Deep drop

The deep water canyons off the coast of Cape May, New Jersey are home to some of the best eating fish to be found anywhere!  On these trips, we are usually fishing anywhere from 350 feet up to 1000 feet of water. Golden and blue line tilefish(depending on regulations) are the primary targets, with black bellied rosefish making up some of the catch on many trips. There are also the occasional exotic species that will come over the rail, such as snowy grouper, yellow edge grouper, swallowtail bass, barrel fish, and more!

These trips are 18 hours and typically depart at 2am and return at 8pm. They offer 8-9 hours of fishing time, depending on how much moving around we do. Rods are available for rent, but must be reserved in advance. If you’re bringing your own tackle, 6 to 8 foot heavy action rods capable of handling 2-3 pounds of lead are advised. Single or two speed conventional reels spooled with 50lb to 65lb braid are preferred. A lighter conventional set up with 50lb braid capable of handling 16-20oz of lead will work well on days with lighter drifting conditions. Electrics are always welcome and the vessel has outlets at each cabin booth for battery charging.  Sinkers of 16oz up to 3-4lbs so you’re prepared for the various depths and drift speeds we may encounter. Jigs also work well at times, especially with a slow drift. For tilefish, we use top and bottom style rigs with three way swivels to the hooks(7/0 Octopus style or octopus circle) with 100lb leader.  Rigs are available for purchase on board, as are sinkers.  Whole squid makes excellent tilefish bait, and is provided aboard. Fresh fish strips also work well for anglers wishing to bring something extra for themselves. 

We hope to see you for one of these incredible trips that puts some of the finest eating fish available in the cooler!  Trips are limited to a maximum of 20 passengers aboard the 90 foot Miss Chris so everyone has plenty of rail space while we drift!