Martha's Vineyard Tuna

deepsushi · #1 02-12-2003, 10:47 AM

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 · #2 02-12-2003, 11:00 AM

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 · #3 02-12-2003, 11:16 AM

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 · #4 02-12-2003, 11:33 AM

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 · #5 02-12-2003, 12:19 PM

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 · #6 02-12-2003, 02:10 PM

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.

ScottM · #7 02-12-2003, 04:00 PM

The fall was almost a total washout for us. From mid-September on, the wind just blew like crazy. For us, timing was everything, since the boat came out when the weather went downhill - the lower unit let go (on our way to chase school BFT of course!), and by the time the insurance company settled on the claim and our mechanic fixed it, it was late October. We were able to get in 10 days of excellent albie fishing on MV from shore though, so that made things better, but it sure was painful hearing all the guys come back with stories of catching 60-80# bluefin on medium spinning gear and flyrods only 2 miles off the beach in Scituate and Gloucester.