The highs and lows of tuna fishing are like no other. But targeting these fish on spinning gear presents its own challenges and rewards. With the goal of casting to tuna, we steamed east on a slick calm July morning in search of any signs that would point us towards hooking up on a bluefin.
Mid-July tends to present some great opportunities to cast to bluefin tuna off of Cape Cod. Your best bet for finding tuna offshore is to locate the life. Birds, whales and bait are all great indicators that there are fish in the area. When fish aren’t showing on the surface, the “kerplunk” method is a great way to see if there are fish underneath sitting birds and bait. A Hogy Harness Jig dropped into the middle of a group of birds is your best bet.
Surface cruising schools of fish present their own challenges. Cast placement is everything and having the right presentation, in this case the Charter Grade Slider, is key to enticing a hit.
Gear List:
Rod: Shimano Terez 7′ Heavy
Reel: Shimano Stella 18k
Line: 100lb Hollow Core Braid
Leader: 100lb Wind-On Fluoro Leader
Lure: Hogy Lures 6oz Harness Jig & 6oz Charter Grade Slider
TIPS:
1. If you have high power radar, you can use it to find birds. Most units today have “bird mode” but if yours doesn’t, you can tune yours by turning the gain all the way up and removing the clutter.
2. Look for “Funky Water”. This may include nervous water, boils or even rip lines that may pen bait fish, making them vulnerable to tuna.
3. Heavier plugs like the 6oz Charter Grade Slider have a faster sink rate. This will help minimize a bird hookup and maximize a tuna hookup.
