Bluefin Tuna Fishing Report
Bluefin fishing broke open this week. From New Jersey to the Cape, anglers had multiple fish days trolling and casting.
Captain Adam Sherer of Shore Catch Guide Service decked a big bluefin on a stickbait this week. Trolling spreader bars also worked for Shore Catch Captain Tom, who had three medium-sized tuna.
Dave at The Reel Seat in Brielle could hardly stay in his real seat when he was describing the bluefin bite that is going on at the Chicken Canyon and in the area around the Atlantic Princess. One of Reel Seat’s regulars had 31 bluefin on Saturday and frankly everything that was in the water was getting bitten. Spreaders, Zukers, Ballys, you name it.
This midshore action with bluefin off New Jersey is one of the best bites in years according to the crew at Fisherman’s Headquarters in Ship Bottom, NJ. The fish are loading up in all of the usual locations.
Tuna are beginning to trickle into the waters east of Stellwagen Bank now, but the real hotspot is the area east of Chatham. Anglers had multiple fish days this week, including Captain Eric of the Hook Up who went 2 for 3 on Saturday. The tuna have moved a bit east, however, and the best action now is toward the BC Buoy and west of Crab Ledge. Tuna are also cruising along the backside on that 120-foot line. Spreader bars, whether dressed with shell squids or Got Stryper Pintails, are the best bet according to Mike from Powderhorn.
The fish, which as of last week were mostly in the 70- to 80-inch range, have been joined by some tuna in the 27- to 59-inch slot, allowing anglers to take home some fish for the table.
Canyon Fishing Report
Canyon fishing has been hot with plenty of yellowfin as well as billfish. The Jenny Lee out of Point Pleasant, NJ pulled an overnight shift from Sunday into Monday and had 30 yellowfin and released a blue marlin in the neighborhood of 400 pounds that was fought on one of the new Shimano Terez rods.
Spreader bars as a central feature with skirted ballyhoo around them has been the real combination for raising the yellow fin. They are mostly coming up and attacking in wolf packs, so if you get that first hook up the last thing you want to do is throttle back. Keep moving and there is a good chance of you getting covered up for a good old fashioned Chinese fire drill in the cockpit.
The water in the southern canyons (Lindenkohl, Carteret and Spencer)is perfect at the moment, though the temperature in the Spencer dropped this week and many boats went further south to find some incredible looking water. Consult an SST chart for the latest intel, but when the weather allows – go. The fish are there and are biting like crazy.