Author: Hi Flier

We are catching 25 to 40 lb bluefin tuna within 30 miles of Barnegat Inlet. Trolling and drifting with bait have both been working. Sometimes we are able to jig squid on the bottom and put them out as live bait. This has been our best hook bait. My son Nick just took the 

Hi Flier out yesterday, he went 4 for 8 on 30 to 40 lb bluefin within 20 miles of the inlet, all on live squid. I’ve been running a little further north and chumming up bonita and bluefin, as well as trolling the tuna. When drifting with bait we are using relatively light gear so you can enjoy the battle.

Open Boat Tuna: Thursday August 13, 5AM to 2PM, $450 person, 4 people max, all fish are shared.

Call to reserve a spot.

Thank you,

Dave

Dave DeGennaro

Hi Flier Sportfishing

732.330.5674 cellhiflier.com

Looking ahead at the marine weather forecast, Wed Aug 5 and Thurs Aug 6 look really good as offshore days. Single digit wind velocity should make for a nice ocean. Right now, there is no thunderstorm activity forecasted, as well. Loving those two things when your ride is a 25 ft center console. 

We are going to set our sites on the bluefin first, then depending on our success, we can switch over to bonita. For those not familiar with bonita, they are high powered little torpedoes, ususally 3 to 5 lbs and a blast on light tackle. They are also delicious. Any way you prepare tuna, you can prepare bonita, including sashimi. They are often confused with their close kin: false albacore, because you often catch them together, and to make it even more confusing, from the Carolinas to Florida, they call false albacore, bonita. The albacore are also a blast to catch, but are inedible due to the meat being just red muscle. We are going to troll, jig, and bait fish for both tuna and bonita. Everyone has their favorite technique, I love catching them on bait. Maybe because I am a better bait fisherman than jig or even popper guy. I always said when I tuna fished on the party boats, “If one comes up spitting up jigs, than I’ll jig.” From here through October, we will be focusing a lot on bait fishing, but when you see some bait or fish readings on the machine…..Jig!!

We will be armed to the teeth with gourmet tuna bait, pails of spearing, squid, sandeels. The spearing is for the bonita, especially, though the tuna love all of that mix, as well. We will have rods rigged with jigs, poppers, bait rigs, and a trolling arsenal. Just bring whatever you want to eat and drink. We have everything else. If you have a favorite rod, bring it, just know we have more than enough for everyone.

The boat is also available for your private charter on these or any days. Bay or ocean trips every day.

Wed Aug 5 and Thurs Aug 6 Open Boat Bluefin Tuna and Bonita Combo Trip 5AM to 2PM $450 person, 4 people max, all fish are shared. Call to reserve a spot.

Thank you,

Dave

Dave DeGennaro

Hi Flier Sportfishing

732.330.5674 cell

hiflier.com

We ran east on Monday looking for bluefin. Went on the troll with an eight rod spread and it took a while before the first reel was grinding, but in the end we were rewarded with three hookups, converting on two nice 30 to 35 lb bluefin. No real visual signs to speak of. Only a very occasional single tuna mark down 40 to 50 feet. The only bait readings I had were small clouds pinned to the surface, which we now know are sandeels, as per the stomach contents. Only a few chick birds, and they were not picking, just hovering. Not the kind of water you would stop on or hang out very long, but we had the benefit of intel from a friend who had just caught them there, and these were the exact conditions he described: no life, just tuna. Okie Doke, good enough for me.

Most of the inshore lumps are holding bait and bluefin right now. Bonus, the bonita have shown up and they are good size. We will be trolling a spread of mixed size lures that appeal to both. We are also prepared to jig and will have a cooler full of bait to use while we are on the drift. Gourmet bait! 

Open Boat Bluefin and Bonita: Friday July 31, Saturday August 1, and Sunday August 2. 5AM to 2PM. $450 person, 4 people max, all fish are shared. Weather looks great, both traditional weather, and the marine forecast. Call to reserve a spot.

Hope to see you on board!

Mike Viviano of Galloway NJ with a 35 lb Bluefin

Thank you,

Dave

Dave DeGennaro

Hi Flier Sportfishing

732.330.5674 cell

hiflier.com

We fished the west side of the bay yesterday between the BI and BB Buoys. Tried live shedder crabs targeting weakfish and kingfish but the only fish that cooperated were croakers. Plenty of them, and decent size. We did catch a bunch of fluke behind High Bar, and just inside the inlet but nothing over 18 inches. Bounced out to the North inlet jetty and it was “game on” with 2 to 4 lb bluefish. We were casting soft plastics at the submerged jetty.

Marine forecast looks pretty good for running offshore Friday July 24 and Sunday July 26. Not flat calm, some NE wind throughout the weekend, but not high velocity. We could be running anywhere from 20 to 40 miles depending on the latest intel and weather/sea conditions. Going on the drift with jigs and bait is how we prefer to fish, but if there is a troll bite, we will be prepared to do that, as well. 

Open Boat Bluefin Tuna: Friday July 24 and Sunday July 26, 4AM to 2PM, $450 person, 4 people max, all fish are shared. Call to make a reservation. Everything is provided. Just bring whatever you would like to eat and drink for our time out there. We have more than enough rods and gear for everyone, but if you have a rod or lure, you would like to bring, bring it, that’s why you bought it. If I think it’s too light or not appropriate, I’ll ask you to use ours instead. We don’t want three people watching one person fight a fish all morning on gear that was too light for the job. 

We are also available every day for charter. Fishing the bay to the tuna grounds. 

Hope to see you on board!

Dave

Dave DeGennaro

Hi Flier Sportfishing

732.330.5674 cell

hiflier.com

We are catching blues and fluke in the bay and inlet along with some stripers in the mix. We are available every day for these trips, even the days I have announced as Open Boat Tuna Trips below. 

The bluefin tuna have moved in to our area hot on the heels of the massive squid invasion that is happening off the Jersey coast right now. These fish are in striking distance. 20 to 30 mile runs to the grounds. Drifting with bait will be the primary tactic, though we always have the jigging arsenal on board, for those that want to try while we are bait fishing. Expect to be jigging squid for a good part of the trip as these are the live hookbaits we want out, and it’s a lot of fun while waiting for the violent strike on the tuna rod. We only troll if we are in search mode or it is productive.

The bluefin tuna regs came out last week and as a charter boat we can keep three fish between 27 and 47 inches, one of which can be 47 to 73 inches, or all three can be between 27 and 47 inches. 

Sailing Open Boat or Charter for Bluefin Tuna:

Sunday June 7, Monday June 8, Tuesday June 9 and Wednesday June 10

5AM to 3PM $450 person, 4 people max, all fished are shared.

Looking forward to seeing everyone on board!

Thank you,

Dave

Dave DeGennaro

Hi Flier Sportfishing

732.330.5674 cellhiflier.com

Although I am sure the striper fishing will go well into Christmas this season, this will be our last week of fishing. As some of you know, I put on the Philadelphia Fishing Show, and in 2026, the show will be in January, instead of it’s usual February. That means the planning is five weeks earlier than usual for me, so the boat needs to come out early. Here is the site in case you want to check it out: phillyfishingshow.com

We are already booked Saturday Nov 15 and Sunday Nov 16, with Sunday being our last trip of the season. That leaves Wed Nov 12, Thurs Nov 13, and Fri Nov 14 left if you would like to book a striper trip. The forecast has predominantly westerly winds so it should be nice sea conditions. 

Not running Open Boat these dates, just available for your private charter. Departure and return hours are flexible. 5, 6, or 8 hour trips available.

Thank you,

Dave

Dave DeGennaro

Hi Flier Sportfishing

732.330.5674 cell

hiflier.com

There is a good stretch of weather coming starting tomorrow (Sunday). Both the marine forecast and the traditional weather forecast look good through Wednesday. Mostly NW winds which levels out the sea condition and activates the striper bite at the same time. Air temps are low 40’s to mid 60’s. Not bad for November.

We will be running Open Boat Striper trips Sun, Tues, and Wed. Of course these dates are available for your private charter, as well. The plan is to run out the inlet, make a left, and keep going until we find life. Casting and jigging is our highest priority but I always bring the trolling rods just in case that’s what it takes to put fish in the boat. These trips will run 7AM to 3PM. 

Open Boat Stripers: 

Sun Nov 2, Tues Nov 4, and Wed Nov 5. 7AM to 3PM. $275 person. 4 people max. All fish are shared. 

There is also a chance to do a shorter duration trip on any of these days, 8AM to 1PM, and fish the inlet with live spots. $250 person, 3 people max.

Best way to reserve a spot is to call or text me, not email.

Thank you,

Dave

Dave DeGennaro

Hi Flier Sportfishing

732.330.5674 cell

hiflier.com

The striper bite was too eratic and too far north, so we changed plans and fished the inlet today with live spots. I had a two man charter who went 5 for 5 on good size bass. We had 4 between 32 and 38 inches and then we finally got one for the cooler on the last fish was 30 inches. Switched to tog at the end of the trip and boated 4 but nothing over 15 inches.

Sailing again tomorrow (Sunday) Oct 26 and Monday Oct 27. Open Boat or charter. Charter or Open Boat, however many people, it has to add up to $700 for the 7AM to Noon trip.

Here’s a clip from this morning: https://youtube.com/shorts/p_JnuP16bgA?si=vYoZOGTAKhtdYx-X

Call to book a spot or a trip. Phone is the best way to get me.

Dave DeGennaro

Hi Flier Sportfishing

 732.330.5674 cell

hiflier.com

There is a really good stretch of weather coming from Thurs Oct 23 thru Mon Oct 27. Light winds, nice air temps, and no precipitation.

Looks like we will have to run a good deal north to get into fish, so bring your passport, as we are not going to stop until we run into fish. 

Birds working, fish surfacing, that’s the scene right now. Almost all are too big to keep, but there’s worse problems to have. 

I’ve been seeing on social media that boats as far north as Rhode Island are still catching bonita and albacore. If we run into them, I will have what we need to throw at them, as well.

We will be armed with soft plastics, big metal lip plugs, SP Minnows, swim shads, flutter spoons, AVA jigs, and anything else it takes to hook up with these migratory stripers. I always bring a few trolling rods, just in case, but we will be primarily casting and jigging.

Open Boat Stripers: 

Thurs Oct 23, Fri Oct 24, Sat Oct 25, Sun Oct 26, Mon Oct 27

6AM to 4PM. $300 person, 4 people max. All fish are shared.

Thank you,

Dave

Dave DeGennaro

Hi Flier Sportfishing

732.330.5674 cell

hiflier.com

I have been watching the weather every day, OK, ten times a day, and Friday looks pretty good for getting offshore to the yellowfin tuna grounds. After that, the weather has us blown out for the better part of another week, as far as offshore fishing goes. 

The day chunking bite continues in the same area every day. It’s about a 50 to 60 mile run from Barnegat Inlet. 40 to 70 pound fish on 20 to 30 class outfits. Most days they are visually surfacing in the slick eating every floating peanut bunker they could get. Flatlining butterfish, sardines, peanut bunker, or live spots are working equally well. 

This is going to be a “freezer dump” trip for us. I don’t foresee getting too many more weather opportunities for my boat, so we are going to be slinging a lot of bait. 

Open Boat Yellowfin Tuna: Friday Oct 10, 4AM to 4PM, $450 person, 4 people max, all fish are shared. We supply everything. Just bring whatever you like to eat and drink for the time we are out. If you have a favorite rod or two, bring it, but just know we have more than enough of everything for everybody. 

The Hi Flier is equipped with an inspected six man survival raft, an EPIRB (satellite search and rescue beacon), and a Sirius/XM Garmin satellite weather station that allows us to see any storm cells as they are born. 

On the days we can’t get offshore we are catching a lot of blowfish right now. In another two weeks, we should be striper fishing. Call to get any information or book any of these trips. 

Thank you,

Dave

Dave DeGennaro

Hi Flier Sportfishing

732.330.5674 cell

hiflier.com