Mahi-mahi don’t belong this close to the beach in the Northeast. The colorful, fast-growing species is typically found well offshore, holding around weedlines, buoys, and structure miles from shore — which is only one part of what makes this drone clip so remarkable.
New Jersey-based photographer and FAA-certified drone pilot Christor Lukasiewicz (@christorluke) was filming a mahi skipping across the surface less than a mile off the Jersey Shore when a massive bluefin tuna erupted out of nowhere and ran it down, live on camera.
“Definitely one of the craziest things I’ve captured in the drone since I started flying six years ago,” Lukasiewicz said.
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A Drone’s-Eye View of the Jersey Shore’s Wildest Moments
This isn’t Lukasiewicz’s first close encounter of an awesome moment from above. Over the years, his drone has captured bull sharks, humpback whales, and cownose rays cruising the Jersey Shore.
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It’s a good reminder that some of the most jaw-dropping wildlife encounters on the water aren’t happening offshore at all — they’re unfolding just past the sandbar, in full view of anyone flying a drone (or paying close attention from the beach).
