Welcome to the first Offshore Report of 2012!

<b>Shark River Inlet</b>

A mako shark was bagged, and a couple of blue sharks were released, Monday on the season’s first shark trip with <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b> from Neptune, Capt. Ralph said. The trip was on the way home by 10 a.m. The mako was 79 inches long, so it probably weighed 195 to 215 pounds. Waters were 68 degrees or warm, so anglers better act quickly. “Anyone wants makos,” Ralph said, “you’ve got to do it <i>now</i>. The time is now.” Only a couple of openings remain for shark charters. All the shark tournaments are booked aboard, except one space is available for the South Jersey Shark Tournament June 7 to 10.

An angler at the docks this weekend returned with a sizeable mako, and the trip landed a couple of other sharks, Capt. Mike from the <b>Katie H</b> from Belmar said. Sharking looked promising. The Katie H’s season’s first shark fishing at the moment is slated to compete in Mako Mania on June 23 and 24.  After shark fishing, tuna trips will begin aboard.

Someone from the docks caught a mako larger than 200 pounds this weekend, said Capt. Jared from <b>Fin-Ominal Sportfishing</b> from Belmar. The season was early, and waters were cool or 63 degrees, where the shark was socked. Fin-Ominal usually begins catching sharks when waters reach 67 degrees. Fin-Ominal will begin shark fishing soon, including in shark tournaments, on charters. Fin-Ominal won major shark tournaments in recent years, including last year’s Brett T. Bailey Mako Rodeo. Fin-Ominal’s new, larger, 50-foot boat was working out well. Larger groups than before were taking advantage.  Up to 15 can fish aboard, or up to 23 can sail on pleasure cruises.

<b>Manasquan Inlet</b>

Yellowfin tuna were trolled at the southern canyons, said Eric from <b>The Reel Seat</b> in Brielle. Bluefin tuna were around but were “squirrelly,” he said. He saw a few bluefins when ling fishing. But anglers weren’t consistently catching bluefins. The shop in mid May reported 60- and 70-pound bluefins trolled at the Chicken Canyon, and in early May talked about bluefins trolled at Manasquan Ridge. In early May, striped bass anglers were heard about who hooked a few bluefins they broke off. In April the store reported commercial anglers seeing bluefins.

<b>Andrea’s Toy Charters</b> from Point Pleasant Beach, in a couple of weeks, will begin annual, mixed-bag, open-boat trips for sharks, tuna, cod and pollock, Capt. Fred said. Andrea’s Toy specializes in unique trips like that: open-boat, mixed-bag outings to the blue waters. That offers greater fun, best chances for catching, and more variety for dinner. The trips will fish mid shore at first. Then the trips will begin to push offshore to the canyons, when tuna fishing gains steam there. On the mid-shore trips, anglers will fish for a day, typically hunting sharks and bluefin tuna first, then maybe searching the wrecks for cod and pollock. On the offshore trips, anglers will fish from an afternoon though the next morning for a variety of tuna, sharks, swordfish, mahi mahi and more. A typical trip might troll for tuna the first afternoon, then set up for drifting at night. At night, tuna, sharks and swords will be targeted. Back on the troll in the morning, the trips will stalk tuna. Sometimes anglers then will pitch baits to mahi mahi at the lobster pot buoys. Sometimes trips will deep-drop for tilefish or fish wrecks for cod and pollock. And so on. They’re incredible trips. Reserve dates soon, or call to ask about the fishing.

<b>Barnegat Inlet</b>

The <b>Hi Flier</b> from Barnegat will start running chartered and open-boat to Barnegat Ridge and beyond on July 1, Capt. Dave DeGennaro said in an e-mail.  Catch Nick Honachefsky’s story in the June issue of Salt Water Sportsman Magazine about the bonito and false albacore fishing. For three weeks last year, bluefin tuna and small mahi mahi were mixed in. “Hoping for a repeat of that,” Dave said.

<b>Beach Haven Inlet</b>

It’s June! The <b>June Bug</b> was returned to Beach Haven for the season on an overnight trip Friday to Saturday, Capt. Lindsay said. That was after the boat was kept at Oregon Inlet, North Carolina, since winter, like every year. The vessel is ready to sail from home port in Beach Haven in June, like its namesake schedule. On the trip, the crew headed to the 50-fathom line, and began trolling north, looking for a stream of warm waters that satellite charts showed. The 78-degree, bright-blue, beautiful waters, from the Gulf Stream, were found, and a couple of mahi mahi were landed. Some skipjacks had been trolled before the warm waters. Then the crew pulled in the lines and began steaming inshore, and a fleet was seen in 69-degree waters, but didn’t seem to catch. Lindsay guessed they hadn’t pushed far enough offshore to reach the warm waters. Inshore trips, including for striped bass, are on the books for the next couple of weeks. The season’s first tuna charter is scheduled for mid June.

<b>Great Egg Harbor Inlet</b>

One trip for tuna offshore was heard about that got skunked but pelted lots of mahi mahi, said Phil from <b>Fin-Atics</b> in Ocean City. Nothing was heard about sharks.

<b>Townsend’s Inlet</b>

Nothing about offshore fishing was heard this week, probably because of weather, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b>, affiliated with <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>, in Sea Isle City. But Joe will sail for tuna soon, and if anglers want tuna, don’t wait. The fish were here. Tuna might be here later, but they were here now. In the past week, a friend trolled eight yellowfin tuna at the southern canyons, and another angler trolled 11, and both left them biting. Another friend landed an 80- or 90-pound blue shark and a couple of brown sharks close to shore.

Shark fishing was good, and catches were heard about from Sea Isle Ridge and the wrecks Misty Blue and Beranger, said Mike from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b> in Sea Isle City. Makos, threshers and blue sharks were fought. No first-hand reports were heard about tuna from customers. But second-hand reports said tuna were in. Baits, including for sharks, are fully stocked.

<b>Cape May Inlet</b>

A friend smoked 14 yellowfin tuna 40 to 50 pounds on a trip in the past week, said Capt. George from the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> from Cape May. He heard nothing about tuna fishing this week. A few sharks were heard about that were caught, and Jim’s Bait & Tackle’s Shark Tournament will be held this weekend from Cape May. Shark and tuna charters are available, and call if interested.

Lots of yellowfin tuna were trolled at Baltimore Canyon, said Capt. Bob from the <b>Down Deep</b> from Cape May. Someone from the marina ran a trip that axed 10 or 11 on Saturday. Nothing was heard about sharks. Charters are available for both fish.

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