<b>Sandy Hook</b>

<b>Fisher Price Charters</b> from Highlands set a course for bluefin tuna 50 miles from shore last Friday, Capt. Derek said. The fishing was tough for the fleet that day, but Fisher Price went 3 for 4 on bluefins to 40 pounds. Derek was happy with that, and the trip trolled and jigged. The fish hooked were trolled on ballyhoos, and jigs grabbed a couple of bites. The tuna fed on sand eels, and waters were 74 ½ degrees and not blue, but a clean green. Charters are fishing for the tuna, and open-boat trips will run for them, and telephone if interested. Trips are also fishing for sharks like threshers and makos that swam 20 to 40 miles from the coast. Fisher Price already caught sharks this season, and buddies sailed for them in past days. Their catches included a 150-pound mako and a 250-pound thresher, and they lost a 300-pound mako.

<b>Manasquan Inlet</b>

A small flock of tuna chicks worked a bait slick Tuesday when one of the mid-shore, mixed-bag trips arrived on the bluefin tuna grounds with <b>Andrea’s Toy Charters</b> from Point Pleasant Beach, a report on the vessel’s Web site said.  A 55-inch 80-pound bluefin was soon jigged there. The charter searched for more bluefins, and marks were read, but no tuna bit. With one in the box, the trip switched to cod fishing at a wreck. Cod to 20 pounds were pumped in. “Nice afternoon trip for a good crew,” the report said. Another charter during the week – the report didn’t specify the day – fought and released hammerhead sharks and brown sharks at inshore lumps. Browns are required to be let go. Then the anglers cranked in cod and ling at a wreck. Andrea’s Toy specializes in mixed-bag fishing for greater fun, better chances of hooking up and more variety for dinner. Mixed-bag charters and open-boat trips are currently sailing mid-shore for bluefins, sharks, mahi mahi and cod. Fishing for each was consistent, and each will be targeted on trips, when enough time is available. The trips will push offshore to the canyons this season, but the mid-range fishing was currently great, so trips were sticking with that for now. Telephone if interested.

Two trips each boated a bigeye tuna and some longfin tuna this past week with <b>Mushin Sportfishing</b> from Point Pleasant Beach, according to an e-mail from Alan, the boat’s owner, and a voicemail from Capt. Ray. One trip was Anthony O’Donnell’s daytime trolling charter to Hudson Canyon on Wednesday. The trip began trolling in the deep at the east corner of Hudson Canyon, beyond the 100 Square. Longfin tuna and mahi mahi were picked, then a bigeye tuna attacked. The 150-pounder was landed in 25 minutes on stand-up tackle. Tuna landed on the trip were three longfins and the bigeye, and several longfins were lost. All the trip’s fish were found at “three distinct areas,” Alan said, but the longfins seemed spread over a large area, “which holds promise of good fishing to come,” he said. Ballyhoos on Ilanders and “usual spreader bars,” Alan said, caught best. Waters were clean and slightly gray, and water temperatures were good. “Lots of mammal life and bait,” Alan said. Boaters Ray spoke with who fished at night caught no tuna on Tuesday to Wednesday. Another trip sailed offshore Friday night, Alan wrote in another e-mail. The boat arrived at a canyon – Alan didn’t mention which – at gray light on Saturday morning. The trip began to troll where water temperature changed to 74 degrees from 72, and bait and other signs of life were seen. A longfin tuna was caught within minutes. After an hour, a 213-pound bigeye tuna was hooked, keeping the anglers fighting a while. The bigeye was boated, and the trip later moved to another location at the canyon to troll. Another half-dozen longfins were decked, and several were dropped. The trip’s tuna were some of the anglers’ first-ever. Another canyon trip was cancelled Sunday, because of winds. Inshore and offshore charters are still being booked, and open-boat trips offshore are being set up, by reservation. Mushin means a relaxed state of readiness. The crew pride themselves on sharing the concept on outdoor adventures.

Bluefin tuna were beaten any place from the Resor and Atlantic Princess wrecks to the Triple Wrecks and the tip of Chicken Canyon, or that whole area, said Eric from <b>The Reel Seat</b> in Brielle. Anglers searched them out, and some of the bluefins were sizeable, in the 100-pound range. Mid-range shark fishing was good, including for threshers and browns. Browns are required to be released, and bigeye tuna were trolled at Hudson Canyon’s 100 Square and Lindenkohl Canyon. A few yellowfin tuna and longfin tuna were trolled, and sometimes swordfish were cranked in at night, at canyons like that.

<b>Barnegat Inlet</b>

From an edited e-mail from Capt. Dave DeGennaro from the <b>Hi Flier</b> from Barnegat: “We hit the Barnegat Ridge on Saturday, and it wasn't great, but we did manage four bonita on the troll. They hit small squid chains and cedar plugs. On Monday morning, I returned in hopes of more, but we only caught one Spanish mackerel. A big one though, 24-incher, that crushed my way-back cedar plug.  Then we came inside and hammered the weakies on the shrimp. Lots of bait readings at the ridge, so I’ll continue to try. The bonita we cut open had sand eels in them, and when that bait is at the ridge, things can heat up any minute, with any number of species. Good looking water, too – bluish green, 70 degrees.” Charters and open-boat trips sail for this fishing.

<b>Great Egg Harbor Inlet</b>

Most tuna remained south, but they began to be heard about from Hudson, Toms and Lindenkohl canyons, said Dan from <b>Fin-Atics</b> in Ocean City. Nothing was talked about bluefin tuna closer to the coast off South Jersey.

<b>Townsend’s Inlet</b>

A few catches of tuna, yellowfins and longfins, were heard about from the Lobster Claw, said Mike from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b> in Sea Isle City.

Nothing was heard about offshore fishing, and this was “tournament week,” said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> from Sea Isle City, affiliated with <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. The Mid-Atlantic $500,000 was under way from Cape May.

<b>Cape May Inlet</b>

The next trip for tuna is supposed to sail Monday on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> from Cape May, Capt. George said. A charter was supposed to fish for tuna last Saturday, but cancelled, having trouble getting the group together. Maybe that was because of weather forecasts, and weather did end up rough. At the time, a few tuna catches were heard about, like a few from a trip at Wilmington Canyon, or a few from another place on another trip. Tilefishing was good at the canyons, if anglers wanted to sail for them aboard.

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