<b>Sandy Hook</b>

Bluefin tuna fishing is finished for the season with <b>Fisher Price Charters</b> from the Highlands, though the tuna should still be swimming in the inshore ocean, Capt. Derek said. They stuck around through mid October last year. But the weather kept making trips impossible now, and he’ll turn all attention to fishing closer to the coast as the fall migration begins.

<b>Shark River Inlet</b>

A trip might run for bluefin tuna on the inshore grounds today on the <b>Nan Sea J</b> from Belmar, if the weather cooperates, because several anglers wanted to go, Capt. Tom said. No news was heard about bluefin fishing lately in the windy weather, but they usually hang around into October. Open-boat trips are sailing for the tuna every Wednesday, and call to climb aboard.

Sharks were around, but tuna became elusive, said Capt. Ralph from <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b> from Neptune. But he’ll keep tuna gear on board during shark and cod trips, in case the fish show up. If tuna appear in any numbers, he’ll announce a trip for them. An individual-reservation cod trip will fish offshore Tuesday, October 13, and the past trips banged out plenty of cod, some big pollock and other fish. Call to claim a spot.

Tuna fishing was challenging at the canyons between the weather and slow catches, said Capt. Greg from the <b>Golden Eagle</b> from Belmar. No tuna were landed on a 36-hour Iron Man Trip to the canyons last week, but plenty of mahi mahi and some tilefish were boated. The trip began fishing at one of the southern canyons that showed promise, with bait in the waters, the right water temps and tuna readings. But the area looked bleak by the morning, and the boat was steamed to the east wall of Hudson Canyon. The vessel was drifted for tuna and tiles, and tiles and sizeable mahi were caught. Next the trip drifted at Jones Canyon, but no fish turned up. The vessel was run back to the Hudson and anchored for the night, but nothing was doing. “Three canyons in one trip and no bite for the fleet to speak of,” he said. “The tuna bite was not on this week.” See the boat’s Web site for the tuna schedule.

<b>Manasquan Inlet</b>

All trips were forced to stay docked on the <b>Big Kid</b> from Brielle during the weather lately, Capt. Ken said at the beginning of the week. But he hoped upcoming charters would sail that were slated to chunk and troll overnight at the canyons today to tomorrow and fish for bluefin tuna on the inshore ocean on Sunday. Another captain who runs the boat battled giant bluefin tuna in Massachusetts, and the year’s been great for the fishing.

Tuna fishing got weathered out on the <b>Gambler</b> from Point Pleasant through the weekend, Capt. Bob said. The last trip, sailing the previous weekend, was good, rounding up about 15 yellowfin tuna 20 to 30 pounds for 20 anglers. The patrons hooked but lost as many, and all the fish were jigged, mostly at night. When the sun came up, some of the customers deep-dropped for tilefish, scoring well. Then the boat was trolled a little with no luck. But afterward it was stopped at lobster pots, and the anglers decked good-sized mahi mahi. Tuna trips are sailing to the canyons through October, and visit the Gambler’s Web site for info. Trips are fishing for bonito, mahi mahi and false albacore 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. every Tuesday and Wednesday, no reservations required. A Columbus Day Cod Trip will run 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, October 12, limited to 30 passengers, and call to reserve.

On the <b>Jamaica</b> from Brielle bluefin tuna, skipjacks and false albacore were muscled aboard on the inshore ocean on Saturday, an e-mail from the boat said. Two more of the trips, fishing 25 to 50 miles from the coast, were added to the slate for 3 a.m. this coming Wednesday and Thursday, October 15. Forecasts looked perfect for a Tuna/Tilefish/Mahi Mahi Trip at 7 a.m. yesterday, and canyon tuna trips were on the books for 5 p.m. today and Saturday. Lots of tilefish were boated on a recent trip, and more than 20 yellowfin tuna were iced on the last canyon tuna trip, both covered in the last report. Space is available on all the trips, and visit the Jamaica’s Web site for the full schedule.

<b>Great Egg Harbor Inlet</b>

Hudson and Carteret canyons sometimes turned out yellowfin and longfin tuna, including on the overnight chunk, said Bill from <b>Fin-Atics</b> in Ocean City. Southern canyons such as the Baltimore and Norfolk gave up a white marlin bite. Little else was heard about offshore because of the weather.

Fishing was often “off” because of weather, said T.C. from <b>Brennan Marine</b> in Somers Point. But billfishing seemed especially strong at the canyons, and the crew on the C-Jam early last week hooked a 600-pound blue marlin on the 500 line at Spencer Canyon. They found no tuna on the trip. But the gang on the Lady Barbara put the brakes on three 40-pound tuna and 10 mahi mahi 10 pounds apiece and released a small swordfish and a small mako shark between Wilmington and Baltimore canyons, all while trolling.

<b>Townsend’s Inlet</b>

“Great week!” the report on <b>Over Under Adventures</b> from Avalon’s Web site said, talking about last week. After fishing at Hudson Canyon two weeks ago, Over Under last week fished the canyons closer to port. From Sunday to Monday last week, a trip ran to Wilmington Canyon, fishing along a break from 71 to 74.5 degrees. Life filled the warm side, and the trip came across “some yellowfins and a great wahoo bite, boating three up to 60 pounds,” the report said. Drifting the area at night produced no fish. Back on the troll in the morning, the anglers “picked another ‘hoo and some yellows to 30 pounds,” it said. A trip last week from Tuesday to Wednesday also began fishing at the Wilmington, but concentrated on swordfish at night. The trip short-drifted the east bite, the captain’s favorite place for swords, and the anglers went 1 for 2 “on some very nice fish,” the report said, boating a 170-pounder. On the troll the next morning the crew looked for the temperature break that was fished on the previous trip, but the waters had moved south toward Baltimore Canyon. The break was found, “(and) we quickly put some yellowfin in the box,” the report said. Afterward trip sailed to Poorman’s Canyon last week, and a break from 73.5 to 74.7 degrees was found that was littered with white marlin, wahoos, mahi mahi and yellowfins. “Fishing these small breaks that seem to be everywhere is the key,” the report said. The trip never left the 2-mile area. “We had excellent fishing, seeing at least 12 whites and one blue marlin,” it said. The fish were on the colder side of the break this time. “Fishing has drastically improved over the past two weeks with a good mixed bag of fish,” the report said. “The chunk bite has finally started up in the Hudson, and we are hoping it starts filtering down this way.” The weather was expected to keep trips from sailing on the first days of this week, but trips were expected to run later this week. Both charters and open-boat trips are fishing the canyons, and see the open schedule on Over Under’s Web site.

<b>Cape May</b>

A trip targeting white marlin got squeezed in last week on Wednesday between rough weather, going 4 for 16 on the fish south of Baltimore Canyon, said Capt. Ray from <b>Jaftica Sportfishing</b> from Cape May. Whites, sometimes five at a time, would cover the trolling spread, and the anglers would have to choose one to set the hook on. Lots of action—mayhem!—a phenomenal number of the fish. Now was a good time to fish for white marlin, an incredible season for them this year. A daytime trolling trip was expected try to fish the blue waters this week, probably by Thursday, when forecasts looked like the weather would clear. Ray was waiting to run overnighters for big game whenever they got a weather day.

Double-digit shots were the norm for boaters competing in the Cape May Marlin & Tuna Club’s Challenge Cup Tournament two weekends ago, said Matt from <b>Jim’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Cape May. But after the tournament, anglers who fished on that Monday and Tuesday found the fishing better still. The fish were fought at Baltimore and Poorman’s canyons, but the waters seemed to be moving south, so the area from the Poorman’s to the Washington would be the place to start looking.

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