Yellowfin tuna fishing out of Cape May means a run to the canyon edges and the continental shelf. Charter tuna trips go up to 40 miles offshore, and the canyons sit roughly 55 to 65 miles out. The window is June through October, with the core of it July through September. This page covers the season, the grounds, the methods, who fishes here, and the rules, for owners running their own boats.
When yellowfin are off Cape May
Cape May operators run yellowfin trips June through October. The Saltwater Pros peak table narrows that to July through September.
Peak months
Plan around July, August and September. June and October are shoulder months inside the operator window. For how timing shifts up and down the coast, see yellowfin timing across the Atlantic Northeast (see also the Atlantic Northeast fishing guide).
How far boats run and where
Charter tuna trips out of Cape May go up to 40 miles; Hook N Cook fishes that range. Saltwater Pros puts Wilmington Canyon at roughly 55 miles and Baltimore Canyon at about 65 miles. Boats work the canyon edges and the continental shelf.
Chart layers are not for navigation. Use official NOAA charts and forecasts for the run.
Cape May Rips and the Artificial Reef
The Cape May Artificial Reef lies about 8.5 nautical miles off Cape May. The Cape May Rips are shoals at 30 ft: Eph, Prissy Wicks, Somer, North, Gunmount, Round, Overfalls and Middle. They are landmarks on the way out rather than yellowfin grounds.
Wilmington Canyon
Saltwater Pros places Wilmington Canyon at roughly 55 miles, the nearest canyon distance given here. Yellowfin are reported on its southern wall, so that is the place to start for the shortest canyon run.
Baltimore Canyon
Baltimore Canyon is about 65 miles out, per Saltwater Pros, roughly 10 miles farther than Wilmington.
Poorman’s and Spencer canyons
Poorman’s Canyon and Spencer Canyon are the other canyons within reach from Cape May.
| Ground | Distance from Cape May | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Cape May Rips | n/a | 8 named shoals, 30 ft |
| Cape May Artificial Reef | about 8.5 nm | nearshore landmark |
| Charter tuna range | up to 40 miles | Hook N Cook tuna trips |
| Wilmington Canyon | roughly 55 miles | yellowfin on southern wall |
| Baltimore Canyon | about 65 miles | n/a |
| Poorman’s Canyon | n/a | n/a |
| Spencer Canyon | n/a | n/a |
How Cape May boats fish yellowfin
The general methods are in our yellowfin tuna fishing guide. Local boats use three of them: chunking, trolling and jigging.
Chunking
Chunking is one of the three methods local boats use for yellowfin.
Trolling
Trolling covers canyon edges and shelf water.
Jigging
When fish are marked deep but the spread is quiet, JP Charters switches to heavy metal jigs to reach fish the spread isn’t touching.
Birds and bait
JP Charters watches for birds working bait. Birds are a cue to look closely; they don’t guarantee fish.
Who fishes yellowfin tuna out of Cape May
Charters and tournaments out of this port target yellowfin. If you want to learn the run before taking your own boat, these are the operators and events.
Charters
- Common Sense Sportfishing lists yellowfin tuna.
- JP Charters canyon trip is the source of the deep-marks, quiet-spread jig switch. The boat is listed with twin 350 hp Mercury engines and a 6-guest capacity.
- Hook N Cook Sport Fishing runs tuna trips up to 40 miles offshore.
- Captain Mark, on a Captain Experiences listing, has 56 years of experience.
Tournaments
- School’s Out Tuna Tournament, usually June.
- July Jackpot, usually July.
- South Jersey Yacht Sales Offshore Showdown, usually July.
Two of the three fall in the July peak.
FAQ about yellowfin tuna fishing out of Cape May
When is yellowfin season in Cape May?
Operators run trips June through October, with the peak July to September per the Saltwater Pros table.
How far do you run from Cape May for yellowfin?
Up to 40 miles on charter tuna trips. Wilmington Canyon is about 55 miles out and Baltimore Canyon about 65 miles.
Where on Wilmington Canyon do yellowfin hold?
Yellowfin are reported on the southern wall. That is a reported pattern, not a guarantee.
When do Cape May boats switch to jigging?
When fish are marked deep but the spread is quiet. They switch to heavy metal jigs and watch for birds working bait.
Are other tuna caught on the same grounds?
Other species are covered in our tuna fishing guides.
