<b>Keyport</b>

Porgy fishing began with the <b>Down Deep Fleet</b> and was incredible, Capt. Mario said. The fish were up to 18 inches, and if you want action, these are the trips. Open-boat trips are fishing for porgies at 6 a.m. daily and 2 p.m. Saturdays. Fluke fishing on Raritan Bay was pretty good on Down Deep’s other boat on open trips that are sailing at 6 a.m. daily and 2 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.  High hooks landed five or six legal-sized, keeping no more than a limit of three. The biggest fluke weighed 6 ½ pounds in past days. Charters are available for up to 15 passengers, and both boats feature full galleys and large cockpits.

With <b>Manicsportfishing</b>, the two anglers aboard Sunday limited out on fluke and released countless throwbacks, Manic’s Facebook page said. Conditions failed to drift the boat well for the angling. The day was hot, but these were great anglers who never left the rail. On a trip Saturday, weather was warm, and the boat hardly drifted. One angler “grabbed his limit and headed back to the dock early,” the page said, and the other, nicknamed the Fish Whisperer, was fortunately aboard, it said, “and did his share as always on the bucktail.” Charters and open-boat trips are fishing. Also, porgy fishing is great, and trips can fish for them, too.

The anglers decked 13 keeper fluke to 5 pounds Saturday on the <b>Vitamin Sea</b>, Capt. Frank wrote in email. Fluking was terrific this weekend, and they also released throwbacks. Those gave up great action, and the keeper ratio was fairly good. The group also iced tons of porgies. The porgies were so thick that they actually affected the fluking. The trip could’ve sunk the boat with porgies. If you like porgies, now’s the time to book a trip. Two beautiful weakfish were also reeled in. Sunday’s trip fished away from porgies and bagged 10 fluke including four that weighed more than 4 pounds apiece. Throwbacks turned out plenty of action. Conditions were less favorable on Sunday, but the boat was power-drifted. The anglers fished hard and were rewarded. Capt. T.J. ran that trip, and on some days, the captain has to work hard to turn tough conditions into a good day. That’s what fishing aboard is about, Frank said. Charters are fishing, and the next open-boat trips will fish for fluke at 6 a.m. and 2 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Saturday.

<b>Leonardo</b>

Porgies are in, Capt. Joe from <b>Sour Kraut Sportfishing</b> wrote in an email. A trip this weekend aboard cranked up them and a few throwback striped bass, including some porgies on diamond jigs. These were big porgies, up to 3 pounds. Fluke fishing lately gave up one keeper for every 10 landed. Sour Kraut also fishes for big game, and bluefin tuna swam mid-range, and yellowfin tuna held offshore. They roamed Toms to Carteret canyons lately, biting spreader bars best.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

Fishing for fluke drummed them up on every trip, better on some trips than others, on the party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>, Capt. Tom said. The trips fished Raritan or Sandy Hook bays, depending on conditions. Sometimes throwbacks bit more on some trips than others, depending on conditions. Mostly bait hooked the trips’ fluke. A couple were angled on bucktails. Gulps were effective, and the best color changed. Sometimes white worked best, or pink, or chartreuse, and so on. Trips are fishing for fluke 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 6 p.m. daily.

The season’s best fluking was cleaned up Saturday on the <b>Fishermen</b>, a report said on the party boat’s website. The boat failed to drift on most of the trip, so catching took work. But there were many smiling faces by the end of the day. Several anglers limited out on three fluke apiece, and a 7-pound 3-ounce fluke won the pool. A 9-year-old heaved in a beauty larger than 5 pounds. He wanted to release the fish, so he did. The captain gave him a Fishermen shirt for the awesome release. On Sunday’s trip, the boat also failed to drift, and the captain worked the throttles to power-drift, “but the boat just went ahead & back over the same track line,” the report said. Several anglers bagged two fluke apiece. June Benson hit a 5-pound 13-ouncer on the first drift, then an 18-inch keeper. The boat is fishing for fluke 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. Tickets are available to watch the Macy’s Fourth of July fireworks aboard.

<b>Neptune</b>

Ling and sea bass were dialed up yesterday with <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b>, Capt. Ralph wrote in an email. Out-of-season blackfish were released, and fishing was super aboard Friday through the weekend. An individual-reservation trip for cod will sail at 2 a.m. July 11. Individual-rez trips are fishing for fluke and sea bass 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Tuesday. One space is left for tomorrow. Kids under 12 sail free on the Tuesday trips, limited to one per adult host.

<b>Belmar</b>

Big striped bass were still walloped from the ocean with <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b>, Capt. Pete said. That was in evenings, and he’ll keep running the trips as long as the fish remain. The angling was full-on on Saturday evening aboard, he said on Sunday when he gave this report. Every rod hooked up non-stop. White water. The anglers limited out in 45 minutes, and left the bass biting. All the stripers weighed 40 to 45 pounds. They were trolled and hooked on popper plugs and castable Mojos, and one party boat even reported eeling them. On Thursday, seas were rough from stormy weather. On Friday, one or two stripers were caught. They were read but didn’t really bite. Parker Pete’s is also fluke fishing on the ocean, and a fluke trip earlier on Friday fished fair in a swell leftover from the storm. Some good-sized fluke have been angled aboard, and two sea bass per angler could be bagged beginning yesterday, so fluke trips will mix-in sea bassing, so anglers can bring home more meat. Annual Bucktail Seminars that teach bucktailing for big fluke will fish aboard when fluking picks up a little more. Don’t have enough anglers for a charter? Book an individual spot with a charter who wants more anglers. Sign up for the email blast on <a href=" http://www.parkerpetefishing.com/" target="_blank">Parker Pete’s website</a> to be kept informed about the spaces.

The ocean’s fluke fishing was yet to be good, said Capt. Mike from <b>Celtic Stoirm Charters</b>. Warming water should amp up the catches, and two sea bass per angler could be bagged beginning Sunday. So those will spice up catches during fluking. Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters seemed to tie into striped bass well on the ocean. Tuna fishing was good all the way offshore at the canyons. Trips knocked the socks off that angling.

No bluefish were found Sunday during fishing on the <b>Golden Eagle</b>, but a good bunch of sea bass were swung in, a report said on the party boat’s website. Porgies were also pulled up, and two sea bass per angler could be bagged starting that day. On Saturday morning’s trip, blues 1 to 3 pounds and porgies were beaned, just not enough. All were jigged. On the afternoon trip, a fishing and sunset cruise, plenty of sea bass were released, giving up action. Such a good trip, the report said. Trips are fishing 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. Reserve online and save 10 percent. Fishing and sunset cruises are sailing 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Reservations are being accepted first come, first served for a cruise on Fourth of July to watch fireworks.

Bluefishing was slow on Saturday morning’s trip on the <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b>, an email said from the party boat. A few were caught, and blues were seen along the water surface, at birds working baitfish. But catching them was difficult. On the afternoon trip, a trip that’s partly a cruise, ling were bucketed, and a few throwback fluke and a good number of sea bass were released. But two sea bass per angler could be bagged beginning Sunday, and the crew opted to bottom-fish on the morning trip that day, instead of bluefishing. Most anglers wanted to bottom-fish. A good catch of sea bass, ling and even fluke was made, though heat was intense. Trips are fishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. daily. Reserve tickets for a cruise to watch the Macy’s fireworks on the Fourth of July.

Some great fluke were angled from Shark River, Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> wrote in an email. But one was especially big and surprising: Kevin Newberg from Avon’s 13-pound 4-ouncer that bit his jighead with a Gulp. Scott Bailey from Fairless Hills, Pa., clocked a 6-pound 6-ouncer from the river. Benny Green and Marty Westerfield clubbed multiple keepers to 4 pounds from the Shark. The year’s first snapper blues were seen in the river. They were small but there, and are the year’s first reported on this website. Snappers grow quickly. Fluking was fair on the ocean on Belmar’s party boats. The fish weighed up to 7 pounds yesterday on the vessels. Two sea bass per angler became legal to bag beginning yesterday, so they could supplement catches on fluke trips. In the surf, striped bass, mostly small, and some bluefish gave up good fishing. Fishing is good now “if you enjoy warm-weather fishing,” he said.

<b>Brielle</b>

A few catches of striped bass, not many, but big fish 30 to 40 pounds, were heard about that were trolled on the ocean off the Red Church, said Eric from <b>The Reel Seat</b>. Not a lot of anglers were doing that. Fluke fishing was picky on the ocean. Some were hooked at Sea Girt Reef and the Rattlesnake. Manasquan River’s fluking was steady. If anglers fished the right tide, currently the last two hours of outgoing, they could limit out. Lots of schoolie striped bass hovered in the river, like at the Route 35 and Railroad bridges, a summer pattern. No bluefish really seemed in the river anymore. Back on the ocean, bottom-fishing scooped up ling and winter flounder at the Mudhole. Ling were plentiful, though not as much as previously. Fishing was really good for yellowfin tuna and bigeye tuna at Carteret Canyon on the troll. Closer to shore, a good spread of bluefin tuna held at Little Italy, the Chicken Canyon and along the 30-fathom line past the Bacardi wreck, or that area. The bluefins weighed 30 to 40 pounds and up to 200 pounds, depending on the pod. Most were trolled, but some were popper-plugged.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

Tuna fishing was good, Capt. Alan from <b>Mushin Sportfishing</b> wrote in an email. Mushin fishes for them from Cape May each June through July. A healthy spread of tuna ranged north and south of Cape May this weekend. A 30-hour “Canyon Safari” aboard this weekend first tilefished. That angling limited out on bluelines to 22 pounds and boxed some goldens. In the evening, the charter trolled a good pick of yellowfin tuna to 70 pounds. At night, the trip drifted for sharks, releasing five makos 150 to 175 pounds. In the morning, Mushin got back up on the troll, and the charter caught as many tuna as they wanted. Charters and open-boat trips are fishing.

Fluking was slow in the past week until Sunday on the <b>Gambler</b> on the ocean, a report said on the party boat’s website. Previously, the fishing was tougher since the previous weekend’s winds and seas. That changed on Sunday morning’s trip. Some decent keepers were bagged. Plus, two sea bass per angler could be kept beginning that day, and some big, knucklehead sea bass were socked. A 6.4-pound fluke won the pool, and this was the first day of the month, so that fish took the lead in the monthly derby. On nighttime trips, fishing was good for ling that were mixed sizes to 4 pounds. A few sea bass bit, and squid also schooled under the lights. That was opportunity to jig them. The year’s first Shark in the Dark Trip was going to fish Sunday, the report said before the outing. Trips are fishing for fluke 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 to 6:30 p.m. daily. Wreck-fishing trips are sailing 7:30 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. every Thursday through Saturday. Shark in the Dark Trips are running 7:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. every Sunday this month. Reservations are required for the sharking. A fireworks cruise will sail at 8 p.m. on the Fourth of July. Tickets can be purchased <a href=" http://www.gamblerfishing.net/" target="_blank">online</a>.

Was great on the ocean this weekend, and fluke fishing improved a little on the <b>Norma-K III</b>, a report said on the party boat’s website. Some good-sized from 5 to 8 ½ pounds were angled on Saturday morning’s trip. Sunday morning’s trip picked away, too, and a 5-1/2-pounder won that outing’s pool. Good-sized sea bass were also nailed that day, the first day of a two-sea-bass bag limit per angler. Sea bass season was closed previously. At nighttime this weekend aboard, bluefishing was slow. But the boat was anchored to bottom-fish, and good catches of ling came in. Fishing for small blues began to connect last year at this time of year. Maybe that’ll happen this weekend.  Trips are fluking 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 to 6:30 p.m. daily. Bluefish trips are running 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Room remains for a cruise on Fourth of July to watch fireworks off Long Branch. Moonlight and fireworks cruises are also sailing at 8 p.m. every Thursday.

<b>Point Pleasant</b>

Ten yellowfin tuna 30 to 50 pounds and two mahi mahi, small but good-eating sized, were trolled at southern canyons Saturday on the <b>Tin Knocker</b>, all on spreader bars, Capt. John said. The water, 72 to 73 degrees, was loaded with life including porpoises everywhere, whales and birds working. The water wasn’t deep blue. “It was one of those blended blues,” he said, and was flat-calm. The season’s first fluke charter will fish the ocean Thursday aboard. Tin Knocker is available for charters for any fishing on tap.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

Surf anglers could beach small bluefish, small striped bass and different-sized fluke around Barnegat Inlet’s jetty at Island Beach State Park, a report said on <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>’ website. Out-of-season blackfish also chomped along the inlet’s rocks. Some of the fluke taken were good-sized. Fishing for fluke in the surf isn’t a lazy person’s game. Keeping on the move, instead of staying at one place, is key, and so is keeping the tackle fished in constant motion. But fine table fare is the reward. Good news: the dock is in “crab-catching mode.” The shop’s rental boats are also returning with good catches of crabs. The Dock Outfitters, located on Barnegat Bay, blocks from the ocean surf, features a bait and tackle shop, a café, a dock for fishing and crabbing, and boat and jet-ski rentals.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Fluke fishing was better early last week, tougher in the middle of the week, and better again on Friday on the <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b> on the ocean, a report said Saturday on the party boat’s website. Early in the week, northwest wind made the fluke bite well. Both bait and bucktails caught. Wind against tide in the middle of the week prevented the boat from drifting well for the angling. Thunderstorms kept anglers from showing up for the boat to sail Thursday. The vessel was back out Friday, and fluke bit. They seemed hungry after no trip fished for them the previous day. On Saturday, conditions failed to drift the boat much, so fluking was tougher. Two sea bass per angler became legal to bag beginning Sunday, so trips can now fish for fluke and sea bass. Trips are sailing for fluke and sea bass 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily. Sunset cruises are departing at 7 p.m. daily, returning a little after sunset. A cruise will watch fireworks on Fourth of July off Seaside Heights on the ocean.

<b>Barnegat</b>

The following was posted as an update Sunday and is being re-posted in case anybody missed it and it’s interesting. An email from Capt. Dave DeGennaro from the <b>Hi Flier</b> that day: “We are headed to the canyons to catch tuna. The bite is red hot and we have good intel on where to go. The boat is fueled, iced, and turn key ready to leave at 2AM tonight (Sunday), or technically tomorrow (Monday) morning. We have three guys signed up already and we take a maximum of four … all fish are shared. Return around 4 or 5 PM on Monday. We have everything. Just bring whatever you want to eat and drink for the time we are out (14 to 15 hours). Wednesday's canyon trip is sold out but we will be announcing more as we see nice weather windows coming up. As a result, these will be announced on short notice. We are still sailing every day for inshore fishing which has been made up mostly of casting lures at 3 to 5 pound bluefish in the inlet. We will also be running trips to Barnegat Ridge for bonita, albacore and who knows what else if that blue water pushes in a little closer. Live grass shrimp is now available to us, so we will be mixing that in for bay and jetty fishing. It's also time to start inshore sharking. Just three to four miles off the beach we chum for small sharks on light tackle. Most are 2 to 4 foot browns, spinners, and Atlantic sharpnose sharks.”

<b>Longport</b>

Good summer flounder fishing was plowed from the ocean yesterday on the <b>Stray Cat</b>, Capt. Mike said. Charters and open-boat trips are sailing for the angling. Two sea bass per angler could be bagged beginning that day. None turned up on the trip, though lots had to be released during the previous day’s fishing aboard. A trip for tuna was sailing at 4 a.m. today on the boat. Spaces are available for an open tuna trip 2 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, July 15. Tuna fishing was apparently great right now.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

Mike Roth fly-rodded and released eight or nine sandbar, dusky, spinner and brown sharks to 60 pounds on an inshore shark trip Sunday aboard, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. Some of those species are required to be released. Three anglers aboard the previous day released a dozen sandbars and browns to 60 pounds on bait. Mackerel is often the bait fished, and chum flies that Joe ties are the flies cast on these trips. The trips are a chance to fight big fish without the long sail offshore. The sharks show up when the season warms, and they’re in. A father and son on Thursday evening landed five or six striped bass to 26 inches on the back bay aboard, mostly on popper lures, except one on a popper fly. That was the angler’s first striper on a fly. Joe does this popper fishing, fun, exciting angling, each summer. High tides at dusk are ideal and happen every other week, including last week. Three anglers aboard the previous evening popper-plugged four stripers to 26 inches, if Joe remembered. The trips fish Skitter Pop lures and crease flies that Joe ties with a larger cup than usual to throw more water. Anglers aboard Thursday morning fished for summer flounder on the bay, tackling a couple of keepers and a bunch of throwbacks. Another trip fished for flounder Friday on the bay, scoring a keeper and action the whole morning with throwbacks. Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s Blog</a>.

<b>Avalon</b>

Three keeper summer flounder 18 ½ to 19 inches and two-dozen throwbacks were nabbed from the back bay on a charter Saturday with <b>Fins and Feathers Outfitters</b>, Capt. Jim said. The trip also fished the ocean a little, but flounder fishing seemed better on the bay still. That might change in the next week, because the bay is warming. The bay was 75 to 80 degrees, depending on location, on the trip. Incoming tide, pulling in cooler water from the ocean, seemed to fish best on the bay on the outing. The flounder were all caught in deeper water 15 to 20 feet. Deeper water is usually cooler water. The anglers at first fished a rig with a bucktail with a Gulp on bottom and a minnow on a trailer hook above. But a single hook fished on a 36-inch leader on a swivel with a slider-sinker above seemed to catch best. So Jim switched all the anglers to that. The fish seemed to prefer how that rig kept the hook long bottom. Minnows, Gulps and squid were fished, and none seemed to catch best. Jim will keep an eye on the ocean flounder fishing and expects to fish there soon.

<b>Cape May</b>

A trip fished offshore a few days ago aboard, Capt. Tom from <b>Fishin’ Fever Sportfishing</b> said. The water seemed to move a little overnight. A yellowfin tuna, a white marlin and a mahi mahi were reeled in. A trip Saturday bagged seven summer flounder to 6 pounds, releasing throwbacks, good action on them. The boat is flounder fishing at ocean reefs and hard bottom. A tilefish trip Sunday boxed 23 goldens to 25 pounds, 32 bluelines to 18 pounds and six blackbelly rosefish. Charters and open-boat trips are sailing for all of this fishing.

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