It's difficult to beat bluefin tuna fishing on Cape Cod. The tuna fishing over the past few years has been nothing short of spectacular..
The Cape supports a spectacular population of tuna throughout the fishing season. Typically the fish arrive in June, with some staying as late as December. The amount of tuna around Cape Cod over the past few years has been staggering.. Large schools of smaller school size tuna, along with some true giants, have been frequent visitors to the waters off Cape Cod, presenting an incredible opportunity for anyone willing to put in the time and effort.
Many people claim that bluefin tuna have been depleted, and are on the verge of extinction. Numbers worldwide are reportedly down, as overfishing takes its toll.. Yet the abundance of bluefin tuna off Cape Cod has only increased in recent years. Fishermen of all calibers agree that there has been an influx of tuna throughout the past decade. The Cape Cod fishey is alive, abundant, and thriving..
Fortunately for Cape Cod anglers, the action is usually only minutes away from the harbor
Impressive schools of tuna fed heavily just north of the Fingers in Cape Cod Bay during June of 2010. The tuna were a mere 6 miles from the Barnstable coast.. These tuna were fussy, and difficult to fool. However the topwater feeding frenzies proved to be quite the show in and of themselves..
During some trips, hundreds of tuna could be spotted across the horizon. The telltale splashes and whitewater could be seen from close to a mile away as the fish crushed bait on the surface..
This year the stage has been set for some epic fall tuna fishing. As is the norm, the baitfish are here in abundance. Half beaks, mackerel, whiting and herring will be plentiful come fall. For Cape Cod tuna fishermen, there is no better time of the year than September and October.
Throughout this fall, my crew and I will be targeting giant bluefins. If all goes well we hope to latch into a tuna greater than 72 inches in length. Our go-to technique will be drifting live bait.. We will use balloons to target tuna beneath the waters surface, and kites to target surface feeding bluefins. Kite fishing is essentially the same as topwater fishing for striped bass, except the intended catch is about 200 times bigger..
Juvenile bluefish make one of the best baits for the biggest of bluefins. Catching 12-18 inch bluefish around Cape Cod is, regreattably, not always easy.. Small bluefish can be found throughout the Cape's back bays and estuaries. Unforunately these areas are usually a considerable distance from the tuna grounds.. The most challenging dilemna is devising a method of transporting the bluefish to places like Stellwagen Bank and the area east of Chatham. Luckily the effort, energy, and gas required to procure live blues is often times worth the effort..
Pogies may be a more realistic bait source for many. These filter feeders can be gillnetted or cast netted in many of the Cape's back bays and estuaries. If you plan on catching pogies on your own, then expect to invest a lot of time and energy into learning the trade. Befriending a local live pogie supplier is a more feasible option for many tuna fishermen..
For those not up to dealing with the complexities of obtaining live bait, artificial offerings are a viable option. Artificial presentations may not be as desirable for targeting giants, however they still catch they fair share of behemoth fish.. Trolling squid bars is one of the more popular techniques employed by the ares top captains. There are a variety of other trolling options available as well.. Many anglers choose to pursue school and small giant tuna on spinning gear. Casting topwater plugs and jigging metal are effective ways of targeting tuna as well..
There is no wrong way to tackle a tuna-the key is discovering what works best for your crew.
Fall is an exciting time to be on Cape Cod. The striped bass fishing and whale watching off Cape Cod can be equally dramatic as the bluefin fishing. Bass blitzes are common along the Cape's many beaches, as stripers "beef up" for their southerly migration..
If the tuna bite slows. switching tactis and pursuing stripers is always an option. Big bass are fequently found in the general vicinity of tuna.. Sometimes 20-40 pound bass are caught on the same pogies and squid bars intended for bluefins. On some days bass are even refferred to as a nuisance by tuna anglers..
If the weather cooperates, the fall of 2011 has the potential to be one of the most productive times of the season for anyone wetting a line off Cape Cod.
The Cape has a truly world class fishery. The fishing opportunities are endless. Tight lines, stay safe, and good luck!.
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