<b>Shark River Inlet</b>

A canyon trip was a bust last week from Wednesday to Thursday, and Capt. Ralph from <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b> from Neptune was disgusted with the fishing, he said in an e-mail. So a trip this week on Tuesday sailed inshore for bluefin tuna instead. A 60-incher, about 125 pounds, was hammered on a 30-class stand-up rod after a battle of more than a half-hour. Some of the other boats got more bites, and Ralph’s friend scored 15 hits, “but that’s why they call it fishing,” he said. More tuna moved into the Hudson the previous few days, but the next canyon trips will probably fish for bluefins first and then head to the canyons. But Ralph hoped the end of the canyon season would be good, and the next open-boat canyon trips are Tuesday to Wednesday, when two spots are available, and October 7 to 8, when three spots are left. If anyone’s interested in battling big bluefins, give him a call.

<b>Manasquan Inlet</b>

Bluefin tuna anglers connected with scattered fish throughout the inshore haunts, though water temps that dropped by the end of last week to 66 degrees from 70 or 71 slowed the action a moment, said Chuck from <b>The Reel Seat</b> in Brielle. The bite had been dynamite at the Atlantic Princess wreck, and Chuck heard about a couple of sizeable bluefins socked at the Monster Ledge. Canyon tuna fishing remained tough, and Dave, the owner of the shop, took a party boat trip to the canyons last week on Thursday to Friday that only produced two small tuna and a mahi mahi on the whole vessel. Bonito, small false albacore and a few Spanish mackerel ran fairly rampant at most inshore lumps and structure, such as Manasquan Ridge and around the Klondike wreck. Small spoons including Clark spoons got smacked, and if anglers failed to see bonito come up to the surface, they fished deeper with planers or downriggers.

<b>Andrea’s Toy Charters</b> from Point Pleasant ran a couple of exploratory trips for bluefins on the inshore grounds, caught the fish Tuesday and found none Wednesday, Capt. Fred said. The fishing was sporadic, hit or miss, but tuna were hooked. They hit sardines in a chunk slick, and they could be trolled, but chunking was better while the action was inconsistent. Open-boat, mixed-bag trips are also fishing the canyons, often trolling for tuna in the afternoons, and then drifting for tuna, swordfish and sharks at night. Afterward the anglers often troll for tuna in the morning, then fish light tackle for mahi mahi at the lobster pots, and finish up with deep-dropping for tilefish.

Tuna fishing was mostly difficult, but a trip last Friday to Saturday on the party boat <b>Gambler</b> Point Pleasant produced 20-some yellowfin tuna and a 100-pound swordfish for about 20 anglers, Capt. Bob said. Trips before and afterward were slow, but swordfish were boated, a few yellowfins were bagged and a longfin tuna was trolled. More swordfish than ever seemed around, and yellowfins were bigger than previously. A shot of better-looking waters appeared to be moving to the area, and Bob thinks the fishing should pick up. The Gambler is now exclusively tuna fishing on open-boat trips, and available spaces are scattered throughout the schedule. Today is booked, although rough weather might nix the trip, but space is open tomorrow, and check the vessel’s web site for the full schedule.

Forecasts called for strong winds Monday, so an offshore charter on the party boat <b>Sea Devil</b> from Point Pleasant opted to fish closer to shore for bluefin tuna, and the choice paid off, Cindy Pennington said in an e-mail. The boat headed 50 miles from land, and bluefins were caught all night and well into daytime. A 100-pounder was kept, and 28 were caught and released, mostly on bait, but one angler dusted all of his on jigs. False albacore were also released. An open-boat canyon trip fished the Hudson on Saturday, and the weather was worse than forecast, and rains poured sideways through the night. A handful of hardy anglers stayed at the rails all night, while others took shelter in the cabin until the rains stopped in the morning. A hammerhead shark bit, and in the morning the boat moved inshore to try for bluefin tuna. Anglers scored a couple of pick ups, but landed no fish. On Sunday another open trip sailed to a different area in much better weather, and fishing was better. Dave Rose and Fred Rutz each belted a yellowfin tuna apiece, and Anthony and Joe Bucci also beat some tuna. Chris Johnson smoked a yellowfin and a swordfish. Cindy didn’t mention the boat’s current schedule, but the vessel was supposed to start exclusively fishing for tuna around now, mostly on open-boat trips. See the open schedule on the Sea Devil’s web site.

<b>Barnegat Inlet</b>

Fifteen yellowfin tuna got clobbered on an overnight trip to the 100 Square at Hudson Canyon with <b>Seafood Fishing Charters</b> from Forked River on Saturday to Sunday, Capt. John said. So the fishing was especially good in this mostly tougher season for tuna fishing, and most of the tuna were small, but one weighed 70 pounds. Two mahi mahi and an 8-foot blue shark were also landed. All the fish were caught at night, and most of the yellowfins were jigged, although butterfish, sardines and fresh squid were fished through the dark. Sardines caught two of the fish, and a squid caught one, if John remembered correctly. One or two fish bit every hour until all heck broke loose at 3 a.m. The trip also tried trolling for bluefin tuna at the Glory Hole on the way out, and two skipjacks were fought. The rest of the boats at the Glory Hole were chunking, but chatter on the radio sounded like the feed was slow. But John heard the fishing was good the day before. Waters at the Glory Hole were 66 degrees and at the 100 Square were 70 ½ degrees, with a temp break from 68 to 70 degrees found toward the beginning of the canyon. Seafood will keep running tuna charters probably into October, and a final open-boat tuna trip is slated for Saturday to Sunday, September 27 to 28, and call to reserve.

Capt. Mike from the <b>Tuna-Tic</b> from Waretown had just returned from an offshore trip last evening when he gave this report, he said. Yellowfin tuna fishing at the canyons died off the previous night, and nobody really fought good catches, and the party boats ended up moving inshore for bluefin tuna. Chunking for bluefins was productive a few of nights ago, but then too many boats moved in, and the bite shut off. Still, trolling for small, 30- to 40-pound bluefins was decent yesterday morning. Yellowfin tuna fishing continued to be difficult, but now weather was rolling in, and maybe that would make a difference. The Tuna-Tic is in the middle of a busy schedule of tuna trips.

The <b>Hi Flier</b> from Waretown made the trip to Barnegat Ridge on Sunday for the first time in weeks, Capt. Dave DeGennaro said in an e-mail. He throttled back a mile from the North Ridge, and the first line started to be let out, and a 10-pound false albacore lambasted the red-and-white, shorty cedar plug. Then the action was like that all day, awesome fishing, and cedar plugs and Japanese feathers worked best. But one of the anglers hooked up on a flat-lined spearing while waiting for another angler to land a fish. The ridge was 70.5 degrees, cobalt blue and loaded with bait and fish readings. The crew finished up by catching a few kingfish on Barnegat Bay on shedder crabs. The boat was booked yesterday and today, but openings are available through Monday. Winds were supposed to blow early on, but if the forecast turn better for any of the days, Dave will look to get back to the ridge for albies or to the Mudhole for bluefins. Both charters and open-boat trips are usually available, and call for the schedule.

<b>Little Egg Inlet</b>

An overnighter to Wilmington Canyon with <b>Legal Limit Charters</b> from Tuckerton on Saturday to Sunday trolled one yellowfin tuna during the day and chunked 19 mahi mahi during the night, Capt. T.J. said. Although the night fishing was good for mahi catches, T.J. heard about nothing happening with tuna during the dark. A temperature break at the canyon ranged 71.5 degrees to 77 degrees.

<b>Absecon Inlet</b>

White and blue marlin fishing was turned on a few days ago at Poorman’s Canyon, said Joe from <b>Offshore Enterprises Bait & Tackle</b> in Atlantic City. But anglers on the <b>Carly A</b> , the shop’s charter boat, looked for them Wednesday, and the fish had moved 20 miles south. Mahi mahi fishing was decent offshore, but tuna fishing wasn’t easy.

<b>Great Egg Harbor Inlet</b>

White marlin had turned on between Baltimore and Poorman’s canyons, but seas were rough in northeast winds that might’ve pushed the fish away, like farther south, said Dan from <b>Fin-Atics</b> in Ocean City. Waters inshore of Wilmington Canyon had been a place to find a bunch of wahoos. Hardly any yellowfin tuna were reported caught at the canyons, and news about bluefin tuna farther inshore became scarce.

<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 heard first-hand news about tremendous white marlin fishing between Poorman’s and South Poorman’s canyons, he said. His uncle and cousin caught and released 21 whites in three days. A crew on another boat released 20 of the marlin on Saturday alone. Joe talked with other boaters who fished the grounds this week, and seas were stiff, and about 50 boats plied the area, and the bite might’ve abated for a moment.

White marlin fishing was some of the best anywhere in the world in 70 to 100 fathoms at Baltimore and Poorman’s canyons, said the report on <b>Over Under Adventures</b> from Avalon’s web site earlier this week. Not only were the catches great, but the distance was shorter than usual, not the typical trek to 1,000 fathoms or more, so the traveling was easy from Jersey. The company was looking to run trips for them this week, and contact if interested. Eighteen whites released was the highest number caught that was heard about, and several boats that the crew knows raised more than twenty apiece. Bluefin tuna apparently moved north, where great catches were reported, and were no longer caught at places such as the Hot Dog and Lobster Claw, closer to port, where the fish held two weeks ago. But the bluefins should soon return on the southern migration for fall. Yellowfin tuna mostly continued to be a no-show, but some were fought. The Low Profile, one of the boats from Over Under, caught them both during the daytime troll and the nighttime chunk over the weekend. Nighttime fishing also gave up consistent action with mako sharks and swordfish, although most swords were smaller and were released. Daytime fishing for wahoos and mahi mahi was great. That’s Right, another boat from Over Under, fished an overnight trip Saturday to Sunday at Wilmington Canyon, where a weed line and a temperature break were located, and the anglers caught all the mahi they wanted along the edge of the weeds on spinning tackle. Most of the fish were small, but a pair of 30-pounders, a bull and a cow, were nailed. Then the boat moved to the cold, 69-degree side of the break in the middle of the canyon to try to find tuna. Two huge tuna—not the 20-pound yellowfins that were most common—crashed the spread but failed to connect. Another boat landed two yellowfins in the cold waters.

<b>Hereford Inlet</b>

Tuna fishing remained slow, but white marlin gave up red-hot action at Baltimore and Wilmington canyons, where scattered dolphin and occasional wahoo also attacked, said Cathy from <b>Sterling Harbor Bait & Tackle</b> in Wildwood.

<b>Cape May Inlet</b>

The <b>Heavy Hitter</b> from Cape May stayed in port during the weekdays, and the weather was rough, Capt. George said. He talked with some who fished offshore Wednesday and said seas were sloppy, were fine inshore but not offshore. A charter is slated to fish overnight at the canyons this weekend. On Saturday Steve Harris’s charter trolled two yellowfin tuna, lots of mahi mahi and a 50-pound wahoo from 40 fathoms to the west wall of Wilmington Canyon. The tuna were maybe 20 pounds or 35 inches, a little bigger than before, and the mahi weighed up to 7 or 8 pounds, and the wahoo was 50 pounds. Temperature breaks were everywhere, and George saw waters that ranged 68 to 71 degrees, but another boater who fished the east wall found 75-degree waters and a weed line that held great-big mahi. George heard about no bluefin tuna caught on the inshore grounds since the tropical storm. Rough seas last week kept most boats from fishing the ocean after the storm until Thursday, though a few fished early in the week, right after the blow.

On the <b>First Cast</b> from Cape May on Saturday David Graft’s family looked for tuna along the 40-fathom line and found mahi mahi, Capt. Rob said. They also pushed offshore a little, and a white marlin came up behind the boat, and three wahoos bit off the lines. No wire leaders were fished. Last week on Friday Charles Lafferty’s group also sailed for tuna at lumps along the 40 line, picked up lots of mahi and a couple of skipjacks, and a couple of wahoos bit off the lines, and again, only monofilament was fished. The mahi were bucktailed at a weed line, a bunch of fun. Tuna fishing seemed tougher last week, but Rob hoped catches bounced back.

Phil Pretta’s party on the <b>Down Deep</b> from Cape May knocked down three yellowfin tuna and quite a few sizeable mahi mahi to 20 pounds at Wilmington Canyon last Friday, Capt. Bob said. On an overnight trip Saturday to Sunday the Rick Lennon gang boated two yellowfins, a wahoo and a load of mahi.

The weather kept lots of boaters docked, said Matt from <b>Jim’s Bait & Tackle</b> from Cape May in a fax. But when boaters could sail offshore, they drilled decent catches of white marlin and big mahi mahi. Anglers who competed in last week’s Challenge Cup Tournament, an offshore contest between the Cape May Marlin and Tuna Club and the Maryland’s Ocean City Marlin Club, reported locating substantial numbers of whites between Poorman’s and Baltimore canyons, and Cape May won. Yellowfin tuna showed up in no concentrations overnight, but swordfish began to test anglers in the dark.

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