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 9-1-17

<b>Sandy Hook</b>

A customer yesterday reported boating yellowfin tuna at the Resor wreck, said Ron from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Atlantic Highlands. Ron saw a photo of a buddy’s 60-pound bluefin tuna that the buddy’s trip trolled. The trip shark fished, hooked none, so began trolling, and came across bluefins. Ron, a surf angler, ran into an acquaintance who said false albacore lit into the surf at Point Pleasant Beach. The albies quickly stormed in and disappeared. Joe from the store early this week said tuna were jigged toward Atlantic City. A report below from XTC Sportfishing from Shark River Inlet mentions fishing there.

Late in the weekend, Capt. Joe from <b>Sour Kraut Sportfishing</b> from Leonardo had heard nothing about tuna recently. Maybe anglers were mum because of the weekend’s Manasquan River Marlin & Tuna Club’s Offshore Open, or maybe the northeast wind kept some from sailing. Later this week, Joe heard that tuna fishing improved at Hudson Canyon. Still, no trips fished offshore in rough weather after the weekend. Previously, more tuna were angled inshore than at the canyon.

<b>Shark River Inlet</b>

Twenty-four and 31-hour <a href=" https://www.goldeneaglefishing.com/tunafish" target="_blank">tuna trips</a> will sail this month and in October on the party boat <b>Golden Eagle</b> from Belmar. Reserve them.

<b>XTC Sportfishing</b> from Belmar was supposed to fish for tuna from Atlantic City throughout last week, but the angler had to cancel, Capt. Scott said. A trip ran from there anyway, fishing Wilmington Canyon aboard. About 60 tilefish to 22 pounds and a decent number of black belly rosefish were cranked in. At night, two mako sharks to 150 pounds were landed, and a hook was pulled on a small swordfish.

<b>Manasquan Inlet</b>

A handful of mostly small yellowfin tuna were trolled at Hudson Canyon, said Eric from <b>The Reel Seat</b> in Brielle on Sunday. A couple of reports said longfin tuna were trolled at the Hudson, the year’s first reports about longfins at the shop. A few white marlin were trolled at the Hudson. Closer to shore, yellowfins seemed to hold at the Resor wreck. Chunking for them caught much better than trolling did, and live bait fished best on the chunk. Even closer to shore, plenty of fish including mahi mahi, skipjacks, false albacore and Spanish mackerel were hooked at inshore lumps and along the Mudhole. Bluefish also schooled there. The fish were tied into during chumming or on trolled feathers and Clark spoons.

<b>Mushin Sportfishing</b> from Point Pleasant Beach boated various-sized yellowfin tuna and great tilefishing at offshore canyons early last week, Capt. Alan wrote in an email Sunday morning. The crew spent much of last week prepping for the Manasquan River Marlin & Tuna Club Offshore Open, and on Saturday, the first day of the tournament, released a 300-pound blue marlin. Mushin was ready to compete Sunday in the event, if weather permitted, Alan said before the potential trip. The crew is itchy to fish for fall yellowfin and longfin tuna, and some dates are still available. Charters and a limited number of open-boat trips sail.

Bonito, a bunch, Spanish mackerel and blues were trolled Saturday afternoon on the <b>Tin Knocker</b> from Point Pleasant, Capt. John said. At night, the trip bluefished, landing 20, small fish but lots of action for the anglers. Friday was the last time John heard about tuna fishing. The angling was good then.

Spaces are filling on the party boat <b>Gambler</b> from Point Pleasant Beach’s <a href=" http://www.gamblerfishing.net/offshoretrips.php" target="_blank">tuna trips</a> that will fish this month to November.

<b>Barnegat Inlet</b>

Was a good week of tuna fishing from the Chicken Canyon to the Fingers last week with <b>Tuna-Tic Sportfishing</b> from Forked River, Capt. Mike said. The angling, on the chunk with light leaders, tapered off at the end of the week in boat traffic. “A million boats kind of found us,” he said. A day trip last week on Thursday pasted six yellowfin tuna aboard. A trip Friday to Saturday also reeled in six. Mike bought light rods to fish the light leaders. Just as many tuna were lost as were landed, because of the leaders. Heavier, 50-pound leaders caught the fish Friday aboard. The trips chummed with spearing.

The fleet would fish yesterday for the first time since the weather in past days, Capt. Ted from the <b>Super Chic</b> from Barnegat Light said the night before. A trip Sunday trolled for tuna all the way offshore aboard, but the angling was not good. None bit, and then the trip pulled inshore, 50 miles from the coast. Decent-looking water was found there, and a couple of bites knocked down lines. But no tuna were landed on the trip. Wind and seas were somewhat rough during the beginning of the trip, and wind was building during the inshore fishing. Space is available for open-boat, overnight tuna trips Sept. 8-9, 15-16, 16-17 and 23-24. The first two are 30-hour trips, and the second two are 24 hours, and each is limited to 10 passengers.

This is the time to reserve <a href="http://www.missbarnegatlight.com/TunaFishing.html" target="_blank">tuna trips</a> for this month and October on the party boat <b>Miss Barnegat Light</b>, before they fill.

<b>Absecon Inlet</b>

Tuna fishing slowed before this week’s weather, said Jay from <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b> in Absecon. Two Sundays ago, a trip that Jay joined trolled yellowfin tuna between Lemke’s Canyon and the Lobster Claw and chunked them at Lemke’s. Live spots and peanut bunker are stocked. So are baits like flats of sardines and butterfish for one-stop shopping for blue-water.

<b>Great Egg Harbor Inlet</b>

The weather began to lay down, said John from <b>Fin-Atics</b> in Ocean City yesterday. Before the week’s storm, the only reports from customers who fish offshore mostly came from them competing two weeks ago in the White Marlin Open from Ocean City, Md. Tuna fishing seemed better far south like that recently for customers. 

<b>Cape May Inlet</b>

None of the fleet fished in the weather, Capt. George from the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> from Cape May said. This weekend’s weather also looks questionable or mediocre. Maybe the blow will have pulled tuna into local waters. The bluefish and Spanish mackerel that were trolled aboard before at 5-Fathom Bank will probably take a moment to bite again or return to the area after the rough seas.

<b>Fishin’ Fever Sportfishing</b> from Cape May would resume fishing yesterday for summer flounder on the ocean, Capt. Tom said before the trip. The flounder fishing was a tough pick but scratched together flounder to heavier than 7 pounds, he wrote on Fishin’ Fever’s Facebook page. The blow seemed to stir up the bottom. Previously, trips were docked in the weather. After flounder season closes beginning Wednesday, trips will focus on tuna. Marlin will be targeted, and trips will also deep-drop for tilefish. The boat will also fish for swordfish during daytime, something new aboard. Light-sensitive swords are often hunted at night. But they can also be fished for during daytime at deep water. A buddy went 2 for 6 on swords on a daytime trip the other day. The trip made six drops and had a swordfish bite at each. Charters and open-boat trips will sail.

Back to Top