Inshore tuna?

[ChumDumpster]

After a lottt of research on inshore tuna out of Jersey I've read numerous reports and post from a few years back about the bluefin traveling in frequenting the NY bight area and as close as off the tip of Sandy hook in October and November feeding on the sand eels...anyone out there ever been apart of this? I'm limited to how far out I can go I'm only carrying 105 gallons but I'm dying for a fight!

[Gerry Zagorski]

Yes, there is usually a school Bluefin bite inshore and years ago a pretty consistent Giant Bluefin bite occurred.... Have not heard much about the giants over the past several years but I don't think it's because they were not there, rather its a very specialized fishery and people who do it keep to themselves.

As far as the school bluefin, it seems the most productive areas in the past year or 2 have been just short of the canyon which is stretch for a small boat with limited fuel capacity.

What most people in the smaller boat category do is troll for the Bluefin in and around the mudhole and if all else fails you'll get some Mahi trolling around the pots.

[AndyS]

Watch them come flying down the coast at 60 mph in November.

[Billfish715]

If you want "sport" fishing for tuna then target the false albacore. Troll them, jig them, chum for them. They are a lot closer to shore (Mud Hole and closer) and don't require specialized tackle. If you're looking for tuna to eat and don't have enough fuel, try trolling a shopping cart in the canned tuna aisle of Shop Rite. People do eat the false albacore but it's not very popular tablefare. The smaller Atlantic Bonito are much tastier. They can be caught the same way as the false albacore and in the same areas.

[NJ Dave]

Late fall ive seen em as close as a mile or two from shore, getting them to bite is another thing