<b>Sandy Hook</b>

Bluefin tuna fishing was on a roll at the Mudhole, both on the chunk and on the troll, fairly consistent fishing, said Capt. Brian from <b>Jersey Devil Charters</b> from the Highlands. Jersey Devil took a chunking trip to the Hole on Saturday for a catch of four bluefins from 25 to 40 pounds and some 17-pound mahi mahi. A friend scored well on the bluefins Sunday. Book now if you want to catch tuna close to shore, because this fishing doesn’t turn on every year. The water on Jersey Devil’s trip was clean and 70 to 71 degrees, and fog was thick. Canyon tuna fishing was also producing plenty of catches, mainly on the chunk.

Five bluefin tuna and three false albacore were trolled at the Monster Ledge last Friday with <b>Jersey Shore Fishing Charters</b> from Sea Bright, Capt. Jake said. On Sunday three mahi mahi, three false albacore and a skipjack were trolled at the HA buoy. Jersey Shore will keep running such trips for the moment.

Capt. Kyle from <b>Evening Tide Charters</b> from Laurence Harbor trolled the Mudhole over the weekend and fought false albacore to the boat, he said. Something big was hooked twice, maybe the bluefin tuna that were supposedly swimming the Monster Ledge and the south side of the Hole. A buddy chunked at the Monster Ledge on Monday, and he caught nothing, but commercial tuna boats were working the area. The friend also saw a boater hooked up to a fish a half-hour, something big.

<b>Shark River Inlet</b>

Tuna fishing at Hudson Canyon produced a mix of longfins and yellowfins, a pretty good catch, from Friday to Saturday on the <b>Nan Sea J</b> from Belmar, Capt. Tom said. All the fish were chunked, except one longfin that was trolled. On the chunk butterfish, sardines and squid were the baits, and none worked best, and the water was 70 degrees, not too warm. But it was beautiful, blue and held lots of squid. Tuna that night were everywhere from the Hudson to the southern canyons, and the fishing was good. The boat will keep sailing offshore through October.

The <b>Bandit</b> was headed out on a bluefishing charter at the Mudhole 16 miles from Shark River Inlet last night when Capt. Scotty gave this report, and he said there was a definite ground swell, but otherwise seas were smooth. Bluefishing’s been excellent on the boat, and the vessel was also sailing on open-boat tuna trips. In the past eight days the tuna fishing went like this. The most recent trip fished 96 miles east of the inlet and produced 40- to 45-pound longfin tuna. The previous trip took the long run to the southern canyons 131 miles from the inlet and came back with yellowfin tuna to 90 pounds. The trip before that bagged 41 yellowfins to 108 pounds. A tuna charter is booked for this Sunday to Monday, and space is available on open tuna trips next week.

<b>Manasquan Inlet</b>

Space is available on tuna trips Saturday and Sunday and on most trips this coming week on the <b>Jamaica</b>, an e-mail from the boat said. A trip Wednesday night produced a slow pick, and plenty of tuna were marked under the boat most of the night, but they never really turned on. Yellowfins and a few longfins made up most of the catch. But tuna fishing was very good on a trip Friday, and a number of tuna were picked that night until the action became very good at 3:30 a.m. Three to seven tuna from 65 to 80 pounds were hooked constantly at times, and they weighed 65 to 80 pounds. Mike Torrisi limited out on yellowfins to 78 pounds, and a number of patrons caught two to three yellowfins and some longfins. Saturday night’s fishing wasn’t as good but still produced catches, and the boat stopped at lobster pots for a chance to land mahi mahi on the way home, but the dolphin weren’t cooperating. The water temp on both trips was 73.4 degrees. Trips are running to the canyons at 5 p.m. every day this month when the weather cooperates, and many of the trips are sailing in November. The 110-foot <b>Atlantis</b> will run a Mudhole tuna trip 3 a.m. Sunday, October 21.

Offshore fishing was better than hit or miss, but some anglers produced more catches than others, said Dave from <b>The Reel Seat</b> in Brielle. The Moon Dancer with owners Lud and Jen Bohler and Capt. Mike Petrole returned from Spencer Canyon on Saturday and reported boating six longfin tuna, a 90-pound yellowfin, some 20-pound mahi mahi and a 110-pound swordfish, all on bait, and they tried jigging, but jigging hooked nothing. Dave fished on the party boat Voyager last week from Wednesday to Thursday, and tuna fishing was on the slow side, and eight or nine longfins were boated. Once the sun rose, tuna were streaking through the slick but refused to bite. Dave in the morning started tilefishing, and he pulled up two right away, and then a bunch of anglers started tilefishing. He ended up with three tiles to 30 pounds, and most seemed to catch at least one, and one angler nailed a 200-pound bigeye tuna on a tilefish rig fished along the bottom. Dave had brought squid to fish for the tiles, and he’ll use regular old frozen squid that’s sold for fluke bait, putting two on a hook if the squid are small. He also keeps squid that he catches during the night for tuna but died and drops them down to the bottom for tiles. But the tiles will hit nearly anything, and Dave has landed them on ballyhoos during the summer, and both tuna and mahi belly has also worked for him. Some people even use Gulp squid with good results, but Dave uses circle hooks, so he doesn’t prefer Gulps. Some also use the sardines that are popular for tuna fishing, but the sardines are fragile, and Dave doesn’t want to have any doubts about whether the bait is still on the hook when fishing that deep along the bottom, and he would at least not use sardines on both hooks for that reason. Close to shore, bluefin tuna fishing was turning on pretty well at the Monster Ledge, and most anglers were chunking them, like on butter fish with maybe spearing spicing up the slick. Some also jigged the fish, which ranged from small ones to 50-pounders. 

Capt. Larry from the <b>Reel-Ality</b> from Brielle took a trip by himself and trolled a 28- or 30-inch bluefin tuna but lost it at the boat in very foggy weather that kept the trip short, he said. Larry declined to name the location, “no sense in giving it away,” he said, but the fish were there, and others caught them fairly reliably, so if anyone wants to nab bluefins inshore, jump aboard now while the fishing is possible. Space is open for charters both this weekend and next. Larry first marked a pile of baitfish under the boat and trolled all around them. Then he moved away for a moment but then came back, and this time the bait was more spread out, like something was breaking them up. Then “boom!” the bluefin hit the spread. An angler with Reel-Ality loaded up on bonito and a couple of false albacore in the ocean off Spring Lake Sunday morning till the action dropped off at 11 a.m. A bunch of bluefish started hitting then, so the boat left, but the angler took home a dozen of the tasty bonito, 4- or 5-pounders, good-sized ones. The water was clear, and a trip with Reel-Ality a couple of weeks ago also found bonito off Spring Lake. On yesterday’s trip the fish were trolled on a custom-made daisy chain that imitates spearing that Larry builds.

An open-boat trip fished Hudson Canyon with <b>Andrea’s Toy Charters</b> from Point Pleasant last week from Thursday to Friday and reeled in five species: yellowfin tuna, longfin tuna, mahi mahi, a swordfish and some tilefish, Capt. Fred said. There were also shots at mako sharks and blue sharks, but the fish failed to get hooked. Still, it was a good catch, a successful mixed-bag trip that Andrea’s Toy specializes in, for more fun, better chances at a hook-up and more variety for dinner. The trip started with trolling at mid day, but nothing bit. So the anglers hopped around the lobster pots and nailed more than two dozen mahi mahi to 10 pounds on light spinning tackle. At night the boat was anchored for chunking at the 100 Square, but not much life showed up, so the anglers went on the drift in the deep. An 80-pound yellowfin tuna was bagged, and a swordfish was released. Then the anglers set up on the anchor again along an edge, and some bait showed up, and so did lots of life, including mahi mahi, blue sharks and mako sharks, so the anglers stayed and waited for tuna to bite. At 3 a.m. the action was on, and yellowfins showed up. Four of the tuna to 85 pounds were drilled, the biggest yellowfins of the year, and longfins hit the slick at 5 a.m., and four of the albacore were nailed. The tuna were hitting Shimano butterfly jigs, sardines and squid. In the morning the anglers drifted for tiles and reeled in the fish to 10 pounds. The Hudson recently was 69 degrees, and Andrea’s Toy was fishing from 69 to 72 degrees. The fish will keep showing up as long as the water is at least 65 degrees and holds bait. Open-boat canyon trips will continue to be the focus for now, and Capt. Fred had thought that the trips would be finished by this time, but the fishing’s been good, so he’s going to continue. The trips will sail during solid windows of good weather, and they run on a 31-foot Contender that cruises at 45 m.p.h. Call Fred to get on the list of anglers interested in these trips, and he’ll keep in touch, letting you know the schedule as the weather unfolds. Inshore charters will also sail, again for mixed bags, and the selection at the moment includes blues, bonito and bottom fish. Bonito were popping up close to shore, and schoolie bluefin tuna were reportedly appearing at the Mudhole, and Andrea’s Toy should start fishing for them after Capt. Fred checks it out. The bluefins would be chunked with peanut bunker on the trips.

Offshore trips fished Spencer Canyon on the <b>Katie H</b> from Brielle from Friday to Saturday and from Saturday to Sunday, Capt. Mike said. Friday’s charter boated 15 longfin tuna and a 120-pound swordfish. The charter Saturday returned to the same area, and fishing was a little slower, but eight tuna, about half yellowfins and half longfins, were bagged. Four or five tuna were also lost on each trip, and a huge ray grabbed one of the baits and nearly spooled the reel until the hook pulled.  The water was 71.5 degrees and very clean, with visibility down to 20 feet, and a little bit of bait swam around, enough to catch to use for fishing. Butterfish and sardines produced, and live squid didn’t seem necessary, but the swordfish nailed a squid. Mike heard that big bluefin tuna to 200 pounds were walloping lines at the Texas Tower, early in the season for that action. He also heard about small bluefins caught at the Mudhole. The Katie H will keep sailing to the canyons.

<b>Beach Haven</b>

The <b>June Bug</b> from Beach Haven overnighted at the tip of Wilmington Canyon from Friday to Saturday, Capt. Lindsay said. Lots of squid schooled and were caught for bait. A 60-pound longfin tuna bit 10 minutes after anchoring toward dusk. Then two yellowfins zoomed off with lines, and one was landed. Things were slow for a while, until swordfish started showing up. Several mouthed the baits softly, and one big one hung itself on a hook, was fought an hour and got off. At midnight a huge fish hit, and eventually it came up, and it was a 10- or 12-foot wide manta ray, an amazing site, and the anglers cut the line and let it go. A couple of more longfins were reeled in after daylight. The water was 75 degrees and clear, and seas were calm. Fog was like pea soup all night and on the way home, until 5 miles from the beach, but otherwise the trip was good. Outdoor writer Jim Hutchinson Sr., Fisherman magazine Executive Editor Jim Hutchinson Jr. and their hunting buddies were the anglers. The June Bug will fish offshore the rest of the month before moving to its winter home in North Carolina. Then winter maintenance will be done until the boat starts to fish from the Tarheel State in March. Plenty of yellowfin tuna are usually caught, and so are bluefins, usually schoolies, and giant bluefins are usually gone by then. False albacore, or Fat Alberts as their called there, are also common, and so are mahi mahi. Lindsay’s also gotten fair numbers of blue and white marlin during some years. The June Bug then returns to Jersey in—when would you think? June of course!

<b>Absecon Inlet</b>

An overnight tuna trip returned to the dock Sunday with <b>Fishin’ Fever Sportfishing</b> from Brigantine, Capt. Tom said, and the anglers went 10 for 12 on tuna at Lindenkohl Canyon. Seven of the boated fish were 70- to 80-pound yellowfins, and three were longfins from 40 to 45 pounds, and all bit on the chunk. The water was a little cool and 70 to 71 degrees and held lots of bait, including lots of small squid, and a bunch of porpoises. A 35-foot whale shark also swam up to the transom, pretty neat to see. The weather was nice at first, but later 20-plus knot winds started blowing from the northwest. Reports sounded like catches on other boats ranged from good to poor, and the fish bit up and down the line from Baltimore Canyon to Hudson Canyon. Fishin’ Fever will try to keep tuna fishing the next three weekends, including on some open-boat trips the weekends of Oct. 20 and 27, before heading to Cape May to start fishing the fall run of striped bass. Space is available on the open tuna trips, and tuna charters were slated for this weekend. Inshore trolling charters are also on tap for bonito and false albacore.

<b>Great Egg Harbor Inlet</b>

<b>O-Beth Sportfishing</b> from Margate overnighted at Spencer Canyon from Friday to Saturday and nailed six yellowfin tuna and also went 3 for 4 on swordfish to 80 pounds, keeping two of the swords, Capt. Eric said. The fish were chunked at night, and sardines and live squid were the ticket, and the bites were spread out through the night, and no particular time was better than another. Tons of squid schooled, and Eric believed the water was 70 to 71 degrees. O-Beth will move the boat to Cape May next Monday to be in place for the fall striped bass run. But tuna trips will continue, and fall sharking will also take place. Here’s your chance to do battle with sharks one last time before the sharks migrate to warmer waters for the spring. The monsters pass by the coast on their way south in the fall, and they push the opposite direction in spring. Many anglers only target them in spring, but the action can be just as good in fall.

Tuna fishing was very good when boats could get offshore, and double digits of the fish were landed on trips, said Dan from <b>Fin-Atics</b> in Ocean City. Most were yellowfins, and longfins were sometimes hooked, but most of the anglers were chunking, and more longfins bite on the troll. One boater trolled a 300-pound bigeye tuna at Hudson Canyon, and the water seemed warmer up north toward the Hudson, and the warm eddies seemed to be coming down from the north.

<b>Townsend’s Inlet</b>

Offshore fishing was still giving up good tuna catches this past weekend, and Lindenkohl Canyon produced, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Gibson’s Tackle</b> in Sea Isle City. Friend Dusty Laricks fished Wilmington Canyon over the weekend and boated yellowfin tuna to 80 pounds and a bunch of nice-sized mahi mahi, and some unexpected wahoos were hooked but bit through the monofilament line. The tuna were chunked, and the mahi were chunked and trolled, and the wahoos attacked live peanut bunker that were thrown to grass mats in attempt to score mahi. Wahoo fishing’s been great this year.

<b>Cape May Inlet</b>

An overnight trip fished Wilmington Canyon with <b>Jaftica Sportfishing</b> from Cape May from Friday to Saturday and did very well, Capt. Ray said. Some nice yellowfin tuna to 80 pounds were nailed on the chunk at night, when a swordfish was also released, and a couple of gaffer, 15- or 16-pound mahi mahi were trolled. There was lots of bait in the water, and squid kept appearing, and so did blue runners and such, and the tuna were hooked on sardines and live squid. Ray thought the water was 75.5 degrees, and tuna also seemed to get boated at the Baltimore, Spencer and Lindenkohl canyons.

Brian Zasey and Chip Froehlich overnighted at Wilmington Canyon on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> from Cape May from Saturday to Sunday, and a swordfish was released, and two tuna got off, Capt. George said. Trips will probably sail offshore another week.

Offshore boaters found hot tuna fishing at Lindenkohl Canyon on the overnight chunk, said Matt from <b>Jim’s Bait & Tackle</b> from Cape May in a fax. The crew of the Jenny Lynn II pinned down 13 tuna to 96 pounds last Friday night. Wilmington Canyon also gave up good tuna chunking at night and catches on the troll during the day. On the Salty Susan eight yellowfins were nailed, and the anglers went 1 for 2 on swordfish and also scored three gaffer dolphin, all on the chunk on the west wall of the Wilmington. Anglers on the Almost Enuff also fished the Wilmington and trolled nine longfin tuna and a wahoo.

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