<b>Shark River Inlet</b>

An overnight trip for tuna at the canyons was weathered out on the weekend on the <b>Katie H</b> from Belmar, Capt. Mike said, and another was cancelled today to Saturday, because of forecasts. Tuna fishing was spectacular at Hudson Canyon last week on Thursday and Friday, ending afterward. The fish-holding waters pushed farther off. Forecasts for inshore weren’t bad for a sea bass trip that’s supposed to fish aboard Saturday.

<b>Manasquan Inlet</b>

A day-troll for tuna sailed to the canyons last Friday with <b>Mushin Sportfishing</b> from Point Pleasant Beach, Alan, the boat’s owner, wrote in an e-mail. The trip left at midnight, reaching the fishing grounds at 4:45 a.m. A 185-pound bigeye tuna was hooked on a ballyhoo trolled on an Ilander. The fish was landed after a 45-minute fight, and during the fight, other boaters talked about catching longfin tuna, yellowfin tuna and bigeyes farther offshore. Mushin began heading there, and beautiful, warm, blue water was found, and bait schooled, and acres of porpoises swam. But no tuna bit for boats anymore. Mushin started trolling much of the canyon the rest of the day. A small mahi mahi was hooked, but was bitten in half. The trip then deep-dropped for tilefish, but full-moon tides ran too strongly. The boat got back up on the troll toward the end of the trip, fishing off by itself. A 155-pound bigeye was tied into, and was landed in 20 minutes. The trip’s two tuna were the anglers’ biggest ever. Lots of tuna are swimming the canyons, “and there are great signs for a super fall run,” Alan said. Mushin means a relaxed state of readiness. The crew pride themselves on sharing the concept on outdoor adventures.

Canyon tuna fishing sounded slow Saturday but better earlier last week, said Eric from <b>The Reel Seat</b> in Brielle.  Then plenty of longfin tuna and a few bigeyes were trolled, and most trips fished Hudson Canyon. At night, swordfishing was good, and a few yellowfin tuna began to be caught. Nobody really fished for bluefin tuna on the inshore ocean anymore, but one boater, who trolled Manasquan Ridge for fish like bonito, had a reel smoked by a large fish that was lost. Maybe that was a bluefin. Lots of bonito were tackled from places like Manasquan Ridge, the Mudhole and Barnegat Ridge.

<b>Barnegat Inlet</b>

An offshore, overnight trip for tuna, the season’s first, is supposed to steam today to Saturday on the <b>Super Chic</b> from Barnegat Light, Capt. Ted said Wednesday. Weather had looked rough, but forecasts improved. He heard about mostly longfin tuna trolled offshore during daytime, and a handful of tuna that began to be chunked at night. The most he heard about from night were a few catches of four, five or six yellowfin tuna. Space is available for an open-boat tilefish trip offshore October 19, and lots were taken on the previous trips for them aboard. Closer to shore, a friend boated a fair number of bonito and lots of bluefish, not far from Barnegat Ridge. The 56-foot Super Chic can accommodate up to 25 anglers on inshore trips and 10 on overnight, offshore trips. The vessel sleeps 10 passengers.

From an edited e-mail from Capt. Dave DeGennaro from the <b>Hi Flier</b> from Barnegat: “This Sunday and Monday look like mild easterly winds and a nice ocean. We’ll sail open boat 6 a.m. to 12 noon for bonita and albacore at Barnegat Ridge. It’s only 15 miles or 45 minutes from the inlet. I’ll bring the light spinning rods to mix it up, once we put some bonita in the cooler. Three person max. All fish are shared. All bonita go in the cooler. They make awesome sashimi, or you can prepare it just like seared ahi. I even have some soy sauce in the cooler, if the mood strikes us.”

<b>Great Egg Harbor Inlet</b>

The swell kept boaters from fishing offshore until Tuesday, said Justin from <b>Fin-Atics</b> in Ocean City. Many of them headed for overnight trips for tuna then, and results were yet to be heard, when he gave this report in a phone call Thursday.

<b>Townsend’s Inlet</b>

Not much was heard about offshore, but tuna fishing seemed spotty, said Mike from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b> in Sea Isle City. Like sometimes a trip ran into a good catch by chance. A bite along 30 fathoms at gray light was talked about, “but not enough to mention,” he said. 

<b>Cape May Inlet</b>

An overnight tuna trip was supposed to fish last weekend on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> from Cape May, Capt. George said. But he told the anglers no tuna really bit at night within range, discouraging them from going. So the trip was cancelled, and weather was rough anyway. The anglers wanted to fish at night, but George is willing to sail for tuna on a day trolling trip, because tuna within range were trolled. Tuna were caught at night at Washington Canyon, maybe within range of large vessels with fuel capacity like party boats, but not charter boats, usually.

New about offshore was scarce, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b> in Cape May. One boat reportedly returned with 11 yellowfin tuna, and the location of the catch was unknown. But Nick guessed the fish came from far south, where the fishing seemed best. A boat in Cape May Canal was seen with two white marlin flags flying Wednesday.

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