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<b>Brooklyn</b>

The <b>Big M Express</b> was undergoing maintenance in the past few days, but the last charter sailed Sunday night and searched for striped bass in the ocean just outside the bay, Capt. Steve said. The boat began trolling parachutes, but no fish bit, so the anglers switched to umbrellas, and that did the trick. Stripers were hammered the next three hours, and two to five of the fish often bit at once. Nine keepers and six times as many shorts were reeled in. Charters are targeting fluke, sea bass and stripers, and open-boat trips are heading out for fluke and sea bass every morning when no charter is booked.

<b>Staten Island</b>

Anglers with <b>Kayla Rose Charters</b> were doing lots of fluking, and it was going well, Capt. Darrin said. Sea bass were also picked up here and there, and charters were beginning to shark fish, and sharking was turning out to be good this year. Tuna fishing on the boat should begin in a week or so. 

Shark fishing really turned on for makos, threshers and blues, said Joe from <b>Michael’s Bait & Tackle</b>. He heard about no tuna landed. Fluking was good at Flynn’s Knoll, and stripers were hooked at Atlantic Highlands. Staten Island surf anglers were fighting bluefish.

<b>Bayonne</b>

Most local fluke fishers were targeting waters around the Verrazano Bridge, and not many flatties bit, but the ones that did were 4 pounds or 20 inches, said Capt. Akira from <b>True World Tackle</b> and <b>True World Tackle Charters</b>. Depths there are 60 and 70 feet and are 90 feet directly under the bridge. A customer walloped an 11-pound 2-ounce fluke on a 4-ounce Spro bucktail, and he didn’t say where he nailed the fish, but it was probably at one of the channels. Another customer fluke fished at the Shrewsbury Rocks and picked up keepers, not a lot, but some. Another angler reported putting together a good catch of sea bass at the Mud Buoy. 

<b>Laurence Harbor</b>

Fluke were hooked from mid-bay to the ocean, and quite a few bluefish turned on around the mouth of the bay, and striper fishing was poor because the water was warming, said Capt. Kyle from <b>Evening Tide Charters</b>. Bunker sometimes schooled the bay, and the Great Kills area seemed to hold them, but only blues and no stripers chased the menhaden. His trips are targeting fluke and blues, and he’s eagerly waiting for weakfish to arrive. Weaks should show up any time and should stick around until September or October. His charters usually land the weaks on white bucktails with a Berkeley Power worm.

<b>Keyport</b>

Mike Allen and son Nate from Syracuse left the dock with <b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b> on Tuesday and hooked short fluke in the bay off Keansburg and Belford and near the Ammo Pier on squid, Capt. Joe said. There was a good drift for fluking and flat seas, and the day was hazy, hot and humid. Another trip sails for fluke tomorrow, and open-boat trips run 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. every day when no charter is booked. An open-boat trip also sails 7 a.m. to 12 noon every Wednesday, and call to reserve and for prices. Fishing for fluke, blues and stripers are the options on the open trips, and weakfishing will take place when weaks move in.

On the <b>Lucky Carm</b> the Henry Soblike party from Clark’s Summit, Pa., and also from the Sons of Nam, a Vietnam War veterans’ group, scored well on fluke to 6 ½ pounds in the bay yesterday, Capt. Carmine said. Bait-fishing for the flatties was so-so, but jigs with squids did the trick. Sal caught the biggest fish and a few cocktail blues, and Hank Jr. was high hook. Open-boat trips take place every day with a minimum of three anglers when the boat’s not chartered, and call to reserve. Open trips will target fluke and/or stripers, and some stripers can still be found. Friends said they pulled up three keeper stripers in the back of the bay the other night. Special charters are also running either 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. or 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. or during custom hours in the evenings. Boat traffic drops off in the evenings, and fluke and stripers seem to turn on. Charters have pounded the fish on such trips, usually fluking a couple of hours and then switching to striper fishing. 

Fluke were all over the bay, and more and more keepers were being caught, said Chris from <b>Crabby’s Bait & Tackle</b> in a fax. “Boston” Pete and “Fins” Bob weighed in a 7.2-pound fluke, a 5.2-pounder and a 5-pounder that they nabbed near Great Kills on live herring. A.J. Paternak wrestled a 7.8-pound fluke from the waters near the TC can on a bucktail with a strip bait. But the doormat of the week was a 12.4-pound whopper, a huge fluke, that Joe Fischler creamed on one of his own, custom-made bucktails that are now being sold at Crabby’s. Bluefish also filled the bay, and signs of weakfish and porgies were beginning to be common in the back of the bay. Crabbing was really coming alive, and more and more big keepers were picked up. The shop’s free crabbing contest starts Sunday, so be sure to bring the monsters in.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

A good run of striped bass showed up a couple of days ago in the ocean toward the Highlands Bridge and south, and both surf fishers and boaters hooked them, said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Stripers could still be found in the mornings, and Jimmy himself clammed stripers in the ocean last night. Fluking was okay, and quite a few keepers swam the bay and ocean. Bluefishing was decent in the surf, bay and at the Mudhole. Plenty of sea bass bit at the rocks, and lots of porgies were around, and porgy season opens Sunday. Nothing much was heard about weakfish.

The <b>Fishermen</b> switched to daily fluke fishing Tuesday, and its final daytime striper trip of the season sailed Monday, though evening striper trips might continue this weekend one final time this summer, Capt. Ron said. Scores of keeper flatties were boated on the vessel both Tuesday and Wednesday in the ocean, and the fishing was good. Some of the fish were decent-sized, such as a 6-1/2-pounder bagged yesterday, and 2- and 3-pounders were sometimes landed on the trips. So the sizes of the fish was all right, and Ron said he was surprised by the large spread of flatties. Spearing and squid are supplied for bait, and sometimes sand eels are. The Fishermen is fishing for fluke 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily, and afternoon trips are running 3:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Fridays through Sundays. However, afternoon trips might target stripers one last time this weekend before switching to fluke, and call the boat to confirm. The boat is chartered this Saturday morning and Monday morning, and no open trips will sail at those times.

Fluke trips on the <b>Atlantic Star</b> fished the bay, and the ratio of keepers wasn’t as good as Capt. Tom would’ve preferred to see, but some nice-sized fish were boated, and shorts were giving up action, he said. Johann Schrier drilled a 6-1/4-pounder, and pool winners were probably 4- or 4-1/2 pounds on most trips. The boat was moving around to different spots in the bay for the best drifts, depending on currents, tides and winds. On yesterday afternoon’s trip the conditions at first were making the boat crooked and “crazy,” and patrons had difficulty holding bottom, so the vessel moved to Reach Channel for better drifting, and a few keepers were boated on each drift. Conditions were perfect on a trip the day before, and the high hook bagged seven keepers, but that was the exception. An angler next to him took one keeper, and a woman who’s a good angler landed no keepers, and it was funny how some would land one or three for the dinner table, and some would pull up none, with no apparent reason except chance. But everybody was at least hooking shorts for action. The vessel will target the ocean when that’s the better option, and sometimes trips already fished the ocean, and Tom thought the last time was Saturday. Spearing and squid are supplied for bait, and anglers can bring other baits such as killies.  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.

<b>Highlands</b>

Anglers were still picking away at striped bass in the ocean on bunker chunks with <b>Fisher Price Charters</b>, and the action was different from day to day, Capt. Derek said. Trips were looking for stripers in the mornings anywhere from off the Highlands Bridge to the Shrewsbury Rocks, and afterward they were usually fluke fishing in the ocean. It seemed that if the stripers could be found early, action could be started, and the fishing would hold for a while. A group yesterday limited out on 14 stripers, and a charter the previous day bagged two. The fish are there, but it’s a matter of when they want to bite. Fluke fishing was decent, and four to seven keepers and lots of shorts were usually boated within a couple of hours, and some of the keepers weighed up to 4 pounds. Fisher Price will keep striper fishing until the fish are gone for the season, and afterward charters will concentrate on fluke. Eventually trips will target weakfish when the trout arrive. 

<b>Sandy Hook Fishing Adventures</b> had a good week of fluking in the bay, though sometimes trips had to bounce around to find the bite, and killies and squid were the ticket, Capt. Bob said in an e-mail. Three generations of the Coleman family—a grandfather, his son and his grandson—were aboard for fluke, and they had to search around to put fish in the cooler, but a bite was found at Sandy Hook Channel toward the end of the day. All the anglers scored fish, and grandson Alex was high hook. Fluke and sea bass charters are being booked for July and August.

<b>Sea Bright</b>

<b>Two Rivers Charters</b> bailed striped bass in the ocean this week on live bait, Capt. Fletcher said, even though striper fishing is slower than earlier in the season. And the fish were big and 30 pounds. Fluke fishing was also good on the boat in the ocean.

<b>Long Branch</b>

Striped bass, bluefish and a few weakfish were sometimes taken, mostly in the surf, and usually on plugs, bunker or clams, said John from <b>Jim’s Bait & Tackle</b>. A 22-pound striper was weighed in yesterday, and a 33-1/2-pounder was checked in Monday. A friend dragged an 11-pound weakfish from the suds at Monmouth Beach that hit a plug. Another angler nabbed a 13-pound weakie at the Sandy Hook Rip. Stripers were also pinned down at the Rip on eels. The Shrewsbury River held lots of blues and some fluke. Fluke also swallowed baits in the surf, and a 4-1/2-pounder was weighed in yesterday.

<b>Neptune</b>

Fluke trips took place nearly every day with <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b> and were very good, Capt. Ralph said. The fish were holding in 30 feet and deeper, and some patrons limited out, and most landed three or four keepers, and Ralph thought a 9-pounder was probably the biggest. There was plenty of action, and sea bass were a by-catch when the trips fished rocky bottom. Individual-reservation fluke trips are sailing every Wednesday. A striped bass charter was leaving the dock this morning, and bluefishing was good, but no bluefishing took place onboard in the past days. Sharking was also good, and shark charters are on tap. Open-boat canyon tuna trips will start during the end of July.

<b>Belmar</b>

An open-boat shark trip on the <b>Nan Sea J</b> set a course for the Glory Hole on Wednesday and battled blue sharks to 200 pounds, Capt. Tom said. A couple of other mystery sharks were hooked but got off, so the species were never identified. The water was 67 to 68 degrees, kind of green and not so nice-looking, and a couple of bluefish bit. These open shark trips are leaving port every Wednesday through July, and some spots remain, and book to reserve a date. The Nan Sea J is one of the few boats to offer open-boat sharking, a great opportunity to land these monsters for those without enough anglers for a full charter. Sharking is one of the boat’s specialties and Tom’s favorite fishing. Charters are also fluke fishing, and it’s been good when there’s a good drift, and the fluke trips were fishing to the north in 35 feet off the ocean beaches, though Tom heard reports about fluke biting to the south this week. Charters are also bluefishing and loading up on lots around the Mudhole, Farms and the Oil Wreck. Anglers onboard also landed striped bass and blues early this week at the rocks on bunker, so striper fishing was still a possibility.  

Shark River was putting out a few keeper fluke, not a lot, and a tremendous number of shorts and also sea robins, at least fun for the kids, said Frank from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b>. But a few quality, 3- and 4-pound flatties were bagged, and the shop’s rental boats are available to fish the river. Party boat fluking was pretty good in the ocean, and some big fish seemed to be arriving there. A young girl checked in eight keeper fluke she took on a party boat this morning, and Frank fished on one of the boats this week, and an 8-1/2-pounder won the pool on the trip. Bluefishing on the party boats was tremendous. Surf fishing was slow, but a few striped bass were picked up, and the fish were starting to hit plugs more than clams. But clams still worked, though not like before, and angler who had herring were scoring some catches.

<b>Brielle</b>

Boaters were finding a bunch of fluke in the ocean right off Manasquan Inlet and north and south from Spring Lake to Mantoloking in 25 to 30 feet the past few days since the weekend, said Greg from <b>Brielle Bait & Tackle</b>. Not all the flatties were big, but there were lots, and a fair share of keepers, and good fishing on anything from killies to squid to sand eels. Surf anglers were also finding fluke, and the flattie fishing in the Manasquan River was okay, and lots of small ones were biting, but some anglers bagged nice keepers. Berkley Gulps were the hot baits there, and all different kinds worked, and the shop carries the whole shebang. Fluke made up the large majority of fish in the river so far, and some anglers were trying for stripers in the Manasquan, and the bite was okay, not great. Soon baitfish will arrive in the river, and then stripers and weakfish will start showing up. Striper fishing in the ocean was producing a few this week, and a few of the fish to 15 pounds were found chasing bunker schools off Mantoloking, and surf fishers at Manasquan also scored some and weighed in the fish. It wasn’t bad, and wasn’t crazy. Party-boat fishing was good, and the trips were coming back with fluke, sea bass and bluefish. The head boats were targeting fluke right along the beaches like everyone else, and the sea bass seemed to come from structure not too far offshore and not too close—mid range—apparently to the north off areas like Elberon, Long Branch and Sea Bright. Lots of bluefish were fought on the boats both day and night along the Mudhole on bait and jigs in chum slicks, and the fish were often 8 to 12 pounds but sometimes larger or up to 16 pounds. Offshore anglers were fighting plenty of sharks including makos and blues at spots like the Fingers, the Star and the Resor Wreck. Shark fishers also reported seeing 20- to 40-pound bluefin tuna 30 miles from land, and Greg heard about nobody actually hooking any, but they weren’t trying, and they said they saw the tuna.

Loads of sea bass and good-sized ones were boated on the <b>Paramount</b> at the inshore wrecks, rocks and reefs, and a couple of catches in the past days were some of the best so far this season, an e-mail from the boat said. The fish were so big that they even beat out blackfish and ling as pool winners sometimes. Clams were best bait, and high-low rigs or rigs with a single low hook with 8- or 10-ounce sinkers were the best set up, and 2/0 or 3/0 hooks and 30- or 40-pound fishing line were ideal. On Monday’s Marathon Trip, Matthew Moleski-Belski won the pool with a monster, 5-1/2-pound sea bass, beating out a number of ling and a few blackfish. Other notable catches ranged from John Hart’s catch of 9 sea bass to Cliff Nagle’s 24 sea bass, one shy of a limit. The Paramount is taking advantage of the good fishing and is sailing for sea bass every day at 6:30 a.m. Marathon Trips take place till 5 p.m. every Monday. From Tuesday through Sunday the boat returns 3:30 p.m. Deep-Water Mudhole Ling Special Trips start July 10 and will sail every Tuesday and Wednesday, targeting ling, cod, pollock, occasional blackfish and sea bass. For info call the boat or visit wreckmasters.com.

Bluefishing was excellent again today on the <b>Jamaica</b>, an e-mail from the boat said. Patrons could easily limit out on blues from 6 to 12 pounds on bait or jigs, but most customers tossed bait. The edge of the Mudhole in 170 feet was best, and night trips for blues were also excellent. The Jamaica is fishing for blues 7:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. every day through summer. 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, and so are private classes at your own location. Visit bogansboatingschool.com for info.

<b>Point Pleasant</b>

The Robert Crokus charter took a tuna/shark combo trip yesterday on the <b>Andrea’s Toy</b>, Capt. Fred said. The boat trolled for bluefin tuna from the Oil Wreck to the Monster Ledge with no takers, and then the anglers set up for sharking. They drilled two blue sharks to 11 feet at the Monster Ledge in 68-degree, clean, green water with lots of life. Small makos swam around but refused to bite, and all the blues the anglers could want to fight were hooked on light tackle to keep busy. Another trip with Andrea’s Toy last Friday jigged bluefins 60 miles offshore. These mid-shore shark/bluefin combos are available both on charters and open-boat trips. When the water hits 70 degrees the trips will also fight mahi mahi on light tackle. In addition, mixed-bag charters and open trips will probably start running to Hudson Canyon next week if warm water reaches the 1,000-fathom line, doing a combo of tuna trolling and light-tackle mahi fishing during the day and sharking, swordfishing and tilefishing overnight. Andrea’s Toy specializes in mixed-bag trips for fun and greater chances of hooking up. These trips sail on a 31-foot Contender that cruises 45 m.p.h., making it to the fishing grounds in half the time of a party boat, allowing more fishing time and the opportunity to target more than one species. Inshore charters are now sailing for a combo of fluke and sea bass and putting a beating on the fish. Recent trips bagged scores of fluke, and plenty of sea bass could be caught.

An open-boat trip chased fluke in the ocean yesterday with <b>Reel Class Charters</b>, Capt. Allen said. The group started fishing off the Mantoloking pipe and picked some flatties, then pushed a little south off the Thunderbird Hotel, and more were picked. Then the boat headed off Chadwick Beach, and more summer flounder were reeled aboard. Winds picked up in the afternoon, and thunderstorms threatened, so Allen moved closer to port off Point Pleasant, and more fluke were taken. By the end of the day 17 keepers were bagged, and maybe three times as many shorts were tossed back, and it was a good trip. Jeremiah Jacobs landed a 6-1/4-pounder, and George Push scored a 4-pounder, and one of the anglers totaled seven keepers. Brian and Chris were also aboard. Thirty feet was the magic depth, and there was a wide spread of fish, and that’s a good thing at this time of year, boding well. The anglers did no sea bassing, but Reel Class sometimes mixes sea bass fishing with fluking. The current was strong for targeting sea bass at bottom structure this day, with a 1-1/2-knot drift, and 8 to 10 ounces of weight was needed to hold bottom. Both charters and open-boat trips are sailing for these fish, and call Allen or check the boat’s web site for availability.

Fluke fishing really picked up for anglers fishing off the wall at Manasquan Inlet near <b>Alex’s Bait & Tackle</b>, Marc said. Squid and spearing were tricking them, and killies also worked. Crabbing was very good, and a few weakfish could be hooked at night, and that fishing usually turns on by now, but it was mostly slow so far. Fishing generally seemed late this year, so the night weakfishing should improve soon. Some big, 20- and 25-pound bass were taken in the surf on bunker chunks early in the mornings and at dusk, and bunker swam the suds, and fresh bunker is stocked. Other baits at the shop include squid, spearing, sand eels, frozen mackerel, fresh clams and live eels.

<b>Bricktown</b>

Chris Clancy shot out Manasquan Inlet on his boat, saw bunker breaking the surface, snagged a couple, dropped them down for bait, and nailed two 29- and 32-pound striped bass, said Ray from <b>Pell’s Fish & Sport</b>. He heard about no other stripers caught, and surf fishing seemed slow. A customer who frequents the suds said he beached a couple of sea robins on plugs, and that was it. Ray assumed fluke were biting in the ocean, and on Saturday, Rich Lind Horst, 13, was fluking off Seaside and ended up hauling in an 85-pound black drum. No news rolled in about fluking in Manasquan River, and a friend said ocean temps dropped during the past day or so. Crabbing seemed average, and crabbers were starting to buy a little more bait.

Boaters were picking up good catches of fluke in the ocean just outside Manasquan Inlet and also off Mantoloking and Spring Lake, said Bob from <b>Jersey Coast Bait-N-Tackle</b>. On the Manasquan River fluke front, fishing at the inlet was good, and those fish were apparently with the same body of flatties being hooked in the nearby ocean, and 19- and 20-inch fluke were taken at the inlet. Striped bass fishing was picky, but a few were around, and sometimes they bit in the surf on clams and bunker. Boaters could still land a few stripers while trolling in the ocean with spoons or umbrella rigs, but that was mostly farther north. In northern Barnegat Bay near the shop, like around the Mantoloking Bridge, weakfish could be found in the early mornings or at night on sandworms, sand eels and pink Gulps. Sands, sand eels and Gulps are all stocked, and so are fresh clams, fresh bunker and the full supply of baits.

<b>Toms River</b>

A couple of 7-pound fluke were boated at the Tires in the ocean, and sand eel and squid combos were grabbing bites, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. Flukers were gathering off the Island Beach State Park bathing beach and dunking the same baits, and the catch was hit or miss, and one day someone would bag 20 keepers, and the next only 3. A few anglers were limiting out on fluke in Barnegat Bay between the BI marker and BB marker on spearing and squid. A few weakfish could be sandwormed off Berkley Island Park, and spikes could sometimes also be landed off Island Heights. Crabbing in the Tomes River like at Island Heights was good, and handlines were working better than traps. One crabber pulled up three dozen keepers, only kept the 5 ½ inchers, and ended up with a dozen. Surf fishing was slow, but sometimes blues and stripers were beached, and no big stripers bit anymore, but 12-pounders were checked in. A few schools of bunker appeared in the surf in the past days, and they also swam the ocean near the beaches, so boaters could probably snag them, drop them back down for bait and find a striper. Boaters sometimes trolled stripers in the ocean on bunker spoons in 50 to 60 feet, but the action definitely dropped off.  

<b>Seaside</b>

Fluke were being caught from the surf and from boats close to the beach on squid, sand eels and large spearing, said the fishing report on <b>Betty and Nick’s Bait & Tackle</b>’s web site today. Usually flukers expect short fish this time of year, but reportedly flatties to 24 inches were holding along the Island Beach State Park area. Big stripers could still show up and chase bunker along the beaches like they did the past five years, and some large pods of bunker were headed this way. Early-season crabbing was good, and the keeper to throwback ratio was a little “long,” but the action was making it a great activity for kids. The surf was 1 to 2 feet, 68 degrees and gin-clear. <a href=" http://www.bettyandnicks.com/fish.shtml" target="_blank"> Click here</a> for the latest. 

<b>Waretown</b>

A few 9-pound fluke were weighed in from Barnegat Bay, and flukers seemed to sometimes pick up good-sized ones, said Dick from <b>L&H Woods & Water</b>. Small, 2-pound blues plied the bay, and stripers could be found around the inlets. Nothing was heard about weakfish, and crabbers were trapping plenty of healthy-sized blueclaws.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Fluke fishing was turning on in Barnegat Bay, and that was the best thing going, and probably 1 in 3 of the flatties was a keeper, compared to a 3 in 10 ratio a week ago, said Josh from <b>Barnegat Light Bait & Tackle</b>. Minnows were the bait, and minnows are stocked, and any type of Berkeley Gulp worked, and live spots could also fool the fish, and Gulps and spots are carried. Spots were also catching fluke, weakfish and occasionally blues at Barnegat Inlet. Fluke were also biting in the surf, and Josh heard about 20-inchers beached, and try tossing a bucktail like a Spro with a twister tail for the fish. Stripers could be landed in the suds at night on fresh bunker, and the menhaden are carried at the shop. Stripers were boated at the Harvey Cedars Lump, and bunker reportedly showed up at the inlet south pocket yesterday. On the offshore scene, a 550-pound thresher shark was caught at the Fingers Saturday. The Fingers seemed to hold lots of sharks, and Mark Fanelli fought two mako sharks to the boat Saturday, and Josh assumed he probably fished the Fingers. 

<b>Barnegat</b>

Bob Nosti and buddy Dave took a trip with <b>A2Z Charters</b> on Tuesday to look for striped bass and tiderunner weakfish around Barnegat Bay, Capt. Al said. A couple of blues were hooked, and during the change of tide five large weaks from 5 to 8 pounds were nailed. Afterward the anglers had fun catching and releasing a gang of bluefish on popper lures. On Wednesday Check Cleinhenn and son Dan were on deck in the bay, and two large weaks were hooked but got off during the change of tide, but they also had a ball throwing surface poppers to land a mess of blues. They tried fluke fishing, but it wasn’t happening. A2Z specializes in light-tackle and fly fishing, and also usually focuses on fishing with artificials or lures and flies. It’s more about the experience, challenge and rewards than filling the cooler. Big weakfish are also Al’s “thing” in spring and summer. Many anglers think these tiderunners have left the bay by now, and others have also thought the run of tiderunners was slow this year, but Al catches these fish regularly on his charters. They don’t get hooked every day, but he catches them fairly well, and it’s a matter of being in the right place at the right time. Slack tides at either high or low water is the time to chase them, and Al’s anglers cast Bass Kandy Delight soft plastic lures to fool them, and the fish are spread all over, from the inlet jetties to Oyster Creek and Double Creek channels to the sod banks. The big trout usually stick around through July. The tiderunners enter the bay in spring, and the bulk of the bay’s weakfish, the smaller, schoolie weaks, should start biting after the next full moon. Those schoolies will be hooked until early fall, and then Al’s trips will catch striped bass. 

<b>Brighton Beach</b>

Surf fishers scored kingfish, big, mean bluefish and occasional striped bass, said Ryan from <b>Oceanside Bait & Tackle</b>. The kings inhaled bloods best, but grass shrimp drew hits. Fresh clams or fresh bunker attracted the stripers. Baits at the shop include live spots, live eels, fresh and frozen bunker, fresh and salted clams, frozen mackerel, sand eels and frozen mackerel. Oceanside is a new shop that opened Memorial Day weekend at 8201 Long Beach Boulevard on the southern end of Long Beach Island. The owners of Barnegat Light Bait & Tackle own the store.

<b>Beach Haven</b>

The <b>June Bug</b> will head out on an inshore trip, its first trip in Jersey after fishing from North Carolina earlier this season, in two Fridays, Capt. Lindsay said. Fluke, sea bass and/or blues will be the target. Offshore charters will begin the following weekend, and bluefin tuna were already biting between the 20- and 40-fathom lines.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

Flounder were migrating to the ocean reefs and structure, and customers were starting to pull up good catches from Little Egg Reef, said Scott from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. The anglers only reported fishing there, but the arrival of those fish means that probably any of the reefs or structure at such areas are probably holding the flatties. The bay continued to produce mostly small flounder, and the big ones seemed to be caught in the beginning of the season. Stripers were still boated in the ocean, and the catches were fewer than before, but maybe that was only because the weather sometimes prevented boats from sailing, or maybe fewer people weighed in fish. Not much was reported about bluefish. Plenty of sea bass swam along the ocean wrecks and reefs, but like the flounder in the bay, many of the keeper sea bass seemed to be caught already. So most of the humpbacks were under the 12-inch size limit, and boaters had to pick through them to cull a few keepers. A handful of weakfish were found at Oyster Creek, Mott Creek and the mouth of Big Creek on high, outgoing tides, and mornings seemed best. This is all in the vicinity of the mouth of the Mullica River, and the mouth of the Mullica was probably also producing a few of the trout, but the number of weakies was nothing large and was only a handful. Shark fishing finally kicked off along Grassy Channel in the bay, and some 4-foot browns, no humongous ones, were wrestled to the boat, and big sand sharks also bit. Try setting up at night within a few casts of the 138 marker and sending out strips or chunks of mackerel or other fresh bait like bunker on a 9/0 hook with a metal leader to prevent bite-offs. The tackle needs to be nothing as fancy as offshore sharking. Chum isn’t 100-percent necessary, but the sharkers often use a couple of quarts of chum, and Scott’s sells 1-gallon chum balls that work well. This fishery usually turns on starting the second week of June and lasts through August, and Scott guessed the monsters were coming in to spawn.

<b>Absecon</b>

Back-bay flounder fishing was still going on big-time, said Capt. Dave from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. Flatties weighing 5 and 6 pounds were being seen every day, and stripers, mostly shorts, were hitting along the bridge and the sod banks. Fishing for them was best under the bridge with live spots at night, and the spots are in supply at the shop.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

Lots of flounder filled the bay and inlet, said Jack from <b>Offshore Enterprises Bait & Tackle</b>. Sea bass were starting to appear along the jetties, and tog also hugged the rocks, and kingfish were beginning to be found in the suds. Boaters in the ocean sometimes nailed 30- to 45-pound stripers on snagged bunker.

The <b>Carly A</b>, the shop’s offshore charter boat, shark fished Friday, and the anglers tackled a huge, 351-pound mako shark! They fished around the 750 Square and also released a 170-pounder and a 150-pounder. The crew held a cookout Saturday and served up the big mako. “It was delicious,” Jack said. Sharking’s been phenomenal, and the Carly A will probably start tuna fishing this weekend, if the weather holds.

 Jack was hearing about bluefin tuna picked up, probably toward Wilmington Canyon. The shop is carrying minnows, bloodworms, squid, frozen mackerel and frozen herring, and fresh clams will be stocked tomorrow, and fresh bunker will be on hand for the weekend. Other inshore baits are also carried, and so are offshore baits, including flats of butterfish and mackerel, and bunker chum and mackerel chum. Medium and horse ballyhoos, both rigged and unrigged, are in the freezer, and so are trolling squid.  The baits like the ballyhoos and butters are in great shape, and Jack’s seen none better, he said.

<b>Margate</b>

Winds blew yesterday, and the <b>Jessie O’</b> sailed on no trip that day, Capt. Jay said. But on Sunday the boat fished at the reefs, and patrons reeled in flounder, mostly throwbacks, but it was a good sign that the flatties were arriving at the ocean structure. A few sea bass were found at one spot that day. Jay’s other boat, the <b>Fish N’ Fun</b>, continued to target flounder in the back bay on two 4-hour trips daily, and the catch was decent. The Jessie O’ sails on an open-boat trip daily in the ocean for flounder and sea bass when no charter is booked, and both vessels are available for charters.   

<b>Longport</b>

Lots of sea bass, a few triggerfish and a handful of flounder were coming up on the <b>Stray Cat</b> on bottom-fishing trips 12 miles offshore, Capt. Mike said. Water temps were 67 to 68 degrees, but some pockets were slightly warmer. Reports were heard about tuna caught on the 30-fathom line, and an open-boat tuna trip is sold out Sunday, but open tuna trips will sail again July 8 and 22, and two openings apiece are available for those trips. They run from 4 a.m. to 4 p.m. and are limited to six passengers each and will be trolling. A 24-hour, open-boat, big-game trip will troll for tuna, marlin and wahoo during the day and will deep-drop for swordfish and tilefish at night, and call for info. Tuna charters are also available. Party cruises or dolphin-watching cruises are available that sail 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. with about 20 passengers.

<b>Ocean City</b>

Surf fishers could sometimes reel in short striped bass, mostly on clams, and kingfish on bloodworms, said Jim from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. A kid two days ago brought in a bucket of croakers, the first croakers Jim saw this year, so apparently croakers were arriving in the suds, and the kid hooked the fish on bloodworms. Sea bassing was reportedly okay at the ocean reefs, and flounder were beginning to appear there. Bluefin tuna were sometimes boated in the inshore ocean, and Jim caught 25- to 30-pound bluefins at the Cigar on Tuesday on rainbow and green spreader bars in 69- to 70-degree water, and the bite was finished by 10 a.m., so apparently mornings were key. Local shark fishing was on the downswing now, because waters were warming. Jim heard about lots of blue sharks that hit, but makos were beginning to depart for cooler water, although a few makos were bagged.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Gibson’s Tackle</b> headed offshore 3:30 a.m. Tuesday and found great tuna fishing near the Olinda wreck just north of Poorman’s Canyon along the 100-fathom curve, he said. Two 70-pound yellowfin tuna were bagged, and about five smaller ones were released, and two 10- to 15-pound mahi mahi were landed, all on the troll. The tuna swam 68-degree water, and the mahi plied 71-degree water, and a nice temperature break was there, and the water was blue and beautiful for this time of year. The action was solid while Joe fished six hours starting about 7 a.m., but the fish only bit in that area. Seas were 2 to 4 feet. In the back bay striper fishing was good, especially on popper lures and flies, one of Joe’s specialties, and this is peak popper season, so get in on the action if you want to experience it.  Bluefish were at the inlets, and bluefishing was good at Townsend’s Inlet. Flounder fishing was holding up in the bay, and minnows on plain hooks seemed best. Minnows were scarce earlier this season, but Gibson’s was able to stock plenty lately. Stripers sucked down clams in the surf, and kingfish began to appear in the suds, though kingfishing was still slow. Big bluefish could be chummed in the ocean 5 to 20 miles from shore, and try places like Sea Isle Ridge, Avalon Shoal and the Stone Beds.  Sharks including makos could be boated in the ocean.

<b>Avalon</b>

<b>Over Under Adventures</b>’ boat Low Profile is making its way to Avalon to fish for big game offshore during the rest of summer and fall after fishing from the Bahamas since winter. But Over Under’s boats in Ocean City, Md., fished for tuna on 10 trips during the past week, Over Under’s web site report said. The fishing was “on” early last week and somewhat fizzled toward the end of the week, and the boats mostly fished from Baltimore Canyon to Poorman’s Canyon, finding the best catches in 70 fathoms. The best trip caught 10 tuna, and the worst  “got the tuna skunk,” the report said. Most trips averaged four to seven speedsters, and about half the fish weighed 25 to 35 pounds, and half weighed 50 to 70. Over Under’s boat Pretty Work set out to hunt bigeye tuna yesterday south of Poorman’s toward Washington Canyon, but the captain must’ve seen something he liked on the way, because he stopped short at 50 fathoms, and soon the action was on. Fifteen tuna to 72 pounds were boated by 10 a.m. in 68-degree water on ballyhoos on Sea Witches. There were several multiple hook-ups, including a 6 for 8 slam. The Pretty Work and another boat from Over Under’s fleet were supposed to be right back out today. Check out Over Under’s schedule of <a href="http://overundercharters.com/?page=opendates" target="_blank"> open-boat trips</a>, and more dates will be added as groups call and ask about splitting costs with other anglers. 

<b>Cape May</b>

On the <b>Canyon Clipper</b> anglers were hooking good-sized sea bass at the ocean reefs, and flounder were starting to arrive at the ocean spots, and a charter is supposed to run to the Old Grounds in the ocean off Delaware for flatties this weekend, Capt. Stan said. That will be the boat’s first trip to the Old Grounds this season, and trips there kept getting weathered out. Bluefish could be found nearly anywhere at the ocean lumps and structure, if anyone wants to troll them. Waters off South Jersey were starting to become too warm for mako sharks, and the makos were following cooler water farther north off Jersey, but a few makos could still be caught, and hammerheads and duskies and such species could be fought. But the warmer water brings in tuna, and bluefin tuna were sometimes boated in the inshore ocean, like at the Ham Bone, and yellowfins were grabbed at the canyons. So it’s definitely time to climb aboard for tuna.

Charters on the <b>Down Deep</b> were mostly boating bluefish, flounder and sea bass, and none of the fishing was hot and heavy yet, but the anglers were putting together catches, Capt. Bob said. A trip yesterday trolled bluefish and bonito at South Shoal, and the blues weren’t big, but they were fun, and plenty of bonito were around. A fair number of flounder were still swimming the bays, and they’ll start pushing to the ocean reefs and structure within some weeks, and the boat’s charters target the flatties there. A shark trip is slated for Tuesday, and the last shark trip was a week or so ago. Some bluefin tuna are arriving at the inshore lumps. Openings are available for charters for all these species, and call to reserve a date.

Boaters seemed to get into good flounder fishing at Brown Shoal in Delaware Bay, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b>. He was sure some could also be found near Brandywine and 14-Foot Light. Back-bay flounder fishing was also decent, and small stripers can always be picked up in the back. Striper fishing anywhere was now an early morning and nighttime bite, because of the heat. Surf fishing was fairly good for a mix of weakfish, blues and stripers at spots including Cape May Point, Poverty Beach and Higbee’s Beach. An 8-pound weakfish was weighed in today that bit a bloodworm and probably came from Cape May Point, and bloodworms are the bait of choice for weakfish there. Weakfishing in Delaware Bay was spotty, and reports were sometimes heard about weakfish taken at Reed’s Beach in the bay, but that’s hit or miss. The ocean wrecks gave up plenty of sea bass with flounder mixed in. Farther offshore shark fishing never really seemed to be great off Cape May this season, but some were taken. Tuna had been biting at Baltimore Canyon, where warm water had appeared, and anglers were hoping the warm water would push farther north or closer to home.

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