Give us a call if you are ever Oregon - we whack and stack tuna like you read about down here. I am alway open to getting our brothers from the north out for some action. If I am not going out we can always get you a ride on somebody's boat. Gas money and donuts will get you on board 99% of the time.
It's damn addicting catching 20-30 fish in 5-6 hours.
Season is Jul-Oct in water 60degree or higher (typically 40-50miles off shore) This past weekend we donated 6,500lbs of albacore to the Oregon Food Banks - catch from the Oregon Tuna Classis Tourney. Top boat had 48 fish - slow day as they ususally boat 60-70 in a day. Ton of action and a 20lb Albie will make 30lb spring look like a trout in terms of fight. In my group of tuna friends the top boat for the summer has 490 tuna landed, and I am at about 100 for 6 trips. Average is about 200 fish for 10-12 trip per boat in our local club.
Sea Surface Temp and Chlorophyll are your tools for finding tuna. 60degree or better water and near zero Chlorophyll. Check out
http://www.terrafin.com/sstview/free.htm for current sample SST charts (white areas are fog or cloud cover). South Vancouver Island SST charts from yesterday show ok tuna water just ouside the 100fathom line 39-45 nm from Uclulet on a 236mag heading or along the a line 45 54.00 by 125 32.500 to 48 54.00 by 125 32.500. Also some really good water out of Nootka Sound at about 39nm around the 49 13.300 by 127 28.500 area. Chlorophyll for the above areas looks really good as well. We drive toward warm water until we see blue water in prop wash and temp of 59-61degrees. We will stop and fish cooler water if we see jumpers or birds with tuna finning on the surface. Suface fish respond well to casted swimbait lures or live baits and/or trolls wide of their location where your turn will swing wide of their activity but drag your trolled baits through their school.
Troll alone temp breaks or where you see jumpers. We troll at about 6-9mph with tuna feathers, tuna clones, salmon hootchies rigged with 3/4oz egg sinker on 150-200lb 6ft leaders. You want your lures dragging the surface - the more noise and jet stream wake from the lure the bettter. You will need reels with some beef as they will smoke a salmon reel drag on the strike. Tekota 800 with 80lb powerpro and a 75-100yrd 50lb mono topshot is a good set up. Any good 5-7ft Halibut pole will get it done. Many guys go with Two-Speed Avet, Shimano, Penn, or Accurate reels but they are definately not a requirment.
We also catch big numbers on handlines - 200lb tuna cord with a strong rubber bungy tied inline for shock absorbtion. Just hook the handline to a cleat and troll away - same lures work here. When the bungee stretches tight, get on your gloves and yard them in. Doubles, triples and quad hook ups are common on both hand and pole lines, and bigger boats will hook 5-8fish at once. Very few tuna get loose or break off and when they hit the reels scream. Pure fishing in my book.
Check out the following link for handline rigging instructions:
http://www.ifish.net/forum/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=213605&an=0&page=0#213605
This one for Tuna on Swimbaits:
http://www.ifish.net/forum/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=1307531&an=0&page=0&gonew=1#UNREAD
Purchase Swimbaits:
http://home.comcast.net/~tunabites/lures.html
http://www.fishtraplures.com/
Clones and Feather:
Feathers:
http://www.charkbait.com/cs/cst2a.htm
Clones:
http://www.charkbait.com/cs/sevenstrand.htm
Colors: Zuchini, Mexican Flag, Jerry Garcia, Sablefish, Greens, Chartrusesw/greens or reds.
Sizes: 6-8inch Clone and Feathers with upto 2.5oz heads.
5-6inch Salmon Hoochies with 3/4 to 1oz egg sinkers heads
Tons of Good Tuna Talk and info can be found at
http://www.ifish.net/forum/postlist.php?Cat=0&Board=UBB21
Shoot me an email if any of you are interested in coming to Oregon this month and whacking some tuna - we will find rides for all salty anglers with gas money and a sense of adventure.
We'll provide all the tackle, bait and lures.
5-Salt Fever
Calvin Harmon
charmon@m2tranport.com
