New England

The bluewater fishing off New England continues to be red hot. Christian from Falmouth Bait and Tackle said the canyons, the Dump and the Shipping Lanes have all had fish.  Coop from Coop’s Bait and Tackle on the Vineyard had a memorable canyon trip this week where the crew boated 19 yellowfin to 80 pounds. Unfortunately the weather has made getting to the offshore grounds impossible this week, and it looks like we’ll be getting even more weather over the weekend. Another boat caught a whopper wahoo at well.

The best bluefin tuna action off Cape Cod is still around the Regal Sword, reported Dan at the Hook Up. Trolling and jigging has been working well. Captain Eric Stewart was able to capture a few bluefin this week for the fish-tagging crew at UNH. Off Provincetown, the tuna have been virtually nonexistent.

New York and New Jersey

Ron at Fisherman’s Supply in Point Pleasant, NJ says the bigeye tuna bite is still going on in the southern canyons, but all other species have been a little quiet. Jigging and chunking have raised a few fish but not anything special.

Dave at the Reel Seat in Brielle, NJ says, anglers who get a window of weather and take it are being rewarded with longfin and yellowfin tuna, and some wahoo that they are picking up on the troll in the Hudson and Southern Toms canyons. Chunking and Jigging efforts have not be high return efforts as of yet.  There have been some nice Swordfish recorded in the dark.  There has been dolphin caught but nothing in the huge range, most in the 15# class. And there have been some white marlin on the books but the really hot action for marlin is still hovering in the southern canyons.   Overall, Dave tells me it has been a slow but steady pick and that if you put the time in, you will be rewarded.

Down the Parkway to Egg Harbor Township, the boys from Team TackleDirect connected with a monster Big Eye this week.  Estimated by measurement at over 270 pounds, this fish took a topwater lure on spinning tackle by Spinal Rods owner Jesse Stainislaw aboard Carmen Rone’s Good Karma out of Margate just as it was getting dark.  Jesse whipped this fish in 45 minutes without a handoff, and by the time it came close enough to gaff they had to use lights to get the gaff shot.