<b>Shark River Inlet</b>

Sharks were fought, when trips last had the weather to sail for them, said Capt. Pete from <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b> from Belmar. Weather was rough most of the week. Many blue sharks stalked, and water temperatures were good for mako sharks, and boaters from the docks landed thresher sharks. Bluefin tuna were caught, but a good ways offshore. They should begin to move closer, and Parker Pete’s sails for any species available.

The season’s first bluefin tuna trip is slated for the end of the month on the <b>Katie H</b> from Belmar, Capt. Mike said. He heard about no bluefins boated yet, but saw the tuna break water on a couple of shark trips aboard recently. Overnight trips for yellowfin tuna, farther offshore at the canyons, will begin later this summer, when the fish push into the area. The Katie H is currently fishing inshore, and an inshore trip Monday for fluke and sea bass was rescheduled. Weather forecasts were questionable, and seas were somewhat rough, and Shark River Inlet was a terror.

<b>Manasquan Inlet</b>

Yellowfin tuna and a few bigeye tuna were trolled at Wilmington Canyon, said Eric from <b>The Reel Seat</b> in Brielle. Hudson Canyon held bluefin tuna. Closer to shore, Glory Hole and Triple Wrecks gave up bluefins on trolled ballyhoos and spreader bars. Nothing was heard about sharks.

Seas were big, but one of the mixed-bag, mid-shore trips sailed Wednesday with <b>Andrea’s Toy Charters</b> from Point Pleasant Beach, a report on Andrea’s Toy’s Web site said. First, the trip trolled for bluefin tuna, scoring knock-downs, but no hook-ups, and the seas made trolling difficult. Lots of life was seen, including birds working the waters, whales, turtles and marked baitfish. The anglers switched to fishing a wreck on anchor, bagging cod and big, baseball-bat ling. Then the trip drifted for tuna or sharks. Chunks of hooked baits and jigs were fished, and brown sharks were caught and released, but the abundance of sharks and bluefish made getting the hooks to tuna impossible. On the way home, the trip fished a wreck closer to shore, pumping in sea bass and ling. The annual mixed-bag trips, both charters and open-boat, sail for fish that can include sharks, bluefin tuna, cod, pollock, sea bass and ling, all in one outing. Later this season, the trips will push all the way offshore, fishing overnight, for a mix that can include yellowfin tuna, sharks, swordfish, mahi mahi, tilefish and more. Telephone if interested, and Andrea’s Toy specializes in mixed-bag fishing for greater fun, better chances of hooking up and more variety for dinner.

<b>Great Egg Harbor Inlet</b>

The ocean was rough for boating most of the week, said Jake from <b>Fin-Atics</b> in Ocean City. But when boaters could reach offshore last week, they trolled yellowfin tuna, mostly at Wilmington Canyon. Bluefin tuna catches started to be heard about from places like the Hot Dog and the Ham Bone, closer to shore. Sharks including big threshers were battled, and brown sharks became abundant.

<b>Townsend’s Inlet</b>

Nothing could be heard about offshore in seas that kept fishing docked through mid-week, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> from Sea Isle City, affiliated with <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. But Jersey Cape already trolled yellowfin tuna at Baltimore Canyon this season, and the year’s first white and blue marlin were heard about. Inshore charters aboard are fighting lots of sharks, including browns and dusks, both required to be released, on spinning and fly rods. The angling is a chance to fight big fish without the long trek offshore. Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s blog</a>.

Seas were too rough for shark and tuna fishing through the middle of the week, and nobody was known about who ventured more than 30 miles out, said Mike from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b> in Sea Isle City. Customers who sailed for sea bass close to shore was the farthest heard about. They did catch enough keepers to make the angling worthwhile, they said.

<b>Cape May Inlet</b>

Before weather kept offshore trips in port, yellowfin tuna catches seemed decent between Wilmington and Spencer canyons, said Capt. George from the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> in Cape May. Tilefishing was good offshore, if anglers knew where to go. If bluefin tuna give up a fishery at places like the Hot Dog or the Ham Bone this simmer, trips aboard will go after them. The Heavy Hitter sails for all these fish, and telephone if interested.

Old reports about yellowfin tuna boated from Baltimore Canyon were the most recent news, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b> in Cape May. Seas were rough, until the last day or so, for more recent reports to roll in about tuna and sharks.

Back to Top