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<b>Brooklyn</b>

A charter on the <b>Big M Express</b> picked away at sea bass to 3 pounds throughout a trip Sunday and released out-of-season blackfish, Capt. Steve said. On Saturday an open-boat trip sailed for fluke, running to the Shrewsbury Rocks at first, the report on the boat’s web site said. The fishing was slow there, and only a few shorts bit. Another stop farther north produced the same results, and the boat stopped at one more place before Steve was going to head back to the Tin Can, and on the first drift two keepers and a 19-inch short were picked up, and then the anglers put together a decent pick there, managing eight keepers to 6 ½ pounds and a good number of shorts. No trash fish like skates, sea robins and dogfish bit, and that was nice, and dogfish seemed to hold in water 50 feet and deeper.  Open-boat trips for fluke and sea bass are running daily when no charter is booked.

<b>Staten Island</b>

Three anglers on a charter on the <b>Barbara Anne</b> bagged scores of sea bass and plenty of ling and released out-of-season blackfish, Capt. Anthony said. Three anglers onboard last Monday boated more than 40 keeper sea bass to 3 pounds and some fluke that were just keeper-sized. The trips fished different wrecks a few miles offshore, and bottom fishing will probably continue on the boat through January. Blackfishing will become the focus when blackfish season opens in October. Charters are available, and open-boat trips take place every Tuesday, guaranteed to sail with a minimum of two anglers.

Sea bass fishing was good with <b>Outcast Charters</b> on Saturday, and the boat didn’t limit out, and the fishing wasn’t phenomenal like during the past weeks, but a bunch were still caught, Capt. Joe said. Maybe 15 ling were also boated, and seven out-of-season blackfish were released. Charters and open-boat trips will keep bottom fishing through summer and fall, and fluke charters are also currently sailing. When blackfish season opens in October, trips will go right after them, and sea bass/blackfish combos will also sail, and sea bass usually stay inshore until November.

<b>Frenzy Fishing Charters</b> was fluke fishing the past couple of days, and the catch was very good, Capt. Tommy Verderosa said. A few decent-sized ones came aboard, and charters are mostly fluking now, but a charter today was possibly going striper fishing.

On the <b>Kayla Rose</b> charters picked up lots of good fluke this past week, and Joe Daretany pinned down a 5-pounder, Capt. Darrin said. A shark trip was heading out today.

<b>Laurence Harbor</b>

<b>Evening Tide Charters</b> found fluke along the ocean beaches yesterday, and anglers onboard had to wade through shorts to pick up keepers, but the fish were there, Capt. Kyle said. Then the boat moved to the back of the bay, and waves and waves of bunker were schooling, and the baitfish were caught and livelined, and huge bluefish were nailed. The water was 73 degrees in the back of the bay, and Evening Tide is now focusing on fluke and blues, and charters will chase weakfish when the trout arrive. The weakies could start biting any day. A friend trolled two good-sized stripers, including a large one that got off, in the ocean yesterday at a series of lumps.

<b>Keyport</b>

Pete Sulfman and Petey Travis were among the anglers on an open-boat trip Friday evening on the <b>Lucky Carm</b>, and they boated fluke to 4 ½ pounds, and the trip worked out well, Capt. Carmine said. On Saturday evening the John’s Tire Company charter wanted to try striper fishing, and they headed to the clam beds, but dog fish after dog fish bit. So they moved to Flynn’s Knoll, and more dogs attacked. So the group pushed to the back of the bay, and again, the water was loaded with dogs. They switched to fluke fishing and landed flatties to 3 pounds. Carmine thought Jim was high hook, and he said Noel nailed nice blues. On Sunday morning an open-boat trip sailed with The Baltimore Boys or Brian, Duncan and Tyrone, and Stan Balewitz and Neil Siessel were also aboard. They fluke fished and managed flatties to 3 ½ pounds near Sandy Hook and in the bay and all over, and dogfish and sea robins were abundant.  On a trip Sunday evening dogfish were brutal, and the anglers wanted to target bluefish and striped bass, although Carmine told them striper fishing was slowing down, and a few blues were around but not as many as before. They anchored up a number of times, and dog after dog grabbed the baits, but some bluefish and a fluke were landed. The anglers that evening were Steve, Michael and Bill Brusca and Joe, Tom and Tim Brere. Fluke are out there, but anglers have to target them, and bluefish can be found, and the blues are now smaller ones or 1- to 3-pounders. Open-boat trips are taking place 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. every day when no charter is booked, and call to reserve. Charters are also available at that time, and evening charters are available from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. or from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., and custom times in the evenings are also available.

The Linda Bond family fished Friday with <b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b> and released short fluke at the TC buoy and on the ocean side of Sandy Hook on squid, Capt. Joe said. Open-boat trips are available 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. every day when no charter is slated, and a weekly open-boat trip takes place 7 a.m. to 12 noon Wednesdays. Fishing for fluke, blues and stripers, or a mix of the fish, are the options on the open trips, and call to reserve space and for prices. When weakfish arrive, Papa’s Angels will also fish for them.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Bernard Jones drilled a 12-pound 14-ounce fluke on the <b>Atlantic Star</b> on Thursday afternoon, Capt. Tom said. A string of other big flatties were hooked on trips since Thursday: Jim Foran’s 11-pound 6-ouncer, Steve McPeak’s 9-pounder, John Giordano’s 8-pound 10-ouncer, Huey Smith’s 6-pounder and 11-year-old Darien Cohen’s 5-1/2-pounder. All the big ones came from the bay, although the boat sometimes fished in the ocean just around Sandy Hook. But overall the fishing once again depended on conditions, because sometimes winds, currents or tides created a good drift, and good fishing resulted, and other times the conditions prevented a good drift and hampered the fishing. In other words, sometimes there was no drift, and sometimes the drift was too fast, and sometimes the drift was just right. Trips were fairly action filled with shorts biting, but it was a matter of catching keepers, and that was tough on some occasions. One of the great things about fluke fishing is that everyone has a shot at a big fish, because sometimes a 20-year veteran will land a whopper, but other times a novice with a rental pole will nail a doormat, and often it’s chance. 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.

Patrons on the <b>Fishermen</b> picked away at short fluke and keepers Thursday, and a few managed six nice keepers apiece, and a 6-pounder was the pool fish, Capt. Ron said on the boat’s web site’s report. Friday’s trip started with no drift, but a few good-sized, 2-1/2 to 4-1/2-pound flatties were landed. Then a tide change brought horrible conditions the rest of the day, but customers picked away at shorts and keepers in several areas. The high hook bagged five, and a 4-1/2-pounder was the pool winner. A charter fished on the boat Saturday morning and picked some fish in a few areas, but it wasn’t good fishing, unless sea robins and skates are counted. Sunday brought perfect drifting conditions, and fluke were picked all day, and a 4-1/4-pounder was good for the pool. Sea bass and a few small blues were in the mix. The boat typically fishes in the ocean, and fluke trips are sailing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily, and afternoon fluke trips are running 3:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Fridays through Sundays.

Fluking was excellent on the <b>CRT II</b> two weekends ago, and it was all right this past weekend, Capt. Mick said. Trips this past weekend fished anyplace from Chapel Hill Channel to Flynn’s Knoll to the ocean down to Sea Bright, including off the Sandy Hook nude beach. On Friday the Chris Santorro party put together a light pick with one keeper, and on Saturday morning the Tory Rodriguez group nailed a good pick with nine keepers. On Saturday afternoon with the Marilyn Jacard charter, the fluking was slower, but nine keepers were still boated. Larry Gordon’s gang on Sunday grabbed six keepers among a light pick. Most keepers during the trips were 18 to 20 inches, and some were 22 inches, and the fish were hooked on squid strips and spearing. No huge fish bit, but the fluking was okay, and Mick hoped larger flatties would still arrive.

<b>Highlands</b>

Capt. Brian from <b>Jersey Devil Charters</b> was in Bermuda and went blue marlin fishing, and the fishing was fairly decent, he said. On Friday a charter anchored at the Shrewsbury Rocks and bunker chunked for stripers, and some were landed, and it was nothing great, and a couple of bluefish were mixed in. On Sunday a trip shark fished at the Monster Ledge and battled a nice, 150-pound mako to the boat and released a blue shark. Jersey Devil will turn more and more attention to blue water as the summer wears on, eventually making runs for tuna.

<b>Knot Easy Sportfishing</b> grabbed a good catch of seven keeper fluke to 23 inches at the TC buoy yesterday morning, despite stiff north/northwest winds, Capt. Matt said in an e-mail. About 15 shorts were released, and when the tide changed at 9:30 a.m., the tough winds blew against the tide, and the fishing slowed. But the catch was good anyway.

Fluking was good through the week for <b>Sandy Hook Fishing Adventures</b>, Capt. Bob said in an e-mail. On some days anglers really had to work, and conditions such as winds and tides made things difficult at times, but fish were hooked pretty much at all the usual spots. Moving the bait was key, because when anglers put action in the bait, they landed more fluke. The fish bit killies with squid, shads with squid and sand eels with squid. A 6.6-pounder was the biggest flattie of the week, and most keepers were 18 to 22 inches, nice and thick. An influx of 15- to 16-1/2-inch shorts seemed to push in, and the short-to-keeper ratio was climbing. Night bluefishing trips were also doing well, and night striper trips were still running until the action slows down. Night striper fishing was going strong with nice fish biting, and bonus tags were still plentiful. Charters are being booked for mid July and afterward, because dates ate full until then.

Striped bass were still being hooked with <b>Fisher Price Charters</b>, and some days were good, and some were tough, Capt. Derek said. He’ll try to stick with the fishing, but he’ll take it day by day. His anglers were bunker chunking the bass in the ocean from off the Highlands Bridge to the Shrewsbury Rocks, and the water was 66 degrees, a drop in temps because of south winds. Charters were mixing up the striper fishing with fluking, targeting the flatties in the ocean, because that’s where the striper fishing was taking place. Fluke fishing was decent, and maybe 1 in 5 was a keeper. When striper fishing completely ends, charters will concentrate on fluke, and they’ll also target weakfish when the trout arrive. Derek heard about a few weakfish that bit in the river, and he caught some by mistake in his castnet, so he suspects that more weakfish might be around than most people know about, and he plans to scope it out as soon as striper fishing is finished.

<b>Sea Bright</b>

<b>Jersey Shore Fishing Charters</b> was fluke fishing mostly at False Sandy Hook and at Flynn’s Knoll, and it was going pretty well, Capt. Jake said. A ton of big bluefish were also picked up on some trips. A charter Friday morning produced five keeper fluke and about 30 shorts off False Hook. On Sunday the boat ran to the Monster Ledge, and three football-sized bluefin tuna and seven or eight bluefish were trolled, and the water as 70 degrees. Rainbow squid spreader bars and Tuna Klones with birds did the trick. Another boater was seen hooked up with a big fish for 45 minutes, but Jake never saw whether the fish was landed. Sharking’s been good, and Jersey Shore ran a shark trip the previous weekend, and three swam the slick, and a couple were broken off. Charters will now mostly fluke fish and shark fish, and tuna trips will pick up in maybe two weeks, and tuna season’s still early.

<b>Neptune</b>

Bluefish started spawning, and bluefishing was phenomenal during the day Saturday with <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b>, but the action tapered off on a trip that night during the full moon, and male blues that were hooked were squirting out sperm, Capt. Ralph said. Bluefishing also dropped off Sunday, but the fish could still be caught, and the action will pick back up. The catch that day still included a bunch of blues, and it also included three bonito, the first bonito Ralph had seen in three years, a couple of striped bass and a bunch of fluke. The fluke were landed on smooth bottom off Sea Bright. Last Lady’s been consistently catching striped bass to 35 pounds, but anglers had to fish for them in early mornings and on weekdays, because of heavy boat traffic on weekends. A trip today was sailing for a combo of bluefin tuna and sharks offshore. Individual-reservation trips are fishing for fluke every Wednesday, and one of the trips will also sail Monday, August 13, and openings are available.

<b>Belmar</b>

Several trips got into good bluefishing on the <b>Nan Sea J</b> over the weekend, Capt. Tom said. The edge of the Mudhole was producing the fish both day and night on bait and jigs in a chum slick. Anglers on the boat also did a little fluke fishing, and they also targeted stripers and scored quite well on a trip. Eleven stripers from 18 to 40 pounds were landed on the boat early Saturday at the Shrewsbury Rocks on trolled bunker spoons. The weekly, open-boat shark trip will sail Wednesday if the weather allows, and those trips are sailing every Wednesday through July, and openings remain, and book now before they’re gone. It’s an awesome opportunity to hunt these beasts for those without enough anglers to fill a charter, and sharking is Tom’s favorite fishing.

<b>Brielle</b>

Ocean fluking was good from north to south of Manasquan Inlet in 25 or 30 feet, and although enough keepers never bite, some did, and shorts gave up plenty of action, said Dave  from <b>The Reel Seat</b>. Some boaters put together decent catches of striped bass in the ocean, and one tackled a 41-pounder and a 36-pounder off the Mantoloking Pipe. One customer said striper fishing was great Saturday night for sharpies fishing from the Manasquan Inlet jetty. Bunker schooled the ocean, but not many stripers chased them, and Dave was hearing about more thresher sharks harassing them than stripers. Plenty of bluefish were hooked in the ocean on party boats, and sea bassing seemed productive the last Dave heard, and the humpbacks were apparently decent-sized and up to 4 pounds. Strong winds weathered out shark fishing, and, for example, two customers tried to head offshore for shark fishing yesterday morning, but they turned around because of stiff seas. Dave heard about no customers tuna fishing. He took an offshore trip on the party boat Voyager for tilefish and wreck fish, a fish that looks like a cross between a grouper and a tilefish, and said it was unbelievable. He pulled up four tilefish to 42.8 pounds and two wreck fish to 15 pounds, and everybody on the boat caught fish, and a 46.9-pounder was the biggest tile. He said the boat will run more of these trips, and he’s sailing on one next Sunday evening.

On the <b>Katie H</b> anglers bailed fluke on Thursday and Friday, Capt. Mike said. On Thursday 22 keepers were bagged, and as if that weren’t impressive, on Friday a limit of 60 flatties was scored. The keeper ratio was probably 10 keepers for every 1 short, the reverse of what it usually is. The fish were found in 20 feet in the ocean off Monmouth Beach, but the action declined by the weekend, and Mike assumed that was because other boaters worked the fish. He turned on friends to the area, and they also did well there at first, but they returned over the weekend and said the action was slow. But it was great while it lasted. Anglers on the Katie H also tried striper fishing, but it was terrible. But fluke charters are a good option, and bluefishing is also available, and lots of blues are swimming the Mudhole and the Farms. Shark trips are also sailing, and charters still have a good chance at catching a mako. Friends sailed for tuna yesterday, heading very far, 120 miles to the east of Manasquan Inlet, and they bagged six yellowfin tuna. But that distance is impractical for charters, so tuna fishing wasn’t really happening yet, until warm water pushes closer to shore. Plenty of openings are available for charters.

Bluefishing was excellent all weekend on the <b>Jamaica</b> on both day and night trips, and limit catches were common, an e-mail from the boat said. The edge of the Mudhole in 110 to 200 feet was the best area, and the fish were spread over a wide area on both the east and west sides of the Hole. The 6- to 12-pound blues hit bait or jigs, but most patrons fished bait. Pool-winning fish ranged 12 to 16 pounds, and the Jamaica is fishing for blues 7:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. daily. 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 11 p.m. Friday on the <b>Atlantis</b>. 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>

Anglers on an open-boat fluke trip with <b>Reel Class Charters</b> bagged 15 keepers Thursday in the ocean south of Manasquan Inlet, the fishing report on Reel Class’s web site said. One of the fish was an 8-pound doormat, and the catch also included a 6-1/2-pounder and a 4-pounder. The fishing was good, and Capt. Allen hoped it would continue. Spearing with squid got the bites, and green was a hot color, and a lot more skates bit than previously. On Friday morning a half-day, 4-hour charter picked away at fluke in the ocean off Chadwick and Mantoloking, and the fishing was tougher, and conditions were worse than previous days, but the anglers still reeled in 25 flatties, including six keepers to 4 pounds, one of the angler’s biggest fluke. Tons of skates bit, and so did a bunch of dogfish, and the gang wrapped up the trip by 11:30 a.m. Reel Class is focusing on fluke on both charters and open-boat trips, including 10-hour, Fluke Till Ya Puke open trips, and sometimes sea bass fishing is mixed in. Visit Reel Class’s web site or call Allen to check availability for the open trips.

John Markle’s gang jumped aboard the <b>Benchmark</b> on Thursday for an afternoon striper trip, and conditions were perfect for a few hours, but fishing was not, and one 34-inch keeper was boated, the fishing report on Benchmark’s web site said. Winds were so strong by the time the trip was finished that no photo was taken at the dock like usual. The Benchmark is fishing for fluke, blues, sharks and stripers, and tuna charters will start in a couple of weeks. Daytime tuna-trolling trips will be on tap, and charters can split the trips between fishing for tuna and tilefish. Weekend and weekday openings are available for charters this month and next.

Three charters targeted fluke Friday through Sunday with <b>Andrea’s Toy Charters</b>, and two of the trips limited out, Capt. Fred said. The other trip was cut short when an angler had a problem with an allergic reaction. Andrea’s Toy was mostly fluking in the ocean off Sea Bright in 20 to 30 feet, and the catches were dynamite. Keepers were plentiful, and tons of shorts gave up action, and sometimes sea bass were mixed in. Bluefish were also fought, and loads of blues were holding at the Farms. Striper fishing was very good at night, but no trips were striper fishing anymore this season. Andrea’s Toy is also sailing mid-shore for mixed bags of tuna and sharks on both charters and open-boat trips.  When tuna start arriving at Hudson Canyon, offshore fishing will begin for mixed bags of tuna, mahi mahi, sharks, swordfish and tilefish on charters and open trips. Andrea’s Toy specializes in mixed-bag fishing for fun and greater chances of hooking up.

Fluking was a bit picky by Saturday because the water cooled off with a shift of the wind, but it was expected to bounce back with the return of nice weather, the fishing report on the <b>Norma-K</b>’s web site said. Bluefishing was excellent, and many anglers were limiting out on fish around 7 to 10 pounds, and pool winners were larger, and the action should continue. The Norma-K III will sail on a fireworks trip from 8 p.m. to 10 pm. on the Fourth of July off Long Branch instead of taking its usual bluefishing trip. 

<b>Bricktown</b>

Ocean fluke fishing was excellent during the beginning of last week, but then south winds picked up and dropped water temps, and most fluke anglers started reporting a 1-in-4 keeper ratio, but the cooler water gave way to a resurgence of some striper catches, said Tommy from <b>Pell’s Fish & Sport</b> in a fax. Joe Colciagni clammed a 9-pound striper in the ocean off Mantoloking, and Rick Ordemann nailed a 30-pound striper up north on a fresh bunker. “Finally,” he said. The fluke that were taken bit in 25 to 40 feet both to the north and to the south, and Crag Cutter and father Harry Cutter bailed 14 keeper fluke to 5 pounds last Monday on killies with squid. They fished again Friday and took 10 keepers to 5 ¼ pounds off Sea Girt in 28 to 40 feet. John Murphy scored a number of keeper fluke to 3 pounds off Manasquan on squid with killies. Many fluke fishers were connecting with the bigger fish on Peruvian smelts, basically an extra large smelt. Bucktails were producing well, so long as they were tipped with Berkley Gulp, killies, spearing, squid, smelt or sand eels. J.R. Nixon fished a Pell’s Spro fluke rig and drilled a 5-pound flattie. Crabbing picked up this past week.

<b>Seaside</b>

Bunker were sometimes shooting into the surf from the bars, and stripers were picked up now and then, and you just had to be down there, said the fishing report on <b>Betty and Nick’s Bait & Tackle</b>’s web site. A 27-pound 9-ounce striper was nailed in the wash on a Plugcaster Pencil Popper and weighed in to take the lead in the shop’s yearly tournament. Boaters checked in a few big stripers including a 40-pound 9-ouncer, a 27-pounder and a 25-pounder. Cocktail blues occasionally hit the suds, and loads of fluke were hooked along Barnegat Inlet’s north jetty. The surf was 1 to 2 feet, 67 degrees and clear. A free reel cover worth $15 is being given away 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>

Fluking was great in the ocean off Seaside on Friday with <b>Perfect Drift Sport Fishing</b>, but the bite fell apart Saturday, when 400 boats showed up, Capt. John said. Only a dozen boats fished there Friday, and the trip that day produced 16 keepers, a good catch, and probably three times as many shorts were released, all in 30 to 35 feet. Squid and spearing were the baits. A trip sailed there Saturday, but the fishing was slow among all the boat traffic. On Sunday a friend fished there and told John not to bother trying, because nothing was doing. So John instead sailed off the Coast Guard Station, and three keeper fluke and a bunch of shorts were landed in 20 to 30 feet. The water turned cold, and the surface was 68 degrees, and the bottom was colder, and the fish were cold, and they were there but were hardly biting. John heard no news about Barnegat Ridge, but he ran a trip there the previous weekend, and tons of bluefish bit. The blues stay there all summer, and bonito can be mixed in.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Water temps dropped to the mid 50s in the ocean last week, and that triggered somewhat of a resurgence in striped bass fishing with bunker schooling along the beaches, said Capt. Steve from <b>Reel Fantasea Charters</b> in an e-mail. Reggies Savoy limited out on stripers to 34 inches on live bunker. The Bucky Hayes party got into a strong bluefish bite at Barnegat Inlet with non-stop action on 1- to 3-pounders that hit soft plastic lures. The charter also tried swimming live spots around the jetties for stripers, but only more blues bit. John Repko put together a pick of 3- to 4-pound blues in Barnegat Bay on bucktails and soft plastic lures, and then he headed to the inlet, found schools of bunker milling around, caught some and livelined them, and lost what appeared to be a striper. Another bait was bitten off with a large radius, definitely not a bluefish. “We need a bigger boat?” Steve asked.

<b>Barnegat</b>

Fluke fishing was strong on the mainland side of Barnegat Bay and in Double Creek Channel, and the keeper ratio was good, and 2- and 3-pounders were coming over the gunwale, said Capt. Melanie from <b>FisherQueen Custom Bay Charters</b> in an e-mail. The old standby bucktail tipped with a killie or spearing was doing the trick, and the fish were full of spearing and sand shrimp. The bay also held no shortage of small bluefish, and sea robins were in full force at Double Creek. On Thursday Joe “Bad Boy” was aboard and picked away at fluke, bringing home nice ones for a couple of dinners.  On Thursday Mel joined her Lacey Elks lodge on a biannual trip that takes disabled vets fishing. They sailed on the Carolyn Ann from Barnegat Light and boated  a good catch of sea bass and some ling. Mel said these trips are very rewarding, and it’s good to try to give back to the veterans who did so much for all of us.

<b>A2Z Charters</b> was out of the water for a moment for maintenance on the boat, but the vessel is now back in action, Capt. Al said. Charters are often targeting big, tiderunner weakfish in Barnegat Bay, and many anglers might think tiderunners have left the bay for the season, but Al specializes in this fishing, and his anglers connect fairly regularly. The fish won’t always bite, but it’s a matter of being at the right place at the right time, and Al only catches them on slack tides on both high and low water from Barnegat Inlet to the channels to the sod banks. His anglers toss Bass Kandy Delight soft plastic lures to the weakies, and the tiderunners usually stick around through July. Al’s charters specialize in light-tackle and fly fishing, and it’s about the experience. His trips lately were also having fun with bluefish hooked on popper lures in the bay, and charters will also target smaller, schoolie weakfish when they invade the bay any time. That fishing lasts until early fall, and then A2Z fishes the striper run.

<b>Cedar Run</b>

Sam Kipp’s charter fished the reef with <b>Fish the Dropoff</b> on Saturday and boated two keeper fluke, four keeper sea bass and a bluefish, Capt. Fran said in an e-mail. The water was cold, and the fishing was slow until it picked up in the afternoon, and winds blew northeast in the morning and southeast by noon. On Sunday the crew took a shark trip on the Cousins, the offshore boat that Fran runs, with owner Nick Rausch, and several small sharks were landed in 4- to 6-foot seas and northeast winds from 10 to 15 knots, not a nice day. One 12-pound bluefish was reeled in, and the wind direction made for a slow ride home. The water is warming, so this will be the last week of sharking for the season on the boat, and afterward all attention will be paid to tuna fishing starting next week on the offshore vessel. Limited openings are available for charters in July, and August charters are being booked.

<b>Tuckerton</b>

Flounder fishing was picking up in the ocean, and charters on the <b>Legal Limit</b> bagged some nice ones throughout the week, and sea bass were mixed in, Capt. T.J. said. Bluefishing tapered off a lot in the ocean, and shark fishing on charters slowed down in the past days, and a shark trip Friday night had no drift, and a couple of brown sharks were landed. The boat’s mate ran a shark trip during the daytime and fought makos. Another shark trip was leaving the dock on the Legal Limit today. The first tuna charter of the season is slated for July 10. Flounder, shark and tuna fishing are mostly on the schedule in the near future.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

Lots of flounder were pulled up from the back bay, the sea wall and in front of the Flag Ship, and the fishing wasn’t hot like last week, but some were still banged, said Noel from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. Minnows, Berkley Gulps, spearing and Pro Cut squid were inhaled, and all were stocked. Kingfishing was finally decent in the surf, and bloodworms were best, and shrimp also worked, and both are carried. A few tog could be landed on green crabs, and stripers occasionally bit on clams or mullet, and these baits are also on hand. Bloodworms fished on rigs with floats on the hooks also tricked the stripers.

<b>Margate</b>

Steve Weisberg nailed a 9-3/4-pound, 29-inch flounder at the OC Reef with <b>Fine Line Fishing Charters</b> on Sunday, Capt. Dave said in an e-mail. He boated the whopper in 60 feet of 68-degree water in a north/northwest winds that kicked up the ocean, but conditions were fishable with a sea anchor and 8 ounces of weight. Fifteen throwbacks to 16 ½ inches were also landed on the charter, and so were skates, sea robins and dogfish. Openings are available on the boat this Friday and Sunday. 

A shark trip with <b>O-Beth Sportfishing</b> fought three makos, a hammerhead and a brown shark to the boat over the weekend along the 20-fathom line, Capt. Eric said. One 150-pound mako was kept, and one of the makos was bigger but was released, because the limit of one was already bagged, and the other mako was smaller than those two. The mako that was kept was fought on a spinning rod with 15-pound line and a 2-foot wire leader that was being used to catch bluefish for bait! Another shark trip was sailing today, and O-Beth will keep shark fishing as long as long as the fish stick around, probably until the middle of the month, and tuna fishing will probably start in two weeks. Fluke charters are also available, and fluking is beginning to pick up in the ocean, and sea bass can be mixed with the fluking, and sea bassing is okay.

Back-bay flounder fishing was good on the <b>Fish N’ Fun</b>, and some trips produced flatties over 5 pounds, Capt. Jay, the boat’s owner, said in an e-mail. On Saturday morning’s trip with Capt. Charlie at the helm Marlana Jaschick won the pool with a 6.14-pound flounder. On Sunday with Capt. Lee in charge Ritchie Kearney won the pool with a 2.5-pounder. The boat is sailing on two 4-hour flounder trips daily at 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. On the <b>Jessie O’</b>, Jay’s bigger boat, fishing was up and down for sea bass and flounder in the ocean, and Jay was hoping for jumbo fluke to show up soon at the reefs, like they did last year, now that the full moon has passed. Recent pool winners included Roger Talbot with a 3.5-pound flounder, Jill Perry with a 3.2-pound sea bass and Jonathan Witherspoon, 10, with a 2.1-pound sea bass. The Jessie O’ sails on 6- or 8-hour open-boat trips 8 a.m. daily when no charter is booked, and call to confirm the schedule.

<b>Longport</b>

An open-boat tuna trip fished the Cigar on the <b>Stray Cat</b> on Sunday, Capt. Mike said. Nice bluefin tuna to 40 pounds were trolled, and the fish bit until 8 a.m., when eastern winds shut down the fishing. Another couple of fish hit at 12 noon, and the water was 71.2 degrees and at first was cobalt blue and looked good. But by noon the water rolled over from the winds and turned green. Open-boat tuna trips will sail again 4 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the Sundays of July 8 and 22 with six passengers, and a few spots remain. A 24-hour, open-boat 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. A bottom-fishing trip produced sea bass and trigger fish 9 miles offshore Friday, and no flounder were being hooked yet, and winds and the full-moon current were putting a damper on the chances to try for the flatties.  A trip today was supposed to troll the ocean for bluefish and bonito, and Mike hoped other species might also show up.

<b>Wildwood</b>

The back bay was still putting out good flounder catches from Grassy Sound to the Two-Mile Bridge, said Cathy from <b>Sterling Harbor Bait & Tackle</b> in an e-mail. In the ocean Reef Site 11 and the Old Grounds were producing flounder and sea bass when conditions were right. In Delaware Bay flatties were found from 14-Foot Light to Miah Maul along the edges of the shipping channel. The area around the Concrete Ship in D-Bay also held a few of the fish. Sam Accardi from North Wildwood was bucktailing for flounder in the ocean off Cape May Inlet when he nailed a 21-1/2-pound cobia that measured 40 inches long. Sharking was good, and tuna were trolled at the Cigar and 19-Fathom Lump on cedar plugs, jets and small feathers. Greg Bulifant and crew on the Big Bully from Wildwood went 5 for 7 on bluefin tuna at the inshore lumps while trolling. Sterling Harbor Bait & Tackle’s famous Duke of Fluke Tournament takes place Saturday, July 14, and call the shop or visit its <a href="http://sterlingharbor.com" target="_blank"> web site </a>for info.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Back-bay striper fishing was going well, and there was lots of surface action on lures like Creek Chubs, Skitter Pops and Smack-Its, and high tides in the evenings this week are good conditions to catch them, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Gibson’s Tackle</b>. Plenty of flounder bit in the bay, and minnows on plain hooks worked well. Bluefishing tapered off somewhat compared with earlier in the season, but blues were still around, mostly at the inlets. Surf fishing for stripers was also winding down a bit, but the fish could be clammed, and kingfish hit in the suds on bloodworms. Yellowfin tuna were boated at Poorman’s Canyon and South Poorman’s, and a body of warm, fish-holding water was there, and lots of dolphin, and decent-sized ones, were also hooked, and Joe even heard about a blue marlin that a tuna fisher landed in the area.

<b>Cape May</b>

Jim Abbott’s charter on the <b>Sea Fox</b> boated flounder to 21 inches, lots of throwbacks and cocktail blues off Cape May Point yesterday, Capt. Gary said. Squid and minnows were the baits on various spinner rigs, and pink or white were working, and sharks and skates also bit. A load of fish was marked, and Gary thought they must’ve been croakers that refused to bite. The water was 66 degrees, and on the way back the Cape May Canal was 74 degrees, and that’ s a big, 7-degree difference. Gary is raring to fish the Old Grounds in the ocean off Delaware for a mix of flounder, sea bass and blues, and he knows anglers who fished there already, and as always the action was hit or miss. The Old Grounds is a large area, and anglers have to get on the right spot. The Sea Fox will compete in this year’s Duke of Fluke Tournament at Sterling Harbor Bait & Tackle in Wildwood, and the boat has placed in that event in past years. It’s that time of year for tuna fishing at the inshore lumps like the Ham Bone, so it’s only a matter of time, and Gary is also looking forward to running there. Charters are available for flounder, bottom fish, inshore trolling for bluefish, bonito and such fish, and tuna fishing.

A charter wanted to flounder fish on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> on Saturday, and Capt. George told them he heard the bite was slow, but they still wanted to go, he said. Friends had told George that flatties were difficult to catch throughout the week. But first the boat sailed to 5-Fathom Bank and trolled for bluefish, catching a load of small blues and some bonito in only an hour, because George wanted a good chance to at least catch some fish before targeting flounder. Then the group headed to Reef Site 11 and landed two keeper flounder about 19 to 20 inches and 12 or 15 throwbacks that were mostly 15 ½ to 16 inches. Rob and Ray Kessler, Mike and Ed were the anglers. A buddy told George that he trolled a nice catch of bluefin tuna at the inshore lumps yesterday, so that action seemed to be starting. The buddy also said his friend got spooled by a larger tuna in the area. Bottom-fishing charters are on tap, and so are trolling trips for blues, bonito and such, and George is also ready to tuna fish.

<b>Copacetic Sportfishing</b>’s been fishing for flounder and sea bass and trolling for lots of blues, a few bonito and a handful of Spanish mackerel, Capt. Mike said. The flounder fishing was taking place from the channel off Cape May to Reef Site 11, and there seemed to be a decent population of the fish, and there was no concentration of big ones, but charters were hooking flounder to 21 or 22 inches on strip baits like mackerel and squid with minnows. The trolling was being done at spots like 5-Fathom Bank, the East Lump and the Northeast Lump with Clark spoons, feathers and cedar plugs. Mike heard reports about bluefin tuna swimming a little farther offshore, and he’ll run a charter that will go after them this week, and another tuna trip will also sail later in the week. Copacetic tuna fishes both inshore and offshore, and charters are available for all these species.

Flounder trips were taking place in Delaware Bay with <b>Jaftica Sportfishing</b>, and probably 1 in 15 of the fish was a keeper, but some were bagged at Flounder Alley, Capt. Ray said. Charters were also trolling the inshore ocean and boating tons of bluefish, and some bonito and a few Spanish mackerel also swam those grounds. The inshore lumps were producing schoolie bluefin tuna, and a friend fished a little farther offshore yesterday and got into a nice bite of schoolies. Charters are available for all these species, including tuna. 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. 

Trolling for bluefish was very good at the inshore lumps on the <b>Down Deep</b>, and bonito and Spanish mackerel were also among the catch, Capt. Bob said. Stanley Kolomaso outfished his dad on one of the trips, catching 1-½- to 2-pound blues, small ones but good-eating size. A charter with Annabelle, Will and Alex Gioffre scored a similar catch. Ocean flounder fishing was a little slow, but a few flatties could be landed by those who worked for them, and Bob thought the action should pick up as the season progresses. A decent number of tuna started showing up, including bluefin tuna at the inshore lumps and yellowfin tuna at the canyons.

Patrons on the <b>Miss Chris</b> boated flounder to 6 pounds on 8-hour trips, a fax from the boat said. Sam Intile bagged three flatties to 6 ¼ pounds, and Dan Barton took three to 6 pounds. Fishing on night trips was improving, and customers were now hooking quite a few croakers, and John Black, Steve Carland and Nate Palmer each boated a load. On the <b>Lady Chris</b> flounder and small blues were coming over the rails on 4-hour trips.    

Flounder fishing at Cape May Reef produced lots of fish but few keepers, said Matt from <b>Jim’s Bait & Tackle</b> in a fax. Winds hampered flounder fishing at Reef Site 11 and the Old Grounds, but drift socks helped, and some boaters scored very well at both spots. The crew of the Vet Craft fished the Old Grounds on Friday and limited out on flatties to 7 pounds. Bill Turmond and crew targeted Reef 11 and bagged eight fluke to 6 pounds. Closer to shore, Bayshore Channel off Cape May Canal was holding some fluke, and croakers were beginning to bite there. Croakers were also hooked at Higbee’s Beach and were starting to bite in the surf at Cape May Point. The first kingfish of the season were taken at Sunset Beach.  On the tuna grounds inshore trolling picked up nicely for schoolie bluefins, and the area outside the Cigar was holding good numbers. The Cigar itself was home to great numbers of bluefish, and a few bonito were mixed in, and so were some false albacore. No canyon tuna reports rolled in, but shark anglers still fought decent catches at 20-fathom spots north of Cape May.

Boaters pulled fluke from Reef Site 11, Cape May Reef, the Old Grounds and Bayshore Channel, said Capt. Fred from <b>Harbor View Marina</b> in a fax. Croakers could be caught in good numbers from Delaware Bay, and bluefish held at Sea Isle Ridge. Plenty of makos swam 20 fathoms, and yellowfin tuna and mahi mahi could be found between Poorman’s Canyon and Baltimore Canyon. Bluefin tuna and a few mahi started to show in 30 fathoms, where trolled cedar plugs were scoring them.

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