When yellowfin are off Atlantic City
Jessie James Charters says yellowfin fishing out of Atlantic City runs spring through fall, per its offshore trips page. Miss Atlantic City puts the fish in summer and fall. Summer and fall are the months both accounts cover.
If you run your own boat out of Atlantic City, plan around that overlap first. Local operators disagree most about spring and early summer. For how the season shifts up and down the coast, see the regional picture (see also the Atlantic Northeast region guide).
| Operator | Season account |
|---|---|
| Jessie James Charters | Spring through fall |
| Miss Atlantic City | Summer and fall |
Where boats run for yellowfin
Boats run to open Atlantic water. Miss Atlantic City puts summer and fall yellowfin in 100 ft or more of blue water, and Jessie James says the fish usually hold in the top 300 ft.
The 300 ft figure is the water column the fish use, not the bottom depth under the boat. Your sonar will show fish marked in that upper layer, and the bottom can be far deeper.
Reading conditions before you run
NOAA station ACYN4 (8534720) sits at 39.357 N, 74.418 W, in Atlantic City. It reads conditions at the inlet rather than on the offshore grounds, so treat it as a port reading only.
Check these before you leave the dock:
- Station ACYN4 for wind speed, wave height and period at the port.
- The NWS Mount Holly marine forecast for official offshore numbers.
- The NDBC buoy observation map for stations farther out along the coast.
This page gives the numbers and points to the official forecast; the go or no-go decision is yours. For other tuna species and ports, see our tuna guides.
Named structure off the inlet: Atlantic City Reef
Atlantic City Reef is an NJ artificial reef site in 55 ft, 12.2 nautical miles east of Atlantic City. The reef and its wrecks sit in 55 to 110 ft, inshore of the 100 ft-plus blue water where the fish are reported.
Use these as named reference points on the run. We are not listing them as places to find yellowfin.
| Name | Type | Depth (ft) | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic City Reef | NJ artificial reef site | 55 | 12.2 nm east of Atlantic City |
| William Kane Reef patch | Caisson gate, inside Atlantic City Reef | 92 | 39 14.080 N, 74 12.862 W |
| Reina Wreck (tug Tobacco Pointe) | Tug | 39 14.0381 N, 74 12.5675 W | |
| Morania Abaco | Tanker | 110 | 39 14.133 N, 74 12.154 W |
| Blue Crown | Freighter | 100 | 39 14.138 N, 74 12.357 W |
| Francis Bushey | Tanker | 100 | 39 14.203 N, 74 12.148 W |
| First Lady | Clam dredge | 100 | 39 13.703 N, 74 12.486 W |
| Vicki-Pat | Clam dredge | 80 | 39 15.255 N, 74 14.818 W |
Chart layers are not for navigation. Check positions against the official Coast Pilot.
How yellowfin are fished here
Jessie James lists three methods, each following where the fish show in the top 300 ft. This section covers only what local operators describe; for tackle and biology, see our yellowfin tuna guide.
Trolling ballyhoo or cedar plugs
Trolling is the search method. Per Jessie James, crews pull ballyhoo or cedar plugs to cover water until fish show, then work the area where the bite happens.
Jigging fish marked deep
When fish mark deep on the sonar, the local response is jigging, per Jessie James. A jig puts the lure at the depth within the top 300 ft where the fish are sitting, which a trolled lure may not reach.
Poppers into birds working bait
Per Jessie James, birds working bait are the cue to cast poppers. Birds on the surface mean fish close to it, and a cast reaches them.
Who fishes for yellowfin out of Atlantic City
Four Atlantic City charters list yellowfin tuna:
- Jessie James Charters, jessiejamesfishing.com. Captain Mark Schrenk. Runs 16-hour trips.
- Euphoria Sportfishing, euphoriasportfishing.com. Captain Ricky Wheeler. 60′ Custom Precision Euphoria, up to 6 guests.
- Jersey Nutz Sportfishing, jerseynutzsportfishing.com. A 61′ Blackwell that sails from Atlantic City.
- Atlantic City Charter Boat (Miss Atlantic City).
The season and method accounts on this page come from these operators.
FAQ: Yellowfin tuna fishing out of Atlantic City
When do yellowfin show up off Atlantic City?
Jessie James says spring through fall. Miss Atlantic City says summer and fall. The accounts overlap in summer and fall, the window both operators agree on.
How deep do yellowfin hold out of Atlantic City?
Jessie James says the fish are usually in the top 300 ft of the water column. Miss Atlantic City reports them in 100 ft or more of blue water in summer and fall. Water-column depth and bottom depth are different numbers.
Are yellowfin caught on Atlantic City Reef?
The reef and its wrecks sit in 55 to 110 ft, 12.2 nautical miles east of Atlantic City. The reported yellowfin water is 100 ft-plus blue water, so we treat the reef as a named reference point and not as a catch location.
Which buoy do I check before running?
NOAA station ACYN4 (8534720) at 39.357 N, 74.418 W. It reads the port, not the offshore grounds. Pair its wind, wave height and period numbers with the official marine forecast.
Which charters target yellowfin out of Atlantic City?
Jessie James Charters (Captain Mark Schrenk), Euphoria Sportfishing (Captain Ricky Wheeler), Jersey Nutz Sportfishing and Atlantic City Charter Boat (Miss Atlantic City) all list yellowfin tuna.
