Run a center flat line 50 to 60 feet off the transom. This forms a triangle of bait close to the boat. Set the short rigger lines at 75 and 100 feet respectfully with long riggers 150 and 200 feet. The shotgun rig is run back 250 to 300.
What is the best speed to troll for tuna?
A trolling speed of 8 knots is fairly standard for many crews using skirts and hard bodied divers. Lure placement in your spread is something to master and will make your time on the water both more enjoyable and productive.
What lure is best for trolling?
Each of these has very good results overall, but skirted trolling lures are the most commonly used.
- Eat My Tackle Bullet Head Fishing Lure.
- MagBay High-Speed Wahoo Lures.
- Nomad Design DTX Minnow.
- Rapala X-Rap Magnum Fishing Lures.
- Luhr-Jensen Ford Fender Lake Trolls.
- Hot Spot Apex Salmon Killer.
- Rapala Down Deep Husky Jerk.
How much leader does a tuna troll need?
150- to 250-pound
Follow the Leader
When fishing for mahi with light spinning tackle, a 3-foot section of 30-pound fluorocarbon will suffice, but when trolling for tuna, 150- to 250-pound leader is more common.
How far behind the boat should I troll?
20 feet to 150 feet
Bait Position and Distance Behind Boat
Proper distance for most boats will be anywhere from 20 feet to 150 feet behind your boat. Whether you have inboard diesel or outboard gas engines, your power dictates the distance you troll your baits and lures.
How long should a trolling tuna leader be?
RE: Leader lengths for tuna
I generally make the leaders on my trolling rigs 10 feet long. For chunking smaller (under 200 lbs) tuna, a 6 foot leader will suffice. For larger (or giant) tuna, one generally uses a 10-15 foot leader. When jigging, you can usually get a way with a 3 foot shock leader.
How far behind the boat can you troll tuna?
SHORT TROLLING DISTANCE
The important feature is to keep the line pressure as low as possible by trolling CD Magnums very close to the Boat. Twenty to 25 meters is almost too much if you want to troll fast. For small bluefin tuna we usually run six CD Magnums behind the boat at an average speed of eight knots.
How much line should you let out when trolling?
Let out 50 feet of line and clip into the release. If that’s not enough distance to prevent your lake’s wary walleyes from seeing the ball…then let out 150 feet of line! Just remember, the flat-line diving depth of your crankbait still applies behind the ball!
What is the best bait for tuna?
Some of the most common live baits used when tuna fishing in the gulf are threadfin herring, menhaden/pogies, blue runners/hardtails, and mullet. When choosing a live bait for tuna fishing, you want to “match the hatch.” Whatever the tuna are feeding on that time of year is the type of live bait you want to use.
How far out do you catch tuna?
You don’t have to travel very far to catch them – your fishing charter will take you about 50 miles offshore you will find schools of them swimming there, but if you want an even bigger catch you can travel about 75 miles offshore because this is where the real winners are to be found.
What pound test line is used for tuna fishing?
30 pound test is a good line size with many using 40 pound. There are occasions when giant tuna show up and even the heavier set up is not enough. But for tuna up to 100 pounds 40 pound test can do the job. With this second set up you will want a stouter rod and greater line capacity.
What depth do you fish for tuna?
Adult tunas usually live at 100-400 meters below the surface, although the exact depth varies across different individuals and species. In general, tunas spend the daytime in deeper waters than at night. They also often go down into the deepest water in search of prey.
Can you troll with swimbaits?
Swimbaits are ideal out over deeper water in 8 to 10 feet or more, and can be slowly dragged or trolled behind the boat, which can be deadly for reaching fish in 25 feet.
What size hooks for tuna?
Two hook types used to catch bluefin tuna: Mustad circle hooks (left) sizes 11/0 (top) and 12/0 (bottom) and Mustad # 9174 straight hooks (right) sizes 6/0 (top) and 7/0 (bottom).
What size hook should I use for tuna?
The yellowfin tuna hooks used range from 6/0 up to 10/0, depending on the size of fish around and the bait size being used. The Mustad 39950 gets used a great deal. With bigger fish over 100 lbs, crews will use 7/0-10/0. For smaller fish under 100 lbs, 6/0 and 7/0 are utilized.
Can you troll for tuna with braid?
Guessing it’s different lines for different applications, but for the most part do you tuna guys use mono or braided line? For trolling, it really does not seem to matter. If your reels are low capacity, use braid, you can get more yards on the spool. If you have large capacity reels use whatever you like.
What speed should you troll at?
The best trolling speed depends on several factors including the type of fish, water conditions and lure choice. In general, trolling speeds between 1.5 and 2.5 mph, as measured by GPS, are a good starting place for most species like walleye, trout and salmon.
Do you troll with the tide or against?
Most species can be caught by trolling both with the tide and against it. However, trolling upcurrent has worked better for me, probably because it gives me better control over the boat and the lure. Also, most fish face into the current.
Is it better to troll with the current or against it?
Wanting to mimic nature, the best presentation results from trolling Against the current. The ‘With the current’ crowd say all you need to do is look at what works when stream-fishing for salmon. You float a lure down the current to give the fish a long look — he’ll do a quick turn and grab as the bait floats by.
Should leaders be heavier than Main Line?
What Weight of Leader Line to use? First and foremost, the rule is to use a leader line weight less than (weaker) the mainline. For example, if your using a 15# monofilament mainline, you’ll likely need a
What kind of rod do you use for tuna fishing?
“When fishing big tuna in the Gulf of Mexico out of a center-console, a shorter rod from 5 feet, 6 inches to 6 feet is perfect,” says Gant. “You get enough length to clear the outboards, and the shorter rod really lends itself to pulling with maximum force on a fish stand-up style.”
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