NJ Fishing Report -2020

[SkunkBoat]

Got out 100 miles to Toms Canyon overnight. Forecast hottest days of the year, calm seas, light winds.
Left at 3 pm and hit fog at 40 miles...never ending fog...wet, damp, cold fog. With the radar and AIS we were able to get to the canyon by 7:30pm. Trolled until dark. Set up swordfish baits. At 10 pm with got bit on the squid 150ft down in 880ft on a Penn 80 on a 7 ft broomstick of a rod. That rod has caught swords to 250 pounds in Florida. We proceded to nearly get spooled. Chased it in reverse for 2 miles east to the deep(in the dark fog) Never once had any control over it. never gained back 100 ft without then losing 200ft. At 11 pm with about 100 ft left on the spool, it went straight down like it was a submarine. The rod bent in half. Crazy big fish. Last ditch effort my brother tightened the drag. I said "that always fails"....it did. It takes a long time to reel in all of the line on a Penn 80. We got back the noodle float. Knot broke at the swivel.
We told ourselves it was for the best because it would have taken 4 hours to gain back that line and we would have lost it at the boat with our tiny gaffs anyways. Probably a 500# plus swordfish. I don't think we could boat a fish like that.

As a consolation prize, we did get a 45 pound yellowfin in the morning.
Foggy ride all the way in to 12 miles where it opened up into a sunny day with wind honking out of the south.