I had just cracked open a drink when the fish came up. I set the brew on the bait tank, buckled in as a tuna slurped the bait, lifted the 80-wide Tiagra out of the holder and went to work. My beer was still ice cold when we gaffed the 192-pound yellowfin.

That short, effective fight depended on the 200-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon leader, 40 pounds of drag and a true winch of a reel. But the gear doesn’t matter if you don’t use it right, and that means using its power to hurt tuna instead of yourself. I’m a big guy and I’ve caught hundreds of tuna over 100 pounds, but size doesn’t matter. I’ve seen little old ladies use the right techniques and catch fish much bigger than I ever have. My friend caught a 300-pound yellowfin on stand-up gear when he was 78.

Use a Harness and Pad to Fight Big Tuna

The key is a good harness and pad, and the ability to use it. One of my favorites is from AFTCO, designed by Greg Stotesbury. Stotesbury’s stand-up experience, like mine, is grounded in the San Diego long-range fleet. No offense, East Coasters, but most of you don’t know how to use a harness. Here’s how it works.

If you learn anything here it should be this: When fighting a fish, you should feel all the force transferred by the harness from the point of your hips down. You want the belt around your butt, not the small of your back.

In preparation, wear the harness before the bite. Wait until the fish is solidly hooked and pulling drag before you put the rod in the belt and clip in. Many fish are lost early when folks fumble with their gear instead of fighting the fish. Once you are fastened to the fish, attitude is everything. Stay calm and relaxed. Don’t let adrenaline and bad form hurt you.

How to Fight Tuna in a Fishing Harness

Proper form means good posture: Put your left hand on the reel to guide the line, with your right hand on the handle. Keep your back straight, and bend your knees enough to distribute the pressure across the tops of your quads and your backside.

Modern composite rods do all the work when kept at right angles to the rail. When the tip comes up, wind it back down. If you can’t turn the handle, switch the reel to low speed. Can’t keep up? Go to high speed. Don’t impart wild pumping motions. Instead, focus on the rod tip. Call out deep color when you see it, and wind the fish up to the gaff.

Safety Tips for Fighting Big Tunas

A couple of safety notes should be added. Every tuna is an individual, and where the hook ends up influences how the fish acts. Yellowfin tuna hooked in the upper jaw by the snout are notoriously squirrelly. You have to be prepared to react to the predictable and unpredictable, and that often means getting out of the harness.

Use S-hooks instead of clips to attach the harness to the reel lugs so you can get out quickly if necessary. And remember to back off the drag ­(gradually, don’t dump it into free-spool) when you need to get the rod out of the gimbal pad for maneuvers such as keeping the line out of the props.

How to Gain Line When Fighting Big Tuna

When you sit back and put on a lot of pressure, a fish will often run out high in the water column. Enjoy the fact that now the fish is on the losing end of the energy equation. This is the only time you can take a breather. When the fish stops, bear down on it. Try to get a turn on the handle, going to low gear if necessary.

Tuna will often respond to the ­pressure by diving in the direction of the boat, which provides you the opportunity to win back a bunch of line with no more effort than turning the handle. Be ready to go into high gear when the fish sounds, and take that easy line.

Once the fish goes into the final stage of the fight — straight up and down — it’s time to really put on the heat. Stay in one spot and keep the rod straight out from the rail. The tuna’s tail beats are reflected in the pumps of the rod tip as the fish circles — the more pressure, the tighter the circle. The tip of the rod will come up as the fish leaves the inside (closest to the boat) of the circle. That’s when you get those precious feet of line with several quick turns of the handle to bring the tip back down and keep the fish moving up. Don’t waste energy by stubbornly trying to turn the handle when you stop gaining line.

Most important, stay relaxed so you reserve the burst of energy and sharpness of mind that is usually called for at the end of the fight. Sometimes, a truly mean fish will say to hell with this and bust a big move. The telltale is an irritated shake of the head. You have to be ready to respond and follow. It’s usually over soon after that — one way or another.

The post Tuna Fishing with Stand Up Gear appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

Fifteen years ago, Western Atlantic bluefin tuna stock assessments reported that total numbers of bluefin were down about 90 percent from 1970. The number of giant bluefin, estimated to be more than 1 million fish in 1960, was estimated to be about 100,000 fish, possibly half that number. At that time, some experts said that bluefin could be so reduced that they might need endangered species status. Today, the big tuna are back.

The current rebound in Western Atlantic bluefin stocks is one of the greatest fishery success stories of this century. From a point near depletion a decade ago, their stocks have improved to a level of sustainability that seemed unimaginable back then.

“For me,” says John Walter, “it’s one of those amazing career arcs to have started with bluefin tuna in 2007, at literally the worst point in bluefin tuna management, and now have this success.”

Walter is the Deputy Director for Science and Council Services at NOAA’s Southeast Fisheries Science Center and Chair of the Western Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Committee at the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT).

“Back then,” Walter says, “we were talking about endangered species listings for bluefin, CITES listings, a catastrophe in the global stocks. We have now turned the corner to where bluefin is so abundant that it’s a sustainable fishery and we’re recommending people to eat more bluefin.”

According to ICCAT estimates, three key metrics of the species’ sustainability have all improved in recent years: total biomass, recruitment, and fishing mortality as a percentage of the total stock.

Total Biomass Gains of Bluefin Tuna

Total Biomass is an estimate of the size of the entire stock. For Atlantic bluefin, that includes a combination of both western and eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean stocks. The fish mix together in the Atlantic Ocean, and American fishermen catch a lot of eastern bluefins. That mixing of the stocks has been documented by satellite tagging and backed by genetic testing.

Prior to 2006, the fisheries were catching way above the eastern Atlantic quota. “We think that the catches may have been nearly double the quota,” says Walter. “Without the greatly improved reporting measures that we have today, it was much harder to track catches. Fisheries in the Mediterranean also targeted a lot of younger bluefin. That wasn’t very sustainable, nor did it achieve the yield that one can get from allowing the fish to grow.”

In response, ICCAT took dramatic action to lower catch quotas from a high of 32,000 metric tons (t) as late as 2006 down to 13,500 t in 2010. They also put in size limits to protect smaller fish. The fishery changed from focusing on small fish to targeting large fish fattened in open-ocean farms for the sushi market. Scientists estimate that the eastern population size is much larger than the western population, so what happens in the east deeply affects the western Atlantic populations.

Tuna Recruitment to the Stock Increases

Having stricter ICCAT regulations has played a big part in bluefin’s comeback.

“We talk about good and bad years of recruitment of fish to the stocks,” Walter says, “and 2003 was a really good year. Subsequently, there were other good years where we’ve seen strong year classes of fish born in the western and the eastern stocks. Concurrent with that, it seems that there have been favorable environmental factors that enabled those recruits to survive. U.S. fishermen are often the first ones to see these good year classes and they have been great at providing their knowledge and data.

“The most basic reason for the increase,” Walter says, “is that if you allow the fish to survive, grow, and spawn they’re going to make more babies. That’s the basic story here. It’s fisheries 101—stop catching them at age 2 and let them get big and fat out in the Atlantic where all the food is and let them come back at age 9 and spawn.”

According to recent ICCAT estimates, there was a big spike in the recruitment of fish to the stocks after 2015, with more fish surviving per year to spawning age, and it’s still on the increase.

Tuna Fishing Mortality Decreases

Fishing mortality is the fraction of the stock removed from the fishery. It’s a measure of the number of fish caught versus the entire stock, and it’s dropping, another indication that the stock is increasing.

“Mortality is about 8% to 10% of the total fish and that’s down from about double that figure—which was unsustainable,” says Walter. “Now we’re in a sustainable rate of removal, which means that the population is self-reproducing. That’s the goal. Now we need to fish them at ages that provide better fishing opportunities and the ability for the stock to reproduce.”

Bluefin’s Slope Sea Spawning Location

Along with the increased numbers of bluefin, recent documentation of another spawning area for Western Atlantic bluefin, in addition to the Upper Gulf of Mexico area, has researchers like Walter intrigued and curious. It’s called the Slope Sea spawning area, located about 100 miles offshore of Long Island, and both eastern and western fish spawn there. Researchers have collected eggs and larvae.

“We don’t necessarily think it’s a new location,” Walter says, “but when the populations were lower, perhaps we lost sight of it. Now that we have a larger population, we’re seeing the fish there. Recently we’ve received funding from Congress for a survey of that area that we’ll be doing in 2025, a dedicated scientific survey to document the importance of that area to collect larvae and spawning adults.”

There has been other good news, as well. Recently, the U.S. government implemented several measures that have dramatically reduced bluefin mortality, including requirements to use “weak” hooks that bend to allow spawning giants to go free on pelagic longlines in Gulf of Mexico waters and an individual bluefin quota program, which reduced bluefin tuna bycatch by 65% fleetwide. There’s also now incorporation of Ecosystem Reference Points in the management of menhaden, a primary forage fish for bluefin. That provision is a specific consideration to allow for predation of menhaden, essentially leaving more for bluefin to eat. All these factors combined mean good news for Atlantic bluefin and for the anglers who love them.

The post Bluefin Tuna’s Amazing Comeback appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

An 80-foot Viking yacht, a network of fish-attracting structures, SONAR technology, and the last bait on the boat combined to help a group of Florida men catch the fish of a lifetime.

The six-person crew of the Flat Dangerous were just out for a shakedown cruise on April 24, and thought they would try for blue marlin in the Gulf waters off Destin, Florida. The shakedown was a good idea — the group lost three fish to old mono on their reels before re-spooling with fresh. The new stuff held up well enough for the crew to christen the boat with a massive 888-pound bluefin tuna.

“It took every single one of us to pull it into the boat,” said John Balters of Destin, a mate on the boat and sophomore at the University of Miami. “Once we got it in, there was just a bunch of cheering and photos. It was just incredible.”

Aboard were the boat’s owner, Warren Wlliamson, Capt. George Gill, first mate Eddy Griffith, friend Kole Melancon, Balters, and Dennis Bennett, who knows a bit about catching big tuna. Bennett had a hand in Rick Whitley’s 2017 catch of an 827-pound bluefin, the current Florida record. (The Flat Dangerous fish was fought by multiple anglers, disqualifying it from eligibility. The International Game Fish Association all-tackle world record bluefin is 1,496 pounds, caught by Ken Fraser in Nova Scotia in 1979.)

Fish Aggregating Devices Produce Fish of a Lifetime

Capt. Gill took the boat out to the Capt. Kelly Windes FAD Buoy Network, a string of fish aggregating devices installed in 2020 60 miles off the Destin-Fort Walton Beach area. The group began looking for blue marlin in about 2,000 feet of water at about 8:30 a.m. They caught small yellowfin, skipjack, and blackfin tuna, which went into the boat’s tuna tubes to stay frisky for the real fishing.

Soon Bennett, on the bridge with the captain, noticed marks on the sonar similar to those he saw back in 2017. It was time to get a bait in the water. “It gets maybe 30 yards behind the boat and probably about 20 feet under water, and I just see this huge flash in the water,” Balters said. But they barely had the first angler sat in the chair when the first fish was gone, hook and all.

The group swapped in another Shimano Tiagra 80 Wide reel and continued patrolling the FAD. Another mark, another bite, and then this fish too was gone. And then another. The anglers switched to a Shimano Talica 50 with fresh mono, caught another small tuna, and got a bite with an explosive rise in shallow water. But 30 minutes into that fight, “this one just pulled the hook. Nothing we could do on that one,” Balters said. He began to worry aloud: “We missed our shot. We had three hookups. That’s all God’s giving us.”

They were down to one blackfin tuna, and it wasn’t all that frisky after several hours in the tuna tube. The crew stripped one of the Tiagras and re-spooled with fresh line. Eventually, there was yet another mark in the fish-rich water around the FAD. In went the bait.

“It just kind of laid sideways,” Balters said. “I’m like, ‘Oh man, we’re not gonna get a bite.’” And soon after came a strike that “looked like someone dropped a car in the water.” This was the big one. “We’re having to follow him a little bit. He goes straight down and strips us of all the mono we had just put on and goes into our braided backing.”

Perhaps an hour into the fight, the fish became entangled and died. Then began several hard hours of pulling the dead weight to the boat. The crew had to bend its fins flat along its body to get it to fit through the tuna door.

They got back to Destin after 9, welcomed by a small crowd of well-wishers, and got the triple eights on the scale at Boshamps Seafood and Oyster Bar. They saved the filleting for the morning.

“I was sore the next day for sure,” Balters said. “When it was all said and done, it was four huge tubs of just pure meat. It all went quickly, but probably all of Destin got some.”

The post Massive Bluefin Caught in Florida appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

The Start Point Lighthouse sits out on a craggy peninsula flanked by the purple moor grasses and rush pastures of South Devon. On the hillside, a trio of sheep have sky blue circles painted on their backs to denote their ownership. It’s an elevated perch where each of the 360 degrees offers a spectacular view. But at the moment, the tourists and locals along the walking path are only looking down to the water, where giant bluefin tuna are smashing mackerel, creating explosions that get closer and closer to shore. 

Did that bluefin just bust 50 yards from the beach? And as long as we’re italicizing questions, What is going on with the incredible resurgence of bluefin tuna in the United Kingdom?

The Start Point Lighthouse’s beacon can be seen in nearby Plymouth, one of the most storied maritime communities in the Western Hemisphere. After all, it is that Plymouth, the Mayflower Plymouth, the Plymouth that gave the rock in Massachusetts its name. Today, the coastal city in southwest England, which celebrated its 400th birthday in 2020, is the gateway to a growing bluefin fishery. Similar to the bluefin revival in Southern California, the numbers of Atlantic bluefin tuna in the waters off Europe, and the United Kingdom in particular, have increased significantly in recent years. It has inspired a recreational catch-and-release fishery where captains are tagging fish and serving as citizen scientists. 

In 2021, the Centre for Environmental Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) initiated the Catch and Release Tagging (CHART) program where a limited number of charter vessels are approved to tag-and-release bluefin to learn more about their movements and behavior. In 2022, the CHART program recorded 631 charter trips, 1,755 participating anglers, and 1,090 tagged fish. 

Twenty-four charters were licensed tag-and-release vessels in 2023, one of which is Fortuna Charters, owned and operated by Capt. Mark Jury. His boat, Fortuna II, is a 41-foot fishing catamaran built for the sporty seas that the English Channel often serves up. But to the daring salt goes the spoils: In October 2022, Jury caught and released 94 fish in one 14-day stretch, including one day where he landed 17. That said, blue migrations are a mystery, so this phenomenon isn’t guaranteed to last.

Planning a Trip

When to Go: While details for the 2024 season have not been announced yet, as a general rule, the season runs from mid-August to mid-December. 

Where to Go and How to Get There: Unless one has patience for purgatory, it’s best to avoid Heathrow and opt to fly into Gatwick instead. For our recent trip in October 2023, we flew direct from Orlando to London on American: an eight-hour flight. It’s a four-hour road trip through rolling hillsides to Plymouth. Don’t be surprised when in Hour Two you look out the car window and ask, “Isn’t that Stonehenge?” (Yes, it was Stonehenge. And the $30 ticket is worth it.) As you get closer to Plymouth, the streets get increasingly narrow until it’s just one-lane country roads bordered by hedgerows and stone walls, creating the most charming traffic jams you’ll ever experience. 

Skip the hotels and inns if possible. Plymouth and the nearby towns of Noss Mayo and Newton Ferrers have surprisingly affordable Airbnb and VRBO rentals. While Plymouth is bigger and more industrial (dockyards, naval base, a population of 265,000), Noss Mayo and Newton Ferrers are quaint seaside villages straight out of a snow globe, both only 20 minutes from Plymouth Yacht Haven. 

What to Expect: It’s downright gobsmacking to watch a man protected only by leather fishing gloves wire a 700-pound bluefin. “Ninety-nine inches!” Jury exclaims as he hangs over the gunwale to measure the giant. The tag—a thin, yellow tube—is placed below the base of the second dorsal fin. This would be the biggest of the 17 bluefin caught-and-released over four days. 

Fortuna II is quite the comfy cat. Its 16-foot beam allows for a sizable salon with more perks than most charter boats. “Should I put a kettle on?” asks Andy, the mate. Everyone politely declines on Day One. By Day Four, the whole crew is enjoying tea, and sure I’ll have another biscuit, thank you very much.

While the trademark English gloom and fog took over some days, the weather was mostly beautiful, the seas bouncy but not uncomfortable. It’s stand-up fishing with 80- and 130-pound conventional reels clipped into a harness, with one eyelet clipped to the transom should a giant send you overboard. The CHART program forbids live bait, so it’s all artificials fished with spreader bars. Aside from bluefin, wildlife abounds in these waters. Shearwaters glide above the whitecaps following schools of mackerel. Minke, pilot and fin whales are common sights. Porpoise cruise and leap between the cat’s hulls while underway. 

It’s all cool breezes and hot tea until—zzzzzzzzz!—the left long goes off. Then it’s choreographed chaos. Andy hastily clears the spreader bar. Jury descends from the bridge, belting joyful obscenities, acting as if it’s his first fish of season.  

Helpful Links

• Visit Plymouth: visitplymouth.co.uk
• Cefas CHART program: cefas.co.uk/impact/programmes/chart
• Fortuna Charters: fortunacharters.com

The post British Blues appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

You might catch a giant bluefin tuna in many locations, as disparate as the Gulf of Mexico off Louisiana or the coast of Ireland. But no single area in the world concentrates huge bluefin like Nova Scotia (NS) and Prince Edward Island (PEI) in Canada’s Maritimes. Here, the cold waters of the northwest Atlantic attract great schools of forage, including the herring and mackerel on which tuna feast and fatten. Those same chilly waters discourage smaller bluefin, which have to work hard to stay warm. Bluefin are among the few fishes that can heat their bodies for more efficient predation. The giants’ larger body mass makes it easier for them to remain and feast in the cold, food-rich waters of the Maritimes.

A glance at the IGFA record book tells the story: Of the eight line-class world-record bluefin tuna weighing more than 600 pounds, six were caught off NS or PEI. That includes the remarkable 1,496-pound all-tackle world record bluefin that Ken Fraser caught in 1979.

While that record has remained intact for well over four decades, many bluefins approaching that size have been caught. “Our largest Nova Scotia giant bluefin tuna was caught by Graeme Weiss, of San Diego, in 2013,” says Capt. Josh Temple, who has guided anglers to NS giants for 14 consecutive seasons. “We estimated it at 1,400 pounds, and we have encountered larger fish than that one, which earned their freedom during the fight.”

Temple says there’s no doubt fish even larger than 1,496 pounds are swimming in NS waters, noting that Ken Fraser, who caught the world record and is a friend of Temple’s, “will be the first to tell you he’s seen them bigger.”

Temple cites the first day of his first season in NS 14 years ago, as the day that hooked him. After catching and releasing several giants (he says by NS standards, a giant is at least 700 pounds), “we spent the rest of the day hand-feeding bait to hundreds of giant bluefin. All of this in water less than 60 feet deep and less than 500 yards off the shore, within sight of my pickup, parked at the wharf.”

The focus on NS and PEI by enthusiasts around the world hasn’t ruined the fishery. On the contrary, says Temple, “Thanks to exceptionally well-developed and implemented management frameworks internationally and nationally, giant bluefin populations across the Atlantic have rebounded significantly” and nowhere have the benefits of that been more consistent than around NS. The fact that, “Ninety percent of the giant tuna caught by rod-and-reel in NS are released is a statistic that has surely contributed to the health and sustainability of their numbers in these waters,” he says.

Planning a Trip

When to Go: The giant season in Nova Scotia starts at some point in July and runs into October. Last-minute bookings with top charters are unlikely; best to book the winter prior to your intended trip. If you want the entire tuna trip planned and organized for you, consider signing up for the Sport Fishing Expedition in Nova Scotia.

Where to Go and How to Get There: While you’ll find some charters based in various ports in the province, Ballantyne’s Cove on the Northumberland Shore of Cape George, near the town of Antigonish on the northern end of the island, hosts a concentration of operations. You can drive here — as a reference, plan on 1,000 miles from New York or a bit less than half of that from Bangor, Maine. Those flying in will generally book to Halifax’s Stanfield International Airport. Some operators will arrange transportation from Stanfield to the harbor, or visitors can rent a car.

What to Expect: A number of charters operate from Nova Scotia ports, typically in downeast-style boats designed for fishing in these waters. Typically, they supply the heavy tackle needed to battle big bluefin from a fighting chair. This is catch-and-release fishing, so don’t plan on filling coolers. Figure on $1,700 ($2,300 Canadian), give or take, for a full day of fishing.

What to Bring: Many boats offer stand-up fishing; check with your skipper to see what he offers, and/or about bringing your own stand-up gear. Of course, a good camera and set of foul-weather gear are essential, though summer days are often dry and in the 70s F. By fall, expect 50s and 60s.

Where to Stay: You’ll find a variety of hotels, suites and cabins in the area. Many charter skippers offer or will arrange accommodations for clients.

What Else: As far as fishing goes, Temple says, “For most anglers, NS has a lot of great pelagic fishing left to discover. We’re also catching — seasonally — marlin, yellowfin, bigeye, [true] albacore and even wahoo and dorado along the continental shelf off southwest Nova Scotia, as well as good numbers of giant blue swordfish.”

Besides fishing, the Northumberland Shore is known for having the most “warm-water ocean beaches in Atlantic Canada.” You can explore the works of many skilled artisans here and eat lobster till you burst.

Helpful Links

• Places to go
• Search “bluefin tuna” for several charters
• Northumberland Tourism
• Bluefin Charters
• Tuna Charters Nova Scotia
• Sport Fishing Expeditions

The post Big Bluefins in the Maritimes appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

Best Time for California Yellowfin Tuna

Captain Andy Cates, of the Red Rooster III, says the season kicks off in September with 8- to 10-day trips to the lower banks including Potato Bank, Finger Bank and Morgan Bank. This is the land of giants, with the majority of yellowfin tuna weighing 200 to 300 pounds. “If you get a bite, it’s a big one,” Cates says.

The captain compares early-season fishing to big game hunting. He says anglers prepare for weeks for a shot at a true trophy. By January, the water on the lower banks cools down and the big tuna disappear. “We have no idea where they go,” Cates marvels.

That’s when he turns his attention to longer 15- to 18-day trips to the Hurricane Bank. Cates describes Hurricane Bank’s fishing as “action packed.” The bulk of the action is on 90- to 150-pound yellowfin. “Lucky anglers can get eight to 10 bites a day,” he says. 

The main goal of long-range anglers is landing a 200- to 300-pound cow yellowfins. Cates says February through April is the best shot at a trophy. In addition to tuna, Hurricane Bank offers top-notch wahoo fishing.

Cooler Water Temperatures Scared off Sharks

With the season wrapping up, Cates reflects on the trends he observed. “The water stayed cooler, so the fishing was better,” he says. Cates explains the cooler water discouraged sharks and presented a better opportunity to catch a tuna. 

In the beginning of January, Cates explained that the water temperature was in the mid-70s. As the season progressed, the temperature dropped to 72.5 degrees and the sharks disappeared. “It was absolutely brilliant fishing,” Cates remembers.

Hooks and Plugs for Tuna

Going toe to toe with a 300-pound yellowfin tuna requires the most advanced tackle. Cates says, “Lightweight and powerful rods and reels we use make it possible for anyone to land a cow.” The key connection is the hook, and Cates prefers the Trokar 619 series for strength and performance.

The hot lure for trolling for wahoo is the Nomad DTX. Cates laughs, “Everyone on the back of the boat has a DTX.” For the optimal action, anglers tie the swimming plug directly to the mainline. “Using wire makes the lure come out of the water,” he says.

Bluefin Tuna Fishing Heats up in June

As we interviewed Cates, he was preparing Red Rooster III for the last 15-day trip to the banks. When he returns, he expects San Diego bluefin tuna fishing to heat up. “Bluefin fishing is spotty right now but it should get better in June,” he says. 

Cates says the best bluefin action is at night, so he plans to bottom fish during the day and tuna fish at night. “We’ll catch 50- to 200-pound bluefin only 50 miles from San Diego,” he says. 

As for next season on the Mexican banks, Cates is hopeful. “If everything sustains and we don’t get a lot of warm water, I expect next season to rival this year.”

The post California Tuna Fishing Heats Up appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

The huge bluefin tuna of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island in Canada’s Maritimes provide a once-in-a-lifetime fishing experience. Any serious offshore angler looking to catch a torpedo-sized tuna has to make the trip to Canada’s eastern waters. Here, the largest tuna in the world congregate and feed heavily on herring and mackerel in the summer and early fall months.

The up and down Canadian bluefin tuna fishery is riding high today in a big way. 

The 1930s are when recreational anglers first started exploring Nova Scotia’s bountiful waters, drawing anglers from all across the globe. The community of Wedgeport held tournaments in the south of the peninsula, taking advantage of nearby waters full of tuna off the Tusket River. In 1949 — a banner year — 72 bluefins were caught during the International Tuna Cup Match, totaling 30,161 pounds. 

Recreational sport fishing for giant bluefin tuna was ramping up farther north during the 1960s and ‘70s, in areas such as the Gulf of St. Lawrence or St. George’s Bay. Record catches occurred in rapid succession in the 1970s. First, a 1,064.5-pounder, caught in 1970. Then, 1,129-pound and 1,191-pound bluefins in 1976. In 1979, angler Ken Fraser landed the all-tackle record, a 1,496-pounder, not far from the strait that intersects Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Island. The 1980s continued a time when hardcore anglers caught bluefin tuna in high numbers.

But there were also some desolate times. From 1987 to 1995, for reasons not really understood, the tuna just stopped coming to nearshore areas in and around Nova Scotia. Many anglers have their own explanations, with some hypothesizing the tuna moved farther offshore during these periods. 

The numbers of giant bluefin returned to Nova Scotia in the 2010s at historic levels. Shallow waters of the Northumberland Strait, between Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia, attracted massive schools of giants once again. Plus, recreational anglers were able to target the bluefins. Throughout Canada’s bluefin tuna fishing history, there were periods when recreational anglers were shut out of the fishery, leaving limited numbers of catches available to only commercial fishing. 

“Thanks to exceptionally well-developed and implemented management frameworks internationally and nationally, giant bluefin populations across the Atlantic have rebounded significantly,” says Capt. Josh Temple, who has guided anglers to giant bluefins for 14 seasons. “Ninety percent of the giant tuna caught by rod-and-reel in Nova Scotia are released is a statistic that has surely contributed to the health and sustainability of their numbers in these waters.”

Long and short, the giant bluefins are back. And have been for well over a decade now. 

Nova Scotia Tuna Fishing Expeditions

Sport Fishing Expeditions, a new fishing travel option, allows anglers to target them without having to navigate the confusing — but often necessary — regulations that Canada imposes on the region to keep the bluefin tuna population healthy. The Nova Scotia Sport Fishing Expedition offers an adventurous fishing experience that covers everything other than the plane flights.

Planned for September 13 – 17 in 2023, the five-day dream trip offers fishing with some of the best captains in the area. But it’s limited to 16 anglers. Anglers will fish off seaworthy downeast-style vessels built to fish the waters off Nova Scotia comfortably. Each boat is fully outfitted with the latest electronics and heavy-duty tackle. The expedition includes all charter fees and tips, plus accommodations at cozy seaside cottages near the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Meals and beverages, a one-year subscription to Salt Water Sportsman, and a memento video of your fishing trip are also included.

Fly in and out of Halifax Stanfield International Airport on the 13 and 18, with transportation provided to and from expedition headquarters at Ballantyne’s Cove. Days two to five are all about fishing, while getting coached by expert instructors. The final evening ends with a group dinner at the famous Brownstone in Antigonish.

This trip to beautiful Nova Scotia is meant for anglers that want to test their fishing skills against the biggest bluefins on the planet. Captains employ a variety of methods for area giants, but chunking or trolling are common tactics. Sport Fishing Expedition’s knowledgeable captains provide on-the-water instruction in a variety of techniques. As part of your preparation and instruction, anglers will learn about the various options for rods, reels, line, and hooks, as well as the fighting chair and harness. You’ll also learn knot-tying, baiting the hook, proper drag settings and deck management. To sign up for the trip, visit the Sport Fishing Expeditions website.

The post Bluefin Tuna Fishing in Nova Scotia: Sport Fishing Expeditions Preview appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

“Everyone keep your eyes peeled and look for massive feeds of finbacks and short beak dolphins, that is where we will find the tuna!”

After searching a bit, my son and mate Capt. Tommy Freda shouted, “Dad, three spouts about a quarter-mile to the northeast.” I quickly turned in that direction and ran right smack into a melee that can only be described as a Nat Geo experience. The primary forage bait out here is sand eels, and the finbacks and dolphins submerged beneath the pods and forced them to the surface. The finback whales beat their tails on the water’s surface, radiating shockwaves through the water column to stun the bait. That’s when the tuna darted in and buffeted to their heart’s content, inhaling the stunned baits.

“Grab those popping rods and let them fly”, I said. “Pull and pause, pull and pause. He’s on it, he ate it, you’re tight! Now set the hook three times hard and hold on and enjoy the ride.”

New Jersey Tuna Fishing Explained

This is the drill as we head out each summer day in search of New Jersey bluefin and yellowfin. Find the feeds and you will find the tuna. The day begins at 2:30 a.m. out of my home port of the Manasquan Inlet, New Jersey, as we head east to the 30- to 40-fathom line, a ride of about two hours in my 28 Parker Sport Cabin. Starry nights and calms seas are the norm during the run offshore. Clients can catch some sleep, stretched out on bean bags in my 11-foot cockpit. The plan is to arrive at the feeding grounds right at false light.

The bluefin tuna are our first targets in July as their ability to thermoregulate their body temperatures allow them to tolerate the cooler waters of the early summer. These bluefins push 60 inches and test the stamina of any inexperienced rod man. They don’t give up easily. Many times, an angler will pass the rod to Tommy during the end game.

“The bluefin tuna run for the last several years has been impressive,” said Ray Bogan, U.S. Recreational Commissioner to the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). “Seeing the spatial geographic range of school, large school, and small- to medium-size bluefin off the Mid-Atlantic and New England coasts is testament to the health of the stock and its increased range.”

In August, when ocean temperatures bump up to 76 degrees or more, the yellowfin tuna flood into the same area. Each year, it’s expected for yellowfin to migrate north from the southern canyons off Virginia and Maryland toward the Hudson Canyon off New Jersey. But for the last five seasons or so, we have seen the yellowfin take a left turn and leave the Hudson Canyon. They end up inshore about 15 or 20 miles. This puts them in an area known as the Triple Wrecks. The number of tunas showing up each year has been different, but recent seasons were described by many as “epic.” Three-man boat limits were common for all on board, with yellowfin weights between 60 to 80 pounds.

Regarding the yellowfin migration, Bogan said: “Our yellowfin fishery is dependent on responsible fishing practices by European, South and Central American, African, and Asians fleets, as well as our own. U.S. commercial fleets are among the cleanest in the world, and our recreational fleets have excellent compliance rates with the regulations impacting us. The U.S. has been vigilant in working to protect the health of these stocks and our own fishing opportunities.”

Trolling Spreader Bars for Tuna

In the beginning of the summer, before the sand eels set up on the lumps, the tuna are searching and cruising for the bait. When first arrivals show, trolling ChatterLure Side Tracker spreader bars is highly effective to bring the tuna into your spread.

“Our side trackers are designed to cause extreme commotion in the water utilizing our trademark ‘chatter bird design,'” said Justin Braun, developer of ChatterLures. “We truly believe the added disturbance of our side trackers is the reason for increased bites and higher catch counts.”

I believe side trackers work so well because of the commotion they cause just outside of your normal spread. Your boat and prop-wash bring the tuna up into your spread to take a look. If they don’t bite what’s there, I believe they slide out laterally and run right into the side trackers. Not to make the same mistake twice, they take the offering. For bluefins, I usually troll at 4.5 to 6.2 knots; for yellowfin, 6.5 to 7.5 knots.

Jig Fishing for New Jersey Tuna

As the summer progresses and the sand eels settle in, daily yellowfin feeding frenzies become the norm. With sand eels spraying in every direction, light-tackle spinning rods get put into action. I use 6-foot, 6-inch St Croix medium-power or 5-foot, 6-inch Shimano Grappler Type J spin rods.

“Drop down three colors and pump and reel. Faster, faster, they will hit on the way up.”

My client, Matt, got the technique down and quickly came tight about 30 feet below the boat. “Wow, what a beast!” he exclaimed, as his rod pretzeled over the gunwale and his reel screamed.

Jigs are highly effective as the darting and zigging action mimics a sand eel fleeing. The Nomad Design Streaker jigs in the sand eel, blue, or pink sardine colors are deadly. Also, the ChatterLure jigs and CB One F-1 jigs, from Saltywater Tackle, account for many tuna.

I had great success in recent season jigging with 8 feet of 50-pound fluorocarbon leader while many anglers were using heavier 60- to 80-pound leaders. I felt I was getting bites when others weren’t due to my lighter leader. There were many days when it was basically drop-and-reel fishing. Clients were able to feel a big yellowfin crush their jig and have their stamina tested to the max.

Fishing With Chunk Bait for Tuna

The chunk bite took over near the end of the summer only because so many boats started to pound the area each day. The yellowfin quickly became wise and stayed away from the metal. Chunking with sardines or butterfish worked, but if you brought out live peanut bunker, you could hand feed the yellowfins right behind the boat. Fish a live peanut bunker by placing a 5/0 Gamakatsu circle hook just below the dorsal. Or fish a dead bait by threading the hook through the mouth, then out the gill and into the belly.  

Flat lining these baits back into the slick with no weight was the method that worked best. As you drifted your bait back, it was important to keep slack in the line. This insured that the baits drifted back as naturally as possible. I lightened up my leader, choosing 40-pound fluorocarbon on finicky days, and 30-pound on really finicky days. These lighter leaders dictated the need to loosen your drag and to use a medium-action rod that was more parabolic in its bend.

The post Jumbo Tuna off Jersey appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

MOST of the people were completely shocked, they couldn’t believe what they saw, said Capt. Tim Oestreich. All he could do was laugh about his customers’ reactions to the 676-pound bluefin tuna they caught on the 95-foot head boat Dolphin Express. But the crew running the Dolphin Express wasn’t surprised — the experienced anglers were ready for anything.

Gulf Coast Long Range Fishing

Oestreich operates an offshore headboat out of Port Aransas, Texas. On his extended 56-hour trips, the 16-angler party targets tuna by casting lures to floating oil rigs in 3,800 to 9,800 feet of water. On an average trip, the boat catches a limit of three yellowfin per person. “I probably land 1,100 tuna every four or five months,” Oestreich said.

In addition to yellowfin and blackfin tunas, Oestreich also catches marlin, wahoo and dolphin. To target blue marlin, he bridles a live blackfin tuna to a 130-class rod and freelines the bait behind the boat. That’s what he was doing when he hooked a massive bluefin tuna that made headlines and blew up fishing social media.

Rigged Up for Oil Rigs

Fishing at the Hoover Diana oil fields, about 130 to 160 miles from Port Aransas, Oestreich said the trip started rough with 6- to 8-foot seas, but the yellowfin tuna were biting. 

For tackle, the anglers use a 7-foot conventional rod and Accurate BOSS Extreme 600 two-speed reel. For spin fishers, a 7-foot, 6-inch spinning rod and PENN Slammer III reel is a good option. No matter the setup, anglers on the boat launch a Frenzy Flying Fish or Halco 130 lure into the rig lights.

Oestreich fills the Accurate with 500 yards of 65-pound PowerPro Maxcuatro and adds a 150-foot topshot of 80-pound-test monofilament. For the spinning rod, he uses 80-pound braid and three feet of 80-pound fluorocarbon leader.

Another tactic is chunking bite-size pieces of blackfin. “I probably cut up 60 to 80 blackfin each night,” Oestreich marveled. He fishes the chunks on a 7/0 Mustad semi-circle hook tied to three feet of 80-pound fluorocarbon. “If the tuna are really picky, I’ll go down to 50-pound fluoro leader and a 3/0 hook.”

A Big Bait Equals A Big Bite

While the party was playing with tuna, Oestreich used a 130-pound outfit to drop a live blackfin tuna behind the boat. He spools the reel with 200-pound braided line, a 300-pound topshot and 300-pound fluorocarbon leader. He attaches a 16/0 Owner hook to the end of the top shot and bridles the small tuna.

“The bait was in the water for 10 minutes when we got the bite,” he said. 

On the initial run, the big tuna dumped 800 yards of line. Oestreich puts the fish’s feat in perspective, “That’s almost a half mile straight down in about a minute.” 

As the fish dumped line, Oestreich figured he had 90 pounds of drag on the reel. “We were running hellacious drag,” he said. Each member of the party took turns reeling on the fish — some people would last two or three minutes before they gave up. “When one angler was done, I would call for fresh meat on the reel,” he joked. 

In 45 minutes, they had the fish to the boat, but the tuna took off again.

“You can’t chase a big tuna in deep water or you’ll fight it for hours,” pointed out Oestreich. Instead, he tried to get ahead of the fish, keep the line at an angle and keep the fish moving. He estimated he worked the tuna for two-and-a-half miles. In another 45 minutes they had it next to the boat.

But the tuna wasn’t done. With incredible pressure on the line and the rod in the rod holder, the tuna made a mad dash and snapped his 130-pound rod. Oestreich winced, “That rod cost $1,000.”

The fish was only 40 feet from the boat, so Oestreich jumped on the reel and what was left of the rod. Second captain Matt Murchinson took the boat controls. Mate Dan Haluzen worked the leader. And mates Patrick Simpson and Kurt Jackson manned the gaffs. Everything was under control and the big bluefin tuna was quickly subdued.

Landing a Big Bluefin Tuna on a Head Boat

How do you get a huge tuna onto a headboat? Oestreich was ready for that, too. He attached a snatch block to the tuna’s tail and ran the rope to the upper deck. “We had 8 guys pulling on the rope and the crew using gaffs to guide the fish into the side gate.”

Then they had another problem. The tuna was too big for the fish box, so the crew went to work. “We had to modify the fish box with a saw,” he laughed.

Once the fish was landed, the crew celebrated with hoots, hollers and high-fives, but the party was surprisingly quiet. Oestreich recalled, “I tried to explain to them they had just seen the biggest fish of their lives.”

Preparation Pays Off

The captain credits experience and preparation for making the catch. Two years ago, he landed a 760-pound bluefin on a private charter with one angler. “I’ve been doing this my whole life and the boat holds multiple state and world records,” he said. 

He also spent hours prepping gear and maintaining tackle. Keeping an offshore headboat operation running on all cylinders is a group effort. “Before each trip, the whole team is here pulling line off reels and tying leaders,” he said. “The weakest link is the fish’s face — as long as nothing goes wrong, his a** is grass.”

Oestreich says the bluefin show up off Port Aransas in March and stick around through April. The night they landed the 676-pounder they also released a fish he estimated at 500 pounds, plus they pulled the hook on a monster over 800 pounds. A few days after his catch, another boat brought in a 750-pound bluefin. This is Oestreich’s one and only bluefin for the season (Gulf Coast anglers are only allowed to keep one big bluefin each year).

READ NEXT: The Best North Carolina Bluefin Tuna Season in Years

The post The Inside Story Behind a Giant Texas Bluefin Tuna appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

According to reports coming out of North Carolina’s Outer Banks, 2023 will go down as one of the best bluefin tuna seasons on record. Not only were anglers catching more bluefin over 500 pounds, but for the first time in years, smaller bluefin were mixed in with the migration.

Oceans East Bait and Tackle is located a few miles from Oregon Inlet, home of a major wintertime bluefin tuna fishing fleet. Serving as a clearinghouse for local fishing news and new tactics, shop owner Jimmy Hillsman is at the center of the bluefin scene.

“The neat thing is, we have two groups of fish,” Hillsman said. “Southeast of Oregon Inlet, bluefin averaging 600 pounds are mixed with wahoo, big eyes and blackfin tuna. Farther south off Diamond Shoals, a mixed class of fish from 60 pounds to over 500 are schooled up and hungry. It’s a great sign for the future.”

With the best bluefin fishing in recent memory, Hillsman has seen some hardcore anglers make amazing catches. Here are a few of his top picks from some of the best fishing teams of the season.

Bluefin Tuna Fishing Night and Day 

Capt. Brandon Christian, on the boat Crime Scene, has been on a bluefin streak this winter. “He’s a private boater and every few days he sends us photos of big fish,” Hillsman explained. 

When we reached Christian a few days after the trophy bluefin season ended, the Sport Drinking Apparel spokesman was still catching up on sleep. “I went pretty hard and fished a lot of long days and nights,” he said.

One of the highlights of Christian’s season was landing a bluefin he estimated to push 700 pounds. The fish was one of the season’s biggest, but he paid for it.

“I arrived at the fishing grounds at 7 am and got my first bite in 20 minutes,” he remembered. The fish quickly pulled the hook and Christian spent the next two days looking for his next encounter. “I didn’t get another bite until 5:30 the next night,” he said. That’s right, he trolled all day, drifted Boston mackerel all night, and trolled the next day until he finally connected just before sunset. “If I don’t [get it done], I have to stay out,” he laughed.

The hot bait was a green-head and crystal skirt Joe Shute lure. “This year was a green head year,” hinted Christian. 

The Biggest Bluefin Tuna of the Year

Back at Oceans East, Jimmy Hillsman recalled one of the biggest bluefin of the year. “Eric Price, on the Outlaw, landed a 116 inch tuna estimated to weigh 750 pounds,” he said

When I asked Price about the catch, the veteran bluefin captain and Wicked Tuna Outer Banks participant said it was his personal best and the fish of a lifetime. “We hooked the fish before sunset and didn’t land it until after sunset,” he remembered. In the dark, Price didn’t realize the fish’s size until the three-man crew tried to pull it through the fish door. Price laughed, “We couldn’t even get the tuna’s lips into the door.”

Luckily, Price’s boat has a boom pole. “With the fish’s tail at the top of the boom its head was still dangling in the water,” he marveled. The crew managed to wrestle the fish onboard. “I didn’t really get a look at the size until it was laying on the deck,” he said.

Price caught the giant on a 3-ounce Joe Shute lure with a white head and white skirt. “I use the 3-and 5-ounce heads when the seas are rough,” he explained. He also mixes in naked ballyhoo and sea witches.

Bluefin Tuna Caught on a Greenstick

Another noteworthy bluefin team fished aboard Predator. Jimmy Hillsman, at Oceans East said, “He had some really big ones and he fished out of both Oregon Inlet and Hatteras this year.” 

Captain Chris Barnett had just returned to Hatteras when I called for his take on the bluefin season. “My season was a huge success,” he reported. Barnett was on location in Oregon Inlet when the tuna showed in January. “I caught fish 12 out of 16 trips,” he calculated. Price said on an average day he faced 5- to 8-foot seas and winds over 20 knots. 

One of Barnett’s best memories was the result of good karma. “I had just replaced both motors in the boat,” he explained. With less than an hour on the new motors, he headed to Diamond Shoals looking for bluefin. Along the way, he helped another boat that was taking on water. “We dropped off a pump and stayed with him until he was underway back home,” he remembered.

Predator continued to steam south. Less than an hour after they put lines in the water, they were hooked up. The fish turned out to be his biggest of the season at 106 inches and 542 pounds core weight. Barnett caught his big fish dangling rubber squid from a greenstick. “We caught a lot of fish on the greenstick this season,” he added. 

Another highlight for Barnett came in the last days of the recreational giant season. “I put together a charter of my best clients and we hooked a doubleheader,” he remembered. 

The two fish cooperated by running in different directions and Barnett quickly brought the first fish boatside. “We hooked it on a swim-hook and left it in the water while we fought the second tuna,” he explained. “The second fish was bigger, so we were able to release the first fish.” 

The trophy tuna was 98 inches and estimated to weigh over 500 pounds. 

Bluefin Season Continues

Speaking of good times, Capt. Andy Piland on the Hatteras boat named Good Times has been in the tuna bite all winter.

I dropped in on my old friend Captain Andy and his daughter April between fishing trips. Both anglers admitted that this season reminds them of the good old days when bluefin tuna were plentiful and close to Hatteras Inlet. “It’s like the nineties again,” Andy reminisced. 

For Piland, the highlight in 2023 has been the variety of bluefin he’s encountering. “I’m most excited to see the little fish,” he laughed. While many anglers fixate on catching big tuna, Piland said the young tuna are a promising sign for the future.

Not only are the bluefin aggressive and in good numbers, but the mixture of small to medium size bluefin makes fighting the fish more enjoyable for the angler. “I love to watch a family out for the first time experience this fishery and have a great time,” said April, an accomplished mate on Good Times. 

One of the crew’s highlights was hosting a family with a patriarch who had suffered several health issues over the past few years. “Everyone got in on the fishing,” April remembered. “This was truly a family-friendly size of bluefin tuna.” 

Andy has been finding fish in 65- to 74-degree water, surprisingly close to shore. “We’re catching fish in 20 to 40 fathoms,” he said. In fact, Andy has spotted bluefin tuna within a mile of the inlet because of the plentiful baitfish inshore.

Mixed in with the bluefin, they get a shot at yellowfin and blackfin tuna. “Our last trip we had a 180-pound bluefin and a mess of blackfin,” Andy said. April added, “It’s a great time to score a slam by landing three different species of tuna.”

The crew has been trolling 1- to 3-ounce MagicTail Hoo Magic lures and ballyhoo. “I’m a crystal girl,” April said, preferring a translucent skirt over her bait.

While the bluefin season is already unprecedented, there is still great fishing ahead. Anglers are able to keep bluefin tuna under 73 inches, perfect size to target with vertical jigs and topwater lures. “We start out trolling and then switch to light tackle for something different,” April explained. Over the next few months, Hatteras turns into a Mecca for hardcore anglers obsessed with battling big fish on spinning rods.

The post Best North Carolina Bluefin Tuna Season in Years appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.