bluefin tuna off NJ 9/5 Report

[gradyfish22]

Ran out on my buddy Steve's boat on Sat, got a late start and arrived to the grounds 40 miles off shark river inlet as the bite was turning off. Worked off the fleet and pulled some nice trigger fish and a half dozen mahi off a tree, and put 2 nice bluefin in the boat before deciding to head for the barn early rather then play catch and release as it seemed the bite was turning on away from us. We got both fish on sardines, one at 80 ft, the other right off the bottom, one hit 40 flouro, the other hit 60 flouro. One measured out at 51", the other just under 47", both fish were very fat, much fatter then we are used to seeing as we typically get skinny fish for their length. Caught both fish off the fleet on some numbers that have always produced for me when the bite on the lumps slows up.

My 51" fish landed on 40lb flouro.

My buddy John's fish that taped out at 46.5"

 

[Tuna Man]

Glad to see someone was able to take advantage of that short weather window. I assume you were at the same spot we fished near you two weeks ago? Or was it that not so secret spot further out that has been hot for a month or two? Congrats on those nice fish you guys got.

We are hoping to run out the later part of this weekend. Are you heading out?

 

[gradyfish22]

The further out spot, the bite has been dead on that inshore location shince roughly our trip. Bad news was right after I left it turned on there with the yft...the very few who stayed did get into them at about 4pm until dark. The further spot has been more consistent though, mostly early morning bite mostly on the chunk with less fish being jigged lately, troll bite is mostly dead. Did hear of some of the yft caught on the way in from that spot heading towards barnegat, short of the ridge, after this weather who knows where those yft could end up though. Hoping to get atleast one more trip out there this season, I see no slowing down to this bite, the bait is thick and not going anywhere. Did have to fish off the fleet and known areas though this trip which can sometimes be the case if there is a big fleet or once the morning bite dies out.

 

[RJTFD]

Hi Tom glad to see you are still into fish. I'm going stir crazy with this weather. Hopefully it wil end soon and i'll get out again or at least inshore for some light tackle falsies.

 

[gradyfish22]

Ralph, I'm hoping to get out mid week next week, looks like we might get a break in the weather finally. If not I might do some bass fishing, tons of schoolies to 36" fish around, worming at night is hot off the rockaways and trolling tubes in the early morning is good at the tin can grounds. Hopefully I'll get atleast one more tuna trip in, was hoping to get back to the canyon but that is looking less and less likely right now so it will likely be a bluefin trip.