Tuna fishing turning on

July is usually the prime time for inshore bluefin tuna trolling, and that sport appears to be shaping up.

The Viking Fleet from Montauk reported getting into bluefins this week on the way out for a canyon tuna trip. NYC skipper John McMurry has also been getting into them off Long Island.

Though bluefish have been fussy at times, chub mackerel have arrived to produce fast action in chum slicks. In addition to the daytime bite, the Jamaica from Brielle had a hot Friday night trip which they’ll try to repeat at 7:30 tonight.

Vinny D’Anton said stripers started hitting sand fleas again yesterday morning at Monmouth County beaches, and a couple were of legal size, However, the normally abundant fluke were replaced by an invasion of windowpanes.

Fluke fishing has been generally good. and N.J. anglers can now keep a single sea bass of at least 12 1/2 inches as a by-catch from July 1 to Aug. 31. The Big Mohawk from Belmar reported a very good day after a slow start to fluking. There were many limits with a pool fish at about 6 pounds.

The Fishermen from Atlantic Highlands reported Friday was their best fluke trip so far as they were fishing rough bottoms. A 4-pound, 15-ounce fluke was just short of a season best, and a 5-pound sea bass had to be released.

Jim Hutchinson Sr. reports for the Beach Haven Charter Boat Association as follows:

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It’s the Fourth of July weekend, and things are hopping for the various crews of the Beach Haven Charter Fishing Association. The fluke action is strong right now in the bay and inshore ocean waters. In addition to the fishing action, the BHCFA and its Junior Mates Program recently made another deployment of fishing structure, this time a tugboat on the Barnegat Light Reef.

The Junior Mates held its first training session last week, attended by 25 youngsters eager to learn all they can about fishing. As a matter of fact, five first year junior mates accompanied Captain John Lewis on the “Insatiable” to watch the sinking of the tugboat designed to create new fish habitat.

Former junior mate Max Goldman, who now has his Captain credentials, has been seeing time working on the “Starfish,” the “Miss Beach Haven,” and as captain on a tiki boat. Captain Max reports the boats have a mix of fluke and black sea bass, with rods bending with a combination of both short and keeper-sized fish. The headboat “Miss Beach Haven” is offering various trips including a popular sunset fluke inlet trip.

Captain Gary Dugan has been seeing the same level of action on the “Irish Jig” with large amounts of fish coming over the rails. Keeper fish are tough at times to find, but there is plenty of action and fish dinners in the box every trip.

Captain Brett Taylor reports good action on his trips in the Barnegat Light area with “Real Reaction Sport Fishing.” He frequently runs two trips a day and is experiencing many limit trips. His anglers have been catching fluke to 23.5-inches.  

Captain Connor Smilon of “FishHawk Charters” has been finding a nice rate of keeper fluke and on one of his trips managed to pick up a surprise weakfish while aiming for fluke.

Additional information on the Beach Haven Charter Fishing Association can be found at www.BHCFA.org

Jim Hutchinson Jr. with a 26-inch fluke on a jig