When bigeye are fished from Atlantic City
The 61′ Jersey Nutz canyon overnighter sails from Atlantic City June to October, per the Jersey Nutz canyon overnighter schedule. Boats plan around that window, and your own schedule should follow it. Bigeye share the canyon run with other canyon tunas, and our tuna fishing guides cover the wider picture.
Plan the trip as a canyon overnighter: leave the dock, make the long run to the edge, and work it through the night.
How far boats run from Atlantic City
Bigeye tuna fishing out of Atlantic City is a canyon trip. Per Jersey Nutz, the run is 65 to 120 miles offshore, which makes it a different trip from anything near the inlet. Atlantic City Reef sits 12.2 nautical miles east of Atlantic City, a landmark close to home. The canyons call for a longer range and a separate fuel plan.
Positions and chart layers on this page are for planning, not for navigation. If you use OBS SST, check where the temperature edge sits over the canyon before you commit to the run. For the wider canyon picture, see the Atlantic Northeast bigeye guide (see also the wider Atlantic Northeast guide).
Hudson to Poormans
Per Jersey Nutz, Hudson Canyon marks the northern end of the range and Poormans Canyon the southern end. Everything between them falls inside the 65 to 120 mile run.
- Northern end: Hudson Canyon
- Southern end: Poormans Canyon
- Run range: 65 to 120 miles offshore
Reading conditions
The nearest buoy is NOAA station ACYN4 (8534720), Atlantic City, NJ, at 39.357 N, 74.418 W. It sits at the coast and reads conditions at the inlet, not at the canyon edge 65 to 120 miles out.
Before you leave, check wind, wave height and period in the official NWS marine forecast, and base the go or no-go call on those numbers. The buoy shows what the inlet is doing; the forecast covers what to expect farther out.
Grounds and structure off the inlet
The reef is a waypoint near the inlet rather than the destination. It offers named structure close to port, with wrecks you can use as landmarks. For inlet, ramp and marina details, see the Atlantic City port guide. Positions are for planning, not for navigation.
Atlantic City Reef
Atlantic City Reef, an NJ artificial reef site, lies in 55 ft of water, 12.2 nautical miles east of Atlantic City, per the NJ artificial reef guide. The wrecks and structure on it:
| Name | Type | Depth | GPS |
|---|---|---|---|
| William Kane Reef patch | caisson gate, inside Atlantic City Reef | 92 ft | N39 14.080 W74 12.862 |
| Reina Wreck | tug Tobacco Pointe | N39 14.0381 W74 12.5675 | |
| Morania Abaco | tanker | 110 ft | 39 14.133 N, 74 12.154 W |
| Blue Crown | freighter | 100 ft | 39 14.138 N, 74 12.357 W |
| Francis Bushey | tanker | 100 ft | 39 14.203 N, 74 12.148 W |
| First Lady | clam dredge | 100 ft | 39 13.703 N, 74 12.486 W |
| Vicki-Pat | clam dredge | 80 ft | 39 15.255 N, 74 14.818 W |
Who runs for bigeye from Atlantic City
These local boats list bigeye tuna. Per the NOAA Fisheries Atlantic bigeye profile, gear for bigeye fishes in the water column and rarely contacts the seafloor. For methods and the comparison with yellowfin, see the bigeye tuna fishing guide.
Jersey Nutz Sportfishing
A 61′ Blackwell that sails from Atlantic City. Its canyon overnighter covers the 65 to 120 mile range, Hudson Canyon to Poormans Canyon, June to October. Find it at jerseynutzsportfishing.com.
Euphoria Sportfishing
A 60′ Custom Precision, Euphoria, carrying up to 6 guests under Captain Ricky Wheeler. Find it at euphoriasportfishing.com.
Jessie James Charters
Captain Mark Schrenk runs a 16-hour trip. See the Jessie James Charters bigeye listing or find it at jessiejamesfishing.com.
FAQ about bigeye tuna fishing out of Atlantic City
How far is the run from Atlantic City to the canyons?
Per Jersey Nutz, the run is 65 to 120 miles offshore, from Hudson Canyon to Poormans Canyon. Atlantic City Reef sits 12.2 nautical miles east, so the canyon run is a separate trip with its own range and fuel plan.
What months do Atlantic City canyon overnighters run?
June to October, per the schedule for the Atlantic City-sailing 61′ Jersey Nutz canyon overnighter. Boats plan around that window, and it covers the full range from Hudson Canyon to Poormans Canyon.
Do the Atlantic City Reef wrecks hold bigeye?
The wrecks are nearshore structure on a reef 12.2 nautical miles east of Atlantic City, in depths of 80 to 110 ft per the table above. The bigeye run goes to the canyons, 65 to 120 miles out. Use the reef as a landmark near the inlet.
Which Atlantic City charters list bigeye tuna?
Three boats list bigeye: Jersey Nutz Sportfishing (61′ Blackwell), Euphoria Sportfishing (60′ Euphoria, up to 6 guests, Captain Ricky Wheeler) and Jessie James Charters (Captain Mark Schrenk, 16-hour trip). Each runs its own trip format, so check the operator’s site for details.
Which buoy do I check before running out of Atlantic City?
NOAA station ACYN4 (8534720), at 39.357 N, 74.418 W. It reads conditions at the coast, not at the canyon edge. For wind, wave height and period farther out, use the official NWS marine forecast.
