New England Offshore
Cruises have a way of taking unexpected twists. One has to look no further than Gilligan and his ill-fated cohorts. But, for Captain Rob Green of Elizabeth Marie Charters out of Scituate, a planned whale cruise with family and friends became a date with the biggest bluefin tuna of his life. After sating the wish of his loved ones very early into the trip while humpbacks breached all around the boat, Rob turned to his crew and suggested that they try for a tuna. The skipper had visions of the gang passing around a rod as they dueled with a 50-pound schoolie tuna and figured it would be a nice cap to a good day.
They all consented as Rob began to go about the business of jigging up some bait. It was hoped that a few mackerel or whiting would cooperate. However, most willing on that day were 4-pound bluefish, which of course are candy to tuna. One rod was set with a balloon as a strike indicator and before Rob could rig up another, the balloon went off! What began as a leisurely whale cruise turned into a high-stakes battle with a giant tuna at Peaked Hill Bar. Four and one half hours and two harpoons later, 117 inches and 1000 pounds of tuna were latched to the side of the Elizabeth Marie. The Captain credits his buddy Chris McDonald for stellar support.
Folks looking to jig bait are encountering blue runner inside of Scituate Harbor! Drop a few blue runner into a livewell and steam out to the SW Corner of Stellwagen where they’re encountering 50 to 60-pound school tuna.
Bluefin tuna fishing continues to be red hot. Every boat that gets into the zone is catching one or more of the 40- to 46-inch tuna. That “zone” has shifted a bit farther offshore reports Dan at the Hook Up in Orleans. Eric Stewart is still putting clients on tuna daily, but sometimes he’s running 12 to 14 miles off the beach to do so. The fish that had been in 60 to 90 feet of water have moved out. Peaked Hill Bar is still holding fish, some small, some giant. Anglers are catching the tuna in a variety of ways. Some are casting, some are trolling and some, like Chris Bramford, are throwing flies. Chris took a healthy bluefin on the fly rod at Peaked Hill Bar last Thursday.
South of the Vineyard, warm water continues to hold white marlin, and school bluefin as well as mahi are making an appearance in these waters as well. The canyons have picked up again, with some big yellowfin and gaffer mahi.
New York and New Jersey Offshore
Good fishermen know where to find the bite. Great fishermen share the bite with their friends. I will let you decide how to classify Tom from Jersey Coast Bait and Tackle in Brick. The exact message I received was that there were yellowfin tuna to 55 pounds 15 miles out from Point Pleasant. Bluefin tuna all over the place from 10 miles to 60 miles out. Chunk them up or troll deep.
I did not get a lot of offshore reports from the shops this week, but the bite has been moving closer with mid-range boats connecting on smaller class bluefin, some within 15 miles of the beach. Yellowfin have also been moving inside following the squid wherever they go. In South Jersey last week, two yellowfin in the 30-pound range were taken by fluke fishermen on the Ocean City Reef, which is only 4 miles off the beach. The squid were there, the water temperature is the same as it has been offshore, and the tuna showed up. Both fish were taken on live spot that was floated out on top in case a marauding cobia showed up.