2024 draws to a close. This past season was exceptional for bluefin tuna lure fishing.
For six years now, I've been fishing this fish exclusively during the summer.
From July to the end of October, all my outings are dedicated to tracking down these giants of the sea, which can take us hundreds of miles to find.
The 2025 bluefin tuna fishing season is still several months away. Between now and then, we'll be using the time to prepare our equipment, fit new rods, and learn from last season's experience to make continuous progress.
Following birds flying in the same direction
The search for tuna can be complicated by the vastness of the areas involved. To make the task easier, information between anglers is often the key. Unfortunately, this is not always possible.
When I feel "lost" with no idea of where to go, I turn to the birds, who are, without doubt, our best allies. I've made it a habit, in these situations, to follow them when I see they're all heading in the same direction. This can be done over many miles, but once I've set off, I go all the way.
After this 2024 season, in which I applied this strategy on complicated days, I can see that the results often pay off. The risk, on the other hand, is to limit yourself to a few miles and not push any further. I've sometimes gone as far as 10 or 15 miles following them before finding a very active zone.
Stay close to tuna detections on depth sounder
Tuna are not active throughout the day. Periods of respite are common, which can sow doubt in the minds of anglers who continue to search for fish. The fishfinder is a very useful tool in the search, as it can locate schools of forage fish. Tuna are usually not far away.
On occasion, I've observed large shoals of bluefin tuna. Very dense, they group together dozens of individuals. These detections were just a few meters below the surface, but no hunting was visible.
In such cases, it has proved worthwhile to wait a few hundred meters, sometimes up to 30 minutes, before the hunt begins. These areas, identified by depth sounder, are not to be overlooked. Sooner or later, a hunt is bound to happen.
Position the boat in the middle of the hunt
The approach to hunts is a subject of much debate. Between those who favor a gentle approach and those who go straight for it. I belong to the second school in most cases. The choice depends on the fish's behaviour.
Obviously, if I'm dealing with rather wary fish that tend to porpoise on the surface, or chases that only last a few seconds before sounding, I'll have to adapt my approach. On the other hand, when the hunt is intense, in the form of a Jacuzzi as it's known in tuna fishing jargon, I don't hesitate to go straight into the hunt.
The reason for this is to allow fishing outside the hunt from the center. I've found that fish, once hooked, tend to move away from the hook. As a result, they generally leave the hunt, limiting the risk of being broken by another fish when the line grazes one of them.
Use a large-diameter leader
This is not a finesse fishery. To cope with fish that can exceed 250 kg, special equipment is required. The rod, reel, braid and leader are all oversized.
Speaking of leaders, I've made the mistake in the past of using too fine a diameter. Yes, on some difficult sessions, it surely helps to decide the most recalcitrant fish.
When I talk about small diameters, I'm talking about a leading shock in 120 or 100 lbs (40/100 mm). The disadvantage of this is the risk of breaking when lining the fish. The disadvantage of this is the risk of breaking when lining the fish, which involves gripping the leader so as to be able to control, unhook and release the fish in the right conditions.
During lining, tension is at its highest. The angler holds the leader firmly in his hand and the rod no longer absorbs any possible rushes from the tuna.
This stage comes after a fight, which can be more or less long, during which the shock leader is weakened by the fish's teeth. I've lost count of the number of fish broken during this stage.
Now, even with medium-sized fish, I use a much bigger leader, between 170 and 220 pounds.
As a result, I no longer have any problems with lineages, even with large fish. I haven't noticed any real reduction in the number of touches, even on difficult days.
