Anyone like to guide a rookie to Tuna fishing?

steve_cronin

steve_cronin

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When a charterer came into Gaios last autumn with a fresh tuna I was envious but then delighted when he gave us two big steaks for the use of our filleting knife. Only having pulled a few trout out of the local fishery I'm aware that the right tackle & technique are vital. Then there's despatching the beastie which I understand is achieved by towing it backwards through the water.

Any experienced minor game fishermen out there?

Steve Cronin
 
Well, the method I was advised to use. And I have caught at least 1 Tuna every longish sail.
I have a spare (spinnaker) winch. Feed the line round the winch so you can wind the fish in with the handle. Then take the line forward to a pulley attached to the guardrail with a bit of tat. Use a bungee to keep the weight of the line (and hopefully fish) off the tat. Attach a flourescent pink or yellow plastic squid with a triple hook inside it and feed the line out to the required length. No extra weight needed.
Finally wind the line backwards round the winch for about 6 turns. Then, when the fish strikes it pulls for the six turns, you hear the winch as an alarm and the bungee damps the strike and stops the fish getting off. Simply wind the fish in.

Next bit is the tricky bit, clear the cockpit. I tried the tow backwards and it didnt seem to work, or maybe I was too impatient. I hang it upside down and put a sharp knife through its brain. I am told pouring alcohol in the gills works and I will try it this year.

Then scale and gut the fish, this is very messy so I hope you have a deck shower.
 
Advisory

Health Canada advises Canadians to limit consumption of shark, swordfish and fresh and frozen tuna, to one meal per week. Pregnant women, women of child-bearing age and young children should eat no more than one meal per month.




www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/media/ advisories-avis/2001/2001_60_e.html - 20k -
 
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I am told pouring alcohol in the gills works

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It does... We keep a bottle of something un-drinkable called CSR (cane spirit from St Kitts) and use that.
 
I 've caught the odd tuna or two and I'd agree with most of what is said above. Alcohol in the gills definitely works, plastics squids work we found black, pink and lime green the most effective colours, bungee I've never tried but have been told by others that it works.

Two additional points, I've caught most of my fish at dawn to dawn + 1 or 2 and dusk -1 to dusk. And when you've caught and killed your fish, cut its tail off to drain the blood out of the fish otherwise the steaks can taste of iron. I'd advise doing this outside of the cockpit and hanging the fish above the water line unless you want a Jaws expereince. Seriously, it is worth being a bit careful as you will be creating a chum trail.
 
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I've caught most of my fish at dawn to dawn + 1 or 2 and dusk -1 to dusk.

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Just logged on to add the same to my post, every one I have caught has been at dawn or dusk.
 
I knew I must be doing something wrong in 8 or 9 years in Greece I caught TWO and they were hardly your Tuna class , more like Sticklebacks.
I shall heed your advice and start hauling `em in!!
 
Agree with most of this.

When are you most likely to catch a fish? Whenever it is most inconvenient. Usually during a gybe, a sail change or a meal - or whenever you already have too much food.

What do you catch? Dorado/Dolphin fish in warmer waters. A beautiful irridescent green and much nicer than Tuna. We have thrown Tuna back in th hope of a dorado.

What do you use as bait? The little squid things are called "Muppets"

What do you kill them with? Alcohol in the gills - takes an instant - no mess.
 
I can thoroughly recommend the book, Fishing for Cruisers by Scott and Wendy Banneron. Its a weighty tome but since folowing its advice we catch a fish nearly every time we put a line over the back of the boat. Inthe last few weeks we have had, jACK, YELLOWFIN TUNA,WAHOO,KINGFISH AND THRESHER SHARK! Bit scary that one, far too many teeth in the cockpit but boy did it make good sushi. We rely on catching fish out in the islands and this book has certainly changed our catch rate enormously.
 
Personally I prefer to use a stout boat rod and small lures as the last thing I want is a beautiful 5-6ft tuna that I have to kill for a couple of kilos of his meat.

I have a 5' stand-up boat rod, cheap multiplier reel 40lb line, short 40lb wire trace and a selection of ordinary hard plastic plugs as used for pike etc. Some diving plugs, some surface poppers - none over 4 inches in length.

Wedge butt of rod in a cleat or similar, use sail tie with quick release knot to secure the rod to the pushpit and pay out about 5 - 6 boat lengths of line. set clutch to slip on a light pull and wait for the music! My boat does 5 - 7 kts and that seems ideal, motor does not seem to put them off.

Best performer last year in Med around Rhodos was an unjointed 4 inch yellow floating pike plug. 1 Tuna, one Dorado and one Swordfish (well, flat-billed fish) all of 3-4 KG or so, perfect for a small boat crew. Previous year a 4 inch silver surface popper did the business. never had one in Med on a deep lure.

Agree big plastic squid gets the big fells, but why? You can only eat a tiny part of it...

Boathook works OK ish as a gaff, (or buy a boathook with screw on fittings and get a gaff end too) have gardening gloves ready if you pull him in with the line itself. Winch handle make a good priest.

So, anchor, swim ashore for some fresh herbs, gut, head and tail the fish and wrap in foil with herbs, lemon rind and a splash of white wine. bakes in 20 minutes, delicious hot or cold!

Oh, and use head tied (wired) to a big treble over the transom at anchor incase a big Barracuda comes by...
 
I looked for this on Amazon. In case anyone else is struggling I think the author is Bannerot and this
must be the book. Looks good.
 
The ones I have caught are more like 3 feet max. A tuna or close relative. You usually get a dozen or so steaks out of it which we put in the fridge and either eat or give to somebody else who will eat it. I have not had to throw any away yet.
I would dread to think how I would land a 6' tuna never mind eat one.
 
Excellent Thanks guys & gals

i'm going to print these off and bind them into "Rookie's Guide to Tuna Fishing"

Thanks again

Steve Cronin
 
Hand line, big elastic band attached to line, slack and then tied to cleat.

When fish gets hooked band snaps and you can see you've got a fish, or we also used the line wrapped wrong way round a big genoa winch, when fish gets hooked the winch provides resistance but spins wich wakes you up, even if you're down below, and tied off of course.

Killing just a quick cut across the back of the neck, holding it securely by the bone between the gills.

Muppets wire trace and doing 6-8 knots with it jumping out of the water worked for us.
 
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