<b>Brooklyn</b>

Anglers on the <b>Big M Express</b> each boated some keeper sea bass and a load of shorts Tuesday in rains and winds, terrible weather, the fishing report on the boat’s web site said. Trips will begin targeting weakfish when New York’s fluke season ends Monday, and a few weaks were around. Open-boat trips will sail for weaks and stripers in the evenings, and open trips will run for sea bass during the day. The Big M Express sails from Tamaqua Marina in Gerritsen Beach, Brooklyn.

<b>Staten Island</b>

Two women from Maine sailed with <b>Frenzy Fishing Charters</b> on Monday and scored very well, landing 16 striped bass, 10 fluke, probably 15 blues and one weakfish, Capt. Tommy Verderosa said. With the weakfish one of the ladies got a grand slam, catching all the major inshore species: stripers, fluke, blues and a weakie. Now is a great time for a chance at a grand slam, if anyone wants to attempt the achievement with Frenzy. Once New York’s fluke season ends Monday, slams or all the major species except one are very possible. The women on the trip tossed small rubber shads to imitate peanut bunker. Four anglers on a charter yesterday had no luck chunking bluefish in the morning in nasty weather, but they moved to one of Tommy’s hot spots, and a big, 6-1/2-pounder fluke was boated on the first cast. Five small ones hit the rubber shads afterward, and then the anglers fished near Hoffman and Swinburne islands and fought eight striped bass and two big blues. All the stripers on these trips were shorts, but the anglers used light tackle, so it was fun. Although bluefishing was tough on this second trip, Tommy got into a mess of blues on an evening trip last week, and blues can be caught. Fishing was improving and heating up, Tommy said. Frenzy will also fish for false albacore with light spinning tackle or fly rods this season, and the fall striper run will be a target when the migration begins.

Loads of blues were around, and fluke fishing had slowed a moment, but it was picking back up in front of Great Kills Harbor, said Vinny from <b>Michael’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Ritchie who works at the shop nailed two 5-pounders today. Snappers schooled the harbor, and weakfishing was spotty, but some were hooked here and there, like at Oakwood Hole and Princess Bay. Porgies were sometimes caught. A few boaters, including the shop’s boss, were fishing offshore today after the weather had been too rough this week. Previously yellowfin tuna fishing seemed good at Lindenkohl Canyon and Toms Canyon.

<b>Bayonne</b>

A charter was supposed to bottom fish at the Shrewsbury Rocks on Monday, but fog was too thick, so the anglers drifted near buoy 10 at Ambrose Channel, said Capt. Akira from <b>True World Tackle</b> and <b>True World Tackle Charters</b>. They landed seven keeper sea bass to 17 inches, some porgies, short fluke and sea robins. Another charter sailed to the Rocks on Saturday in 4-foot seas and 15-knot winds, and 11 keeper sea bass and lots of small ones were hooked. A charter today was supposed to fish the Rocks in better weather, so Akira hoped for good fishing. Weather was also rough over the weekend, and not many customers fished, and some were supposed to fish for tuna on a party boat, but the trip was cancelled because of seas. One customer said he landed weakfish under the Verrazano Bridge over the weekend.

<b>Keyport</b>

Capt. Carmine and crew from the <b>Lucky Carm</b> took a trip in the bay yesterday, partly to look for weakfish since fluke season closed this week, and they fought quite a few blues, but no weakfish, he said. Hector the mate, Carmine’s friend Audrey and his brother Bob were on deck. Carmine was going striped bass fishing today, but he’ll poke around for weakfish again. If the trout show up, charters will certainly chase them, but otherwise the Lucky Carm is now focusing on bottom fish—like sea bass, porgies and blackfish—striped bass and blues.  

The Bob Brooks party of four hit the back bay with <b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b> yesterday, tangled with nice-sized blues and released out-of-season fluke, Capt. Joe said. Bunker strips were the baits, and lots of birds worked the water, more than Joe had seen in some time, and the blues were breaking the surface. Winds were stiff, and that could be good, because it’ll lower water temps and help spark fall fishing. Both the bait that the birds were eating and the weather that drops water temps boded well. No word was heard about any weakfish biting, but if they arrive, charters will catch them. In the meantime Papa’s Angels will keep sailing for blues and will also do some bottom fishing until focusing on the fall migration of striped bass. Open-boat trips are sailing 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. every day, and call to reserve and for info.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

The <b>Fishermen</b> will sail for striped bass and blues every day, now that fluke season has ended, but if weakfish turn on, the daily trips will switch to weakfishing, Capt. Ron said. Magic-hour bluefishing trips will continue to run in the evenings Fridays through Sundays. Ron also sent an e-mail on Monday, the final day of fluke season, and said fluking was very good this season for the most part. An 11.5-pounder that Carlos Gonzalez hauled aboard was the biggest on the boat this year, and catches also included a 10-1/2-pounder, a few 9-pounders and many 2- to 5-pounders. Limits were tough to come by, but the boat’s anglers managed quite a few, despite the increased size limit. Ron said he never thought the trips would survive with the 17-inch limit, but the season was one of the best in a long time. The trip Monday went out with a bang. The boat started fishing in the channel, and a few flatties were picked, and then it moved to along the beaches, where a couple of draggers were working 1 ½ miles from shore, and things were slow, despite a bite there the previous day. So Ron took a chance and pushed another 5 miles offshore to the Mud Dump, and several drifts gave up some nice shots of keepers and very nice sea bass. At the end of the trip three rods were bent over, and three successive fluke came up that weighed 4 ½ pounds, 6 ½ pounds and 8.3 pounds. “I couldn’t have staged it any better,” Ron said. Joe Handley ended the day with six nice keepers and some sea bass. “Went out with a bang,” Ron said. “Only wish I could do it again tomorrow. Thanks NOAA!” The Fishermen is fishing for striped bass and blues 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. Afternoon bluefishing trips are running 3:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Fridays through Sundays. However, the boat is chartered this Friday afternoon and Saturday morning, so no open trips will sail at those times.

A charter was weathered out Tuesday on the <b>CRT II</b>, Capt. Mick said. But charters sailed Friday though Sunday, and the DiDonato group was the party Friday, and despite rough weather, they wanted to catch blues, and catch them they did. They fought a bunch to 12 pounds in very heavy seas. On Saturday morning the Rybicki charter put together a very good catch of fluke to 5 pounds and some sea bass, and the afternoon charter was a disaster, and all anglers seemed to be looking around for fish without success. A few blues and a few fluke were boated. On Sunday the Hooper gang scored pretty well on fluke to almost 5 pounds and sea bass to 19 inches, though they had to run around a lot and fished at the Mud Dump and Sandy Hook Reef. Mick will look for weakfish this weekend, but he’s starting to lose hope. If none appear, charters will sail for bottom fish and blues, now that fluke season ended, until the fall run of striped bass begins. Striper charters will kick off October 1, not too far in the future, and trips should be booked now to reserve a date for this popular season. Two 6-hour trips are available: one at 6 a.m. and another at 1:30 p.m. Mick noted that the Recreational Fishing Alliance and the Shark River Surf Anglers will hold a meeting to discuss the drastic cut in the fluke bag limit for 2008 that the government is proposing, and the public is invited, and some politicians should be there, and the more anglers who show up to voice their concern, the better. It takes place 7 p.m. at Taylor Pavilion in Belmar.

Fluke fishing was pretty good on the <b>Atlantic Star</b> in the bay Monday, the final day of fluke season, Capt. Tom said. One angler bagged four keepers, and another took three, and there was a nice pick of fish, and the early closing of the season was disappointing. Tom actually said that in a somewhat different way, but that was the gist of it. On Tuesday the boat was the only one in the fleet to sail, and that shows how such a closure hurts the industry. But the anglers who arrived for the trip just wanted to fish, and blues busting the surface were found, and the anglers jigged some. They headed to Reach Channel to search for weakfish, but a ship came through at the beginning, and that kind of hurt chances. They also looked along the channel near the Ammo Pier, and they caught and released some fluke. Working birds popped up, and the anglers jigged more blues, and later fish were marked, and more blues were jigged. A good chance at looking for weakfish never happened. Wednesday was very windy, and anglers onboard jigged blues again, and the weather prevented a serious try for weakfish. Today’s forecast looked better, so Tom hoped to give weakfishing a better shot, and he wasn’t giving up on them yet, because anglers onboard had no chance to put enough effort into the search so far. Tom for the moment is telling anglers to bring two rods if they’d like: one set up for jigging blues, and another rigged for fishing for weaks along the bottom. Until fishing heads in one direction or another, such as weakfishing or bottom fishing, the boat will mix it up and target a variety of fish available, so anglers can get out and enjoy fishing. The Atlantic Star is sailing on two trips daily from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.  <b>***UPDATE:***</b> Some weakfish, good-sized ones, were boated on this morning’s trip, a good sign at least, Capt. Tom said. Blues were also hooked, but when Tom gave this report in the middle of the afternoon trip today, the fishing was tough, and no birds were working the water, and fish were scarce.

Fishing was generally good, and it’s that time of year, said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Fluke fishing went very well as the season closed earlier this week, and anglers hooked lots, including a 10-1/2-pounder that Keith Rietema fooled at the Shrewsbury Rocks on a smelt. Jimmy himself fluke fished on the final day of the season Monday and limited out at the Oceanic Bridge. Weakfish were landed at Reach Channel yesterday on worms, and the surf was alive with bluefish, and sometimes they swam into the suds, and sometimes they didn’t. Frank Patilo surf fished at Sandy Hook Point on Friday and bailed 39 stripers and a dozen blues on poppers and swimmers. Blues were also everywhere from the ocean to the bay, and chumming for blues was good at places such as the Mud Buoy. Bottom fishing for sea bass and porgies was excellent at the Shrewsbury Rocks, The shop is fully stocked with baits.

<b>Highlands</b>

With the closing of fluke season <b>Fisher Price Charters</b> will start jigging for bluefish with a few striped bass mixed in, Capt. Derek said. The fish were swimming from the bay to the Shrewsbury Rocks in the ocean, and many of the stripers were shorts, but Derek heard about keepers sometimes bagged on worms. Charters will also bottom fish for sea bass and porgies, and both species were definitely around. Blackfishing will start November 15, when the bag limit increases to eight from the current limit of one.

<b>Sandy Hook Fishing Adventures</b> took a couple of days off after fluke season to get the boat ready for fall fishing, Capt. Bob said in an e-mail. Charters will concentrate on striped bass, blues, sea bass and blackfish, and if weakfish show up, they’ll be in the mix, but that didn’t seem hopeful at this point.

<b>Sea Bright</b>

All blues, including big ones to 12 pounds, were the catch in the windy weather, said Capt. Fletcher from <b>Two Rivers Charters</b>. The slammers bit artificials in the ocean off Sandy Hook and were chasing peanut bunker and some other big bait. Two Rivers also looked around for weakfish toward the Ammo Pier in the bay, but nothing was doing, and only out-of-season fluke were hooked and released. Charters are also bottom fishing for sea bass and porgies at this time of year, and blackfishing will begin November 15, when the bag limit jumps to eight from the current limit of one. Of course, striper fishing will kick in when the migration turns on.

<b>Long Branch</b>

An 11-pound striped bass was weighed in, the first one in a while, said John from <b>Jim’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Fred Weingart took the striper from the surf on clam, and a few stripers were beginning to get picked up from the suds, both on clams and plugs, so things were changing. John went out to the surf yesterday and said big, 10- to 15-pound blues were sometimes storming the wash from Long Branch to Sea Bright. Fishing for snapper blues was good in the Shrewsbury River, and so was weakfishing, and crabbing wasn’t bad either.

<b>Belmar</b>

Bluefishing was good at the Shrewsbury Rocks for anglers yesterday on the <b>Nan Sea J</b>, and two keeper stripers were also boated, Capt. Tom said. The stripers were just barely keepers, and they bit bait in the chum slick, and so did most of the blues, though some of the blues were jigged. About 15 keeper sea bass to 3 pounds were also bagged, and so were a few porgies to 2 pounds, a nice mixed bag. A charter will tuna fish at the canyons on an overnighter Monday to Tuesday.

Fishing for blues was good day and night on the <b>Bandit</b> around 14 miles from the inlet, Capt. Scotty said. Most customers usually fish with bait, but the blues can also be jigged. Inshore charters will also bottom fish for sea bass, and four spots are available for an open-boat tuna trip this Sunday to Monday, limited to 15 passengers. The trip will be 24 hours or longer and will leave port approximately 10 or 11 a.m. Space is also available on a couple of other open tuna trips coming up. Looking ahead, the Bandit will sail for tog from Delaware for the winter starting Black Friday, and the vessel ran the same trips last winter. During the winter this fishing allows anglers to bag plenty of tog while Jersey’s limit drops to one of the fish per person.

Porgies were moving farther up Shark River, and there were lots more than before, and they were schooled up, so when a school was found, one after another could be caught, said Mike from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b>. Some snappers roamed the river, and a handful of weakfish were also landed there. Not many weakfish were found, but because some were landed, more should still be around. But porgies were the main fish in the river. Surf fishing for striped bass was beginning to pick up, and lots were small, and occasionally one was a keeper, and the action was nothing to write home about, but it was better than nothing. Lots of peanut bunker and sometimes spearing filled the suds, and a few mullet began to appear, but not a lot. When the fall mullet run kicks in, top-water lures will be good bets to fool striped bass in the wash. Blues hit the surf and were everywhere, including offshore, where boaters fought a bunch. Tuna fishing was hot, and swordfish were taken at times, usually hitting tuna baits as they were reeled from the deep. Tilefish also bit at the canyons, and Mike saw nice-sized ones.

<b>Brielle</b>

Most trips on the <b>Paramount</b> were producing sea bass earlier in the day and sometimes ling on later drops, and ling fishing was very good on a trip yesterday, despite tough fishing at first because of windy weather, an e-mail from the boat said. The trip yesterday was specifically a ling trip, and the boat is doing several types of bottom fishing throughout the week. But that trip was a Deep Water Mudhole Ling Special, and the day started with rough seas and winds that hampered catches while fishing an offshore section of the Mudhole. Winds started to drop off by lunchtime, when the boat had moved to an inshore part of the Hole, and ling fishing considerably picked up. Most anglers bagged 15 to 20, and high hooks nailed 20 to 30. Tuesday’s trip was weathered out, and the weekly Monday Marathon Trip scored a mix of ling and sea bass. Patrons lately were sometimes landing porgies, but anglers were still waiting for porgy fishing to shift into high gear. But the crew looks forward to eventual mixed-bag catches of sea bass and porgies. Occasional blackfish were also coming up for customers. The Marathon Trips take place 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. every Monday, pulling up sea bass, ling and occasional blackfish. Deep Water Mudhole Ling Specials run 6:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. every Wednesday. From 6:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Tuesdays though Sundays the boat sails for sea bass, ling, porgies and occasional blackfish. For more info call the boat or visit wreckmasters.com.

Rough, windy weather probably kept boaters from fishing offshore this week until calmer conditions later in the day yesterday, and even yesterday morning was very windy, said Capt. Mike from the <b>Katie H</b>. Charters on the boat are supposed to resume canyon tuna fishing on a couple of overnight trips this Friday and Saturday, but the forecast was looking questionable. Good catches were taken on the vessel so far, and Mike hoped the fish would still be there after the blow. Canyon trips will be the focus for now, and lots of the charters are booked through the next month.

The <b>Reel-Ality</b> got out on trip Saturday, but the forecast was calling for rough seas, so at first the anglers fished Manasquan River and reeled in lots of short fluke, Capt. Larry said. Many were only a quarter-inch short, and afterward the vessel headed to the ocean for a couple of hours, and one keeper fluke and more shorts bit. Short striped bass were also hooked in the river on the boat that day, but they were fun to fight on light tackle with 8-pound line. Now that fluke season is closed, fishing for resident stripers at the Shrewsbury Rocks in the ocean, where the fish are bigger and can include keepers, can be an option. Charters will also target sea bass, other bottom fish and blues. The Reel-Ality will also keep running for bluefin tuna in the inshore ocean at every chance.

<b>Bricktown</b>

A 14-pound 10-ounce striped bass was weighed in that was dragged from the surf this afternoon, said Bob from <b>Jersey Coast Bait-N-Tackle</b>. Such fishing seemed to be waking up a little because of conditions such as cooler nights. Weakfishing was decent in nearby Barnegat Bay, and so was fishing for cocktail blues, and lots of blowfish bit there. Fluke still hugged the bottom of waters, and the closing of the season this week came in the middle of the best time to catch them, not only tough for anglers but for businesses like the shop and party boats. Some anglers were switching to sea bassing.

Resident striped bass were beginning to bite in the surf, and Jason from <b>Pell’s Fish & Sport</b> landed a couple himself the other night on Yozuri Crystal Minnows, he said. He heard reports about cocktail blues taken from the suds on mullet on mullet rigs. Boaters were starting to concentrate on sea bassing at the ocean reefs since fluke season closed. Anglers in northern Barnegat Bay were picking at weakfish near the Mantoloking Bridge on sandworms and Pell’s floating jig rigs. A few kingfish could be found at Gunner’s Ditch in the bay, and they’ll clamp down on sandworms. Small striped bass could be hooked in the Manasquan River along the Railroad Bridge on sandworms, small Bombers or such plugs. Crabbing was beginning to slow down, and people were beginning to have a hard time bagging the hardshells.

<b>Toms River</b>

A sign of fall: Mullet swam all over the surf last night, said Jeff from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>. A friend reported the action and said blues chased the baitfish, but the friend never said how big the blues were. Jeff heard about no striped bass beached in the local surf yet, though sometimes stripers were landed in the wash farther north. Weakfish were boated in Barnegat Bay at the BI and BB markers, the 40 and off Berkley Island Park, nothing crazy, but catches were made. Croakers, small black drum and blues were in the mix in the bay, and the croakers and drum also held along the ocean front. The Toms River put out spike weaks, and local crabbing seemed pretty good. Some crabbers complained about small ones, but one woman nabbed two dozen keepers in three hours this morning.

<b>Seaside</b>

John Bushell Jr. from <b>Betty and Nick’s Bait & Tackle</b> hit the surf at 11 a.m. today and fished Barnegat Inlet, he said in the report on the shop’s web site. He picked four 2-pound blues on a white bucktail, and other anglers got into very good action with them this morning. Lots of spearing filled the inlet, and the weather was perfect, and a good number of people were down there. Yesterday he fished the inlet around 4 p.m. and saw all the family’s friends from the old days when his dad used to take him there, and this was John’s son’s first time. Shell E. Caris, Bob Popovics and crews were landing 2-pound blues one after another about halfway out on the north jetty, and John walked only a quarter of the way out, staying on the dry rocks, because he had no spikes on. He landed five blues in two hours, “which was fine with me,” he said, on a white Spro jig with a white twister worm. The weather was awesome, and few people were there that time. The shop is carrying plenty of fresh bait. 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.

<b>Waretown</b>

Weakfish still hit in Barnegat Bay, and the fishing wasn’t as good as last week, but boaters on the radio were talking about landing them this morning, said Dale from <b>L&H Woods & Water</b>. The bay also gave up croakers, kingfish, porgies and blues or a mixed bag. Customers who are surf sharpies hadn’t checked in at the shop lately, so apparently they weren’t yet fishing the suds a lot. Boaters who wanted to fish offshore seemed to be met with windy weather that kicked up big seas, and a crew this morning tried to make the run but came back to the shop two hours later, and Dale guessed the forecast had changed.

Barnegat Bay weakfishing was weathered out yesterday on the <b>Perfect Drift</b>, Capt. John said. Too windy, he said, but the trout are biting, and trips will resume this weekend. A couple of bluefishing charters are also on the slate, and they’ll probably run to Barnegat Ridge, unless slammers show up closer to shore. Weakfishing and bluefishing will be the ticket on the boat, now that fluke season ended, until charters can chase down striped bass during the fall migration. Sea bassing is also a possibility, but anglers have to head to the deeper wrecks to bag any.

“It’s not too late to go grass shrimping,” said Capt. Dave DeGennaro from the <b>Hi Flier</b> in an e-mail. He was talking about weakfishing with grass shrimp in a shrimp chum slick in Barnegat Bay. On Tuesday anglers onboard struggled to catch quantities of weakies, but the ones that were landed were 16 inches to more than 20 inches. Another upside was a variety of fish hooked. While the boat was anchored on the west side of the bay, blues, puppy drum, sea bass, blowfish and a porcupine puffer turned up along with the weakies. September brings all kinds of visitors to the slick. The trip also finished off the day at another of Dave’s spots to drill a bunch of 15- to 18-inch, catch-and-release stripers that burned line off ultra-light outfits. Grass shrimp have become trickier to obtain by this point in the season, so call ahead for charters for the best chance of securing the baits. The weaks should stick around a while, because bay temps were 75 on the east side and 77 on the west. False albacore were also screaming drags at Barnegat Ridge whenever the weather allowed trips to sail. Dave’s got buckets of spearing he’s waiting to throw to chum up the albies, and he’s running open-boat trips to the ridge for them whenever he’s not grass shrimping, a great opportunity for blue-water action. The Hi Flier will run for striped bass in October and November, when charters can either anchor up and clam for the bass in the bay or head to the ocean, both on either 5-hour or 8-hour trips. “Give me a call; let’s go fishing,” he said. “Don’t make me go without you, because I will!”

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Bluefish 8 to 12 pounds started blitzing the surf two or three days ago, said Josh from <b>Barnegat Light Bait & Tackle</b>. Kingfish and croakers could also be pulled from the surf, and sharpies were beginning to hook striped bass along the jetties at night on eels, mullet and bunker, so stripers were starting to make a little move. Weakfish were landed in Barnegat Bay, and mullet was a good bait, because the mullet run pretty much started. But grass shrimp were also still the ticket, and the shop carries both live and frozen shrimp. Nothing was heard about Barnegat Ridge lately, except maybe sea bass bit there, and offshore anglers started returning to the canyons yesterday after rough weather, and none came back yet and gave a report. 

<b>Brighton Beach</b>

Surf fishing for kingfish and croakers was the best bet, and the fish bit fairly consistently on small pieces of clam or bloodworm, said Christian from <b>Oceanside Bait & Tackle</b>. The kings seemed to bite during the day, and the croakers seemed to take over once the sun began to set. A school of decent-sized blues hit the surf yesterday, pushing adult bunker right up onto shore, and anglers were able to pick up the menhaden and liveline them. Good reports about surf fishing beginning to pick up for stripers were heard from beaches farther north on Long Beach Island. Kyle, who works at Oceanside’s sister shop Barnegat Light Bait & Tackle, slammed a 41-inch striper in the surf off the Barnegat Inlet jetty on a Hopkins lure. Weakfish still bit in Barnegat Bay along the northern end of the island, and the bite sounded slower than before, and one day would seem to produce well, and another would seem tougher, but the fish were there. Anglers were picking up sea bass from the rocks near Barnegat Lighthouse, and boaters landed sea bass, none usually big, in the ocean when the weather allowed vessels to sail.  The shop is stocking fresh mullet and fresh bunker, and fresh clams and bloodworms should arrive tomorrow morning. A full line of frozen baits is on hand, including frozen smelts, mullet, spearing, bunker and grass shrimp. A complete supply of artificial baits including Gulps are also shelved. Oceanside opened this spring and is located at 8201 Long Beach Boulevard on the southern end of Long Beach Island. The store’s owners are the same ones from Barnegat Light Bait & Tackle.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

A few big blues were hammered in the ocean, and a 17-pounder was checked in, said Scott from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. But that was about the extent of the action, and four weeks till the fall striper run might’ve been the biggest news. The small fish—kingfish, porgies, blowfish, sea bass and such—that usually fill the bay by the second week of August were yet to materialize. But kingfish began to appear toward Absecon, and that’s where they usually do first show up.  But an arrival four weeks late would be bizarre. Snapper blues were about the only solid fishery in the bay, if someone wanted to have fun with them. But putting any type of keeper fish in the box was pretty impossible. Lots of anglers were trying to find weakfish at the mouth of the Mullica River, but with no luck. Croakers and small weakfish weeks ago made a showing near the ocean beaches but now were very intermittently found. The waters would normally be loaded with them by now. Even customers were surprisingly scarce, and that shows the importance of fluke season, and this week’s closing of the season weeks early was terrible. Sea bass were pressured most of the season, because flounder fishing never really got strong this year. So only small sea bass were mostly left close to shore, and boaters had to sail far from the coast, maybe at least 10 miles, to land decent ones. Tog were a saving grace, though the bag limit is one per person until increasing later this year. But if three anglers on a boat could bag a total of three tog, that helped. Crabbing wasn’t good, and volumes of small ones skittered about, but bigger ones seemed to be scooped up during the Labor Day Weekend, and crabbers will have to wait for more blueclaws to grow this season. Again, four weeks till the striper run: Better days are coming!

<b>Absecon</b>

Mullet were running full blast along the ocean beaches, said Capt. Dave from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>. He was stocking plenty away in the tanks and the freezer, so the supply should be good for striper season. Small blues swam with the mullet, and the back bay was also loaded with mullet, peanut bunker and bait, and weakfish held in the bay, but they were so gorged with bait that getting them to bite bait on a hook was difficult, but that will change. Striped bass fishing was about the same, because the linesiders were stuffed with mullet and bait, though Dave heard about a few landed in the bay and surf. The fall striper migration was about 3 weeks away. In the ocean quite a few flounder bit until the season closed this week, and croakers and weakfish schooled along the ocean front. The bigger croakers were in 40 feet, and the sizes of the weaks varied according to the school, but most at this time of year are small. Crabbing was very good as usual after Labor Day, when commercial crabbers take fewer of the hardshells, because demand declines. The shop’s supply of baits was in full stock and included live mullet, spots and peanut bunker, and live shedder crabs were still on hand, but the commercial crabbers were nearly finished supplying shedders. Shedders should be carried through the weekend but probably not much longer.

<b>Brigantine</b>

An inshore trolling charter on the <b>Fishin’ Fever</b> yesterday battled 14 false albacore to 17 or 18 pounds along the 20-fathom line near 28-Mile Wreck, and the same number probably got off, Capt. Tom said. Clark spoons, Zukers and mini Green Machines were the menu, and charters will continue to fight such inshore speedsters. Part of the boat’s main focus at the moment remains overnight tuna fishing at the canyons. Windy weather kept vessels from running offshore this week, but they started returning to the canyons yesterday. The fishing was very good until the blow for quality, 60- to 90-pound yellowfin tuna caught on the chunk, mostly at night. But Tom thinks trolling might pick up again since the water got pushed around from the weather. After tuna season, Fishin’ Fever will sail from Cape May for the striped bass migration starting the third week of October, catching the linesiders at the Cape May Rips and in Delaware Bay.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

The surf was loaded with kingfish, and that was the biggest news, said Jack from <b>Offshore Enterprises Bait & Tackle</b>. Croakers could be boated a little farther from shore, but a few hit in the suds and along the jetties. Striped bass could now be beached in the wash in the mornings on live or fresh mullet, because the fall mullet run was on. Short sea bass were stealing baits along the surf and inlet. In the back bay anglers could plug stripers along the sod banks. Reports about a handful of weakfish reeled in from the bay and inlet began to be heard here and there. Today’s weather was perfect for offshore fishing after unsettled conditions from the storm earlier this week. But the warm water offshore stayed and didn’t push out. The <b>Carly A</b>, the shop’s offshore charter boat, had trips scheduled for this weekend, but the forecast was again looking questionable. The boat ran charters last weekend, and one sailed Saturday and was a daytime trolling trip that fought four yellowfin tuna and two false albacore. The other was an overnighter on Sunday that produced two bigeye tuna, two yellowfins, a mahi mahi and a swordfish, and other swords came into the slick. Bait at the shop includes fresh mullet, bloodworms, squid, frozen mackerel and lots of others. Minnows are no longer carried, because flounder season ended, and green crabs for tog fishing are expected next week. Offshore bait includes large and medium ballyhoos, three sizes of rigged ballys and trolling squid, all from Bait Master. Sea Freeze butterfish are on hand, and so are sardines, cigar mackerel, rigged and unrigged flying fish, chum and nearly anything needed.

<b>Margate</b>

Seas were a little rough Saturday, but <b>Fine Line Charters</b> sailed and came back with four keeper flounder, and 15- or 16-inch croakers were also reeled in, Capt. Dave said. The fish bit in 45 to 50 feet of Ocean City, Longport and Margate, and plenty of croakers swam there. On Sunday in calmer seas eight keeper fluke and some croakers were landed. Now that flounder season is closed, Fine Line will bottom fish for sea bass and croakers and will troll for false albacore, bonito, blues and such speedsters. Dave looks forward to striper charters beginning probably by mid October.

On the <b>Jessie O’</b> anglers yesterday pulled up triggerfish, sea bass and porgies, Capt. Jay said. Come on down, he added, and there’s plenty of fish. Open-boat trips are sailing 8 a.m. every day, either on 6-hour or 8-hour outings or ¾-day or full-day trips, and call to confirm the trip length for a given day. Charters and cruises are also available. Jay’s back-bay boat, the <b>Fish N’ Fun</b>, wrapped up its open-boat schedule with the closing of flounder season Tuesday, a closing that Jay and crew were sad to see. But the Fish N’ Fun will remain available for charters, party cruises and cruises of any kind, and catering and a DJ are available.

Shark fishing will start again with <b>O-Beth Sportfishing Charters</b> this fall, probably lasting October to November, so long as water temps hover around 60 degrees, Capt. Eric said. Although many anglers target makos and threshers in spring, until the sharks migrate away, the beasts return on the fall migration, a second chance to do battle. O-Beth is currently tuna fishing overnight at the canyons, and the weather was too windy and kicked up seas too much for boaters to get out this week, but catches were good until the blow. O-Beth is also gearing up for striped bass season and will move the boat to Cape May to charter for the linesiders starting October 15. Striper charters will fish the Cape May Rips with eels, spots and bucktails and will fish Delaware Bay with bunker chunks. Fishing at both places starts about the same time, and evening bunker chunking trips will be included on the schedule. The evening trips offer the chance to get into big bass like 30-pounders in the bay.

<b>Longport</b>

Flounder fishing produced 20 keepers Monday about 9 miles from shore on the <b>Stray Cat</b>, and on Sunday along the same grounds more than three times as many were landed, Capt. Mike said. But that’s all over now, because the season closed Tuesday. A few triggerfish and porgies could be found on the inshore grounds, but sea bassing was slow there, and trips had to sail a little offshore to get into the humpbacks. Open-boat sea bass trips will launch October 3, and a few crabs will be kept aboard for those who want to bag a limit of one tautog per person. Open-boat tog trips, one of the boat’s specialties, will begin November 15, when the bag limit jumps up to eight per person. Stray Cat had a great tog season last year on South Jersey’s reefs and wrecks that are less pressured than up north, and Mike hopes for a repeat performance. Spaces are available for an open-boat, overnight tuna trip on Columbus Day weekend, probably leaving 3 p.m. Sunday, October 7, and probably sailing 20 or 22 hours. All other open-boat tuna trips are sold out for the moment, but a few dates remain for tuna charters. When the striper migration begins this fall, open-boat striper trips will probably leave the dock every Monday and Thursday.

<b>Ocean City</b>

Kingfish finally showed up in the surf, and that was the big thing, said Ed from <b>Fin-Atics</b>. Tons of mullet schooled the surf, so striped bass and blues were sometimes hooked among them. Blues also swam the bay, and a few stripers bit along the sod banks and the bridges on soft plastic lures or swimming plugs, and some anglers livelined mullet or peanut bunker for a hit. Crabbing was good in the back waters, and although nothing was heard about crabbing the past few days, crabbing was excellent this season. In the ocean a good number of croakers, small weakfish and small blues held anywhere from 15 feet to 60 feet. Tuna seemed to keep biting at the northern canyons like the Lindenkohl and the Spencer, and mostly yellowfins were boated on the chunk, and a few swordfish too, and longfins were trolled.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Back-bay striped bass fishing was good, and the fish smacked popper lures and flies, Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Gibson’s Tackle</b> said. They should continue to attack poppers into October, and lots of blues filled the bay and the inlets. Speckled sea trout, normally found in warmer climates farther south, show up in the back bay in fall, but the season is early. Mid to late October and November usually produce the specks, and anglers who target them are pretty tight lipped. Mullet schooled the bay and were beginning to push out along the beaches, though the mass migration was yet to start. Be on the lookout for the first real cold front, because that will send the bait to the ocean, usually bringing blitzes for surf anglers. In the ocean croakers were holding in 40 or 50 feet off the beaches. Chunking for tuna had been good at Lindenkohl and Carteret canyons, and windy weather and rough seas prevented trips in the past days, but the bite should still be on, because it’s been fairly consistent.

<b>Avalon</b>

The boats from <b>Over Under Adventures</b>, sailing from Avalon and from Ocean City, Md., ran overnight tuna trips from Carteret Canyon to Wilmington Canyon through the past week, a report on Over Under’s web site said. The week leading up to the dark of the new moon in September was once again great for overnight chunking, and trolling during the day also took a turn for the better. The main body of fish that were targeted was on the same spot as it had been for more than a month, and the amount of bait in the area was unbelievable. As long as the bait holds, so should the fishing, especially during the peak stretch from late September to early October. Chunking will be talked about in a moment, but trolling produced some great catches, including a humongous, 203-pound Allison. Trolling for white marlin was outstanding, and on the chunk, besides tuna, a good number of swordfish were taken. Overnight chunking for tuna wasn’t an all-out blitz, but it was consistently good. The best bite was 4 a.m. to 7 a.m., and on many nights the fishing was at least a pick until turning red hot toward morning, and on many the fishing was mad dog during the first part until settling down. And the fish were big and bad, averaging 70 to 75 pounds and sometimes weighting 90 pounds. Most bit on 50-pound leaders, but long fights that contributed to tangles and break-offs was the downside of the light line. Typically just as many were caught as were fought and lost, and some battles lasted more than an hour, even coming close to two hours. The fish tested angling skills, because they were very aggressive and unpredictable, and one night was very tough, and anglers on two of the boats struggled to get any tuna to the boat, because of a strong current into the wind, and that also kept bait from balling up under the boat. But even on those trips, the next morning produced a few longfin tuna and a couple of white marlin. The swordfish were getting caught on tuna rigs, and many were eventually lost because of chaffed leaders. But a 5-foot 7-incher managed to get boated with a 50-pound fluorocarbon leader after a 1-1/2-hour battle. 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>

The striped bass migration should be hopping by October 15, and <b>O-Beth Sportfishing</b> will then start chartering for them at the Cape May Rips and in Delaware Bay, Capt. Eric said. So it’s time to book striper charters, one of the most popular trips with dates that get filled quickly. Striper anglers on the boat will fish the rips with eels, spots and bucktails, and they’ll dunk bunker in the bay. Evening striper charters in the bay are also available and offer a chance to nail a big one like a 30-pounder.  O-Beth will also resume shark fishing this fall, and although many anglers target sharks in spring, until makos and threshers migrate away for the summer, the beasts return on the fall migration. Not every boat allows the chance to do battle with these beautiful monsters in fall, so here’s your chance. O-Beth is currently tuna fishing overnight at the canyons from its summertime dock in Margate, and the weather was too windy and tossed up seas too much for offshore fishing this week, but catches were good until the blow.

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