<b>Manasquan Inlet</b>

“Fall chunking at its finest,” an e-mail from <b>Canyon Runner Sport Fishing</b>, from Point Pleasant Beach, said about yellowfin tuna fishing at night Saturday and Sunday, before the storm. An open-boat, overnight trip Saturday to Sunday trolled a bigeye tuna the first day and boated seven yellowfin tuna, mostly at night, on Canyon Runner’s 48-foot Viking. On the company’s 60-foot Ritchie Howell, a two-night trip that began Saturday whaled more than 20 yellowfins the first night. On Sunday morning the trip trolled a bigeye tuna, then hunted marlin, landing a 250-pound blue. Trolling for tuna was shut off then, but with all the tuna already in the box, the charter went tilefishing, pumping in a few. Meanwhile, the Viking was sailed home Sunday, and was turned right back around, heading out with a charter that arrived at Hudson Canyon at 6 p.m. Yellowfins were picked, then a bigeye was drilled at 9 p.m. in the dark. The trip proceeded to land 16 yellowfins, some kept, others released. On Monday the trip trolled another bigeye, and that made 22 bigeyes caught with Canyon Runner this season. Back on the Ritchie Howell, on Sunday night, eight yellowfins and a 150-pound swordfish were caught. The trip decided to return home, docking a total of 30 yellowfins, the bigeye, the blue and the sword. “Wow, what a weekend,” the e-mail said. Not many dates remain for trips, and book them now. Forecasts looked like Canyon Runner would fish offshore again this week starting Thursday. “Let’s hope no wind and just swells, and the fishing stays just like it is,” the e-mail said.

A “recon” trip set out to search for tuna at the Mudhole, a report on <b>Andrea’s Toy Charters</b>’s Web site said last Friday. The baitwell was loaded with peanut bunker, and the trip sailed to lumps and wrecks. “But no life, no birds, barely any marks, and no mammals,” the report said.  So the trip on the way home fished a wreck, tugging in good-sized ling, and spin-cast to lobster pot buoys, reeling in a half-dozen mahi mahi, chickens. Meanwhile, yellowfin tuna fishing turned excellent at the canyons at night this weekend. Choosing a weather window between hurricanes is usually the drill in September, and that began to happen this week. A short window looked to happen Thursday, but Andrea’s Toy wasn’t taking the chance. Annual, unique, open-boat trips are targeting tuna and a mix of fish like mahi mahi, swordfish and tilefish, all in one outing, at the canyons. Call for info. Andrea’s Toy specializes in mixed-bag fishing for greater fun, better chances of hooking up and more variety for dinner.

Canyon tuna fishing was spectacular, according to first-hand reports, said Alan, the boat owner, from Point Pleasant Beach’s <b>Mushin Sportfishing</b>, in an e-mail. Trips filled the boxes with sizeable, 50- to 70-pound yellowfins chunked at night, and multiple bigeye tuna were trolled during day. After yellowfin fishing was slow in August, the fishing this month seemed to be turning on. Dates remain for trips to the canyons this month and in October. Capt. Ray from the boat in a phone call said weather would likely keep the boat docked this week, but he hopes to run offshore frequently starting next week.

Bluefin tuna were almost nonexistent locally, said Eric from <b>The Reel Seat</b> in Brielle. But canyon fishing lit up for yellowfin tuna chunked at night, mostly at Hudson Canyon. Good fishing for bigeye tuna was heard about from the same area, and boats returned with two or three apiece. A few reports mentioned blue marlin catches, and fair numbers of white marlin were reported caught. Tons of fish like false albacore, skipjacks and chicken mahi mahi swam the mid-shore ocean and some inshore spots like along the Mudhole or at Barnegat Ridge.

<b>Beach Haven Inlet</b>

Two trips fished Wilmington Canyon on the <b>June Bug</b> from Beach Haven last week on Wednesday and Saturday, Capt. Lindsay said. The first trip tagged and released two white marlin, missed others and bagged a 70-pound yellowfin tuna. The anglers wanted to hook their own whites, working at it, and Lindsay couldn’t say how many others were missed.  The water temp was 77 degrees and didn’t vary much. The second trip tagged and released one white, jumped off one, missed others and landed a mahi mahi. Waters were 75 to 76 degrees, holding no real temperature breaks or color changes. Lots of skipjacks tore up the ballyhoo baits on both trips. There was action. Lots of whites swam around on both trips. The marlin “were whites being whites,” Lindsay said. One of the billfish would attack one bait then another, and before the second rod could be grabbed, swipe a third.

<b>Great Egg Harbor Inlet</b>

Before the week’s storm, mahi mahi were found gathered at the Cigar and 750 Square, and a good number of wahoos were hung there, said Ed from <b>Fin-Atics</b> in Ocean City. Inshore a little, false albacore were axed. The last anything was heard from the canyons, white marlin were on a bite at the Wilmington.

<b>Townsend’s Inlet</b>

Yellowfin tuna fishing began to shape up at night at Hudson Canyon and maybe North Toms Canyon, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> from Sea Isle City and <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. A few trips on bigger boats planned to sail for them this week on Thursday in a break in weather.  With Jersey Cape last week on Thursday, a trip targeting white marlin, with Jay and Luc Vonczoernig, trolled two at Wilmington Canyon on naked ballyhoos. Waters were 77.7 degrees, holding no real temperature breaks. A blue marlin and some mahi mahi were heard about that were caught on other vessels in the area that day.

<b>Cape May Inlet</b>

Capt. George from the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> from Cape May hopes yellowfin tuna fishing cranks up at night at the offshore canyons within range, he said. It usually does, starting this month. One of the mates from the boat was supposed to steam offshore on another vessel this week on Thursday in a break in weather. Tuna trips are available, and call if interested.

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