<b>Sandy Hook</b>

A couple of bluefin tuna trips were weathered out that were scheduled to fish on the inshore ocean this week at places like the Atlantic Princess wreck and the Chicken Canyon, said Capt. Brian from <b>Jersey Devil Charters</b> from Highlands. Winds roughed up seas frequently. But the fish swam the waters, and prior to the weather, one of the captains who runs the boat trolled a 150-pounder and another that was probably a 60- or 70-pounder. Also before the weather, fishing for tuna farther offshore at Hudson Canyon sounded like it turned spotty, became hit or miss, after fishing that was more solid there previously. But that could change. Jersey Devil is concentrating on bluefin tuna fishing on both charters and open-boat trips. Call if interested in the open trips, because the more who are interested, the easier to schedule the trips. Jersey Devil is also focusing on fishing farther offshore at the canyons on charters. 

None from the docks sailed for tuna this week because of windy weather, said Wayne from <b>Twin Lights Marina</b> in Highlands. The full supply of offshore baits is stocked, like flats of sardines and herring and chum.

<b>Shark River Inlet</b>

Offshore wreck fishing for cod, pollock and ling couldn’t be better, “just as I said it would be,” said Capt. Ralph from <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b> from Neptune in an e-mail. A trip last week clobbered 40 good-sized cod to 20 pounds, six big pollock to 30 pounds and a mix of sizeable ling. Because of the outstanding fishing, Ralph is scheduling two individual-reservation trips to the offshore wrecks August 10 and 24. Tuna fishing is the best in four years from 35 to 65 miles out. Because of the good angling, two individual-reservation tuna trips to the canyons are slated for August 12 and 26. To find out a special rate for inshore tuna trips, call or e-mail Ralph.

Capt. Tom from the <b>Nan Sea J</b> from Belmar had planned to sail for bluefin tuna on the inshore ocean Tuesday with friends, but the trip got nixed, he said. But the Nan Sea J is sailing for the bluefins on charters and open-boat trips. The open trips are sailing when space is available, and call if interested in the schedule. The tuna supposedly still swam the waters 40 miles from shore or farther, a little farther than might be preferred, but the trips will go wherever necessary. They’ll also fish in whatever way necessary: trolling, jigging or chunking. Most of the fish seemed to be trolled or jigged currently. Overnight tuna trips to the canyons will begin in September.

<b>Manasquan Inlet</b>

On a trip Tuesday Dan Bombaci jumped aboard to try to jig or popper-plug bluefin tuna during a brief weather window, Capt. Fred from <b>Andrea’s Toy Charters</b> from Point Pleasant said in the report on the boat’s Web site. The trip arrived at the Atlantic Princess wreck early in the day, but waters were pea green, holding no life. The boat was motored to the Chicken Canyon, and more life appeared. The boat was drifted, and jigging and “throwing meat,” the report said, began. Schools of rays and finicky mahi mahi swam under the boat, and one of the mahi was landed. The boat worked along the edge of the canyon, and a mother lode of skipjacks popped up. Yellowfin tuna with bluefin tuna mixed in were seen, and a bluefin was bagged. The fish was an “under,” the smaller of two of the fish of certain sizes allowed per trip. Three shots at the tuna were had, and the fish swarmed all around the boat, but no more attacked the hooks. “Dan had an arsenal of Japanese poppers and jigs I have never seen,” Fred said. But sardines, butterfish and swimming lures also failed to work. Still, the tuna and the mahi were boxed. The window of weather closed in, and the trip returned to port for lunch. The fish were brought to Clark’s Landing Marina’s Dockside Grill, and the chef prepared the bluefin in a tempura sushi roll with crab meat, drizzled with wasabi sauce. He served the mahi two ways: in a ginger/sesame/pineapple sauce; and Key West style in a coconut rum sauce. <b><i>(Continued Below)</i></b>

<b><i>(Continued from Above)</i></b> On a trip Saturday, with no trip booked in rough forecasts, Capt. Fred from Andrea’s Toy took his two sons, his dad and friends to Hudson Canyon, aiming to help the sons catch their first-ever tuna and mahi mahi. They arrived at the canyon at first light, and tuna fishing was a slow pick for most of the fleet. But a shot of small, barely legal yellowfin tuna were found in a school of skipjacks, and one of the tunas was trolled, and one of the sons reeled in the fish, his first-ever tuna. A skipjack was also landed, and next another shot of yellowfins blew up on the trolling pattern, and another legal-sized yellowfin was hooked, and one of the other anglers reeled in the fish. Then the trip tried for mahi, hopping to different lobster pot buoys until the fish were found. The other son bucktailed one of the mahi, his first-ever. Mission accomplished: a tuna and a mahi landed for the two sons. The trip left the canyon at lunchtime, stopping at the Chicken Canyon to scope out bluefins on the way home, but the bite was already over. So the anglers headed home. Andrea’s Toy is fishing on charters and open-boat trips to the mid-shore ocean for bluefin tuna and mahi mahi, and to the canyons for yellowfin tuna, mahi, billfish and tilefish. The boat specializes in mixed-bag fishing for greater fun, more chances of hooking up and more variety for dinner. See the write-up toward the bottom of <a href="http://www.andreastoycharters.com" target="_blank">Andrea’s Toy’s home page</a> to check out annual, open-boat, mixed-bag trips for big game. 

<b>Jersey Hooker Charters</b> from Point Pleasant leapt into first place in the Beach Haven Marlin and Tuna Club White Marlin Invitational with a marlin landed on the boat last Friday, the tournament’s first fishable day, an e-mail from the boat said. The fish was knocked out of first by one other white on Saturday, but the crew won all the Calcuttas for the first day and the Calcutta for heaviest white in the event. After all boats sat out fishing on that Thursday, the first day of the tournament, because of seas, the crew with Jersey Hooker – Capt. Rich Wilkowski, mate George Paley, Tom “Big-T” Wortmann, Kenny Burnes and “Mean” Dean Holonics – set out for the canyons that Friday for the tournament. They arrived at the grounds, meeting a 4- to 7-foot chop and occasional 10-footers, though forecasts had called for “prime fishing conditions,” the e-mail said. They started fishing when the committee boat called all lines in at 8 a.m. A 50-pound yellowfin tuna was trolled. After a little while, a white marlin jumped the spread and was hooked. The spread was cleared, and Capt. Rich backed down the boat, and the 69-inch white was placed in the fish box after 20 minutes. Seas worsened, and a couple of more whites entered the spread without biting. Lines out took place at 3 p.m. Back at the docks, Jersey Hooker was the only boat with a white marlin weighed in that day, jumping to the top of the leader board. On the next day, Saturday, the crew released one white, raised a couple and landed a good-sized, gaffer mahi mahi. Three whites were boated in the tournament that final day of the event, and the only one that qualified bumped Jersey Hooker out of first place. At <b>Jersey Hooker Outfitters</b>, Rich’s tackle shop in Bricktown, Capt. Brian Sweeney ran Dave Beaton’s Hard Ways to Toms Canyon on Saturday in flat-calm seas. The boat began trolling the 79.9-degree waters, and a wolf pack of bigeye tuna attacked 10 minutes later. A 236-pounder and a 134-pounder were decked. Satisfied with the catch, the anglers headed home.

Bluefin tuna jigging went 3 for 5 on the fish to 60 pounds last Friday with <b>High Hook Sport Fishing</b> from Point Pleasant, with Capt. Mark at the helm, Capt. Brenda said. On the way home the anglers stopped at a wreck, pumping up ling, cod and sea bass.

The <b>Big Kid</b> from Brielle competed Friday and Saturday in the Beach Haven Marlin and Tuna Club White Marlin Invitational, missing first place in the wahoo division by 1 pound, Capt. Ken said. The trips trolled loads of yellowfin and longfin tuna. Offshore tournaments available for charters include the Tuna Stakes Invitational on August 21 to 29 and the Manasquan River Marlin and Tuna Club Tournament on August 28 to September 5.

Fishing for bluefin tuna was good along the southwest corner of the Chicken Canyon to the Atlantic Princess wreck and east of the wreck, and yellowfin tuna were mixed in, said Dave from <b>The Reel Seat</b> in Brielle. Boaters who jigged for the bluefins looked for skipjacks and some kind of big rays the bluefins hung around. Boaters who trolled for bluefins sort of searched for them blindly. Bluefin anglers also fished with surface lures, poppers and rubber baits like Hogies. Some of the bluefins were big, and Shimano rep Doug Rush released a 68-incher. Fishing was good at Hudson Canyon farther offshore during the weekend. Yellowfin tuna, lots of billfish and some bigeye tuna were caught. Anglers picked away at the yellowfins at night, too, besides landing them during the day. Dave thought action was also seen at Toms Canyon.

<b>Beach Haven Inlet</b>

On the <b>June Bug</b> from Beach Haven anglers arrived at Lindenkohl Canyon on Saturday at 4:30 a.m., well before dawn, and began fishing, Capt. Lindsay said. Nothing bit on the troll at his usual pre-dawn spots, but an 80-pound yellowfin tuna attacked and was boated at 7:30 a.m., after the trip had moved to deep-water spots Lindsay knows. The crew discovered tuna were holding in disturbed-looking patches of waters, and another 80-pound yellowfin was trolled at one at 10 a.m. No more of the patches were seen, and a 10-foot, barnacle-covered, floating log was found at 11:30 a.m., and mahi mahi swam all around it. None bit when the boat trolled past the log, but the boat was backed down within 15 feet of the wood, and the anglers bailed the mahi while casting half-pieces of ballyhoo on spinning rods. They could’ve kept socking the dolphin but kept what they wanted to eat fresh, and that was enough. The trip began sailing home but stopped to fish at places in 40 and 50 fathoms that Lindsay knows can produce catches in the late afternoons. A white marlin was raised on a trolled cedar plug, of all things, and never chomped the plug. Then another popped a ballyhoo from the outrigger but failed to get hooked. A third white pulled on a spreader bar a moment without getting hooked. This offshore season is probably the best in 25 years, Lindsay said, and life filled the waters. If anglers are sitting on the “sidelines,” he said, they should think about going on a trip now. He understands that getting a six-angler charter together can take twisting arms and convincing, but the fishing is on. The waters in the afternoon were 76 to 77 degrees, cooler than previously, and seas were flat, with only a little northeast breeze. During the previous night 25 boats must’ve fished the canyon, and not many seemed to catch. Lindsay knew about a 150-pound mako shark landed among the vessels that night, and he heard about a 250-pound bigeye tuna boated in the area the previous evening. On the way home talk on the radio from the canyon sounded like the fishing really picked up that evening, so maybe the fish bit that night.

<b>Absecon Inlet</b>

The weather was a blowout from winds in the past days, keeping boaters from running offshore, but they caught plenty of fish last week and through the weekend, said Curt from <b>Offshore Enterprises Bait & Tackle</b> in Atlantic City. Yellowfin tuna were trolled in 40 to 50 fathoms at Carteret, Lindenkohl and Spencer canyons. Whales, porpoises – all kinds of life – filled the waters stretching from Toms Canyon to at least the Spencer. Anglers would troll seven or eight yellowfins one day and none the next. Locating the bite was the issue. With bait and life filling waters along something like a 30-mile stretch, pinpointing the tuna was no guarantee. Anglers had to search. Curt heard from anglers who tried to catch the tuna at night, but none succeeded. Hudson Canyon seemed the only place that gave up a serious night chew so far this season. But the season was early. Tons of white marlin and a few blue marlin were around. One angler said two marlin were landed on a trip one day that must’ve raised or seen 100 of the fish. Bluefin tuna were no doubt around, but everyone passed them on the way to the yellowfin grounds farther from shore. Curt saw a 150-pound bluefin free jump at a place right where he typically tells anglers to fish for them. Bluefins apparently swam the traditional grounds they always swim. The <b>Carly A</b>, the shop’s offshore charter boat, has been up and running.

<b>Great Egg Harbor Inlet</b>

Inshore trolling trips on the ocean socked all the bluefish to 3 pounds the anglers could want, mahi mahi to 6 or 7 pounds, Spanish mackerel, false albacore and football-sized bluefin tuna on Saturday and Sunday, said Capt. Eric from <b>O-Beth Sportfishing Charters</b> from Margate. A trip farther from shore last week on Tuesday trolled three yellowfin tuna to 60 pounds and two mahi inshore of Spencer Canyon. Both charters and open-boat trips are available for tuna fishing, and call if interested in the open trips.

Trolling the ocean 10 miles from shore on a trip Thursday belted small bluefish, no other fish, said Capt. Mike from the <b>Stray Cat</b> from Longport. That trip mostly bottom fished. But the trolling trips through the weekend piled up a mess of the blues, a few chub mackerel and some Spanish mackerel. The fish mixed in with the blues changed every so many days on the boat. In addition to the species already mentioned, sometimes mahi mahi and little tunny punched the trolling spread. A charter today was supposed to troll farther offshore at the Cigar. Two spaces are left on one of the season’s open-boat, overnight tuna trips that will leave at 2 p.m. Saturday, August 28. The two others are sold out on August 21 and 29. All the trips will also stop for sea bass in the mornings. These will be the only of these trips this year, unless the weather is clear in September. Then one more might be added. Rods will be available at no charge, and bait will be provided, and ice will be supplied for the tuna.

Windy weather kept most offshore reports from rolling in, but so did the White Marlin Open in Ocean City, Maryland, said John from <b>Fin-Atics</b> in Ocean City, New Jersey. Most offshore customers early this week prepared to compete in the tournament, instead of fishing. Later in the week they headed to the event. But Greg Smith weighed in a whopper, 53.8-pound mahi mahi he boated at Lindenkohl Canyon. Jerry Coombs tackled an 81.2-pound wahoo, another big fish, at the Lobster Claw.

<b>Townsend’s Inlet</b>

Good catches of yellowfin tuna were clocked at Lindenkohl, Spencer and Toms canyons, and Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Gibson’s Tackle</b> was waiting for a break this week in windy weather to go, he said.

Five trips fished offshore on two different boats from <b>Over Under Adventures</b> from Avalon from Friday to Sunday, audio reports on the Over Under’s Web site said. A day trip on Friday began fishing inshore of Lindenkohl Canyon in sloppy seas, but the crew didn’t like what they saw at the waters, deciding to move to Spencer Canyon for the rest of the day, a decision that turned out well. A good-sized blue marlin was hooked and landed in 80 fathoms at 9:30 or 10 a.m. Yellowfin tuna jumped the trolling spread a half-hour later, and three out of four were landed. Seas continued to be sloppy, and the trip decided to fish inshore on the way home. Four yellowfins bit, and two were landed, in 55 fathoms inshore of the west wall. The catches went well on the trip, totaling five yellowfins and the blue landed, among the other bites. The crew expected trips to fish to the north next. Tuna seemed to be filtering down from Hudson and Toms canyons to Carteret Canyon and maybe as far south as Spencer Canyon. An overnight trip on Friday to Saturday was probably Over Under’s best of the season so far, and fished at South Toms Canyon. Nine yellowfin tuna, sizeable ones 65 to 80 pounds, were trolled in 45 fathoms in 3 hours on Friday afternoon. The trip moved deeper toward the Continental Edge to spend the night chunking, beginning to drift in 650 feet. Only two rods were set out, and action was non-stop on yellowfin tuna. Three were kept, and the rest were released, and the anglers decided to begin sailing home at 1 a.m. They stopped at lobster pot buoys on the way, landing 25 or 30 mahi mahi. A day trip on the other boat left for the canyons at 1 a.m. Saturday, and began fishing at daybreak at South Toms Canyon in 45 fathoms where the tuna were trolled on Friday afternoon on the other boat. But not much tuna action was happening there this morning, despite pretty, blue waters. But the anglers got on a slow pick of two single yellowfin tuna that bit and were caught and two white marlin landed. The fishing around this time seemed to become best in the afternoons. The boat was trolled to Carteret Canyon with a little time left to fish. A bite had been taking place there that afternoon but now was mostly quiet, and one yellowfin was trolled in the middle of the fleet, before the time came to go home. Anglers should take the longest possible trips, like the 22-hour trips Over Under offers, to increase the odds of catching, covering more grounds, right now. On Sunday a day trip left at 2 a.m., motoring to Carteret Canyon, where the afternoon bite was happening for the fleet the previous afternoon. In the morning the trip came upon whales, porpoises and working birds, “a wild kingdom,” the report said, 15 miles inshore of the Carteret, so the anglers tried fishing there. But no tuna bit, and the afternoon fishing again seemed key. A yellowfin tuna was picked at 8 a.m. on the troll. Later in the morning a sheet of floating plywood was found, and the boat started making trolling passes at the plywood. A 55-pound yellowfin was boated, and a couple of white marlin jumped off. Another white was then missed, and so was a tuna. A big blue marlin next came all out of the waters, totally missing the lures, never returning. Mahi mahi came up next but were never hooked. The anglers fished the plywood 1 ½ hours, caught the one tuna, but missed opportunities for the other catches. The crew decided to return to the life seen that morning, and some boats there picked fish, but the trip got no bites. So the trip ended up with three yellowfins and shots missed at the other fish. Charters and   <a href=" http://overundercharters.com/index.php?page=opendates" target="_blank">open-boat trips</a> are fishing offshore.

<b>Cape May Inlet</b>

Tuna fishing was good toward the canyons when boaters had the weather to sail, said Capt. George from the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> from Cape May. Winds blew a lot during the past week. But he ran a trip offshore for friends Anthony and Heidi Berenato from Mohawk Farms, Hammonton, on their boat. Two 50-pound yellowfin tuna, their first-ever tuna, were trolled, and they were tickled, he said. They fished in 40 to 50 fathoms, short of the canyons, and two mystery bites also attacked the spread but never came tight. One ripped a ballyhoo from the outrigger but was never hooked. George later saw the line bouncing on the same rigger, picked up the rod, dropped the line back in free spool, but the fish was gone. Life including whales and porpoises filled the waters, and so did lots of boats. George talked with people who said some boats got covered up with tuna all at once, getting a shot at four or five the anglers had to capitalize on. Carteret Canyon gave up a solid bite one day, but George knew about a couple of private boaters who returned the next day, catching nothing. Whether they were experienced was unknown. Again, good fishing was happening offshore, and call if interested in heading out.

Most trips, 4- and 6-hour outings, trolled the ocean 10 miles from shore, beating mostly steady, good catches of 2- to 3-pound blues and occasional mahi mahi, Spanish mackerel, bonito or false albacore, said Capt. Bob from the <b>Down Deep</b> from Cape May. But a trip Saturday ran 78 miles offshore, trolling a few yellowfin tuna, raising a couple of white marlin that got off. At the time most yellowfins came from Lindenkohl Canyon, and most whites came from Baltimore Canyon.

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