<b>Keyport</b>

Fluke fishing improved toward the end of the week through the weekend, said Capt. Mario from the <b>Down Deep Fleet</b>. Then high hooks landed five or six of the fish to 8 pounds, keeping no more than a limit of five. Open-boat trips are fluke fishing daily, including special marathon trips 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. this Tuesday and Friday. Weather looks good for fishing for the week. Bottom-fishing was excellent for porgies, and sea bass and triggerfish were mixed in. Open trips are also bottom-fishing daily. Down Deep runs two boats, both 40 feet, and charters are available.  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 special open trips. Book fall fishing for striped bass, sea bass and blackfish.

Capt. Frank from the <b>Vitamin Sea</b> took the weekend off from chartering and enjoyed time with family at Cape May and Atlantic City, he wrote in an email. Fluke fishing was great Sunday, reportedly. The Vitamin Sea’s been fluking in deep water, and the trips have been catching decent, when conditions have been good. Livelined peanut bunker and Gulps have caught equally. But when current rips, the artificial bait is an advantage. Charters and open-boat trips are fluking, and space is available on the open trips Thursday and Sunday, and telephone to reserve. Frank just received striped bass bonus tags that allow an extra striper 24 inches to less than 28 to be bagged. Charters who book a striper trip will receive one tag per angler while the supply lasts. Captains will reportedly receive more of the tags as the season goes on. Any angler can get the angler’s own tag by applying on the New Jersey Fish and Wildlife Department’s website. Striper fishing was excellent last year aboard, and because of all the bait currently in the water, Frank expects the same this year. Bookings for fall striper charters are now being accepted.  

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

More keeper fluke were angled Sunday on the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b> than on the previous few days, Capt. Tom said. Catches were a little better on both the day’s trips, and the angling hadn’t been easy. Throwbacks, many only a half-inch or inch short, had bitten. Anglers had a good time catching, and trips fished all different places, all over. Anglers grabbed a keeper if lucky. Heat kept some from showing up. But a breeze often blew on the water, making the day much less hot than on land. The Atlantic Star is fluke fishing 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 6 p.m. daily.

Throwback and keeper fluke gave up steady action, good fishing, on the ocean Sunday on the <b>Fishermen</b>, Capt. Ron wrote in a report on the party boat’s website. One of the fish just under 7 pounds won the pool, and was the trip’s first fluke. Some customers bagged 3- to 6-pounders, and big sea bass were also tackled. Many of the fluke were 17 inches, fat fish, an inch short of legal-sized. No way they should be required to be let go, when smaller could be bought at the super market. Jigging for fluke began to come around on trips. When the boat’s drift was mostly lost on this trip, jigging was perfect, scoring non-stop action. On Saturday’s trip, fluking was good. One angler landed eight keepers and a load of 16- and 17-inch shorts, keeping no more than a limit of five. That was the most he ever caught on a fluke trip, and his keepers included a 6-pounder and a 4-1/2-pounder. Another angler won the pool with a fluke just under 7 pounds, and also caught a fluke heavier than 5 and limited out. Another also limited, a couple bagged three and four, and beautiful sea bass were also decked.  The Fishermen is sailing for fluke 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily, for striped bass 6:30 to 11:30 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays and for porgies and whatever can be bagged 6:30 to 11 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays.

<b>Highlands</b>

Porgies, not large, but plenty to bag, were swung in steadily from the ocean yesterday with <b>Lady M Charters</b>, Lady M’s Facebook page said. Good-sized sea bass and some triggerfish were in the mix, and the charter loaded the cooler with as many fish as they wanted, and threw back lots of keeper-sized afterward. At the first drop, fishing was slower, though good readings were marked. The boat was moved to a small rock pile, and the steady catches began. Charters and open-boat trips are bottom-fishing and fluke fishing. An open fluke trip was supposed to sail today.

<b>Neptune</b>

Fishing for fluke on the ocean Sunday was some of the best of the year with <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b>, Capt. Ralph said. Charters are available, and individual-reservation trips are fishing for fluke every Tuesday. Kids under 12 sail free on the individual-reservation trips for fluke. Individual-reservation trips will fish for cod August 30 and September 14. Those trips have been filling, so book if you want to go. The individual-reservation fluke trip that would normally sail August 30, a Tuesday, will fish the next day, August 31, instead. <b>***Update, Tuesday, 8/16:***</b> An individual-reservation cod trip is canceled Wednesday because of weather and moved to Thursday, and a few spaces are available, Ralph wrote in an email. Very few spaces are available for the cod trips August 30 and September 14. Jump on an individual-reservation trip that will fish inshore wrecks August 28 for cod, ling, pollock, winter flounder and sea bass. Individual-rez trips also include one for sea bass October 27 and another for blackfish November 16. Bag limits will be increased to 15 sea bass beginning October 22, from the current limit of two, and six blackfish beginning November 16, from the current limit of one.

<b>Belmar</b>

Fluke fishing, on the ocean, was up and down, and the heat have’s southerly wind affected the angling, said Capt. Pete from <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b>. But the catches were excellent Friday aboard, and Saturday’s trip, competing in the Shillelagh fluke tournament, Mohawked the flatfish. The boat limited out, and the anglers were releasing more by 12 noon. The fluke weighed up to 7 pounds, and Parker Pete’s placed in the event. On Sunday, fluking was decent aboard, and sea bass were also reeled in. Weather was extremely hot but good otherwise. Strong wind forecast for Sunday never happened. Dates are still available for fluke charters this month, and plenty are on tap for September, when the water will remain warm and keep holding fluke. Spaces are available for a charter who wants more anglers Thursday.  Don’t have enough anglers for a charter? Contact Parker Pete’s anyway about individual spaces available 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. The spaces and available dates for other trips are also posted on a calendar on the site.

The heat wave kept many from fishing, but fluke seemed to like the weather, Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> wrote in an email. Plenty of fluke were seen at the shop Saturday because of fluke tournaments that day. Two charter boats limited out on good-sized on the ocean. Rob Valone limited on fluke to a 7-pound 12-ouncer on a Belmar party boat. Marty Westerfield fluked Shark River an hour, landing 15 including one keeper.

Good bluefishing was cracked today on the <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b>, an email from the party boat said. Readings were great, birds worked the water, and some drifts of the boat nailed good shots at blues. On others, the fish were picked. But the angling was good overall. 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. daily.

Bluefish were found along the water surface on Sunday’s trip but “didn’t want to bite,” a report said on the party boat <b>Golden Eagle</b>’s website. The trip switched to fishing for fluke and sea bass next, catching some sizable. The fluke weighed up to 7 pounds, and today’s trip was also expected to scope out bluefishing first, then fluke fish if that didn’t work out.  Saturday’s trip picked at small blues in the morning and a few more in the afternoon. 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 daily, reservations required.

<b>Brielle</b>

For offshore boaters, from Toms Canyon to Lindenkohl Canyon seemed the place to be, said Eric from <b>The Reel Seat</b>. Plenty of white marlin, a few yellowfin tuna, piles of mahi mahi and a handful of blue marlin were fought. The mahi also swam Hudson Canyon. But anglers better fish that stretch of canyons soon, because dirty water was expected in a day or two. Fluke fishing was the next angling that produced inshore of that, really. Lots and lots of fluke to 10 pounds were hooked at Axel Carlson and Sea Girt reefs. The angling seemed to improve in past days, and Gulps were the bait of choice. Porgy fishing was great at Shrewsbury Rocks and Sandy Hook Reef. Triggerfish also bit, so inshore bottom-fishing was good. At Manasquan Inlet, anglers began to pick away at keeper fluke. Bluefish 2 or 3 pounds schooled the inlet at sunrise and dusk. Striped bass including keepers were eeled at night on Manasquan River at the Railroad and Route 35 bridges.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

On the <b>Gambler</b>, fluke fishing was fair on the ocean, an email from the party boat said. Fewer sea bass were mixed in than before, but action with fluke was steady. Sunday morning’s trip fluked the best in a while. Ralph Riviera from Brick won the pool with a 5-pounder, and other keepers weighed 3 to 5 pounds. On the afternoon trip, Jennifer Bassora from Bloomfield landed three keepers, her personal best, and a good handful of throwbacks. A 7.3-pound fluke was in the lead for the monthly pool currently. On Thursday night’s wreck-fishing trip, more sea bass were bagged than ling, and seas were rough. Anglers who fished for squid scored well. Mike Malpass from Brick was high hook on squid, totaling 40 of them to 8 inches, and loves catching them. On Saturday night’s bluefish trip, rough seas made fishing tough. Weather looks better this coming week, and the crew looks forward. Fluke trips are fishing 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 to 6:30 p.m. daily. Trips from 7:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. are fishing wrecks every Thursday and are bluefishing every Friday and Saturday. Some of the <a href=" http://www.gamblerfishing.net/offshoretrips.php" target="_blank">late fall to summer tuna trips</a> already filled. Don’t wait long to reserve, because the trips will book.

When conditions were right, fluke fishing was decent on the <b>Norma-K III</b> Thursday through Sunday on the ocean, a report said on the party boat’s website. Otherwise, the angling was slow. South wind had been blowing, and a few more fluke were expected to bite once that changed. Anglers who fished bucktails with Gulps caught best, but bait caught a few. Trips are fishing rough bottom, so bring extra tackle. Plenty of sinkers and plain rigs are carried aboard. On the past few nighttime trips, bluefishing was tough. Some of the trips bottom-fished, picking at ling. 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 is bluefishing 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. daily.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

In the surf, fluke hovered near the beach, a report said on <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>’ website. No need for long casts. A bucktail with Gulp or squid will hook them on a light to medium spinning rod. Keep the jig moving, and fish up and down the beach, covering as much ground as possible. That increases chances. Standing at water’s edge is a way to beat the heat, too. 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>

Wind had been an issue for fluke and sea bass fishing on the ocean on the <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b>, according to the party boat’s Facebook page. But catches were better on yesterday’s trip. The fish were there to be angled on trips. Wind should be better this week. The Miss Barnegat Light is fishing for fluke and sea bass at 8 a.m. daily.

<b>Beach Haven</b>

An 8-hour trip was postponed until today from yesterday because of forecasts for wind, said Capt. Lindsay from the <b>June Bug</b>. A half-day, 4-hour trip is slated for tomorrow. Bonito were trolled in 20 fathoms aboard recently, covered last week in a report here. A buddy caught mahi mahi, and a few football tuna were supposedly around. Those were possible options to sail for.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

More keeper summer flounder were boated than all season at Garden State Reef South and Atlantic City Reef on the ocean, a report said on <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>’s website. Catches included limits, and triggerfish and blackfish were also pulled in during the trips. In the bay, usual spots produced flounder well. Small fish like porgies, spots, croakers and others bit in the bay. Boaters could chum with clams for them off Graveling Point and at parts of Mullica River’s mouth and fish clams or bloodworms.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

A 43-pound 49-inch cobia and 12 spinner and dusky sharks were bailed, and another cobia broke off, on a trip with three anglers Friday afternoon aboard, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. Two of the sharks were fly-rodded, and the rest were hooked on bait. Was a banner day, and all the sharks were released. Duskies are required to be let go, and this one of the inshore shark trips aboard that release all the sharks anyway. The trips are a chance to fight big fish close to shore. Plus, a trip Thursday with one angler landed a 40-pound 45-inch cobia and a bunch of duskies. That was back-to-back trips that caught cobia, and Joe was dialed into the fish. A trip Saturday with a father and son nailed 15 duskies, another great catch. The sharking had been spottier a moment but now kicked back in. A trip with other anglers Friday morning released a bunch of summer flounder, no keepers, on the back bay. Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s Blog</a>.

<b>Longport</b>

Summer flounder fishing on the ocean became pretty decent on the <b>Stray Cat</b>, Capt. Mike said. “It really turned on,” he added, and a bunch of mahi mahi also swam. Trips are flounder fishing currently. Tuna fishing will resume August 28 aboard.

<b>Avalon</b>

Because of wind, fishing for summer flounder at ocean reefs was canceled Saturday with <b>Fins and Feathers Outfitters</b>, Capt. Jim said. But the ocean cooled considerably in the south wind, and he expects to fish the reefs for the flatfish now, and hopes the cooler water ramps up the angling. South wind cools the ocean near the coast because of upwelling. Fishing for flounder on the back bay must’ve landed 10 to 15 throwbacks aboard. The closest to keeper-sized were a quarter-inch short or 17 ¾ inches. Time to think about hunting: goose hunting is being booked aboard for the September season. So are goose and duck trips for November to February.  Fins offers a variety of outdoor adventures, including saltwater fishing, the waterfowling, salmon and steelhead fishing on upstate New York’s Salmon River from Jim’s lodge, and fly-fishing for trout on Pennsylvania’s streams like the Yellow Breeches. Anglers can even enjoy a combo of striped bass fishing and duck hunting on Delaware Bay in fall during a series of days aboard.

<b>Cape May</b>

The <b>Heavy Hitter</b> is supposed to tuna fish today, Capt. George said before the trip. Strong wind blew since Wednesday, limiting options for fishing. But trips in past days inshore shark fished aboard, releasing the catches. One trip landed some bigger species, and the other trip reeled in a bunch of sand sharks. George bluefished on a trip on a friend’s boat Saturday that tackled a mess of the fish. Plenty of blues were around currently.  George spoke with anglers on private boats who fished for summer flounder on the ocean. One trip landed 10 keepers, and others landed seven or eight. Maybe flounder fishing was picking up.

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