Smallest Boat for Albacore Tuna

Falcon

Falcon

Active Member
So I was reading a thread on Bloodydecks about what the Washington State guys considered the smallest boat acceptable for fishing tuna off our coast. What’s the smallest boat anyone’s gone tuna fishing on out there?

Obviously weather is the biggest factor when choosing to go out, fuel capacity probably the next, I’m wondering if a 23 (25 LOA) foot Thunder Jet Alexis OS, with a 103 gallon tank, a boat I’m considering purchasing, would be sufficient to get out there?

Bigger is better, no question, but financially it’s gotta make sense for our family.
 
Falcon said:
So I was reading a thread on Bloodydecks about what the Washington State guys considered the smallest boat acceptable for fishing tuna off our coast. What’s the smallest boat anyone’s gone tuna fishing on out there?

Obviously weather is the biggest factor when choosing to go out, fuel capacity probably the next, I’m wondering if a 23 (25 LOA) foot Thunder Jet Alexis OS, with a 103 gallon tank, a boat I’m considering purchasing, would be sufficient to get out there?

Bigger is better, no question, but financially it’s gotta make sense for our family.
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Falcon said:
So I was reading a thread on Bloodydecks about what the Washington State guys considered the smallest boat acceptable for fishing tuna off our coast. What’s the smallest boat anyone’s gone tuna fishing on out there?

Obviously weather is the biggest factor when choosing to go out, fuel capacity probably the next, I’m wondering if a 23 (25 LOA) foot Thunder Jet Alexis OS, with a 103 gallon tank, a boat I’m considering purchasing, would be sufficient to get out there?

Bigger is better, no question, but financially it’s gotta make sense for our family.
Click to expand...


We were just out in our 20' DE. I'd be far more concerned about having a good weather window, a solid boat, reliable engine package, adequate safety equipment, and most importantly the experience to conduct yourself in a calm and organized fashion in the event of an unplanned crisis. Actual boat size is not as important to me although tuna need ice and if the boat is too small you just can't pack the ice and/or coolers. Realistically I couldn't really see doing it in a smaller boat than ours.
 
There's a guy on iFish in a 13' Whaler. They "only" have to go 20-25 miles lately, I think.
 
23' Monaro was the smallest I been in for tuna.. bam is always 50 miles out though. I wouldn't go any smaller.
 
Personal I run a 232 grady with a 150 gallon s of few with a couple spare Jerry cans depending on the year... Bigger is always better :)
 
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Arima 21 is used for tuna by quite a few guys out of Washington and Oregon. I have never gone more than 25 miles off shore in my Arima, but after running Arima boats off shore for 10+ years, I would have full confidence to go 50+ miles if the conditions were right - IF tuna was my thing.
 
Derby said:
Personal I run a 232 grady with a 150 gallon s of few with a couple spare Jerry cans depending on the year... Bigger is always better :)
Click to expand...

That is the minimum I would go out on if I did it. Sure you could go on less than that but if weather changes you could put safety at risk.
 
past winner of BTS fished out of a 21 foot boat for a couple of years...not something I would like to do personally...it limits so much...
 
Think Ice, Ice and more Ice, how many tuna you want to catch should be a factor in determining the size of the boat. Carrying ice and gear will eat up allot of valuable fishing room. My 2902 is the smallest I would personally like to go out in, I secure a 200 Quart cooler full of ice on the engine bracket along with a trash can full of ice for making the ice / salt water slurry along with additional 200 quart cooler with ice in the rear deck. The other factor is how many people are you taking with you, safety in numbers as well as sharing the trip costs.

In most cases the water isn't calm and gear and people not only eat up fishing space but also make it difficult to be safe when the bite is on.
 
fishchaser said:
Think Ice, Ice and more Ice, how many tuna you want to catch should be a factor in determining the size of the boat. Carrying ice and gear will eat up allot of valuable fishing room. My 2902 is the smallest I would personally like to go out in, I secure a 200 Quart cooler full of ice on the engine bracket along with a trash can full of ice for making the ice / salt water slurry along with additional 200 quart cooler with ice in the rear deck. The other factor is how many people are you taking with you, safety in numbers as well as sharing the trip costs.

In most cases the water isn't calm and gear and people not only eat up fishing space but also make it difficult to be safe when the bite is on.
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would agree.. its about ice management when you are out there.... I'm always happy to jump on a bigger boat... The 35 proline express we were on the year we had 47 fish and had only enough ice for about 8 more fish
 
Weight carrying capacity has to be a consideration. Think of the rouge wave that capsized the whale watching boat out of Tofino, I didn’t follow the transport Canada report but I bet extra weight from modifications contributed to the sinking. Boats under 20 feet require a weight capacity plate but over do not, but a good manufacturer will have worked with an engineer to calculate this capacity for any size boat?

If you have 50 tuna/ice, 3 guys and half a tank of fuel and a few beers left, will the boat survive a broadside wave of following seas that you may need to go home in? I’ve fished Tuna in 40 foot commercial but haven’t done enough offshore with my 25 footer to feel confident, yet I see guys down in WA hammering tuna in their 22 footers all the time. They also go in August when the water and weather is likely a little more predictable.

Book a charter once or twice and see how comfortable you feel in their boats?
 
Thanks for all the input guys, next year I’m going to try it for sure. I’m in the market for a boat but they’re soooo expensive to get what I want and be able to fish for tuna.

Aluminum boats are crazy expensive but I have found a few Grady’s for sale, missed out on both, gotta be quick. I might have to settle for a Striper, they have good hulls but their fit and finish isn’t what I’d like.

Beggars can’t be choosers I guess
 
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