If you eat tuna, then chances are you’ve already sampled this delicious variety of the popular fish. While blue fin tuna are also popular, yellow fin tuna are by far the most commonly caught variety and the one that is commonly used in commercial foods. While you may not have the same equipment as a commercial fisherman, that doesn’t mean that you can’t go out and catch your own Yellow Fin tuna. With the right gear and the right techniques, you can sample a fresh caught tuna and see just how delicious this fish can be.
To get started, you’re going to need to make sure that you have the proper equipment. This is a very large fish with a lot of fight and your standard rod and reel will not cut it. You’re going to need to need at least a 50 pound class trolling reel at your disposal, and a line that can stand up to this fish. Most weigh north of fifty pounds, with fully mature fish getting close to 150 pounds, so keep this in mind when you are shopping for your gear.
The right kind of line is also vital for catching a yellow fin tuna. They can be pretty fierce, and they are usually found only in very deep water. We recommend using a 50 pound test line, especially for deep water fishing. It is not uncommon to have to go to a depth of 600 feet to catch a Yellow Fin tuna, so you’ll want to make sure that your line can stand up to this kind of struggle and depth.
The hook is also key to successfully landing a Yellow Fin tuna. This fish has a very large mouth and they are very adept at slipping hooks. Go for the biggest hooks you can find, usually in the range of a Number 10. It should be at least three inches long, and preferably, a little bit longer than that.
For bait, your options are pretty open here. A Yellow Fin tuna will bite on dead or live bait, but we have found that live bait works pretty well. Go for larger chunks of bait to ensure that they will catch the hook. Otherwise, they can bleed you dry pretty quickly. This is a smart fish, so you’ll need to be pretty wily in your own right to get one.
Squid works very well for catching Yellow Fin tuna, and is pretty easy to find. If all else fails, you can use smaller fish as bait, such as mackerels. You may need to check for any restrictions on using this type of live bait before you get started. Some areas will not allow live baiting, while others do not care.
To find your Yellow Fin tuna, look for large disturbances in the water. They like to travel in big groups and it is not uncommon for them to make quite a bit of noise, which attracts sea birds and other creatures. Spotting them is not terribly difficult but these tips will make catching one a lot less difficult.
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Originally posted 2008-08-18 05:00:02. Republished by Old Post Promoter
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