Welcome to the year's first Offshore Report!

<b>Shark River Inlet</b>

Mid to late June is time for mako shark fishing, and a few choice dates are left for mako charters, Capt. Ralph from <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b> from Neptune said.

<b>XTC Sportfishing</b> from Belmar was headed to compete in the shark tournament in Cape May this weekend, Capt. Scott said. The only mako sharks caught that were heard about came from the canyons, all the way offshore, so far this season. But maybe this would be the weekend when the sharks would be found inshore.

<b>Manasquan Inlet</b>

<b>The Reel Seat</b> in Brielle began to report about big game in mid-May. Eric from the shop then said quite a few bluefin tuna began to be sighted in the Mudhole area, and no confirmed catches were reported. A week later, on May 23, he said bluefins were sighted at Sea Girt Reef, and 100-pounders were reported trolled at Little Italy the previous week. Also that day, he said mako sharks were sometimes subdued at Hudson Canyon, and bluefins were trolled there. Fish-holding water then seemed to begin pushing into the canyon. Soon afterward, Eric said bluefins sometimes spooled reels when customers fished for striped bass. The tuna swam from close to shore to farther out. For this week’s report, Alex from the shop said bluefins would pop up at a reef one day, Barnegat Ridge another, and so on. The fish were around, “but you got to be there,” he said.

<b>Barnegat Inlet</b>                 

The year’s first shark trip was supposed to fish today with <b>Tuna-Tic Sportfishing</b> from Forked River, Capt. Mike said. Early last week, the inshore ocean was 55 degrees at many places. If shark trips fished then, they’d fight blue sharks. A couple of spots offshore at Hudson Canyon then held water warm enough for mako sharks. But Mike waited for inshore to warm enough for makos, before sailing for sharks, and hoped back then that the water would warm enough for makos, reaching the 60 degrees, for today’s trip. That might’ve happened.

Customers began to shark fish, but catches were yet to be reported, said Kyle from <b>Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle</b>. Flats of mackerel, mackerel chum and bunker chum are stocked for sharking.

<b>Beach Haven Inlet</b>

It’s June, and the <b>June Bug</b> from Beach Haven was supposed to be brought to Beach Haven yesterday to begin fishing from there, Capt. Lindsay said the night before. The vessel was at Oregon Inlet, N.C., its winter home, and fishes from Beach Haven every June until fall. The year’s first charters from Beach Haven are set for next week, and Lindsay and crew will probably fish this weekend to confirm what’s biting off New Jersey. Trips will run offshore for tuna and marlin when that angling takes off. Not much was heard about catches offshore at places like Hudson Canyon yet. The fleet down south was into yellowfin tuna and a few blue marlin at Washington Canyon. Fish-holding water also held at Norfolk Canyon and even at Poorman’s Canyon somewhat. A 100-pound bigeye tuna was docked at Oregon Inlet. Lots of mahi mahi swam the southern waters, and a 74-pounder, huge, was docked at Oregon Inlet this week. 

<b>Great Egg Harbor Inlet</b>

A few mako sharks were reported caught, but from overnight trips far offshore, not closer to shore yet, said Will from <b>Fin-Atics</b> in Ocean City.

<b>Townsend’s Inlet</b>

A couple of thresher sharks were known to be landed, and blue sharks were known to be around, said Mike from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b> in Sea Isle City. No mako sharks caught were heard about yet this season, but surely some were around. Conditions were good, with 60- to 65-degree, good-looking water, and bunker schooling from near shore to 30 miles out.

Second-hand reports about tuna to the south, like at Poorman’s and Norfolk canyons, was the only news heard about offshore fishing, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> from Sea Isle City, affiliated with <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>.

<b>Cape May Inlet</b>

The <b>Heavy Hitter</b> from Cape May will compete in the South Jersey Shark Tournament from the town in two weekends, Capt. George said. Jim’s Bait & Tackle in Cape May’s shark tournament is this weekend. George is waiting for tuna to show, and that should happen in a week or two. Second- and third-hand reports talked about tuna at offshore canyons farther south, but that was unconfirmed.

Shark fishing got off to a slow start, and a couple of trips tried for them this week, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b> in Cape May.

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