Catch Bluefin Tuna with Flying Fish

Pacific bluefin tuna have surged in numbers off Southern California within the final decade, opening up phenomenal angling alternatives. Although most fish weigh below 100 kilos, some exceed 200 and even 300 kilos. That is certain to ship hordes of anglers seaward desperate to catch their share utilizing a variety of methods, from night-fishing with steel jigs to trolling with kites and plastic flying-fish lures.

“You by no means know what it’s going to take to entice a Pacific bluefin; it modifications yr to yr, all through a season, and even all through a single day,” says Greg Stotesbury, of AFTCO in Santa Ana, California.

But Stotesbury and his brother Michael know greater than most in the case of catching Pacific bluefins. Fishing aboard their 33-foot Owens Brigantine Flying Fish, they landed quite a few large tuna over the previous few seasons. We’re speaking fish weighing 200 kilos, and even into the 300-pound-plus vary.

Evolving Bluefin Tuna Fishing Methods

The Stotesbury-team methods final yr are a far cry from these initially used when bluefins first appeared off Southern California round 2013. “Our bluefin tuna methods have advanced,” Stotesbury says. “We began off running-and-gunning, to solid poppers or reside mackerel to them. Now we hardly ever try this.”

That’s to not say that running-and-gunning and kite-trolling gained’t catch fish. However with new methods targeted on sudden fishing areas, these two are catching extra and bigger bluefin tuna than ever earlier than.

The waters round San Clemente Island, ­roughly 50 miles from the mainland, have been among the many best for bluefins over the previous few seasons. The faculties of tuna appear to settle right here throughout summer season and fall, roaming ­close by seamounts, trenches and ledges, equivalent to Emery Knoll (aka Mackerel Financial institution), the 289 Financial institution and San Clemente Canyon, in depths from 2,000 to 4,500 ft.

Nonetheless, the waters nearer to the island in 300 to 600 ft have a tendency to provide a few of the largest tuna. “The larger fish have a tendency to hold tight to the island,” Stotesbury says.

Whereas the possibilities of hooking up improves in these depths, it’s on the peril of dropping a hooked fish because it sounds and snags the road on rocks, deep coral or kelp. California sea lions additionally pose a difficulty when baitfishing near the island, usually nipping at or tearing unfastened bait slow-trolled or drifted for bluefin tuna. “Sea lions could be a large nuisance when fishing near the island,” Stotesbury factors out. “However we put up with it for an opportunity to hook a giant fish.”

Dwell Flying Fish Baits for Tuna

Stotesbury and his ­brother developed a tactic of ­utilizing reside flying fish to bait Pacific bluefin tuna. “We’ve discovered they’ll eat a reside, ­domestically caught flying fish when nothing else works,” Stotesbury says. “9 of the 11 fish over 200 kilos we caught with reside flying fish.”

Catching this winged bait is a time-consuming course of the night time earlier than going fishing. “It’s a nightmare bait-catching operation,” Stotesbury says. “However the payoff could be enormous.” As darkness descends, Flying Fish cruises the northeastern facet of San Clemente Island in 8- to 20-foot depths, utilizing two high-powered spotlights to find flyers on the floor.

As soon as a flying fish is noticed, the crew retains the lights on it whereas the boat idles nearer. With luck, the fish falls right into a deer-in-the-­headlights trance lengthy sufficient for the crew to scoop it up with a internet with a 12-foot deal with, a 3-foot hoop and lightweight nylon mesh. The flyer then goes into the livewell, the place it lives wherever from eight to 12 hours. “If a bait dies, we take away it and put it on ice to make use of as a rigged bait later,” he explains. The bigger flyers produce the most effective on bluefin tuna, Stotesbury has discovered.

Discover Bluefin Tuna

After catching bait, the crew searches for bluefins near the island, utilizing the fish finder to search for faculties of bait and the tuna themselves, usually discovering them on the southwest, climate facet of the island. “Wherever we discover shoals of anchovies, we regularly discover the bluefins,” Stotesbury says.

Usually, they fish three baits, one free-lined from every stern quarter, and one with a 1- to 2-ounce glow egg sinker (allowed to slip right down to the hook) within the center. They drop the baits again ­behind the boat no less than 200 ft, generally extra.

They bridle every bait by the attention socket with heavy rigging thread and an Proprietor 9/0 Tremendous Mutu circle hook. Stotesbury ­makes use of a 15-foot, 200-pound-test fluorocarbon wind-on chief. “These baits reside a very long time within the water while you bridle them,” he says. “They really do higher on the bridle than they do within the bait tank.”

As a result of the Flying Fish crew adheres to the angling guidelines of the Avalon Tuna Membership, they use Dacron primary line and generally old-school linen line for ­sure membership information. Nonetheless, a extra sensible alternative is 100- to 130-pound braid on a two-speed lever-drag reel matched to an ­all-roller, curved-butt rod rated for 100- to 250-pound braid.

On breezy days, they could drift-fish, bumping the engines to maintain the traces straight. On windless days, they slow-troll at dead-idle pace. The crew stands ­vigilant for strikes, additionally ­anticipating sea lions, sharks or birds. “If some other animal ­touches the bait, it’s ruined,” Stotesbury explains. “It ­injures the flying fish, and bluefin tuna gained’t eat it.” They fish with the reel in gear. The bluefins normally inhale a bait, so there’s little purpose to present them any line. The circle hook units itself.

What if You Don’t Have Dwell Flying Fish for Bait?

When flying fish are scarce, they rig a lifeless one in order that the wings flare, after which fish it from a kite. Whereas some anglers staple wood stir sticks on prime of the wings to maintain them prolonged, Stotesbury attaches a chunk of sunshine wire to the bottom of 1 wing, and runs the wire by the attention socket and again to the bottom of the alternative wing. He then tightens the wire and secures it with a twist to maintain the wings flared.

Bridling the bait on the stability level by the again helps make sure that the flyer stays parallel to the floor. They use the identical deal with as when fishing with reside flying fish, aside from ­tying in a swivel and including a 2-ounce weight above it, and so they fish just one bait at a time.

“You must thoughts the rod always,” Stotesbury says, “to maintain the bait pancaked on the floor.” If the bait sinks, the wings get broken as it’s pulled again to the floor. Whether or not fished alive or rigged lifeless, for the crew of Flying Fish, domestically caught flying fish have turn out to be the most well liked bait in one among ­at present’s greatest West Coast fisheries. In the event you’re seeking to ­tangle with a robust Pacific ­bluefin tuna, put out a winged bait and prepare for motion.

Rig a Flying Fish

Dwell flyers are trolled or drifted with a 9/0 circle hook bridled by the attention sockets, and a 1- to 2-ounce glow egg sinker in entrance. Lifeless flying fish are fished from a kite, with the hook bridled on the again, behind the wings, and wire by the attention sockets and affixed to the main backbone on each pectoral fins to maintain the wings flared for a lifelike look.

Planning a California Bluefin Tuna Journey