Fishing Forum

Yep, 2.8MPH. We troll 7MPH+ for tuna:



Thread detached because it went off topic of the original thread.
[signature]

Looks like a lot of fun on the bay nice job. So where do you fish for the tuna? Off Oregon? I've been wanting to go try a charter for them. I don't know if I'd dare try trailering my boat that far or even dare try fishing the ocean that is really cool that you do that. It would sure open a whole new world to me. I'd like to hear about those adventures and what it takes to plan something like that. Thanks for the story it was a great report. Later J
[signature]

do some tuna fishing my self planning a trip in sept out of san diego its fun times.
[signature]

I fish tuna out of La Push, Washington. There are lots of charters out of Oregon and Washington. Top Notch Charters out of La Push does tuna trips at a rate of $360/day.:

http://www.forks-web.com/jim/salt.htm

Nalu Charters does tuna trips for about the same:

http://www.nalucharters.com/

There is a forum for crazy tuna fishermen out of Oregon and Washington. You can learn a lot about tuna fishing there:

http://www.ifish.net/board/forumdisplay.php?f=28

Tuna fishing is like nothing else. There is a fair amount to know, but gearing up can be done cheaply. Feel free to contact me for more info.
[signature]

Thanks for the info I've been kicking around a trip to Depoe Bay Oregon for a charter run. They just started catching them this week up there I just need to find enough free time and extra cash to make it happen. If I love it another year I may try to look you up and learn more about a do it yourself trip. Thanks for firing up the dream machine. Later J
[signature]

They caught the first tuna off Oregon 3 weeks ago. On the 4th of July, one boat put 56 tuna on the deck out of Westport.

Sorry but links to competing forums are not allowed.
WH2

If you want to fish out of Depoe, I'd recommend Nalu Charters. I haven't met Mike in person, just know him from ifish. But he provides high quality gear and does everything right. You'll learn a lot and have a blast.

Good luck, but beware. You'll find a way to do it over and over.
[signature]

Thanks for the tips and I'm sure you are probably right on the warning they sound like a total blast to catch. What do you use for line when you do it yourself? I hear they hit like a bullet train at 200 mph. I got a spinning rig set up for Alaska Kings with 80 lb braid would that rig be strong enough? I just like to use lighter tackle than the winches most charters set you up with. Thanks again for the info I have been interested but not knowing a good places to learn more. Later J
[signature]

People use all kinds of gear for tuna. Generally, you run out to warm, blue water, looks for signs of life, drop you gear and troll. Troll gear can be most anything, generally trolling reels from Penn Senator 4/0s as a minimum on troll rods to heavier gear. I like heavier gear, 6/0 Senators and up. I have gone to Daiwa SLT 50 Wides, which are spooled with 60# Trilene Big Game.

After you hook up on the troll, you can stop the boat and throw plastic baits or use live bait. You could use your spinning gear then, so long as your drag is good. Personally, I prefer mono for tuna. You cannot mix braid and mono in your trolling spread. Braid will cut your mono, and tying mono topshots onto braid is a PITA. Braid will also cut you more than mono, and offers no advantage for trolling.

This photo shows my swimbait rigs. I rebuilt some 30+ year old Penn Squidders, installing the HT100 drag washers, which are carbon fiber. They cast really well with 25# mono. The rod is a Calstar WC270.:



The trolling reels you see are Daiwa SLD 30s and the gold SLT 50Ws, with a Penn 6/0 Senator in the middle. I now run all 50Ws, all rods are Calstar.:



There is a lot to learn about tuna, surface sea temperature and chlorophyll data, etc, but I use the same basic techniques as I do at Willard Bay trolling for walleye and wipers. There is no limit on tuna in Washington, so I am limited by my ice capacity. I have put 350# of tuna in the boat in one day, and left biting fish. This is an Igloo 150qt cooler, which will hold ~8 tuna:



It's a messy, bloody pursuit, which is why my boat doesn't have carpet. Local boats will do, but you should have plenty of range. I typically run 45-50 miles out, an average day is ~130 miles. I have a 52 gallon tank, so my range is ~200 miles.

The bonus of fishing over there is salmon, which is awesome. Up until I bought my Hewescraft, I'd trailer my Alumacraft 165 Magnum (tiller steer, 50HP Mercury) over for salmon. There is also bottom fishing, which is generally fast and furious.


[signature]

Kinda dinks for Yellowfin, we go on trips on the Qualifer 105 and most Yellowfin are upwards of 100 and 200. One that got ripped by a White Shark. Enjoy
[signature]

Yellowfin don't get that far north. The tuna we catch off Washington are 3-5 year-old albacore, Thunnus alalunga. You can tell by the long fin in this photo:



The nice thing about the younger fish we catch is that they're low in mercury and high in omega-3 fatty acids. Google "troll caught albacore". There's a mom and pop industry in the PNW that produces and sells canned albacore. It's pricey, but worth it.

I may do a long range trip one day, but right now I enjoy the challenge of doing everything myself and the freedom of roaming the open ocean in my little boat.
[signature]

so that is where all the albacore went this year they by pass a san deigo this year very nice catching
[signature]

Im thinking you just created some new bucket list things for me it sounds so fun but I'm afraid I'll have to regear a bunch to ever make this happen but it sure sounds fun. I'd love to take my boat and chase halibut, salmon, cabezon and the rest of the bottom fish plus tuna. It would be a great adventure. I really appreciate the info it's been fun. You seem quite familiar do you hunt pheasants on Muddy Road? If so I'll have to find out when your in the neighborhood and come visit. Thanks again J
[signature]

AH.... TUNA FISHING

THE CARNAGE

THE ARSENAL

THE BAIT

GOTTA LOVE IT!
[signature]

I have caught Albacore over 50 to 75
[signature]

My understanding is that albacore in the eastern Pacific are younger fish. When they reach maturity, they enter into another elliptical migration pattern in the western Pacific. They weigh ~70# at maturity, and are caught by long liners for the commercially packed tuna.

The fish we catch are ~20#, some go to 30#, rarely over 40#. The larger fish we catch are often in the green water, and so are referred to as "green water hogs". But 20# fish fight well and are wonderful eating. I usually stop at 15 fish because of ice capacity, but 300# of fish in the boat is plenty. I try to emphasize quality, and only take as many fish as I can care for to sashimi standards.

Skunked, tuna fishing doesn't require much gear. You can even use handlines, which are just made from tuna cord. You don't even need to buy rods or reels.

http://s1020.photobucket.com/albums/af32...G_6074.mp4
[signature]

These fish are usually caught 200 miles off the coast in green water, most of my fish come after the trolled fish is hooke on worm kings. Use lures so I can cast further than the bait fisherman
[signature]

Good boat to fish on, Red Rooster
[signature]

I fished for albacore out of bandon Oregon last year. It was a blast we eneded up having to go out around 50 miles and the fishing was a little slow compared to the week before but every one on board caught 3 fish. here are few pics.
[signature]

How much line do you typically need? I guess I just need to try a charter and a lot of my dumb questions will be answered. So down the road a year or so assuming I do my homework well. Do you ever offer a fuel share mentoring position? (Do you ever have an open spot on the boat that if someone helped with the fuel cost you'd take them out?)
Seems like that would be the best way to learn a new game. Guess I'm getting the cart in front of the horse for now but I was just curious. Thanks for all the help. J
[signature]

My boat is small enough that I don't have many open seats. I have introduced others to the area, though. In fact, there will be another boat, maybe two, going this year. Probably the best thing would be for you to take your boat over and plan on fishing salmon and bottom fish. If the opportunity for tuna presented itself, you could head out with a buddy boat.

You really don't need much gear, you get get a couple of trolling setups, use some handlines, etc, and you're good. If you could spend $300 on gear, you could fish effectively. You could actually get enough lures for $50, the balance would be for trolling rod setups if you need them.
[signature]