Bluefin Bite Going Strong

Plenty more to report on the bluefin front. Football tuna finally invaded Cape Cod Bay. Several anglers targeting stripers saw the bluefin on the surface. The tuna bite continues to be strong at Peaked Hill Bar as well. The Southwest Corner of Stellwagen is loaded with schoolie bluefin as well.

Isle of Shoals is loaded with 70- to 90-inch bluefin feasting on whiting, herring and mackerel.

The BC Buoy and Regal Sword are producing big numbers of school bluefin on the troll. Dan at the Hook Up spent some time at each of these spots earlier this week, landing 11 tuna to 59 inches. Giant tuna have also been showing up at the Regal Sword chasing herring clear out of the water. Ten giants were taken there earlier this week, and Dan watched one boat battle a 900-pounder for more than 5 hours.

Speaking of giants, anglers making the trip to giant bluefin Nirvana at Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia are doing battle with monster bluefin on surprisingly small gear. The Shimano Talica 50II two-speed reel spooled with 130-pound test Power Pro hollow ace put the boots to tuna as big as 909 pounds this past week up in Canada. The angler who bested the 900-pounder did so in less than an hour! On the Cape, anglers have been equally impressed with the Talica. Chuck Risio, fishing out of Hyannis, dropped a 321-pound bluefin on the scale after battling it for 45 minutes on a Shimano Talica/Shimano Terez Rail Rod combo. An impressive feat for such relatively small tackle.

Off New Jersey, there are some bluefin being caught at the Chicken Canyon and Glory Hole.

When the weather allows it, anglers getting offshore are doing pretty well. Dave at the Reel Seat in Brielle reported that the crew of the NYSE-ly Done found a trio of bigeye on the troll, a few yellowfin on the chunk and a swordfish on a trip to the edge this week. Tilefish were also biting well. Since then, the weather has turned south and the winds have picked up stalling canyon efforts.

The Elephant Trunk has had some nice wahoo loitering around along with a blue and white marlin, and of course mahi.  The tuna bite was farther south at the Toms Canyon last week with yellowfin up to 70 pounds and some nice swordfish to boot. As with any offshore bite this time of year, everything is subject to fast change.

Party boats sailing to the canyons did better on the troll this week, but hopefully, once the weather settles down, the chunk bite will turn back on.