An Introductory Guide to Catching Tuna

27 Apr 2023

A full body shot of tuna caught by fishermen.

Tuna is one of the most common and widely found oily fish species in the world’s oceans. The various types of tuna will be found in different climatic conditions, these oceans ranging from relatively cold freezing water to quite warm water conditions. You can almost guarantee there will be one type of tuna species swimming in your local waters.

If you’re planning to catch a tuna to bring it home to make a sumptuous meal out of it or to sell it in fish markets, you’re going to need a big boat to store your mighty catch. You need the best fishing boats such as Quintrex boats, Bonito boats, or Polycraft boats to help you do the job of catching them. And what better boat to choose than the quality range of Quintrex boats? You can choose a variety of their boats that are best for offshore fishing such as the Quintrex Trident or Territory Legend.

If you’re ready to catch these monsters, this article will guide you on the common ways to find and catch tuna and where to find them lurking.

A Tuna’s Habitat

All species of tuna can be found all over the world. Bluefin tuna is abundant around the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. Skipjacks and yellowfins are usually found in tropical waters while albacore can be found in temperate waters. Bluefins, particularly, are highly migratory and can even embark on a journey over 8,000 km. They can be found in depths of up to 500 metres underwater.

Signs to Look Out for When Catching Tuna

Let’s look at how to find tuna. If you’re in luck, you might see birds diving into the water where there are large schools of fish swimming around. So, the first clue in how to catch tuna is to keep a lookout for diving birds which are natural predators of most tuna. The second clue in how to catch tuna is to look out for patches of ruffled water on a calm day. The ruffled water is a good telltale sign that there are schools of tuna swimming near the surface. You can also look out for debris, current lines, and essentially anything that is out of the ordinary. Subtle clues can at times point to hundreds and even thousands of fish. Once found, the fun begins.

Ways How to Catch This Majestic Fish

  • Trolling

Trolling is one of the most effective methods of fishing to catch tuna. To put it simply, trolling is a fishing technique that works by dragging a hooked lure or bait through the water behind a moving fishing boat. Anglers often place multiple lines in the water with lures and bait placed at their hooks. This is done to trick the fish into thinking that these baits are moving prey.

  • Casting and Cubing

This technique is great for those who enjoy casting lures at the schools of tuna, which is another great way of catching them. Cubing is another way of luring the tuna to your boat. This involves cutting small cubes of pilchards or bait and dropping them overboard piece by piece, not to feed them, but to draw them closer to the boat. You can watch them flying past, picking the cubes you are dropping in. The next step is to drop in cubes attached to a hook and line and then free the spool.

  • Live Bait Tuna Fishing

This is one of the best ways to catch a large tuna fish, using a small live fish that remains alive with a hook bridal rig. The first step in live-baiting tuna is to catch your live bait. This is easy with a string of small hooks and a little bait on the end. The skill is keeping them alive until you get to the big fish fishing grounds. One of the best ways to keep them alive is to store them in a bait tank. This is a tank of water with an air ration pump to provide oxygen to these critters. Remember that too little or too much air in the water can kill the fish so check the oxygen levels in your tank first.

  • Jigging

If you want some challenge and by that challenge means getting your upper body work out extensively, then jig fishing is your type of fishing. So, what is jigging? Jigging is when you have a weight and hook and you jiggle it around, moving it about quickly up and down, from side to side in a jerking motion. You need a lot of energy to do this type of tuna fishing. It’s only recommended to do it after you find the tuna and when they are running deep.

 

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