A mixed-bag offshore charter set a course for Toms Canyon on Tuesday with Andrea’s Toy Charters from Point Pleasant, the report on the boat’s web site said. Seas were sloppy, so the anglers cast to mahi mahi until the waters settled, and a bunch of gaffers were whaled. The boat then went on the troll, but nothing bit, and the crew set up to drift at night, and lots of big blue sharks were battled. Then the boat was anchored 1 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the anglers chunked, but nothing was doing. In the morning the vessel trolled again, and no fish hit. They cast to mahi mahi again, drilling a dozen, and next deep-dropped for tilefish. A 30-pound golden tile, the biggest for Andrea’s Toy this year, and a blueline tile, rare in these waters, were among the catch. By the end of the trip, two dozen gaffer mahi, a bunch of large blue sharks and a half-dozen tiles were taken. Only one boat, a well-known, offshore charter, caught a substantial number of tuna during this time, all while trolling at Hudson Canyon, Capt. Fred from Andrea’s Toy said in a phone call. Chunking for tuna at night remained inconsistent. But the fishing for mahi and blue sharks was great, and tiles bit. Andrea’s Toy will keep running mixed-bag canyon charters. Mixed-bag fishing is a specialty on the boat, providing greater fun, more chances of hook ups and more variety for dinner.

Canyon overnighters fished twice on the party boat Gambler from Point Pleasant Monday to Tuesday and Tuesday to Wednesday, Capt. Bob said. Tuna fishing remained tough, but longfin tuna started to appear after the storm, and mahi mahi, quality-sized ones, were abundant, helping ensure that anglers came back with fillets. On Monday’s trip with Capt. Mike, Bob’s brother, at the helm, a few yellowfin tuna and longfin tuna were decked at daybreak. A 75-pound wahoo and a bunch of mahi were also smoked. On Tuesday’s overnighter, with Bob running the boat, a swordfish and a mako shark were gaffed at night. Great waters with a good temperature break and lots of bait were there, but no tuna showed up. So in the morning the boat tried trolling, but no knockdowns came, despite porpoises and life in the area. But then the vessel started pulling up to lobster buoys and flotsam like wood, and the anglers got good shots at mahi, probably 8- to 20-pounders, and everybody went home with a nice bag of fillets. Bob thought that among the other boats at the canyon that night, one of them returned with three tuna, and another got two, and the other scored one. The weather looked fine for the Gambler’s canyon trips to run yesterday through Sunday. The season’s been tough for tuna fishing, but Bob’s optimistic that the fish could appear. Another shot of warm waters seemed to be headed to the grounds, and maybe one of the eddies will draw the tuna in. At least the mahi were abundant, big and helped take up slack. The boat will keep sailing offshore.

On the Point Pleasant party boat Voyager the past several tuna trips produced a few of the fish and a couple of swordfish, and now the hope was that tuna would start biting like they should this weekend, an e-mail from the boat said. Sloughs of tuna were read on the fish finder, but they were reluctant to grab hooks. Still, mahi mahi fishing was super, and a large number of the dolphin to 20-plus pounds were boxed on the last trip, and quite a few were lost in the chaos. They’re not the tuna that are targeted, but they’re good to eat and lots of fun.

Longfin tuna about 60 pounds started biting on trips on the party boat
Sea Devil from Point Pleasant, and the boat sailed to the canyons Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, Cindy said. One tuna and an 81-pound swordfish were decked on the first trip, and five tuna were bagged on the second, and Cindy thought seven tuna made the catch Tuesday, if she remembered correctly. Longfins outnumbered yellowfins on the outings. Sometimes the fish favored bait, and other times they were jigged, and it varied, nothing consistent, and most of the action took place toward 4 a.m., flurries of bites, and waters were 70 degrees. The weather looked clear for trips to run today through Sunday, but the weather cancelled more of the boat’s canyon trips in September than ever before in the month. The Sea Devil is tuna fishing throughout the week in October, and if tuna are still around in November, tuna trips might continue on weekends then. One never knows whether tuna trips will continue through October and November. The boat scrapped its tuna fishing by November last year, but that was unusual. The weather last October kept pounding, forcing trips to be cancelled, and the fleet generally gave up by November. But tuna fishing was mad dog in November four years ago. Stay tuned!