<b>Staten Island</b>

A charter with <b>Frenzy Fishing</b> fly rodded a slam of fluke, stripers and blues on a trip Friday, Capt. Tommy Verderosa said.  Lots of fish were landed, all in the bay near Staten Island. No weakfish, the one additional fish that would make such a catch a grand slam, were boated, and Tommy was only seeing baby weakfish around. But he’s confident that chances are good for a slam, if anglers want to try to score that achievement. A bunch of big fluke to 8 pounds were still around, and New York’s fluke season is open through September 16 or this coming Sunday, even though Jersey’s fluke season closes tomorrow. A trip with Frenzy also recently slammed big bluefish that were feeding on big anchovies, and an angler from one of the clubs found big striped bass to 32 pounds near Staten Island the other day. The guy from the club said he came across a school of bunker, marked fish underneath and sent down livelined bunker, and five big stripers were landed.  Tommy will run a bluefishing charter Wednesday near the same place, so he’ll keep an eye open for stripers, and it was unusual to see both the big blues and big stripers so early in the season, but you never know what’ll happen, and that’s fishing.

Sea bass fishing was very good with <b>Outcast Charters</b> Saturday, Capt. Joe said. Scores of the fish to 2 ½ pounds were bagged 2 to 6 miles from shore at different depths, and short fluke were released. No one place held a ton of sea bass, so the boat moved around. Outcast will continue to charter for sea bass, and trips will begin blackfishing, one of Outcast’s specialties, when New York’s blackfishing season opens October, not too far away now. Eventually blackfish trip will also jig for striped bass when bass are seen under working birds on the way to and from the blackfish grounds, but that usually doesn’t happen till November and December and can last even into January.

<b>Laurence Harbor</b>

<b>Evening Tide Charters</b> took its last shot at fluke yesterday before the season closes tomorrow, and the fishing went fairly well, Capt. Kyle said. He found a honey hole near the 16 buoy that he kept drifting across, and 13 keepers from 18 to 24 inches were bagged, not bad, he said. No weakfish really turned on yet, except a few large ones that a friend said bit along Reach Channel. But Kyle will now take a serious look for weakfish and see for himself. If the trout do arrive, Evening Tide will probably swim livelined peanut bunker to catch them on light tackle, a great way to reel them in. Amazing amounts of peanuts were schooling at places such as the marina, and peanuts were scarcer the past two years. Otherwise trips on the boat will bottom fish, and Kyle was also hearing about striped bass that were jigged in the evenings, so that’s a possibility. He thanks everyone who fished for fluke with him this year, and it was a good season, and he hopes for an even better one next year.

<b>Keyport</b>

Now that fluke season is ending, a fact that nobody likes, John Rash and party limited out on porgies and caught some nice sea bass at the number 20 rock pile on sandworms and clams, said Chris from <b>Crabby’s Bait & Tackle</b> in a fax. Reports were also heard about striped bass in the 30-inch class swimming all around the Sandy Hook Rip, and top-water plugs or sandworms will do the trick. Fluke were still all over, and some nice fat ones were feasting on all the peanut bunker, and Paul Ganey nailed an 11-pounder at Sandy Hook Channel on a killie with squid combo. The shop’s crabbing contest will take place 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, September 22, at the Keyport Pier, and prizes will be featured, and a fireworks show launches at dusk. The contest is free, so stop on down, and call the store for more info.

Joe Leonardi’s party of five fished with <b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b> and landed small fluke in the back of the bay Thursday on squid and killies, Capt. Joe said. Fluke season ends tomorrow, and then bottom fishing will certainly be an option, and so will other species including blues. Six-hour, open-boat trips are available starting 7 a.m. every day, and parties of six get a reduced price, and call to reserve and for prices.

On the <b>Lucky Carm</b> the Umali family boated six keeper fluke from 3 to 5 pounds and two keepers from 17 to 18 inches around the sailboats off Keyport on Sunday, Capt. Carmine said. They also picked up a bluefish and strictly fished with peanut bunker. Now that fluke season’s ending, charters will bottom fish for sea bass, tog, porgies, ling and whatever else bites. Bluefish will also be targeted, and if weakfish show up, they’ll also be chased. Carmine and crew will go out and search for weaks tomorrow and will give an update Thursday on what he finds. Special, 4-hour, evening charters are always available 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., and call Carmine for info. Morning charters are also available, and charter times are flexible.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Fishing for fluke on the <b>Fishermen</b> was much better yesterday than on the previous three days, Capt. Ron said in the report on the boat’s web site. The boat fished the channels, and a few beauties were picked up right away. Three drifts were good before the current turned bad, and then the vessel fished along the ocean beaches, and patrons got into a very nice pick all day. Several 2- to 4-pounders were landed, and a mess of throwbacks an inch or a half-inch short were released, and Ken Mizdol won the pool with a flatty just under 9 ¼ pounds. On Saturday a couple of drifts produced fluke at the channels until boat traffic became too crowded.  Then fish were picked at different areas until some nice-sized keepers started coming up at the end of the day, a little too late. On Friday some very nice flatties came up at moments between drifts that were too slow and then too fast with rolling seas and strong south winds. A bluefishing trip Friday night met very nasty seas in the ocean, and a number of patrons probably wished they’d stayed home because of mal de mar, but maybe 30 blues were boated. The Fishermen’s final fluke trip of the year was sailing today, the last day of fluke season, an earlier close to the season than in the past. “How would you feel if you knew you were going to lose 10 percent of your gross income?” Capt. Ron asked. The fleet has been put in a situation where they’re trying to figure out what they’ll fish for instead. Plenty of bluefish were biting, but there’s not enough demand to target them every day, and porgy fishing is similar. Weakfish looked like they were a no-show this season, unless there’s divine intervention in the next several days. The boat will stayed tied to the dock for maintenance tomorrow through Thursday, and Ron said he’ll let anglers know the road he’ll choose by Friday. The boat is chartered for bluefish Saturday morning, so whatever Ron decides, no open-boat trip will sail that morning. Afternoon, open-boat bluefishing trips will continue to run 3:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Fridays through Sundays.

Fluking on Friday was the best of the past several days on the <b>Atlantic Star</b>, and the past couple of days were slower, and drifting conditions weren’t good, and ship traffic in the channels didn’t help, Capt. Tom said. Today is the final day of fluke season, and afterward the boat will probably sail for a variety of fish, including small blues, until another type of fishing, such as weakfishing or bottom fishing, turns on. Anglers can also catch and release fluke, and the trips will at least provide the opportunity for anglers to get out and try to catch something. Tom’s log book shows that weakfishing last year wasn’t strong until mid September, so he’s not counting out weakfish yet. The storm that was about to roll in might also trigger something, and some people thought the bay was too warm for weaks. Bottom fishing nearby wasn’t really happening yet. The Atlantic Star sails 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>

Fluking was up and down through the week, Capt. Bob from <b>Sandy Hook Fishing Adventures</b> said in an e-mail. Two trips were outstanding, and two struggled to find keepers. Mike, Bert and Joe from Hoboken limited out on flatties to 23 inches, and most of the keepers were 18 to 19 inches, and more than 30 bit that were a half-inch short, and lots of sea bass also jumped on baits. The gang fished the ocean from Sandy Hook Channel to the Shrewsbury Rocks, and fishing for fluke and sea bass wasn’t hot for the Applied Air charter, but they scored a steady pick all day. They boated fluke to 19 inches, sea bass to 4 pounds, blues to 10 pounds and short stripers to 25 inches that were released. Capt. Bob also ran several evening bluefishing trips, and the fishing was outstanding for  5- to 12-pounders and short bass to 26 inches, again from Sandy Hook Channel to the rocks, and both plugs and jigs got the hits. With the closing of fluke season, striper charters, striper/bluefish combos or sea bass trips will be offered. Tog fishing will start November 15, when the bag limit jumps to eight from the current limit of one. Some prime dates, including evening spots for eeling stripers at the Sandy Hook Rips, are available.

Capt. Brian from <b>Jersey Devil Charters</b> ran offshore on the Shark Byte between Toms and Carteret canyons Thursday night, he said. Six decent-sized yellowfin tuna from 60 to 80 pounds and two longfin tuna were boated, and a small swordfish was released. All the fish bit at night on the chunk, and nothing hit on the troll during a couple of hours the next morning. Brian also took a final fluke trip of the year yesterday in the bay before the season closed, and a couple of keepers about 4 pounds apiece and five or six shorts bit, and so did lots of sea robins. Tons of baitfish were around, so the coming striped bass run looked promising. Jersey Devil is focusing a lot on canyon tuna fishing, and the season is in full swing. But inshore trips will still sail, and now that fluke season is closing, the inshore trips will target sea bass, blues and stripers.

<b>Fisher Price Charters</b> took a couple of final fluke trips before the season closed, and the fishing was very good at rough bottom in the ocean, Capt. Derek said. Several 6-, 7- and 8-pounders came up. Lots of bluefish with a few striped bass mixed in were holding anywhere from between the channels to the ocean off the Highlands Bridge, and charters will now chase those fish. Sea bass and porgies will also be targeted, and if weakfish show up, they’ll also be on the menu. Fisher Price will concentrate on the fall striped bass and bluefish run when that action begins, and lots of charters will also dunk baits for blackfish starting November 15, when the blackfish limit increases to eight from the current limit of one.

<b>Sea Bright</b>

Anglers with <b>Two Rivers Charters</b> were reeling fluke from deep water in the ocean and a few striped bass near Sandy Hook, Capt. Fletcher Chayes said. The stripers were eating sand eels, rainfish and peanut bunker.

<b>Neptune</b>

Most trips with <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b> were bluefishing charters over the weekend, and catches were excellent, Capt. Ralph said. But one of his best fluke trips of the year sailed yesterday, and lots of 4- to 6-pounders were boxed. Last Lady’s weekly, individual-reservation fluke trips have now come to an end, because fluke season is closing. A number of special trips will probably take their place, including an individual-reservation sea bass trip that will sail Wednesday, September 19, and ten openings are available. Only one or two openings remain on Last Lady’s open-boat tuna trips, and few openings remain for tuna charters.

<b>Belmar</b>

Fluking was pretty darn good on the <b>Nan Sea J</b> the past couple of days at lumps and structure in 50 to 70 feet, and it’s a shame the season’s closing, Capt. Tom said. Sea bass were also definitely there, and bottom-fishing charters will focus on them and porgies, now that fluke season is finishing. “And I guess in two months there won’t be any sea bass left,” Tom said, referring to the fact that many fluke anglers will switch their attention to sea bass, because the laws will leave few options. Anglers onboard also sailed for bluefish at the Mud Buoy in the past days, but the action was slow. They chummed and dropped down bait for the blues, but they also tried jigging. The Nan Sea J’s canyon tuna fishing season is also in high gear. 

<b>Brielle</b>

Fluke fishing was good the last half of the week, the final days of the season, said Dave from <b>The Reel Seat</b>. Axel Carlson Reef was a decent spot, and Manasquan Ridge produced, but fluking on the inshore lumps was tough, because of commercial draggers. Sea bass were hooked at some of the rough bottom, but not every place. Surf fishers looking for stripers also picked up fluke, and they landed a striper once in a while, but the water was warm or in the mid 70s. No news rolled in about false albacore along the beaches. Manasquan River was crammed with small, resident stripers, and Dave heard about no weakfish picked up in the area. Capt. Chip Boyle’s Paddy Whack fished Toms Canyon Friday and trolled four bigeye tuna to 154 pounds, a half-dozen big longfin tuna and a mako shark over 100 pounds. The Pepper with Capts. Dave and Steve Matthews overnighted at the Toms from Wednesday to Thursday and drilled a bunch of yellowfin tuna to 77 pounds and released a blue marlin and two white marlins. At Hudson Canyon trolling was good for mostly longfin tuna and some bigeyes, and chunking was slow. Nobody reported tuna fishing inshore, just because nobody was putting in the effort, but boaters coming back from the canyons said they saw the fish on the inshore grounds.

The <b>Katie H</b> was undergoing maintenance but will return to canyon tuna fishing this weekend, Capt. Mike said. Hudson Canyon’s fishing turned on for yellowfin and longfin tuna on both the troll and the chunk, and the fishing at canyons farther south was still hopping, so the fish were pretty much all over. The boat’s inshore charters will switch to wreck fishing for sea bass, ling and such, now that fluke season is ending, and striped bass charters will kick in when the striper migration turns on, and blackfishing will begin on the boat after November 15, when the bag limit increases to eight of the fish from the current limit of one.

<b>Point Pleasant</b>

Four anglers joined an open-boat fluke trip with <b>Reel Class Charters</b> on Saturday, the last fluke trip on the boat before the season ends tomorrow, Capt. Allen said. They fished Axel Carlson Reef in the morning, and the drift was good, and lots of shorts bit, but so did some keepers, including a 3-pounder and a 4-pounder. One of the anglers, “Steve M.,” hooked a big one, easily more than 7 pounds, and the fluke jumped out of the net, and the line broke off on the swim platform. But then the same angler hooked another lunker, and this time a 9-1/2-pound, 28-1/2-inch monster was nailed. Not a doormat, but a good fish, Allen said. The big flattie was loaded into the cooler, and it was the biggest fluke of the season for Reel Class, a nice way to end. Afterward winds picked up, and the drift became fast, and at first the anglers could still pick away at the fish with 10 or 12 ounces of weight on the lines and a drift sock slowing down the boat. But finally conditions became too difficult, and the trip was finished by 1 p.m. because of 4 to 6 foot seas and 15- to 25-knot winds.  The anglers bagged nine keepers and probably released 40 shorts, and few trash fish bit. Reel Class will now fish for blues, striped bass, false albacore and sometimes sea bass the rest of the season.

On the <b>Benchmark</b> Jim Tobin’s charter fought a consistent bite of blues to 10 pounds yesterday and then switched to fluke fishing, the report on the boat’s web site said. After hitting a few spots with no fluke action, some were finally picked up along with sea bass in 30 to 40 feet, and it was a pick, but a 7-1/2-pounder was nailed to finish the fluke season with a nice flatty. On Friday to Saturday Garrett Trull’s group ran offshore and walloped 17 yellowfin tuna and four longfins on the chunk. That was much better than slow chunking on a charter with Drew Hubiak and friends the previous night or Thursday to Friday. But Hubiak and crew caught a longfin and a half-dozen mahi mahi and released a good-sized white marlin. On Wednesday to Thursday the Seven Sun Environmental charter also overnighted and trolled three longfins and chunked seven yellowfins and a hefty swordfish. Some dates are available because of cancellations: a daytime trip on September 15 and overnight trips on September 14 to 15, 15 to 16 and 16 to 17.

<b>Andrea’s Toy Charters</b> ran no fishing trips during the past several days because of bad weather and Capt. Fred doing some traveling, he said. But the boat’s inshore trips will fish for sea bass and blues, because fluke season is closing, and canyon big-game charters and open-boat trips will continue to sail. Boaters who were able to fish offshore between the rough seas trolled longfin tuna and chunked yellowfin tuna at Hudson Canyon, and the stray swordfish also bit.

<b>Bricktown</b>

Fluke fishing was hot, and too bad today’s the last day of the season, said Tommy Kilgannon from <b>Pell’s Fish & Sport</b> in a fax. Some of the fax was impossible to read, maybe because it was written in pencil, but customers hooked flatties in the ocean at places including off the Thunderbird, 3 miles off Mantoloking, off Bay Head and off Sandy Hook. Customers sometimes caught big blues in the surf on mullet.

<b>Seaside</b>

Two days of south winds shut down surf fishing by this morning, the fishing report on <b>Betty and Nick’s Bait & Tackle</b>’s web site said. But the good news was that water temps were dropping nicely and slowly, so the fall run of fish should be on time this year. Tons of baitfish were stacked up in the bays and were slowly beginning to make their way into the surf. Yesterday false albacore were busting the water just beyond reach in the suds at Lavallette and Ortley Beach, and anglers at the Barnegat Inlet jetty were into non-stop action with 20-inch blackfish and bluefish after bluefish, and one angler said that on Saturday night that action was the best he’d ever seen. The surf was 1 to 2 feet, 70 degrees and clean. <a href=" http://www.bettyandnicks.com/fish.shtml" target="_blank"> Click here</a> for the latest report. Current standings in the shop’s season-long surf fishing contest follow:

Striped Bass, Surf
1.) Todd Callan, 37 pounds 9 ounces
2.) Mike Tutella, 32 pounds 9 ounces
3.) Open

Striped Bass, Jetty
1.) Paul Haertel, 19 pounds
2.) Open

Blues, Surf
1.) Mark Hamlin, 13 pounds 8 ounces
2.) Dave Chambers, 12 pounds 7 ounces

Blues, Jetty

1.) Mike Hulse, 12 pounds 4 ounces

Weakfish, Surf

1.) Open

Weakfish, Jetty

1.) Todd Callan, 15 pounds 13 ounces

Croakers

1.) Open

“Good luck to all, and let’s have a great season,” the shop’s web site report said.

<b>Waretown</b>

<b>Perfect Drift Sport Fishing</b> chased fluke Friday through Sunday before the season closes tomorrow, and the fishing was good, Capt. John said. Scores of keepers were landed, and a quite a few were 4 to 5 pounds, and it was a shame the season was closing. Lots of throwbacks bit, and the boat fished in deep water from 70 to 75 feet around wrecks and structure. The fish were spread all over, and anglers just had to work and find the areas that produced. A couple of sea bass were hooked but weren’t really targeted. Not too many boats were fishing, and the beginning of school and the passing of Labor Day was obvious. Perfect Drift will now go after weakfish in Barnegat Bay, and weakies were biting on live grass shrimp in a shrimp chum slick. The weakfishing is best in the early mornings for a few hours, so those trips are usually half-day affairs. Bluefishing is also an option, usually at Barnegat Ridge, though smaller ones can be picked in the bay. Trips might dunk baits for sea bass, but sea bassing gets crowed, especially because fluke season is closing early. Sea bass anglers probably have to run 10 to 15 miles offshore, because areas closer to shore were holding smaller humpbacks. Weakfishing should last through the month, and afterward Perfect Drift will set sights on the fall migration of striped bass and blues, the season’s main event.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Jay Simmons and Ernie Rosenburg hopped aboard for a Barnegat Ridge trip for speedsters like bonito, but the forecast was calling for winds, so they agreed to take a look at seas before they committed to the run, said Capt. Steve from <b>Reel Fantasea Charters</b> in an e-mail. Brisk southerly winds caused a quick decision to switch to Plan B—weakfishing in Barnegat Bay—and it turned out more than rewarding. The guys mixed it up with quality weakfish from 3 to 4 pounds, blues, a 4-1/2-pound fluke that Jay bagged on a live mullet and hickory shad, aka Jersey Tarpon. Vaughn Edmonds from the Poconos took a grass shrimping trip for weaks in the bay and got into non-stop bites from the trout and also blues, silver perch and loads of shad. The fish were practically being handfed, and every toss of shrimp triggered visible signs of fish. Steve reminded everyone that the area’s world-class fall fishing was already showing signs of life, and if the spring fishing was any indication of what to expect, “look out,” he said. Don’t miss out, and open dates are available, but the schedule was filling faster than ever. Trips for stripers, blues, weakfish, wreck fishing and false albacore or a combination are sure to please.

<b>Beach Haven</b>

The <b>June Bug</b> left the dock to fish Barnegat Ridge on Saturday, but the southerly winds were stiffer than forecast, and seas were 2 to 4 feet on top of a swell, and it wasn’t pleasant, Capt. Lindsay said. One keeper fluke and some shorts bit, and a bunch of skates were hooked, and no blues, bonito or false albacore showed up. But the boat will still chase the speedsters, and now that fluke season is ending, bottom-fishing trips will focus on sea bass. Sea bass could be found, but the lumpheads were in deeper water, and Lindsay was already finding them in 70 feet. Croakers could also be caught, and lots were hitting in 50 feet off the Red Tower on southern Long Beach Island this weekend. Canyon big-game trips are a large part of the boat’s fishing at this time of year, and canyon fishing was hot and cold. Lindsay heard from an angler who fished Lindenkohl Canyon on Thursday, and nothing bit on the nighttime chunk, but during the day a yellowfin tuna, a white marlin, a wahoo and other fish were trolled.

<b>Tuckerton</b>

An overnight trip with <b>Legal Limit Charters</b> at Lindenkohl Canyon produced a number of yellowfin tuna from 40 to 75 pounds, a 120-pound mako shark, some longfin tuna and two white marlins from Friday to Saturday, Capt. T.J. said. The yellowfins were trolled and chunked, and the mako was chunked, and the longfins were trolled. The marlins were of course trolled, and they were released and weighed up to 70 pounds. On the nighttime chunk the mako hit after an hour of fishing, and a couple of yellowfins bit around midnight, and some more bit later in the night, so the bites were spotty. The water was 74 degrees, and no big temperature breaks were found. Legal Limit was flounder fishing today, the last day of flounder season. Afterward bottom-fishing trips will target sea bass, though lots of tuna trips are booked the next two weeks.  

<b>Atlantic City</b>

Tons of kingfish bit in the surf, and words couldn’t describe the number, said Noel from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. Hot spots included off the T-jetty and off the Vermont Avenue jetty and all along the whole beach. The kings inhaled bloodworms, ad so did sea perch and porgies along the sea wall. Tog were grabbing green crabs along the rocks, and snapper blues filled the back bay. Good-sized flounder were landed, but today is the last day of flounder season. Bloodworms, green crabs and a full supply of baits are stocked.

<b>Margate</b>

Mixed bags of flounder, blues, sea bass, porgies and triggerfish were the catch at local reefs on daily open-boat trips on the <b>Jessie O’</b>, and the action was very good, Capt. Jay said. He was sad to see flounder season closing, and the boat was running a marathon flounder trip today, the last legal day of flounder fishing this year. Afterward the vessel’s daily trips will still target all the other species in the mixed bags, and the only difference will be that anchoring will be more common than drifting, because drifting is the way to go for fluke. On Jay’s bay boat, the <b>Fish N’ Fun</b>, daily, open-boat trips are finished for the year, because flounder season will close. But charters are available on both vessels, and so are party cruises, and a DJ and catering are available. Striped bass are one option on the Fish N’ Fun’s bay charters.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Gibson’s Tackle</b> tuna fished at Lindenkohl Canyon on Friday night with Alan Fellheimer and Mike Cunningham, Joe said. They went 5 for 5 on big yellowfin tuna from 70 to 90 pounds and boated three mahi mahi about 10 pounds apiece, all on the chunk, and more fish could’ve been caught, but the fish box was full. Four of the Allisons bit sardines, and one took a live squid. The first tuna hit a squid deep down with weight, and the rest attacked weightless sardines. The anglers fished with 60-pound, fluorocarbon leaders and circle hooks, and the fish bit on a steady pick while the crew fished from midnight to 4 a.m. on a drift from 800 feet to 300 feet. Lots of fish and bait were marked in the 75-degree, good-looking, blue water, and not a lot of squid were seen schooling near the surface, but some did. A bunch of boats fished the Lindy, and some fished Spencer Canyon. Seas were questionable when the boat left port in a southerly blow, but eventually they calmed, and they weren’t completely calm but were fishable. Closer to shore, striped bass fishing was good in the back bay for Joe, and the fish continued to smack surface lures and flies. Popper fishing, one of Joe’s specialties, will last at least until October, and the fish will attack on the surface in cooler water in the fall than they will in spring. For example, they’ll jump on poppers in 50-degree water in fall when they wouldn’t touch a popper in such cool water in spring. Bluefish were also in the bay, especially around the inlets.  Croakers and small weakfish could be hooked in the ocean near the beaches.

<b>Wildwood</b>

Flounder season was ending with a bang, said Cathy from <b>Sterling Harbor Bait & Tackle</b> in a fax. Fishing for the flatties was great at Cape May Reef, the Old Grounds and Reef Site 11, and many of the fish weighed 5 to 8 pounds. Jim Sullivan fished Cape May Reef and weighed in a pair of 5- and 8-pounders, and Joey Longo III also fished the reef on his dad’s boat the Jody Joe and checked in a 6-pounder and a 5-pounder. Billy “Uncle Fester” Talamini hit the same reef and weighed in a 7-pound 4-ouncer, and Brendan Kelly, 10, fished Reef Site 11 and showed off a 3-pound 9-ouncer at the shop. Ernie DiVencenzo and crew on the Next Generation bagged 12 keeper flounder to 6 ½ pounds. Paula DiVincenzo was crabbing Tuesday when she pulled up an unusual catch: a 1-1/2-pound lobster. Bonus! Inshore tuna fishing slowed down, but overnight tuna fishing at the canyons turned on, and numerous yellowfins were chunked. Trolling at the canyons was on the slow side, but wahoo were trolled at 19-Fathom Lump and the Cigar. Freddy Vesper on the Diamond Girl trolled a 47-pound wahoo at 19-Fathom Lump that he weighed in. Larry McGill on Dave Stetser’s Mojito trolled a 28-pound wahoo that he checked in. Surf fishing for bluefish was great on metal, and a few stripers were plugged in the wash. Ray Pashick beached a 36-inch striper near Hereford Inlet on a Mir-O-lure.

<b>Cape May</b>

Tuna fishing was excellent all the way offshore, said Capt. Bob from the <b>Down Deep</b>. The boat was fishing the canyons on both daytime and overnight trips, and the Wilson party nailed five nice longfin tuna and a wahoo. Charlie Kennedy’s crew on Charlie’s 70th birthday battled four longfin tuna and about 15 big mahi mahi from 18 to 24 pounds. The Witisik group fished Cape May Channel for a pull of blues and croakers. Now that flounder season ends tomorrow, croakers and blues are options on inshore trips. Bob wasn’t hearing much about sea bass yet, but that fishing should pick up. Striped bass charters will begin in mid October, and some good dates remain for striper charters. Dates are also left for the other types of trips.

Overnight tuna fishing was pretty decent at the canyons and should last another four or five weeks, said Capt. Ray from the <b>Jaftica</b>. Plenty of flounder bit at reefs such as Cape May Reef over the weekend, but flounder season closes tomorrow, and sea bass were sometimes boated at the reefs. Lots of croakers were hitting, and most moved to the ocean front. Jaftica’s striped bass season will begin the third week of October, when charters will chase the linesiders at the Cape May Rips and Delaware Bay. Time is winding down for a raffle that Jaftica is holding for a striped bass charter to benefit the recovery of one of the boat’s mates who was injured in an accident. Raffle tickets are $5 apiece or $20 for five, and the drawing takes place October 1, and see the boat’s web site for info.

Sea bass and blues will be options now that flounder season is closing, said Capt. Gary from the <b>Sea Fox</b>. Croakers and weakfish will also be stacked up along the coast at this time of year, and he fished on another captain’s boat last week that got into those fish. Tuna fishing is also on tap, and canyon tuna fishing should be picking up.

Flounder fishing was great, just as the season was ending, said Matt from <b>Jim’s Bait & Tackle</b> in a fax. But on a positive note, boaters fishing the deeper spots at Reef Site 11 and the Old Grounds were catching nicer sea bass from 2 to 4 pounds, and anglers hoped the humpbacks stuck around a while. Offshore fishing was very good, and tuna were chunked at Wilmington Canyon along the 100-fathom line Thursday and Friday nights. The yellowfins were nice sized and 60 to 110 pounds, and swordfish were also starting to bite. Most swords were smaller, but some to 200 pounds were weighed in. The tip of Lindenkohl Canyon also put out good yellowfin chunking Friday night. John Byrue on his 14th birthday on the Miss Andrea caught a 92-pound sword, his first, and Randy Magdin on the same trip tackled a 104-pound yellowfin. Marlin fishing was best at Washington Canyon, and boaters who fished there reported landing some nice blue marlin. Closer to land, surf fishing was starting to pick up a little, and more bluefish and small stripers were hitting at Poverty Beach. Kingfish, small blues and a few weakfish were sometimes hooked at the beaches and jetties at Cape May Point. Glen Knight was fishing the suds at Alexander Avenues on Friday morning when he got a surprise: He landed a 25-pound black drum that took a clam on a croaker rig.

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