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New Jersey Offshore Fishing Report 7-6-12


<b>Shark River Inlet</b>

At the Resor wreck on Sunday, a charter trolled a bunch of bluefin tuna, keeping one, releasing the rest, on the <b>Katie H</b> from Belmar, Capt. Mike said. Probably a dozen of the tuna were landed in the 72-degree, clear, beautiful waters. A few whales and turtles swam around. The charter originally planned to fish the Resor for bluefins then shark fish at the Fingers afterward. But the tuna fishing was so good that the anglers decided to stick with the bluefins the whole time. They had a great time, Mike said. Bluefish invaded waters at the Atlantic Princess wreck, making fishing for bluefins difficult there by the weekend. But no bluefish showed up at the Resor, and the Glory Hole reportedly gave up a bluefin bite in mornings. The Katie H will keep sailing for bluefins, and yellowfin tuna trips farther offshore to the canyon usually begin in late July on the boat.

<b>Manasquan Inlet</b>

Boaters picked yellowfin tuna a few nights at waters to the south that the <b>Canyon Runner</b>, from Point Pleasant Beach, had been fishing the last few weeks, a report on Canyon Runner’s Web site said. But then a trip with Canyon Runner this week went 13 for 15 on yellowfins at night on bait. Tons of butterfish and sardines were brought on the trip, and as soon as the first bait was dropped in the waters, tuna swam the slick. On an overnight trip previously, on Sunday to Monday, with Canyon Runner, in the same waters, only one yellowfin was caught at first. An hour after the lines were pulled in, the captain read “the right ones,” the report said, at 8 a.m. Big fish swam deep in 900 feet of waters. Three bigeye tuna – two 200-pounders and a 190-pounder – were trolled on a Canyon Runner Rainbow Green Machine Spreader Bar, a ballyhoo with a Joe Shute skirt and a jet. That made 11 bigeyes caught with Canyon Runner this year in 18 trips. Three-hundred-seventy-five yellowfins were caught in the 18 trips. That’s the best-ever for Canyon Runner by this time of year or July 4.  Waters to the south that trips fished seemed to be “moving out,” an e-mail from Canyon Runner said just prior to the Web site reports about these trips. But the Gulf Stream waters seemed to be headed either to Hudson or Toms canyons, and July seemed to promise good fishing closer to port, starting any day. A couple of spots remain on rare open-boat trips for tuna on Canyon Runner’s 60-foot Ritchie Howell this Monday to Tuesday and, during the following week, Wednesday to Thursday, July 18 to 19. Only three dates for charters remain on the Ritchie to August 15. Open-boat dates and charters are available on the 48-foot Viking.

Bluefin tuna fishing became difficult on some of the mid-shore grounds because bluefish filled the waters, said Eric from <b>The Reel Seat</b> in Brielle. At the offshore canyons, yellowfin tuna were boated to the south, and a couple of trips were heard about that picked a few yellowfins at Hudson Canyon. Bigeye tuna were heard about from Wilmington Canyon. 

<b>Barnegat Inlet</b>

<b>***Update, Friday, 7/6:***</b> From an edited e-mail from Capt. Dave DeGennaro from the <b>Hi Flier</b> from Barnegat: “I had a full boat to leave this morning for bluefin tuna, but I called everyone at 9 PM yesterday to cancel. All the captains I talked to last night said the water at the tuna grounds (Atlantic Princess, Glory Hole) turned green, and the bite was off. I didn't want to take everyone for a 50-mile boat ride if there wasn't good water. I don't mind hearing the bite was slow. But I'm not trekking 50 miles to fish green water and bluefish. It hurts to lose the trip, but this practice has served me well in terms of people coming back.”

<b>Great Egg Harbor Inlet</b>

Yellowfin tuna were decked at Wilmington Canyon, said Bill from <b>Fin-Atics</b> in Ocean City.  Not much was heard about bluefin tuna closer to the coast. Yellowfins, mahi mahi, a mako shark and tilefish were reported drilled on one overnight trip at the canyons. 

<b>Townsend’s Inlet</b>

Wilmington and Spencer canyons turned out yellowfin tuna, mostly on the troll, a few on the chunk, said Mike from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b> in Sea Isle City. A few bigeye tuna were caught. Inshore shark fishing, catch and release, was great for browns, duskies and blacktips. Multiple reports rolled in about catches from 15 to 20 in a trip.

Fishing for yellowfin tuna became more sporadic than before at the canyons, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b>, from Sea Isle City, affiliated with <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. But good catches of them were sometimes made. White marlin and mahi mahi sometimes bit. Sixteen sharks to 80 pounds, mostly blacktips and duskies, were clobbered on one of the inshore trips for them Sunday aboard. The trips, catch and release on spinning or fly rods, have been great. They’re an opportunity to catch big fish within 15 miles from shore, usually closer. That’s instead of the long trip offshore. The trip fished with mackerel fillets on spinning rods. But one of the sharks was fly-rodded. Jersey Cape sets up a chum slick at structure for the trips. When fly fishing, a chum fly is fished. The sharks are surprisingly sensitive to the presentation, requiring care, like a natural-looking, drag-free drift.

<b>Cape May Inlet</b>

A trip Saturday with <b>Relentless Sport Fishing</b> from Cape May trolled nine yellowfin tuna 40 to 50 pounds at the canyons, Capt. Dave said. A trip Monday fished somewhat closer to shore, chunking and jigging. The anglers went 6 for 6 on bluefin tuna in the lower 40 pounds. One was kept, and the rest were released. “Not a bad day at all,” Dave said. 

With <b>Legal Limit Charters</b>, a shark trip is set to fish offshore Saturday, Capt. T.J. said. Yellowfin tuna catches were spotty at the canyons the last T.J. heard on Monday. Some boats totaled one or two, and others five or six. Charters are fishing, and so are open-boat trips, including for tuna. See <a href=" http://www.legallimitcharters.com/open-boat.php" target="_blank">Legal Limit’s open-boat page</a> online.

Trolling for yellowfin tuna seemed slower than before at the canyons recently, said Capt. George from the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> from Cape May. But the fish were chunked at night, and that was early, usually happening in August. Sharks could be caught and released inshore. Trips are available for both, and call if interested.

One of the boat’s mates joined a trip that pasted eight yellowfin tuna and a white marlin at the canyons, said Capt. Greg from the <b>Down Deep</b> in Cape May. Inshore sharking, catch and release, was going well aboard.  Call if interested in either fishing.

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