<b>Shark River Inlet</b>

Eight blue sharks and 14 cod were landed on Joe Tomaszewski, Darren Stiles and Joe Tilton’s trip on the Tuna Tales, Joe’s boat, Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> in Belmar wrote in an email.

The <b>Katie H</b> from Belmar will compete in the weekend’s Mako Mania tournament, Capt. Mike said. Once trips get through shark fishing, Mike looks forward to scoping out tuna fishing. Tuna were already slugged at Hudson Canyon, and a friend’s trip there landed six tuna among 12 knock downs last week. The tuna at the canyon were mostly yellowfins 20 to 40 pounds. Mike hopes bluefin tuna show up closer to shore. Charters already booked dates for the bluefin fishing aboard.   

<b>Manasquan Inlet</b>

Forecasts for strong wind forced tuna fishing to be cancelled Sunday with <b>Mushin Sportfishing</b> from Point Pleasant Beach, Capt. Alan wrote in an email. But tuna and the water that holds them are at the canyons, and the crew was trying to put together an individual-reservation trip this week for the fishing, if enough anglers were interested. The last trip for tuna aboard whaled yellowfin tuna and a 250-pound bigeye tuna, covered in the previous report. Other <a href=" http://reports.mushinsportfishing.com/
" target="_blank">individual-reservation tuna trips</a> are posted on Mushin’s website in the reports section, and are beginning to fill. Mushin means a relaxed state of readiness.

Mako sharks, lots, were fought Saturday, many of them within 25 miles from shore, said Dave from <b>The Reel Seat</b> on Sunday morning. Tuna fishing was good at Hudson Canyon early last week. Dave wasn’t asked if weather was the reason the catches were heard about last then. But seas became rough in winds afterward. Mostly yellowfin tuna were boated, on the usual trolled spreader bars and ballyhoos. But a few bluefin tuna and sometimes bigeye tuna were trolled. Capt. Jim Freda will give the store’s next free seminar, on bluefin tuna fishing, at 7 p.m. Thursday.

<b>Barnegat Inlet</b>

Thresher sharks chased bunker schools as close to shore as 3 miles, said Grizz from <b>Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle</b> in Forked River.

Many thresher sharks were seen at the shop, including a 300-pounder subdued a few miles from shore, said Brian from <b>Bobbie’s Boat Rentals</b> in Barnegat Light. Bobbie’s, located near Barnegat Inlet, includes a fuel dock, a bait and tackle shop and bay-boat rentals. Live spots are stocked.

<b>Great Egg Harbor Inlet</b>

Yellowfin tuna fishing was good just south of the Alligator Bight during the weekend on the <b>Stray Cat</b> from Longport, Capt. Mike said. That’s at Wilmington Canyon, and big mahi mahi to 16 and 20 pounds were also gaffed. The trip had also planned to tilefish, but wind blew too strongly for the deep-drop fishing on the drift. The tuna and mahi were trolled in 70.2- to 70.5-degree water on Sea Witches. Water in the area ranged 69 to 71 degrees, and seas were rough. But the ocean looked gorgeous, and was full of life. The life, including bait, was all at the east wall. No life was seen at the west wall. The tuna were full of 6- and 8-inch bonito.  Tuna fishing seems to be shaping up well, and Mike will try to put together open-boat trips for tuna that will depart at 12 a.m. on the Sundays of July 20 and 27 for six anglers per trip. Telephone to reserve. A previous shark trip aboard around that time landed nine blue and brown sharks, a lot of action, at the Cigar. The water teemed with life just offshore of the Cigar. The ocean’s been full of life from 35 miles from shore to farther out. Birds have worked bait along the surface, and whales and porpoises have swum.  Sharking aboard includes special night trips this year from 6:30 to 11:30, a 5-hour outing, if anglers want to shark after work. 

Shark fishing was good at places like the 750-Square and the 30-fathom fingers, said Bill from <b>Fin-Atics</b> in Ocean City. Blue sharks, some makos and a few threshers were fought. Big bluefish schooled at 28-Mile Wreck. No customers mentioned tuna the past couple of days. But previously tuna were trolled at Baltimore Canyon.

<b>Townsend’s Inlet</b>

The 30-mile line seemed to hold most sharks like makos and threshers, said Mike from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b> in Sea Isle City. Tuna swam the canyons, and customers expected to sail for sharks and tuna this week. Were the tuna reported from any particular canyons? Mike asked. No, he said. Smaller sharks like browns, required to be released, stalked the ocean 3 to 8 miles from shore.

Trolling for yellowfin tuna, plenty, was good at Baltimore Canyon, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> from Sea Isle City, affiliated with <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. He heard nothing about sharks like makos in recent days. Joe fishes for the tuna offshore, but started inshore shark trips he runs each summer, and bailed the fish. A family aboard Wednesday evening, for instance, landed 12 or more of the fish 20 to 130 pounds. The trips catch and release the inshore sharks, and some of the sharks are required to be let go. The fish on this trip were spinner and dusky sharks, fought inshore of 10 miles, on mackerel fillets, on light conventional rods. The 130-pounder was especially large, and the trips also fly-rod the fish. To find the sharks, Joe knows different areas of bottom structure that attract them. He sails there and drifts over the structure while chumming. The trips, usually within 10 miles from the coast, are a chance to fight big fish without the long trek offshore.  The water surface was 71 degrees, warm for the time of year, because of hot weather this week. That was compared with 66 degrees the other day. The bottom was surely colder. An opening is available for a charter Saturday, and the sharking usually lasts through August, but is great now, so why wait? Joe asked. Keep up with his fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s blog</a>.

The clarity of the inshore ocean was gorgeous, said Capt. Jim from <b>Fins and Feathers Outfitters</b> from Avalon. He hopes it stays that way, because that could be good for fishing for bluefin tuna and/or mahi mahi and wahoos this summer. A couple of the trips are already booked for July, and the ocean close to shore became too dirty for the angling last year. But the water was clear two years ago, and the mahi and wahoo fishing was on. Bluefins show up in the area during some years. Jim noticed the current clarity while scoping around for fish including summer flounder this week. A sinker could probably be seen 10 feet down. Fins and Feathers offers a variety of outdoor adventures, including duck and goose hunting.

<b>Cape May Inlet</b>

<b>Melanie Anne Sport Fishing Charters</b> from Cape May will sail for tuna today and Saturday, Capt. Frank said. The fish are swimming far south, toward Poorman’s and Washington canyons. That’s a long run, but the trips will steam there. Melanie Anne’s also been shark fishing, and three makos 209 pounds, 181 pounds and 157 pounds were landed on the last three shark trips. The trip with the 209-pounder sailed Saturday, releasing four blue sharks off the bat. Then the mako was bagged. The trip fished 35 miles from shore, along the 20-fathom line, where the ocean temperature changed from 57 to 65 degrees. Another charter boat during the trip fished a little farther out, in warmer water, landing a hammerhead shark and a small mako, Frank thought.

A trip was supposed to tuna fish aboard Sunday but was cancelled because of forecasts for rough seas and wind, said Capt. George from the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> from Cape May. A friend fished for tuna on Saturday, saying seas were rough as could be, but the trip caught. Tuna bit at the offshore canyons lately. George hopes bluefin tuna show up closer to shore at places like Massey’s Canyon and 19-Fathom Lump. Shark trips are also available.

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