Everything You Need to Find & Catch Tuna in NJ

Tuna

If you’ve never been out to our states under water canyons you don’t know what you’re missing. The cobalt blue nutrient rich Gulf Stream water brings all bait up to the NJ canyons every year and the Tuna along with it. The most popular species are Yellowfin, Longfin, and Bluefin with an occasional Bigeye mixed in. While fishing for Tuna there are also many other species caught like White and Blue Marlin, Mahi, Swordfish, Shark and Tilefish on the bottom. It’s like a whole other world out there. No need to go to distant places to fight these fish. They’re right here in our own back yard.

The largest, most popular and most northern canyon in the state is the Hudson.. The Hudson Canyon is a V shape bite out of the ocean’s bottom that runs from it’s narrow NE point and widens as it drops off into the continental shelf.. The tip of the Hudson lies about 70 miles due east of the Manasquan inlet. The Gulf Stream warm water eddies well up along the canyon walls and makes for the perfect spot. Much of the water surrounding the canyons tip is 200 feet and drops quickly down to 600 feet on its sheer walls. It then takes a fairly steady drop and widens out until it reaches 6000 feet. Best way to describe it is the Grand Canyon under water…. Now that’s what I call structure and your best bet is to fish its ledges.

Time of Year:

Southern canyons usually start up a bit earlier then their northern peers, usually in June/July. Northern canyons usually start getting hot in July/August with the best months being September/October.

How To Catch Them:

• The general rule of thumb is daytime trolling in the early season and daytime trolling and nighttime chunking later in the season.
• Trolling is done at relatively higher speeds of 6 to 7 knots and concentrated around structure like steep drop of canyon walls. Larger boats will run as many as 9 lines. Each out rigger will have 2 lines (long and short) and a teaser. You will also run 2 short lines off the line clips on the stern and one line down the middle way back in your spread for big guys. The lures usually are a mix of skirted Ballyhoo, Islanders, Spreader Bars and a Green Machine with a Birdie down the middle.
• Chunking is done pretty much exclusively at night and later in the season when the water temps are warmer. You can either drift or anchor. Drifting is very effective if there is a small amount of wind and current. You throw cut pieces of Butter Fish or “Chunks” over to create a chunk slick to attract Tuna and keep them with you when the come into your area. You hook a whole Butter Fish, Sardine or Squid below an egg sinker running through your main line. The amount of sinker weight depends on the current.. You want just enough to keep you line straight down from the boat. It’s best to hand feed the line out so you can put it down to a specific depth by counting the number of pulls. 1 foot per pull. You want to put your lines down at various depths to see what works best. The first line is down 30 feet or so and then others in 50 foot deeper increments.
• Jigging is also a very effective method. Butterfly jigs are dropped down to the target depths and jigged. These outfits are typically very light weight rods and reel with colored braided line marked at 20 foot increments so you can judge what depth your are jigging.
• These fish hit like a freight train and where there is one there are others. You need to be sure and preset your reel drags and be prepared. Tie up some rigs ahead of time to maximize your time in the water if you get into a good bite.
• Lights on board and in the water will greatly enhance your chances since they attract bait and the bait attracts the Tuna. This is especially true for the Tuna’s favorite bait, Squid. You want to try your best to snag or net as many live squid as you can and use them as your hooked baits. Live Squid in general is the most productive bait for Tuna.

Best Places To Catch Them:

• The most northern canyon is the Hudson, which is 70 miles due east of Manasquan Inlet. The other major canyons south of the Hudson are the Carteret, Toms, Spencer, Lindenkohl and Willmington.
• Some years we get a shot at the Tuna inshore of the Canyon in the Mudhole area, bu the canyon fishery is typically much more productive and consistent.

Some Fishing Tips:

• Be sure to keep your Butter Fish chunking steady to build a long contiguous slick. It’s best to throw handful of chunks out at timed intervals like every 2 minutes.
• When on the chunk keep a close watch for marks on your depth sounder. If you see consistent marks at a certain depth try to adjust your lines to that depth.
• When you land a Tuna the first thing you want to do is bleed the fish. This keeps the meat white and tasty.
• Make sure the boat you are fishing on has a permit and you know the regulations since they change frequently.
• When party boat fishing, you usually anchor so try and find a spot in the stern.
• When trolling you and your crew need to keep a constant watch. If you get one fish hooked up chances are you will hook several more.
• When chunking it’s best to work the lines… You pay out line manually to the desired depth and if you get no bites, reel it in and try again. If you just get the line down to the depth and leave it the pole in the holder you are typically not going to get as many strikes.
• Most people use circle hooks. If you are using them DO NOT set the hook on a bite. Simply engage the drag and let the fish hook itself.
• If you are trolling it’s good to keep a few pitch poles set aside with bait on them… Often times when you are trolling for Tuna you can get a Marlin to come up into the spread. You want to be able to tease him in with your trolled lures and teasers but pitch him a bait so your are fighting him on the outfit you would prefer to fight him on.
• Get lots of sleep. Tuna trips can be long and tiring
• Unless you, your boat and crew are equipped for this sort of fishing, its best left to the experts on Party and Charter Boats… They have all the safety and fishing equipment, a big hold to keep the fish on ice, a license and the knowledge to identify the specific species of Tuna and what the current regulations are for size, quantity and species. Since they fish often they also have the best intelligence as to where the fish are to increase your odds of catching.
• Tuna can sometimes be very line shy. If there are fish in the area try using a lighter leader and always use fluorocarbon.