The White Marlin Open at Ocean City, Maryland begins fishing on Monday. I’ll be covering that if Word Press holds up — which it isn’t doing at present as I haven’t been able to open messages today.

Vinny D’Anton reports surfcasting along the north Jersey Shore remains picky. He manages to get into a few bass and blues most mornings by working hard with a variety of lures. Today he was surprised by a blue of almost 10 pounds on a popper, and last week one of his bass was a 28 1/2-incher. The usually reliable sand flea bite has never turned on — and those baits have been hard to rake — which may be why bass haven’t been feeding on them.

Vinny has heard that some Spanish mackerel have been showing up in the surf well south of his usual Monmouth County surf spots.

The Queen Mary from Point Pleasant has been into great jigging for small blues most days, while bonito, sea bass and a few Spanish are often added.

Anglers seeking big bluefin tuna have been using live blues to attract their target just a few miles offshore.

A small craft advisory is up this evening. West winds at just 5-10 knots by morning increase to southwest 10-15 in the afternoon.

The Golden Eagle from Belmar got into lots of small blues on jigs plus some bonito on jigs today, That boat is chartered tomorrow, but will be back on the blues Thursday.

They made their first exotics trip this week and got into some mostly smaller yellowfins, but up to 40 pounds. They also reported a lot of skipjack tuna, and saw two marlin chasing baits.

A small craft advisory is up tonight. The morning forecast is for south winds at 10-15 knots plus gusts to 20 and likely showers.

Fluke pro Dave Lilly quickly limited his crew on fluke in the ocean — as usual. He says the trick is to avoid long drifts, and pound any piece that gives up a keeper. He says fluke are staying on very small spots this year.

The Golden Eagle from Belmar got into lots of small blues on top once again — and there were some bonito mixed in.

There was a dramatic change in area fishing today as Capt. Ron Santee Jr. reported his best day of fluke fishing on the Fishermen out of Atlantic Highlands — and the Golden Eagle from Belmar got back into 2-pound blues on the surface.

Santee said he was into keeper fluke right from the beginning as some fares managed limits among many just short. There were also some sea bass, and Tina won the pool with a 4 3/8-pound fluke.

The Golden Eagle blues hit diamond jigs readily, and some bonito were mixed in.

The weather looks good with north winds at 5 knots that switch to southeast in the afternoon.

Jimmy Johnson’s Quest for the Ring out of Atlantic City started with bigeye tuna blasts that had been absent during the Big Rock. Bigeye specialist MJ’s Sportfishing started on top with a 193.5-pounder, but Sushi had the early volume lead as Cameron Coblentz fought every tuna. However, Ro Sham Bo came on at the end to boat a 202-pounder and win the Box of Bigeyes title. The prize fish of the contest was boated on the last day as Christian Sanchez boated the only big blue marlin — a 649-pounder for Team Harvey. The white marlin winner was La Barca at 65.3 pounds.

The 63 boats caught or released11 blue marlin, 105 whites, 3 sails, 18 bigeyes, 12 yellowfins, 10 dolphin and one wahoo.

The Quest for the Ring Atlantic City Tournament was just starting as my troubles with Word Press and malware started, That contest turned out to be a good one as both the weather and fishing cooperated. I’ll have more details tomorrow.

The Golden Eagle from Belmar had a couple of days with limit jigging catches of 1-3-pound blues, but they weren’t there today and that boat they switched to sea bass and ling.

Dan Radal had an amazing report in the Asbury Park Press about a bluefin tuna caught in Raritan Bay as follows”One would be hard-pressed to recall the last time a bluefin tuna was caught in Raritan Bay but it happened Wednesday when a 135-pound bluefin took Steve Nosti of Holmdel for a Nantucket Sleighride – around Flynns Knoll and through the Sandy Hook Rip in Nosti’s 12-foot aluminum Jon boat, the Silver Bullet.

Nosti, who works in the charter industry and has a permit for such fish, had seen the bluefin in tight to the beach and left from his dock slip at Pleasure Bay Yacht Basin in Oceanport after sunrise to try to get one. He was outfitted with an 80-pound class tuna rod and reel and some Ron-Z lures. He called it “a shot in the dark.”

It’s about an 8 or 9 mile ride from the marina to the tip of Sandy Hook, so Nosti said he stopped at Bahrs Landing in Highlands to fuel up his 12-gallon tank. Then he was off to area known as the Rip, where the bay and ocean currents collide.One would be hard-pressed to recall the last time a bluefin tuna was caught in Raritan Bay but it happened Wednesday when a 135-pound bluefin took Steve Nosti of Holmdel for a Nantucket Sleighride – around Flynns Knoll and through the Sandy Hook Rip in Nosti’s 12-foot aluminum Jon boat, the Silver Bullet.

Nosti, who works in the charter industry and has a permit for such fish, had seen the bluefin in tight to the beach and left from his dock slip at Pleasure Bay Yacht Basin in Oceanport after sunrise to try to get one. He was outfitted with an 80-pound class tuna rod and reel and some Ron-Z lures. He called it “a shot in the dark.”

It’s about an 8 or 9 mile ride from the marina to the tip of Sandy Hook, so Nosti said he stopped at Bahrs Landing in Highlands to fuel up his 12-gallon tank. Then he was off to area known as the Rip, where the bay and ocean currents collide.One would be hard-pressed to recall the last time a bluefin tuna was caught in Raritan Bay but it happened Wednesday when a 135-pound bluefin took Steve Nosti of Holmdel for a Nantucket Sleighride – around Flynns Knoll and through the Sandy Hook Rip in Nosti’s 12-foot aluminum Jon boat, the Silver Bullet.

Nosti, who works in the charter industry and has a permit for such fish, had seen the bluefin in tight to the beach and left from his dock slip at Pleasure Bay Yacht Basin in Oceanport after sunrise to try to get one. He was outfitted with an 80-pound class tuna rod and reel and some Ron-Z lures. He called it “a shot in the dark.”

It’s about an 8 or 9 mile ride from the marina to the tip of Sandy Hook, so Nosti said he stopped at Bahrs Landing in Highlands to fuel up his 12-gallon tank. Then he was off to area known as the Rip, where the bay and ocean currents collide.One would be hard-pressed to recall the last time a bluefin tuna was caught in Raritan Bay but it happened Wednesday when a 135-pound bluefin took Steve Nosti of Holmdel for a Nantucket Sleighride – around Flynns Knoll and through the Sandy Hook Rip in Nosti’s 12-foot aluminum Jon boat, the Silver Bullet.

Nosti, who works in the charter industry and has a permit for such fish, had seen the bluefin in tight to the beach and left from his dock slip at Pleasure Bay Yacht Basin in Oceanport after sunrise to try to get one. He was outfitted with an 80-pound class tuna rod and reel and some Ron-Z lures. He called it “a shot in the dark.”

It’s about an 8 or 9 mile ride from the marina to the tip of Sandy Hook, so Nosti said he stopped at Bahrs Landing in Highlands to fuel up his 12-gallon tank. Then he was off to area known as the Rip, where the bay and ocean currents collide.One would be hard-pressed to recall the last time a bluefin tuna was caught in Raritan Bay but it happened Wednesday when a 135-pound bluefin took Steve Nosti of Holmdel for a Nantucket Sleighride – around Flynns Knoll and through the Sandy Hook Rip in Nosti’s 12-foot aluminum Jon boat, the Silver Bullet.

Nosti, who works in the charter industry and has a permit for such fish, had seen the bluefin in tight to the beach and left from his dock slip at Pleasure Bay Yacht Basin in Oceanport after sunrise to try to get one. He was outfitted with an 80-pound class tuna rod and reel and some Ron-Z lures. He called it “a shot in the dark.”

It’s about an 8 or 9 mile ride from the marina to the tip of Sandy Hook, so Nosti said he stopped at Bahrs Landing in Highlands to fuel up his 12-gallon tank. Then he was off to area known as the Rip, where the bay and ocean currents collide.One would be hard-pressed to recall the last time a bluefin tuna was caught in Raritan Bay but it happened Wednesday when a 135-pound bluefin took Steve Nosti of Holmdel for a Nantucket Sleighride – around Flynns Knoll and through the Sandy Hook Rip in Nosti’s 12-foot aluminum Jon boat, the Silver Bullet.

Nosti, who works in the charter industry and has a permit for such fish, had seen the bluefin in tight to the beach and left from his dock slip at Pleasure Bay Yacht Basin in Oceanport after sunrise to try to get one. He was outfitted with an 80-pound class tuna rod and reel and some Ron-Z lures. He called it “a shot in the dark.”

It’s about an 8 or 9 mile ride from the marina to the tip of Sandy Hook, so Nosti said he stopped at Bahrs Landing in Highlands to fuel up his 12-gallon tank. Then he was off to area known as the Rip, where the bay and ocean currents collide.One would be hard-pressed to recall the last time a bluefin tuna was caught in Raritan Bay but it happened Wednesday when a 135-pound bluefin took Steve Nosti of Holmdel for a Nantucket Sleighride – around Flynns Knoll and through the Sandy Hook Rip in Nosti’s 12-foot aluminum Jon boat, the Silver Bullet.

Nosti, who works in the charter industry and has a permit for such fish, had seen the bluefin in tight to the beach and left from his dock slip at Pleasure Bay Yacht Basin in Oceanport after sunrise to try to get one. He was outfitted with an 80-pound class tuna rod and reel and some Ron-Z lures. He called it “a shot in the dark.”

It’s about an 8 or 9 mile ride from the marina to the tip of Sandy Hook, so Nosti said he stopped at Bahrs Landing in Highlands to fuel up his 12-gallon tank. Then he was off to area known as the Rip, where the bay and ocean currents collide.One would be hard-pressed to recall the last time a bluefin tuna was caught in Raritan Bay but it happened Wednesday when a 135-pound bluefin took Steve Nosti of Holmdel for a Nantucket Sleighride – around Flynns Knoll and through the Sandy Hook Rip in Nosti’s 12-foot aluminum Jon boat, the Silver Bullet.

Nosti, who works in the charter industry and has a permit for such fish, had seen the bluefin in tight to the beach and left from his dock slip at Pleasure Bay Yacht Basin in Oceanport after sunrise to try to get one. He was outfitted with an 80-pound class tuna rod and reel and some Ron-Z lures. He called it “a shot in the dark.”

It’s about an 8 or 9 mile ride from the marina to the tip of Sandy Hook, so Nosti said he stopped at Bahrs Landing in Highlands to fuel up his 12-gallon tank. Then he was off to area known as the Rip, where the bay and ocean currents collide.One would be hard-pressed to recall the last time a bluefin tuna was caught in Raritan Bay but it happened Wednesday when a 135-pound bluefin took Steve Nosti of Holmdel for a Nantucket Sleighride – around Flynns Knoll and through the Sandy Hook Rip in Nosti’s 12-foot aluminum Jon boat, the Silver Bullet.

Nosti, who works in the charter industry and has a permit for such fish, had seen the bluefin in tight to the beach and left from his dock slip at Pleasure Bay Yacht Basin in Oceanport after sunrise to try to get one. He was outfitted with an 80-pound class tuna rod and reel and some Ron-Z lures. He called it “a shot in the dark.”

It’s about an 8 or 9 mile ride from the marina to the tip of Sandy Hook, so Nosti said he stopped at Bahrs Landing in Highlands to fuel up his 12-gallon tank. Then he was off to area known as the Rip, where the bay and ocean currents collide.One would be hard-pressed to recall the last time a bluefin tuna was caught in Raritan Bay but it happened Wednesday when a 135-pound bluefin took Steve Nosti of Holmdel for a Nantucket Sleighride – around Flynns Knoll and through the Sandy Hook Rip in Nosti’s 12-foot aluminum Jon boat, the Silver Bullet.

Nosti, who works in the charter industry and has a permit for such fish, had seen the bluefin in tight to the beach and left from his dock slip at Pleasure Bay Yacht Basin in Oceanport after sunrise to try to get one. He was outfitted with an 80-pound class tuna rod and reel and some Ron-Z lures. He called it “a shot in the dark.”

It’s about an 8 or 9 mile ride from the marina to the tip of Sandy Hook, so Nosti said he stopped at Bahrs Landing in Highlands to fuel up his 12-gallon tank. Then he was off to area known as the Rip, where the bay and ocean currents collide.One would be hard-pressed to recall the last time a bluefin tuna was caught in Raritan Bay but it happened Wednesday when a 135-pound bluefin took Steve Nosti of Holmdel for a Nantucket Sleighride – around Flynns Knoll and through the Sandy Hook Rip in Nosti’s 12-foot aluminum Jon boat, the Silver Bullet.

Nosti, who works in the charter industry and has a permit for such fish, had seen the bluefin in tight to the beach and left from his dock slip at Pleasure Bay Yacht Basin in Oceanport after sunrise to try to get one. He was outfitted with an 80-pound class tuna rod and reel and some Ron-Z lures. He called it “a shot in the dark.”

It’s about an 8 or 9 mile ride from the marina to the tip of Sandy Hook, so Nosti said he stopped at Bahrs Landing in Highlands to fuel up his 12-gallon tank. Then he was off to area known as the Rip, where the bay and ocean currents collide.One would be hard-pressed to recall the last time a bluefin tuna was caught in Raritan Bay but it happened Wednesday when a 135-pound bluefin took Steve Nosti of Holmdel for a Nantucket Sleighride – around Flynns Knoll and through the Sandy Hook Rip in Nosti’s 12-foot aluminum Jon boat, the Silver Bullet.

Nosti, who works in the charter industry and has a permit for such fish, had seen the bluefin in tight to the beach and left from his dock slip at Pleasure Bay Yacht Basin in Oceanport after sunrise to try to get one. He was outfitted with an 80-pound class tuna rod and reel and some Ron-Z lures. He called it “a shot in the dark.”

It’s about an 8 or 9 mile ride from the marina to the tip of Sandy Hook, so Nosti said he stopped at Bahrs Landing in Highlands to fuel up his 12-gallon tank. Then he was off to area known as the Rip, where the bay and ocean currents collide.One would be hard-pressed to recall the last time a bluefin tuna was caught in Raritan Bay but it happened Wednesday when a 135-pound bluefin took Steve Nosti of Holmdel for a Nantucket Sleighride – around Flynns Knoll and through the Sandy Hook Rip in Nosti’s 12-foot aluminum Jon boat, the Silver Bullet.

Nosti, who works in the charter industry and has a permit for such fish, had seen the bluefin in tight to the beach and left from his dock slip at Pleasure Bay Yacht Basin in Oceanport after sunrise to try to get one. He was outfitted with an 80-pound class tuna rod and reel and some Ron-Z lures. He called it “a shot in the dark.”

It’s about an 8 or 9 mile ride from the marina to the tip of Sandy Hook, so Nosti said he stopped at Bahrs Landing in Highlands to fuel up his 12-gallon tank. Then he was off to area known as the Rip, where the bay and ocean currents collide.One would be hard-pressed to recall the last time a bluefin tuna was caught in Raritan Bay but it happened Wednesday when a 135-pound bluefin took Steve Nosti of Holmdel for a Nantucket Sleighride – around Flynns Knoll and through the Sandy Hook Rip in Nosti’s 12-foot aluminum Jon boat, the Silver Bullet.

Nosti, who works in the charter industry and has a permit for such fish, had seen the bluefin in tight to the beach and left from his dock slip at Pleasure Bay Yacht Basin in Oceanport after sunrise to try to get one. He was outfitted with an 80-pound class tuna rod and reel and some Ron-Z lures. He called it “a shot in the dark.”

It’s about an 8 or 9 mile ride from the marina to the tip of Sandy Hook, so Nosti said he stopped at Bahrs Landing in Highlands to fuel up his 12-gallon tank. Then he was off to area known as the Rip, where the bay and ocean currents collide.One would be hard-pressed to recall the last time a bluefin tuna was caught in Raritan Bay but it happened Wednesday when a 135-pound bluefin took Steve Nosti of Holmdel for a Nantucket Sleighride – around Flynns Knoll and through the Sandy Hook Rip in Nosti’s 12-foot aluminum Jon boat, the Silver Bullet.

Nosti, who works in the charter industry and has a permit for such fish, had seen the bluefin in tight to the beach and left from his dock slip at Pleasure Bay Yacht Basin in Oceanport after sunrise to try to get one. He was outfitted with an 80-pound class tuna rod and reel and some Ron-Z lures. He called it “a shot in the dark.”

It’s about an 8 or 9 mile ride from the marina to the tip of Sandy Hook, so Nosti said he stopped at Bahrs Landing in Highlands to fuel up his 12-gallon tank. Then he was off to area known as the Rip, where the bay and ocean currents collide.One would be hard-pressed to recall the last time a bluefin tuna was caught in Raritan Bay but it happened Wednesday when a 135-pound bluefin took Steve Nosti of Holmdel for a Nantucket Sleighride – around Flynns Knoll and through the Sandy Hook Rip in Nosti’s 12-foot aluminum Jon boat, the Silver Bullet.

Nosti, who works in the charter industry and has a permit for such fish, had seen the bluefin in tight to the beach and left from his dock slip at Pleasure Bay Yacht Basin in Oceanport after sunrise to try to get one. He was outfitted with an 80-pound class tuna rod and reel and some Ron-Z lures. He called it “a shot in the dark.”

It’s about an 8 or 9 mile ride from the marina to the tip of Sandy Hook, so Nosti said he stopped at Bahrs Landing in Highlands to fuel up his 12-gallon tank. Then he was off to area known as the Rip, where the bay and ocean currents collide.One would be hard-pressed to recall the last time a bluefin tuna was caught in Raritan Bay but it happened Wednesday when a 135-pound bluefin took Steve Nosti of Holmdel for a Nantucket Sleighride – around Flynns Knoll and through the Sandy Hook Rip in Nosti’s 12-foot aluminum Jon boat, the Silver Bullet.

Nosti, who works in the charter industry and has a permit for such fish, had seen the bluefin in tight to the beach and left from his dock slip at Pleasure Bay Yacht Basin in Oceanport after sunrise to try to get one. He was outfitted with an 80-pound class tuna rod and reel and some Ron-Z lures. He called it “a shot in the dark.”

It’s about an 8 or 9 mile ride from the marina to the tip of Sandy Hook, so Nosti said he stopped at Bahrs Landing in Highlands to fuel up his 12-gallon tank. Then he was off to area known as the Rip, where the bay and ocean currents collide.One would be hard-pressed to recall the last time a bluefin tuna was caught in Raritan Bay but it happened Wednesday when a 135-pound bluefin took Steve Nosti of Holmdel for a Nantucket Sleighride – around Flynns Knoll and through the Sandy Hook Rip in Nosti’s 12-foot aluminum Jon boat, the Silver Bullet.

Nosti, who works in the charter industry and has a permit for such fish, had seen the bluefin in tight to the beach and left from his dock slip at Pleasure Bay Yacht Basin in Oceanport after sunrise to try to get one. He was outfitted with an 80-pound class tuna rod and reel and some Ron-Z lures. He called it “a shot in the dark.”

It’s about an 8 or 9 mile ride from the marina to the tip of Sandy Hook, so Nosti said he stopped at Bahrs Landing in Highlands to fuel up his 12-gallon tank. Then he was off to area known as the Rip, where the bay and ocean currents collide.One would be hard-pressed to recall the last time a bluefin tuna was caught in Raritan Bay but it happened Wednesday when a 135-pound bluefin took Steve Nosti of Holmdel for a Nantucket Sleighride – around Flynns Knoll and through the Sandy Hook Rip in Nosti’s 12-foot aluminum Jon boat, the Silver Bullet.

Nosti, who works in the charter industry and has a permit for such fish, had seen the bluefin in tight to the beach and left from his dock slip at Pleasure Bay Yacht Basin in Oceanport after sunrise to try to get one. He was outfitted with an 80-pound class tuna rod and reel and some Ron-Z lures. He called it “a shot in the dark.”

It’s about an 8 or 9 mile ride from the marina to the tip of Sandy Hook, so Nosti said he stopped at Bahrs Landing in Highlands to fuel up his 12-gallon tank. Then he was off to area known as the Rip, where the bay and ocean currents collide.One would be hard-pressed to recall the last time a bluefin tuna was caught in Raritan Bay but it happened Wednesday when a 135-pound bluefin took Steve Nosti of Holmdel for a Nantucket Sleighride – around Flynns Knoll and through the Sandy Hook Rip in Nosti’s 12-foot aluminum Jon boat, the Silver Bullet.

Nosti, who works in the charter industry and has a permit for such fish, had seen the bluefin in tight to the beach and left from his dock slip at Pleasure Bay Yacht Basin in Oceanport after sunrise to try to get one. He was outfitted with an 80-pound class tuna rod and reel and some Ron-Z lures. He called it “a shot in the dark.”

It’s about an 8 or 9 mile ride from the marina to the tip of Sandy Hook, so Nosti said he stopped at Bahrs Landing in Highlands to fuel up his 12-gallon tank. Then he was off to area known as the Rip, where the bay and ocean meet. “

Unfortunately. the remainder of Dan’s article was lost in the transfer.

Hopefully my problems with both malware and Word Press are over, and I’ll do a catch-up blog tomorrow.

Millions will be on the line starting tomorrow as Jimmy Johnson’s Quest for the Ring Tournament gets underway if the offshore weather looks good. I’ll have a blog each night this week to update results after the scales close.

I haven’t been able to find any official results of the weekend Sandy Hook Bay Anglers Club Fluke Tournament, and my phone is still down. Please r-mail reports to me at cristori@aol.com.

The Golden Eagle from Belmar jigged a few blues today, but switched over to ling and sea bass to provide some dinners. A couple of blackfish and all but the one sea bass presently allowed in N.J. were released.

The inshore forecast is for southwest winds at 5-10 knots before increasing to 10-15 plus gusts to 20 in the afternoon.

Jimmy Johnson returns to Atlantic City with his Quest for the Ring offshore contest which gets underway Monday as entrants select three out of five days to fish for over a million dollars. I’ll

update the results each night.

The Golden Eagle from Belmar looked for blues this

morning and found lots of bunkers near the beach–but with no predators in them. They settled for a good pick of ling plus a keeper sea bass for all.

The Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands has been into better quality fluke the last two days. Bait has worked best, and it was necessary to power drift today. The pool fluke was over 6 pounds, but the angler wasn’t in the monthly. The Fishermen is chartered on Wednesday,

Capt. Frank Masseria fished on the N.Y. side today with his Vitamin Sea from Keyport, and went for 79 on NY keepers. Lots of NJ keepers were returned, and he was once again checked by the NY DEC.

The Capt. Lou Fleet reports the “Off The Grid 2” OTG2 was EXCELLENT BIG GOLDENS, BIG BARRELFISH & BIG WRECK FISH

OTG 3 (2.5) Day Canyon Tilefish and More is scheduled for:

SEPT 4th 7pm Deparure

SEPT 7th 4am Return

20 Person Limit

$700 per person plus gratuity for crew.

To Reserve Your Spot call 516 623 5823

Due to this trip’s popularity it is not available to be booked online. Call 516 623 5823.”

Monday’s forecast is for southwest winds at 10-15 knots.

My phone is still down. Please send reports to wwwcristori@aol.com

The Fisherman magazine Dream Boat contest is filling in rapidly, but every angler still has a shot at the multitude of prizes which are available only to subscribers. Those prizes range up to a Steiger Craft 21-foot center console with a Yamaha 150 and all accessories. Even those only ending up in the top 10 of each species do very well with prizes.

As of the July issue, the most impressive entry was a 15.2-pound fluke boated by Aldo Paonessa (see below), but there were only two others entered with a minimum of 6 pounds.

Once again, there was no 10-pound pre-spawning weakfish entered. The leader is a 6.5-pounder by Tom Lucas which could stand up until the fall — or all the way.

With the minimum at 4 1/2 pounds, the sea bass division was empty — though that will change when party boats start fishing the offshore wrecks in October. o

Blackfish is also empty at just a 7-pound minimum, but the winner there normally is entered in the fall. The same applies to scup, with the leader being 2.32 pounds. The sea robin lead is 3.25 pounds, and there’s only one bluefish at 15.5 pounds by Frank Shea. The bluefish minimum is 15 pounds, which used to be easy to achieve in the spring. Now it’s hard to find jumbo blues even in the fall.

The Golden Eagle from Belmar had a steady pick of ling and sea bass today along with a showing of whiting and winter flounder.

The forecast is for northwest winds at just 5 knots — changing to south in the afternoon.

My phone is still dead. If you have news, e-mail to cristori@aol.com