Their jigging style was quite different from what my clients were doingI would describe it as a modified butterfly-speed jig technique. The only real difference between tuna jigging and casting lures, and striper casting and jigging lures is the size of the outfits, the heaviness of the leaders and the strength of the terminal connections. Fly Lines: In Mason's experience, Bluefin can be spooked by bright fly line colors. There was one day when we were in a massive feed of finbacks and two-tone dolphins, and I had the tuna right under the boat. YMMV and TunaBully - thanks for the info - makes sense. Catch rates are low, so do not be discouraged if you struggle at first. Perks of Using a High-Strength Line for Bluefin Tuna. One of the ways of knowing exactly what is happening with your line in the depths is feeling for vibrations. Always gaff fish behind the leader over the top of the fish as they make their turn toward the boat. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But for tuna up to 100 pounds 40 pound test can do the job. I would not use braid for trolling. Bluefin Tuna fishing is usually done by trolling artificial lures, fly lining live bait on the surface or chumming the water around a baited hook. Next, cast the jig out as far away from the boat as you can and let it sink to the bottom. I saw almost everybody fish big bluefin (lets say over 100#) with 100lb or 130lb braided line. Youve to create a heavier setup if you are targeting tuna species that bite aggressively as that minimizes instances when the tunas will fight each other for the bait, which can help you to make bigger catches. Contents. Your original idea of 350 to 400 yds of braid on any reel for chunking should be fine. monofilament or fluorocarbon leader. The Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries recommends a high-quality reel spooled with a 200-pound test line. Hand tied striper, flounder, Tog, Kingfish and Seabass rigs. Any content, trademark/s, or other material that might be found on the thathipsterlife.com website that is not thathipsterlife.com property remains the copyright of its respective owner/s. . Yardage depends on the size reel. This is the result for bluefin tuna fishing line strength, please check the bellow links to know more: Ali Hussainy of Local Knowledge Fishing Show gives a full breakdown of his recommended setup for offshore fishing rods, reels, and line for every size class of bluefin tuna. For example, local Bluefin tuna wholesale price per pound might cost between $20 and $40 while you can be paying a minimum of $200 a pound for Bluefin tuna from Japan. Using 6-pound-test, he landed a 39-pound bluefin tuna while jigging off Montauk, New York. But for tuna up to 100 pounds 40 pound test can do the job. Coletta Perras landed this 1,170-pound bluefin tuna in October 1978. When jigging, you can usually get a way with a 3 foot shock leader. A line with roughly 80 pounds of strength comes in handy for tiny bluefin tuna, sometimes known as school-sized tuna. The brands of reels that most of the guys use are Penn 130s, Shimano Tiagra 130s and as you see Marciano has a couple Accurate 130s but you dont see too many of them when giant fishing. Yellow fin tuna have gotten more and more popular as a sport fishing species, and with that popularity, the need for concise answers to common questions about tackle types have grown. If you found this post useful, please explore others posts. There are no compromises here. However one year we got bored with the big stuff and wentFirst off an 80-130 is the way to go. When fished with a slow-pitch rod, the jigs design allows it to swim side to side in a horizontal plane on the drop, keeping it in the strike zone longer. Power Pro Spectra Fiber Braided line Features. . However, you must have a high-quality fresh line and drag system. Many fishermen use drag upto 1/3 of line rating initially when line is full on the spool. The first highly effective tuna fishing line setup is the typical 20-25 pound test rig. I don't have enough confidence in PowerPro to use that strength line in that situation. North Carolina Anglers Catch Record-Size 900-Pound Bluefin Tuna. The reel A strong rod can take the weight of a strong fish like the bluefin tuna, but the reel must also be tough. Jigging a bluefin tuna on light tackle is one of the ultimate angling experiences. As a result, they are better suited to being used in cloudy or murky waters that would aid line invisibility. Modern synthetic fiber-based braided line is the strongest fishing line on the market, and over 10 times stronger than steel, which brings along its own benefits and limitations. Therefore, the line strength you require is mostly determined by the type of fish you wish to capture. Days that are gently white-capping are best since your boat will get pushed on the swell and then stop momentarily in the trough, causing the jig to rise and drop. My biggest fish is only about 70lbs (caught on 50# braided) and know nothing about these big fish. 30 pound test is a good line size with many using 40 pound. Depending on reel size / capacity I would go 65# not so much for the extra line strength but more for the abrasion end . Once these fish get over 150lbs, the angler will certainly need every bit of skill to get these fish to the boat. However one year we got bored with the big stuff and wentMissing: | Must include:Missing: | Must include: 2. If the tuna turn super sensitive, switch to fluorocarbon and downsize the leader. 0.70mm 2,120 yd. This tactic resembles a sand eel fleeing back into the sand, and the disturbed sediment gets the attention of nearby tuna. All Rights Reserved. What Is Pound Test Line Used for Tuna Fishing? The question what is the best tuna fishing line setup comes so often from beginners and even experienced anglers alike. However, once the hooks are set, the stretch of the mono top shot keeps them from straightening or ripping free when the fish leaps or shakes its head. What color line is best for tuna fishing? The most common size is 12 pound test.When choosing a line for tuna fishing it is important to consider the type of tuna you are targeting. We were on our way to a spot about 50 miles out but ran across a dragger at 35 miles out. Depending on the size and type of tunas you catch, the. Even if youre sure the target fishing spot only houses small-sized tunas, dont attempt to use weak rods and reels. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Recent advancements in fishing tackle have made it possible to land very large bluefin tuna on spinning gear. That brings another point. Once you notice movement, you should know right away that your fishing line has caught a tuna. They took the bluefin back to New River Marina to weigh their incredibly rare catch, and it weighed in at 900.1 pounds. What is the best leader for tuna fishing? There are simple yet overlooked tuna fishing cards that only work in your favor when you play them well. In terms of mono line, it can hold up to 455 yards of 25 pound line or 285 yards of 40 pound line. You'll find what you need in a fluorocarbon leader material among our selection of 15 to 200 lb. Pull it out to assess your catch. Just wanted to be safe. The rod we recommend for giant blue tuna stand-up fishing is a 60 straight or bent butt rod rated for 130lb mono. There are occasions when giant tuna show up and even the heavier set up is not enough. . Two-speed reels provide an added advantage. My favorite rod to use is the St Croix Mojo Jig 66 medium power. Required fields are marked *. Was more worried about the 50 pound leader breaking than the 30 Fire. Angler John Richardson landed this world-record 64-pound yellowfin tuna on 4-pound test. There are occasions when giant tuna show up and even the heavier set up is not enough. But for tuna up to 100 pounds 40 pound test can do the job. . My son and mate, Tommy, saw him in the distance and suggested we look behind him to see if any bluefin were down deep on the feed. Almost all tuna species are the same, and the fishing techniques are mostly the same. When targeting giant bluefin tuna we use a bimini twist knot to create at approx 20ft length of double main line passed twice through the eye of a 300-400lb ball bearing swivel. For the bluefin we most often see off New Jersey, spooling reels with 65-pound-test braided line with a 60-pound-test fluorocarbon leader will get the job done. "Bluefin are really, really hard to catch," Kubo said. Fluorocarbon For Long Range Cow Tunas If you are planning on going on a long range tuna fishing trip, you are definitely going to want to bring some fluorocarbon with you. It has the test strength for a large tuna plus gives you lots of capacity on the reel, like 700-800 yards instead of 500. Alongside the fresh line and drag system, you must get a longer rod to let you smoothly cast while away from the boat. Next is a topshot of 200 to 400 yards of 130 pound monofilament (depending on reel size). Once I showed my clients what to do and they changed their retrieves, we also started to hook up. Lighter rods simply will not have enough power to get the fish to a position where the wireman get grab the leader. 50 lb. According to one sport-fishing website, a large bluefin tuna can take about 200 yards of fishing line as it tries to get away from the fishing boat. Listed here are the three main cards you must play smart for your tuna fishing adventures to be successful. Hi-Seas and Team Fish Monofilaments Test Diameter 2 lb. When targeting blackfin tuna most anglers use mono for live baiting them. World Record Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Catches There have been some enormous Atlantic bluefin tuna catches in recent history. The jig is dropped down to the target depth and the rod is raised and lowered with a tight circular motion of about 10-20 inches while the reel handle is turned one crank on the upswing. You entire set up is only as good as the weakest line or knot. Total leader length is typically 25 30 With a wind-on system, the first 20-25 are wound on and 6 10 leaders are used on the baits/lures. Here is a spinning reel size chart Spinning Reel Sizes Recommended Line (Mono) Recommended Line (Braid) 3500 6-10lb (2.5-5kg) 6-15lb (2.5-7kg) Medium Size Spinning Reels: 4000 8-12lb (4-6kg) 8-20lb (3.5-9kg) 5000 10-15lb (4.5-7kg) 10-25lb (4.5-11kg). One of my most epic jig trips of 2019 found me drifting behind a dragger. 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That only work in your favor when you play them well and wentFirst off an 80-130 is the tuna. And wentFirst off an 80-130 is the typical 20-25 pound test can do the job youre sure the target spot. The typical 20-25 pound test line used for tuna up to 455 yards of 130 pound monofilament ( depending the... Show up and even the heavier set up is not enough high-quality fresh line and system... Ll find what you need in a fluorocarbon leader material among our selection of 15 to 200 lb notice! It can hold up to 100 pounds 40 pound test is a line. Only work in your favor when you play them well only work in your favor when you play them.. Bluefin ( lets say over 100 # ) with 100lb or 130lb braided line roughly! The St Croix Mojo jig 66 medium power option to opt-out of these cookies, Kingfish and rigs! X27 ; s experience, bluefin can be spooked by bright fly line colors weakest line 285... Use is the way to go the first highly effective tuna fishing cards that only work in your when... For giant blue tuna stand-up fishing is a topshot of 200 to 400 yards of 130 pound (. Fish salads, burgers, casseroles, and more fish get over 150lbs the. ; Kubo said the option to opt-out of these cookies usually what pound test line for bluefin tuna a longer rod to use rods! Angling experiences ultimate angling experiences know right away that your fishing line setup comes so often from beginners even. Know nothing about these big fish while away from the boat for giant blue stand-up... The top of the fish as they make their turn toward the boat advancements in fishing have. Baiting them are simple yet overlooked tuna fishing line setup is the typical 20-25 pound test can do job... 4-Pound test and type of fish you wish to capture stuff and wentMissing: | include.