Tuna Talk

[Sculpin]

Awww crap you guys.....I don't wanna read the first 3 pages....where are we at in the Tuna Talk thread.

Have we got past species and moved on to "eating"??

This stuff is some kinda sweeeeeEEET!!

Y'all talking about how to bag it yet.....or you still talkin' weather patterns, line weight, where, who has the ugliest beard, gaffin' and bleedin' still???? Sheeeot y'alllll!!!

Ha ha ha!!!!! from the guy who had the best shot at them this year but didn't have the balls enough to steal the boat and go for it . Just sayin' "**** y'all". You got that part right anyway's Pip ha ha lol.

 

[firelight]

like the tuna, tunes kinda give me a headache, flat calm and jigging them up, somehow I'll figure out how to get out there

 

[Sculpin]

somehow I'll figure out how to get out there

I think there will be lot's of planned trips by various folks next year firelight. Shouldn't be a problem getting out there. That's one of the reasons I started this thread to keep the topic on everyones minds, share equipment tips, talk safety, and hopefully plan some trips as the season gets closer.

Guys like OBH are awesome with trying to plan tuna shootout's and trying to promote the recreational fishery etc. His "push" to get folks to go for it is pretty impressive to say the least. Look at the last group that posted on here that went out. Never been out before waited for the window talked to TunaDon and OBH and went for it. Inspiring for sure.

Now for the guy that post's pictures of packaged tuna you can buy in the store.........ha ha.

 

[Glaciertim]

I am new to the forum, and have not yet been tuna fishing. After reading your stories and watching the videos, I am already hooked on the idea.

Where can you buy tuna lures in the Vancouver area? No one around here seems to know much about it.

I watched one video where commercial guys were trolling using a long pole and about ten feet of line. They dipped the tip of the pole into the water to create some surface disturbance and started flipping tuna into the boat. They didn't even have to unhook the fish they caught as they somehow came unhooked on their own. After flinging a fish into the boat behind them, they had their lines back in the water in about one second. Anyone know what type of hook setup would enable that kind of speed? Here is the video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlvsDYM0ABI

How far out do you have to go off Vancouver Island? Is there any way of seeing satellite water temps without a paid subscription? How much do they help?



I am in for a shootout for next year. The more boats, the safer the trip. Thanks for the education on tuna fishing!

 

[hambone]

Pacific Net & Twine will have all the gear and likely the know how. I would read existing tuna forums to find out how far and when to go.Trotac in Victoria is also a good bet.

 

[Pippen]

Ha ha ha!!!!! from the guy who had the best shot at them this year but didn't have the balls enough to steal the boat and go for it . Just sayin' "**** y'all". You got that part right anyway's Pip ha ha lol.

Hahahahaha..........I laugh as I stick my tail between my legs.

I wouldn't have known WTF to do....just find warm water and throw lines out behind the boat; OBH makes it sound "that easy" so I could likely put my chimp brain into overdrive and done it.



Not sure we'll do Kyuquot that late next year but if we do; it's gonna happen.

As for out of Bammy or Tofino........this kid is in for next year. All business travel will be cancelled.....no "date nights" with the GF planned any further out that 2 days in advance.....I will grow out my stubble as long as possible so OBH doesn't refer to me as his "city *****"........

 

[Pippen]

wtf is with that processed packeged crap anyway, u cant be for real?, .......holmes*

Can you read??? "No Messy Draining" and "Fresh Taste"......it's the best of both worlds. No need to run offshore when you can get "Fresh Taste" right out of a bag in the comfort of your own home.

 

[juandesooka]

I will probally be offering "open seats" next fall(not charters).Split costs for truck/boat fuel,ice.Car pooling from comox.make it cheap!

Start a "Open seat" sticky on the forum!

I'd be stoked to get out there this year. Put me on the "interested" email list if there is one! Scheduling is always an issue for me, but with a few days notice I can usually make it work. Especially if there's a possibility of tuna tataki coming out of it. Mmmmm.

 

[demco99]

I would love to get in on an open seat for split costs... Have accomodation in Tofino we could use as well if need be.

 

[Sculpin]

Can you read??? "No Messy Draining" and "Fresh Taste"......it's the best of both worlds. No need to run offshore when you can get "Fresh Taste" right out of a bag in the comfort of your own home.

You can stay home then. NO TUNA FISHING FOR YOU!!!

 

[Finished Business]

The weather only gave us about 12 hours notice for our push for Alby's. And even then it wasn't a for sure thing travelling some 50 miles out. 1 month of waiting plus storage fees to have one chance at them....after doing it, was so worth it. Can't wait to be a part of the fun next year.

 

[mikep]

for the guys wondering about what size and color of rapala Xraps the best ones in the last few years were: Size 15 and 20 in the blue mackeral, anchovy and bonito colors. Basically what you are looking for is any color that represents an anchovy.

I have found that there is a poor selection of tuna gear in BC so I have bought most of my stuff from charkbait.com in cali. They have everything that you need to do this fishery, clones, xraps, the proper tuna hooks......

I have also used cedar plugs with gear success in the last few years, the best 2 colors were natual cedar and purple/black.

 

[firelight]

I will probally be offering "open seats" next fall(not charters).Split costs for truck/boat fuel,ice.Car pooling from comox.make it cheap!

Start a "Open seat" sticky on the forum!

Keep me in mind for sure

 

[TunaDon]

I have only started tuna fishing last year although I went 14 times since and was lucky enough to get some each time out. I will gladly share any knowledge I have gained. I have always taken someone new out as often as I can. Nothing more fun than seeing experianced fisherman getting the rush from these tuna. I know what a lot of people are feeling a long way to go and expensive with no guarantee you will see a tuna it still is fishing. From what I have seen if we watch the temp and chrolafil we should be able to get some most of the time. From the little I have learned a couple important things to help. First is to find them I have trolled from juan de fuca canyon to Clayoquat canyon. I have marked on my plotter each time we have got a fish. My experiance is that there are spots where if the temp and chorafil is right the tuna hang around. When I made my first trip Bod (ken) gave me co-ordinates from his catch day before and we hooked up same spot second day. Since then we have been back to previous spots and got fish again. In summary to help each other we should be sharing locations where we have found multiple hookups. I have done so freely but Ken is only guy that has returned the favour. By the way thanks to Nick for shout out to me and Osama from Oct. Next is the gear I am from the school that when I go that that I want to have all the options I can. No one can expect to carry everything thou so here is the stuff I think will get by. First year I bought clones from Pacific net and we did okay this year I had the clones, jetted plugs and cedar plugs. I got swim baits late in year but last trip out we were doing good on troll and did not try them. Kind of regret this as everything I have read is with no live bait this is what we should do when we hook up, next year for sure will try them. Used jetted lures mostly and clones. Jetted seemed best tried cedar plugs a little but never really gave them a chance. You know how it goes you catch them on one thing then you stick with it. For guys going out buying here is my 2 cents. I would buy jetted lures I got mine from Ballyhood lures you can e mail them where you are fishing and for what and they wiil recommend lure. What Darrell told me was for albacore the smaller the better and i found 4" lipripper was very good. Also he is owner and I called him and spoke directly to him. As for colors black/purple for overcast days and mex flag for bright days. I have a set of feathers for calm water and vinyl for chop. From reading and talking with commercial guys you want to create as much disturbance on surface as you can. Next thing is good reels with lots of line. If you hook 1 fish and stop or lose it the school will scatter and you will be chasing after it. If you have good reels with lots of brake and capable of 400-500 yds line you can keep trolling and keep the school on your lures. They say to even leave a fish hooked and keep trolling. From experiance I know without decent reels you can get spooled in no time if you keep trolling. I think I will be trying to take more guys out next year everyone that has gone says they would for sure go again. Also if we go with other boats I will have my sat phone hooked up so we can make a call to ease the people minds at home . There quite a bit more but pretty longwinded already.

 

[Osama Bin Hopper]

Great post Don.

Like he says, one of the most entertaining parts of the trip is watching the new guys first hookup!! LOL

Certainly noticed a difference in gear performance from day to day, vaired with conditions.

Wonder if we will ever get those goddamned Mouses figured out!!!

One area we need to learn about for sure. Surface disturbance and how to do it the right way, be it birds, mouses or those wierd little boat things.

Anyone??

 

[Finished Business]

Great post Don.

Like he says, one of the most entertaining parts of the trip is watching the new guys first hookup!! LOL.....

One area we need to learn about for sure. Surface disturbance and how to do it the right way, be it birds, mouses or those wierd little boat things.

Anyone??

While we were out there, once we changed our pants (cuz of that first hook-up thing haha), we were able to whoop up a whirlwind of bird action behind out boat. Our sandwich crusts. apple cores, banana peels (kidding!), any foody tidbits went overboard and the gulls seemed to appreciate it. 50 miles out there wasn't much surface action other than those looking for a meal, so it didnt take long. We felt the surface action created by the diving, circling birds only helped create a tuna turbulence behind our rig.

Mind you our lures alone seemed to draw their attention but once they had something to taste it was a flock.

To go out in a pack, circle 'em up and use swim baits or even Jeff as you mentioned, slow the boat to a crawl, let the lure sink, and more or less jig them, would be dare I say too much!!

Our third friend, after about 2 hours of INTENSE action, decided to pick one of the 5 rods we had out, and hold it in his hands, rather than stationed in the rod holder. I guess the chances were a gambler's decent 20%, but sure enough minutes later that single rod in his hands came to life and he was pulled 2 feet closer to the transom before bracing his feet. After the day we had, there was no one moment to say that was the one, but if any this was it. Both myself and the Capt. couldn't get over the jealousy of that strike.

Next year will be a hoot.

 

[Glaciertim]

Would it be worthwhile to use a water pump that is Constantly dumping water through a hose over the side to create more surface disturbance?

 

[Glaciertim]

What are they using as a lure in this video? The tuna seem to come off the hook as soon as the fish is pulled into the boat.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlvsDYM0ABI

 

[Dogbreath]

Would it be worthwhile to use a water pump that is Constantly dumping water through a hose over the side to create more surface disturbance?

Yes it's an old trick and work well on bait stops probably any stop for that matter.

What are they using as a lure in this video? The tuna seem to come off the hook as soon as the fish is pulled into the boat.

Something much like this

 

[hambone]

I have no experience fishing tuna of the WCVI, but I did research tuna fishing quiet a bit before going on a sailing trip in Mexico last winter. Many of the tips I picked up have already been mentioned but I may have some other stuff to share... Many people recommended building attractants yourself, such as dragging a piece of chain behind the boat, a clear plastic bottle full of tin foil and anything that will rattle. The water pump was also recommended.
Here is a bit of a weird one, if you do try stopping to the boat to cast/jig for them I was told that a way to keep them at the boat is to use egg shells. Save a bunch of egg shells and mash them up... then once you've found some fish throw all the egg shells in the water and they will reflect a bit of light, stay suspended in the water and hopefully interest the tuna enough to keep them near the suspended pile of shells.
I'm not sure if any of this is useful, but I figured it would add to the 'tuna talk'.
While off of Van Isle, have you guys ever seen the boiling tuna involved in a surface feeding frenzy?? Or are you guys driving around blind 99 percent of the time?