Note: This report was posted on a Tuesday instead of the usual Monday because of the Labor Day holiday.

<b>Brooklyn</b>

An open-boat trip on the <b>Big M Express</b> produced six keeper fluke to 4 pounds, plenty of action with short fluke and a few keeper, nice-sized sea bass at the rocky bottom to the south with only a few anglers aboard on Sunday, Capt. Steve said. A charter on Friday with four anglers bagged a bunch of sea bass, hooked loads of shorts and landed some porgies down south at the reef. They tried for fluke during the last hour and pulled up one keeper and 12 shorts. New York’s fluke season, previously expected to be open all year, is now being closed September 17, because the state decided that too many fluke were caught. But until then, open-boat trips will target fluke and sea bass every day when no charter is booked. Afterward the open trips will chase sea bass, and trips will also target weakfish if weakfishing turns on. No big body of weakfish seemed to be biting yet. The boat will also start focusing on blackfish when New York’s blackfish season opens October 1.  The Big M Express leaves the dock from Tamaqua Marina in Gerritsen Beach, Brooklyn.

<b>Staten Island</b>

<b>Frenzy Fishing Charters</b> slammed bluefish in New York Harbor and near Ambrose Channel on trips Thursday and Saturday, Capt. Tommy Verderosa said. The number of large blues—alligators to 14 pounds—was surprising, because normally those fish show up later in the season. Tommy never before saw so many big blues at this time of year, and the fish were chasing peanut bunker. At least 40 big blues were fought on a trip the other day, and the anglers used circle hooks so the slammers could be hooked in the mouth and safely released. Trips were also grabbing fluke, and New York’s fluke season will now close September 17, because too many fluke were landed, according to the state, although previously the season was supposed to stay open all year. Fluke were holding close to shore, and two friends fished from the surf and bailed 30 fluke and blues, lots of fish, and it just depends on the tide and such factors, Tommy said. Trophy fluke are one of his specialties, and he’s learned different techniques and tackle for the best chances at big ones over the years. Schoolie stripers to 6 pounds were also caught and released on trips lately, and now is a good time to fish with Frenzy try for a grand slam or a catch of all the major fish available inshore: fluke, blues, stripers and weakfish. Anglers onboard the other day nailed a slam—one fish short of a grand slam—of fluke, blues and stripers. Tommy hadn’t seriously tried for weakfish yet, and he knows a drop-off where the trout usually gather that he’ll target soon. A friend looked for weaks and found none, but others were landing a few along Reach Channel.  A mess of baby, 4-inch weakfish filled the water, and blues were chasing them onto the shore.

<b>Laurence Harbor</b>

A spot in the back of the bay that had been giving up great fishing for big, thick fluke dried up on a trip Sunday with <b>Evening Tide Charters</b>, but fluke were found instead a little farther out in the bay, not quite mid bay, Capt. Kyle said. The fish weren’t quite as large as before, and lots of shorts bit, but quality keepers were coming up. Evening Tide is usually fishing for the flatfish with livelined peanut bunker, a great bait, especially for larger fish, and Kyle was finding plenty of peanuts to castnet. The bay was 77.6 degrees on the trip, and bluefish from 2 to 4 pounds were also around, if anyone wants to take a trip for blues. Kyle still wasn’t seeing any major population of weakfish in the bay. But if the weaks show up, he loves targeting them with light tackle, also usually livelining peanut bunker for them. Less than a week is left before fluke season ends next Tuesday, and openings are available for charters for anyone who wants to take a last shot. Open-boat trips are sailing every Saturday and Sunday when no charter is booked, and call to reserve.

<b>Keyport</b>

Sean Braddock and crew fished with <b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b> and reeled in 12 fluke including four keepers on Friday, Capt. Joe said. They fished Reach Channel, the TC buoy and Sandy Hook Channel with squid and killies, and the rest of the anglers were Sean’s brother Jeremy, Matt Briggs and Ray J. Wright and son Ray P. Wright. Joe saw a couple of pods of bluefish on the way out and on the way back, and he was hearing nothing about weakfish biting so far. Another trip with Papa’s Angels was sailing yesterday. Open-boat trips are running 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. every day when no charter is booked, and so is an open trip 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Wednesday, and call to reserve.

On the <b>Lucky Carm</b> Debra Fortkiewicz’s party managed to boat some nice fluke in the bay Thursday on peanut bunker, Capt. Carmine said. They didn’t limit out, but they bagged some decent fish to a 5-pounder that Bob who was on the trip reeled in. Janice, Steve, Debby and Tonya were also aboard. On Saturday the Johns Tire Company charter landed fluke to 3 ½ pounds in the bay, and John’s friend Jack was high hook. On Sunday morning fishing was tough in the bay on a charter with the Ray Vazquez party, and all other captains Carmine spoke with said the fishing was very difficult at that time, though Carmine didn’t know how fishing went later in the day. Some blues were caught, but not as many as Carmine would like, and only short fluke bit, and Carmine must’ve put 35 miles on the boat. Even bluefish that had been running rampant near Keyport disappeared, and blues were more toward Sandy Hook, and Reach Channel was jammed with a ton of boats. After fluke season ends in a week, bottom fishing trips will target sea bass, porgies, blackfish and ling, and bluefishing trips can fish for the speedsters either in the bay or at the Mud Buoy in the ocean. 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>

On the <b>Atlantic Star</b> Thursday’s trips produced the best fluking from then through Sunday, Capt. Tom said. Anglers on both of the boat’s half-day trips on Thursday saw lots of action and caught a fair number of keepers, and it was pretty nice. Natasha Konczynski, 15, tackled a 7-1/2-pounder that day. On Friday morning conditions for drifting were terrible, and fluking was no good until a decent drift began during the last hour of the trip, and quite a few flatties were pulled up. Most were shorts, but keepers were mixed in, and there was a lot of action. In the afternoon the first two drifts were good and gave up flatties, and then conditions turned crummy until the end of the trip, when more fluke started biting. Saturday was windy, and the northern blow pushed the boat across the channel instead of along the edge, but some fluke were caught, though not as many as in the past days. The afternoon was kind of the same, and the drift was fast. John Giordano on that trip was high hook with seven keepers, and others bagged two, and some took none. But John worked hard and fished a Spro. Sunday’s fishing wasn’t bad in the morning, and the afternoon was better, but Tom wouldn’t call either trip good, and winds against tides sometimes prevented drifts. John Giordano landed six keepers in the afternoon, again while throwing a Spro, and a couple of others bagged four. But they worked for the fish, such as throwing a jig and retrieving it to create action like a drift. The trips fished Reach Channel in the bay, and no weakfish were landed on the boat these days. 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.

Jim Burchak’s charter, a bachelor party trip for Jim’s son, on the <b>CRT II</b> landed fluke, not a lot, but doormats to 5 ½ pounds, and most of the keepers were 3 to 4 pounds, so it was a good catch, Capt. Mick said. They fished at Reach Channel on Saturday afternoon, and bluefish were mixed in. In the morning the Guarcello charter picked a few fluke until one of the anglers got seasick, so the trip was cut short. But some decent-sized ones were boxed for the short time fished. Last Tuesday John Fromholtz and sons picked a few fluke, including some nice ones 20 or 21 inches. Capt. Mick got a report that a few weakfish were caught Sunday at Reach Channel, and he hopes to fish for weaks when fluke season ends in a week. Besides chasing weakfish, charters in September will also target sea bass and bluefish, and October will be about the fall striped bass run.

Fluking was very good both Thursday and Friday on the <b>Fishermen</b>, and on Thursday a 10-1/2-pounder was the first doormat to come up, and a 7-1/2-pounder was next, Capt. Ron said in the report on the boat’s web site. A couple of anglers limited out, and several scored one fluke shy of a limit. Friday started out a little “shaky,” and ships sailing out of the channel stirred things up, and drifting conditions weren’t great. But fluke were picked, and some nice keepers and shorts were coming in. But the change of tide was key, and the drift started going well, and the bite was on, and several anglers limited out. Saturday’s fishing was nothing like the previous days, but a nice, 5-1/2-pounder won the pool, and the high hook bagged four flatties. “Way too spoiled!” Ron said. Sunday’s trip produced a few nice fluke, not great fishing, and no limits, but there was action on shorts and sea bass. Ships and heavy boat traffic again made things difficult at times, and at one point a nice pick of fish was found farther east in the ocean, and the fish were moving out. Amazing amounts of peanut bunker were seen during these days, like bait balls in Florida, but still no weakfish were underneath. Bluefishing trips are also sailing on the boat in the afternoons from Fridays through Sundays, and bluefishing was excellent on the boat Friday night. Patrons fought loads of 5- to 12-pounders and played catch and release after an hour. The Fishermen is fishing for fluke 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily, usually in the ocean. Afternoon bluefishing trips are running 3:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Fridays through Sundays.

<b>Highlands</b>

Fluke fishing was good at Reach Channel on Friday with <b>Jersey Devil Charters</b>, and one doormat over 8-pounds was nailed, and two over 5-pounds were drilled, and other big ones were also pulled up, Capt. Brian said. Once fluke season ends next week, charters will sail for weakfish if the trout show up, and eventually striped bass will be the focus when the fall migration of linesiders begins. But for now the concentration is largely on canyon tuna charters. Brian ran to the canyons Thursday, but the fishing was slow and was slow for most boaters Brian spoke with that day.

<b>Sea Bright</b>

<b>Two Rivers Charters</b> pulled up fluke in deep water in the ocean, blues off the tip of Sandy Hook and stripers along the northern Hook, Capt. Fletcher Chayes said. The stripers included keepers to 32 inches and lots of small ones that schooled under working birds. Fletcher heard about three weakfish that a friend hooked while fluke fishing in the back of the bay, and those were the only weakfish he knew about. He did no fishing in the Shrewsbury and Navesink rivers in the past days.

<b>Neptune</b>

A shark charter with <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b> on Sunday tackled a 125- to 150-pound mako, Capt. Ralph said. A shark charter a couple of weekends ago also pinned down a 100-class mako. Bluefishing trips over the weekend bailed the speedsters, and a 29-inch, keeper striped bass was also bagged among the mayhem. A fluke trip Saturday put together a pick of the flatties to 7 pounds, and one final, individual-reservation fluke trip of the season will leave the dock this coming Monday, the last day of fluke season, and space is available. Those trips had been sailing every Wednesday, and after the final trip, Last Lady will probably run special bluefish and striped bass trips. Anglers were already booking fall striped bass charters. Friends who targeted sea bass this weekend scored good catches. Canyon tuna fishing was very good on both the chunk and on the troll for boaters who knew what they were doing and were also able to sail between the strong winds. Only a few openings remain on Last Lady’s open-boat canyon trips, and the openings are on overnighters from October 2 to 3 and 16 to 17. Not a lot of dates are left for canyon charters, so book now if you want to go.

<b>Brielle</b>

Ocean fluking was inconsistent since the storm a couple of weeks ago, said Dave from <b>The Reel Seat</b>. He couldn’t tell customers a particular spot to fish so they’d limit out, and instead he could only suggest three or four spots where they might end up with a half-dozen keepers. But the flatties that were biting were hitting at places such as the Axel Carlson Reef, Sea Girt Reef, the Klondike wreck, hills off Mantoloking and Manasquan Ridge. Anglers were also trying spots such as the Shrewsbury Rocks and the Rattlesnake and were picking up fish, but the fluke there seemed scattered, and more sea bass seemed to bite, not a bad thing. Anglers were no longer seeing the volume of fluke in the Manasquan River that was there before, and fluke still hugged the river bottom, but just not as many as before. Both blues and small striped bass were plentiful in the river. Weakfish but no great numbers were sometimes hooked in the Point Pleasant Canal, around the canal, around Treasure Island, near the Route 70 Bridge and that whole area, and Fin-S Fish, Gulps, small jigheads and such got the bites. Canyon fishing was good when the weather allowed boats to take the trip. The Intrepid with owner Dr. Andrew Fanelli and Capt. John Krohn overnighted at Lindenkohl Canyon from Friday to Saturday while competing in the Manasquan Marlin and Tuna Club Tournament and nailed about a dozen yellowfin tuna to 76 ½ pounds on chunks and Shimano Butterfly Jigs and released a blue marlin that was trolled. The Prime Time with Capt. Bill Madden earlier in the week walloped 18 yellowfin tuna at night, and 11 of the fish smacked butterfly jigs, and a 100-pound swordfish also hit one of the jigs and was boated. Reports were heard about bluefin tuna, bigger ones around 60 to 70 pounds, hooked sometimes at the Glory Hole. Dave heard about no false albacore or such fish in the surf, but the wash was dirty.

The <b>Katie H</b> was returning this morning with a catch of 22 yellowfin tuna from waters between Spencer and Lindenkohl canyons, Capt. Mike said. He wasn’t on the trip and didn’t know all the details yet, but all the fish were hooked at night on the chunk, and the boat did no trolling. But Mike was aboard on a trip at the same place from Sunday to Monday, and the charter went 8 for 20 on yellowfins from 60 to 80 pounds, and all hit on the chunk at night, except one that was trolled. The charter was losing a lot of the fish at the final moments when the tuna circled near the boat and broke the line on the side or the rudder. These fish were particularly hyper, for some reason, and the crew called them yellowfins on steroids, and the anglers were having a difficult time landing them. Relatively light, 40- to 60-pound leaders were used, but not many were broken off because of the leader. The water had cooled and was 74 degrees, but obviously the fish were still there, and the 77 degree water that had been around previously was pushing south. All the tuna on these trips were yellowfins, but Mike heard about longfins caught. He heard little about Hudson Canyon’s fishing lately.

<b>Point Pleasant</b>

Two different groups fished on <b>Angela Rose Charters</b>’ two boats Saturday, and strong winds blew, and seas were big, so they stayed inside Manasquan River, and the weather couldn’t keep them from wetting the lines, an e-mail from the boat said. Boat traffic was heavy, and 20 flatties were landed between the two boats, and none was a keeper, so the fishing was tough. But they made things interesting by competing in one of Angela’s Rose’s Ice Cream Challenges, and the winning group, the Kevin Strika charter who fished with Capt. Anthony, won the ice cream for catching the most fish, beating out the Eileen Hannaford charter who fished with Capt. Wayne. Killies with squid and other baits dressed the hooks. On Thursday another charter took an all-day, deep-water fluke trip, leaving the dock at 6:30 a.m. and heading to the ocean. Stiff, 10-knot, easterly winds and a 4-foot ground swell made for a sloppy start, but the big catamaran motored to a wreck 9 miles from shore that was known for big fish. Two keepers were boxed, but the bite was slow, and the group pushed to a wreck farther south with the same results. They shot inshore to a few more wrecks 6 miles from the coast and 75 feet deep that were known to be producing, and in only a couple of minutes one of the anglers nailed a 6.6-pounder, his biggest to date. The group was now on the fish, and soon another angler landed a 4.6-pounder that was his biggest so far. The group fished the next two hours, weeding through shorts but picking up 17 keeper fluke and two sea bass, and the angler who scored the 6.6-pounder also bagged six flatties, the most he’d ever taken at once. Everybody had a good, consistent pick until the fishing slowed during the middle of the tide. After the trip the gang and crew headed to the Ark, a local restaurant, for a good time.

On the <b>Benchmark</b> the Menna family charter got into decent bluefishing Sunday morning, considering that seas were a little choppy, and northeast winds and tides weren’t cooperating, the report on the boat’s web site said. But seas eventually calmed down, and the charter then fluke fished and nailed 10 keepers to 22 inches and also bagged a number of good-sized sea bass to 3 pounds, and there was lots of action. On Friday chumming for blues was excellent with the Shamrock Technologies charter, and fluke were also found, but this time they were small, and only a few nice sea bass were taken. The boat’s first open-boat, overnight canyon trip of the season ran Thursday, and tuna fishing at night was slow, but during the daytime four longfin tuna were trolled and so was a big white marlin that was released, and a blue marlin was fought 2 ½ hours before it got off.

Canyon fishing was up and down, Capt. Fred from <b>Andrea’s Toy Charters</b> said. A canyon trip two Fridays ago limited out on tuna in probably 1 ½ hours, but a charter two days later chunked the same place on the full moon and scored three bites all night and landed none of the fish. A fish also hit on the troll but got off. But the anglers bagged a dozen mahi mahi on light tackle. Another charter took a mid-shore trip to Barnegat Ridge this past Thursday and slammed false albacore and bonito, hooking up right away. The catch totaled a dozen albies, six bonito and some blues, and both squid and feather daisy chains scored the albies and bonito best, and Clark spoons attracted a number of hits but fewer. Andrea’s Toy also targeted weakfish at Meyer’s Hole on two trips, chumming and fishing with grass shrimp, and lots of 12- to 16-inch weaks were bailed, and snapper blues and small sea bass also bit. Andrea’s Toy will also keep fluke fishing until the season closes in a week, and afterward inshore charters will target sea bass until fall striped bass and bluefish fishing begins. Blackfishing will also begin November 15, when the bag limit jumps to eight from the current limit of one. Most canyon trips with Andrea’s Toy in the near future will be charters, especially because make-up charters are scheduled that were weathered out. But Andrea’s Toy also fishes the canyons on open-boat trips, and call to get on the list. All canyon trips are usually mixed-bag trips, targeting a variety of species from tuna and mahi to tilefish. Mixed-bag fishing in general is Andrea’s Toys specialty for the most fun, more dinner options and better chances of hooking up.

A Fluke Till You Puke Marathon, an open-boat trip, fished with <b>Reel Class Charters</b> on Friday at Axel Carlson Reef, off Mantoloking and Bay Head and that general area, Capt. Allen said. There was a good bite in the morning, and by the end of the day the anglers totaled 12 keeper fluke and five keeper sea bass. Fish often seemed to bite on the first drift and then disappear on the next ones. Brian Marcus boated a 5-pound fluke, and his dad Shelly took a 4-pounder, and a couple of 2- and 3-pounders were pulled aboard. The day was okay, and skates and dogfish also attacked. Another Fluke Till You Puke Marathon left the dock Saturday, and the ocean was 5 to 7 feet, so the anglers mostly fished Manasquan River. A few fluke were found from Fisherman’s Cove to the inlet, and a few bit at Will’s Hole, and none really hugged the bottom farther upstream. The river’s fluking had been very good Wednesday and Thursday but dropped off afterward. One keeper was boated in the river, and then the group headed to the ocean toward the end of the day, fishing in 40 feet, not too far out, because seas were still somewhat sloppy. A keeper and 10 shorts were reeled in. On Sunday a fluke charter ran to the ocean in seas that were still a little nasty and 3 to 5 feet. The trip fished Axel Carlson Reef, off Mantoloking, off Bay Head and some snags and picked away at fish, landing some here and there, ending up with a dozen keeper fluke to 3 ½ pounds and no sea bass. Lots of short fluke, including lots only an inch short, bit bucktails and teasers fished with sand eels, fresh spearing, fresh mullet, bunker strips, peanut bunker, snapper blues and just about everything. Seas laid down later in the day. Fluke will remain the target for Reel Class until the season closes in a week. Afterward trips will probably target bluefish, false albacore, bonito and sea bass until focusing on the fall striped bass and bluefish run. The albies and bonito could be found at Manasquan Ridge and such places, and Allen was hearing about none swimming closer to shore like they sometimes do at this time of year, but that could be a matter of getting out and searching for them.

<b>Bricktown</b>

Fluke fishing was “shaky,” but some anglers picked up the flatties in 40- to 50-foot shallows off Spring Lake, said Tommy Kilgannon from <b>Pell’s Fish & Sport</b> in a fax. Sea bassing produced catches at the Sea Girt Reef and the Axel Carlson Reef, and both boaters and surf fishers were beginning to tangle with false albacore and Spanish mackerel. For the boaters Japanese feathers and small Clark spoons got the bites, and for surf casters small diamond jigs or Hopkins lures retrieved quickly gave the best chances of connecting. Big, alligator blues once again invaded the suds and slammed metal or frozen mullet on mullet rigs. Back-bay anglers caught snapper blues on lures or spearing, weakfish on pink Fin-S Fish or sandworms and plenty of other species on sandworms. Offshore boaters were smiling about the number of yellowfin tuna, longfin tuna and bluefin tuna at the Hudson and Toms canyons.  

<b>Seaside</b>

Big blues were crashing the surf from 2nd Avenue to O Street at Seaside Park yesterday, said the fishing report on <b>Betty and Nick’s Bait & Tackle</b>’s web site. Grab your cheapest lures and get there, the report said at the time. Blues also blitzed at other times through the Labor Day weekend at Seaside Park and Gillikins Beach at Island Beach State  Park, and small fluke swam along the bottom in the suds basically everywhere, and a keeper striped bass was checked in Sunday. The holiday weekend couldn’t have been more perfect. The surf was 1 to 2 feet, 72 degrees and clean. The surf was 1 to 3 feet, 74 degrees and clean. <a href=" http://www.bettyandnicks.com/fish.shtml" target="_blank"> Click here</a> for the latest.

<b>Waretown</b>

Capt. John from <b>Perfect Drift Sport Fishing</b> avoided holiday boat traffic over the weekend and will fish again this coming week, he said. That was the plan that he reported all along, and charters will continue fluke fishing in the ocean until the season ends in a week. Afterward Perfect Drift will run for weakfish in Barnegat Bay until fall striped bass fishing begins. Weakfishing in the bay usually lasts through September, unless one of the big storms rolls through that can bring the action to a halt at this time of year. Anglers onboard will fish for weaks with sandworms and Fin-S Fish and also shedder crabs when shedders are available. Croakers were also swimming along the ocean beach front, so those scrappy fighters will be on tap.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Barnegat Bay’s fishing was a little inconsistent, and there seemed to be a rhythm that was difficult to follow, said Capt. Steve from <b>Reel Fantasea Charters</b> in an e-mail. Some trips scored well, and others, “well, not so much,” he said. Doug Muller, wife Gene and their three boys started off last week with action on weakfish, blues and hickory shad on grass shrimp. Regulars Jay Simmons and Joe Franke combined for an open-boat trip, putting together a nice mix of weakfish on both grass shrimp and soft plastic lures. Later in the afternoon Joe Holl and friend Dom cast to weakfish that were swirling on schools of bait and said it was like fishing for sea trout in Florida. Then they ended the trip with non-stop action with 1- to 5 –pound blues caught on plastics. On a 3-hour evening trip with Philip Engel, his two boys and his father-in-law Paul, bites were non-stop, but the hook-up ratio was off. They still managed to catch a nice mix of weaks, blues and shad, and they only kept enough weakfish for dinner. John Repko took a trip during the toughest part of the week, and between holiday boat traffic, extreme currents, a rough ocean and who knows what else, the bite never developed in the bay. Some fish hit, but they were few and far between. Dan Hogan, sons Daniel and Patrick, and grandpop Larry Anderson wrapped up the holiday weekend with non-stop action on weaks, blues and shad, catching scores of the fish in only a 3-hour trip. So again, the rhythm was a little hard to follow, but nothing is ever the same when fishing day to day, and “sometimes that’s just fishing,” Steve said.

<b>Atlantic City</b>

Kingfish, tons of them, finally showed up in the surf and could be hooked on bloodworms or FishBites, said Noel from <b>One Stop Bait & Tackle</b>. Surf casters were also plugging stripers along the beaches at the structure and pipes and stuff in front of the casinos in the early mornings. Bluefish were plentiful and schooled non-stop this year, and plenty of flounder bit in front of the Flagship and in the back. Blackfish were chomping down on clams and crabs in the back, and lots of mullet were swimming around. The shop carries all the baits mentioned.

<b>Brigantine</b>

An overnight trip anchored on the 100-fathom line and went 3 for 4 on yellowfin tuna from 65 to 75 pounds on the <b>Fishin’ Fever</b> from Sunday to Monday, Capt. Tom said. The fish bit sardines and dead squid, and 15 mahi mahi were also boated. On the morning troll the anglers went 1 for 1 on a 90-pound yellowfin and 0 for 2 on white marlin. Fishin’ Fever is running offshore charters and open-boat trips, and the open trips run for the canyons every Saturday when no charter is booked. But the boat is also trolling on inshore charters at places such as the AC Ridge for false albacore, blues, bluefin tuna, mahi and such species.

<b>Margate</b>

<b>Fine Line Fishing Charters</b> scored a good catch of 11 keeper fluke in 50 feet in the ocean off Lucy the Elephant on Sunday, and a bunch of croakers, including 14 big ones that were kept, and small blues were reeled in, Capt. Dave said. Squid and minnows were the baits, and lots of brown sharks were also swimming those waters, and five were caught and released on croakers that were used for bait. Seas were okay but were rough Saturday, and in the stiff seas that day, one keeper flounder, a couple of throwbacks, croakers and small blues were landed in the same area on the boat. Oddly, Dave saw a 3-foot mahi mahi come up to the boat, unusual to see so close to shore. So flounder fishing was good for Fine Line, and the boat was fishing a place all to itself, while other boaters headed off to the reefs. Trips will keep targeting the flatties until the season closes in a week, and afterward anglers onboard will probably fish for sea bass and will troll for false albacore and other speedsters.

Good numbers of keeper flounder and mixed bags of sea bass, blues and croakers were lifted over the rails on the <b>Jessie O’</b> at the ocean reefs, Capt. Jay said. The fishing was good, and flounder will be the primary target until flounder season closes in a week. Afterward sea bass, croakers, blues and weakfish will be a target, and small weaks were schooling along the beach front. Striped bass fishing will begin on the boat when the fall run starts, and tog fishing will take place beginning November 15, when the tog bag limit increases to eight from the current limit of one. The Jessie O’ runs open-boat trips daily and also sails on charters. On Jay’s boat the <b>Fish N’ Fun</b>, patrons were hooking kingfish, weakfish, small sea bass, small flounder and an occasional keeper flounder in the back bay on its two 4-hour trips daily. The Fish N’ Fun will keep running this schedule through flounder season, and afterward the schedule will change, and stay tuned for details. Besides fishing trips, the Jessie O’ fleet runs slamming party cruises, and a DJ and catering are available. 

<b>Longport</b>

Patrons on the <b>Stray Cat</b> took a run to the Lobster Claw on Sunday and trolled a few false albacore and missed a couple of bites, Capt. Mike said. Inshore tuna fishing was pretty much dead, and “it’s either the canyons or forget it,” he said. A 24-hour, open-boat trip will sail offshore this weekend that will chunk for tuna at night and fish for tilefish, and the trip is sold out. Rough seas from winds on Saturday slowed down bottom fishing on the boat, but triggerfish and small sea bass managed to come up. Before the winds flounder fishing was pretty decent in 80 feet on trips to the Mud Wreck. The boat will keep tuna fishing, and open-boat sea bass trips should begin sometime in October. Open blackfishing trips will start November 15, when the bag limit increase to eight from the current limit of one. Stray Cat had a great blackfishing season last year on the South Jersey ocean structure that gets less pressure than up north.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Striped bass bit in the back bay, and high tides were currently mid day, and the fishing at this time of year is best on high at dusk or dawn, but the fish could still be hooked, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Gibson’s Tackle</b>. His charters usually throw popper lures or flies to the stripers at this time of year for explosive surface bites, and this is the season to get in on this type of fishing, because water temps are right for the fish to hit lures on top. Striper fishing will only get better as fall approaches, but eventually temps will be too cool for popper fishing, though Joe will switch to other tactics. Lots of blues could be found in the back bay, especially around the inlets, and many of the blues were small, but some were larger. Tons of small sea bass also filled the bay. Flounder fishing was best in the ocean along the reefs, and plenty were throwbacks, but keepers could be bagged. Mostly small weakfish hovered closer to shore in 40 to 50 feet in the ocean, and a number of croakers were also biting along the beach front. Farther from shore, wahoo fishing this year’s been unusually good, and Joe’s never see so many hitting in 30 to 50 fathoms. Ballyhoos trolled with wire leaders does the trick, though sometimes anglers trolling mono for tuna luck out, as Joe did recently, landing two on mono. Joe heard nothing specific about bluefin tuna fishing around those grounds, and he was headed farther offshore to the canyons yesterday. Canyon fishing’s been better at the northern canyons or at the Spencer, Toms and Lindenkohl. Good white marlin fishing was happening at Baltimore and Wilmington canyons, and the Poorman’s held a decent concentration of blue marlin. More blue marlin were also caught than Joe had heard about in a while.

<b>Avalon</b>

Fishing was a mixed bag of some good trips and some bad in the past week, an e-mail from <b>Over Under Adventures</b> said. The Low Profile, Over Under’s boat fishing from Avalon, went 3 for 4 on white marlin and 2 for 4 on 70-pound yellowfin tuna at Wilmington Canyon on Friday. But on a trip Saturday the boat fished for bluefin tuna at the inshore grounds, but none bit, and the vessel returned early because of rough seas and the fishing. Inshore bluefin fishing has dried up and has at least become inconsistent. But the fishing farther offshore seemed to be moving in the right direction, and tuna were beginning to show up in 40 to 50 fathoms at the canyons during the day. Overnight tuna fishing had been hot but then shut down two days before the full moon. The fishing began to pick up a couple of days after the moon but wasn’t as good as it had been. Then rough weather rolled in and kept trips from overnighting since then. Day trips produced mixed results, and sometimes the fishing was good, and on other days trips went without a bite. Several of Over Under’s boats this season are also fishing from Ocean City, Md., with the same results lately, and That’s Right, one of the vessels, released a 600-pound blue marlin and caught a half dozen tuna on one trip this past week.  Check out Over Under’s schedule of <a href="http://overundercharters.com/?page=opendates" target="_blank"> open-boat trips</a>, and more dates will be added as groups call and ask about splitting costs with other anglers.  

<b>Cape May</b>

On the <b>Sea Fox</b> anglers fished Cape May Reef on Thursday and nabbed sea bass and a bunch of flounder to 24 inches on strips of sea robin in the 74-degree water, Capt. Gary said. He also fished off Cape May Point on Sunday for a catch of croakers, blues, small weakfish and flounder to 19 inches, a nice mixed bag. The water there was also 74 degrees, and after flounder season closes in a week, inshore charters will probably focus on sea bass, blues and croakers until striped bass arrive in fall. Weakfish usually also show up along the ocean front and hit jigs or bait in 40 to 50 feet, so that might also be an option. Offshore charters will also continue to fight tuna, and Gary was hearing mixed reports about tuna fishing. Some boaters landed 8 to 10 tuna while drifting and chunking the edges of the deep at the Lindenkohl and Toms canyons, and drifting sounded better than anchoring. Canyon tuna fishing should open up along the southern canyons soon.

Capt. George on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> was heading offshore on his first overnight canyon trip of the season Sunday when he gave this report, he said. Nothing was heard about the results yet, but he’ll surely give an update soon. He heard that inshore trolling for bluefin tuna was decent, and trips on the boat will keep bottom fishing for flounder until the season ends in a week.

Reports were starting to roll in about decent numbers of weakfish boated in Delaware Bay, said Matt from <b>Jim’s Bait & Tackle</b> in a fax. None of the fish was large, but boaters got into good catches of 17- to 20-inchers at Crow Shoal off Capt May Point, and a steadier bite was taking place along the flats from Bug Light to East Point. Pete Hardaway and crew fished Crow Shoal and landed 22 of the trout to 20 inches and three keeper flounder last Wednesday. Flounder fishing was very good at Reef Site 11 and the Old Grounds. Capt. Tom Lippincott and gang on the On Point fished Reef 11 and bagged 14 flatties over 24 inches apiece for a great day of fishing. Ken Raker weighed in a 10.92-pound doormat that came from the Ben Franklin Bridge rubble at Came May Reef. Art Handling took an 8.37-pound flounder from the Old Grounds. On the offshore grounds the best tuna fishing took place overnight at Spencer and Lindenhohl canyons. Yellowfin tuna to 103 pounds were weighed in and so were quite a few from 70 to 80 pounds that bit on the chunk. Quite a few white marlin were also raised and caught at the same canyons on the troll. The tip and inside edge of the Elephant Trunk were putting out good numbers of wahoo and mahi mahi on the troll. Huge bluefin tuna were sometimes fought there when the scallop boats were working, and the area is now closed to the scallopers, but a few of the fish were still there around the schools of bait. The crew from the Miss Andrea weighed in a 130-pound bluefin that bit there, and George McBride from the Moonshine checked in a 185-pound bluefin that came from the same area. A bunch of mahi also bit around the same spot.

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