The weatherman has not been kind to the offshore angler this week, and this weekend isn’t looking much better. For the anglers that have gotten out, the fishing is steadily improving and canyon season is getting underway.

Bluefin Tuna Report

Big tides and a bright moon made the bluefin picky, but the bite is slowly starting to improve. There was a 70-incher taken off Chatham today and a 68-incher caught off Peaked Hill earlier in the week. Eric Stewart of the Hook Up remains optimistic that another wave of tuna is on the way. Unfortunately, tough winds may take tuna fishing off the plate this weekend.

Shark Report

Shark fishing has heated up along the South Shore of Long Island. With cooler waters, Trophy Tackle mentioned that blue sharks were making up a majority of the catches, but more makos and threshers are showing up every day. Last week, OTW Contributor Chris Paparo went out of Shinnecock Inlet with my friend Greg Metzger for a shark trip. In about 150 feet of water, they had one small blue shark, which was quickly followed by a big mako that came ripping through the slick. After circling the boat a few minutes, it picked up a fresh bluefish bait and the fight was on. After jumping several times, they got the big male boat side where we safely released it to fight another day. Measuring 9 feet, it was the biggest mako either of them had caught to date.

Canyons Report

Off New Jersey there have been the first signs that the offshore bite is starting with scattered reports of sharks and tuna in the canyons.. Yellowfin and small bluefin and at least one nice bigeye have been taken.