Species guide · New Jersey
Yellowfin tuna fishing in New Jersey
Thunnus albacares, a pelagic species also called ahi, yellowfin and allison tuna. Listed for the Mid-Atlantic region. Peak season, about 1 more week.
Right now it scores best in Coastal waters from Little Egg Inlet to Great Egg Inlet NJ out 20 NM at 56, one of 2 New Jersey bay systems where the Waterlands engine is scoring it.
Season now
Peak seasonSeason by month
From the Waterlands saltwater species research: when the fish are present and biting, not whether retention is open.
Mid-Atlantic
Peak season, about 1 more week- Jan: Not present
- Feb: Not present
- Mar: Not present
- Apr: Not present
- May: Off season
- Jun: Shoulder season
- Jul: Peak season
- Aug: Peak season
- Sep: Peak season
- Oct: Shoulder season
- Nov: Off season
- Dec: Not present
Peak: Jul to Sep. In season (shoulder or peak): Jun to Oct.
Research notes, Mid-Atlantic region
Fish move into the Virginia and Maryland canyons and inshore lumps by late May or June and spread north to the Hudson Canyon, with the best canyon fishing July through September. Night chunking and jigging in the canyons is common.
Seasons and limits in these notes are background. The regulations below and the regulator’s own page govern.
Where it's scoring now · 2
New Jersey bay systems ranked by the Waterlands engine's yellowfin tuna score this hour.
Best window today 3-11 AM (56) · Best day Tue, Sep 22 at 12 AM (57) · 72 named spots
Best window today 3 AM-7 PM (55) · Best day Tue, Sep 22 at 12 AM (57) · 100 named spots
Not scored in this forecast: Delaware Bay waters north of East Point NJ to Slaughter Beach DE and Delaware Bay waters south of East Point NJ to Slaughter Beach DE.
How and where it feeds
- Water temperature
- Feeds from 66°F to 88°F, best between 72°F and 82°F.
- Water depth
- 100 to 10000 ft of water.
- Structure
- Bluewater, canyon, ledge, bank, pinnacle and open water, in that order of preference.
- Tide and current
- Prefers moving water, with light current.Tide stage has little influence offshore. Current edges, eddies (warm-core eddies in the Gulf), temperature breaks and bait around platforms and FADs drive the bite.
- Light
- Bites best around dawn and dusk; feeds at night too.
- Pressure
- Little response to pressure changes.
- Wind and sea limits
- 20 kt of wind and 6 ft of sea. The Waterlands engine scores hours down as conditions pass them.
Tackle and technique
Yellowfin feed in blue water along canyon edges, the shelf break, current edges, deepwater platforms and FADs, usually from the surface to about 300 feet. Troll ballyhoo, spreader bars and cedar plugs early in the day, then chunk butterfish or sardines, fish live hardtails, or drop jigs to marks. Around Gulf platforms and in the canyons the night bite on chunks and jigs is often better than the day.
- Methods
- trolling, chunking, live bait, vertical jigging, popping
- Lures
- skirted ballyhoo rigs, spreader bars, daisy chains, cedar plugs, diving plugs, butterfly and knife jigs, poppers
- Bait
- ballyhoo, butterfish chunks, sardine, live blue runner (hardtail), squid, flying fish
Regulations
New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife. Synced with NJFW Sep 21, 2026.
No reviewed yellowfin tuna rule for New Jersey is on file yet. Check with NJFW before you keep one.