Artificials for yellowfin tuna

[October]

Noted. So are most the schools deep or surface right now? What's the standard live bait rig setup for em right now?

[blazian]

Was out Monday on the Malihini, wide open fishing once they found the school. If it is still around its is about 35 miles so a good 3+ hr ride. They were biting everything, live bait but be prepared to lose half your fish to dumbasses around you. One thing new the crew and a couple of us were trying were large popper jigs, looks really cool watching yellowfin crash on them. Landed over a dozen. You should have a great time, bring two coolers!!!!

[October]

Originally Posted by blazian

Was out Monday on the Malihini, wide open fishing once they found the school. If it is still around its is about 35 miles so a good 3+ hr ride. They were biting everything, live bait but be prepared to lose half your fish to dumbasses around you. One thing new the crew and a couple of us were trying were large popper jigs, looks really cool watching yellowfin crash on them. Landed over a dozen. You should have a great time, bring two coolers!!!!

So they hit surface irons too? And I was planning on using a topshot of 30lb big game. Most the fish I see coming in are in the 20lb range. Or should I up the test? And are most people fly lining them, egg sinkers, dropper loops? Sorry for the bombarding questions I just want to be ultimately prepared. I can handle my own on a crowded party boat with retards but I am feeling I'll be out of my element a bit.

[fishingfiend]

If it's your first trip, I'm on the side that says learning how to pitch bait into the chumline, finessing a flyline bait and working through the tuna shuffle is a must. This is a fundamental skill that's needed for the rest of your tuna fishing existence from larger boats. You will eventually learn the skills and tricks to help you thrive in open party warfare. Lures can also work great, but you have to know when. Use a swimbait for cheater troll or cast a swimbait/megabait/coltsniper/tideminnow on the slide after a jig strike. When the boat settles in for the drift, work the jigs on the way down and on the retrieve while experimenting with retrieve speed depending on the lure. Always keep an eye out for what other jigs/lures are working and switch! Poppers on spinning gear have also been tearing it up.

The flat fall jig for example has been frustrating for me. Thrown into boils and no love. Grind, no love. But a slow wind retrieve, got bit. But then again, the guy next to me tells me he's been hit on the grind. That's fishing...

Either way good luck to you out there and remember to eat the heart!

[Widgeon]

A week ago, I hooked 3 and landed one on an 80g shimano Colt Sniper.they have a really nice swimming action and cast a mile. Besides that, they are inexpensive.
Also poppers are doing well. People killing it on big poppers.
I caught 2 on bait.
Best to fish jigs and lures off the bow. Bait too, some times.
I was throwing the jig at boils on the slide and then switching to bait.
Good times

[October]

Originally Posted by Widgeon

A week ago, I hooked 3 and landed one on an 80g shimano Colt Sniper.they have a really nice swimming action and cast a mile. Besides that, they are inexpensive.
Also poppers are doing well. People killing it on big poppers.
I caught 2 on bait.
Best to fish jigs and lures off the bow. Bait too, some times.
I was throwing the jig at boils on the slide and then switching to bait.
Good times

i got two colt snipers, just rigged em with some heavy duty assist hooks. do they usually hit it on the drop or when you speed jig them up? or do you fish them a different way?

[Widgeon]

Originally Posted by October

i got two colt snipers, just rigged em with some heavy duty assist hooks. do they usually hit it on the drop or when you speed jig them up? or do you fish them a different way?

I got hit twice on the drop and once on a med speed retrieve. I was doing a five count in free spool before starting the retrieve.
By YFT, that is.
On the yak, I've only caught Bonito with them.
Hope to snag a YT with it soon.

[October]

Originally Posted by Widgeon

I got hit twice on the drop and once on a med speed retrieve. I was doing a five count in free spool before starting the retrieve.
By YFT, that is.
On the yak, I've only caught Bonito with them.
Hope to snag a YT with it soon.

im wondering if they would be better rigged with the assist hooks or the treble...