<b>Keyport</b>

Porgy fishing crushed lots, including good numbers of large, some of them jumbos, with sea bass and triggerfish mixed in with the <b>Down Deep Fleet</b>, Capt. Mario said. Open-boat trips are fishing for porgies and sea bass at 6 a.m. daily and 2 p.m. Saturdays. On Down Deep’s other boat, fluke fishing on the ocean kept improving. High hooks landed five or six legal-sized, keeping no more than a limit of three. The fluke weighed up to 7 pounds, and open trips are sailing for that angling at 6 a.m. daily. Look for special marathon trips for fluke, fishing longer than usual, that will head out. Sign up for the Short Notice List on <a href="http://downdeepsportfishing.com" target="_blank">Down Deep’s website</a> to be kept informed about special trips like that. Charters are available for up to 15 passengers for porgies or fluke. Both boats feature full galleys and large cockpits for comfort.

Capt. Frank from the <b>Vitamin Sea</b> just returned from a vacation cruise with family, he wrote in an email. But when Frank was away, fluke fishing was good aboard with Capt. Craig at the helm. The fish weighed up to 10 pounds, and many were 4 ½ and 5 pounds. Good quality fish, and trips are booking quickly, because fluking is good. Reserve dates as early as you can. Charters are fishing, and Friday is available for a charter or open-boat trip. Three spots are left Saturday for an open trip.

<b>Leonardo</b>

Porgy fishing was off this weekend, for some reason, said Capt. Joe from <b>Sour Kraut Sportfishing</b>. A slow pick was landed, not great, but catches. Porgies were marked and seemed there and just seemed reluctant to bite. Maybe the tide wasn’t right or something. Sea bass and a few fluke were also bagged.

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

A charter, not the usual daily open-boat trip, fished for fluke Friday on the <b>Fishermen</b>, a report said on the party boat’s website. Conditions were decent for drifting the boat for the angling throughout the trip, and the anglers slugged away at keepers and shorts the whole time. Great action, and the high hook pulled in five legal-sized, and they were healthy-sized. He kept no more than a limit of three. Another angler landed four keepers, and all anglers left with fluke. Trips are fishing for fluke 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.

The party boat <b>Atlantic Star</b>’s fluke trips fished in the channels and along the edges of the channels on the ocean at the end of the week, Capt. Tom said. That’s off the mouth of Raritan Bay, and plenty of throwbacks and a few keepers were copped. All anglers lately are catching at least throwbacks. Tom opted to keep Sunday morning’s trip docked, because of forecasts for strong northeast wind and stormy weather. But he should’ve sailed, he thought afterward, because the weather was fishable. A few anglers wanted to fish that afternoon, so the afternoon’s trip sailed, fishing the bay. Plenty of shorts and a couple of keepers came in, including a keeper heavier than 7 pounds. The anglers had a good time with the action, actually. The fishing seems the same no matter where is fished, whether the bay, the channels or down the ocean beach. Trips are sailing for fluke 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 6 p.m. daily.

<b>Neptune</b>

Some of the next fishing slated with <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b> is the weekly individual-reservation trip for fluke Tuesday and an individual-rez trip for cod Friday, Capt. Ralph said. Those fluke trips fish every Tuesday on the ocean, and kids under 12 sail free on those outings, limited to one per adult host. The cod trip departs at 2 a.m. to reach offshore.  Contact Ralph to jump aboard either fishing.

<b>Belmar</b>

Trips were weathered out Sunday to today, but fluke fishing on the ocean’s been good with <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b>, Capt. Pete said. The angling walloped a great catch including a 9-pounder Friday, and a good catch Saturday. Anglers experienced at bucktailing could limit out fairly easily on fluke trips. Charters and individual spaces on charters are available, especially in September. Book while room is open. Don’t have enough anglers for a charter? Reserve an individual space 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.

A trip on the <b>Katie H</b> on Saturday first fished for sea bass, limiting out in a couple of hours, including on some sizable, Capt. Mike said. Some of the fish weighed 2 and 3 pounds, and more keepers bit than throwbacks did. That angling was good, and then the trip fluked, catching a few keepers to 4 pounds, decent-sized, and lots of throwbacks. The anglers seemed happy, and a trip for tuna at the offshore canyons was weathered out today because of forecasts for strong northeast wind.

Capt. Mike from <b>Celtic Stoirm Charters</b> fished on another boat Saturday, he said. The trip picked away at sea bass and bagged some good-sized fluke, not many, but some of the flatfish are around. He’ll sail for more of this fishing on a couple of trips Friday and Sunday. All of Belmar’s charter boats seemed docked in rough weather this past Sunday. A couple of the party boats fished.

Sea bass catches were great Sunday on the <b>Golden Eagle</b>, no matter a nasty ocean in northeast wind and, in the morning, plenty of rain, a report said on the party boat’s website. Plenty of keepers were tugged in, and some tommy cod and ling were axed. On Saturday’s trip, fishing was okay.  Bluefish were angled, but anglers had to work for them. Those who did, caught up to a dozen apiece. Those who didn’t, caught not many. A decent catch of sea bass was made, and a few chub mackerel, not a lot, a couple of 4- to 5-pound fluke and some throwback fluke were pulled in. Trips are fishing 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. daily. Buy tickets online and save 10 percent.

Fishing picked away at occasional shots of small bluefish and a couple of Spanish mackerel Saturday on the <b>Miss Belmar Princess</b>, an email said from the party boat. At mid-day, the trip sailed farther from shore, picking away at sea bass, fluke and chub mackerel sprinkled in. On that evening’s trip, conditions were beautiful, and fishing was great for sea bass. A bunch of ling and squirrel hake and a couple of keeper fluke were tied into. On Sunday’s trip, seas were rough, so the boat did no fishing for blues, was anchored for sea bass instead, managed to pick away at them, and returned early because of the weather. Wind canceled the afternoon’s trip. Today’s trip anchored at rock piles, picking away at sea bass. Then excellent fishing was hammered for chub mackerel, a few small bluefish and some good-sized bonito. Trips are fishing 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. daily.

Fluke and more fluke were weighed at <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> and the store’s sister shop, Fisherman’s Den North in Atlantic Highlands, for Saturday’s Ozark Sportsmen Club’s Fluke Tournament, Bob from Fisherman’s Den wrote in an email. The fish weighed up to 7 pounds at that shop, and up to 11 at the Atlantic Highlands store. Most boats that were entered limited out and released additional keepers. So the fluking was some good fishing. Shark River also fished well for fluke. Jesse Thomas from Wall limited out in two hours on the river, and the store’s rental boats are available to fluke the river. Surf-fishing and boating close to shore was great for Spanish mackerel, small bluefish, bonito and some false albacore.

<b>Brielle</b>

On a trip today on the ocean on the <b>Jamaica II</b> after yesterday’s easterly blow, fluking was dull, but sea bass gave up decent catches, the party boat’s Facebook page said. All anglers probably limited out on two sea bass apiece. Although fluking was slower, a couple of anglers limited on three and landed additional keepers, and many bagged two apiece. Trips are fishing for fluke and sea bass 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays.

Manasquan River’s fluking was a little slow, for no apparent reason, said Alex from <b>The Reel Seat</b>. But some were hooked, mostly on jigheads with Gulps. Plenty of striped bass from schoolies to 30-inchers milled around the river. Fluke were angled from Manasquan Inlet. Bonito mixed in with 1- to 2-pound blues had been caught from the inlet, mostly on metal. That didn’t happen the past couple of days in rough weather. But anglers hope for them again when weather calms. The bonito and blues were also boated on the ocean close to shore, roughly from Bay Head to Belmar, on trolled Clark spoons or cast Hogy epoxies. Fluke including limits boated from the ocean were reported from Sea Girt and Axel Carlson reefs. When fluke trips fished rough bottom, they could also hook sea bass. Tuna – yellowfins from legal-sized to 50 pounds and bluefins from legal-sized to 70 pounds – were picked away at mid-range, like around Chicken Canyon, on the troll. Tuna fishing sounded slow farther offshore, like at Hudson Canyon. Mahi mahi were decked inshore of the Chicken at lobster- or sea-bass-pot buoys.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

Overnight trips for tuna at offshore canyons were blown out throughout the weekend, and wind will keep the fishing docked through Tuesday, at least, with <b>Mushin Sportfishing</b>, Capt. Alan wrote in an email. When the offshore fishing was canceled this past week, several trips targeted inshore speedsters like bonito, Spanish mackerel, other mackerel, chicken mahi mahi and bluefish. That action was great, and mostly trolled the catches, on Clark spoons and feathers. The trips also stopped at wrecks and limited out on sea bass, sizable ones, knuckleheads. Those fish were so thick that the boat didn’t even need to be anchored. Instead, the boat was drifted, and anglers simply dropped jigs down to quickly catch the sea bass. Alan can’t wait for the sea bass bag limit to be increased to 10 in October from the current limit of two.  While much tuna fishing remains aboard, including chunking overnight, inshore charters, including for sea bass and striped bass, are beginning to book up for fall. In December, wreck trips will sail offshore for giant sea bass and for porgies and cod. Time to book these fall to winter dates, before they’re filled.

<b>Seaside Heights</b>

Cocktail and tailor bluefish chased baitfish up and down the surf, a report said Friday on <b>The Dock Outfitters</b>’ website. Strong northeasterly wind began afterward. That might’ve hampered surf fishing, but previously, the blues were caught, and so were fluke from the surf. Anglers might’ve had to fight through blues sometimes to catch fluke. The fluking was best toward Barnegat Inlet. Occasional striped bass, from throwbacks to keepers, had been reported from the surf. Elusive Spanish mackerel had sometimes been fought from the beach. Rainfish and peanut bunker were unusually abundant in the surf for the time of year. That’s what the blues had been chasing. A trip came in with blowfish from Barnegat Bay near the BB marker the other day. Crabbing was okay on the bay, and was best from first light to early morning. Snapper blues were growing bigger that schooled around the dock. 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>Forked River</b>

Tuna fishing on the <b>Tuna-Tic</b> was scrubbed because of weather, Capt. Mike said. The fishing is next slated for Thursday through Saturday. Those trips will probably fish inshore for tuna, because canyon tuna fishing offshore was slow recently. More tuna trips are booked for next Monday to that Wednesday.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

Fishing for fluke and sea bass was the best of the year Friday on the <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b>, a report said that day on the party boat’s website. That was the most recent report posted at press time. Many keepers and plenty of throwbacks were reeled in. The fishing was up and down the previous few days. Bucktails often catch fluke best. But on Friday’s trip, a combo of spearing with squid on fluke rigs worked best. Trips are fishing for fluke and sea bass 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily. Sunset cruises are running every evening. Watch the Atlantic City air show Wednesday aboard from the ocean on a cruise.

<b>Longport</b>

Fishing at the Cigar and 750 Square landed a couple of mahi mahi Sunday on the <b>Stray Cat</b> in the morning, until northeast wind built and roughed up seas, Capt. Mike said. The water was 80 degrees, and otherwise, the boat’s been trolling bonito and bluefish non-stop, closer to shore. That angling’s been great. Not many dates for charters are open this month, but Tuesday and Wednesday are available. In September, open-boat trips will resume aboard. The schedule is all charters currently.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

A trip with Dan Rath and friend trolled four mahi mahi and two amberjacks Friday aboard, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. The mahi fishing, inshore, has been good. The water’s been clear, and continued to look gorgeous on this trip. Not every summer brings that mahi-holding water. The trips troll or fish bait, bucktails or flies for the dolphin. That can depend on conditions. A trip Saturday with a father and two sons fought and released five sharks: two browns, two sandbars and a dusky. One of the sandbars and the dusky each weighed more than 100 pounds. All those species are required to be released, but the trips, usually within 10 miles from shore, are catch-and-release anyway. They’re a chance to see big fish without the long sail offshore. Coming up, annual traveling charters to Montauk will fish the migrations of striped bass, bluefish and false albacore from mid-September to mid-October. See the <a href="http://www.captainjoehughes.com/page3.html" target="_blank">traveling charters webpage</a> on Jersey Cape’s website. Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s Blog</a>.

<b>Avalon</b>

Seas were a little too rough, so a trip was canceled for summer flounder Saturday on the ocean with <b>Fins and Feathers Outfitters</b>, Capt. Jim said. Wind continued to rough up seas Sunday. A buddy on Sunday sailed a 38-foot trawler from north to south through Delaware Bay, from the C&D Canal to the Intracoastal Waterway beginning at Cape May, saying only a few boats fished the bay that day in the weather. Another friend fished Reef 10 off Delaware on the ocean for flounder recently, like the friend did previously. Jim was yet to hear results. The buddy departed from Lewes, Del., and the reef is a 28- or 30-mile trip from Cape May. Salmon season is impending on upstate New York’s Salmon River from Jim’s nearby <a href="http://www.sjlodge.com/" target="_blank">lodge</a>. The lodge is booked on weekends through Labor Day, but has openings afterward. A discount is available for the lodge, but only on Airbnb. The salmon fishing usually begins on Labor Day weekend and lasts until the third week of October. At first, the fish swim the lower river. Eventually, they swim throughout the river.

<b>Cape May</b>

Trolling at 5-Fathom Bank pounded lots of bluefish and chub mackerel and some bonito and Spanish mackerel on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b>, Capt. George said. The Spanish had been scarce but began to appear. Three or four per trip started to be hooked. Seas were rough during the weekend. George fished on a friend’s boat Friday in 6-footers. That trip competed in the Cape May Marlin & Tuna Club’s Ladies Day Offshore Tournament and won second and third place in the mahi mahi division. Wind huffed from northeast and flags flew straight on Sunday when George worked on his boat at the dock.

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