<b>Shark River Inlet</b>

A 76-inch mako shark, probably 170 pounds, was bagged Thursday with <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b> from Belmar, Capt. Pete said. Plenty of blue sharks were around, and no tuna were seen. Bluefin tuna were possible to run into at the shark grounds. Turtles and whales, but no “crazy” life, Pete said, were seen. Waters were 62 to 63 degrees or cold, and somewhat green, not as blue as he would like. “But it worked,” he said. The day was beautiful on the waters. Parker Pete’s will also fish for tuna.

 <b>Fin-Ominal Sportfishing</b> from Belmar competed in the Brett T. Bailey Mako Rodeo on Saturday, entering a 209-pounder, Capt. Jared said. The mako didn’t win, but four makos, including that one, and about 40 sharks total were landed.

<b>Manasquan Inlet</b>

The <b>Big Kid</b> from Brielle won Saturday’s Brett T. Bailey Mako Rodeo with a 274-1/2-pounder, Capt. Ken said. A bunch of blue sharks were caught and released aboard, and bluefin tuna were trolled on nearby boats.

One of the mid-shore, mixed-bag trips sailed with <b>Andrea’s Toy Charters</b> from Point Pleasant Beach, shooting for bluefin tuna, sharks, cod and pollock, a report said Wednesday on Andrea’s Toy’s Web site. Trolling for tuna scored no bites, and the anglers switched to wreck-fishing. Pollock and cod were jigged, “(and) once we had a nice box of tasty treats,” the report said, the anglers began sharking. The boat drifted perfectly for that, and blue sharks started to be caught. Nearly a dozen were landed, about one every 15 minutes. Then a small mako hit, jumping three times, and was landed, tagged and released. Another mako, 83 inches, was hooked and bagged. Scales were closed when the trip returned to port, but the shark was estimated to weigh 220 to 240 pounds. A trip Thursday was supposed to fish for the same mix, Capt. Fred said in a phone call beforehand. Tuna were around, he said, and bluefins were seen shooting through the shark chum slick, on the trip just described. An attempt was made to jig them, but too many sharks swam around the boat, and the trip concentrated on them. These annual, mixed-bag, mid-shore trips, targeting several species in one outing, will start to be a focus aboard, both on open-boat trips and charters. Andrea’s Toy specializes in mixed-bag fishing for greater fun, better chances of hooking up, and more variety for dinner.

After strong winds, a bachelor party trip was able to adjust their schedule, and begin sharking late, at 11 a.m., last Friday with <b>Mushin Sportfishing</b> from Point Pleasant Beach, Alan, the boat’s owner, wrote in an e-mail. Big swells remained, but a 125-pound mako bit after 15 minutes of fishing, and the bachelor himself landed and released it. Then blue sharks to 200 pounds gave up steady action. Two hours into the fishing, a bigger mako, 175 pounds, was landed and kept. That happened to be the bachelor’s turn at catching again. A few more blue sharks were released. In only four hours of fishing, the trip totaled two makos and maybe a dozen blue sharks. On Saturday, another group aboard competed in the Brett T. Bailey Mako Rodeo. After 15 minutes of fishing, a 204-pound thresher shark was hooked.  Landed after an hour and 15 minutes, the fish was entered in the tournament, after the trip. The anglers went on to fight about 18 large blue sharks to 200 pounds. While the thresher was fought, a mako 250 or 300 pounds was seen free-jumping three times. The boat is booked to compete in the Mako Mania and Mako Fever tournaments this weekend.

Bluefin tuna were heard about that were trolled from the ocean again, Dave from <b>The Reel Seat</b> in Brielle said during the weekend. News about them had dried up a moment, probably because of weather. But by the weekend, the tuna were found at places like 50 miles offshore or at the Chicken Canyon. Dave also knew about sharks caught, including those that led the weekend’s Brett T. Bailey Mako Rodeo: a 274-pound mako and a 398-pound thresher.

<b>Barnegat Inlet</b>

A few spaces are available for an open-boat tilefish trip Sunday, July 7, on the <b>Super Chic</b> from Barnegat Light, Capt. Ted said. The fishing’s been good, and telephone to reserve.

<b>Great Egg Harbor Inlet</b>

Mako sharks and small bluefin tuna swam at the Hot Dog, Dan from <b>Fin-Atics</b> in Ocean City said.  Blue sharks held at the 750 Square, supposedly because waters were warmer there, and a friend at the 750 saw a tiger shark swim around the boat. Yellowfin tuna were boated between Baltimore and Wilmington canyons.

<b>Townsend’s Inlet</b>

Excellent fishing for yellowfin tuna was heard about during the weekend, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> from Sea Isle City, affiliated with <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. From Baltimore Canyon? he was asked.  You could say that, he said. Large ones bigger than 100 pounds were smoked, and most were “in the standard range (of size),” he said. A buddy went 5 for 8 on the tuna, and Joe hoped to fish offshore today. He heard nothing super about tuna fishing later this week. Inshore sharks started to bite, and Joe usually fishes for them by late June. The sharks are usually browns and duskies, both required to be released, and blacktips. Ranging 20 to 100 pounds, the sharks usually swim inshore of 10 miles. The fishing is a chance to pull on large fish without the long trek offshore. Charters fish for them with fresh mackerel or bluefish fillets or chum flies.

A 76- or 78-inch thresher shark was docked this week, Mike from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b> in Sea Isle City said. Other sharks were also fought, he knew, but no specifics were heard. Tuna catches but no specifics were also heard about. Many boaters planned to sail for sharks and tuna today through the weekend.

<b>Cape May Inlet</b>

The season’s first open-boat tuna trip is set to sail Sunday on the <b>Down Deep</b> from Cape May, Capt. Mario said. Sign up for the <a href=" http://www.downdeepsportfishing.com/ddsf/76-2/" target="_blank">Short Notice List</a> on Down Deep’s Web site to receive dates for open trips, including for tuna. Also see the site’s <a href="http://www.downdeepsportfishing.com/ddsf/special-trips/" target="_blank">Special Trips</a> page for open dates.  Charters are also fishing.

Yellowfin tuna were caught between Baltimore and Wilmington canyons, said Capt. George from the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> from Cape May. A friend sailed for them during the weekend, landing none, but other boaters decked them. The friend fished shallow, came up with no tuna, pushed deeper, and caught a large mahi mahi. But little was heard about tuna, except second- and third-hand reports. Few seemed to sail for the fish, and weather’s been difficult, not just rains, but winds. In past years, bluefin tuna started to be caught closer to shore in late June or around Fourth of July. Telephone if interested in tuna or shark fishing.

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