(Originally published May/June 2023)
By Capt. Craig Angelini
Early season tuna fishing off the coast of New Jersey holds opportunities for catching large bigeye and bluefin tuna. In addition, yellowfin tuna are present in good numbers. This makes a “tuna grand slam” (catching all three species) completely possible. With a decade-long trend of population growth in all three species, I challenge you to put your skills and gear to the test this season by planning a trip to achieve this goal. It is very possible from late April to July.
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BELOW: Bluefin tuna caught on a Joe Shute lure with a ballyhoo off the long rigger.
Often I am drawn to a hot bite of any species, but it is hard to shake the label of being a tuna fisherman. Tuna fishing has captured my attention for as long as I can remember, and there is no greater prize for me than catching a huge tuna.
This pursuit is a labor of love and requires a large degree of preparation, knowledge, timing, tackle, and techniques. From analyzing sea surface temperatures, to picking your favorite lures and fishing methods, we will illustrate the preparation when planning a
