Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: prepare the bait and wait for your catch
• Method 2 of 3: Attracting Bluefin Tuna
• Method 3 of 3: other recommendations
• Tips
• Warnings
• What do you need

Bluefin tuna weighs between 135-360 kg (300-800 lbs) and catching them means physical struggle and a significant adrenaline rush. With a special permit, a boat and the proper equipment, and a fair amount of physical strength, you should be able to catch tuna for yourself.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: prepare the bait and wait for your catch

1. 1 Place live bait like whiting or herring through the gills. Place it at varying depths to create an attractive trap, surface bait first, then deep bait, but so they don't get tangled.
2. 2 Cut the whiting or herring into 3 or 4 pieces for a premium bait.
   • Throw chunks from the stern to leave a visible trail of complementary food. Toss in new chunks about every minute or so to keep the feed trail consistent.
   • Make sure your hook bait is in the complementary feeding area.
3. 3 Secure the balloon (as a float) and let the bait drift away from the boat.
4. 4 Watch your sonar. If the depth at which you found the fish is different from where you placed the bait, then you should re-cast it. Bluefin tuna is 6 to 9 m (20 to 30 ft) deep and will have a distinctive upside-down V-shaped hump on your fish finder.

Method 2 of 3: Attracting Bluefin Tuna

1. 1 Listen to the balloon. If you hear popping sounds, your rod is bent and your line is spinning out of the reel at high speed, then you've probably caught bluefin tuna.
2. 2 Use a gloved hand to grab the rod and reel, making sure the line remains taut. Keep the tip of the rod pointed towards the fish.
3. 3 Let other people roll up and collect the rest of the fishing rods, they can be removed in the cabin or on the gunwire opposite to the abandoned fishing line.
4. 4 Raise the anchor and start the engine. Clean the deck as needed.
5. 5 Move the rod to the swivel mount to fight.
6. 6 Determine the direction of the tuna. Steer the boat with the line pointing 45 degrees aft and away from the plane.
7. 7 Hold the line tight during the first jerks. If the tuna starts to turn and swim towards the boat, the line will sag and make you believe your catch is gone. Wind the reel as quickly as possible to keep up with the fish and restore line tension.
8. 8 Expect the death circle. After a while, the tuna will start swimming in a circle under your boat. Use constant pressure to wear down the fish. Gently move and shift the reel to a slow gear to bring the fish towards the boat. Be sure to guide the fish away from the engine so the line does not get caught in the propeller.
9. 9 Prepare for the next round when the fish surface. When tuna sees the boat, they may try to get off the hook.
10. 10 Hit the fish with the harpoon when it appears next to the boat. Try to get behind the fish fin.
11. 11 Pull the fish towards the corner to allow the old seabass to hit the target. Hit the fish in the head with a hook and pull it close to the boat to tie it with a rope.
12. 12 Take the fish into the boat and bleed while it is still alive. When the fish is close to the side of the boat, place the reel in the free reel and keep your finger on it to keep the rod from being overloaded when the fish hits the deck.
13. 13 Pull out the hook. If the fish has swallowed the hook, cut the line to free it.

Method 3 of 3: other recommendations

1. 1 To find bluefin tuna, take a trip to the Atlantic and adjacent seas. Bluefin tuna lives in the Atlantic Ocean, spawns in the Gulf of Mexico or the Mediterranean Sea. Every spring, he migrates to his birthplaces.
   • During his round trip between spawning grounds, he can be found off the North American shores, especially in Virginia and North Carolina, away from Massachusetts, New Hampshire and southern Maine.
   • They also congregate in the East Atlantic. Bluefin tuna is used to settling in the Black Sea, although its population there has declined significantly.
2. 2 Take a few charter flights to try catching bluefin tuna before you start fishing on your own. Learn about the fishing order and the equipment you need so you can see if the sport is right for you. Search online for cruises in your area, especially around Cape Hatteras and Cape Cod.
   • Ask the captain if you can keep your catch (if there is a weight limit) or if fishing is all about catch and release.
   • Your catch, if you are allowed to keep it, may not be the right product to sell legally. Figure out what you are going to do with all this fish. Anyone want some sushi?
3. 3 Read the rules. Fishing rules can be very confusing. Call 1-888-USA-TUNA to obtain a fishing permit or to clarify your questions. Also, find out the fish catch quotas. Check the daily catch limit with the National Marine Fisheries Service.
4. 4 Try kite fishing. This type of fishing allows the angler to keep the bait floating on the surface. The kite physically lifts the bait and prevents it from sinking down. As a result, live bait, which is almost half in the water, will float and flutter violently on the surface, which will look like an invitation to dinner for any tuna in the vicinity.
5. 5 Obtain an appropriate permit from the National Marine Fisheries Service prior to fishing.

Tips

• For ice fishing, check if you can follow the two-engine rule. This means that you will either have to carry an extra engine with you on the boat or fish with a companion.
• Be courteous to other courts. Make sure you sweep the fishing area quietly and anchor at a reasonable distance from other boats, especially if their rods are already abandoned. Listen to VHF complaints about your boat and treat them with respect.
• Fishing for bluefin tuna is not suitable for people with financial constraints. Once you decide to equip your own boat, be prepared to shell out a lump sum for it and equipment. Most fishermen use boats that are 9 to 14 m (30 to 45 feet) long.

Warnings

• The giant bluefin tuna killed a large number of fishermen by dragging them overboard. Be extremely careful or hire an instructor before you start fishing on your own.
• Avoid using fish oil or shredded oil bait. This will only attract sharks.

What do you need

• Federal fishing permit
• 9 meter (30 ft) boat that can travel up to 80 kilometers (50 mi) offshore
• Bait (covered with scales of whiting or herring for chopped bait, or fresh whiting or herring on a line)
• 2.5m (8ft) rod up to 130lb (59kg) or more
• Class 130 reel with double speed function
• Dacron braided line (you can use braided line with a secondary proven monofilament line rated for 91 kg (200 lb))
• Fluorocarbon leash 2.5 to 4.5 m to 15 (8-15 ft) rated for 82-100 kg (180 to 200-lb), test for strength
• Fishing swivel rated for 113 kg (250 lb).
• Hooks (7/0 to 11/0)
• Anti-friction hook wrapped in black duct tape to reduce visibility
• Lead weight 0.55 to 0.85 kg (20 to 30 oz.)
• Balloon with sliding brackets
• Gloves with rubber fingers
• 90 Degree Swivel Rod Holder with Embedded Parts
• Anchor with mooring core and eye, 2m (75 ") mooring line
• Fish finder
• Navigation equipment, including GPS
• VHF
• Life in abundance
• Fuel station
• 2 harpoons
• 2 fishing hooks
• Tail rope and tow rope
• Lifting mast / hoist (system of two or more blocks connected by a rope)
• 128+ - Portable Crushed Ice Cooler
• To ensure safety - emergency beacon, signal flares, life raft, wetsuits
• Fuel for your boat