<b>Shark River Inlet</b>
Cod fishing was fair aboard Sunday with <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b> from Neptune, Capt. Ralph said in an e-mail. More than 20 of the fish to 12 and 15 pounds were boxed. The catch wasn’t up to what he expected, and the trip didn’t fish a couple of wrecks that lately held big cod. “Afraid of weekend warriors,” Ralph said. “(On) the wreck we had the best results on, we had to contend with (a boat) we could have passed food to … as he was drifting by us – one of the reasons I hate fishing for certain species on the weekends.” Lots of out-of-season sea bass to 5 pounds were released. The next individual-reservation trip for cod and pollock is set for November 23. Charters are also available for them and tuna.
With <b>Fin-Ominal Sportfishing</b> from Belmar, two trips fished for tuna at Wilmington Canyon, about 115 miles south of Shark River Inlet, Capt. Jared said. One sailed just before the last storm, and the other ran Sunday to Monday. Both trips scored okay, boxing a total of about 25 tuna.
<b>Manasquan Inlet</b>
Two overnight tuna trips steamed Friday to Saturday and Saturday to Sunday on the party boat <b>Gambler</b> from Point Pleasant Beach, Capt. Bob said. The first trip limited out on yellowfin tuna at Spencer Canyon at 70-degree waters that were found. The 30- to 70-pounders bit throughout the night, and mahi mahi and skipjacks were also reeled in. The trip Saturday to Sunday was also very good. All the patrons, from the Jersey Coast Shark Anglers, probably limited out on yellowfins, and a few of the fish were big, weighing up to a 65-pounder that Cristyn Jones, Toms River, decked. A couple of longfin tuna were also bagged. But the highlight of the trip was a huge swordfish, probably 500 pounds, that John Sameth from Roselle heaved in. The fish was 14 feet from the tip of the sword to the end of the tail. From the lower jaw to the fork of the tail, it was 9 feet, with a 6-foot girth. Some of the anglers used formulas calculating the weight to be 800 pounds. But Bob didn’t think the fish weighed that much. Still, the sword was a monster. More tuna trips were slated aboard for Thursday to today and Saturday to Sunday, and daily striped bass trips aboard will kick off Tuesday. However, a couple of tuna trips might be added for November, because the fishing’s been so good. “Like old-time tuna fishing,” Bob said. Trips also had the weather to sail this fall more than in recent falls, though some of the tuna trips were weathered out this season.
On the party boat <b>Jamaica II</b> from Brielle, the catch was okay on a cod trip Saturday, Capt. Ryan said in an e-mail. Mostly schoolies, no big cod, chomped, and most anglers went home with fish, “but a few caught the skunk,” Ryan said. Fishing was best in the middle of the boat through the day, for some reason, probably current. The bow and stern were out of the current on a few drops. Customers and their catches included: Bob Plasket, 18 cod; Wesley Shourt, 15 cod; Omar Richardson, 12 cod; Dave Tootchen, 11 cod; and Bobby Bohrer, 9 cod. The next cod trip is slated for 2 a.m. Sunday.
Bluefin tuna were picked at the Monster Ledge, all on the troll, last week, said Dave from <b>The Reel Seat</b> in Brielle. At the canyons, the Wilmington gave up tuna during the early weekend, when the weather finally calmed. Boats also fished the canyons Sunday, and results were yet to be heard, but Dave expected more news about canyon fishing this week, after news from the boaters rolled in.
<b>Great Egg Harbor Inlet</b>
Tuna were boated at Spencer Canyon during the weekend, mostly on the overnight chunk, said Bill from <b>Fin-Atics</b> in Ocean City.
<b>Townsend’s Inlet</b>
A few false albacore were trolled at the Cigar, and even a mahi mahi was trolled there maybe a week ago, said Mike from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. So inshore trolling still produced. Nothing was heard about canyon tuna fishing in the weather in the past several days.
A friend took a trip that whaled 17 yellowfin tuna and three big mahi mahi at Wilmington Canyon from Sunday to Monday, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> from Sea Isle City, affiliated with <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. The fish were axed on the overnight chunk, and the early morning was best. Jersey Cape is fishing offshore.