven.

<b>Longport</b>

The <b>Stray Cat</b> fished Saturday, Capt. Mike said. False albacore, lots, were trolled in the ocean on the outing, and seas weren’t rough, but wind blew against the current. That slowed the boat’s drift, difficult for summer flounder fishing. But flounder are stacked up in 70 and 90 feet in the ocean, at rock piles and lumps, and Stray Cat will target them, until flounder season is closed starting September 27. The next open-boat trip is set for Wednesday, targeting whatever can be caught. Forecasts called for rough weather Saturday, but weather was calm on the trip. Sunday became windy, making seas rough, and no trip fished in that. Many of the baby sea bass that swam the back bay migrated to the ocean. Stray Cat will fish for sea bass, when sea bass season is opened starting October 22. Tons of mullet remained in the bay, were yet to migrate to the ocean. The mullet were seen in mornings under lights. All kinds of life, including spearing and glass minnows, crammed the bay. Trips aboard will probably fish for croakers on the ocean, after flounder season closes, and before sea bass season begins. Recent wind probably pushed croakers and small weakfish toward shore, like into 30 or 35 feet.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Doug Gillespie cranked in two keeper summer flounder 4 to 5 pounds, good-sized, and a bunch of throwbacks and out-of-season sea bass Sunday on the ocean aboard, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. The throwbacks and sea bass were released, of course. Dan Cristel’s family on Saturday aboard the ocean decked two keeper flounder and some throwbacks, sea bass and the southern species amberjacks, blue runners and even a 7-inch gag grouper. That’s the first gag grouper Joe ever saw in New Jersey, but he heard about some previously this season. A friend who’s a biology teacher found a 3-1/2-inch bonefish in his net in Cape May Harbor this season. The friend seines the harbor sometimes, and Joe never heard about a bonefish this far north before. Another friend this summer saw a barracuda at a buoy off New Jersey this summer, and the barracuda was the biggest the friend, who’s experienced, ever saw, probably 6 feet. The ocean was 74 degrees on Joe’s trips, and on Saturday, seas weren’t great but alright. Rain poured in the afternoon, after the trip was finished. On Sunday’s trip, seas began a little bumpy, improved, and then, on the way back to port, became rough. Joe saw spinner sharks, another warm-water species, jumping on Saturday. He’d been fishing for sharks inshore like that this summer, but is finished with the trips for the season. Joe this weekend will launch annual traveling charters to Montauk, New York, to fish the migration of striped bass, blues and false albacore. Ever want to fish the fall run from the legendary port? Joe’s going. Annual traveling charters will fish the Florida Keys from Christmas to Easter.    Visit <a href=" http://www.captainjoehughes.com/page3.html" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s traveling charters Web page</a>. Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s Blog</a>.

<b>Wildwood</b>

September is mixed-bag fishing for summer flounder, blues, croakers and a few weakfish, said Capt. Jim from <b>Fins & Grins Sport Fishing</b>. He bear hunted in Maine, bagging a 210-pound black bear, this past week, and resumes fishing this week. Fins & Grins fishes every day, and reservations aren’t required but suggested. Telephone for availability.

<b>Cape May</b>

Bluefish were trolled off Cape May Point on Saturday on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>, Capt. George said. Seas and weather were fine during the outing, but rain began to fall afterward, at 2 p.m. Anglers from the docks said wind began to blow on Sunday afternoon. Boaters who fished for summer flounder bagged two or three and released throwbacks on the ocean. Heavy Hitter will fish for flounder until flounder season is closed starting September 27. Charters will fish for tuna this fall, if the fishing kicks in. Currently, a few bigeye tuna bit at the canyons off Cape May, and sometimes yellowfin tuna caught were heard about from farther north, at Hudson Canyon.  Charters aboard will fish for sea bass when sea bass season is opened starting October 22, and for blackfish when six blackfish becomes the bag limit starting November 16. One is the current limit. If anglers are interested in striped bass fishing this fall, they better reserve dates. Anglers are telephoning about the angling.

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