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<b>Brooklyn</b>

A charter fished for stripers Saturday on the <b>Big M Express</b>, the report on the boat’s web site said. They started trolling parachutes and picked up a few shorts, so they switched to umbrella rigs, “and it was hammer time,” the report said. Three or four linesiders then bit at once, and six keepers and a mess of shorts were hooked, and there was no shortage of action. On Thursday and open-boat sea bass trip sailed for a good catch, both while anchored and while drifting. At one wreck a bunch of jumbo ling came up, and a few big winter flounder were released. Dogfish were a bit of a pain. In the evening a charter grabbed five keepers stripers, a few shorts and a few bluefish in only a few hours of fishing.

<b>Staten Island</b>

Sea bass fishing was phenomenal on two trips with <b>Outcast Charters</b> over the weekend, Capt. Rob said. On Saturday the anglers onboard limited out with no problem, and on Sunday the group came close to limiting, and lots of beautiful ling to 3 and 4 pounds were also reeled in Sunday, and the day was good. Out-of-season blackfish to 8 pounds were also hooked and released on the trips. On Wednesday an open-boat trip also scored excellent sea bassing, limiting out with no problem, and a few ling were landed, and out-of-season blackfish and winter flounder were released. Call Outcast if interested in an open-boat trip, and the crew will try to put you together with other anglers. Bottom fishing will now be the focus for Outcast, and eventually blackfish will be targeted when blackfish season opens.

A fluke trip fished Sunday with <b>Kayla Rose Charters</b>, and a sea bass trip was running today, and fishing for both species has been good on the boat, Capt. Darrin said. The boat’s fluke charters were targeting the flatties at various holes throughout the bay and at Ambrose Channel, and the sea bassing was taking places at pieces in the ocean, and sea bass charters were limiting out on good-sized fish to 4 ½ pounds. Charters are mostly finished striped bass fishing, because the action is now hunt and peck. Kayla Rose’s shark season is in full swing, and lots of blue sharks were biting, and makos and threshers were mixed in, and book a trip while the short season is on. Darrin is involved with the State Island Tuna Club’s shark tournament that will take place July 14, and call him if interested in competing, even if you’re a single angler, because he might be able to hook you up on a boat. Tuna charters with Kayla Rose should begin in a couple of weeks.

<b>Bayonne</b>

A trip fluke fished in the ocean south of Long Branch on Sunday with Capt. Akira from <b>True World Tackle</b> and <b>True World Tackle Charters</b>. Small sea bass and small fluke bit, and lots of boaters were there, and most were catching nothing, so Akira moved the Verrazano Bridge. Two keeper fluke were hooked there, so the day was slow. He hooked plenty of fluke at Long Branch a couple of weeks ago, and other anglers lately were catching good-sized flatties north and south of the Verrazano Bridge in deep, 60- and 70-foot water. A customer competed in a shark tournament Saturday, fished at the Chicken Canyon and battled a 130-pound mako, lost a 200-pounder and released seven blue sharks.

<b>Keyport</b>

The <b>Lucky Carm</b> was back in action this weekend after Capt. Carmine did some traveling, he said. On Saturday Larry Langford’s gang wanted to fish for stripers, but Carmine told them that striper fishing is now difficult during mid day, so they switched to fluke and managed a nice catch of flatties to 5 ½ pounds and some bluefish around Sandy Hook. Richard Lafagola hooked the biggest fluke and was high hook on fluke and blues. On Saturday night Rich Shamis’s party did fish for stripers and landed linesiders to 18 pounds in the bay on clams. Al Riskmen nabbed the biggest striper and an 8-pound blue. On Sunday Bill Stivers’ party grabbed fluke and blues in the bay, and Joseph Labrum, 12, was high hook with three fluke and two blues, beating out his father. Chris Siek took a 21-inch fluke that was the biggest. Anglers need to travel around to find the fluke, and on these trips they had to look around. Fluke anglers on the Lucky Carm are dunking spearing and squid, and killies are used when available, because they’ve been scarce. Stripers could be hooked in the evenings in the bay, and that also avoids traveling 20 miles to find the fish in the ocean like other boats are doing. The bay’s bluefish population thinned out compared with before, but blues could still be caught, and they were cocktails and smaller than early this season. Magic-hour charters are sailing 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. for fluke or stripers. Open-boat trips are sailing Tuesdays through Thursdays, and call to reserve and for info. 

David Devine, an Army helicopter pilot on leave from the Iraq War, and his group of four other anglers fished with <b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b> in the bay Saturday, Capt. Joe said. They put together a pick of bluefish, landed three keeper fluke and released short fluke on bunker strips and clams, and brown water and winds made conditions a little tough. On Thursday Jeff Ehlenberger’s party of five picked blues, scored three keeper fluke and released short fluke and short stripers in the bay on clams and bunker strips. Papa’s Angels is now running open-boat trips 4 p.m. every day. Openings are also available for the weekly, Wednesday, open-boat trip this week, sailing from 7 a.m. to 12 noon. The open trips target a mixed bag of fluke, blues and stripers, and call to reserve and for prices. Open trips are also available any day when no charter is booked.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Kevin Cavanaugh’s group on the <b>CRT II</b> drilled 25 keeper fluke in the ocean at rough bottom off Sea Bright on Sunday, and lots of throwbacks put out action, Capt. Mick said. Brad Smith’s bachelor party group fished the same area Saturday for a similar catch of 20-some keepers to 22 inches and plenty of throwbacks, and the Ziolkowski charter also fished the same place and slammed the flatties, landing 21 keepers to 22 inches and a load of throwbacks. So Capt. Mick was very satisfied with fluke fishing lately, and he hoped it would continue. Earlier last week the Staten Island University Hospital charter of nurses scored fairly well on fluke, and not a lot of keepers bit, but quite a few throwbacks did. Last Monday the Bill Eaton group fished for blues and battled 3- to 7-pounders, nice-sized ones.

Conditions were an issue with fluke fishing in the past days, and when winds and currents created the right drifts, the fish bit, said Capt. Tom from the <b>Atlantic Star</b>. On Thursday afternoon’s trip fishing was pretty good at Reach Channel, but the drift got faster and faster. Patrons adapted for a while, like by putting more weight on the lines, and then the trip finished the day at the Navy Pier, where there was a good drift, and the catch ended up good. On Friday morning there wasn’t much of a drift, and in the afternoon strong winds made fishing tough. So the boat headed to the ocean, and the bite was better than Tom expected. There was lots of action with shorts, but more keepers bit than anticipated. The spread of fish throughout the bay and in the ocean has been fortunate, because it’s allowed fishing at various spots to try to find the best drifting.  Saturday morning’s trip went back to the ocean, but the fishing wasn’t as good as on the previous day, and conditions were worse. Doug Lee landed a 5-3/4-pounder on that trip. The afternoon was nothing exceptional, and the pool winner was 4 pounds or so. On Sunday the boat fished in the bay, and the fishing was all right. In the morning Allen Quasius nailed a 9-1/4-pound doormat, and Chris Kowitski took a 7-pounder, and Jack MacMillan nabbed a 5-3/4-pounder. At first there was a nice drift, and then the drift disappeared. Tom tried fishing off Sandy Hook, but currents against winds made things tough. In the afternoon the boat fished lots of different places, and each spot produced a few fish, but no place produced a good drift, and a 5-pound flattie won the pool. The Atlantic Star is sailing for fluke on two trips daily from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The <b>Fishermen</b> on Thursday set up for stripers in the ocean where plenty of the fish were hooked on the boat the previous day, but the bass were history at that spot, Capt. Ron said in the report on the boat’s web site. Catching the fish at the same place two days in a row seemed impossible, and the boat moved a little south and offshore, and a few bass were found before dogfish took over. Almost 30 keeper stripers were bagged by the end of the day, and a bunch of fluke and some sea bass were also taken. A charter Friday morning with the Picatinni group was the boat’s first fluke trip of the year, and plenty of the flatties were caught up and down the ocean beaches, and there was a good drift. On Saturday morning Jeff Merrill and the Conoco Phillips group was aboard for a charter and put together a nice catch of fluke on hard bottom and snags tight to the ocean beaches, but the previous day was much better fishing and conditions. The boat returned to striper fishing on an open trip that afternoon, and 17 keepers to 18 pounds were bagged. On Sunday an open trip scored four nice keepers and some shorts. The boat will target stripers until switching to fluke for the season Friday, and the vessel is chartered this coming Saturday and Monday mornings. The Fishermen is sailing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.

<b>Highlands</b>

Anglers with <b>Knot Easy Sportfishing</b> put together a decent pull of fluke to 25 inches on Sunday at the TC buoy, Reach Channel, Belford Channel and the 1 can, Capt. Matt said in an e-mail. The fish took a while to get going, but it ended up worth the wait. The action can only get better, and a few good weekend dates remain for July, so scoop them up before it’s too late.

Fishing was generally good, and fluking lately was going well despite bad conditions like winds against tides and rough seas, said Capt. Bob from <b>Sandy Hook Fishing Adventures</b> in an e-mail. The fluke fishing took place in the bay and in the ocean as far south as Elberon, and a 7.2-pounder was the biggest taken so far, and the flatties were responding to killies, squid, spearing and sand eels. Striper fishing on the boat was up and down, and the fish had to be searched for, because they never seemed to hold in the same place twice. Nighttime bluefishing trips were successful. A trip with the Princeton University maintenance crew fished in the back of the bay at night, and plenty of fish were read under bunker, but they had lockjaw. There was one good run-off, and even bluefish were timid that evening. One more charter will target stripers this season, and then trips will concentrate on fluke, blues and sea bass. All dates are full for charters in June, and July is filling fast.

Striped bass fishing was up and down, and <b>Fisher Price Charters</b> was devoting 2 or 3 hours every morning to stripers, and if the fish bit, the trips stuck with the bass, and if they didn’t, the anglers switched to fluke fishing, Capt. Derek said. On Sunday morning 27 stripers to 30 pounds were reeled in on the vessel, but the boat headed back to the same spot this morning, and the fish were gone. Charters were bunker chunking for the bass in the ocean from off the Highlands Bridge to the Shrewsbury Rocks. Fluking was actually pretty good along the ocean beaches, and probably 1 in 4 was a keeper. When striper fishing finally stops, Fisher Price will concentrate on fluking, and eventually charters will target weakfish when the trout show up.

<b>Belmar</b>

Bluefishing was awesome from the Farms to the Oil Wreck on the <b>Nan Sea J</b> over the weekend, Capt. Tom said. Lots of the fish, and all big gaffers to 14 pounds, were boated on bait. Fluke fishing was also good on the boat lately in 25 to 40 feet in the ocean to the north, so long as winds and current created a decent drift. The weekly, Wednesday, open-boat shark-fishing trip is ready to sail this week, and all spots are full, but spots are available on upcoming trips. Don’t delay to reserve, because plenty of people are calling about the trips, and they only sail through July. It’s an awesome opportunity to do some sharking for those who don’t have enough anglers to make up a full charter, and the boat is one of the few that offers open shark trips. Sharking is Tom’s favorite fishing.

<b>Brielle</b>

Striped bass fishing really seemed to slow down locally, but stripers were eeled at night at the Shrewsbury Rocks, and sometimes the fish were bunker chunked there early in the mornings, and the catch was so-so, said Dave from <b>The Reel Seat</b>. Fluke fishing was very good in the ocean in 25 feet up and down the coast, almost anyplace. But there was a ton of shorts and not too many keepers. An 8.9-pounded flattie was the biggest checked in and was caught by Ed Springstein on the Out of the Blue in the ocean. Fluking in the Manasquan River was also good, and the ratio of keepers was probably better there. Bluefish ran up and down the river, and small stripers also bit in the Manasquan, and Dave heard about no weakfish in the river. Plenty of sharks were finally caught in the ocean, and the increase was probably only because more boaters started sharking this weekend. Lots of blue sharks turned up, and so did a few threshers, and the mako population seemed decent. Customers were sometimes trying to begin tuna fishing, but windy weather kicked up rough seas made them reluctant. A few headed out over the weekend, but Dave heard nothing back from them yet. Dave was taking a trip for tilefish and wreck fishing on the party boat Voyager from Point Pleasant yesterday evening, and he said the boat runs a few of those trips. Lots of sea bass, including plenty of keepers, were taken in the ocean on party boats and on a few private boats.

Fluke fishing on the Manasquan River produced scores of shorts and two keepers on Saturday on the <b>Reel-Ality</b>, Capt. Larry said. Berkley Gulp shrimp on jigheads were the baits, and three or four sea robins and no bluefish or other fish bit, and winds against the tide made the water bumpy, and the water was probably 68 degrees. On a sea bass charter Sunday 24 keeper humpbacks were bagged at Sea Girt Reef, and about the same number of throwbacks were released, and the water was again 68 degrees. Charters will keep targeting fluke, sea bass and anything else available, like blues, and eventually the boat will sail for bluefin tuna if the bite turns on in the inshore ocean.

<b>The Troll Charters</b> competed in Mako Mania on Saturday and battled a small mako, three blue sharks and a huge thresher at the Resor Wreck, Capt. Jack said. “But the thresher won,” he said. Seas were rough and 6 to 8 feet. Charters with The Troll are mostly fluke fishing now, and Jack was hearing a few reports about stripers caught, but striper anglers were mostly keeping that info to themselves.

Shark fishing was great while competing in Mako Mania on the <b>Katie H</b> on Saturday, Capt. Mike said. No prizes were won, but a big, 176-pound mako was boated that was in seventh place the last time Mike checked, and two makos 125 pounds apiece were released on the boat. A blue shark was also released, so that was a good trip, considering that shark anglers typically take 20 trips to land one mako. The trip fished at the Glory Hole, and the water was 65 degrees, a little cool for makos. A huge, 250- or 300-pound mako swam into the slick but refused a pitched bait, a mackerel. Shark fishing seemed good at the moment, and plenty of makos seemed to be around, and if you want to go, do it now, because it might only last another week, and openings are available. Two charters toward the end of this week will fish for stripers in the morning and then target fluke. Stripers were sometimes still being found, like early in the mornings on weekdays. Not much was happening in the canyons on the tuna front yet, and the water was cold. Mike heard about a few bluefin tuna boated, but not enough to start chasing them on charters. But eventually the boat will focus on tuna.

Bluefishing was as good as it gets, an e-mail from the <b>Jamaica</b> said. Trips for blues on the boat were excellent both day and night at the Mudhole, and patrons bailed 5- to 13-pounders, and everybody could bag a limit if they wanted, and both the experienced and novice could catch plenty. The spread of fish grew in the past days and stretched 7 miles in 100 feet on the east side of the Hole. Previously the best action was in the deep, but now it stretched from the deep to the eastern edge. Customers were hooking the fish on bait and jigs in a chum slick, but most were tossing bait. Now is a good time to go bluefishing! Recent pool winners included Matthew O’Malley with a 15-pound blue, Jonathon Babios with a 13-pounder and Jesse Shope with a 12-pounder. The boat is sailing for bluefish 7:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. every day.  A Fourth of July fireworks cruise will sail to New York Harbor at 3 p.m. The Jamaica’s canyon tuna schedule is now available. A Hudson Canyon tilefish trip takes place on the <b>Atlantis</b> on July 6. The Atlantis is also available for charters for groups from 18 to 120 for day and night fishing for any species available inshore or offshore. <b>Bogan’s Boating School</b> is offering the boating safety course required in New Jersey, and the test-out option is also available. Visit bogansboatingschool.com for info.

<b>Point Pleasant</b>

An open-boat trip with <b>Reel Class Charters</b> on Sunday with four anglers picked away at fluke, including some keepers, at first in the ocean off Bay Head and Mantoloking, Capt. Allen said. Lack of wind prevented a drift, and Allen had to power drift. Then the group fished a couple of snags and pulled up lots of sea bass, including keepers, a few short blackfish and not too many dogfish. Next the gang headed back and grabbed more keeper fluke at the same spot as in the morning, and it turned out to be a good trip. On Saturday Bill Tevlin took a birthday charter with girlfriend Stephanie and friend Joe, and they started fishing the ocean off Deal and landed a few fluke. When the bite slowed they moved toward northern Long Branch and Port Monmouth and limited out on fluke, so it was good. They fished in 25 to 40 feet of 63- to 64-degree water along the open bottom. The fluke weighed up to 4 pounds, and bucktails with strip baits and teasers with squid and spearing got the bites, and pink teasers produced somewhat better than anything else. Reel Class often targets a combo of fluke and sea bass in summer on both open-boat trips and charters, and check the vessel’s web site for open-boat availability.

Andrew Martin’s charter competed in Mako Mania on the <b>Defiant</b>, and Capt. John, one of the boat’s owners, wasn’t on the trips, and all he heard so far was that the anglers hooked small sharks, John said. Some big ones supposedly came into the slick but refused to bite, and John thought the boat probably fished 45 miles offshore. Besides sharking, the boat is currently fishing for fluke, bluefish and stripers. Tuna fishing is also a possibility, and a friend of John’s nailed 17 yellowfin tuna at the Hudson Canyon last week.

The Germinario group headed out on a mixed-bag, shark/tuna trip Friday with <b>Andrea’s Toy Charters</b> and nailed a 130-pound mako, 10 blue sharks to 200 pounds and bluefin tuna to 33 inches that were jigged, Capt. Fred said. The report on the boat’s web site said the fish were hooked after a couple of moves 60 miles from port in 66-degree, green water, and blue sharks swam up to the boat and were hand-fed bunker. The site also said the anglers tried working the scallop boats for tuna, and big ones were underneath, but no takers. Fred also said the boat’s inshore charters were now fluke fishing along the ocean beaches, and no striped bass trips were running anymore. Two fluke trips Saturday and Sunday were into the fish non-stop, and 30 keepers were bagged the first day, and even more were taken the second day. Fluking is the focus now inshore, and offshore trips will chase sharks and bluefins on the mid-shore grounds and tuna, mahi mahi and tilefish at Hudson Canyon, and the offshore fishing is available on both charters and open-boat trips.

On the <b>Benchmark</b> Frank Lacoe’s group competed in the Jersey Coast Shark Anglers Shark Tournament on Sunday and wrestled two blue sharks to the boat before the drift was lost in the early afternoon, the report on the boat’s web site said. That trip broke the boat’s streak of coming back with makos on the past four shark trips. But on Saturday the Brinkman charter competed in Mako Mania and nailed a 198-pound mako, a fish that would normally be a contender, but a large number of makos 200 pounds and greater were coming in this year. On Friday a charter looked for striped bass and found none, but they bailed 16 keeper fluke during the last couple of hours of the trip, and the action was incredible, and all the keepers were 17 ½ to 21 inches.

Two trips on the <b>Cindy Sea</b> competed in shark tournaments, Capt. Dave said. On Saturday six blue sharks were landed 52 miles offshore, and on Friday one of the blue dogs was fought to the boat 42 miles from shore. Seas were very rough both days but on Saturday laid down within 30 miles from land. A half-day charter Sunday scored a bunch of sea bass and fluke in the ocean, and both species seemed to be biting well now, and they’re the focus of most charters on the vessel at the moment. Chumming for bluefish is also decent, and the boat is doing no canyon tuna fishing yet, and Dave was hearing about no warm water locally so far. Tuna were found in warm water far south, like at the Baltimore Canyon last week, but boaters were sometimes also heading out for the fish and finding none, and only the successful reports tended to be heard. Striped bass fishing seemed to have dropped off.

<b>Bricktown</b>

Stripers were elusive as the schools of bunker continued to disappear in the ocean, said Tommy Kilgannon from <b>Pell’s Bait & Tackle</b> in a fax. Customers were still trying to catch them, but most if not all landed only blues. But fluke fishing was unbelievable, and anglers were fishing north and south with great success on the flatties. Ray Bukowski from Pell’s jumped on Bill Bonham’s boat, and they limited out in no time in 25 to 32 feet on Gulps on chartreuse, 202 Spro bucktails. Jason Szabo from Pell’s and two friends hooked 40 keepers to 6-plus pounds on fluke belly. Travis Strickland nailed a fat, 6.75-pounder off Spring Lake on the old killie and squid combo. Tom Gordon ran a charter that walloped a 100-pound black drum on a fluke rod after a 25-minute fight. The Alino brothers from Brick tackled a 175-pound mako shark, and four customers on the Mark IV subdued an even bigger monster, a 221-pound mako.

<b>Seaside</b>

A few fish were picked up here and there, and Barnegat Bay and Barnegat Inlet seemed the most consistent producers, the fishing report on <b>Betty and Nick’s Bait & Tackle</b>’s web site said. Fish chased a big school of bunker in the surf at J Street at Seaside Park yesterday. The surf was 1 to 2 feet, 66 degrees and gin clear today. PlugCaster pencil poppers were restocked, and call the shop for colors and sizes. The shop is giving away a free reel cover with a $15 value with any reel purchase while supplies last. <a href=" http://www.bettyandnicks.com/fish.shtml" target="_blank"> Click here</a> for the latest. 

<b>Waretown</b>

Anglers on the <b>Perfect Drift</b> headed out for fluke in Barnegat Bay and nailed 13 keepers from the BI marker to the BB marker on Saturday, Capt. John said. So it was decent, and a couple of the fish were as large as 3 ½ to 4 pounds, and three times as many throwbacks bit, and squid, spearing and minnows on bucktails were the baits. On Sunday a trip ran to northern Barnegat Ridge and loaded up on all the bluefish anyone could want. The 10- to 13-pound slammers, and sometimes bigger ones, were mostly hooked on bait in a chum slick, but jigs, surface poppers and nearly anything got hits.  So the ridge was covered with blues, and the fish spit up sand eels and other bait. John heard little about striped bass, and he knew about a few anglers who tried for them, but he didn’t hear about any caught. He’s probably finished striper fishing for the season, but fluking and bluefishing are in full swing.

On the <b>Hi Flier</b> Saturday was a great day of shark fishing, Capt. Dave DeGennaro said in an e-mail. The anglers onboard threw the lines off the boat at 6 a.m. loaded for bear. They spent an hour catching 2-pound bluefish for shark bait in Barnegat Bay on popping plugs, iced them up, and set a course for the Star about 30 miles southeast of Barnegat Inlet. Seven miles out, Dave throttled down and decided the 3- to 4-foot seas were too rough. The boat is more than capable of handling the seas, but he was concerned about conditions worsening 30 miles from land. So he sailed back west and shot to Island Beach State Park to try trolling bunker spoons for stripers and blues. Plenty of boats were there, but no rods were bending. After an hour, he noticed the winds had dropped out, so he throttled back up for the east, this time with flat seas paving the way. Five minutes after the chum basket was deployed, he was setting up on a 75-pound mako shark that threw the hook after a few jumps. A little while later one of the group subdued a 100-pound blue shark that was released. Gator blues were caught and filleted for hook baits, and then Joe Parente and Dom DeFillipe tag teamed an hour and a half fight on a 300-pound, 12-foot thresher shark. The monster was cut loose, and the boat headed for the barn. Dave was supposed to make his first effort of the season at grass shrimping for weakfish in Barnegat Bay yesterday, and he was headed back out for sharks today, and stay tuned for the results.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Barnegat-bay fishing was more reliable than ocean fishing this past week, and striped bass were scarce, said Capt. Steve from <b>Reel Fantasea Charters</b> in an e-mail. Chris and Jim Spring were onboard Thursday for a striper trip, but no stripers could be found after covering 50 nautical miles in the ocean, though bunker did manage to be located there. The bunker schools were small at best, and no fish chased them, except small blues. On Friday Jay Simmons and friends were on deck to search for stripers in the ocean and found one short and small blues on bunker schools. So they moved to the bay and caught fluke on Gulps on bucktails. Robert Waterson and son Hunter took a trip Sunday in the bay, having fun catching a combo of blues and fluke on soft plastic lures and Gulps. 

<b>Barnegat</b>

Plenty of fluke, including a good number of keepers, bit in Barnegat Bay, including at Double Creek Channel, said Capt. Melanie from <b>FisherQueen Custom Bay Charters</b> in an e-mail. Bluefish around 2 pounds also hung out in the bay, and small stripers could be found along the sod banks. The bay was clean and looked like Florida water. Bill Stussi and crew were aboard and fought their fill of blues, picked nice fluke and had fun with small stripers, coming one weakfish shy of a grand slam.

<b>Tuckerton</b>

<b>Legal Limit Charters</b> fished for sharks, bluefish and flounder this past week, and mako shark fishing was good on trips along the 30-fathom line, Capt. T.J. said. Probably six makos were fought to the boat that weighed up to a 158-pounder nailed Saturday, and a couple of other 100-class shortfins were subdued. T.J. had just returned from an overnight shark trip when he gave this report this morning, and that trip produced a 140-pounder. Blue sharks were also released on the week’s trips, and no thresher sharks, brown sharks other species of sharks bit. On the bluefishing charters lots of slammers from 8 to 12 pounds were caught at Barnegat Ridge. Flounder were just beginning to appear at the ocean reefs, and on a trip Saturday, six or seven keepers to 6 or 7 pounds were landed, and lots of keeper sea bass were also boated at the reefs lately. A couple of more shark charters will sail this week, and some fluke trips will run toward the end of the week. Tuna fishing should begin July 10 if the weather is clear.

<b>Brigantine</b>

A trip on the <b>Fishin’ Fever</b> pinned down loads of bluefish to 12 pounds in the ocean Saturday, Capt. Tom said. The boat recently returned to Brigantine after fishing Delaware Bay during spring, and charters from Brigantine will concentrate on tuna and sharks. Tuna fishing on the vessel will kick off Thursday, and Tom was hearing about plenty of tuna found both inshore and offshore. He also heard about makos to 350 pounds that were drilled. Open-boat trips will begin Saturday, and call Tom if interested.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

Anglers were catching flounder everywhere—the surf, the jetties, the T-jetty, the sea wall and the back bay—and words couldn’t describe how phenomenal it was, said Noel from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. Minnows, Gulps, Pro Cut squid and mackerel strips all worked, and all these baits are stocked. Kingfish started biting recently in the suds, and bluefish occasionally showed up, but not too often. Nothing was heard about stripers in the past several days.

<b>Margate</b>

Ocean City Reef gave up four keeper sea bass and a mess of throwbacks for <b>Fine Line Fishing Charters</b> on Friday, Capt. Dave said. On Saturday the boat trolled for bluefish at the Lobster Hole, the Ham Bone, the Dog Lump and the Triple Lumps, but only one blue was landed, and Dave said he didn’t know where the fish disappeared to. The water that day was 65 degrees, and a big hammerhead shark also hit on the troll. “That lasted 10 seconds,” Dave said, because the toothy fish sheared the line in half. He tried flounder fishing himself in the bay Sunday, and 14 throwbacks were reeled in. “Time to hit the ocean,” he said, and he’ll only fluke fish in the ocean the rest of the season. Three of the flatties would’ve been keepers if the limit were still 16 ½ inches, and squid and minnow combos were the bait. Fine Line will keep targeting sea bass, blues and fluke, and trips will sometimes chase bluefin tuna in the inshore ocean if that fishing heats up this season.

Two flounder over 6 pounds apiece were bagged in the back bay Saturday on the <b>Fish N’ Fun</b> with Capt. Charlie at the helm, and the trip went very well, Capt. Jay, the boat’s owner, said. The flatties seemed to be moving toward the inlet, and Capt. Lee’s flounder trips on the boat also consistently produced, and the boat is sailing on two 4-hour flounder trips daily in the bay. Flounder were beginning to appear at the ocean reefs, and on Jay’s big boat, the 65-foot <b>Jessie O’</b>, patrons hooked a good showing of flounder in the ocean Sunday. They put together a good mixed bag of the flatties plus sea bass, bluefish, out-of-season porgies that were released and junk fish such as stargazers. The Jessie O’ sails open-boat on such trips once daily when no charter is booked, and both boats are available for fishing charters and party cruises.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Gibson’s Tackle</b> was in St. Thomas this week and fly rodded a bunch of bonefish, he said. He marlin fished there and got one knockdown. Back at home, striper fishing is surely still good in the back bay, he said, and bluefish can be found in the bay, and plenty of flounder should still be biting in the back. Stripers should also be able to be clammed in the surf, and it’s been a good season for stripers in the suds. Joe heard that tuna were on the bite between Poorman’s and Baltimore canyons in the past days.

<b>Wildwood</b>

Good-sized flounder could be hooked in the back bay, and smaller ones moved in, but they gave up plenty of action, said Cathy from <b>Sterling Harbor Bait & Tackle</b> in an e-mail. Joann Derrick weighed in a 4-1/2-pound flounder she reeled in from the bay behind Wildwood, and flounder fishing also turned on at the Old Grounds in the ocean off Delaware when conditions were right. In Delaware Bay flatties were also reportedly caught at 14-Foot Light and Miah Maul, and some also supposedly came from the Anchorage. At Cape May Reef Joe Lyons on the Tara Ann pulled up a nice catch of sea bass with some flounder mixed in. Plenty of sharks were fought, and Jim Gardler boated a 138-pound mako on the Reel Work with Capt. George Clark. Frank Hennigan from the Avalanche weighed in a 223-pound, bruiser mako that he battled. Offshore fishing for other big game kicked in last week with excellent catches of tuna, mahi mahi and marlin at the Baltimore and Poorman’s canyons. Bluefin tuna were also trolled around the Cigar on cedar plugs, feathers and small jets. Be sure to catch the Shimano Butterfly Jigging Seminar 6 p.m. this Saturday at the shop. Refreshments will be provided, and lots of door prizes will be awarded. The shop’s 14th Annual Duke of Fluke Tournament, one of the best-known fluke tournaments, takes place Saturday, July 14, and registration forms are now available at the store. Call Sterling Harbor for more info.  

<b>Cape May</b>

A bottom-fishing trip sailed on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> on Sunday and bagged a dozen keeper flounder to 4 pounds with a few big sea bass to 3 pounds mixed in, Capt. George said. At least half the flounder topped 3 pounds, and a dozen short flatties were also released, and so were throwback sea bass, so the fishing was decent. The water was 67 degrees at the reef and 70 degrees closer to shore, and squid and mackerel were the baits. The anglers on the trip were Steve Connelly, Gary Berthel Sr. and Jr., Chris Berthel, Russ Wiltmeyer and Charlie Barron. Lots of boaters nearby hooked no fish, and one boater at the dock said his gang landed 15 flounder, and another said his scored 25, and others said they only reeled in a bunch of shorts. A shark charter is slated for Thursday, and sharking usually lasts another week or so. A couple of anglers from the marina were picking at tuna near Poorman’s Canyon, and reports sounded like tuna were found around Washington Canyon. Everybody who was tuna fishing was sailing far to the south.  One boat from the marina that ran offshore came back with five or six tuna flags flying, and another returned from with no flags on the outriggers. Charters on the Heavy Hitter are available for bottom fishing, bluefish trolling, sharking and tuna fishing.

Anglers with <b>Jaftica Sportfishing</b> were pulling up good numbers of flounder, sometimes to 6 and 7 pounds, at the ocean reefs, Capt. Ray said. Sea bassing is also available on the boat, and a friend filled a cooler with the lumpheads at the Sanctuary yesterday. A bluefish trolling trip is slated for this week, and sharking and tuna fishing are also on tap on the vessel. Tuna fishing was good far offshore, and good-sized, 50- to 70-pound yellowfins were hooked. Plenty of sharks including nice makos and big threshers were both inshore and offshore, though Ray heard no news about them this weekend. Jaftica is raffling off a striped bass charter through summer to benefit the recovery of one of the boat’s mates who was injured in an accident. Raffle tickets are only $5 apiece or $20 for five, and see the boat’s web site for info.   

Flounder fishing was picking up, and the <b>Sea Fox</b> is chartering for them at the Old Grounds and in Delaware Bay, Capt. Gary said. He’s looking forward to competing in this year’s Duke of Fluke Tournament in July at Sterling Harbor Bait & Tackle in Wildwood, and he’s placed in the famous tournament before. Sea bassing is also available, and so is trolling for bluefish and also sharking. Tuna charters should soon begin fishing the inshore lumps like the Hambone.

On the <b>Miss Chris</b> flounder to 5 pounds were boated on trips that are sailing daily, a fax from the boat said. Jason Malhearn landed three flatties to 4 ¾ pounds, and Dean Frank took three of the fish to 5 pounds. Trips are also sailing 7 p.m. every day for weakfish and croakers. Patrons on the <b>Lady Chris</b> were catching mixed bags of fluke and small bluefish on two 4-hour trips daily.

Tuna fishing exploded at the canyons last week, and a 15-degree temperature break started at Baltimore Canyon and pushed south, and by Saturday the 78-degree water reached the 500-fathom line between Poorman’s and Washington canyons, said Matt from <b>Jim’s Bait & Tackle</b> in a fax. Many boaters then bailed double-digit catches of yellowfin tuna from 30 to 50 pounds. Shark fishing was also hot along the 20- and 30-fathom wrecks and lumps and also at 19-Fathom Lump and Massey’s Canyon. Some nice makos and threshers were battled, and Janice Peterson boated her first-ever mako, a 163-pounder, at the 19 Lump, and Herb Kensit fished the same place and weighed in a 208-pound mako. Closer to shore, flounder started to show up at Cape May Reef, and Carl Landset drifted the south end of the tire units and bagged six flatties to 4 pounds, released several others and also took home nice sea bass. Reef Site 11 and the Old Grounds also dished out flounder when conditions were right. Luke Hickey weighed in a possible state- and world-record, 23.94-pound tog that he spearfished while free diving a Delaware Bay wreck. Luke is a Cape May local and also an avid rod and reel angler. Stripers were still beached in the local surf, mostly at dawn and dusk on clams. Weakfishing was very spotty at Cape May Point, and some would be caught one day and none the next. The Wildwood Crest suds held good numbers of 1- to 3-pound blues that hit metal or mackerel strips.

Flounder bit at the Old Grounds, Reef Site 11 and in the back bays, and croakers began to show, and small blues swam Cape May Inlet and along Cape May Point, Capt. Fred from <b>Harbor View Marina</b> said in a fax. Plenty of mako sharks and a few thresher sharks were subdued, and a boat from the marina caught makos on back to back trips over the weekend. Waters between Poorman’s and Baltimore canyons were giving up yellowfin tuna and mahi mahi. Another boat from the Harbor View was coming back with decent catches of sea bass from the ocean wrecks.

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