Getting a big yellowfin on a popper is truly a memorable lifetime experience.
Chasing yellowfin tuna on top has become second nature to the knowledgeable boater that is heading offshore. In the last several seasons this method has caught on to the point that now almost all offshore anglers are ready to cash in this exciting and exhilarating technique.
I always have three specialized spinning rods rigged and ready to just grab and fire off a cast at any of the telltale tuna signs. Yellowfin blowing up on top, pushing water, or corralling bait is the most obvious sign for us to b-line in that direction. Massive surface feeds worthy of National Geographic with pods of finback whales tightly packed together balling up bait is another no brainer. Two-tone dolphins, aka the short beak common dolphin, can also do the same or be mixed in with the whales. A third telltale sign are skipjack tuna that are moving around quickly.
When we approach any of these signs it is my job as charter captain to position the boat so clients can get a cast off. Watching for other boats already set up on the feed is important so you don’t crash their party. Knowing how well and far my clients can cast will also play a key role. If the bait ball and feed is corralled then casting directly into it is all you will need to do. If, however, the tuna are pushing and moving, then it is important to present you popper in the most natural way possible. Once the direction is determined that the pod is moving I will position my boat ahead of it within a long cast range.
When the cast is made the popper needs to land in front of the pod and then is pulled away so it mimics what happens in the wild; a tuna chasing down a bait. Pulling the artificial towards the pod or across their path is not as realistic or effective. If you are chasing the two-tone pods the same holds true; get ahead of the lead pack and start by casting in front of the dolphins as they come towards you.
The retrieve that is most effective is different than a retrieve you would use when fishing for striped bass. Rather than retrieving in a steady motion the retrieve is slow with sweeps and pops or chugs and then a long pause. The pause is what triggers the aggression strike from the tuna as it goes in for the kill on what it thinks is an injured bait.
My three favorite poppers to throw are the Madd Mantis Cherry, the Nomad Chug Norris, and the new UVT Murray. For the last several years the Madd Mantis regular and XL poppers have proven to be one of the most effective and consistent poppers to use. Their cupped face creates a loud and big splash, mimicking a fleeing baitfish or distressed prey. “Yellowfin are visual and sound oriented feeders. The splash draws them in from a distance, especially in choppy or offshore conditions”, says creator David Stingo, who describes his offerings as combining noise, movement, durability, and realism, “all the things yellowfin respond to when they are feeding on top.” The frostbite and butter are my go to colors. The Nomad Chug Norris 180 in the holo ghost shad color is another favorite. It makes a loud thumping pop and leaves a huge bubble trail which the tuna can easily zero in on from below.
Every year it seems that a new product takes the tuna industry by storm, as was the case with the Madd Mantis a few years back. This season the new UVT Murray popper in the chrome/white color may be that popper. Anthony from UVT calls it the most refined topwater yet. “It displaces massive water volumes for a thunderous pop and tight dive on each strip, then rides back to the surface in prime position for another strike,” he noted.
When choosing a rod and reel there are many options from high end combos that will cost you over a thousand dollars to mid-range that will bring you in under a thousand. On the high end it’s tough to beat a ZCR, Zack’s custom one piece 8-foot moderate fast/fast 150-gram rod paired with a 14K or 10K Shimano Stella. More moderately priced and still able to get the job done try the two piece 8-foot Shimano Grappler Type J casting fast action rod or the two-piece 8-foot, 3-inch Nomad moderate fast action rod paired with a 14K-10K Shimano Twin Power or Okuma Tesoro.
I use braid rated for 80 pounds, along with a short casting leader looped-to-looped to the braid. BHP Tackle sells these pre-made in 12-foot lengths specifically for this application. I use either the 80- or 100-pound fluorocarbon leaders and I cut them down to about 8 feet. The loop-loop connection should not sit around the reel when you are ready to cast or it will cut down on your distance. It should be just off the reel below the first guide.
