The Feed Popper from Tackle House
When you think of bluefin tuna lure fishing, the use of a surface lure immediately springs to mind. These fish have a habit of hunting on the surface, which makes fishing them very exciting.
The choice of surface lures and poppers is vast.
For several years now, tackle house's Feed Popper in sizes 150 mm or 175 has been one of the stand-out models.
Available in 2 versions, the classic and the DW version for Dinving Wobbler which allows the lure to pass under the water layer when pulled, it offers a wide range of colors.
Colors #7, #8 and #3 are my favorites.
I rig it with a 4/0 assist hook on the caudal side and a 4/0 triple BKK on the ventral side or with 2 assist hooks.
Its use can be complicated in heavy seas where it tends to stall and come out of the water. In such conditions, I prefer a heavier popper that sticks better to the sea.
Crazy Sand Eel by Fiiish
A must-have for all types of fishing, and bluefin tuna fishing is no exception. This 220 mm lure is THE soft lure I use most often.
I find it extremely effective when you need to go deeper for fish or when the hunt is very dense.
Indeed, in such conditions, a popper can go totally unnoticed as the water surface is so chaotic. A pink Crazy Sand Eel would tend to land in this mess.
Also effective on isolated fish hunting close to the surface. Taken back in a fast linear motion as soon as it hits the water, the bite will be violent.
I use the FIIISH X-Strong lead head in 70 or 100 grams. Equipped with a very strong iron hook, this is a trusty set to take on the biggest fish.
Illex Nitro Shad
Third and final lure in my personal selection, a shad. The Illex Nitro Shad is the one I use the most. This shad, in sizes 120 and 150 mm, corresponds to the size of prey hunted by bluefin tuna.
Its paddle allows you to retrieve it slowly while emitting strong vibrations. This animation is particularly popular with bluefin tuna, especially when they are not very active.
I mount them on Fiiish X-Strong lead heads or ready-to-fish models.
This lure is effective as a drag-caster or by letting it sink to a depth of several dozen metres before retrieving it in a continuous line through the layer of water.
This last option is suitable when fish are not active on the surface, but visible on the sonar. This is often the case after a hunt.
