Yellowfin explosion at Spencer as warm water pushes north from the Gulf Stream

The southern canyons are absolutely on fire right now, and it's all about that warm water push we've been waiting for. Spencer Canyon has been the star of the show this week, with yellowfin tuna in the 40 to 80-pound class crushing everything from cedar plugs to live bunker. The key has been working the 100-fathom line where that beautiful 72-degree water is sitting — a solid 6 degrees warmer than what we were seeing just two weeks ago.

I've been running out of Ocean City at first light, hitting Spencer's northeast wall where the current breaks and creates that perfect feeding zone. The yellowfin are stacked between 80 and 120 feet of water, and they're not picky. Chunking with fresh bunker has been deadly — cut the bunker into 4-inch pieces, hook them through the back on a 7/0 circle hook with a 3-foot fluorocarbon leader, and let them drift back in the slick. The key is keeping that chum line going steady. These fish are aggressive right now, but they want to see that constant stream of bait.

Trolling has been equally productive, especially early morning and late afternoon. I've been pulling a spread of cedar plugs and ballyhoo — the Yo-Zuri Bonita in blue and silver has been absolutely crushing them. Run them at 7 to 8 knots, and don't be afraid to work the edges where the clean blue water meets that slightly greener inshore stuff. That's where the bait gets concentrated, and that's where the yellowfin are feeding.

Norfolk Canyon has been the sleeper hit this week. The 30 to 50-pound yellowfin are thick on the southern edge, and I'm seeing some nice wahoo mixed in — fish in the 25 to 40-pound range that are absolutely smoking high-speed trollers. If you're targeting wahoo specifically, get your speed up to 12 knots and pull wire line with Ilander-ballyhoo combos. The purple and black Ilanders have been money, especially the 9-inch size.

Lindenkohl has been producing steady action on both yellowfin and some surprising bluefin. The bluefin are smaller — 20 to 40-pound fish — but they're hungry and willing to eat. I've been finding them on the northwest corner where the canyon wall drops from 60 to 200 fathoms. Live bunker on a fishfinder rig has been the ticket, but you need to get them down to where the fish are holding. Use a 2-ounce egg sinker and let that bait swim naturally in the current.

The mahi bite has been inconsistent but worth targeting when you find them. I've been seeing scattered schools of 5 to 15-pound fish around floating debris and weed lines, particularly between Spencer and Norfolk. Small ballyhoo on light tackle has been fun, but the real trick is finding the floating structure. Look for anything — logs, pallets, even thick weed lines — and work them thoroughly.

Poor Man's Canyon has been the toughest of the four this week, but it's still producing fish. The yellowfin here seem to be deeper and more scattered, requiring more patience and precise boat positioning. I've had my best luck on the eastern edge where the canyon starts to shallow up, working depths between 100 and 150 fathoms.

The water temperature has been the real story this week. That Gulf Stream push has brought consistent 72-degree water right up to the canyon edges, and it's holding there. This is exactly what we need to see for sustained action through the summer. The bait is thick — I'm marking huge schools of bunker, herring, and squid on the fishfinder, and that's what's keeping these pelagics around.

Looking ahead, this weekend's new moon should create some serious tidal movement, which typically fires up the bite even more. I'm expecting the yellowfin action to continue strong, and I wouldn't be surprised to see some white marlin start showing up as we get deeper into June. The water temperature trend looks stable, so plan on this pattern holding for at least another week.