Offshore Canyon Fishing
Canyon Fishing on rod and reel in New Jersey is the ultimate challenge. You don't know what you're missing if you've never been out to our state's underwater canyons. The Gulf Stream's warm water eddies "well up" along the canyon walls and makes for the perfect spot. The cobalt blue nutrient-rich Gulf Stream water attracts all bait to the NJ canyons yearly, as it does the tuna. Many other species are also caught there, like white and blue marlin, swordfish, shark, wahoo, dolphin, and tilefish on the bottom. It's like a whole other world out there. There is no need to go to distant places to fight these fish. They're right here in our backyard.
The state's largest, most popular, and most northern canyon is the Hudson. The Hudson Canyon is a V-shaped bite out of the ocean's bottom that runs from its narrow NE point and widens as it drops off into the continental shelf. The tip of the Hudson lies about 70 miles east of the Barnegat Inlet. Much of the water surrounding the canyon's tip is 200 feet and drops quickly to 600 feet on its sheer walls. It then takes a fairly steady drop and widens until reaching 6000 feet. The best way to describe it is the Grand Canyon underwater.
We generally troll the daytime hours with a nine-rod spread consisting of spreader bars, daisy chains, green machines, and fresh ballyhoo rigged on an Islander or Joe Shute lure. In the evening, we may set out a couple of shark rods and a deep-drop swordfish rig. In the latter half of the summer into the early fall, we’ll chunk for tuna in the evening or possibly deep drop for a daytime sword. Our “fishing safari” trip is just that, a safari. Whether trolling for tuna, deep dropping for tilefish or swordfish, or casting for mahi mahi on the pots, we’ll do whatever it takes to put you on the fish and ensure you have the ultimate experience. Your catch is kept fresh in our massive tuna box, and all fish are bled to ensure they are of the highest quality when you return home. Prices and more info
Tuna Fishing
On Benita J, we target bluefin, big-eye, yellowfin, and true albacore tuna June through October. These fish are highly migratory which can be caught anywhere from from the mid-shore grounds to the canyons. Areas such as the Triple Wrecks, Mud Hole, The Fingers, Glory Hole, and Lobster Claw usually produce fish from 30 to 120 pounds.
Giant Bluefin can also reach an enormous size of over 500lbs and can be found only twenty-five miles from shore so be prepared for that “wicked big” bite of a lifetime. Depending on the time of year, we will day chunk with butterfish and sardines using stand up tackle.
Fall Striped Bass Fishing
As fall approaches and the water temperature begins to enter into the 50's, stripers become the game fish of choice. It is not unusual for these fish to reach over 30lbs and we target these fish by trolling a combination of bunker spoons, umbrellas rigs, and mojo's to get deep into the water column. These trips are fun for anglers of all levels as we stay within three miles of the shoreline, which is the legal limit allowed by the federal government.
We generally fish off Island Beach State Park where the water depth varies from 30-65ft. We leave the dock at 7:00am and enter the ocean through Barnegat Inlet. The mornings can be cold but don’t worry, Benita J is outfitted with three heaters and a coffee maker to make the experience very comfortable. Benita J also has bonus tags available for customers who choose to keep an extra fish. These trips will depart from Holiday Harbor Marina in Waretown, NJ. Benita J is docked in slip B1. Prices and more info
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