Looking Good for the Weekend

This weekend looks great for getting offshore, a stark contrast to the foul weather we had last weekend. While offshore reports were slim this week, there were a couple, and hopefully by the next fishing forecast, we’ll have some more good information.

A few giant bluefin were taken in the waters east of Chatham, MA according to Dan at the Hook Up in Orleans. An 80-inch was caught, and Captain Eric Stewart was out on Thursday looking for some love on the troll, but when I talked to Dan, there was no word on whether the tuna were cooperating.

The shark fishing is getting started off Block Island. Blue sharks are abundant, and the occasional mako is moving in as well. At least one mako in the 200-pound range was taken south of the island this week.

The Viking Fleet out of Montauk, NY has been running long for bottom fishing, and Brian Lee reported in his New York Fishing Forecast:

Ground fishing in the Canyons continues at a good-to-great, and has only been limited by the less-than-ideal conditions on the grounds during the latest trip. The annual “Hungry Man’s Special” offshore trip returned to the dock early this week after a tough grind due to a persistent 20- to 25-knot winds out of the northeast. However, in typical Viking fashion, anglers and crew worked together to turn out another respectable offshore trip for the logbook. Day one was mostly a slow pick of a mid-size deepwater mixed-bag, however, the final two and a half hours of light produced good numbers of tilefish and northern grouper as well as one of my favorite deep-water groundfish filets — the elusive and sweet-fleshed silver hake. After racking out for the night, the “Hungry Men” woke to even tougher conditions on the grounds, with a persistent northeast wind that refused to die. However, fishing through the slop the trip turned out to be another success in the deepwater.

 

Tuna fanatic, Captain Ed Berger had the skinny on the NJ tuna bite.

 

“I know that the weekend warriors are going to be drooling on Friday.  The forecast for offshore is almost perfect.  Two-foot seas at and winds estimated at 5 to 10 knots (yes, I know variable is better, but I did say “almost” perfect!) makes Friday the “go” day for my crew. Time to tune the gear for tuna and go get some.  The whole NW thing always makes me a little edgy, but it is supposed to be turning around so the mental red light is not flashing.  Don’t get all bent out of shape if you can’t get off – Sunday does not look too bad either.

Last week’s reports of limits of yellowfin in the southern canyons and bluefin at some of their usual northern zone haunts can be almost narcotic news to tuna junkies.  Bluefin is the prize, for sure, but anything that is going to rip down a reel at the rate that either of these cousins are capable of gives me a major rush.

Sure, we are going to cover the striper bite, where the fluke aren’t, how many little bluefish you can catch, how much fun it is to scratch the belly of a blowfish with a cigar in its mouth, all the wonderful things you have come to expect from our weekly update.  However, if that hollow cracking sound a tuna spine makes when you collar it gives you a little chill like it does for me, it is going to be a little difficult to focus until we shove off.”

Mike Shipton had some news on the South Jersey offshore bite as well.

“In Egg Harbor Township, you can always bank on Tackle Direct for both high end or hard to find gear. And they will also give you the best scouting report if you ask them. According to Tom at TD, the canyons have been reporting nice catches of yellow fin tuna along with the occasional bluefin. Anglers venturing to the deep offshore water have also had some good success with tilefish and closer inshore, the local reefs have giving up sea bass limits on a regular basis

There have been some sharks taken mostly mako the closer offshore holes like the Elephant Trunk but high winds have prevented most from pursuing them. Captain Mark told me that this weekend should provide a real opportunity to get out to the canyons and some of the good tuna bite that has been there for the last couple of weeks. You have been warned!”

Best Bets for the Weekend:

Go. The weather Friday and Sunday look excellent for making a long ride somewhere with warm water and big, strong gamefish. It’d be a good weekend to make your first canyon trip of the year, but setting up a slick over some mid-shore structure should keep you busy with blue sharks until a mako crashes the party. It is definitely worth looking for bluefin off New England. They could be anywhere from south of Block Island and Martha’s Vineyard all the way to Stellwagen Bank. Have some jigging and popping gear ready, and a fall back plan if Charlie Tuna is a no-show.