Yellowfin blitz fires Wilmington Canyon as Gulf Stream eddy locks in

The Wilmington Canyon has come alive this week with a textbook Gulf Stream eddy setup that's concentrating yellowfin tuna like I haven't seen since early May. A warm-core eddy spinning off the continental shelf has locked into position just northeast of the main canyon head, creating a temperature break that's stacking bait and holding fish in 72-degree water while the surrounding ocean sits at 68.

Yellowfin in the 40 to 80-pound class are crushing spreads worked along the eddy's western edge, where the temperature gradient is sharpest. The bite has been most consistent in 600 to 800 feet of water, roughly 35 miles southeast of Indian River Inlet. Cedar plugs and small feathers pulled at 8 knots are getting hammered on the troll, especially anything with pink or purple in it. The fish are feeding aggressively on small tunas and flying fish that the eddy is concentrating along its boundaries.

Chunking has been equally productive for crews willing to work the drift. Fresh butterfish and squid dropped back on 8/0 circles are producing steady action, particularly during the early morning hours when the yellowfin are pushing bait to the surface. The key is finding where the clean blue water meets the slightly greener canyon water — that's where the food chain stacks up and the tuna patrol.

Bluefin are mixed in with the yellowfin schools, mostly fish in the 60 to 100-pound range that are legal to keep. They're showing the same preference for the temperature break, but they seem more willing to chase baits worked deeper in the water column. Dropping chunks down 50 feet on a fishfinder rig has been pulling bluefin when the surface action slows.

The mahi bite has been sporadic but worth watching. Small bulls and a few females are scattered along the weed lines that form where the eddy water meets the surrounding ocean. They're hitting ballyhoo on the troll and will crash a chunking spread if you're working floating sargassum. Most of the mahi are running 10 to 20 pounds, perfect eating size.

Wahoo have been the surprise this week. Fast-trolling the canyon edges at first light with wire-rigged ballyhoo and Ilander combinations has produced several fish in the 30 to 50-pound range. The wahoo seem to be following the same temperature breaks as the tuna, but they want speed — 12 to 15 knots gets their attention when the yellowfin trolling slows down.

White marlin are starting to show in better numbers as we move deeper into June. The fish are small — mostly in the 40 to 60-pound range — but they're aggressive and willing to eat. Circle-hooked ballyhoo on the long rigger has been the most consistent producer, especially when worked over the 100-fathom curve where the canyon walls drop into the abyss.

The current lunar phase is working in our favor. We're coming off a new moon, which means moderate tides that aren't disrupting the eddy structure. The gentler water movement is allowing the temperature breaks to hold their position, keeping bait concentrated and fish feeding predictably.

Looking at the water temperature patterns, this eddy appears stable and should continue producing through the week. The 72-degree core water is a solid 4 degrees warmer than the surrounding ocean, creating the kind of thermal boundary that pelagic species use as a highway. As long as the Gulf Stream doesn't shift dramatically, this setup should hold.

The weekend forecast shows light southwest winds, perfect conditions for working the canyon. I'm expecting the yellowfin bite to remain strong, especially if we can get some flying fish activity along the temperature breaks. The key will be staying mobile and following the edges — this eddy is slowly drifting northeast, so yesterday's hot spot might be empty water today.

For the week ahead, I'm watching for the eddy to continue its northeast drift while maintaining its structure. If it holds together, we could see this bite intensify as more bait gets pulled into the system. The real test will be whether the bluefin stick around or push further offshore as water temperatures climb into the mid-70s.