<b>Sandy Hook</b>

An open-boat tuna and tilefish trip took place a week ago today with <b>Andrea’s Toy Charters</b> at Hudson Canyon, and two 50-pound bluefin tuna were landed and released at the Dip, Capt. Fred said. The tuna were 42 to 43 inches, and a temperature break at the Dip went from 50 degrees to 66 degrees within a mile, and porpoises were everywhere. No keeper bluefins were around, and no yellowfin tuna were either, so the charter decided to head to the tilefish grounds. Twenty-two tilefish to 20 pounds were boated in an hour in one drift. A 10-foot blue shark followed one of the tiles to the boat. The open trips will sail for tilefish, and they’ll probably mix it up with tuna fishing, and they might also hunt for sharks.

<b>Shark River Inlet</b>

Tuna have turned on at the canyons, and <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b> will tuna fish if anyone wants to book a charter, Capt. Ralph said. Most of the fish hit on the troll, and some bit on the chunk, and they were a mixture of bluefins and yellowfins. Ralph knew of a boat that nailed over 20 of the fish on Tuesday. Ralph declined to say exactly where the fish were, but he said he knows where they are.

<b>Manasquan Inlet</b>

A couple of people said warm water was at Hudson Canyon that brought in tuna, but the bite seemed unreliable, and not many people sailed to the canyon with the vague reports, said John from <b>Brielle Bait & Tackle</b>. But a few tuna were supposedly trolled there, and little was heard about shark fishing, and hardly anyone seemed to shark fish, though this month is the traditional shark battling time. A week ago anglers on bottom-fishing boats said some sharks were seen in the slicks, so conditions might be right for sharking.

A friend from the boat the Eleni said he nailed small, 40- to 50-pound yellowfin tuna on the west wall of Hudson Canyon on Tuesday while trolling, said Capt. John from the <b>Defiant</b>. The Defiant is getting prepared to sail back to Point Pleasant from Key Largo, where it spends the winter and part of the spring, and should arrive in Jersey in one week. Its first charters of the season in Jersey will take place the following weekend and will include targeting sharks. John heard no news about shark fishing yet. From Key Largo the Defiant ran a mahi mahi charter last Thursday, and two mahi over 25 pounds and schoolies to 15 pounds were boated. The Defiant will return to Key Largo next winter and spring.

<b>Little Egg Inlet</b>

<b>Legal Limit Charters</b> was expected to shark fish this week, and charters will also tuna fish when that bite turns on, Capt. T.J. said. He heard that yellowfin tuna already began to bite at the canyons.

<b>Absecon Inlet</b>

A friend landed six blue sharks near the Cigar on Monday, said Jeff from <b>Offshore Enterprises Bait & Tackle</b> in Atlantic City. He said an article in the Atlantic City Press said the first mako of the season was reported, and the fish was supposedly 209 pounds and was fought near Wilmington Canyon on an overnight trip. Jeff heard that lots of tuna bit the past few days at Wilmington Canyon and areas to the south, like at South Heyes Canyon. He said the tuna were mostly yellowfins from 15 to 35 pounds, and a few were bluefins, and the fish bit smaller lures, like Tuna Clones.

<b>Great Egg Harbor Inlet</b>

The Sea Jam, a boat docked next to the <b>Stray Cat</b>, headed to Baltimore Canyon yesterday and trolled quite a few yellowfin tuna and short bluefin tuna, Capt. Mike from the Stray Cat said. The boat left the dock at 2 a.m. and returned at 5 p.m., and Mike also heard that tuna bit at Lindenkohl Canyon. The Stray Cat will sail on tuna charters as soon as anyone wants, and open-boat tuna trips begin July 9.

People reported sharks being around, especially thresher sharks, though no sharks were weighed in yet, said a fax from T.C. from <b>Brennan Marine</b> in Somers Point. Warm-water was supposedly at Wilmington Canyon and Baltimore Canyon.

Tuna were boated at Wilmington Canyon, where one boat hooked 24 bluefin tuna from 20 to 50 pounds, six yellowfins and lost one tuna, said Dan from <b>Fin-Atics</b> in Ocean City. Tuna were also found at South Heyes Canyon, where Jay Rader hauled a 200-pound bluefin to the boat. An unconfirmed report was heard about a shark landed at 28-Mile Wreck, and lots of bluefish were there, so sharks should be chasing them.

<b>Townsend’s Inlet</b>

Capt. Joe Hughes of <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Gibson’s Tackle</b> and Jay Vonczoernig headed offshore to Baltimore Canyon on Tuesday and loaded up on 25 bluefin tuna that were released except for one, Joe said. The tuna, 40 to 90 pounders, were trolled along the east wall of the canyon about midway between the tip and the mouth, and Joe sailed to 500 fathoms at the mouth, but the fish were closer to mid canyon. The catch was made up of probably three fish that were over the 47-inch minimum keeper size, and one was kept that was 52 inches and 85 pounds, and a 54 incher was the largest. The water was 63 to 64 degrees, dipped as low as 61 degrees and was beautiful, blue and calm, and it held Portuguese man-o-wars, normally not seen until August or September. So the water definitely seemed from the Gulf Stream. The bite was all-out, and sometimes two and three hit at once, and fish even smacked spreader bars on lines that were being cleared to fight other fish already hooked. Joe and Jay eventually put only two lines in the water, and even took a lunch break, the bite was so reliable. A Zucchini spreader bar was the hot one, and it was spectacular to have that kind of fishing this early in the season, Joe said.  Joe heard that bluefins also bit at Wilmington Canyon and heard unconfirmed reports of white marlin biting there, and some said yellowfin tuna were around, but Joe doubted it, because 60-degree water is cold for them.

<b>Hereford Inlet</b>

<b>Olivia Grace Sportfishing</b> started shark fishing and boated some makos, and some small yellowfin tuna were hooked at Baltimore Canyon, and Olivia Grace released small bluefin tuna to 40 pounds, Capt. John said in a voicemail.

Rumors circulated about tuna being caught, and Dan from <b>Roseman’s Marine </b> said he knew that tuna were boated at Lindenkohl Canyon.

<b>Cape May Inlet</b>

<b>Party Time Charters</b> looked for sharks on Monday at the Old Grounds and Reef Site 11, because other boaters reported seeing sharks there, but no sharks were found, Capt. John said.

A trip on the <b>Top Shelf</b> looked for thresher sharks on Sunday, but none were found, and the Top Shelf is now shark fishing, Capt. Bill said. The boat is also sailing for any species available.

<b>Jaftica Sportfishing</b> was supposed to shark fish this past weekend but didn’t make it out, Capt. Ray said, but trips will sail for sharks starting next week for three weekends in a row.

Capt. Stan from the <b>Canyon Clipper</b> heard about a mako shark boated at Avalon Shoal, and he heard that another mako about 200 pounds was supposedly hooked toward the Elephant Trunk but was released because it was too big to boat, he said. Charters are being booked for shark fishing.

A couple of shark trips are scheduled to sail soon with <b>Story Teller Charters</b>, Capt. Mark said.

Back to Top