UTERAtlantic bluefin tuna fishing in New Jersey saltwater fishing
In New Jersey saltwater fishing, Atlantic bluefin tuna peak June–August and October and are around May–November, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. June: Bluefin on the Mud Hole, the Glory Hole and the Texas Tower; chunk butterfish.
Fall bluefin push back inshore — jigs and topwater off the beaches.
Atlantic bluefin tuna in New Jersey saltwater fishing, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilNot here
- MayArriving
- JunePeakBluefin on the Mud Hole, the Glory Hole and the Texas Tower; chunk butterfish.
- JulyPeakCanyons and the ocean reefs. Overnight canyon trips to the Hudson and Toms for yellowfin on the chunk; doormat fluke on the Barnegat and Manasquan ridges; kingfish in the surf on bloodworms.
- AugustPeak
- SeptemberAround
- OctoberPeakFall bluefin push back inshore — jigs and topwater off the beaches.
- NovemberLeaving
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish Atlantic bluefin tuna near Cape May, Atlantic City, Barnegat Light
A 130-mile barrier-island coast of surf beaches and rock jetties, cut by inlets (Cape May, Townsends, Absecon, Barnegat, Manasquan, Shark River) into shallow back bays — Barnegat Bay, Great Bay, the Cape May wetlands — with Raritan Bay at the north end; offshore, a field of artificial reefs, ridges and wrecks out to the Hudson, Toms, Wilmington and Spencer canyons.
Fish Scouter charts 868 artificial reef, 470 wreck, 148 ledge / hard bottom spots in the The Jersey Shore map area — the kinds Atlantic bluefin tuna hold on.
What to use for Atlantic bluefin tuna
- Menhaden (pogies)Nose-hooked on a circle hook and free-lined or slow-trolled; cut in chunks for the bottom.
- SquidStrips on a bottom rig for snapper, grunts and porgies; whole on a deep-drop rig.
- HerringCut-plug for salmon: head off at an angle, guts out, two hooks in tandem so it spins slow behind a flasher or a banana weight. Whole and live on a circle hook for stripers where the herring run.
- Sand eelsFree-lined or on a light jig head for stripers, fluke and bluefish; strips teased on a fluke rig.
- Leader40–60 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook4/0–8/0
- Braid50–100 lb
Feeds in 50–76°F water, best at 58–70°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch Atlantic bluefin tuna in New Jersey saltwater fishing?
Peak season is June–August and October. Atlantic bluefin tuna are in New Jersey saltwater fishing May–November. June: Bluefin on the Mud Hole, the Glory Hole and the Texas Tower; chunk butterfish.
Where do Atlantic bluefin tuna hold in New Jersey saltwater fishing?
Look on ledge / hard bottom, wreck, artificial reef — around Cape May, Atlantic City, Barnegat Light, Point Pleasant, Belmar, Sandy Hook.
What is the best bait for Atlantic bluefin tuna in New Jersey saltwater fishing?
Live bait: menhaden (pogies), squid, herring, sand eels. Menhaden (pogies): Nose-hooked on a circle hook and free-lined or slow-trolled; cut in chunks for the bottom. Tackle: leader 40–60 lb fluorocarbon, hook 4/0–8/0, braid 50–100 lb.
What are the rules for Atlantic bluefin tuna in New Jersey saltwater fishing?
Size and bag limits and closed seasons are set by the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife (NJ Fish and Wildlife) and change — read the current rule at https://dep.nj.gov/njfw/fishing/marine/ before you keep a fish. A licence is sold at https://dep.nj.gov/njfw/licenses-and-permits/.
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