A 510-pound blue marlin was boated by Floor Reel yesterday to lead the Quest for the Ring Tournament out of Atlantic City. I’ve had problems downloading results. but the Day 2 catch seemed to include releases of 7 blue marlin and 53 whites plus weigh-ins of 24 yellowfin tuna, a 103.5-pound bigeye on No Limit, and 10 dolphin.

LidoBogan reports services for Captain Dale Steinert will be this Sunday from 5-8 p.m at Orender Funeral Home in Manasquan. His dedication to our industry and guiding presence will be forever missed. Dale was a regular skipper on the Jamaica from Brielle.

The Golden Eagle from Belmar picked at some bluefish yesterday before jigging a jumbo sea bass by each angler — and then adding some fluke and ling.

Jimmy Johnson’s Quest for the Ring got underway Monday out of Atlantic City with a showing of yellowfin tuna, though none were likely to be contenders in that big money contest.

The first day’s total was 25 white marlin releases along with three blue marlin while 18 yellowfins and six dolphin were weighed.

Dave Lilly will be trying to turn his luck around Saturday in the Raritan Bay Anglers Fluke Tournament’ That fluke pro says this has been the worst start to a fluke season he’s ever seen. Lilly has been everywhere from the bay to 80-foot depths without finding any concentrations of keeper-size fluke. Limit catches which have always been routine are now the exception rather than the rule. and his largest so far was only a 6-pounder. Along with short fluke, there are also lots of sea bass offshore.

Sorry about no blog last night when I was having computer issues again.

Coach Jimmy Johnson’s Quest for the Ring Tournament starts Monday out of Atlantic City along with a southern weigh-in port at Ocean City, Maryland.

Recent offshore reports have been very good for yellowfin and bigeye tuna, though white marlin are just getting started in the northern canyons.

Sorry for no blog last night as I had a computer problem.

Capt. Ron Santee reports his Saturday fluking on the Fishermen from Atlantic City was the thrd day in a row when the bite slowed after the change in tide. The re were some limits, and the pool went to George Layaly with a 4.8-pounder.

The inshore marine forecast in NY/NJ Bight is for southeast winds at just 5-10 knots with a chance of afternoon showers and thunderstorms.

8-pounder;

The 2025 Dream Boat Challenge is well underway, but the Steiger Craft 21-foot center console with a 150-hp Yamaha and all the equipment an angler needs is still fair game for all subscribers to The Fisherman magazine.

Thomas Luciano o is listed in the July issue as the leader with 21 points based on his weakfish leader at 7.98 pounds plus a sixth-place porgy.

Rashawn Williams is second with the only doormat fluke so far at 13.06 pounds. The 15-pound minimum for bluefish hasn’t been breached so far– and the same applies to black sea bass at a 4-pound minimum and blackfish at 7 pounds – though the largest of the latter species will almost surely be caught in the fall.

There are many other valuable prizes in that contest, including a second- place trip to Tropic Star Lodge in Panama.

The sea robin leader is a 3.40-pounder, and a 2.78- pound porgy leads that category.

Capt. Ron Santee reports he had to power drift at first during yesterday’s Fluke trip with his Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands. However, a few fares limited and the pool winner weighed 5 pounds, 10 ounces.

Striped bass have remained scarce in the N.J. surf. Vinny D’Anton reports he gets an occasional hit on his Chug Bug from a bluefish – one of which was an 8-pounder.

The marine forecast in NY/NJ Bight is for northeast winds at 5-10 knots plus patchy fog.

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The first triggerfish report I’ve received was ab good one from Capt. Ralph Leyer of Last Lady at Belmar. He got his usual catch of ling and sea bass, but also filled a box with triggers, Ralph will how concentrate on that sporty species.

The forecast is for east winds at just 5-10 knots with some fog.

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Still mating for Capt. Vinny Vetere on Staten Island, Percy Wentworth is a real Superman who celebrated his 91st birthday yesterday. He’s even better known for his Percy castnets which are used by practically every charter skipper in the Metro N.Y.N.J. area. Percy has instructed many anglers in cast netting over the years. I suspect he can still open that net better than the young bucks.

The Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands had better fluking again yesterday, topped by a 4-pound. 5-ouncer.

Capt. Mark DeBlasio reported a tougher day of yellowfin tuna fishing. though he still ended up with a decent catch on the July 6-7 trip of Water Proof from Point Pleasant.

The forecast is for south winds at 5-10 knots plus a chance of showers.

Capt. Mark DeBlasio reports from his Blue Runner out of Point Pleasant reported as follows:

We got back out with a great crew .. this trip started off with a quick Yellowfin then hours of no bites. Made our way to where we wanted to be for evening primetime and picked another couple of Yellowfin. Around 7pm had a coverup of Yellowfin, landing 6. Got the stuff right back in the water and had a big flatline bite. 90 minutes later we got the dart in one of the biggest Bigeyes I have caught in the last 20 years. Mike Findura did an excellent job on the rod start to finish. On the overnight had 2 big bites only to pull the hook. Finished up with our limit of Yellowfin in the morning before wrapping up. 85 year old Mr. Findura did battle with multiple Yellowfin stand up and landed a bunch unassisted .. great trip with lots of great memories made.

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“We got back out with a great crew .. this trip started off with a quick Yellowfin then hours of no bites. Made our way to where we wanted to be for evening primetime and picked another couple of Yellowfin. Around 7pm had a coverup of Yellowfin, landing 6. Got the stuff right back in the water and had a big flatline bite. 90 minutes later we got the dart in one of the biggest Bigeyes I have caught in the last 20 years. Mike Findura did an excellent job on the rod start to finish. On the overnight had 2 big bites only to pull the hook. Finished up with our limit of Yellowfin in the morning before wrapping up. 85 year old Mr. Findura did battle with multiple Yellowfin stand up and landed a bunch unassisted .. great trip with lots of great memories made.”

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The forecast is for southwest winds at 10-15 knots with a chance of showers.

Capt. Ron Santee had tough filuking yesterday on his Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands as the south wind dropped water temperatures down to 68 degrees. There were still some limits up to a 4-pounder. That boat is chartered on Wednesday.

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After a good day of bluefish jigging, anglers aboard the Golden Eagle from Belmar had a hard time getting hits from the same mostly 3-5-pounders. The boat report notes:”We had a light crowd on board today and ended up with a variety of fish.

The BLUES were up on the surface feeding this morning but they were extremely hard to catch. We did manage to land a few along with a nice KEEPER STRIPER.” A move offshore produced ling and sea bass plus even a couple of keeper fluke. Hopefully.the blues will turn on again tomorrow.

The Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands only picked away at fluke on Sunday though there were some limits up to 4 pounds in poor drifting conditions. That boat is chartered on Wednesday.

The weather forecast in NY/NJ Bight is for southwest winds at just 5-10 knots. There’s a chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon.

The Queen Mary from Point Pleasant had action with 2-4-pounders and up to 7- pounds. The Golden Eagle from Belmar reported whitewater action and birds dipping. Diamond jigs were most productive as many limits were taken. They ended up catching ling plus the one sea bass presently allowed in N.J.

It was a “what a difference a day makes” trip for those boats, but the opposite yesterday for the Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands as the fine July Fourth fluking turned to a grind for fish up to 4 pounds.

All tuna trip reports remain very good. Capt. Mark DeBlasio reports from Blue Runner out of Point Pleasant as follows: “
Back out with a great open boat crew. Arrived early afternoon to the Yellowfin grounds and found a good crowd of boats. Stayed in there for a little while picking Yellowfins. Late afternoon we made a move , made some changes to the spread and went looking for Bigeyes. Got our shot just as the sun went down , going 2 for 3 on nice round Bigeyes. Stayed on the troll overnight and had another Sword bite right at gray light on a Wolfpack Tungsten head. Heartbreaker of the trip was pulling the hook on the Sword after getting him in harpoon range. Got set right back out and hooked three bigeyes almost immediately. Burned one off on a Sterling Lumo Tracker. Landed the other two on a Wolfpack Chain and another on a Tungsten head. “

The forecast in NY/NJ Bight is for southwest winds at 10-15 knots plus fog in the morning.