<b>Shark River Inlet</b>

A charter who never before caught tuna or sharks was set to steam offshore at 8 a.m. Thursday with <b>Fin-Ominal Sportfishing</b> from Belmar, Capt. Jared said in a phone call before the trip. The trip first would probably try for bluefin tuna on the inshore ocean, then fish for sharks overnight, then troll the canyons offshore for yellowfin tuna and other big game.

<b>Manasquan Inlet</b>

Three yellowfin tuna to 40 pounds were bagged on a day-trolling trip to Carteret Canyon last Friday on the <b>Big Kid</b> from Brielle, Capt. Ken said. Plus the trip, with the Woodbridge Movers, went 5 for 9 on white marlin released, and trolled a 200-pound mako shark. Offshore trips are fishing, and so are trips for bluefin tuna closer to shore.

Bluefin tuna were boated at the Chicken Canyon, the Atlantic Princess wreck, the Triple Wrecks and the whole area, said Dave from <b>The Reel Seat</b> in Brielle. Most anglers fished for them at the scallop boats, either grabbing scallop guts for bait from the boats, bringing their own fresh clams for bait, or jigging for the tuna. Trolling for the bluefins would be alright if bluefish wouldn’t jump on the spread. Yellowfin tuna traveled the offshore canyons. Some were small, even throwbacks, but some were large. Bigeye tuna were busted there, and good fishing for white marlin was under way in the waters.

Blue-water fishing was weathered out this week with <b>Andrea’s Toy Charters</b> from Point Pleasant Beach, Capt. Fred said. His trips – open-boat midshore, mixed-bag ones for bluefin tuna and more, and open, mixed-bag  canyon ones for yellowfin tuna  and more – only sail in great weather. But the season’s first canyon trip sailed onboard Saturday with Bill Pisarra, who booked the boat for himself. The plan was to mix up the catch with as many species as possible, typical for Andrea’s Toy. The trip began trolling at Hudson Canyon at first light, and small yellowfin tuna covered the spread twice. The fishing went 7 for 10, including 2 keepers. The trip then tilefished, hauling in a half dozen to 10 pounds in two drifts. The boat was put back on the troll, and three mahi mahi were landed. The trip began sailing inshore for bluefins and wreck fishing. When the boat arrived at the Chicken Canyon for bluefins, other vessels reported a tough bite. But Andrea’s Toy found the same scallop boat a trip onboard had fished at the day before. Fishing was slow, and lots of bluefish schooled, but a bluefin was jigged. On the way home, ling and cod were pulled from a wreck. Six edible species were totaled for the day. On the day before, last Friday, the year’s third open-boat, mixed-bag midshore trip sailed, and was successful, like the rest. Whales and birds working the waters were found short of the first intended destination, and the anglers tried jigging for bluefins, with no luck. The trip started trolling, and a bluefin, the angler’s first-ever, was caught. The fish was an under, so the trip continued offshore, to try to bag an over. Andrea’s Toy began working the scallop boats, connecting with a 42-inch bluefin that was released. Another scallop boat was found, and Andrea’s Toy was the first to fish behind the vessel, and the anglers went 5 for 8 on bluefins landed, and a 47-incher, an over, was kept. Friends were called in, and the waters became crowded, so the trip decided to go sharking offshore of the fleet. One run-off took off, but got off. The crew began chunking hard, and bluefins came under the boat. Two 45-inch bluefins were tagged, with Save a Bluefin Tags, and were released. Because tuna fishing had been great, the trip decided to fish for mahi mahi, finding a board floating, with mahi and triggerfish loaded underneath. Unfortunately only the triggers bit. The midshore trips hunt fish like bluefins, sharks, cod and pollock in one day, and the offshore trips stalk fish like yellowfins, sharks, mahi, swordfish and cod in one overnight outing. Andrea’s Toy specializes in mixed-bag fishing for greater fun, better chances of hooking up and more variety for dinner. Call for info about the unique open trips, or charters.

<b>Barnegat Inlet</b>

From an edited e-mail from Capt. Dave DeGennaro from the <b>Hi Flier</b> from Barnegat: “I set out for Barnegat Ridge (last) Friday with Tom Beach, Whiting, the only passenger who signed up for an open-boat trip. We threw the ropes off the boat at 5:30 a.m., and set a course for North Barnegat Ridge, in search of bonito, or any tuna-like critters. After an hour of bluefish attacks and poor readings, I made a move east to the Resor Wreck, where more bluefish chomped away at my tuna lures. Glancing at the chart to plan another move, the Atlantic Princess was only another 17 miles or so, but all east …. About 2 miles shy of that spot, we had whales, chick birds, and readings, so I decided to troll in. Soon after, the flat-line cedar plug snapped, and we had our first bluefin tuna, all 24 inches of him! (With) a quick release and a new attitude, we trolled some more. Listening to the chatter on the radio, I heard my friend Capt. Fred on the Andrea’s Toy calling us in on a hot tuna bite all around the scallop boats. “C’mon Dave, it’s only 10 more miles, the ocean is flat, and we got your back,” he coaxed, and I listened. Best move ever, even though this move was all east, and put us at the Chicken Canyon, 60 miles east of my Barnegat Inlet. A destination I never would have dreamed of setting a course for in my 21 ft Sea Cat center console. We arrived, picked up some guts from an isolated scallop boat along the way, and then moved in on the two scallopers that had sport boats surrounding them, obviously the boats shucking the catch, and holding the tuna. Five minutes in, Tom was hooked up, and a half hour later, we decked a 50-pounder. We were using 20-class conventional tackle, as that is what I brought for our bonito and school tuna effort. Right back to the same scallop boat, this time I pitched in a hook bait, and immediately hooked up with a decent fish. A half-hour later, and we had our “over” fish (over 47”), about 65 to 70 pounds, and decided to head in, as that is all we could legally take, and I really wanted to start reducing the distance between us and home. A series of circumstances brought us there: a flat ocean, multiple moves to the east, friends nearby, a just-serviced four-man survival raft onboard, an EPIRB with a brand new battery, new twin motors, and a desire to battle some bluefin.  I don’t think I’ll ever venture that far again in my boat, but I’m sure glad it happened  …. We hit the dock at 5 p.m. Just goes to show, you never know what's going to happen out there. (Today) I will be running two <b>open-boat trips</b>: 5 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 12 noon to 6 p.m. We will be running to Barnegat Ridge and beyond for bonito and school tuna. Plan B is to drift the ridge for fluke, if everyone is game. Otherwise we will continue to hunt for blue-water fish. I’m fine with either, and I always pack everything onboard, so we can change it up whenever we want. The boat is chartered Saturday morning, so I will run an afternoon open boat, either to the ridge, or in the bay for fluke, or both, from 12 noon to 6 p.m. On Sunday the boat is booked all day. These open-boat trips are all 6 hours, (and) I limit the boat to three passengers. All fish are shared.”

<b>Great Egg Harbor Inlet</b>

Eleven yellowfin tuna were creamed at Spencer Canyon Saturday with <b>O-Beth Sporfishing Charters</b> from Margate, Capt. Eric said. Two white marlin and probably a 300-pound blue marlin were released. All were trolled on ballyhoos, and the 75-degree waters, with no temperature breaks, were a beautiful blue. Bait, whales and porpoises, lots of life, was all around. Reports were heard about bluefin tuna nailed along the 20- and 30-fathom lines early this week. Eric hoped that was the start of solid fishing for them. O-Beth is finished shark fishing for the season.

<b>Townsends Inlet</b>

One of the inshore sharking trips aboard sailed Sunday, catching and releasing 20 of the fish to 70 pounds, mostly duskies, and one brown, phenomenal, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> from Sea Isle City, affiliated with <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. Action included doubles and triples for the anglers: John Martin, sons Will and Jake, and Dick Lackman. They fished with mackerel on spinning rods, and the trip was the first inshore sharking of the season onboard. Another one of the trips ran Tuesday, and 16 dusky sharks to 100 pounds and two blacktip sharks were clobbered and released. That doesn’t include sharks that threw the hook or broke off, and the fishing, with the Dave Ekhard family, was tremendous, even wearing out the anglers, so they asked to return to port. They fished for three hours, and sharks were hooked almost constantly through the time. Probably not five minutes passed without one on. While the biggest shark was fought, two 50-pounders were landed. The anglers fished with mackerel on spinning and conventional rods. Trips can fly rod the sharks. The fishery, within 10 miles or closer to shore, “is truly amazing,” Joe said, taking place in July and August. Fish that size are usually only found far offshore at the canyons. The trips are a chance to tangle with big fish close to shore on light tackle. An offshore trip fished aboard last Friday at Lindenkohl Canyon, bagging five yellowfin tuna, releasing additional yellowfins and jumping a white marlin. Waters were 72 degrees and pretty much the same temp throughout the area, and canyons to the south held warmer waters, but the trip looked for coolers waters to target tuna. Fish offshore began to “spread out,” Joe said. Offshore fishing remained good, and anglers should jump aboard while the bites are on. Bluefin tuna, all different sizes, including big ones, were caught closer to shore at 19-Fathom Lump.

<b>Cape May Inlet</b>

Inshore trolling began, was good, said Capt. Bob from the <b>Down Deep</b> from Cape May. That’s what Cape May boaters call the fishing for small blues and other fish that can be mixed in on the ocean on the troll, not far from shore. Plenty of the blues, some bonito and even some mahi mahi were trolled on the vessel. Offshore fishing for yellowfin tuna and other big game was also happening. Dave Berger’s trip aboard gaffed yellowfins to 65 pounds and three mahi mahi, including a big one 32 ½ pounds 56 inches, and released three white marlin. Dates remain for inshore trolling or offshore fishing.

Anglers with <b>Relentless Sport Fishing</b> from Cape May pumped in six yellowfin tuna and two large blue sharks last week on Thursday, and four yellowfins and a sizeable mako shark last Friday, Capt. Dave Bart said. The trips, fishing in clear, warm waters between Baltimore and Wilmington canyons, shark fished overnight. Then they trolled for the tuna, 35- to 40-pounders, in the mornings. Lots of marlin that were caught were heard about.

A trip on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> from Cape May fished inshore for sharks Sunday, catching and releasing numerous big browns, Capt. George said. Offshore fishing was good for yellowfin tuna. Boaters had been nailing yellowfins near Poorman’s Canyon last week on Thursday and Friday. Then the Navy held maneuvers there, keeping anglers 20 miles from the grounds, on Saturday. Bluefin tuna were heard about that were boated at the Cigar. Bluefins had been landed at Massey’s Canyon, but George heard the catches turned off Tuesday, and waters were green. Call to ask about Bluefin Special Trips. Inshore trolling was on. The fishing, close to shore, fought plenty of small blues, and one angler talked about catching bonito on one of the trips this week. Occasional mahi mahi and some chub mackerel also showed up on the trips. Plenty of dates are available for brown sharking, inshore trolling, Bluefin Special Trips, and offshore fishing. Call if interested.

Inshore trolling was heating up for fish like small blues, bonito and skipjacks on the ocean, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b> in Cape May. One customer axed all three at 5-Fathom Bank. Plus other species were around that show up inshore in summer, like cobia and mahi mahi.

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