<b>Shark River Inlet</b>

<b>XTC Sportfishing</b> from Belmar competed in last week’s South Jersey Shark Tournament, Capt. Scott said. No qualifying makos were hooked from the boat, but two of the fish to 130 pounds and a bunch of blue and brown sharks were landed aboard. The water was chilly or 59 to 61 degrees but clear, and seas were very rough Thursday during the fishing. On the previous Monday, XTC tilefished offshore of Atlantic City on the way to Cape May, pumping in a good catch. Bluefin tuna were seen on the trip, but the outing didn’t stop and fish for them. Bluefins are currently swimming canyons offshore, and Scott hopes they’ll pull inshore soon for one-day trips.

The <b>Katie H</b> from Belmar will compete in Mako Mania in two weekends on Saturday and Sunday, June 24 and 25, Capt. Mike. Afterward, trips aboard will begin big-game fishing more often than inshore fishing that the boat does every year until this time. Bluefin tuna and bigeye tuna were reportedly fought from Hudson Canyon, though that was unconfirmed.

<b>Manasquan Inlet</b>

A 454-pound thresher shark was landed last week, said John from <b>The Reel Seat</b> in Brielle. Little else was heard about sharks that week locally, but a few were brought in. Bluefin tuna were boated both inshore and offshore. A few bigeye tuna were heard about from canyons to the south in deep water.

<b>Mushin Sportfishing</b> from Point Pleasant Beach last weekend set up in Cape May to target tuna, sharks and tilefish into July, Capt. Alan wrote in an email. The fishing’s been great in recent years aboard, and looks promising. Solid catches are pushing north along the 100-fathom line. Charters are booking for the angling, and some open-boat trips will run. The boat competed in the South Jersey Shark Tournament from Cape May last weekend and hung no makos but had good action on a variety of other sharks. The fishing aboard took place 50 to 60 miles southeast in clean, green, 63- to 64-degree water. On the previous weekend, Mushin walloped a 537-pound mako that made all the news and was covered in the last report here. The fish was landed at a southern canyon on an overnight trip when Mushin was moving the boat to Cape May.

<b>Barnegat Inlet</b>

After postponing shark fishing last week because of weather and cold water, a trip sharked last Friday and scored with <b>Tuna-Tic Sportfishing</b> from Forked River, Capt. Mike said. The trip bagged a 75- or 76-inch mako, estimated to weigh 175 to 200 pounds, and returned early, because the anglers were ready, after nailing the shark. A trip Saturday released 36 blue and brown sharks aboard, and the water on Friday’s trip was 57.5 degrees when the mako bit. The water was 60 or 61 degrees by the end of Saturday’s trip. A short time is left for ideal sharking. This is it, he said, and dates are available for fishing on the boat.

A shark trip is booked for Saturday, June 24, on the <b>Super Chic</b> from Barnegat Light, Capt. Ted said. Sharking sounded okay currently, and Ted hopes it holds up. 

Kyle from <b>Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle</b>’s brother competed in a private shark tournament with 15 boats entered, Kyle said. Only two of the boats landed sharks, but a 250-pound mako won. Some thresher sharks were among the tournament’s catches. Baits for sharks like flats of mackerel and shark chum is stocked.

<b>Absecon Inlet</b>

Mako shark fishing was pretty good currently, like 35 miles from shore, said Tanner from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b> in Absecon. Blue sharks and makos were heard about.
 
<b>Great Egg Harbor Inlet</b>

A few sharks were tackled along the 40-fathom line, said Capt. Mike from the <b>Stray Cat</b> from Longport. That’s where most trips searched for them, and bluefin tuna swam the canyons farther offshore. Twelve-hour tuna charters are beginning to book up, and anglers must’ve gotten word about tuna beginning to bite. If enough anglers want, an open trip will fish for tuna at inshore places like Massey’s Canyon and the Lobster Claw.

Mako sharks were reported lit into sometimes, said Will from <b>Fin-Atics</b> in Ocean City. No thresher sharks were heard about. Farther from shore at the canyons, bluefin tuna supposedly swam. That was unconfirmed, but buddies boated bigeye tuna while canyon fishing. That was to the south, Will thought.

<b>Townsend’s Inlet</b>

The owner of <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b> in Sea Isle City’s brother cracked sharks aboard the other day, Cameron from the store said. Cameron knew no specifics. But sharking’s been relatively good. Not much news about tuna tumbled in.

<b>Cape May Inlet</b>

<b>Fishin’ Fever Sportfishing</b> from Cape May ran a shark trip, bagging a 125-pound mako and releasing a 160-pounder and a blue shark, some brown sharks and a tiger shark, Capt. Tom said. Sharking will remain good to the Fourth of July, he thinks, and a few bluefin and yellowfin tuna were around. That angling was improving, and the buefins were rumored to swim offshore and inshore, and the yellowfins held offshore.

Most local charter boats seemed to be getting geared up for tuna fishing, said Capt. George from the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> from Cape May. Bluefin tuna are being trolled at Poorman’s Canyon or in that area. A few yellowfin tuna are biting there, but 95 percent of the tuna are bluefins. Closer to shore, sharking seemed to turn out lots of blue sharks, not many makos, from what George heard from last weekend’s South Jersey Shark Tournament in Cape May.

Mako sharks could be located, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b> in Cape May.  Blue sharks and brown sharks were cranked from the ocean, but not many thresher sharks seemed to be. Farther offshore, all the way out, small bluefin tuna and small yellowfin tuna roamed local canyons, and so did sizable bigeye tuna. The Common Sense returned Wednesday night with three bigeyes.

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