Tuna-Tastic!

Yellowfin Tuna are probably my favorite fish to eat. Yeah I know I say that about a lot of fish, I am a huge fan of many fish species, but Yellowfin is by far one of the best. We have caught them occasionally trolling for billfish but have also gone on trips to floating rigs just to target them. We usually have to travel pretty far offshore to get to the yellowfin. When fishing out of Port Aransas we have to go to rigs 135 plus miles offshore. The tuna move around so sometimes you can plan on fishing for them and they don’t show up. It’s happened to us a few times and is very disappointing! They don’t call it fishing for nothing, wouldn’t be as fun if it was catching every time. In my opinion the anticipation and not knowing is part of the fun experience, in both hunting and fishing.

–

We start the tuna fishing by jigging up bait. Once we get some bait species caught we use them for chum. Once you get a good chum line going and switch on the underwater lights, the yellowfin are almost sure to show up shortly after.

–

I have caught yellowfin on both bait and jigs. One things for sure Yellowfin Tuna put up a great fight, especially on light tackle. They go straight down under the boat and you have to sometimes hang over the side of the boat while fighting them so you don’t get the line cut off under the boat. Yellowfin have darn good stamina…. Better have a good fast man on the gaff cause the first time you get them to the side of he boat usually isn’t the last time. They usually have several runs left in them. Got to gaff them fast or your fight is gonna be a long one.

–
I some day want to go to Venice, LA to fish for Tuna. I have been there before but it was shortly after the BP oil spill and most of the boats had left the port. I hear things are back to normal down there now. I need to plan a trip, Louisiana is to close for me not to go. Fishing Louisiana rigs and the delta of the Mississippi is defiantly on my fishing bucket list! Yellowfin tuna are a lean mean fighting machine! If you enjoy eating Tuna, try catching one and then eating it! It’s a great feeling…..I call the feeling Tuna-Tastic!