| Bluefin tuna are one of the greatest | | | | be done carefullly, preferably using the |
| challenges to anglers off the coast of | | | | Jinkai crimping tool listed on this |
| New England, and Massachusetts continues | | | | page.They also use these crimps to |
| to be a center of activity for giant | | | | attach a small wind on swivel. This |
| bluefin tuna.Most tuna are caught | | | | way, the leader can be wound all the way |
| chunking or trolling. I will describe | | | | on the spool, protecting the flurocarbon |
| the techniques used by top crews to | | | | during storage, ensuring clean decks, |
| catch these giants.Chunking for Bluefin | | | | and allowing the angler to reel the fish |
| involves archoring on a good fishing | | | | as close as needed to harpoon it.All |
| spot known to hold bluefin. Once | | | | crews attach the sinkers and ballons |
| anchored, top crews deploy chunks, stick | | | | using rubber bands. Sinker weight is |
| baits and live baits suspended on | | | | selcted based on the spped of the |
| ballons at different depths. Most | | | | current and the desired depth that you |
| captains have their crew position the | | | | are trying to fish.Most crews that troll |
| baits where at the depth they mark tuna | | | | bluefin fish spreader bars from their |
| fish on their fish finder.Many top | | | | outriggers at about 3-4 knots. Most |
| captains use Gamahastu Live Bait hooks. | | | | crews fish three to four spreader bars, |
| In determining the hook size, it is | | | | two from the outriggers and one or two |
| important to match the hook to the size | | | | flat lines. Outriggers are rigged with |
| bait that you are using. You shouldn't | | | | roller trollers so that the line can be |
| use a hook that is too large, because it | | | | reeled through the clip to tease the |
| will detract from the presentation of | | | | fish into striking again if he misses |
| the bait.All top crews use fluorocaron | | | | the first time. The clip is set tight |
| leader. Leader varies from 150-lb to | | | | so that the outrigger sets the hook on |
| 220lb, with many crews fishing light | | | | the fish.Fisherman use different |
| gear (150-180) to get bites when they | | | | spreader bar sizes and colors in their |
| are hard to come by. Most crews start | | | | trolling spread based on experience and |
| off with a long leader (say 15 feet), so | | | | conditions. Snap swivels are used so |
| they can cut back and recimpt the hook | | | | that rigs can be swapped out easily. |
| on if their leader gets nicked up by | | | | Thimbles and heavy chafe gear protect |
| dogfish or other pests.Many crews using | | | | the mono where it connects to the hook |
| light fluorocarbon also use H crimps | | | | and swivel. Most crews use the Mustad |
| instead of G crimps for their 150 or 180 | | | | or VMC southern tuna hook style on their |
| fluoro. The lower profile H crimp must | | | | trolling rigs. |