<b>Keyport</b>

Capt. Frank from the <b>Vitamin Sea</b> returned from traveling last week and will now resume fluke fishing, hearing that the catches were good throughout last week, he wrote in an email. Trips will begin fishing deep water, “where the monsters live,” he said, when conditions are favorable. Charters are fishing, and space is available on an open-boat trip 4 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, a Working Man’s Special. Three spots are available on an open trip that will depart at 6 a.m. Thursday. Space is available on open trips next week, and telephone to reserve any of these trips. “Get your dose of Vitamin Sea!”

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

A 10.2-pound fluke was plowed Friday on the <b>Fishermen</b>, a report said on the party boat’s website. Brianna Dustin from Winfield Park, N.J., won the pool with the fish, her personal best, and limited out. “Some great fish coming in once again,” it said. Another angler reeled up a 7.9-pounder, one of three he bagged on the trip. A charter fished Saturday aboard, and the trip headed to where the boat had been fishing, but met one heck of a roll. The trip worked its way back to the bay after one drift. A handful of keepers and some throwbacks were picked on the outing. Not a good day for any boats, but an 8-pound fluke won the pool. The Fishermen is sailing 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.

Fishing for fluke, mostly at Reach Channel and Sandy Hook Bay, trips on the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b> caught when conditions were good, Capt. Tom said. When conditions were off, fishing was slower. A 9-1/2-pound fluke was heaved aboard Friday. On Sunday morning’s trip, conditions hardly drifted the boat. On the afternoon’s trip, the boat drifted too fast. Southeast wind blew too strongly to fish the Reach on Saturday’s trip. So the trips fished the bay, where the day was calm, and the boat drifted well. Trips were fortunate to be able to fish the bay, and all trips sailed lately, even when forecasts looked like possible showers. The Atlantic Star is fluke fishing 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 6 p.m. daily.

<b>Highlands</b>

An open-boat fluke trip Sunday with <b>Lady M Charters</b> mopped up mostly slow catches, maybe because of wind the previous two days, Capt. Steve said. Each angler bagged a few apiece, and throwbacks, including 17-1/2-inch “heartbreakers,” he said, 1/2 inch undersized, gave up some action. Ling, believe it or not, he said, and sea bass were mixed in. A trip was supposed to bottom-fish at the Mudhole today. Charters and open trips are fishing, and see schedules on <a href=" https://www.facebook.com/ladymcharters/?ref=py_c" target="_blank">Lady M’s Facebook page</a> or <a href=" http://ladymcharters.com/" target="_blank">website</a>.

<b>Neptune</b>

Excellent bottom-fishing was scooped up the past three days with <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b>, Capt. Ralph wrote in an email. The charters boxed winter flounder, ling, sea bass, blackfish and even fluke. The weekly, individual-reservation trip for fluke last week scored some good-sized. So fishing was great this past week aboard. Fishing’s really turned on, he said. Individual-reservation fluke trips are sailing every Tuesday, and kids under 12 sail free on those outings, limited to one per adult host. Limited spaces remain for individual-reservation trips for cod Wednesday and on July 27 and August 3, 17 and 31. Limited spots remain for an individual-reservation trip that will fish inshore wrecks July 24. Sea bass trips are booking quickly for when 15 becomes the sea bass bag limit from October 22 to the end of the year. Charters are only $900 for that angling for up to 10 passengers. An individual-reservation trip for sea bass is slated for October 25, and limited spaces remain. Charters are available daily, including for sharks and tuna.

<b>Belmar</b>

With <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b> on the ocean, somewhat nasty weather made fluke fishing tough Saturday, but the fishing bounced back Sunday, Capt. Pete said. Only a few keepers bit, but Parker Pete’s has yet to fish rough bottom for the flatfish. He wasn’t asked the reason, but weather or seas seemed likely. Lately, keepers were good-sized from 19 inches to 25, and throwbacks gave up plenty of life. The moon was new, and Pete assumes more and more fluke will move in. Sea bass fishing was great, and two is the limit, but anglers were usually able to bag a limit on fluke trips. One of the On the Water Seminars, trips that teach bucktailing for fluke in a non-threatening environment, is full this coming Monday, and plenty of spaces are available July 26 for another. On the trips, the inexperienced learn bucktailing, and the experienced hone the skill. 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 <a href=" http://www.parkerpetefishing.com/" target="_blank">Parker Pete’s website</a> to be kept informed about the spaces.

Some good fluke fishing was pasted, Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> wrote in an email. From Shark River, the catches included Ryan Degraw’s 6-pound 8-ounce fluke, Charles Wardell’s 4-pound 3-ouncer and Charlie Lemaire from Shark River Surf Angler’s 4-pound 15-ouncer. Vince Russo checked-in a 9-pound 11-ounce fluke from elsewhere.

Bluefishing was tough Saturday and Sunday on the <b>Golden Eagle</b>, a report said on the party boat’s website. Weather might’ve been a reason, and weather looked good for today, and the crew possibly planned to change tactics and fish “to the east” today. The angling was good previously aboard. 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, reservations required.

Fishing for blues was fantastic through Friday on the <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b>, an email from the party boat said. That was the most recent email at press time from the vessel, and Friday’s trip lit into 2- to 5-pounders from the first drift of the boat to the last. All were jigged, and the fish splashed along the water surface at times, and excellent readings were stacked under the boat. The Miss Belmar Princess is fishing 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.

<b>Brielle</b>

Ocean fluke fishing was great at Axel Carlson and Sea Girt reefs, said Eric from <b>The Reel Seat</b>. Jigs with pink-shine Gulps caught best, and the fish weighed up to 8 pounds. Many anglers limited out. Tons of mackerel and small bluefish schooled from the same waters to the Mudhole. Bottom-fishing produced ling, sea bass and cod, good catches, at mid-range wrecks in 120-foot depths to 200 feet. Manasquan Inlet seemed to give up a few fluke, mostly throwbacks, a couple of keepers, but the throwback ratio was high. Four-inch Gulps caught there. Fishing for bluefin tuna to 100 pounds was good, especially at the Triple Wrecks, but usual haunts in 30 fathoms held them.  Trolled ballyhoos, rigged singly or in chains, seemed to hook them best. Sometimes the tuna were jigged or popper-plugged. Big enough concentrations were found. Farther from shore, yellowfin tuna were sometimes boated from Toms Canyon through Spencer Canyon on the troll, mostly on spreaders, a few on ballys. A few white marlin bit to the south, no great shakes yet.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

<b>***Update, Wednesday, 7/13:***</b> Because of a change in schedule, space is available for an open-boat trip or a charter Friday from Cape May for tuna fishing for bluefins and yellowfins inshore with <b>Mushin Sportfishing</b>, Capt. Alan wrote in an email. The fish were getting crushed on the chunk and on jigs less than 2 hours from the dock. The fishing will sail 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and call the boat to jump aboard. The vessel is docked at Cape May for the month.

Northeast wind Friday built an ocean swell, and fluke fishing was sluggish during the weekend on the <b>Norma-K III</b>, Capt. Matt wrote in a report on the party boat’s website. Keepers and throwbacks were decked, “but it was not like it was over the past week,” he said. John Rhodes from Hightstown won the pool with a 7-pound 3-ouncer on Sunday morning’s trip. Bluefishing was decent on Saturday night’s trip. The fishing took a while to get going, and most of the blues weighed 1 to 2 pounds. But some weighed 3 to 4, and a couple of bigger were lost. Maybe bigger are moving in. 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>Barnegat Light</b>

On the <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b>, fishing picked at fluke Sunday, the party boat’s website said. Twelve ounces of weight needed to be fished to hold bottom, making feeling bites a little difficult. A few groups bagged multiple keepers, and some only landed throwbacks. “Nice day on the water,” it said. Saturday’s trip picked at sea bass. “Just not the right conditions as of late,” the page said that day. The Miss Barnegat Light is fishing for fluke and sea bass at 8 a.m. daily.

<b>Brigantine</b>

The surf continued to harbor kingfish, sharks and rays, a report said on <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>’s website. “Seems like they are heavy for a couple of days then take a day off from feeding,” it said. These are typical fish for the water in summer, and bluefish should become more abundant in the surf this season.

<b>Longport</b>

Really good-sized sea bass bit, actually, said Capt. Mike from the <b>Stray Cat</b>. Trips limited out early on them, then fished for summer flounder. Conditions failed to drift the boat well, never good for flounder fishing. But that will change, and the ocean has looked good for angling, and weather’s been great, and plenty of fish have swum. Everything’s coming together, he said. The next open-boat trip for flounder and sea bass is set for Wednesday, and a couple of spots are available. The ocean 12 miles from shore had looked a turquoise green, but on Sunday morning looked a gray-green, like it should, and the water had cooled to 73 degrees. The water had rolled over, and Mike would find out today whether that was because of a wind shift to west or was more permanent. A couple of evening shark trips fished, and a couple of more are slated for this week. Brown sharks, required to be released, and hammerhead sharks bit. A trip Saturday morning also trolled bluefish. There’s lots to do, Mike said. He’ll probably schedule an open tuna trip soon.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Six sharks were released and two others pulled the hook on an inshore shark trip Thursday with Rich Duffy, son and friends aboard, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. One of the sharks landed was a hammerhead and the rest were duskies up to a 130-pound 6-footer. So that was great, he said. Duskies are required to be released, and the trips, usually within 10 miles from shore, are catch-and-release anyway. Lack of wind to drift the boat plagued shark trips with other anglers Wednesday and Friday, but three were scratched out on the first trip, and one was on the other. All the trips fished with bait and conventional rods, except the trip that landed one. That outing also fly-rodded for the fish, getting a couple shots that way, though the shark caught bit bait. The trips are a chance to fight big fish without the long trek offshore. Back-bay summer flounder fishing’s been okay aboard, catching the fish. Some flounder are biting in the ocean, and the water’s warming. Joe had wanted to try for them there recently. Tides weren’t ideal for striped bass fishing on the bay with popper-lures and -flies, but the best tides, high at dusk, happen every other week. That’s another specialty aboard. Bluefin tuna fishing’s been pretty good inshore, and Joe would like to get after them. He needs more days in the week, he said! Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s Blog</a>.

<b>Avalon</b>

Throwback summer flounder bit during fishing on the ocean at Avalon Shoals and Sea Isle Ridge, said Capt. Jim from <b>Fins and Feathers Outfitters</b>. A trip is supposed to pick up anglers at Lewes and fish for flounder on the Delaware side of Delaware Bay in the coming week. Fins offers a variety of outdoor adventures including fishing and duck and goose hunting during the waterfowl seasons in fall and winter. Anglers can even enjoy a combo of striped bass fishing and duck hunting over a series of days in fall aboard.

<b>Cape May</b>

Trips boated bluefin tuna and yellowfin tuna inshore Thursday and Friday on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> on the chunk, Capt. George said. The fishing was canceled Saturday aboard, because the angler couldn’t make the trip, and none of the fleet fished Sunday in wind. Thursday’s trip, with Jim Thatcher’s charter, bagged three tuna: two bluefins and a yellowfin. Friday’s trip, with Ryan Moore’s charter, bagged six: three bluefins and three yellowfins. Thursday’s trip also pulled the hook on four or five tuna, and Friday’s pulled the hook on two. Friday’s trip landed more of the fish hooked, of course. That trip’s lost tuna included a big that the anglers fought an hour, some of them twice, until the hook pulled. The trip also saw two large mahi mahi that were finicky and refused to bite. The anglers cast to them, and one of the mahi was hooked briefly and got off. The bluefins bagged on the trips were four unders and one over. The over was on Friday, when the big was also lost. See the tuna bag limits described at the end of this paragraph. First, Heavy Hitter is also fishing for summer flounder on the ocean and trolling bluefish at 5-Fathom Bank. Flounder fishing sounded mediocre at the Old Grounds in past days for private anglers George heard about. Fishing there can typically serve up good days and bad. Some bagged a few flounder, and lots of throwbacks bit. The bluefin tuna bag limit for charters is three of the tuna 27 inches to less than 47 and one of the fish 47 to less than 73 per day, per boat or trip. The limit for recreationals is two of the unders and one over. The yellowfin bag limit is three tuna 27 inches or larger per angler, per trip or day, for both charters and recreationals. The length is measured from the tip of the mouth to the fork of the tail.

<b>Caveman Sportfishing</b> mostly fished for inshore sharks, and was headed on an inshore tuna trip last night, Capt. John said before the trip. The sharking, catch-and-release, was phenomenal, landing the fish to 300 and 400 pounds, 10 minutes from shore. The tuna fishing, for bluefins and yellowfins, was the best John’s seen in years. The fish held 40 miles south of Cape May, in 20 fathoms, and were chunked and jigged, but especially chunked. The only drawback was that light leaders needed to be fished that could easily break off and lose the tuna. The best yellowfin fishing John knew about was off Virginia in 20 fathoms, and some trips landed 17 or 18 of the fish there. But that was 80 miles from Cape May, and there was no reason to sail there, when trips could sail 40. John didn’t hear the size of the yellowfins off Virginia.

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