<b>Sewaren</b>

Fishing limited out on sea bass Saturday on the ocean with <b>Outcast Charters</b>, and a sea bass trip Sunday was canceled because of wind, Capt. Joe said. Saturday’s sea bass were smaller than previously aboard or weighed up to 2 ½ pounds. But the trip limited a little early, and made one drop for ling, bucketing eight or nine. One keeper cod was also clocked on the trip. Sea bass in the previous week aboard weighed up to the 4 pounds. Sea bass season will be closed beginning next Monday, and trips then will fluke. Trips then could also push farther from shore for ling, winter flounder and cod. Outcast offers fishing from Sewaren, N.J., and Staten Island, N.Y.

<b>Keyport</b>

Eighteen keeper fluke to just under 5 pounds were boated Friday on the <b>Vitamin Sea</b>, Capt. Frank wrote in an email. So the fishing was great, and bait seemed to attract bites better than Gulps did. Cocktail blues schooled everywhere, and photos in the email seemed to show that the anglers also kept some of them. A trip Saturday canceled, and a trip Sunday was rescheduled, because of forecasts for wind. Charters and open-boat trips are fishing in mornings and afternoons, and trips with spaces available include open-boats this week through the weekend. One space was left for a Working Man Special Trip 4 to 9 p.m. Thursday. <b>***Update, Wednesday, 6/15:***</b> Fluking remained good, weather looks good, and three spots are available for 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday for an open-boat fluke trip, Capt. Frank wrote in an email. The rest of the week and the weekend are full. Space is available on open trips next week.

With the <b>Down Deep Fleet</b>, sea bass fishing remained super, and spaces are available for trips for this final week of sea bass season, Capt. Mario said. Telephone to reserve open-boat trips that are sailing daily, and the season will be closed beginning next Monday. Down Deep runs two 40-foot boats, and charters are available for all species on tap. Open trips will fish for striped bass at 3 p.m. this Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, and telephone to reserve. Fluke fishing will begin Tuesday, June 20, on daily open trips and on charters. That’s the day after sea bass season closes. Join the <a href=" http://downdeepsportfishing.com/short-notice-list/" target="_blank">Short Notice List</a> on Down Deep’s website to be kept informed about open trips. See available dates on the site’s calendar.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

All-day bite report! a report said about fluke fishing Friday on the <b>Fishermen</b> on the party boat’s website. The trip fished down the ocean beach, and throwbacks gave up great action, and keepers were mixed in. High hooks bagged three, and many customers bagged two good-sized, releasing a bunch of shorts apiece. A couple of 3- to 5-pounders were in the mix. Bucktails fished much better than bait, and weight was needed to hold bottom in strong current, even tight to the beach. On Saturday’s trip, big fluke bit, and the angling was great. Many 3- to 8-pounders were sacked, and some anglers limited out. Wind blew up during the last half-hour, bad conditions. Ron worked the throttles hard throughout the day to keep the boat on the fish, tough in the Saturday boat traffic.  On Sunday’s trip, fluking was no good, because of screaming current. The Fishermen is fishing for fluke 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and for striped bass 6:30 to 11 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 3:30 to 9 p.m. Sundays.

When conditions were right, fluke bit on the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>, Capt. Tom said. Trips fished Raritan Bay, and Sunday’s fluking was tough because of wind on both the morning and afternoon trips. Wind was calmer on this morning’s trip, and the anglers began picking away at fluke, he said at 11 a.m. in a phone call on the outing, giving an update.  On Saturday, a good shot of fluke bit on the morning trip, until wind came up, and fluking began slowly on the afternoon trip, until wind backed off, and the fish began to bite. Friday afternoon’s trip’s fluking was great, probably one of the better trips for the angling this year aboard. Wind had calmed. Sometimes trips fished channels in the bay, when wind and current calmed. The Atlantic Star is fishing for fluke 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 6 p.m. daily.

<b>Highlands</b>

Sea bass fishing Saturday took a ride a little farther than before and fished a wreck not fished previously in a while with <b>Lady M Charters</b>, Capt. Steve said. The anglers limited out in little over an hour, and the sea bass included lots of good-sized. On a trip Sunday, sea bass fishing was tough in strong wind. Some sea bass and ling were managed, and a couple of drifts for fluke were made, but fishing was tough. Charters are available, and two spaces are open Friday for an open-boat sea bass trip. Two spaces are available for an extended fluke trip next week on Tuesday, June 21. That’s the day after sea bass season closes. Don’t miss out, Steve said, on bottom-fishing at the Mudhole aboard after sea bass season closes on open trips and charters. Catches can include ling, winter flounder, cod and more. Anglers love those outings, because they never know what they’ll reel up next.  Fluke fishing and the Mudhole trips will be the next big things, he said.

<b>Neptune</b>

A trip had a window to fish the ocean Sunday between strong wind, said Capt. Ralph from <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b>. The anglers piled up sea bass, ling and a cod, a good catch, in 2 hours, and the mate filleted fish for 1 ½ hours afterward. Space is available on an individual-reservation trip for sea bass Wednesday, before sea bass season is closed beginning next Monday. The year’s first fluke trip fished Saturday, and many small fluke bit, but some keepers were bagged, and the angling was fantastic for the year’s first trip for them. Annual individual-reservation trips for fluke that fish every Tuesday will begin next week. Kids 12 and younger sail free on those outings, limited to one per adult host. Strong wind blew on a striped bass trip Thursday, and only one striper was managed, on live bait. None bit on the troll. One or two boats scored well on the bass that day. A few dates are available for mako shark charters. Charters are available daily for all species available. Individual-reservation trips for cod are set for July 13 and 27 and August 3, 17 and 31.

<b>Belmar</b>

One charter limited out on striped bass, including a 50-pounder, a 49-pounder, a 45-pounder and others in the high 30s on the ocean Sunday morning, Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> wrote in an email. Big stripers bit “like it’s the end of the world” for boaters on the ocean, “but not for us guys fishing off the beach,” he wrote. Get out and boat for them, and try to release some. On Shark River, Jesse Thomas from Wall bagged a 5-pound 8-ounce fluke, and the shop’s rental boaters cracked the flatfish to 5 pounds.  “The fluke were hitting much better (Sunday),” Bob wrote. <b>***Update, Wednesday, 6/15:***</b> “Just a short note,” Bob wrote in an email. He’s been weighing large stripers boated on the ocean all day. He weighed a 45-pounder and a 35-pounder from the Miss Belmar Princess yesterday. After seeing so many stripers to 40 and 50 pounds and larger, he’d almost lose his inspiration to try to angle schoolie stripers from shore. Maybe he was jealous, and maybe one of the big stripers will roam into the surf and hit his plug. He doubts it, though. Congrats to the boaters putting in time to land the trophy fish. Boaters are having a great season. If you want these fish, there’s no better time to jump on a boat.

Striped bass fishing on the ocean was pretty good for large ones, said Capt. Pete from <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b>. The bass to 45 pounds were reeled aboard on livelined bunker when possible and on the troll otherwise. The fishing was better in afternoons than mornings, unless anglers fished before first light. Pete’s also running party-boat trips on another vessel that are livelining bunker for the bass with limited passengers, and see info on <a href=" http://www.parkerpetefishing.com/" target="_blank">Parker Pete’s website</a>. The year’s first fluke trip is slated for Wednesday aboard. The ocean was 62 or 64 degrees, and Pete couldn’t say how fluking is, until he runs the trip. But some reports talked about lots of life with throwbacks, and working for keepers. Sea bass fishing was back and forth or up and down. Bluefishing was hit or miss. Don’t have enough anglers for a charter? Contact Parker Pete’s anyway about individual spaces on charters. Sign up for the email blast on the boat’s website to kept informed about the spaces.

The <b>Katie H</b> was returned to Belmar on Saturday, after updates to the vessel, like underwater lights, Capt. Mike said. A bunch of trips are scheduled to fish in the near future, and the crew fished Saturday while returning the boat to the port from farther north. They trolled at Shrewsbury Rocks a moment, hooking a few bluefish, and sea bassed a little. Seas were rough in cranking wind, but a few sea bass were pitched aboard. Trips will fish inshore but will also push farther out soon, maybe on combo trips for sharks and bluefin tuna, if those catches are biting. The 46-foot Katie H features all the amenities and speed.

<b>***Update, Wednesday, 6/15:***</b> What a difference a day makes! an email said from the party boat <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b>. Wind finally calmed Tuesday, and great fishing for bluefish, and huge striped bass in the mix at the end, was bombed on the day’s trip aboard, “north of Shark River Inlet,” it said. Blues 5 to 14 pounds bit on “endless drifts” of the boat that lasted an hour. Numerous blues were hooked on each drift. The stripers showed up when bunker were found schooling late in the trip. Stripers including two heavier than 40 pounds, one larger than 30 pounds and others, all keepers, were reeled aboard. Was a great day of fishing. The Miss Belmar Princess is sailing for striped bass and blues 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. Family fishing and sunset cruises are sailing 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. every Friday through Sunday.

Was good fishing for blues and striped bass Friday on the <b>Golden Eagle</b>, a report said on the party boat’s website. The anglers banged away at large blues to 15 pounds most of the trip. Late in the day, insane striper fishing erupted. Six to eight stripers 30 to 40 pounds were hooked at once, several times. The blues were jigged, and the stripers were jigged and were hooked on livelined bunker. Saturday’s trip had a couple of good shots at large blues, but not for long. Then blues were picked here and there the rest of the trip, but too few. Wind began to blow strongly toward the end, ending catches. Sunday’s trip locked into decent fishing for blues, but smaller than previously. Maybe that was because of wind. The Golden Eagle is fishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. Afternoon fishing and sunset cruise trips are sailing 4:30 to 8:30 Fridays through Saturdays.

<b>Brielle</b>

<b>***Update, Wednesday, 6/15:***</b> Beautiful day on the water yesterday, Capt. Ryan from the party boat <b>Jamaica II</b> wrote in an email. On the morning trip for fluke, the fish gave up no lack of action, and some keepers, but not enough keepers. Some anglers landed more than 20 throwbacks. On the afternoon sea bass and fluke trip, the first drop turned up a brief flurry of big sea bass. The next drop fished best, and the last drop “was a bit dull,” he said. Some anglers bagged four to six sea bass. Some bagged eight, and two limited out on 10. Not bad for a half-day trip, he said. Anglers who fished Ava 27 jigs caught best. Sea bass are feeding on sand eels, so jigs have been smoking the fish.  Carla Willams from Bristol, Pa., limited out on sea bass and won the pool with a 4-pounder. Martin Jameson from Lincroft, N.J., bagged nine sea bass and three ling to 3 ½ pounds.

Many striped bass were boated on the ocean, mostly on the troll, sometimes on bunker snagged and then livelined, said Vinny from <b>The Reel Seat</b>. No stripers were heard about from the surf, and only bluefish were. Small stripers were played on Manasquan River. Fluke fishing was pretty good on the river sometimes, or sometimes a trip landed a few keepers. Anglers said wind couldn’t be fished on the river today, pushing a boat’s drift too fast. Vinny fluked on Raritan Bay last week, finding great catches. A 463-pound mako shark was entered in a tournament this weekend. A couple heavier than 300 were reportedly also entered. Tuna were caught at southern canyons. Washington Canyon fished well for them.   

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

On the <b>Norma-K III</b> on the ocean, fluke fishing was good the past few days, Capt. Matt wrote Saturday in a report on the party boat’s website. Some sizable keepers and lots of action with shorts was copped. The population of big fluke should increase as days go on. A 7-pound 9-ouncer was currently in the lead in the monthly pool. On Friday night’s bluefish trip, fishing was tough, and a few were lost at the final stop. At that location, 2- to 4-pounders were seen and followed hooks reeled in, “but were just not eating,” he said. Bluefish trips will give the angling their best shot, like previously. 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. 

Good action on fluke on Friday morning’s trip on the <b>Gambler</b> on the ocean in 25 to 45 feet, the party boat’s Facebook page said that day. Two anglers limited out, and lots of throwbacks bit. Some monster stripers were bagged aboard that night on live bait, and about half the stripers hooked on the trip were landed. Plenty of big stripers are around, and customers need to use all their fishing skills to hook and land them, working closely with the deckhands from start to finish. Fluke trips are fishing 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 to 6:30 p.m. daily. Striper trips are running 7:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. every Thursday through Saturday.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

Boaters still did a job on striped bass to 40 pounds and heavier on the ocean last week, a report said on <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>’ website. That was on large, trolled bunker spoons and on bunker snagged for bait and then livelined on the trips. Kayakers also whacked the bass, but surf anglers didn’t so much. Surf casters bagged an occasional striper, and needed the bait to swim into the surf to attract stripers. Anglers in the surf sometimes fought a few blues, smaller ones than earlier this season. Crabbing was good from the dock last week. One of the store’s rental boaters last week crabbed off Good Luck Point, across Barnegat Bay from the store, returning with four dozen large crabs, and the crabber reported throwing back many 4- to 4-1/2-inchers. The Dock Outfitters, located on Barnegat Bay, blocks from the ocean surf, features a bait and tackle shop, a café, a dock for fishing and crabbing, boat rentals and jet-ski rentals.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Some bluefish were jigged and a good-sized striped bass was bagged Friday on the <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b>, a report on the party boat’s website said. A couple of other stripers were lost. On Saturday’s trip, only a few small blues were jigged. “Lots of bunker around, but not much bothering them today,” it said. No report was posted for Sunday, and maybe wind weathered out the day’s trip. Beginning Friday, the boat will fish on half-day fluke trips at 8 a.m. daily. Sea bass could also be targeted, until sea bass season is closed beginning Monday. 

Sea bass and a few ling, a pretty decent catch, were cranked aboard Saturday from the ocean on the <b>Super Chic</b>, Capt. Ted said. No trip fished Sunday in wind, and a couple of sea bass trips and a couple of bluefish trip are slated for this coming weekend. Striped bass remained in the ocean, getting trolled and getting hooked on livelined bunker. A striper tournament from Harvey Cedars went well during the weekend, and 66 stripers were weighed-in from the 55 boats entered, he thought. Tuna trips ran far south to catch, he thought. Sharks were heard about from Barnegat Ridge. A trip there that trolled for bluefish hooked and lost a mako shark and landed a thresher shark.

<b>Barnegat</b>

The following report was posted as an update Sunday and is being re-posted in case anybody missed it. From an edited email from Capt. Dave DeGennaro from the <b>Hi Flier</b>: (On Friday) afternoon we started our trip on the ocean off Seaside looking for the big stripers with Joe and Crystal Roccia from Bellmawr and Steve Pressler from Wayne on board. We were trolling bunker spoons, and after 2 hours of no action, we throttled up to return to Barnegat Inlet and fish the bay. We anchored in Oyster Creek Channel, put out some clam baits and went 2 for 4 on 14-pound stripers. That saved our trip. (On Saturday) I had Patrick Kerrigan and son Christian along with their friend Dan Cinotti, all from Virginia. We broke Barnegat Inlet early, made a left (as always) and cruised close to the beach, looking for pods of bunker. Made it all the way to the Seaside Piers without finding any bunker, so we swung out to the deep, 60 feet of water, and put out the trolling rods.  About an hour in, the center rod with a big Mojo lure gets hammered. Fifteen minutes later, <a href=" https://youtu.be/y8-ClE-07lY
" target="_blank">Dan decks his 38-pounder</a>. A half-hour later the same rod and lure goes off, and Christian adds a 25-pound bass to the cooler. After a 1-1/2-hour intermission with no hits or runs, the white No. 4 Tony Maja spoon in the starboard outrodder is screaming. A <a href="https://youtu.be/-EMKsu2d8jY" target="_blank">43-pound striper</a> for Patrick to top off our catch. Just then, the forecast 20-knot south wind came up, and we headed for the barn. (An open-boat trip was supposed to sail at 4 a.m. today, headed to the same area, looking for bunker to snag in the early morning, switching over to the troll for the finish.) Running trips at 12 noon or 1 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, returning 6 hours later. Three people max, all fish are shared. All these dates are also available for your private charter.”

<b>Beach Haven</b>

The <b>June Bug</b> had been going to be returned to Beach Haven in early June, from its winter home at Oregon Inlet, Capt. Lindsay said. But a mechanical issue popped up, so that was delayed, and the boat will be returned this week. A trip is scheduled to fish Saturday from Beach Haven. The boat each year is returned to Beach Haven in June to fish from New Jersey from then until autumn. Saturday’s trip will fish for whatever’s biting, but will fish inshore. The only offshore catches heard about were tuna and mako sharks at Washington Canyon, far south.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

Wind didn’t help fishing, a report said on <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>’s website. From those who fished anyway, mixed reviews came in about summer flounder catches. The angling was hit or miss at the clam stakes in the bay. Four to five keepers were bagged on some boats, and none was landed on some. Also try fishing off the Fish Factory for flounder. The store’s crew tied up flounder rigs with a trailing, floating bucktail, and some good reviews rolled into the shop about it. News about ocean striper fishing was quiet in the wind. Bluefish, smaller than the large blues earlier this season, sometimes popped up behind Holgate and in Mullica River.

<b>Brigantine</b>

A grandfather, a father and a son each dragged drum from the surf on a trip together, a report said Sunday on <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>’s website. Drum fishing turned on that afternoon from the beach. A photo of seven healthy-sized kingfish was posted on the shop’s Facebook page that an angler nabbed from the surf that day. Wind began to ease somewhat today, blowing 5 to 10 knots from northwest.  

<b>Atlantic City</b>

Anglers on foot still reeled in striped bass, said Jeremy from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. That was at night and during daylight, a mix, and bunker or clams could be fished for them. The anglers picked up weakfish and good-sized summer flounder. They tugged up kingfish and croakers. Along all the jetties lining Absecon Inlet could be fished for all these catches, from the T-jetty on the ocean end to the sea wall on the bay end. Bloodworms or soft-plastic lures could be fished for the weaks. Minnows and squid could be dunked for the flounder. Mostly bloodworms nipped the kings and croakers, but clams could be tossed for them. All these baits and more, a large supply, are stocked.

<b>Longport</b>

<b>Stray Cat</b> is back in Longport, Capt. Mike said. The boat had been getting repowered at Crisfield, Md., where the vessel was built. The two new engines are installed, and a Coast Guard inspection is supposed to be completed this week. The vessel is expected to begin fishing by the end of the week. That could be for catches including sea bass, before sea bass season is closed beginning Monday, and for summer flounder. Mike will run a couple of test trips first and get dialed in.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Lisa Miller and friend Ann fly-rodded small blues on the back bay Saturday aboard, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. They fished Clouser Minnows on sinking lines, and no trip fished Sunday because of weather. Wind blew strongly, though the day was beautiful otherwise. The bay’s summer flounder fishing improved a little and was “on the slow side.” Joe hopes to get after the flounder this week. Sea bass fishing was good on the ocean, including on a trip recently aboard. Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s Blog</a>.

<b>Avalon</b>

Wind caused a trip to be canceled during the weekend aboard, said Capt. Jim from <b>Fins & Feathers Outfitters</b>. He fished along the Intracoastal Waterway, and small summer flounder and small blues bit. Another group is supposed to fish in the next days aboard.

<b>Wildwood</b>

Weather was rough and seas reached 6 feet, but a decent catch of sea bass was plumbed inshore Saturday with 12 anglers from a family aboard, said Capt. Jim from <b>Fins & Grins Sport Fishing</b>. The catch was fair, was work and a long day. The trip jumped around to lots of spots to hook keepers among lots of throwbacks, but made the catch. Wind blew even stronger Sunday, so no trip fished that day. A few drum continued to bite in Delaware Bay at the Pin Top. Fins did no fishing for them in past days, but Jim’s buddies caught the drum. Summer flounder fishing seemed to improve somewhat in the back bay in the last week. Some began to be reported caught on the ocean, including from a party boat that decked them at the Old Grounds and seemed pleased. Fins offers back-bay fishing on a smaller, center console boat for up to three anglers. Otherwise, trips fish on a larger boat, including for flounder on the ocean. Customers can even crab on the back bay. Crabbing slowed compared with before, for the moment, and that seemed because water temperature dropped. Fins fishes every day, and reservations aren’t required but suggested. Telephone for availability.

<b>Cape May</b>

Trips competed Friday and Saturday in the South Jersey Shark Tournament on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>, Capt. George said. Just blue sharks were fought aboard, and plenty of blue sharks swam the water. Friday’s trip fished near the Elephant Trunk, and the water was 61 degrees, pretty chilly, on arrival at the fishing grounds, reaching 65 later in the day. Saturday’s trip fished a different place, looking for a thresher shark “or something big,” George said, and the water was 65 degrees the whole time on the fishing grounds. Wind blew strongly both days, from northwest Friday and from south Saturday. The blue sharks on the trips weighed 100 to 150 pounds. About a 350-pound mako shark won, George thought, and he thought no threshers were weighed. The tournament’s website showed that a 360-pound mako won. A 235-pound blue shark was the biggest blue weighed, and the anglers won a substantial amount of money for the blue, according to the site. No threshers were listed as weighed or released on the site, though two sharks were released that were listed as “other.” A few dusky, brown and tiger sharks were listed as released on the site. In other news, sea bass fishing’s been good, and trips are available for them aboard, before sea bass season is closed beginning next Monday. Lots of anglers have been telephoning about tuna fishing on the boat. Drum still bit in Delaware Bay sometimes, and a boat from the docks landed five of the drum 50 pounds apiece Saturday night.

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