<b>Sandy Hook</b>
Winds blew a lot, like 30-knot winds Thursday morning at the docks, diminishing in the afternoon, but still 15 to 20, said Wayne from <b>Twin Lights Marina</b> in the Highlands. So nothing was heard about offshore fishing during the week. But anglers supposedly smoked yellowfin tuna and longfin tuna, lots, at Hudson Canyon previously. The full supply of offshore baits is stocked.
<b>Manasquan Inlet</b>
Canyon trips bailed longfin tuna, yellowfin tuna and mahi mahi, lots of the fish, on the party boat <b>Gambler</b> from Point Pleasant Beach, Capt. Bob said. A swordfish or two were pumped in on every trip, and anglers who wanted tilefish could drop lines to the bottom to pull them in at almost every location fished. The fishing’s been good, Bob said, and the tuna mostly weighed 30 to 60 pounds, and the swords were mostly 75 to 100 pounds. A 48-hour trip aboard last week from Wednesday to Friday was very exciting, Bob wrote in a report on the boat’s Web site. Fish bit nearly the whole time on the tuna grounds, with only a few breaks in the action. On the first night to day, the Gambler was drifted for miles, and the anglers caught 25- to 50-pound longfins, 30- to 60-pound yellowfins, a swordfish, mahi mahi and tilefish. The tuna were hooked on both bait and jigs. The action slowed halfway through the second day. Then, as the boat was sailed to another location, the trip stopped at flotsam, and 4- to 20-pound mahi mahi gave up very good fishing for a solid two hours, before the trip moved on. Winds and seas became rough by the time the boat was anchored at the new spot, and those conditions and winds against the tide made fishing difficult. But a big yellowfin tuna was landed within 1 ½ hours, “and it was game on again,” Bob said. Yellowfins and longfins, and a swordfish, were fought throughout the night. “Truly a trip to be remembered,” Bob said. The Gambler will probably fish the canyons at least through the month, and if the fishing keeps up, a couple of trips might be added in November. Room is available on the trips, especially on weekdays. Anglers might even be able to jump on a trip last minute, if a space or two or so are available. Don’t hesitate to call to ask. Visit the <a href="http://www.gamblerfishing.net/offshoretrips.html" target="_blank">Gambler’s tuna schedule</a> online. An Exotics Trip, targeting false albacore and bonito, is slated for 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, October 15.
Nothing was heard about inshore fishing for bluefin tuna last week, said Chuck from <b>The Reel Seat</b> in Brielle. Anglers sailed for them, but bluefins seemed relatively scarce, and the bait seemed not to be there in populations. Farther from shore last week, lots of longfin tuna were burned, mostly on the troll, but a few on jigs, at Hudson Canyon and a few canyons south of there. Nighttime fishing last week was decent for yellowfin tuna at the canyons until Saturday night, when catches slowed, and green waters moved in. The yellowfins were mostly 30 to 40 pounds, occasionally 70 pounds, and swordfish and bigeye tuna were occasionally cranked in.
<b>Barnegat Inlet</b>
Forecasts are gorgeous for today and Saturday, so open-boat trips were expected to run off to Barnegat Ridge and/or the Mudhole on the <b>Hi Flier</b> from Barnegat, Capt. Dave DeGennaro said in an e-mail. Waters cleaned up to crystal clear, so the trips will pack spearing and live bait, targeting bonito, false albacore and bluefin tuna. “Looking to anchor and bait fish more than troll on these trips,” Dave said. The trips today and Saturday will leave at 6 a.m., returning around 2 p.m., limited to three people, and all fish are shared.
<b>Great Egg Harbor Inlet</b>
Second-hand reports said tuna and marlin galore swam to the south, but no customers could confirm that, because of the weather this week, said John from <b>Fin-Atics</b> in Ocean City.
<b>Townsends Inlet</b>
Offshore fishing was currently good, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b> in Sea Isle City. “No question,” he said. Lots of tuna were chunked at night, and white marlin were on the hunt at the southern canyons like the Poorman’s and Baltimore, and farther south. Jersey Cape is fishing offshore.
<b>Cape May Inlet</b>
Fishing was weathered out this week and through the weekend, said Capt. George from the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> from Cape May. He knew about no boats that sailed. But he knew about a party-boat-sized charter boat that previously put anglers on 31 tuna the other night. The trip also hooked tuna and wahoos during the day, but more fish overnight. Call if interested in sailing for the fish.
Trips were cancelled on the <b>Down Deep</b> from Cape May because of weather, Capt. Bob said. But a father-and-son charter aboard last week on Tuesday steamed to Wilmington Canyon. Mahi mahi, good sized ones to 22 pounds, including a few around 20, and two yellowfin tuna 35 pounds were cracked, and a white marlin was missed. So that was a good catch, and a good experience for the son, 13-year-old Kevin Witasik, Bob said. Dates remain for charters.