UTERYellowfin tuna fishing in New Jersey saltwater fishing
In New Jersey saltwater fishing, yellowfin tuna peak June–October and are around May–November, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. July: Yellowfin chunked at night in the Hudson and Toms canyons; daytime trolling the edge.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Yellowfin tuna in New Jersey saltwater fishing, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilNot here
- MayArriving
- JunePeakFluke, sea bass and the first tuna and makos. Bucktails on the ocean reefs and ridges for fluke; chunk butterfish for school bluefin on the Mud Hole and the Texas Tower; chum for makos (release) and threshers.
- JulyPeakYellowfin chunked at night in the Hudson and Toms canyons; daytime trolling the edge.
- AugustPeakPeak fluke on the ocean wrecks; tuna, mahi and marlin offshore. The biggest fluke of the year on the ocean structure; bigeye and whites in the Wilmington and Spencer; bonito on the inshore lumps.
- SeptemberPeakAlbies off the inlets; the fall bite stirs. Epoxy jigs for false albacore off Barnegat and Sandy Hook; last fluke week on the reefs; snapper blues everywhere.
- OctoberPeak
- NovemberLeaving
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish yellowfin 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 470 wreck, 148 ledge / hard bottom spots in the The Jersey Shore map area — the kinds yellowfin tuna hold on.
What to use for yellowfin tuna
- Blue runners (hardtails)Nose-hooked and slow-trolled on a wire stinger rig for kings; bridled for sailfish and cobia.
- Menhaden (pogies)Nose-hooked on a circle hook and free-lined or slow-trolled; cut in chunks for the bottom.
- Threadfin herring (greenbacks)Nose-hooked on a circle hook and free-lined, or slow-trolled. Fragile — handle them wet and fast.
- Opelu (mackerel scad)Bridled live and slow-trolled or drifted down for ahi, ono and marlin; cut for bottom fishing.
- Leader40–60 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook4/0–8/0
- Braid50–100 lb
Feeds in 72–84°F water, best at 74–80°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch yellowfin tuna in New Jersey saltwater fishing?
Peak season is June–October. Yellowfin tuna are in New Jersey saltwater fishing May–November. July: Yellowfin chunked at night in the Hudson and Toms canyons; daytime trolling the edge.
Where do yellowfin tuna hold in New Jersey saltwater fishing?
Look on ledge / hard bottom, wreck — around Cape May, Atlantic City, Barnegat Light, Point Pleasant, Belmar, Sandy Hook.
What is the best bait for yellowfin tuna in New Jersey saltwater fishing?
Live bait: blue runners (hardtails), menhaden (pogies), threadfin herring (greenbacks), opelu (mackerel scad). Blue runners (hardtails): Nose-hooked and slow-trolled on a wire stinger rig for kings; bridled for sailfish and cobia. Tackle: leader 40–60 lb fluorocarbon, hook 4/0–8/0, braid 50–100 lb.
What are the rules for yellowfin 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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