<b>Sandy Hook</b>

Many bluefin tuna anglers at places like the Chicken Canyon and the Atlantic Princess wreck sounded like they struggled during the weekend, including because of getting invaded by bluefish, but the fishing went well on a trip Sunday with <b>Jersey Devil Charters</b> from the Highlands, Capt. Brian said. The charter banged out catches with sardines and Shimano butterfly jigs on Shimano Trevala jigging rods, and the bigger jigs worked best that day. Good networking and being keyed in on the fishing probably mattered, but plenty of good captains found the angling difficult. Jersey Devil fished an area with a few other boats around, but lots of boats seemed to gather in some areas, and all the bait in the waters might’ve contributed to tons of bluefish being a problem. Brian likes to get away from the crowds. Jersey Devil is sailing for the bluefins on charters and open-boat trips, and call if interested in the open trips, because the more who want to go, the easier the trips are to schedule. Boats running for tuna at the canyons sometimes got shots at yellowfins but would go back to the same place on another trip but find the fish gone. A friend on a canyon trip Sunday to Monday scored a small yellowfin tuna, landed two white marlin and pulled the hook on a blue marlin. Another friend at the canyons recently bailed 13 yellowfins including a half-dozen 80-pounders. He returned to the same place the next day, going 2 for 3 on yellowfins.

<b>Shark River Inlet</b>

Bluefin tuna became scarce on an overnight trip Wednesday to Thursday, and not even a runoff was scored, said Capt. Ralph from <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b> from Neptune. Everyone he spoke with who fished the area fared the same, and Ralph couldn’t know whether the fishing would bounce back. All the bait including sand eels filled the waters. But a trip for bluefins on Saturday with Last Lady limited out on two, catching and releasing three or four more, a good day. If the lines were let out too far, only bluefish bit. Blues also filled the waters on an offshore wreck-fishing trip Friday that racked up fish to a 26-1/2-pound pollock. A 15- or 18-pound pollock was also creamed, and a number of 10- to 15-pound cod were clobbered. The fishing was good but probably would’ve been better if blues hadn’t covered the wreck. An individual-reservation trip for the same type of fishing is slated for Tuesday, October 13.

On the <b>Nan Sea J</b> from Belmar, a trip fished the bluefin tuna grounds on Wednesday, going 1 for 3, Capt. Tom said. Not a great catch, but a fish in the box, a 40- or 50-pounder, and better than when bluefish invaded the area during the weekend. Boaters, including on the Nan Sea J, got covered up by blues on the grounds then, making the fishing difficult, but that didn’t seem to be a problem for anglers on this day. Wednesday’s trip fished near the Atlantic Princess wreck, and lots of false albacore swam around. The sardines, the baits that were fished, scored many bites and runoffs that never came tight, for some reason. Maybe that was from the albies. But otherwise not much life filled the waters, but seas and the day were gorgeous. The Nan Sea J is running open-boat trips for bluefins every Wednesday. Three or four anglers were booked for next week’s trip, and a few spaces were left. The Nan Sea J is also running overnight canyon trips.

With <b>Last One Charters</b> from Belmar on Wednesday, Joe Kemp’s group steamed 55 miles from shore for bluefin tuna, going 2 for 4 on the fish, including one that could be kept, Capt. Rob said. Both of the bluefins landed were in the smaller slot-size limit, so one had to be released. Lots of false albacore and a few skipjacks and bluefish were cranked in, and all the fish were taken on bait. Plenty of life, including a pod of dolphins and some whales, filled the clear waters, and the charter left the fish biting, because one of the anglers had to return. Rob sailed that far offshore to try to avoid bluefish that were reported abundant previously, but then ended up moving inshore to catch the fish. The bluefins seemed to keep moving, because he tried a spot where a friend caught the tuna, but none of the fish was there.

<b>Manasquan Inlet</b>

Tuna were smoked on a trip to Hudson Canyon from Saturday to Sunday on the party boat <b>Sea Devil</b> from Point Pleasant, Cindy said in an e-mail. Every angler caught, and the trip came home with more than two dozen yellowfin tuna, one longfin tuna and some mahi mahi.  The boat was turned around and headed right back to the Hudson for an overnight trip Sunday to Monday. Lots of life continued to fill the waters, and a fair catch of yellowfins was drilled. But big mahi mahi, 30 of the fish, made up most of the catch. The mahi, many of them larger than 6 pounds, were seen swimming all around the 74-degree waters. On the trip, Glen Ward from Summit bagged two yellowfins, and  Eric Laughlin, “Arkansas Louie,”  from Harrison, Arkansas, scored two and lost one. The Sea Devil is fishing the canyons almost daily, and check the tuna calendar on the boat’s Web site for availability.

A split charter on the <b>Andrea’s Toy</b> from Point Pleasant shoved off for a canyon overnighter on Monday, making great time to the waters, the report on the boat’s Web site said. Mahi mahi were first light-tackled at a lobster pot, and then the anglers deep-dropped for tilefish, pumping in a dozen. The boat was put on the troll, and nothing bit, but trolling allowed the crew to scope out a spot to spend the night. Right before dark, a scene from the Discovery Channel broke out: yellowfin tuna skyrocketing out of the waters! The boat was anchored, and a yellowfin was landed within minutes. Squid schooled through the chunk slick, but then marker balls approached, and the trip got covered up with longline gear. The gear had been seen on the troll but drifted unexpectedly to the boat. The anglers were forced to leave the fish biting. The boat was drifted, and two more yellowfins were nailed through the night. In the morning more mahi mahi to 10 pounds were reeled in, and then the trip moved inshore to look for bluefin tuna and pollock at the wrecks. Divers were on the wrecks the crew preferred, and tons of false albacore and bluefish tore up the waters where the anglers fished instead. Andrea’s Toy is fishing the inshore grounds for bluefin tuna and pollock and heading to the canyons.

A charter slammed bluefin tuna Friday at the Atlantic Princess wreck on the <b>Katie H</b> from Brielle, landing at least a dozen or more of the 50- to 80-pounders, limiting out on two and releasing the rest, Capt. Mike said. Three at once were sometimes hooked, and a bunch of skipjacks were fought, a great trip. But the fishing was a different story when an overnight trip Saturday to Sunday fished the area instead of the canyons. Bluefish invaded the Princess area, and getting the lines through them was difficult. One bluefin was boated before the sun went down. Blues attacked all night, and the trip moved to the Chicken Canyon after sunup to escape them. Then a 120-pound thresher shark was bagged. The shark was caught on a 40-pound tuna leader, so the anglers were lucky to reel in the fish before the beast bit through, and they even fought the shark for 45 minutes, because of the light line. A couple of false albacore were also cranked in. So the bluefish that suddenly invaded made the tuna fishing difficult, but the anglers at least had fish to take home, including the thresher, for tasty steaks along with the tuna loin. They were happy and had a good time, Mike said. More overnight tuna trips were slated for Thursday to today and Saturday to Sunday. Don’t have enough anglers for a full canyon charter? Call Mike, and he can probably book an individual space on a make-up trip.

For inshore bluefin tuna angling, fishing was productive for some customers and not for others, mostly depending on experience, said Dave from <b>The Reel Seat</b> in Brielle. A customer who was fishing for them three times a week hooked the fish every time on trolled feathers. The fishing was the same for boaters who jigged and chunked while anchored: Some connected, and others did not. But the fish were there. Mixed reports started to roll in from canyon tuna anglers. One customer whaled 15 yellowfin tuna Saturday night, and others bagged two.

The season’s first canyon tuna trip sailed Friday on the party boat <b>Jamaica</b> from Brielle, an e-mail from the boat said. Yellowfin tuna schooled under the boat at 2:30 a.m., and three were hooked but lost. Afterward two swordfish, including a 100-pounder, were decked, and only a couple of more tuna bit. In the morning the trip moved inshore to the bluefin tuna grounds, and one bluefin and lots of false albacore were rounded up. The next two canyon trips were slated for this week on Tuesday and Wednesday, and if the results come in by today, they’ll be added here. Many more are also scheduled. The price is temporarily discounted, and if space is booked now, the discount will be locked in. Special trips are sailing for bluefins 25 to 50 miles from shore. Bluefin fishing was “good to excellent,” the e-mail said, and bonito, false albacore and skipjacks schooled the area. The Jamaica’s first bluefin trip this year tackled more than 50 bluefins and numerous false albacore and skipjacks. The most recent bluefin trip produced busy action with two of the tuna to 46 inches, false albacore and jumbo blues. Plenty of life filled the area lately, and bluefins last year gave up catches through October.  <b>***Update:***</b> Two overnight canyon trips sailed on the Jamaica on Tuesday and Wednesday, and fishing was best Wednesday night, when more than 20 yellowfin tuna were iced, and a lot more tuna were read than the crew had seen all season, an e-mail from the boat said. The crew on the trips also heard about longfin tuna taken. On Tuesday the outing was a Special Tuna, Tilefish and Mahi Mahi Trip, so the boat first stopped at the lobster pots for mahi, but the fishing was slow. The anglers switched to tilefishing, and 80 tiles to 12 pounds were toggled in on several drifts. The boat was anchored at 6 p.m., and the anglers began to chunk for tuna. A large hammerhead and small swordfish were first caught and released. At 1:45 a.m. a 110-pound sword was bagged. Tuna schooled under the boat shortly afterward, and one yellowfin was landed. At 3 a.m. tuna schooled under the boat again, and three yellowfins were landed. A few bites were had the rest of the night, and then the boat moved inshore, and Dennis Mulhenforth from Hockessin, Del., heaved in a bluefin tuna. On Wednesday’s trip, a regular canyon tuna trip, the boat was anchored at the same place as the previous night in 600 feet. Tuna schooled under the vessel at 1:40 a.m. from 50 to 110 feet down. Three yellowfins were landed, and a few were lost, and a small sword was let go. At 3 a.m. tuna returned under the boat, and never left. About 20 more yellowfins were bagged, mostly on jigs. Frank Graziano from Delaware limited out on yellowfins and boated a 100-pound sword. Steve DeBoar from Oakland and Bob Knemoller from Toms River limited out on yellowfins, and Dan Gregory from Howell caught two.  Canyon trips are scheduled through October, and an inshore trip for bluefin tuna is on the books for 3 a.m. Sunday. Visit the boat’s Web site for the full schedule of trips.

<b>Beach Haven Inlet</b>

Tuna fishing at the canyons was hit or miss, and some boats came across a few, but the angling wasn’t “slam bang,” said Capt. Lindsay from the <b>June Bug</b> from Beach Haven. Sometimes yellowfin tuna were caught, and a few longfin tuna were around. The yellowfins were either small or 60, 70 or 80 pounds. But the problem was that if you don’t go, you don’t catch. “That’s the guarantee on that,” he said.

<b>Absecon Inlet</b>

Bluefin tuna began to return to 30 and 40 fathoms, said Capt. Tom from the <b>Fishin’ Fever</b> from Brigantine. Mako and thresher sharks started to get picked as they trekked south, too. At the canyons a load of white marlin, scattered yellowfin tuna and a few longfin tuna swam, and bigeye tuna began to be seen.

<b>Great Egg Harbor Inlet</b>

Tom Little and crew on his Miss Chevious last week overnighted at Carteret Canyon, hauling in a 135-pound swordfish and a dozen or so 12- to 18-pound mahi mahi, said T.C. from <b>Brennan Marine</b> in Somers Point in a fax. They trolled Lindenkohl Canyon in the morning, going 2 for 5 on white marlin. Also last week Chris Jazmin and company on the Lori-A fished Carteret Canyon, going 2 for 2 on 70-pound yellowfin tuna and 2 for 2 on blue marlin, including one estimated to weigh 900 to 1,000 pounds. They also beat 10 mahi mahi from 10 to 12 pounds and went 0 for 2 on white marlin.

The only news heard about offshore catches recently was that an amazing white marlin bite turned on, and a few yellowfin tuna were mixed in, to the south around Poorman’s Canyon, said Ed from <b>Fin-Atics</b> in Ocean City.

<b>Townsend’s Inlet</b>

One of the 46-hour offshore trips, the best trips this season because they allow time to move around, fished with <b>Over Under Adventures</b> from Avalon from Friday to Sunday, the report on the boat’s Web site said. Nine yellowfin tuna and 20 mahi mahi to 40 pounds were heaved in. The trip began trolling at Toms Canyon with no results and moved to Hudson Canyon without a touch in the spread. Fishing was slow on anchor at the 100 Square at night in rough seas, tough conditions for angling, and one shark bit. In the morning mahi were trolled at the 100 Square. The boat was moved to the East Elbow, and the trip’s first tuna, a 65-pound yellowfin, was gaffed at 10 a.m. at a 1-degree temperature break with a weed line. Several more tuna and mahi were trolled on the warm, 73.5-degree side of the break, and the bigger fish came from the deeper waters in 1,800 feet. The area was worked the rest of the day, and 20- to 30-pound yellowfins were picked. The boat was anchored at the East Elbow at night until the trip returned home. On one of Over Under’s other boats, trips early last week produced 30- to 60-pound wahoos and several 20 to 30-pound yellowfins on the troll. At mid week the vessel fished on a trip at Wilmington Canyon, so the crew could try to find new results. Mahi, lots from 8 to 15 pounds and a few around 30 pounds, turned out great action on light tackle during the daytime. Night fishing was slow, but a swordfish was bagged. Blue sharks and plenty of sardines, tinker mackerel and squid schooled, and the bait was so thick at times that the anglers could hardly get a line down. Then the weather became difficult but improved by Saturday and Sunday, and the vessel fished on a trip farther south toward Baltimore Canyon. A couple of yellowfin tuna were found inshore, and one was landed among several bites at the Baltimore. At night dusky sharks were the worst ever, and 30 of the beasts from 80 to 200 pounds must’ve been caught, “crazy fun,” the report said, but other boaters complained about the same problem. Fishing in the morning produced little results. Waters were 75 degrees at first on the trip and 70 degrees by the end, pushing hard to the south and inshore. Both charters and open-boat trips are fishing offshore, and see Over Under’s Web site for the open schedule.

<b>Hereford Inlet</b>

When the weather was calm enough for offshore boaters to sail, they scored healthy catches of small yellowfin tuna, mahi mahi and wahoos, said Cathy from <b>Sterling Harbor Bait & Tackle</b> in Wildwood in an e-mail. Joey Finn, 13, from Hudson, N.Y., slam dunked a 161-pound bluefin tuna on a trip with his dad on a charter from Cape May. Many boaters mugged double-digit shots of white marlin at the canyons before the last nor’easter.

<b>Cape May Inlet</b>

Canyon tuna trips on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> from Cape May were weathered out this coming weekend and the past several weekends, Capt. George said. Trips on other boats sometimes rounded up yellowfin tuna and wahoos, and lots of wahoos seemed to bite off mono lines meant for tuna.

Inshore trolling, no farther than 18 miles off, served up plenty of catches for <b>Jaftica Sportfishing</b> from Cape May, Capt. Ray said. Lots of bonito, false albacore, a few mahi mahi and sometimes sizeable bluefin tuna to 125 pounds were around.  Jaftica will keep running the trips, and offshore trips are also coming up. Yellowfin tuna fishing seemed to connect for boats during the weekend at the canyons and a little inshore. Jaftica for the rest of the season is running a 38-foot Rampage for up to six passengers, instead of the 29-foot Topaz for up to four passengers the crew ran earlier in the year.

A fair number of yellowfin tuna were claimed at the tip of the Elephant Trunk, and mahi mahi and wahoos were battled there, said Jim from <b>Jim’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Cape May. A few bluefin tuna seemed to gather at the East Lump. One angler fought a bluefin there for 2 hours on Saturday before the fish got off. Great catches of white marlin got waxed in 40 to 50 fathoms between Baltimore and Poorman’s canyons.

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