Ask almost any angler and they will tell you that there is something magical about fishing for tuna. The power and speed in which they hunt is simply unmatched. Here are a few tuna fishing techniques that will help you land more tuna the next time you pull away from the docks.
Yellowfin tuna is perhaps one of the world’s most important game fish. Hundreds of thousands of pounds are caught each year to satisfy the demand. It is one thing to buy your tuna fish from a can. It is an entirely different thing to fish for your own tuna.
Yellowfin tuna can weight up to 400 pounds, while Blackfin tuna typically grow to about 30 pounds. It is, therefore, essential that you use the right equipment each time you go tuna fishing. At the very least you are going to need a high-quality two speed trolling reel and a few heavy duty fishing rods. I tend to use Penn International reels because I like how they handle bigger fish. Ensure that you are using 25 – 50 pound test lines, as these tuna are well known for their fighting ability.
Tuna tend to like hunting in lower light conditions, such as late afternoon. More often than not, trolling at slower speeds, 5 to 8 miles per hour, works best. You can use either live bait or artificial baits depending upon your personal preference. I prefer using artificial lures but both can be effective methods of fishing for tuna.
Many people also report having success with drift fishing. This method works extremely well for catching Blackfin tuna, especially off the coast of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. There, I have seen anglers catch 5 to 10 Blackfin tunas each weighing between 20 and 30 pounds.
Whether you are fishing for Yellowfin or Blackfin tuna, carefully consider the tuna fishing techniques you plan to incorporate.
Thomas Ethan spends his summers trolling around the ocean fishing for tuna. More information on tuna fishing techniques can be found at http://fishingtuna.info.