Offshore Tuna
Our best tuna fishing is June thru October. I don't book any offshore tuna trips until 48 to 72 hours before, as we are looking for perfection weather. It's not that the boat isn't capable of rough water, she's a catamaran, they were made for it. I don't like to set out in anything less than calm seas when we venture 20 to 90 miles offshore. That makes it difficult to book in advance. We are subject to cancel right up until our ride out the inlet. You can, however, book a day of fishing with us, and we will make tuna fishing our number one priority (it always is anyway), and then if the weather isn't right for offshore, we can transition into coastal or bay fishing. If you need to book in advance, and tuna is the only fish you want to catch, then you should consider booking a bigger boat, as they are more likely to sail in conditions we won't.
Our offshore tuna trips typically have us meeting at the dock at 3AM and returning around 4 or 5 PM. If we are fishing 15 to 25 mile range, we will depart closer to 5AM and return 8 hours later. Along with being very selective about the weather, we also carry all the safety equipment above and beyond what is required. Six man survival raft, EPIRB search and rescue satellite beacon, and an onboard Garmin/Sirius/XM satellite weather station that allows us to see any storm cells.
Tuna fishing is the pinnacle of the sport. There is nothing more exciting than a day on the blue water. You will more than likely encounter whales, porpoise, sea turtles, flying fish and water bluer than you ever imagined could be off of New Jersey.
Our offshore days are Sat, Sun, and Mon's. Cost ranges between $2,000 to $2,400 plus tip for the mate, usually 15 to 20 percent. Besides chartering the boat, you can also sign on as an individual for one of our Open Boat trips, where you pay your fraction of the trip cost along with the other people who have signed on. Email us at hiflierfishing@verizon.net and asked to be put on our Fishing Reports/Open Boat email list.
The target on these trips includes Bluefin Tuna, Yellowfin Tuna, and Mahi Mahi. It is possible to encounter other species such as White Marlin, Wahoo, and more.
Techniques vary from trolling, chunking, jigging, or casting. We always bring rods and equipment ready to do all of it.
Rates:
Mid Range Tuna, 10 to 12 Hours......................$2,000
Canyon Tuna 14 to 16 Hours............................$2,400
Rates do not include tip for the mate, typically 15 to 20 percent.
4 People Maximum. If Open Boat trip, all fish are shared.