<b>Sandy Hook</b>

Capt. Derek Bielitz from <b>Fisher Price Charters</b> from the Highlands steamed on a bluefin tuna trip on another boat Tuesday, he said. The fishing wasn’t great but wasn’t bad, “considering nobody’s really been doing it,” he said. Tuna anglers kept sailing farther offshore to the canyons for yellowfins and longfins, probably running past bluefins. But the trip went 1 for 3 on bluefins to 40 pounds on jigs in 30 fathoms. The 70- to 72-degree waters looked great, weren’t blue, but were clear. If bluefins this year swim closer to shore like some seasons, Fisher Price will go after them on charters and open-boat trips like usual.

<b>Manasquan Inlet</b>

First-time canyon fishers sailed on one of the mixed-bag trips offshore overnight Saturday to Sunday with <b>Andrea’s Toy Charters</b> from Point Pleasant Beach, a report on the boat’s Web site said. The trip arrived at the fishing grounds in time to begin drifting on the overnight chunk. Life began to build around the boat once the lights were turned on and the chunking began. Squid and lots of bait swarmed, and swordfish were seen. A pup sword was caught and released, then a bigger one showed “but would not commit,” the report said. Six blue sharks to 10 feet were wrestled during the night, and a flurry of tuna turned on in the morning. The trip went 2 for 4 on yellowfin tuna and one 60-pound longfin tuna. Afterward, up on the troll, instant action was scored, and each of the four anglers landed a tuna. A mahi mahi was also bagged, then six more longfins were pumped in. All this happened in less than an hour. The anglers had enough, and the trip ran for home, docking before lunch. Five different species were caught. Mixed-bag canyon charters will keep sailing, and space remains for mixed-bag, open-boat trips to the canyons, and call if interested. Andrea’s Toy is strictly canyon fishing until the end of October, and specializes in mixed-bag fishing for greater fun, better chances of hooking up, and more variety for dinner. Check out Capt. Fred Gamboa from Andrea’s Toy’s article in the latest issue of the Big Game Journal about the fishing.

Anglers could troll all the longfin tuna they wanted at Hudson Canyon, said Dave from <b>The Reel Seat</b> in Brielle. The best nighttime fishing for tuna, yellowfins, went down at Carteret Canyon and to the south. Often dusk and dawn gave up good shots of the fish, and anglers picked away at the yellowfins through the night. Many of the yellowfins were jigged – including on hammered jigs, Jersey Jay’s, Stingo’s and Shimano butterfly jigs – because so many shearwaters kept stealing baits. Quite a few swordfish and even white marlin were taken at night. Shimano Waxwing jigs worked well to clock mahi mahi offshore. Not much was heard about bluefin tuna, though anglers on the Bounty Hunter reportedly looked for bluefins last week, catching them, though the location wasn’t reported. Scattered reports were heard about bigger bluefins chasing bunker schools from close to shore to 3 miles out. One customer searched for giant bluefins at the Mudhole on three trips, marked a few, but caught none yet.

<b>Barnegat Inlet</b>

Capt. Dave DeGennaro from the <b>Hi Flier</b> from Barnegat was netting a good amount of peanut bunker lately, and forecasts this week looked good to run offshore toward the Mudhole to try for bluefin tuna, setting up on the chunk, he said in an e-mail. He’s bringing a barrelful of live peanuts, and will start a spearing slick for any of the tuna family: bonito, false albacore, skipjacks “and hopefully bluefin,” he said. Space is available on one of the trips 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, limited to three people. All fish are shared, and call to reserve. One of the trips was supposed to sail today.

<b>Little Egg Inlet</b>

An offshore trip Sunday on the <b>June Bug</b> from Beach Haven “fell apart,” Capt. Lindsay said. But boaters that day scored very well on 30-pound longfin tuna trolled along 100 fathoms at Toms Canyon, loading up. Nothing was heard about anglers who fished for tuna overnight. An overnight trip is supposed to hunt tuna on the June Bug this weekend, if the weather allows. Lindsay likes to leave four days open for an overnight trip when possible, helping ensure the outing gets the weather to go.

“How many tuna do you want?” Capt. T.J. from <b>Legal Limit Charters</b> from Tuckerton asked, tongue in cheek. A day trip aboard offshore Sunday trolled seven longfin tuna, two yellowfin tuna, some mahi mahi and a white marlin. Tuna fishing was good that day for boaters along the 100-fathom line, no particular place, pretty much up and down. Two would be hooked there, one there, and so on. Plus tuna fishing at night whaled the catches. Boats that left Saturday evening were returning with limits Sunday morning while the day boats were on their way out.

<b>Great Egg Harbor Inlet</b>

Offshore fishing was great when boaters got the weather to sail, said Ed from <b>Fin-Atics</b> in Ocean City. Lots of yellowfin tuna were trolled during the day and chunked at night at the canyons to the north like the Lindenkohl and Spencer. Swordfish were hauled in at night. Farther north toward Hudson Canyon, yellowfins were trolled and chunked, and longfin tuna were trolled.

<b>Townsend’s Inlet</b>

Friends fished offshore to the south at Poorman’s, Wilmington and Norfolk canyons, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b> in Sea Isle City. More wahoos than usual swam, biting off lines meant for marlin. Good to great white marlin fishing was under way at Baltimore Canyon. Tuna, excellent catches, were plowed on the overnight chunk at Carteret and Lindenkohl canyons. Swordfish also bit on the trips. Jersey Cape is fishing offshore.

<b>Cape May Inlet</b>

Tuna were chunked offshore at night, and the fishing sounded good at canyons toward the Lindenkohl, said Capt. George from the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> from Cape May. A customer told George about a trip the customer joined on a Long Beach Island party boat that reportedly got into non-stop catches of 30- to 70-pound tuna when the sun went down, limiting out, sailing for home early at 3 a.m. A couple of swordfish were reportedly in the mix. The trip fished at Toms Canyon, the crew told the anglers. Catches seemed to be made at canyons farther south like the Wilmington on some trips, but seemed like anglers had to get on them on the right day. Another charter boat from the dock trolled a couple of tuna and some good-sized mahi mahi at the Wilmington on Tuesday during the daytime. The Heavy Hitter is fishing offshore on daytime trolling trips and overnight chunking ones, and call if interested.

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