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It’s Time To Do The Tuna Shuffle
By George Valenzuela and Anne O’Brien – SenorTuna.com
After a long winter of bottom fishing, it’s time to check your drags and welcome the 2006 tuna season. You’re ready for the trolling hits, hot rails and general confusion on deck. It can be daunting for the beginning or intermediate fisherman. Chaotic yells of “fresh one” “color” and “follow your fish” can intimidate as anglers battle the strong, determined tuna.
To enhance your fishing experience and maximize your financial investment in the trip, here are a few tips and suggestions.
What To Expect
Whether you’re on a one day open party trip or a multi-day charter, you’ll meet many anxious and adrenaline-filled anglers—some experienced, some not. Tuna fishing is high energy with yelling, running and bumping. Some anglers may not be as polite as you’d like, so learn to roll with the punches. Keep your line in front of you, listen to the crew and be ready to react quickly to the changing circumstances.
Follow the Crew’s Suggestions
The crew is there to help you catch fish; that’s their goal. If you need help with rigging, selecting a hot bait or have a question, just ask. Stay clear when the crew is working whether they are loading bait, going below deck (watch for open hatches) or hosing down the deck between stops.
No Angles, No Tangles
Tangles are common in a wide-open tuna bite and sometimes unavoidable. To minimize your time spent in a tangle, follow your line and keep it taut. Listen for other anglers coming down the rail who need to go under or over your line. Don’t stand in one place and think you’ll turn your fish. Put leverage on the fish by keeping your line straight in front of you and pumping the rod while reeling.
Rail Etiquette
There are no guaranteed rail spots on a tuna trip. If you’re easily intimidated, let a crewmember know you’ll need extra help. Avoid the stern at the beginning. Observe what other anglers are doing so that you can blend in and avoid causing a tangle.
Take your rod with you to the bait well; never leave it unattended at the rail. Hold the rod close in the crook of your arm with your hook in that hand while selecting bait with the other. Hook your bait and quickly get it in the water.
Trolling
Tuna are schooling fish and are generally found by trolling. There are usually four trolling rods set up off the stern (you can bring your own rod or use the boat’s). Once a troll fish strikes a jig, everyone is expected to yell “hook up” so the captain will know to stop. At that time, the trolling lines are brought in. If you’re not trolling, you should be ready to toss in a bait as soon as possible. If you don’t know which side of the boat to use on a stop, ask for help.
Trolling Rotation
At the beginning of the trip, the crew will set up trolling teams and they’ll assign you to a team based on your sign-in sheet number. The crew will try to make sure each team gets a turn at trolling. Each rotation team is given a set length of time; however, that time may vary based on conditions or frequency of strikes. It is your responsibility to watch your trolling rod at all times. It is equally important for you to reel your line in when there’s a hook up. Never leave your troll rod unattended. If you need a break make sure someone covers for you.
Choosing the Perfect Bait
Most experienced anglers will tell you that you must choose the right bait. Look for a lively sardine or anchovy. If it’s hard for you to catch, then it’s generally considered good bait. Caution: avoid live baits that have a bloody nose or show signs of blood spots on the surface of the skin. These are indications the baits won’t be attractive to the fish. On your way to the tuna grounds, ask one of the crew to show you the bait you should look for. While fishing, if you’re not getting bit ask the crew for help in selecting the right bait.
Hooking the Live Bait
There are a number of ways to hook live bait. Here are some examples:
The Nose Hook - good for the slide (drop back)
The Gill Plate Hook - good for fly lining
The Anal Fin Hook - good for when the fish are a little deep
Here is a glossary of terms that you may hear while tuna fishing.
“Hook Up”: When a tuna strikes a troll bait and is hooked up.
“Fresh One”: Usually yelled when an angler hooks a fish on iron, plastic, or fin bait.
“Have One (or more) Hanging”: This is what the crew yells to the captain so he knows the number of anglers hooked up on fish.
“Hot Rail”: A verbal warning that someone is coming down the rail and you need to get out of the way by lifting your rod or ducking under their line. An angler is trying to keep his/her line in front of them and can’t control the fish while it makes a run.
“Deep Color”: Yell deep color when your fish is barely visible from the surface. (Anywhere from 10- 20 ft.)
“Color”: Yell color when the fish is near the surface and you’re going to need the gaff. (The crew may be busy with other anglers and this lets them know you’ll have a fish ready to gaff soon.)
“Gaff”: Yell gaff when the fish is at the surface and you need help immediately. Never lift the fish’s head out of the water.
“Fishing the Slide”: Term used to describe an angler using an iron or plastic swimbait with the intent to drop it in the water immediately following a jig strike on the troll. It’ll take a certain distance for the boat to stop its forward momentum, so during this time an angler’s bait is “sliding” back toward the school of fish.
“Fly Line”: Surface fishing where you hook a live bait onto your line without any weight.
“Tag Number”: You’ll be issued a stack of tag numbers that either you, or the crew, will staple onto the gill plate of the tuna before they’re placed in the fish fold.
“Tuna Shuffle”: During a tuna bite, the crew or another angler will ask you to move down the rail to follow your line. Based on the drift, ocean currents, or position of the boat, you’ll hear someone telling you to move to the left, or to the right.
Fishing for tuna is only mastered by making a concerted effort to learn each time you’re out on the water. Talk with other anglers to find out what works for them. Fishing techniques and tackle are constantly evolving and you’ll need to develop a broad set of skills to be consistent in catching tuna. But don’t forget that Mother Nature plays a roll in your success too. Catching tuna can often depend on weather conditions, water temperatures and just being lucky! This is just a basic overview on the many facets to tuna fishing. The more you fish, the more you know and the more you’ll learn. By following these suggestions, you can maximize your chances for success on your next trip.
One way to build your fishing knowledge without being on the water is to visit free sportfishing Web sites like www.senortuna.com. Membership to Senortuna.com is free. You can find a wide range of discussions on the best techniques and tackle choices for the Southern California angler.
Author George Valenzuela caught this yellowfin tuna on the slide.
Tuna bites are fun but chaotic. Anglers are constantly jockeying for rail position based on where their tuna runs. Listen for any hot rail coming and be sure to follow your own line.
Fishing for albacore can be both exhilarating and exhausting. Drew Pickeral knows that picking the right bait can help in catching these hard and furious fighters.
Calling for a gaff helps the crew prioritize their efforts. Deep color indicates your fish is becoming visible in the water, color indicates your fish is almost within gaffing distance, and gaff means your fish is on the surface and you’re ready for some help.
