<b>Sandy Hook</b>

Mike Gleason from <b>TAK Waterman Surf n Fish</b> in Long Branch fished for bluefin tuna at mid-range last week with a friend on a trip, and they caught some, on popper plugs, he said. The water was blue, and sand eels and skipjacks were seen. TAK Waterman is a shop for fishing and surfing. The store produces the TAK Waterman line of clothing for water sports and beach-going. The name comes from Lake Takanasee.

Ron from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Atlantic Highlands saw a report online from someone from Toms River who eased in a 9-pound king mackerel and some mahi mahi close to shore, he said. The trip had been headed to the canyons offshore but turned back because of weather.

<b>Manasquan Inlet</b>

Fishing for bluefin tuna, yellowfin tuna and some mahi mahi was pretty good at Chicken Canyon, said Alex from <b>The Reel Seat</b> in Brielle on Sunday. The fish were trolled on spreader bars and Joe Shutes or usual tackle. Bob from the shop on Wednesday said yellowfin tuna became scarce inshore to offshore, and fishing for them seemed hit or miss. Bluefin tuna fishing was good 40 or 50 miles out, he said, on the troll, jigs and popper plugs.

An overnight trip Friday to Saturday first looked for tuna mid-range aboard, <b>Mushin Sportfishing</b> from Point Pleasant Beach’s Facebook page said. Lots of life was there, but no tuna bit. The trip pushed offshore to the canyons, and great life was seen, including squid that the anglers caught for bait. In the morning, a dozen yellowfin tuna were trolled. A day trip last week on Monday first fished for bluefins. One was hooked on the troll, putting up a stubborn fight. Turned out that a shark was attacking the tuna, but the tuna was landed. With a bitten-off tail! Then another was jigged. Next, the anglers wanted to fish for tilefish and mahi mahi, and the trip caught those in deeper water, farther from shore. Then the outing trolled a little while at a canyon, where the fleet caught yellowfin tuna and bigeye tuna earlier that day, in the morning. None bit, but when the trip had to head home, the fleet began to hook some again. Charters and open-boat trips are fishing.

<b>Barnegat Inlet</b>

Not a lot of trips fished for tuna offshore last weekend because of weather, said Mike from <b>Grizz’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Forked River. Customers boated mahi mahi as close to shore as 8 miles out to 18 miles. All baits are stocked, including the full selection for offshore.

Bonito are inshore, and a trip Saturday bottom-fished but mixed in looking for bonito on the <b>Super Chic</b> from Barnegat Light, Capt. Ted said. None popped up, but a previous trip aboard clocked them. On this latest trip, they apparently moved. Tuna fishing is booked for Sunday.

Max from <b>Bobbie’s Boat Rentals</b> in Barnegat Light caught bonito at Barnegat Ridge on a trip, he said. Bobbie’s features a complete bait and tackle shop, a fuel dock and boat and kayak rentals. The boats are used on Barnegat Bay.

<b>Great Egg Harbor Inlet</b>

Trips trolled bluefish, bonito and mahi mahi in 80 feet of water on the ocean on the <b>Stray Cat</b> from Longport, Capt. Mike said. The fishing’s been great for some time, and coming up, more of that angling will sail. The water looked clear and gorgeous, like far offshore. Down 30 or 40 feet could be seen, and flying fish were everywhere. Cedar plugs, Clark spoons and feathers were trolled.

Not a lot was reported about tuna fishing, and some anglers were headed for the fishing yesterday, said Thomas from <b>Fin-Atics</b> in Ocean City. Catches of yellowfin tuna had been talked about from 30 fathoms.

<b>Townsend’s Inlet</b>

Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> from Sea Isle City, affiliated with <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>, had just returned from running an inshore trip for mahi mahi when he gave this report yesterday afternoon, he said. The fishing went well, bagging about four, releasing one or two and losing one or so. A king mackerel and an amberjack were also landed, and another king bit and got off. The king that was landed wasn’t large but was caught on monofilament, not wire. The fish happened to be hooked well for that, and wire is normally used when targeting the toothy fish, of course. All of these fish provided lots of action for the trip. Joe wasn’t asked how the trip’s fish were caught, but his charters fish for inshore mahi on the troll and with bait and cast bucktails and flies. That can depend on conditions. This has been a decent year for mahi fishing close to shore locally, and take advantage. Another trip was probably going to fish for mahi today. A trip last Friday aboard trolled four or five of the fish to 12 pounds with one angler aboard. Was great, Joe said. Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s Blog</a>.

Some tuna caught were reported from places like 19-Fathom Lump and Massey’s Canyon, said Mike from <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b> in Sea Isle City. A mix of yellowfins, small, and bluefins seemed there. Farther off at the canyons, larger yellowfins and occasional bigeye tuna bit.

<b>Cape May Inlet</b>

A tuna trip last week on Wednesday drilled eight yellowfins and a 107-pound bluefin on the troll with <b>Fishin’ Fever Sportfishing</b> from Cape May, Capt. Tom said. Another on Thursday of last week whacked 11 yellowfins to 70 pounds while trolling. The two trips fished in 30 fathoms, and tuna were mostly yellowfins there, and Tom was surprised any bluefins were around, because the water was warm at 79 to 84 degrees. Trips for summer flounder fished in past days aboard the ocean. Coming up, more flounder trips will sail, and so will trips for tuna, marlin and tilefish. Daytime swordfishing will run in September. That angling fishes in 200 to 300 fathoms of water along bottom. Those trips fish for tilefish a few hours first, then target swords. Swordfishing during daytime has become common farther south, like in Florida, and is uncommon in the Northeast. But Tom is doing the fishing from Cape May. Locally, the angling is common at night, of course. For those who don’t know: Daytime trips fish deeper – quite deep – for the light-sensitive swords.

Bluefish, chub mackerel and a couple of bonito were trolled at 5-Fathom Bank Tuesday on the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> from Cape May, Capt. George said. More of that angling was going to sail yesterday and today, he said before the trips. Clark spoons catch the fish best. The spoons look like sand eels that the fish are feeding on. Dates are available for charters, and give a call if interested.

Tuna fishing was good two Sundays ago, and only seemed to pick the fish since, said Joe from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b> in Cape May.

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