<b>Sandy Hook</b>

Bluefin tuna 30 to 100 pounds were beaten on the inshore ocean, a good season for them so far, said Capt. Brian from <b>Jersey Devil Charters</b> from the Highlands. He wasn’t asked where, but the Glory Hole and Chicken Canyon were usual spots. Trips are slated to go after them Sunday and on another day next week, and some openings remain for the angling. The tuna were mostly trolled or jigged, but some were chunked. The fishing was a focus on the boat now, was happening. Sharks should still be around, and trips could probably mix fishing for bluefins with sharking. A slug of warm waters pulled in yellowfin tuna and blue marlin to Hudson Canyon by the weekend, and both were waxed Saturday, and Jersey Devil will also start fishing there if anglers want to have at it. Although Jersey Devil runs no set schedule of open-boat trips, if anglers only have a group of two people or so to go fishing, don’t hesitate to call Brian, because he can probably pair you up with others on a shared trip.

<b>Shark River Inlet</b>

A shark trip on Sunday in bumpy seas released a 4-foot mako and had a couple of other bites inshore of 30 miles, said Capt tom from the <b>Nan Sea J</b> from Belmar. Waters were 71 degrees and fairly green. An open-boat shark trip was slated for this past Wednesday like every week at this time of the year, and Tom checked in with no word about the trip afterward, and the trip might’ve been cancelled in the rough weather. He’ll decide whether more will sail in August. However, he was interested in bluefin tuna that were hitting on the inshore grounds, and might turn attention to that. He knew about a boat that scored well on bluefins Sunday, all on trolled ballyhoos, and Tom would’ve mixed in tuna fishing on the shark trip, but had no ballys. 

<b>Manasquan Inlet</b>

On the <b>Katie H</b> from Brielle three bluefin tuna to 50 pounds were trolled east of the Chicken Canyon on Saturday, Capt. Mike said. A couple of squid boats worked the waters, so the boat trolled behind them, and the fish were hooked. Waters were 71 degrees, clean and good-looking, and anglers seemed to score well on the fish anyplace from the Chicken to the Glory Hole to the Atlantic Princess wreck. The tuna were trolled, jigged and chunked. Tuna fishing farther offshore at Hudson Canyon seemed to heat up by the weekend, because a shot of warm waters moved in. Mike knew an angler who took a trip that fished at the 100 Square that boated three yellowfin tuna at night. The trip also trolled a 600-pound blue marlin. Overnight tuna trips are a main affair on the Katie H when the fishing kicks in. Don’t have enough anglers for an overnight tuna charter? No problem. Call Mike, because he can probably schedule an individual space on a make-up trip.

Bluefin tuna, a bunch, and one yellowfin tuna were landed Saturday on the <b>Big Kid</b> from Brielle on the inshore troll, Capt. Ken said. Yellowfins were occasionally picked up on the grounds. A trip last week on Wednesday trolled bluefins and mahi mahi, and the boat’s tuna trips were concentrating on inshore waters, because that seemed the best fishing at the moment. The bluefins were generally 50 or 60 pounds, and the yellowfin that was boated weighed 40 pounds. Take note that the Big Kid is available for charters competing in offshore tournaments, and visit <a href=" http://www.bigkidsportfishing.com/tournaments.htm
" target="_blank">the boat’s tournament Web page</a> for info.

Boaters battled lots of bluefin tuna at places like the Glory Hole, the Chicken Canyon and the Atlantic Princess wreck, said Dave from <b>The Reel Seat</b> in Brielle. Trolling worked, and Shimano butterfly jigs were a popular choice, and Dave had to keep reordering them. The fish were spread around lots of places, and numerous mahi mahi were mixed in. Yellowfin tuna were in the mix on occasion. The sizes of bluefins that Dave heard about ranged from just-keepers to a 96-pounder. The yellowfins seemed 40 or 45 pounds.  Yellowfins also began to be taken from Hudson Canyon, including a few at night. A few of them were better-sized or 40 to 50 pounds.

<b>Barnegat Inlet</b>

On the <b>Hi Flier</b> from Barnegat anglers clobbered bonito at Barnegat Ridge, Capt. Dave DeGennaro said in an e-mail. Kevin Veal and father-in-law Gene Arico trolled the fish Tuesday on red and white Japanese feathers and 4-inch, red and white cedar plugs. Triple- and quadruple-headers were not uncommon, and a six-banger was scored once, every rod in the spread hooked up. After a good dose of the fish were fought, light-spinning rods were blended in to the mix to enjoy the fight even more. On Wednesday Tim Wanner and two sons trolled a bunch more while dodging thunderstorms and a late-afternoon breeze. The bonito, 3- to 5-pounders, were on the feed on the trips, ravenous, spitting up gobs of sand eels. Bonito are tough fighters, great sport, and excellent to eat, “a half-notch below tuna,” Dave said. Dave is also offering tuna trips on a new boat he’s running, a 31-foot Albemarle, sailing from Point Pleasant Beach. Bluefin tuna catches were excellent 20 to 40 miles from port, both on the troll and on jigs. Healthy-sized mahi mahi were mixed in with the 20- to 80-pound bluefins. Charters on the boat, most comfortable with groups of four or less, will also run for canyon tuna when that fishing kicks in.

<b>Great Egg Harbor Inlet</b>

A 63-inch bluefin tuna that was subdued at the Lobster Claw on Sunday was the last offshore catch reported before rough weather kept offshore boaters docked, said John from <b>Fin-Atics</b> in Ocean City. Bluefins were gaffed at the Claw and also at the Cigar before the blow.

John Williams Jr. and crew from Somers Point smoked 14 mahi mahi at the Lobster Claw on sardines this past week, said Joan and Rob from <b>Dolfin Dock</b> in Somers Point in a fax Sunday.

At the Lobster Claw Stephanie and Jim Ward trolled a 45-pound bluefin tuna and a 13-1/2-pound mahi mahi on ballyhoos on blue and white Ilanders, said T.C. from <b>Brennan Marine</b> from Somers Point in a fax on Sunday. Chris Daggett and company on his Pain Relief also fished the Claw, dragging up a 17-3/4-pound mahi. Mike Fox and crew on His Trend trolled four yellowfin tuna to 35 pounds and a large mahi mahi at the Elephant Trunk. Jon Cummings and dad Bob on their Bobby Lee scored a 139-pound 65-inch bluefin that at 19-Fathom Lump on a ballyhoo on a pink and white Ilander. Dave Fiocca and crew on his Poppy’s Cruiser fished Lemke’s Canyon, trolling three large mahi on ballyhoos and green machines. John Imbesi and gang on his Huntress made the trip to Wilmington Canyon, dialing in loads of small mahi and some small tuna, releasing a 350-pound blue marlin that crashed a Black Bart lure.

<b>Townsend’s Inlet</b>

Charters on Pretty Work and Low Profile from <b>Over Under Adventures</b>, Avalon, won first and second place in the tuna division in the weekend’s Jersey Shore Classic Tournament, the report on the boat’s Web site said.  A 171-pounder was the first-place fish, caught on the Pretty Work, and a 161-pounder was the second-place tuna, landed on Low Profile, and the fish were the two biggest ever entered in the tournament’s 13 years, the report said. Bluefin fishing was red hot for Over Under last week, and trips concentrated on the Lobster Claw, and all the bites came on trolled horse ballyhoos on Sea Witch skirts, and chrome-color worked best. On Thursday the fishing was unbelievable on both boats, the report said. The catch included triple-headers landed on both boats, and all the bluefins were 65 to 70 inches. Yellowfin tuna to 35 pounds were also boated. Over Under expects bluefin catches to continue in the coming weeks, and mahi mahi were also mixed in. The crew was watching a warm-water eddie sliding down from the northern canyons, expecting the waters to bring yellowfins, marlin and mahi to the deep. Both charters and open-boat trips are sailing, and check Over Under’s Web site for the open schedule.

Offshore trips got weathered out this week and last weekend, and forecasts looked like the weather will nix another planned for this Saturday, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Gibson’s Tackle</b> in Sea Isle City.  Fishing for big bluefin tuna was hopping at the Hambone and Lobster Claw. Canyon tuna fishing generally produced a bunch of small yellowfin tuna and a few 40- to 60-pound keepers per trip. Lots of large mahi mahi swam inshore to offshore. In addition to charters, open-boat trips are sailing for tuna once a week, usually on Wednesdays, but sometimes on other days, depending on the weather and when anglers can go. The trips target either bluefins or yellowfins or both, and mahi are usually caught. Charters are available that troll for tuna during the mornings and cast bait, lures or flies to mahi mahi at the lobster pots during the afternoons.

<b>Hereford Inlet</b>

Bluefin tuna were trolled, chunked and jigged, and the fishing was best at 19-Fathom Lump, the Lobster Claw and the Hambone, said Cathy from <b>Sterling Harbor Bait & Tackle</b> in Wildwood in an e-mail. Gaffer mahi mahi attacked while tuna anglers trolled or jigged. Yellowfin tuna pushed in to waters along the 40-fathom line just inshore of the canyons.

<b>Cape May Inlet</b>

The Pitts Plumbing and Heating charter trolled three yellowfin tuna and some skipjacks near the Hot Dog on Sunday on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> from Cape May, Capt. George said. Boat traffic from bluefin tuna anglers was so busy at the Hot Dog that George moved to nearby lumps along the 30-fathom line past the Dog to troll. That’s where the yellowfins, 20-pounders, and skippies, five or six, were boated. The yellowfins were around, beyond the bluefin grounds, and were more abundant on some days than on others. They offered an option to catch in addition to bluefins, and on some days a few 40- and 50-pound yellowfins were among the fish. The bluefins were spread out, showing at one place on one day and at another on the next, like at the Hot Dog or at 19-Fathom Lump. Only have three or four anglers for a trip instead of six to create a full charter? Call George, because he can probably put you together with other anglers on a make-up trip during mid week.

The <b>Fishin’ Fever</b> from Cape May was docked for maintenance, but bluefin tuna were trolled, jigged and chunked in 20 to 30 fathoms, Capt. Tom said. Some were big, including many over 100 pounds, some pushing 200.  Lots of big, 15- to 30-pound mahi mahi gathered along the 30-fathom line, while usually the large ones swim deeper. So bluefin trips could add mahi to the take. White marlin fishing was terrific from 20 fathoms to 500 fathoms. Yellowfin tuna were spread up and down the line at the canyons from the Hudson to the Wilmington, and the size was getting considerably bigger. They were trolled, and overnight chunking for them should kick in within another few weeks. A fair population of bigeye tuna patrolled the canyons, and Tom wouldn’t be surprised to see longfin tuna soon.

Fishing for bluefin tuna produced 40- to 50-pounders on the troll along the eastern edge of the Elephant Trunk from the tip to the Arlene wreck, said Matt from <b>Jim’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Cape May in a fax. Yellowfin tuna 30 to 40 pounds and respectable-sized mahi mahi also swam there. Bigger bluefins to 120 to 200 pounds were sometimes trolled at the Hambone and at the Lobster Claw. Bluefins started to be chunked but on light, 30- to 40-pound fluorocarbon leaders. Jigging worked when the fish were marked, and heavier, 50- to 60-pound leaders did the job then. At the canyons most action happened to the north from the Hudson to farther south, wherever the warm waters reached. Anglers on the Rebel Cause boated two 50-pound yellowfin tuna and went 3 for 4 on white marlin at Carteret Canyon on Saturday. The crew on the Allison’s Toy shellacked a 182-pound bigeye tuna on a 30-class reel, and went 1 for 2 on whites while fishing from Wilmington Canyon to Spencer Canyon.

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