<b>Sandy Hook</b>

<b>Kayla Rose Charters</b> took a course for the Mudhole on its first shark trip of the year Tuesday, Capt. Darrin said. One blue shark was fought to the boat, and there were two good run-offs in the 63-degree water. Bluefish were swimming around, and another shark trip was supposed to fish today.

Todd Moyer’s gang took the first offshore trip of the season May 31 with <b>Andrea’s Toy Charters</b>, Capt. Fred said. They reeled up 20 tilefish from 15 to 20 pounds, their first-ever tiles, despite a full-moon current against winds. They also tried deep-dropping for bottom fish at the Texas Tower, and one 5-pound sea bass came up off the bat, but then the fishing died. Fred thought maybe a shark showed up and put down the fish. Not much else bit there, except bergalls, and the anglers tried jigging for pollock with no luck. Two types of offshore charters are on the menu: a trolling trip for mahi mahi and bluefin tuna that includes deep dropping for bottom fish, and a strictly bottom-fishing trip for tilefish, sharks and wreck fishing for cod and pollock. Mahi are already on the grounds, and a friend nailed a bunch, all big gaffers, on the 500-fathom line of Hudson Canyon in 63-degree water. The bluefins should show up within a couple of weeks, when water temps from the mid 60s to low 70s become steadier. These offshore trips are also available as open-boat outings when anglers express enough interest. Mixed-bag fishing is a specialty for Andrea’s Toy for more fun and increased chances of hooking up.

<b>Shark River Inlet</b>

On the <b>Last Lady</b> the first shark charter of the year fished last Friday, and it was phenomenal, and nine blue sharks were released, and so was a mako, and the water was beautiful, Capt. Ralph said. He’s optimistic, especially about mako fishing in the next two or three weeks.

The first open-boat shark trip of the season was weathered out Wednesday on the <b>Nan Sea J</b>, Capt Tom said, but the weekly trip on Wednesdays is slated to take place next week. Some of the spots are already full on the next two Wednesdays, and interested anglers have been calling. The trips last through July, and shark charters are also available.

A few sharks—threshers, blues and makos—were battled farther south, and local shark fishing should be around the corner, said Mike from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> in Belmar.

<b>Manasquan Inlet</b>

Sharking reports began to come in, and a couple of customers said sharking was good when they competed in the South Jersey Shark Tournament last weekend, Greg from <b>Brielle Bait & Tackle</b> said. Southern waters off the lower half of the state seemed best for sharking so far.

One sharking report was heard last weekend about a number of blue sharks fought around the Chicken Canyon, said Dave from <b>The Reel Seat</b> in Brielle.

<b>Barnegat Inlet</b>

Nobody seemed to fish offshore, and the ocean was too rough in the past days, Josh from <b>Barnegat Light Bait & Tackle</b> said.

<b>Little Egg Inlet</b>

The <b>June Bug</b>, after returning to Jersey from big-game fishing in North Carolina like it does every spring, should start tuna fishing in two weeks, Capt. Lindsay said. He expects the tuna bite to be good, and shots at marlin should also take place and usually do on the vessel this time of year.

<b>Absecon Inlet</b>

At <b>Offshore Enterprises Bait & Tackle</b> in Atlantic City, Jack heard about a warm, 70-degree eddy that flowed into the Lobster Claw, he said. He heard unconfirmed reports about tuna caught at various places, so the action was beginning. The <b>Carly A</b>, the shop’s charter boat, is in the water and is being rigged to start fishing for sharks and tuna.

<b>Great Egg Harbor Inlet</b>

<b>O-Beth Sportfishing Charters</b> pointed the bow offshore the first time this season last Saturday and tried for sharks near 28-mile wreck, Capt. Eric said. Only bluefish bit, but the water was 66 degrees, a good temp, and he expected sharks to turn on there any time.

Dan from <b>Fin-Atics</b> in Ocean City boated a 150-pound mako shark at the Elephant Trunk on Sunday, and he also scored a 34-inch bluefin tuna, he said. He also scored another tuna knockdown that got off, and no other tuna were seen. The bagged tuna bit a trolled ballyhoo, and the knockdown was on a rainbow spreader bar. The water was mostly 75 degrees, a little warm. The shark bit in 75 degrees, but the tuna hit at a cooler spot that was 70 degrees.

Bluefin tuna were hooked at Jacks Spot, and a few were taken at the Hot Dog, and some were boated at the Baltimore and Wilmington canyons, Capt. Mike from the <b>Stray Cat</b> said. Tuna trips including charters and open-boat outings will start in July, and shark charters are currently available and are usually finished by July 4.

<b>Townsend’s Inlet</b>

Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Gibson’s Tackle</b> in Sea Isle City saw warm, tuna-holding water developing and made a decision to head offshore for the first big-game trip of his season Friday with Alan Fellheimer, Joe said. Joe knew that bluefin tuna were caught at the Wilmington and Spencer canyons, and that the warm water on the continental shelf there was sliding north, and he decided to run to the next place it was headed, the Baltimore Canyon.  Upon reaching the waters he didn’t even make it to the exact spot he was targeting, because at 6 a.m. the lines were set out along the edge of the western wall between 300 and 500 feet, and soon the bite was on. The first swirl was seen at 6:15, and the first hook-up was at 6:30. Six bluefin tuna from 50 to 65 pounds, keeper-sized, were landed, and one was kept, and another four or five were hooked that got off, and it was good fishing. There were doubles and triples and constant action through the 4 hours that were fished, and probably not a half-hour passed without a bite. The fish were fought on a variety of offerings, and a rainbow squid splash bar was the hot one. But Green Machines, tuna jets, daisy chains and other spreaders, including ones that Joe makes, were hit. The water was 63 to 64 degrees or cold and clean, and for those who don’t know, bluefins tolerate colder water and therefore are the first tuna to show up on the offshore grounds during the season. Joe and crew departed on the trip at 2:30 a.m. to be able to start fishing at first light. The fishing was a good sign, he said, and the fish were nice-sized.  Afterward Joe heard nothing about tuna fishing this week, because stiff seas and rough weather kept boats at dock.

<b>Over Under Adventures</b> is wrapping up its winter and spring season in the Bahamas, and the Low Profile will soon be heading to Avalon to fish for tuna and big game offshore for the summer and fall, the report on Over Under’s web site said. Over Under’s boat in the Florida Keys, the Pretty Work, also wrapped up its southern season and is heading north to Ocean City, Md., to fish for big game there for the summer and fall. Two of Over Under’s boats, That’s Right and Justified, are already fishing from Ocean City, Md. Trips on Justified from O.C. caught a mako on every trip this past week for a total of 10 on three outings. An estimated 800-pound thresher shark was the highlight of the catches and was lost at boat side. That’s Right also ran a couple of shark trips from O.C. for good catches, landing a 140-pound mako and releasing several other sharks. On Saturday the boat took its first tuna charter of the season and went 5 for 6 on bluefin tuna to 60 pounds. In the Bahamas anglers on the Low Profile were finding blue marlin fishing in full swing, and usually got a couple of shots at blues each day, and the best bite was off San Salvador. The boat went 1 for 2 on blues and also 1 for 2 on white marlin and put a couple of dolphin and wahoos in the box Saturday. Yellowfin tuna fishing was sporadic, and the tuna were mostly traveling at this time of year, and when they were found, they were usually in the deep, so they were “shark free” or could be reeled to the boat unmolested. The yellowfins were 50 to 60 pounds, nice-sized for the Bahamas.

<b>Hereford Inlet</b>

Shark fishing was excellent last week and was best from the 20- to 30-fathom lines, said Cathy from <b>Sterling Harbor Bait & Tackle</b> in Wildwood in a fax. Alan Ritter battled a 317-pound tiger shark near the 40-fathom Fingers, and Capt. Paul Daiber and Keith Brown on the Captain Chaos fought a 235-pound thresher shark at the north end of Cape May Reef.

<b>Cape May Inlet</b>

Bill Gallagher’s gang was aboard the <b>Down Deep</b> to compete in the South Jersey Shark Tournament this weekend, Capt. Bob said. They fought two brown sharks 30 miles offshore, and shark charters are now available. Bob also marked lots of tuna on that trip, and the anglers didn’t try for tuna, because they were hunting sharks, but Bob wouldn’t hesitate to charter for tuna now, because the marks were that good.

Capt. George from the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> competed in the South Jersey Shark Tournament on Friday and Saturday as a guest on the Erika Sue with owner Norm Morrison, George said. On Friday they tried the Arlene wreck, but the water was green, off color and even smelled raunchy, so they headed to 19-Fathom Lump, and only bluefish bit. On Saturday they fished the northern tip of the Elephant Trunk and drilled a 150-pound mako, and other sharks appeared but grabbed no baits, and one was hooked for a moment but got off. On both days the water was in the high 60s to 70 degrees. The Heavy Hitter will start tuna fishing in the coming weeks, and shark trips are available.

<b>Jaftica Sportfishing</b> will start tuna fishing this weekend, probably going all the way to the canyons, Capt. Ray said. Warm, fish-holding water was sometimes moving through the canyons, and bluefin tuna were also seen at the inshore lumps. Some who shark fished at the lumps in the Cape May Shark Tournament over the weekend landed a few bluefins, and others saw the tuna splashing around, so the action there should be turning on soon. Shark fishing was picking up, and good catches were entered in the tournament, and a friend nailed a good-sized mako Wednesday. Tuna and shark charters are sailing.

A couple of customers sailed to Massey’s Canyon and the Cigar to look for tuna, but nothing was heard back from them yet, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b> in Cape May. Another shark tournament takes place in Cape May this weekend, and Hands is ready with tackle and baits including mackerel, mackerel chum, bunker chum and bunker oil. Trolling squids are also carried for tuna fishing, and Nick heard about a few tuna spotted.

Shark fishing came on fairly strong by last weekend, and lots of threshers were fought, said Matt from <b>Jim’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Cape May in a fax. The area along the 20-fathom line south of Cape May was productive, and a few of the good spots included the 19-Fathom Lump, the Jacob Jones wreck, the Hooper wreck and Massey’s Canyon. Harry Peterson conquered a 175-pound mako at the South Pawl last week on Wednesday, and Harry Matthews took a 193-pound mako at the Northern Pacific wreck the same day. Jim’s Bait & Tackle’s 25th Annual Shark Tournament takes place Saturday, and it should be prime time for makos. The South Jersey Shark Tournament was held this weekend, and plenty of makos and threshers were weighed in.

Mako sharks to 160 pounds and some threshers were caught over the weekend, said Capt. Fred from <b>Harbor View Marina</b> in Cape May in a fax. Action farther offshore also began during the weekend with yellowfin tuna and mahi mahi boated at Baltimore Canyon and bluefin tuna picked up there in 40 to 50 fathoms inside the tip.

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