The offshore billfish bite has been very good, just in time for the 39th Annual White Marlin Open, to be held from August 6 to 10. Crews told of beautiful cobalt blue 80 degree water full of life in 1000 fathoms between the Poor Man's and Baltimore Canyons. Two tone porpoises and tunas aired out and fed as shearwaters dove on bait among scattered weeds and sulphur. Double digit white marlin release days were common among boats running the distance. Blue marlin and even sailfish were also hooked. The scene should be set for an interesting Tournament. Tuna action in 20 to 30 fathoms has cooled off. There was a scattered chunk bite on the Hot Dog and in the 30 Fathom Notch, but nothing reliable. Trollers told of a handful of wahoos in the same area. Offshore bottom fishing has been productive. Patrons on Katy Did deep dropped Saturday for a big catch of gray tile to 18 pounds, golden tile to 25 pounds, several blackbelly rosefish and a pair of barrelish. Inshore bottom bouncers did well with flounder. Captain Pete hosted Nevin Byler and his group aboard Top Fin last Friday for a nice catch of 20 keepers to 5.83 pounds while working Site 10. Joe Walker, Joe Walker, Jr, Tom Coyle and Tony Vansant fished Site 10 for their limit of 16 on Friday. Tony used a bucktail and croaker strip combo to tempt a 7.81 pound beauty. Captain Charlie's flukers on Tranquila put 16 keepers in the box near DA Buoy Saturday. Tony and Diana Vansant, Steve Millman and Brian Plummer fished reef structure Saturday for 12 quality flatties to 6.2 pounds. Wayne and Matt Baker, Chip Graves and Adam Lovenguth used live spot at Reef 10 for their 13 flatfish, including Adam's 6.76 pounder. Reef rubble has yielded some weighty flounder specimens this season, but Joe Walker, Jr brought in the heaviest so far. Joe was jigging a bucktail with cut bait at Site 10 when it was inhaled by an 11.36 pound doormat. Congratulations to Joe on his biggest flounder to date. Delaware Bay reefs have produced flatties as well. Captain Pete on Top Fin had 6 keepers to 5.8 pounds during a 3 hour Bay trip Wednesday. After Thursday's half day, Top Fin returned with 7 flounder, including young Adam O'Connor's 5.58 pounder. Delaware Bay fishermen also noticed an increase in the size of croakers caught this past week. More nice hardheads in the 10 to 12 inch range showed up around the Star Site. That area also gave up kingfish, blowfish, sanpper blues and legal trout to 16 inches. Triggerfish were taken along the Outer Wall. Fallyn Smith checked in triggers of 4.19 and 3.48 pounds from the rocks. Vic Gross got the first sheepshead of the season at the Wall, a citation worthy 8.14 pounder.