Thu., March 28, 2024
Moon Phase:
Waning Gibbous
More Info
Inshore Charters
Offshore Charters
Party Boats
Saltwater
Tackle Shops &
Marinas
Saltwater
Boat Rentals
Freshwater
Guides
Freshwater
Tackle Shops
Brrr ...
It's Cold:
Upstate N.Y.
Ice Fishing
Upstate N.Y.
Winter Steelhead &
Trout Fishing
Long Island, N.Y.
Winter
Cod &
Wreck Fishing

New Jersey Offshore Fishing Report 7-7-17

<b>Sandy Hook</b>

Capt. Joe Baumle from <b>Sour Kraut Sportfishing</b> sailed for bluefin tuna mid-range on the Fourth of July, he said. He caught none, first fishing a place where none showed up. Then he heard about catches, but by the time he reached there, the bite ended. The fish were trolled in early morning on ballyhoos.

Customers locked into good bluefin tuna fishing at times, said Johnny O. from <b>Fisherman’s Den North</b> in Atlantic Highlands. They bought offshore baits that the store stocks, a full supply.

<b>Shark River Inlet</b>

Capt. Pete from <b>Parker Pete’s Fishing Charters</b> from Belmar, who’s mostly fishing for fluke inshore, sailed for tuna and sharks a few times this past week. The tuna fishing, 50 miles from shore, landed none, but bluefin tuna were sometimes caught among the fleet. Some boats caught, and some didn’t. The fish gathered at spots like the Chicken Canyon to all the way offshore.  During the sharking aboard, sharks swam into the chum slick but none was hooked. Pete usually fishes inshore for catches like fluke.

Capt. Mike from <b>Celtic Stoirm Charters</b> from Belmar sailed for sharks on a trip, but the water was too warm at 71.4 degrees, and was green and terrible-looking, he said. Only two runoffs were scored, and the water held no life, except at the first spot, where lots of life was seen, including tinker mackerel and bluefish. One of the runoffs happened there. The other two spots that he fished held no life.

A mate from one of the boats bought gear to fish for false albacore that the mate said were seen Tuesday at the Klondike, said Jessie from <b>Fisherman’s Den</b> in Belmar. No further information was available from Jessie, but that’s the first report about albies on this website this year.

<b>Manasquan Inlet</b>

Six yellowfin tuna were trolled and a small bluefin tuna was released on the troll Sunday at Toms Canyon on the <b>Tin Knocker</b> from Point Pleasant, Capt. John said. That was all on spreader bars, and the trip departed at midnight and returned that night, a day-troll. The water was 68 degrees where the trip began fishing and became as warm as 71 during the angling. Plenty of life was seen including whales, porpoises and lots of tuna chicks and shearwaters. The water also held glass slicks. Tin Knocker will probably fish for bluefin tuna this weekend.

Yellowfin tuna and blueline tilefish were cracked on a trip with <b>Mushin Sportfishing</b> from Point Pleasant Beach, Mushin’s Facebook page said Monday in a brief post. Check out a photo. Mushin is fishing from Cape May through the month to take advantage of tuna fishing that’s been good from there in recent years this time of year. Charters and a limited number of open-boat trips are sailing.

Bluefin tuna fishing was pretty good, and a few yellowfin tuna were mixed in, said Dave from <b>The Reel Seat</b> in Brielle. This was at the Chicken Canyon, the Bacardi wreck, the Triple Wrecks and the whole area. How big? Dave was asked. Eric from the shop and a friend boated a 110-pound bluefin, he answered, and the bluefins ranged from 30 and 40 pounds to heavier than 200. The yellowfins weighed 30 or 40 pounds. The tuna were trolled on spreader bars, ballyhoos and daisy chains with ballys. When the tuna popped up along the surface, anglers cast stick baits to them including Shimano Orcas and Coltsnipers, and also popper lures. Dave was unaware whether tuna were boated at Hudson Canyon, and many locals who fished canyons ran south. 

A few tiny bonito were hooked Wednesday during bottom-fishing on the party boat <b>Dauntless</b> from Point Pleasant Beach, Capt. Butch said. Those are the year’s first bonito mentioned on this website.

<b>Barnegat Inlet</b>

Tuna were reported from inshore or mid-range, said Kyle from <b>Grizz’s Forked River Bait & Tackle</b>. Sharking was okay in those areas.

Capt. Dave DeGennaro on the <b>Hi Flier</b> from Barnegat was in Ocean City, Md., fishing for tuna this week, he said. But as soon as he returns to New Jersey in the next days, he’ll fish Barnegat Ridge for blue-water catches like bonito and whatever pops up. Charters and open-boat trips sail.

<b>Great Egg Harbor Inlet</b>

Four yellowfin tuna were whacked and two got off on a trip Wednesday at Wilmington Canyon on the <b>Stray Cat</b> from Longport, Capt. Mike said. A couple of the tuna weighed 50 and 60 pounds that were landed, and one that got off was large, more than 100 pounds. Swam to bottom and wouldn’t budge. Tuna are in, if anglers want to go. How long the fishing will last is never known, and 12-hour trips are fishing for them aboard. This trip fished 6 hours and traveled the rest of the time. The trip trolled Joe Shutes and big Cyclone feathers. Black and purple cleaned up on the catches, were hot. A few wahoos were heard to be caught inshore at the Cigar and elsewhere just beyond the 40-fathom line.

Small, football yellowfin tuna were boated to the north from Spencer to Carteret canyons, almost all on the troll, a few on jigs, said Bill from <b>Fin-Atics</b> in Ocean City. Everybody worked through them to try to find bigger. A couple of boaters still shark fished on the ocean, reeling in mostly blue sharks. No makos were heard about in a couple of weeks.

<b>Townsends Inlet</b>

A trip at Lindenkohl Canyon went 10 for 11 on yellowfin tuna, said Luc from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b> in Sea Isle City. Other anglers on a trip sailed there the next day and only caught one, and that was barely keeper-sized. Tuna fishing seemed on and off.

<b>Cape May Inlet</b>

A trip nailed three yellowfin tuna 50 to 80 pounds and went 1 for 2 on blue marlin, releasing a 400-pounder, Wednesday at Wilmington Canyon with <b>Fishin’ Fever Sportfishing</b> from Cape May, Capt. Tom said. A trip Monday at the Wilmington aboard beat three yellowfins to 65 pounds and a 22-pound mahi mahi. All the fish were trolled on the trips, and tuna also swam the inshore spots that boats fish to the south of Cape May this time of year. Scattered pockets seemed to swim everywhere there, and trips just had to put in time, find the fish and work a pod. During the weekend, the fishing sounded pretty good in 30 fathoms if trips could get away from boat traffic. Charters and open-boat trips are sailing. Some of the offshore trips will target marlin in August, and a fair number of marlin seemed to begin showing.

Anglers fished inshore at the Hot Dog for tuna on a trip on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> from Cape May on Monday, but only one tuna was hooked and lost, Capt. George said. The angler got excited and threw the reel into free spool, the line bird-nested and the fish broke off. Tuna were there, but anglers needed to capitalize. On private boats during the fishing, one landed three, and another caught one. Tuna fishing at the canyons farther offshore sounded slow the last few days. Nothing great, lots of small tuna. But maybe a bite will take off at either place this weekend.

Back to Top