Bluefin tuna trip by Jerry Nichols

Posted on August 29, 2024 by bayside425

Great trip on Friday, August 23 with John Stuebing and Pat Presutto. John had invited us to join him on his boat, the Salty Dog, for a tuna trip out of Tuckerton but we got reports of bluefin being caught at the Tolten wreck/lump area about 20 miles NE of the Barnegat Inlet. I’m out of Waretown so we decided to take my boat with John outfitting the trip and setting the strategy. We left the docks at first navigable light and were on the fishing grounds by about 6:30 am. John and Pat worked magic to get 6 lines out behind my 23′ 7″ Sea Hunt and we trolled the Tolten wreck and nearby lump all morning.

Because I’d never hooked up with a tuna before the guys insisted that I take the first fish. It was slow going until about 11:30 when a fish slammed one of John’s green Sterling spreader bars and the reel started screaming. I grabbed the rod and began the fight while John and Pat brought in the other lines. John took the boat controls and helped me by running the fish down and before long we had him in the boat and quickly on ice. Back home John showed us how to break down the fish and we split the meat to enjoy with our families. Hands down the most delicious tuna I’ve ever eaten.

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