<b>Sandy Hook</b>

<b>Andrea’s Toy Charters</b> is running mid-shore, mixed-bag, open-boat trips and also offshore, mixed-bag, open-boat trips, Capt. Fred said. One of the mid-shore trips, which fish anywhere from the Mudhole to 30 fathoms, on Monday nailed all the species that were targeted: tuna, mahi mahi, sharks and bottom fish. The trip first looked for tuna at the HA buoy, but no life was there, so the anglers trolled to the Glory Hole, and the bite was on. As many skipjack tunas as anyone could want were hooked on the troll, and the skippies were saved for shark bait. Then the anglers looked for mahi mahi at the lobster pots at the Glory Hole with light spinning tackle, killies and cut bait, but the pots held no fish. So the boat sailed to the Chicken Canyon, where dolphin were banged at every lobster pot. The dolphin were chickens from 2 to 10 pounds, and next the group set up to shark fish at the Chicken Canyon. Conditions were terrible for sharking, with winds against the current, causing a short, 1-mile drift, but nonetheless, a nice blue shark was caught and released in the 4-foot seas. Afterward the trip bottom fished and reeled in a bunch of whiting from spikes to 2 pounders. Andrea’s Toys’ 31-foot Contender provides the speed to do the mid-shore trips, cruising at 45 m.p.h., making it to the grounds with plenty of time to fish. The open-boat canyon trips are taking place once a week, and spots are available this Sunday, and the trips are currently trolling for tuna, drifting for sharks and tilefish, and hitting the lobster pots for mahi mahi, all in one outing.

A shark trip was sailing Thursday with <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b>, and mako shark fishing has been good for Last Lady this season, Capt. Ralph said. An offshore canyon trip was scheduled for that night, and Last Lady’s first open-boat canyon trip takes place July 25 to 26, and a couple of spots are available.

<b>Shark River Inlet</b>

A shark charter Sunday at the Glory Hole on the <b>Nan Sea J</b> battled a 300-pound mako to the boat, but then the beast broke the leader, but a 50-pound mako was tagged and released, and a 100-pound blue shark was released, Capt. Tom said. An open-boat shark trip takes place this coming Wednesday that might be the last of the season.

<b>Manasquan Inlet</b>

After offshore trips continued to be cancelled Sunday and Monday because of the weather, the <b>Canyon Runner</b> finally sailed Tuesday, the report on the boat’s web site said. The charter headed to Toms Canyon but stopped inshore of the canyon, where birds worked the water and bait was read. A couple of quick bites took place, but no fish were landed, so the boat continued to its original destination. There the anglers went 6 for 7 on 20- to 30-pound yellowfin tuna on trolled spreader bars, ballyhoos and jets. No other fish bit after awhile, so the boat moved to the east wall of the Toms, where a bunch of dolphin were picked at lobster pots. 

Bluefin tuna fishing was off and on at places like the Glory Hole, Chicken Canyon and the HA buoy, and one day the fish were found, and the next day they were gone, said Dave from <b>Reel Seat Bait & Tackle</b> in Brielle. Some boaters said dolphin were at the lobster pots. The Moon Dancer returned Sunday from the Hudson and Toms canyons and landed four yellowfin tuna, three dolphin and five tilefish.

The <b>Jenny Lee</b> sailed on a crew trip to the west side of Hudson Canyon from Friday to Saturday and went 3 for 5 on 45- to 50-pound yellowfin tuna on the troll and also boated a 110-pound mako shark, Capt. Dave Bender said. A few squid were seen at night, and not a lot of life was in the water both day and night. The crew was made up of Dave, Capt. Jimmy Gahm, Capt. Rich Petschauer and Capt. Jay Monteverdi.

Mike Louderback’s charter shark fished on the <b>Defiant</b> on Saturday, the fishing report on the boat’s web site said. The trip sailed 30 miles offshore from Manasquan Inlet at first light, and a chum slick was set up, and the anglers started waiting for things to happen. But there was little or no drift, so the boat started to power drift, and a 140-pound mako was nailed. In the afternoon another keeper mako was boated that was smaller but a keeper. Before the day was up, yet another mako, this one undersized, was hooked and released. A charter Sunday set up for sharking in the same area, and John Byrne tackled a 100-pound mako. At mid afternoon two blue marlins amazingly showed up and were eating chunks in the slick. Capt. Adam Alfano was fishing off the transom for live bluefish for shark bait, using only a small spinning rod with 20-pound test, and one of the marlin appeared again and grabbed the bait, and the fight was on. The fish took off on aerial displays, and the crew clipped the spinning rod to an 80-class rod, but despite great angling, the beauty broke off after an hour.

A shark trip took place on the <b>Katie H</b> at the Fingers on Sunday, and there were a couple of runoffs, but no fish held onto the hooks, Capt. Mike said. The water looked good, was 71 degrees and was filled with life. An offshore tuna trip was cancelled because of bad weather.

On the <b>Benchmark</b> Kevin and Matt Brinkman shark fished Friday 42 miles offshore, but no sharks bit all day, although conditions were perfect, and the water was 70 degrees, and they drifted 5 ½ miles, Capt. Nick said. Charters will eventually sail to the canyons, and the season seems a little early for canyon fishing.

<b>Little Egg Inlet</b>

<b>Legal Limit Charters</b> was supposed to fish offshore Wednesday but was weathered out, Capt. T.J. said Offshore charters over the weekend scored dolphin to 20 pounds around the canyons and also caught 30-pound yellowfin tuna around the canyons, both on the troll. The fishing took place somewhere between the Lindenkohl and Spencer canyons.

<b>Great Egg Harbor Inlet</b>

A shark trip was sailing with <b>Stray Cat Charters</b> on Thursday, and Capt. Mike had thought mako fishing was finished for the season because of warm water, but colder water moved in and might prolong the bite, he said. South winds made water temperatures plummet, and the inlet was 63 degrees Wednesday morning, and previously the water was 72 degrees. Stray Cat had a great season on sharks so far, catching lots of makos from 100 pounds to 225 pounds, and every trip produced makos, and blue sharks and threshers were also fought. Mike heard that the Lindenkohl and Spencer canyons lit up with tuna both days of last weekend.

Frank Kelly on the Salty Tiger boated schoolie yellowfin tuna and larger yellowfins between Lindenkohl Canyon and the 40-fathom Fingers, said a fax from T.C. from <b>Brennan Marine</b> in Somers Point. Sharks were nailed at the Cigar.

Yellowfin tuna supposedly were chunked at the Hot Dog, said Jim from <b>Fin-Atics</b> in Ocean City.

<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 was supposed to fish offshore Saturday, but weather forecasts seemed bad, though the weather turned out beautiful, he said. He planned to sail offshore this weekend. Friends fished offshore this weekend and had good yellowfin tuna bites inside of Wilmington Canyon from 30 to 50 fathoms on the troll, and trolled ballyhoos seemed the ticket. Joe heard about two blue marlins hooked this week around the same waters, and one was a 250 pounder, and he also heard about white marlins landed around the same place. Spots closer to shore like the Hot Dog and the Sausages have been producing yellowfins and some bigger bluefins, and mysterious bites have spooled reels there, so apparently big bluefins were around. Plenty of brown sharks were at the inshore lumps 5 to 10 miles from shore, and Joe targets them with fly rods and light tackle.

<b>Cape May Inlet</b>

<b>Jaftica Sportfishing</b> trolled 40- to 50-pound yellowfin tuna 50 miles offshore on Sunday in good-looking, warm, 75-degree water with sunfish, lots of whales and other life, Capt. Ray said. The blow kept trips from sailing during the week, and charters will tuna fish every day from this Friday through Monday if the weather allows.

Six yellowfin tuna to 50 pound were trolled Monday on the <b>Top Shelf</b> at Baltimore Canyon at the 50-fathom line, Capt. Bill said. On Thursday a charter bagged yellowfins at the Hot Dog on the troll.

Ed Levkulich and son Dan were aboard the <b>Down Deep</b> for inshore trips both Thursday and Friday, and Ed tackled a 35-pound bluefin tuna, and Dan battled a 45-pound bluefin, and bonito were hooked both days, Capt. Bob said.

Winds blew strongly, forcing many boats to cancel trips, especially canyon trips, so the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> did no fishing during the week, Capt. George said. The Al Munger charter shark fished on Sunday, and a hammerhead cruised the slick for 1 ½ hours but refused to eat the baits. Then a bigger hammerhead showed up, and one of the anglers pitched a piece of bait on a light spinning rod, and the monster was hooked for a moment then bit off the line. A dusky shark also showed up for a moment, and a couple of dolphins were caught that swam into the slick. The water was 74 to 75 degrees and was starting to get warm, and sharking is mostly finished for the summer on the Heavy Hitter as the waters warm. A tuna charter will take place this coming Sunday, and George heard unconfirmed rumors that big bluefin tuna were at Massey’s Canyon and that bluefins and yellowfin tuna were at the Hambone and the Hot Dog. A friend said so many boats were at the Hot Dog over the weekend that it was ridiculous. George saw a satellite chart that showed 73- to 75-degree water that spread from the East Lump to the Wilmington and Washington canyons with no temperature breaks, potentially making tuna not concentrated in any one area.

A charter on the <b>Canyon Clipper</b> will tuna fish Saturday, and bluefin tuna were at 30 fathoms, and a few swam around Sea Isle Ridge, Capt. Stan said. Wilmington and Washington canyons held lots of yellowfin tuna. Mako sharks were still around the Misty Blue and the Fingers, and a friend nailed one recently.

The <b>Party Time</b> is competing in the Ocean/Viking Showdown tournament this weekend, and Capt. John knew that a few people landed yellowfin tuna and bluefin tuna at the Elephant Trunk recently, he said. In addition to offshore fishing, the Party Time will target schoolie bluefin tuna at the inshore grounds this month, while the schoolie season remains open.

Some of the boats from <b>Story Teller Charters</b>, which books charters for several vessels, were supposed to tuna fish the past several days, but big seas at the canyons forced the trips to be cancelled, Capt. Mark said. Tuna fishing’s been good for so early in the season, he said.

Bluefin and yellowfin tuna made a showing at the inshore lumps, the Hot Dog, the Sausages and the 19-Fathom Lump this weekend, said a fax from Capt. Fred from <b>Harbor View Marina</b> in Cape May. Fish that were weighed in included a 164-pound bluefin, a 76-pound bluefin and a 64-pound bluefin. Tuna and a few white marlin bit at the canyons, and sharks haunted the 20-fathom line.

Plenty of dolphin swam most of the canyons, and reports were heard about wahoo biting off baits at the Elephant Trunk and Baltimore Canyon, said a fax from Matt from <b>Jim’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Cape May. Yellowfin tuna were picked up at the Elephant Trunk and the Baltimore. Mike Bruno nailed a 128-pound bluefin at the Trunk, and Jim Groover boated a 95-pound yellowfin at the Baltimore. Friends from Ocean City, Maryland, said lots of 150- to 200-pound bluefin tuna were at the lumpy bottom and at the Parking Lot off Virginia, and the next stop should be the Hot Dog.

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