As many know I love fishing for Bass… I don’t know what it is, I just love those square tails. But there is something about Light Tackle Tuna Fishing that gives me a high unlike anything else. I think this is because Tuna fishing is mostly a game of highs and lows…. Often you are waiting…waiting…and than you see the fish off in the distance and it becomes a game of run and gun. It really is a game of patience and precision. The trick of course is to find the bait, which will show you to the fish and that is done using both your sounder, finding the whales, and using your friends. Once you find the life, you must wait and keep your eyes peeled. Once the fish show themselves, don’t get caught up in nailing your first shot. Early in my fishing career I failed to realize that it was best to set yourself up for a great shot than to chase every mediocre shot.

What I mean by this is fish, just like all creatures, follow patterns. Fish are predictable, if you allow them to be… Where they come up once, they often come up again. So if you find a pile of fish, stay in that general area and focus heavily on looking at bait swirls on the surface and watch your sounder for bait inching together. Most important is to try and read when the fish are about to come up rather than when they are coming up. If you are running to fish that are already showing themselves there is a very good chance that you already will be too late… Not always, as if it is a big pile of bait those fish will stay, but often that is the case. It is so important to learn to read the signs and this is where experience comes to play and patience.

Once on a pile of fish put your lure through the school and reel as quick as you can, and be prepared. When these fish hit, they hit. Your drag must be set correctly before you get on, as playing too much with a drag during a fight can put a lot of pressure on your reel/line/rod…

Lastly, it is really important that everyone on the boat realize that chasing Tunas with light tackle is dangerous stuff. When chasing fish, the boat is usually going max speed, this in itself is an opportunity to get hurt, and than when casting people often move too quickly, forgetting the basics. Lastly when a fish is on… it must be respected or else the rod could snap or that fish could put a hurting on an angler. It is so important when chasing tuna to realize it is not all fun and games, but there is a sincere need to stay focused and have patience…

If you want a memory though that you will never forget, go light tackle Tuna fishing. It is simply awesome.