Gambler- Hudson Canyon 9/29-30

[2na]

Headed out Friday afternoon on a last minute chance on a Gambler 24hr Tuna trip. Capt. Mike took us to the Hudson thru nice soft 2-3ft seas. Lines in around 21:30 into a slate blue water. Tic...toc...tic...toc...not much happening. Some large, jiggable, squid in the slick and a renegade mahi from time to time but, not much else. No where near as many squid as before the blow but, still enough to get a couple dozen for the livewell. Mike made a move around midnite to look for thermal breaks but, there were none to be found. We ended up in the same 68.4* all night long. We drifted a nice .5 knot drift with everyone's lines straight out the port side until about 01:30 when she started to blow a pretty steady 20 out of the South. Capt. Mike put us on the hook where we swung uneventfully (except for and Ocean Sunfish display) until 06:50 when the first 50lb Yellow Fin came on line. Bob in the stern landed her about 10 min later. We SLOWLY picked at 50-70lb yellows AND BLUEDOGS until the triple toot at 09:30. New first for me...before this trip I'd NEVER seen picking tuna share a slick with sharks but Saturday morning we were positively having simultaneous bites from both species. My only action came from 2 bluedog bite-offs. The final tally- 6 yellows for 5 anglers...Duffy the Mechanic schooled us with 2. Got BEAT UP on the way home head on into 6-8ft tight seas. All-in-all a good trip...Gambler crew is ALWAYS top notch. Gonna try again Wednesday.
Shorts

[AndyS]

Hope it gets better. Thanx for the report.

[Charlie Tuna]

Next couple days there should be more boats venturing off so more real estate will get covered and more reports.
Also real clear sky the next couple days so there will be good temp charts to work with.

I'm On Wednesday/Thurday's 36 see there!

[Pennsy Guy]

See you guys Wednesday. Hopefully we'll get better reports from the Sat/Sun trip & tomorrow's trip...

[capt74]

Just got in from the last trip, Not to good. Bad weather and no fish.

[Jigman13]

Yikes. That doesn't sound very promising. Fishing south or the Hudson?

[tunajoe]

Yikes. It's just absolutely horrible (yet again) this year. Yes, there will be a good trip here or there, but more often than not, 80% of trips have been sucking. Things change over the years. Tuna fishing off NJ is just not the same. They are crushing them up in New England and only 1 hour to 1 1/2 hour trip. With that in mind, wondering if anyone on the board has driven up to Mass and gone out up there? With a 4 1/2 hour drive, and 1 hour to the grounds, its about the same time spent getting to the fish - AND at least there are fish up there. Thoughts??

[capt74]

Its early yet its only the first week of Oct. Been doing this for over 40 years. Yes we do have years that are better than others. But some of the best tuna CHUNK fishing takes place in Oct. thru Nov. in NJ. Hang in there guys they will turn on.

[Jigman13]

We're outta Montauk and there hasn't been very many reports of fish in the eastern canyons. Then again, with the weather lately not many recs have been going out. Hoping we can make our own positive report later this week.

Sporadic reports of small bluefin inshore of the canyons but that's spotty at best.

[John D.]

Agree it’s still early but the past few years have been not good re the fall canyon fishing. Yet this year the canyons are loaded with squid and still the fish don’t seem to be holding. Don’t know if this is true but hear the Long liners are doing very well about another 50-80 miles out and we just haven’t had the nice gulf strea eddies or filaments the past years. Last year we had a real nice patch of water and then it left us right after the tropical storm came through and took the fish with it. IMO, you need the right water and the bait for tuna. Sometimes you only get one or the other, sometimes neither. Let’s hope some better water makes it way through.

There are some very experienced capts in this forum and welcome their thoughts on this.

[Flukemeister1]

Agree it’s still early but the past few years have been not good re the fall canyon fishing. Yet this year the canyons are loaded with squid and still the fish don’t seem to be holding. Don’t know if this is true but hear the Long liners are doing very well about another 50-80 miles out and we just haven’t had the nice gulf strea eddies or filaments the past years. Last year we had a real nice patch of water and then it left us right after the tropical storm came through and took the fish with it. IMO, you need the right water and the bait for tuna. Sometimes you only get one or the other, sometimes neither. Let’s hope some better water makes it way through.

There are some very experienced capts in this forum and welcome their thoughts on this.

John you hit the nail on the head with the bait. Up in Mass where the commercial pressure has been limited in some areas there is bait. Herring, squid, lots of endangered cod. Where there is bait and less pressure there are fish. Same old sad song, wipe out the Ling and Whiting and tuna no longer stopping in our area. I totally agree with others that it's early but an abundance of bait would sure help matters.

[BCinerie]

If long liners are just 50 miles more can the Gambler go out there on there 36 or 48 hour trips ?

[John D.]

If long liners are just 50 miles more can the Gambler go out there on there 36 or 48 hour trips ?


I believe you would have to look for their special limited load Flemish Cap trips :D

[Pennsy Guy]

You'd be doubling the travel time,10 to 20 hrs minimum round trip leaving 12 hrs max for fishing on a 36 & on the drift only...not very profitable for anyone even with the additional cost/angler/trip...I'm talking going out past the Hudson, going north or south, add more travel time & less fishing time...not like a 5 day trip on the left coast!!! It's a nice idea if there were more destination options...think you should be be talking a 72-96hr trip...oh, my....

[BCinerie]

90 miles or so to Hudson and 4.5 to 5 hours with few fish, way out at 20 knots 160 miles is 8 hours each way? Lots of fish ?
If the fish are there ? Why not. I would give up fishing time to go where the fish are.

[capt74]

Who is paying for all that extra fuel ?

[capt richie]

they wont have to worry about the extra fuel burn a few more trips like these nobody will go...

[BCinerie]

I would say it
Is a cost of doing business. 90 foot super cruiser! 1st the grounds wherever the grounds maybe. If the fish are not there gotta go to the fish. ! Some bluefish boats used to run up to 25/30 miles.or they fish 1/4 mile off the beach. Take good with the bad

[Jigman13]

Water in Hudson not looking great at the moment although it seems some slightly warmer stuff could be trickling in from the east. I guess we'll see what happens as the week progresses. There's always deep drop if conditions become more favorable!

[Walleyed]

I got 2 weeks until my trip.....plenty of time for things to change for the better.

[Jigman13]

I got 2 weeks until my trip.....plenty of time for things to change for the better.

Esp this time of yr. day or two can make a huge difference!

[Pennsy Guy]

We'll see soon enough---goin' out tomorrow on the 36hr...you'll get my report very late Thursday night. Looks like warmer H2O is South, maybe the Spencer or farther, the Wilmington. Can you envision the Gambler @ the Hambone or Hotdog? Been down there more than once on the Gambler, both old & new PB's.

[Pennsy Guy]

Also, looking @ my reports from last year, H2O was 64-64.4* on 11/07 & 11/17 in the Hudson and we caught larger birds & yellows on both trips BUT that was then and this is now....just sayin'.....
Oh, I think I'd go even if no fish reported, ya never know when they will.......

[Jigman13]

Good luck. Eager to read your report when you return. We leave 3 am Friday outta Montauk.

[beachwhistle]

No tuna for us last night.
Picked up a good amount of mahi on the way back.

[John D.]

Seems like all the boats are striking out.

[2na]

Well...I'll just say...I'm NOT gonna be the guy at home reading reports when the bite does turn on...

[Capt. Debbie]

Those could be a lot of pretty expensive stabs in the dark. I wish I had your kind of money. A single canyon trip of the year is my investment. So I would plan for a better outcome for my big investment.



Well...I'll just say...I'm NOT gonna be the guy at home reading reports when the bite does turn on...

[the1jonc]

Good luck. Eager to read your report when you return. We leave 3 am Friday outta Montauk.

Are you on the trip that leave 3 AM Saturday morning, back on Monday afternoon? If so I am on that trip, too. I will be in the stern with a folding chair when we troll. Come and say hi.

[tunajoe]

who is paying for the fuel is an interesting question. when fuel went up 4 years or so ago, then came back down (some) none of the boats lowered their costs- whether or not a 6 pack or party boat, everyone back then blamed the high price increases on fuel. well, fuel is lower. shouldn't the prices have lowered somewhat?

also, if people stop catching fish on a regular basis they wont go at all. so, it's a brutal death spiral - give customers the option for higher fares to travel where the fish are and see how it goes.

i know fuel is more at the docks, but the following chart from the US Govt backs up my points

https://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/pet_pri_gnd_dcus_nus_a.htm

[Jigman13]

Are you on the trip that leave 3 AM Saturday morning, back on Monday afternoon? If so I am on that trip, too. I will be in the stern with a folding chair when we troll. Come and say hi.

Private boat outta montauk.

[the1jonc]

Private boat outta montauk.

Catch 'em up.