Nothing was heard about bluefin tuna like before the storms, said Capt. Derek from <b>Fisher Price Charters</b> from the Highlands. But fishing for yellowfin tuna and longfin tuna picked up at the canyons after the storms, as fish-holding waters moved in, so anglers sailed for them instead.

Second-hand reports said yellowfin tuna were slammed offshore between Hudson and Lindenkohl canyons, said Wayne from <b>Twin Lights Marina</b> in the Highlands. Nothing was heard about bluefin tuna.

<b>Shark River Inlet</b>

A canyon trip crushed 19 yellowfin tuna and 9 longfin tuna Monday to Tuesday with <b>Fin-Ominal Sportfishing</b> from Belmar, Capt. Jared said. The trip didn’t limit out on yellowfins, because seven people were aboard, but that was a nice trip, Jared said. The tuna were big, averaging 70 pounds. Some mahi mahi and triggerfish were also landed. All the tuna were nailed from dusk through night to morning on bait and jigs, and none was trolled. The trip, leaving 7 a.m. Monday, arrived at the fishing grounds, a hundred miles from port, at 1 p.m. The boat trolled for several hours, and a few small mahi were taken, but no tuna bit. A half-hour before dark, waters lit up with all kinds of life, including all different types of whales. Skipjacks were seen busting the surface, and the anglers jigged a couple. Then they jigged a couple of yellowfins that swam below the skippies, and tuna fishing was on. The boat was never even anchored through the night, because tuna kept getting whacked. Instead the boat was put on three drifts through the night, and the anglers kept catching tuna. All kinds of bait and life was seen, including squid, and the life was amazing on the trip, Jared said. The vessel was kept on the drift until 9 a.m., then was trolled until noon. Nothing bit on the troll, and the trip, with a great catch, Jared said, reached port Tuesday evening.

<b>Manasquan Inlet</b>

Canyon fishing was up and down, on some days was great, and on others was not, said Capt. Fred from <b>Andrea’s Toy Charters</b> from Point Pleasant Beach. But an open-boat trip aboard Monday limited out on yellowfin tuna and released more, landing more than 30 of the fish to 50 pounds, bagging a 100-pound swordfish, too. The trip first trolled in waters to the south that were 77 degrees and cobalt blue. Lots of skipjacks, no tuna, bit. But as the boat was set up to chunk at night, the fish finder lit up like a Christmas tree, before the anchor came tight. A yellowfin hammered the first bait set out, a sardine, an instant bite, and fishing for the tuna was lock and load for the next hour, and the anglers limited out. “Took a break and cleared our heads,” a report on Andrea’s Toy’s Web site said, and some of the anglers grabbed a bite to eat. At midnight the fishing came on again, and the anglers began catching yellowfins, this time on jigs dropped down to marks, and a limit was boxed for the crew. A 100-pound swordfish was bagged on bait, then the anglers napped from 1 a.m. to 4 a.m. More yellowfins were jigged and released from 4 a.m. to 5 a.m. The trip ran back to port, “and cleaned up by lunchtime,” the report said. Open-boat, mixed-bag trips are sailing offshore for catches like yellowfin tuna, bluefin tuna, swordfish, mahi mahi, tilefish, cod and pollock, all in one outing. Andrea’s Toy specializes in mixed-bag fishing for greater fun, better chances of hooking up and more variety for dinner. Anglers can call Fred if interested in the unique outings.

Canyon tuna fishing was very good during the weekend, said Dave from <b>The Reel Seat</b> in Brielle. Anglers on a trip on the party boat Sea Devil reportedly limited out the vessel on tuna and heaved in some swordfish. Both of the Canyon Runner charter boats reportedly loaded up on longfin tuna during the daytime troll and caught some yellowfin tuna at night. Nighttime tuna fishing was somewhat starting to catch on. Seas became rough Sunday, but a bunch of boats were still headed out to the canyons that day. Dave jumped aboard a party boat tilefish trip offshore last week that went well, producing tiles, some hake and a bunch of rosefish. He was headed back out on one of the trips this week.

<b>Little Egg Inlet</b>

An overnight trip for tuna was scheduled for today on the <b>June Bug</b> from Beach Haven, Capt. Lindsay said, and friends limited out on yellowfin tuna at night on a trip to Carteret Canyon. The fish were small, 20 to 40 pounds, but the catch was abundant, and even more of the yellowfins were released on the outing, after the anglers limited out.

Great catches of tuna were heard about from along the 100-fathom line at night Friday to Saturday, said Capt. T.J. from <b>Legal Limit Charters</b> from Tuckerton. Some boats bailed 20 or 30, and the nighttime chunk bite had turned on. Offshore fishing became a matter of getting the weather window to sail, though, and rough weather was currently forecast. Dates are available for tuna fishing.

<b>Great Egg Harbor Inlet</b>

Most offshore news rolled in from Lindenkohl Canyon, said Bill from <b>Fin-Atics</b> from Ocean City. Mostly yellowfin tuna were boated there, both at night on the chunk and during the day on the troll.

<b>Townsend’s Inlet</b>

Friends fished offshore Saturday, tackling lots of mahi mahi, and getting some wahoo bite-offs, at Lindenkohl Canyon, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. Mahi mahi and wahoos lately gave up strong catches at the Lindenkohl, and white marlin fishing was good at Poorman’s Canyon. Tuna began to be chunked at night along the canyons. Jersey Cape is fishing offshore.

<b>Cape May Inlet</b>

The first overnight tuna trip of the season sailed Saturday to Sunday on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> from Cape May, Capt. George said, and tuna fishing was slow, and sounded slow for everyone in the area. But one tuna and lots of mahi mahi, 60 of the dolphin, were cracked on the Heavy Hitter. The tuna was trolled along the 100-fathom line off Spencer Canyon during the first day, and nothing hit at night, except a couple of quick break-offs that were probably sharks. In the morning the trip steamed toward Wilmington Canyon, then started working inshore, fishing lobster pot buoys for the mahi that were bailed. A 30-pounder was the biggest mahi, and the rest were chickens. Tuna catches sounded better to the north over the weekend, and George heard about a party boat that reportedly loaded up on the fish at Toms Canyon. But on the waters to the south around the Heavy Hitter, anglers on the radio talked about a tuna caught here, or there, or a short sometimes released. On the Heavy Hitter the waters at night looked dynamite, and were full of bait or squid and rudderfish. The Heavy Hitter will keep fishing for tuna.

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