Red hot tuna fishing off NJ

tunaman81 · 08-11-2009, 11:09 AM

The tuna fishing has been hot all over NJ for the past few weeks. Off Point Pleasant, where we keep our boat, bluefins in the 40-80lb class with some in the 100-160lb class have been on the mid range grounds (~40 miles offshore) feeding on large schools of sand eels. The yellowfin and bigeye fishing has been good in the canyons along with some white and blue marlin. The bigeye bite in the canyons this past weekend was the best many have ever seen with most boats catching bigeye and some coming home with multiple fish.

We took our first tuna trip of the year on 8/8/09. Arrive at the grounds to find about 100-150 other boats. Decided to troll away from the fleet. Had a bluefin inhale one of the ballyhoo I was freespooling back into the spread. Quickly had a 60lb fish on the deck. Ended up fishing a little longer, releasing one more 60lb bluefin and pulling the hook on another before heading home early.

Brand H · 08-11-2009, 11:17 AM

Way to go!!! Good eating right there.

Cutler · 08-14-2009, 02:01 PM

nice work..

Broadbill-Pro · 08-16-2009, 07:40 PM

Ok Justin, Endangered or lack of bait the past few years?

tunaman81 · 08-27-2009, 12:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Broadbill-Pro

Ok Justin, Endangered or lack of bait the past few years?

I anticipated this question from you

. I don't think bluefin are necessarily endangered but still heavily over fished. All the fish we have been seeing in this area are schoolies under 120lbs with a few fish that are a little bigger. While this is very promising, I would like to see a good run of giants in the area before I would be convinced that the population is recovered. There are still quite a few schools of menhaden in the area, so we'll see if some bigger fish show up in good numbers this fall.

However, the abundance of sandeels has even brought yellowfin inshore as well.

Broadbill-Pro · 08-27-2009, 07:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tunaman81

I anticipated this question from you

. I don't think bluefin are necessarily endangered but still heavily over fished. All the fish we have been seeing in this area are schoolies under 120lbs with a few fish that are a little bigger. While this is very promising, I would like to see a good run of giants in the area before I would be convinced that the population is recovered. There are still quite a few schools of menhaden in the area, so we'll see if some bigger fish show up in good numbers this fall.

However, the abundance of sandeels has even brought yellowfin inshore as well.

Thanks, good answer.

Keep in mind that the "good run of giants" did happen at the end of last season and that a lot of fish were spotted off the Western Bahamas. Canada has not experienced the decline in giant Bfin tuna that our domestic fleet has in recent years. What everyone has agreed upon the past few years is that the herring are scarce and dogfish out of control.

OBAMA · 08-28-2009, 08:11 AM

Nice fish!!

So how is the number crunching coming along???

tunaman81 · 08-28-2009, 12:19 PM

Thanks!!! Its slowly chugging along.

08-11-2009, 11:09 AM	#1 (permalink)
tunaman81 Hooked Up Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ft. Lauderdale, Fl Occupation: student Posts: 476	Red hot tuna fishing off NJ The tuna fishing has been hot all over NJ for the past few weeks. Off Point Pleasant, where we keep our boat, bluefins in the 40-80lb class with some in the 100-160lb class have been on the mid range grounds (~40 miles offshore) feeding on large schools of sand eels. The yellowfin and bigeye fishing has been good in the canyons along with some white and blue marlin. The bigeye bite in the canyons this past weekend was the best many have ever seen with most boats catching bigeye and some coming home with multiple fish. We took our first tuna trip of the year on 8/8/09. Arrive at the grounds to find about 100-150 other boats. Decided to troll away from the fleet. Had a bluefin inhale one of the ballyhoo I was freespooling back into the spread. Quickly had a 60lb fish on the deck. Ended up fishing a little longer, releasing one more 60lb bluefin and pulling the hook on another before heading home early. __________________ There is nothing like fishing the deep blue offshore waters

08-14-2009, 02:01 PM	#3 (permalink)
Cutler Hooked Up Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Boca Raton Boat: 34 Invincible..coming soon Best Catch: a seagull...3lbs Occupation: Jeweler Posts: 638	nice work.. __________________ www.altierjewelers.com

08-28-2009, 08:11 AM	#7 (permalink)
OBAMA Hooked Up Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 277	Nice fish!! So how is the number crunching coming along??? __________________ You know, they say if you want a friend in Washington, get a dog. Remember that in the end, in some way we are all fishermen.

08-28-2009, 12:19 PM	#8 (permalink)
tunaman81 Hooked Up Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ft. Lauderdale, Fl Occupation: student Posts: 476	Thanks!!! Its slowly chugging along. __________________ There is nothing like fishing the deep blue offshore waters

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08-11-2009, 11:17 AM	#2 (permalink)
Brand H Hooked Up Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Jupiter, FL Boat: SeaVee Best Catch: my old lady Occupation: Fishery Biologist Posts: 236	Way to go!!! Good eating right there.

08-16-2009, 07:40 PM	#4 (permalink)
Broadbill-Pro Grander Join Date: Jan 2006 Best Catch: When I look at a Commercial Fishing Vessel I see 300 million Americans and you only see the Crew Posts: 1,728	Ok Justin, Endangered or lack of bait the past few years?

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