Welcome to the year's first Offshore Report!
During some years, the report begins earlier in June. But the ocean was cold this year, and enough offshore catches just began to be reported to begin.

<b>Shark River Inlet</b>

Not much was heard about sharks locally yet this season, said Capt. Mike from the <b>Celtic Stoirm</b> from Belmar. A great white shark was supposedly seen from the party boat Dauntless from Point Pleasant Beach.

<b>Manasquan Inlet</b>

A 537-pound mako shark was smashed with <b>Mushin Sportfishing</b> from Point Pleasant Beach on an overnight trip Saturday to Sunday at a southern canyon, Capt. Alan wrote in an email. See photos of the monster on Mushin’s Facebook page. The fish was subdued when Mushin moved the boat to Cape May to fish for big game this month and in July, and overnighted on the way there. Trips on the boat currently were competing in this week’s South Jersey Shark Tournament from Cape May. Mushin like last year will now sail for tuna, sharks and tilefish from Cape May during these months. The angling’s been good in recent years, and charters are being booked.  Open-boat trips also fish.

Little was heard about shark fishing, said Eric from <b>The Reel Seat</b> in Brielle. A mako shark heavier than 400 pounds was nailed, and that was at Monster Ledge or somewhere in that area, Eric thought. Bluefin tuna 60 to 80 pounds were trolled at the 100 Square at Hudson Canyon on spreader bars and daisy chains or plastic, not usually on ballyhoos. A few were taken first thing in mornings, but afternoons really lit up for the fishing around the weekend or the days leading up to the weekend.

<b>Barnegat Inlet</b>

<b>Tuna-Tic Sportfishing</b> from Forked River was trying to shark fish this week, but seas were rough, and water was cold, Capt. Mike said. A trip was going to try to shark today. Three of the trips were postponed this week, and seas were calmer closer to shore, but were stiff beyond 40 miles off. The boat will shark fish throughout the month, and small bluefin tuna were also around. Tuna-Tic wrapped up inshore fishing for the year, and now sails for sharks and afterward tuna.

No sharks caught locally were heard about, said Capt. Ted from the <b>Super Chic</b> from Barnegat Light. Bluefin tuna seemed boated at offshore canyons. No yellowfin tuna were heard about, except from far south.

<b>Beach Haven Inlet</b>

It’s June, and the <b>June Bug</b> is back in Beach Haven, Capt. Lindsay said. The boat spends winter until now in North Carolina, and now fishes from Beach Haven through fall. A couple of charters in the next week or so wanted to sail offshore for tuna. Some are usually around by now, but not much was heard about tuna locally yet.

<b>Great Egg Harbor Inlet</b>

Boaters competing in the first day of the South Jersey Shark Tournament from Cape May yesterday must’ve dealt with stiff seas, said Pat from <b>Fin-Atics</b> in Ocean City. Seas were supposed to improve somewhat today and tomorrow, the final two days of the tournament.

<b>Townsend’s Inlet</b>

A trip steamed to Wilmington Canyon on Saturday with Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> from Sea Isle City, affiliated with <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>, with John Martin and Dick Lackman aboard, Joe said. Two small bluefin tuna were released, a medium-sized mahi mahi was landed, and a big mahi jumped off. The temperature break that satellite charts showed wasn’t as distinct as Joe had hoped. The water was 61 to 62 degrees, and he was surprised mahi swam water that cool.  In recent years, the tuna fishing could really rack up catches in the early season like this, if the right water was found. The trip trolled a variety of spreader bars, Zukers, ballyhoos and more.

A couple of thresher sharks and one mako shark caught were known about, said Mike from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b> in Sea Isle City. More will probably be heard after the South Jersey Shark Tournament this weekend. A small mako was checked-in at the store last Friday.

<b>Cape May Inlet</b>

Fishing was supposed to shark fish today with <b>Fishin’ Fever Sportfishing</b> from Cape May, Capt. Tom said. A few thresher sharks and mako sharks were landed recently. Some yellowfin tuna to 50 pounds were boated at Poorman’s Canyon.

Some rough seas seemed in store for the South Jersey Shark Tournament in Cape May, Capt. George from the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> from the town said Wednesday evening, before the contest began Thursday. The ocean was cold, too, and George saw 59-degree water there on a sea bass trip last weekend aboard. Blue sharks will swim that temperature, but anglers want makos. George heard about Jim’s Bait & Tackle in Cape May’s shark tournament that was held last weekend. Lots of blue sharks were landed, one mako was brought in but didn’t qualify, and a thresher shark, not big, won. That was all unconfirmed.

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