Swordfish fishing out of Wildwood is a night bite from July through October, worked on canyon trips of 24 to 48 hours. Boats run to the canyons, Wilmington Canyon chief among them, and drift through the night in roughly 600 to 1,200 ft of water. Inlet, marina and ramp detail is in the Wildwood port guide, and the night bite off Wildwood is the main fact to plan around.
When swordfish are off Wildwood
The window is July through October, and the fishery is at night. A trip that fishes the dark hours needs a weather window covering the run out, the night on the drift and the run home. For the wider picture, see the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast swordfish guide (see also the Atlantic Northeast fishing guide).
The July through October night bite
The night bite off Wildwood runs July through October, fished on canyon trips.
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Season | July through October |
| Bite | Night |
| Trip length | 24 to 48 hours |
| Depth band | Roughly 600 to 1,200 ft |
Where boats run from Wildwood
The swordfish grounds are the canyons, and trips run 24 to 48 hours to reach the best spots. The inshore marks below are landmarks on the way out.
| Ground | Depth | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Wilmington Canyon | 600 ft | About 70 nautical miles off southern New Jersey |
| Wildwood Reef | 42 ft | Inshore reef |
| Michael DePalma barge | On Wildwood Reef, a 70 ft barge | |
| Pair of Kings tanker barge | On the northern end of Wildwood Reef |
The canyon edges show up in Chart Contours. Chart layers are not for navigation.
Wilmington Canyon
Wilmington Canyon sits about 70 nautical miles off southern New Jersey in about 600 ft of water, the shallow end of the 600 to 1,200 ft band boats drift. It is the canyon most often tied to Wildwood, NJ, swordfish trips.
Spencer Canyon
Spencer Canyon is another canyon on the Wildwood list of grounds.
Lindenkohl and Carteret canyons
Over Under reaches Lindenkohl and Carteret canyons from Avalon.
Inshore marks on the way out
Wildwood Reef sits in 42 ft. On New Jersey’s artificial reef program marks, the Michael DePalma barge is a 70 ft barge on the reef, and the Pair of Kings tanker barge sits on its northern end. Five Fathom Bank is the other named landmark. Boats pass these inshore marks on the way out, and they are not swordfish ground.
How swordfish are fished out of Wildwood
Swordfish fishing out of Wildwood is done at night on the canyon edges. Tackle detail is in the swordfish species guide, which covers rigs, baits and swordfish biology.
Night drifts in 600 to 1,200 ft
Boats fish through the night in roughly 600 to 1,200 ft of water. Wilmington Canyon, at about 600 ft, sits at the top of that band.
Planning a 24 to 48 hour trip
Canyon trips from Wildwood run 24 to 48 hours, so plan fuel, crew rest and the weather window around a night on the drift. Before leaving the dock, work through these:
- Fuel. Size your range to the full round trip plus the night on the drift.
- Crew rest. Set watches so someone is alert through the dark hours.
- Weather window. Cover the run out, the night and the run home.
- Forecast. Read the official marine forecast before departure.
Reading conditions at CMAN4
The nearest NOAA station is CMAN4, station 8536110, at Cape May, NJ, 38.968 N 74.960 W. It is a coastal station that reports nearshore conditions, not the canyon itself. Read the wind, wave height and period numbers there, and check the official forecast for the offshore zone.
Who fishes for swordfish out of Wildwood
Charter operators run the canyon trips for anglers without a boat suited to the run.
Over Under Charters
Over Under lists swordfish on its NJ canyon trips. The listing is on Over Under’s canyon trips page, under Over Under Charters (Wildwood Fishing). It is the operator’s own listing and not an endorsement.
FAQ about swordfish fishing out of Wildwood
When is swordfish season out of Wildwood?
July through October, for the night bite. Boats fish through the night on canyon trips.
How far is Wilmington Canyon, and how long are trips?
Wilmington Canyon is about 70 nautical miles off southern New Jersey, in about 600 ft of water. Canyon trips from Wildwood run 24 to 48 hours to reach the best spots.
What depth do boats fish?
Roughly 600 to 1,200 ft, at night. Wilmington Canyon, at about 600 ft, sits at the shallow end of that band.
Who runs swordfish charters from Wildwood?
Over Under Charters lists swordfish on its NJ canyon trips. Check its listing for current trip details.
Where can I check conditions?
NOAA CMAN4, station 8536110, at Cape May, NJ. It reads nearshore conditions, not the canyon. Use the wind, wave height and period numbers there, and check the official forecast for offshore.
Where can I read more on swordfish and other billfish?
Our swordfish and billfish coverage starts at our billfish fishing guides.
