Martha's Vineyard Tuna

[Trayder]

Mark- You are on!!

[Hooper]

Hi Guys-

It's winter and my wheels are turning like crazy, because during the season, I am too damn busy to think of these great things, but now that the mercury is dropping into the single digits, I have nothing but time!!!!! So....

I would really like to try running offshore this summer, say south of the vineyard to try some standup yellowfin fishing. Or east of Chatham for the schoolie bluefins. Has anyone on this site fished these areas and done this type of fishing??? I have done giant tuna before but never the footballs and I think it would be a blast not to mention very tasty.

I know there are guys local to Cape Cod. Maybe we could set up a multi boat adventure if there is any interest....? Think of it, a fleet of SeaCrafts spead out over the Dump whacking yellowfins! I know there are guys out there who get fired up like I do when you think of that! I guess I am a bit more fired up b/c I repowered and want to try anything new.

I would be interested to hear from anyone who has done any of this type of fishing in this area. It would seem to me that current info would be extremely important for success....

All for now, -Hooper [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[Scott]

You guys are killing me !!!!!!!

I'm ready to throw the beast in the water and look for Winter flounder !!!!!!! guess its a little early for that .... and the Ice might be a problem [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[John R]

Why go off MV when you can go in Boston outer Harbor in eraly July when the macks are still around - liveline some for BFT [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Or how about the fall push with guys catching Bluefin FROM THE BEACH!!!! That's how close they were to shore!

Yeh - I'm in, boat or no boat!

[deepsushi]

Hooper,

This past season, we like Trayder did well with the school bluefin South of MV on the 30-fathom curve during the early part of July. One trip we even had a mako shark bite a 35 pound bluefin in half right off the transom...quite an exciting moment. We were catching them on lures fished behind birds but we were also getting them “up tight” in the wash on small jet heads. These tuna after a couple of days of high winds out of the North moved off towards Chatham towards the end of July and then eventually worked their way up in to Cape Cod Bay.

The inshore tuna “wishing” south of MV seems to be a hit or miss thing from year to year. One year we were catching 50-60 pound Yellowfins about 6-7 miles south of Cuttyhunk! Other years the tuna fishing South of MV (except for the Canyons) is a total bust… Unfortunately, over the past few years the Yellowfin haven’t pushed up into the Dump/fingers area in any numbers. A few guys caught some here and there in the Dump but last year the only consistent spot (inshore??) was a slug of warm water about 17 miles to the north of Atlantis Canyon. We made the run, which was about 65 miles south of Wasque and managed to completely frustrate ourselves, as we couldn’t seem to hook up with any yellowfin. We were talking with another boat within radio range that was slamming the yellows…but alas we had a frustrating day where we got skunked (however we did manage to catch some nice 15- 25 pound Mahi to salvage the day.)

So Hooper, in your spare time join me in praying to the “Tuna God” in hopes of having next years tuna season be even better than this seasons! [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]
But beware! Once you get bitten by the offshore bug you will forever be addicted....

[Finster]

If you guys don't mind telling, what are you using to cast at these schoolie bluefin? We have them here in the fall starting in late Aug. They seem to be following the the large pods of migrating bunker. I've hooked up trolling Clark spoons, but never thought of casting to'em.

[John R]

Finster, I cam close to getting some to hookup that were mixed in with some albies just off Nashuena until the Yahoos start putting them down. These were real small fish - 15-20 pounders but I was also only using a light St Croix with a small spinner [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] - would have been a ball... At first we thought we had schools of just Albies but then the tuna started jummpin in thru the same schools. Had a couple chases on small 1 ounce Megabait jigs which were roughly the same color and size of the peanuts that everything was keyed in on.

Now this was inshore fishing, had I had my longer casting rod, I could have casted onto the rocks [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] ....

[Finster]

I get people that tell I'm full of crap when I talk about inshore tuna. Since then I keep my mouth closed. I usally have the fish to myself, while everyone else is dropping 8oz. of lead to pull up a 14" croaker.... go figure. [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img]
My biggest problem is I'm usally on the boat by myself and it's hard to run and gun that way.

[ScottM]

Finster, try a 1 1/2 oz. Yo-Zuri Metallic Sardine (black or green) re-rigged with a stronger split ring and a single 7/0 hook if they're chasing peanut bunker. That's what was doing the trick around here last season.

[Finster]

I'll give it a whirl. I had a blast last season with the albies, bonita and spanish mac's with the flyrod. The weather sucked though, you really had to pick your days in between nor'easter's. I assume you Mass guy's had the same deal with the weather.