Salt Armor Blog

In this issue, we will cover How to Fish Tuna and three of the most common methods of fishing this extremely agile and fast fish. First there are a few key points that a fisherman must know in order to increase their chances of successfully catching Tuna. One of the more important characteristics of Tuna is their diet. Depending on the region, Tuna generally feed on mackerel, silversides, goggle eye, herring, cod, sardines, and even squid. Another important characteristic fishermen must know is the depths at which Tuna typically swim. Tuna are pelagic fish meaning they spend the majority of their lives between fifty (50) and two hundred (200) meters in depth, or one hundred sixty four (164) and six hundred fifty six (656) feet, although some species can be caught in and around four hundred fifty seven (457) meters, or fifteen hundred (1,500) feet. Tuna are also known to travel in schools that can range from less then ten (10), to over fifty (50) fish.

The first and most common method of catching Tuna in the Southeast region of the United States is Trolling. When trolling for Tuna you can either use a manufactured lure, or bait, which is more popular amongst avid fishermen. Tuna are attracted to what is known as surface action, thanks to their great eyesight. This means using a lure or bait that is reflective, or creates a nice bubble trail will increase the chances of landing one. Squid, ballyhoo, or any of the fish Tuna typically eat are preferable when trolling. A good speed for trolling is generally around five (5) knots. While trolling, you will want to pay attention to the depth you are in as well as clues, such as flocks of frigates or other types of birds focused in a specific area. If you spot action, steer the lines into the school and get ready for a bite.

The second most common method for fishing Tuna is known as Chunking, or Chumming. Chumming is when either cube cuts or bags of fish such as mackerel, goggle eye, silversides, bonita, squid, or a combination of those are thrown off the side of the boat as it drifts with the engines shut off. This is a cost effective method because once you reach the desired depth, the motors will be off and the boat will simply drift with the current. When chumming you will want to have as many lines in the water as you can according to your skill, have them set at different depths, and also in the chum trail. If done correctly, the Tuna will mistake your bait for another piece of chum and you will have a fish on the line.

The third method of fishing Tuna is Kite Fishing.  Kite fishing is typically used for other types of sport fish, mainly billfish, but can also be used for catching Tuna. The setup is the same as that for catching billfish but the same attention must be used in choosing the depth and location, as well as the clues we previously mentioned. Kite fishing for Tuna is usually a hit or miss, and also not as cost effective because the motors must be constantly ran, as well as the level of skill and experience needed to properly kite fish.

Tuna are some of the most exciting fish in the ocean to hunt with their ability to swim at speeds up to forty (40) miles per hour and endurance. We hope this issue of How to Fish: Tuna helps you land a massive fish!

And remember, you can submit pictures of your catch by emailing a short story and your best shot to:

info@saltarmor.com

for a chance to be featured in our Customer Catch

for more info on How to fish Tuna, check out http://howtofishtuna.com/