1SL7-14-16 Fluke Tournaments start this weekend The fluke tournament season gets underway this weekend as the 35th annual Sandy Hook Bay Anglers Two-Day contest runs out of Atlantic Highlands Municipal Harbor Saturday and Sunday, after the Friday evening captains meeting at 7 p.m. in the Senior Citizens Building. For information call 732 787-4008 or 732 291-1184 – or visit www.sandyhookbayanglers.com. The 26th annual Raritan Bay Anglers Charity Fluke Tournament will be contested on Saturday out of Perth Amboy. The captains meeting for that event is on Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Moose Lodge, 989 Convery Blvd., Perth Amboy. Call 732 381-5336 for information. Crabbers can not only participate in a no entry fee crabbing contest on Sat. July 23, but they'll also be given free bunker for bait courtesy of Jenkinkson's Aquarium in Point Pleasant Beach. The Bunker Challenge at Mantoloking Bridge County Park is sponsored by the Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders, and runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. No chicken bait is allowed, and there are divisions for kids 12 and under and for adults. For information call 732 907-5949. Though the statewide 22 annual Jersey Coast Anglers Association Fluke Tournament won't be contested until Aug. 6, the deadline for submitting boat entries (up to six anglers) at $130 per boat is July 25. After that the fee is $160. Mail to the JCAA office at 1594 Lakewood Rd, Suite 13, Toms River, NJ 08755. Download forms at www.jcaa.org. Info is available there or by calling 732 506-6565. Danielle O'Brian of South Bound Brook is on a roll with doormat fluke. She caught the first doormat by a lady angler on Elaine B II from Bahrs in Highlands with a season best on that boat of 13 pounds, 1ounce. Then she added a second doormat last Sunday at 10 pounds, 2 ounces. She's keeping up with her father, Dennis O'Brian of South Bound Brook who's well-known for his doormat catches from Elaine B. II. That was the seventh of the season for that boat. There's little more exciting in fishing than getting blasted by a game fish on a popper. That was especially the case Thursday morning shortly after dawn from shore in Shark River when my first cast with a small Yo-Zuri Atom popper drew an explosion from a fish that appeared much larger, but turned out to be a bluefish of about 4 pounds that put up a good fight on light spinning tackle. I later added two small striper releases on the popper, and Vinnie D'Anton of Shark River Hills had another fish hit his Chug Bug before getting off. Capt. Bobby Bogan notes that fluking slowed a bit the last few days on his Gambler from Point Pleasant, but pool winners are usually in the 4-to-5-pound class with some 3-to-4-pound sea bass mixed in. The Thursday night wreck trip from 7:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. produced ling plus some sea bass and bluefish last week, when squid were attracted to the boat and Mike Malpass jigged 20 for dinner. Jim Hutchinson Sr. reports for the Beach Haven Charter Boat Association that Captain Dan Skrzat on the "Get Reel" ran to the Triple Wrecks recently to find a fleet there fishing. The bite was a little slow, probably due to all the boat traffic, but they still managed three bluefin in the 50-pound range. A neighbor of Captain Dan fished the thirty line Monday and killed them with his limit and released another seven fish. First mate Liane Lopez of the "Miss Liane" reports the boat had its first offshore trip and they had their first white marlin release to begin the offshore season. Captain Jimmy Zavacky had the "Reel Determined" out to the inshore reefs recently and they ended up with both keeper fluke and black sea bass. On Saturday Captain Zavacky fished the Beach Haven Marlin and Tuna Club and managed a white marlin release and a 39.4-pound bluefin tuna. Captain Jimmy and his son Patrick were one of only two boats to weigh in fish on the slow day.