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New Jersey Offshore Saltwater Fishing Report 7-8-16


<b>Shark River Inlet</b>

A 290-pound thresher shark was landed Wednesday on a charter, Bob from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> in Belmar wrote in an email.

Fishing for bluefin tuna began to take off 40 to 60 miles from shore, said Capt. Mike from the <b>Katie H</b> from Belmar. The first trip for them currently was booked for 1 ½ weeks from now. That’s a combo trip for bluefins and sharks, but if the tuna fishing is good, the trips stick with them. What size were the bluefins? Photos of the fish that a friend caught looked like the tuna weighed 60 or 80 pounds. The only yellowfin tuna catches heard about from the offshore canyons were from southern canyons. But bluefins were also heard about from Hudson Canyon locally.

<b>Manasquan Inlet</b>

Bluefin tuna fishing seemed really to kick off, said Eric from <b>The Reel Seat</b> in Brielle on Monday. The catches were heard about from Atlantic Princess wreck, the Triple Wrecks and the Bacardi wreck. Trolled ballyhoos and spreader bars whacked them best, but some were jigged and popper-plugged. Farther from shore, Spencer Canyon sounded like the place to be for yellowfin tuna then. Fishing for them wasn’t phenomenal, but some yellowfins to 60 pounds were trolled, and ballyhoos hit them best. A few white marlin began to appear in the area.

The boat arrived at a Cape May slip last Friday to fish from the port throughout this month for tuna and marlin, Capt. Alan from <b>Mushin Sportfishing</b> from Point Pleasant Beach wrote in an email. A trip the previous day fished a southern canyon offshore. Fish-holding water had moved away somewhat, “but we managed some yellowfin, mahi, and white marlin bites …,” he wrote. Countless sharks bit at night. A trip Saturday to Sunday fished a canyon farther south. Tons of life filled the water, and conditions looked prime for bigeye tuna. During the day, a few yellowfin tuna were picked, and some white marlin bit. At sunset, a bigeye was hooked, quickly dumped almost all the line off the reel spool, then pulled the hook. The next morning, more yellowfins and some mahi mahi were caught. In past days, dock neighbors lit into impressive bluefin tuna catches from closer to port. That provides a whole other fishery, in addition to canyon angling. Two spots just became available for a trip Saturday to Sunday, because the anglers had to reschedule. Telephone the boat to jump aboard.

A few bonito were fought on nighttime bluefish trips on the party boat <b>Norma-K III</b> from Point Pleasant Beach, Capt. Matt wrote in a report on the party boat’s website. He mentioned some weeks ago the year’s first bonito, one fish, caught on one of the trips, in the site’s reports.

<b>Barnegat Inlet</b>

From an edited email from Capt. Dave DeGennaro from the <b>Hi Flier</b>: “This weekend we’ll start running to Barnegat Ridge for bonita and albacore. There’s a chance we could encounter bluefin tuna, because very clean water is inshore already, and while I try not to report on other boats’ efforts, it seems the rumor mill is churning with tuna there. Running open-boat to Barnegat Ridge 6 a.m. to 12 noon Sunday and Monday. Three people max. All fish are shared.”

One customer was headed to the Fingers, saying he heard a couple of good reports about tuna there, said Brian from <b>Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle</b>.  Baits like a bunch of ballyhoos are stocked.

<b>Tuna-Tic Sportfishing</b> from Forked River is mostly gearing up to fish for tuna that usually begin to bite at the local offshore canyons beginning late this month, Capt. Mike said. Two-and three-day canyon trips sail, and tuna trips include some open-boat. Currently, most tuna at canyons swam waters farther south, and canyon tuna fishing wasn’t good locally, really.

<b>Little Egg Inlet</b>

Many anglers fished ocean reefs for brown, dusky and thresher sharks, said Brian from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Mystic Island. Be aware about the shark species that are prohibited, including browns and duskies, and must be released.

<b>Great Egg Harbor Inlet</b>

The <b>Stray Cat</b> from Longport had been going to begin tuna fishing, Capt. Mike said. A trip on a boat from Atlantic City limited out on bluefin tuna locally two weeks ago. But tuna fishing seemed slow locally afterward. Fishing for yellowfin tuna and bigeye tuna was sketchy at canyons like Poorman’s, Spencer, Wilmington and Washington. But Stay Cat is ready to run for tuna, when the fishing kicks in.

Bluefin tuna and small yellowfin tuna were fought both inshore and at offshore canyons, said Chris from <b>24-7 Bait & Tackle</b>, with two shops in Egg Harbor Township and Marmora.

Many anglers talked about bluefin tuna and yellowfin tuna found inshore, said Pat from <b>Fin-Atics</b> in Ocean City. The Hot Dog and farther north were the places.

<b>Townsend’s Inlet</b>

Bluefin tuna gave up good fishing at Massey’s Canyon, said Mike from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b> in Sea Isle City. Some yellowfin tuna and mahi mahi came from canyons farther offshore.

<b>Cape May Inlet</b>

Two bluefin tuna were bagged, one was lost, and three mahi mahi were boated at inshore lumps Sunday on Bill Brennan’s charter on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> from Cape May, Capt. George said. The trip sailed 45 miles to reach the fishing grounds, and all the fish were trolled. Some boaters chunked the tuna, and if anglers are interested in tuna, they better fish now for them. Nobody knows how long the fish will stick around. Another charter was headed for the fishing Thursday aboard, George said before the trip. Results were yet to be heard at press time, but George texted a photo of two bluefin tuna and a yellowfin tuna docked from the trip.

Bluefin tuna and yellowfin tuna bit along the 20-fathom line, 35 miles south of Cape May, said Capt. John from <b>Caveman Sportfishing</b> from Cape May. That was mostly in mornings on jigs and chunks, though they were also trolled. But light leader needed to be fished, and the tuna, 50 to 70 pounds, occasionally 80 or 90, often broke off. A trip went 1 for 5 on them Wednesday aboard, and another trip was supposed to depart for the tuna at 1:30 a.m. Thursday, he said before the trip. A bunch of small yellowfin tuna and a bigeye tuna were known to be landed at Wilmington Canyon Tuesday evening.

Tuna fishing sounded good, though location was unknown, said Joe from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b> in Cape May. He worked at the shop yesterday, after being away from the work a week, so was yet to hear details. A customer was going to fish for tuna last night, and had fished for them earlier in the week, decking yellowfin tuna and a bigeye tuna at Wilmington Canyon. Another said a buddy loaded up on bluefin tuna 45 miles south of Cape May on an overnight trip that returned yesterday. Joe for about eight years in a row used to troll for tuna on July 4 with a friend near 28-Mile Wreck along the 20-fathom line, reliably catching football bluefins and sometimes yellowfins. The bluefins were there, for whatever reasons, like maybe they migrated then. Mako sharks were still sometimes fought along the 20 line currently. 

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