<b>Sandy Hook</b>
Mike Gleason from <b>TAK Waterman Surf n Fish</b> in Long Branch fished on a trip last week that cast lures and jigged for bluefin tuna 60 or 70 miles from shore, he said. The trip hooked none, but saw one of the fish about 150 pounds swim past. He knew about a couple of the tuna broken off on other boats during the trip. A buddy on one of the trips hooked one of the tuna on a cast stick bait, but the bluefin broke off the leader. Lots of bait and life filled the water on Mike’s trip. TAK Waterman specializes in fishing – mostly inshore fishing, especially surf fishing – surfing and the TAK Waterman line of outdoor clothing for these water sports and beach-going. TAK stands for nearby Lake Takanasee.
<b>Manasquan Inlet</b>
The last offshore trips were heard about from last Friday, because rough weather kept the trips from sailing since, said Bob from <b>The Reel Seat</b> in Brielle. The fishing was good, but all to the north, like at Atlantis Canyon. The Jenny Lee on a trip last week on Thursday to Friday reportedly caught a couple of yellowfins, a bigeye and a mahi mahi and had a big marlin swim the trolling spread. The Canyon Runner reportedly whacked lots of bigeye tuna and yellowfin tuna.
<b>Mushin Sportfishing</b> from Point Pleasant was docked in the weather, like most boats, Capt. Alan wrote in an email. But forecasts look like weather is clearing, and Mushin will get back to fishing for tuna. That angling went extremely well before the week’s rough weather. Charters are fishing, and some open-boat dates were announced on <a href=" https://www.facebook.com/mushinsportfishing/" target="_blank">Mushin’s Facebook page</a>.
<b>Barnegat Inlet</b>
The most recent trip, before this week’s weather prevented sailing, ended up taking a long ride, 118 miles, to fish offshore, said Capt. Mike from <b>Tuna-Tic Sportfishing</b> in Forked River. One yellowfin tuna was brought in, before the trip had to head back because rough weather was coming. Bigeye tuna had bitten before the trip reached the grounds, and yellowfins that bit while the trip was still on the grounds weighed 50 to 60 pounds. The previous trip aboard rounded up a good catch of yellowfins, though smaller. The season’s first three-day trip offshore is supposed to fish this weekend aboard. Those trips fish for a variety of catches that can include tuna, tilefish, billfish, sharks, mahi mahi and wahoos.
Open-boat tuna fishing was weathered out last week on the <b>Super Chic</b> from Barnegat Light, Capt. Ted said. He’ll probably schedule more of the open trips, and charters are also sailing.
<b>Townsend’s Inlet</b>
Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> from Sea Isle City and <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b> fished offshore with friends and family last Friday, he said. The trip trolled a yellowfin tuna and trolled and released a mako shark. Three white marlin were also hooked on the troll and got off.
<b>Cape May Inlet</b>
None of the charter fleet probably fished because of weather in past days, said Capt. George from the <b>Heavy Hitter</b> from Cape May. The boat is tuna fishing offshore and also trolling for bluefish and bonito at 5-Fathom Bank.
Three bluefin tuna 43 to 46 inches were bagged, six were released and three were missed last Friday with <b>Fishin’ Fever Sportfishing</b> from Cape May, Capt. Tom said. So that was a limit of unders, and all the tuna were about that size. The fish were hooked on the troll, on chunks and on jigs.
The most recent tuna reports, before rough seas, were about bluefins, good-sized to like 100 pounds, and a few yellowfins in 20 to 30 fathoms, like at the Hot Dog and Massey’s Canyon, said Nick from <b>Hands Too Bait & Tackle</b> in Cape May. The bluefins were chunked and jigged. All offshore baits are carried.