It takes some grit and determination to go from zero to hero on the tuna grounds!

Tuna are by far, the most targeted gamefish on the planet. Pound for pound they are the strongest and best fighting fish there is, and their meat is some of the most sought after and expensive seafood available.

The power and speed of tuna can test even the strongest and most skilled anglers. In terms of size, one need look only at the giant bluefin which can reach over 1,000 pounds, true sea monsters. The mighty tuna has an allure like no other saltwater game, and for good reason. Some days the fishing is easy; they can school up in huge numbers and eat practically any bait offered. Yet other times it’s like there is an impenetrable force field around them where getting a bite seems virtually impossible.

Without a doubt, Charlie the prized tuna fish can drive you mad. All is not lost on these difficult days; you just need to work a little harder. By making key observations and subtle changes it’s possible to crack the tuna code even when the bite is tough.

Slicks & Chicks

When fishing offshore for tuna, half the battle is locating the fish. With so much ocean between the fish and land, it can feel like try to find a needle in a haystack. Some days you find the life easily (whales, dolphins and bait). Other days it can be a struggle, like navigating through a barren desert. Even without the presence of ample life, the ocean can still give you subtle clues.

Look for oil slicks on the surface. Tuna, as well as most of the bait they chase are naturally oily. When schools of fish and bait move, they can leave an undeniable oil slick in their wake. To pinpoint which direction the fish have moved, focus on the width of the slick. The narrower, more pronounced end of the slick is “newer” and not as spread out yet. The wider, less concentrated, end of the slick is “older” and has been spreading out longer. Usually, the bait and fish are closer to or ahead of the narrow side. Pay attention to these slicks and try and set up ahead of the narrow side in hopes of locating either bait or fish.

Also, keep a close eye on the birds. Small tuna chicks “dancing” on the surface or in a slick are a very good sign there is bait and fish below. Whenever I see tuna chicks in decent numbers I stop and look. Shearwaters are also excellent tuna indicators. If you notice shearwaters flying low to the water in one direction, pay very close attention. They are almost always following fish. Inactive shearwaters can also give away clues.

If birds are grouped together tightly, stick around. Odds are high they have located bait and maybe tuna as well, and are waiting for another surface-busting feed to erupt. These birds are smart and have a much better understanding of what’s happening beneath them than we do. Put your trust in the birds!

Current & Clarity

The calendar can offer some helpful insight on when/if a bite is likely to be good. Tuna are notorious for not liking new or full moons. Often, my most difficult days have been on or around a changing moon cycle. You could say tuna are like the werewolves of the sea, and when the lunar forces start to change, so does their behavior. It’s opposite what we’ve all come to learn from common inshore species, as powerful moons and strong tides usually do not equate to great fishing. For such incredible and powerful fish, tuna have proven to be inherently lazy during strong tidal scenarios. This has also proven to be true during days between the moons. Near slack tide is almost always your best shot at enticing a bite. For a basic rule of thumb, less tide equals better tuna fishing.

The deep blue offshore water can be your friend and your enemy. Clean and clear water can be good for sight fishing, locating milling fish and pinpointing subsurface pockets of bait. However, the clarity and calmness of the surface can give the tuna the advantage. When the bite is tough, you can be on a good pile fish, but can’t get them to chew. This is often the case when they’ve gotten a bit line shy. Clear water, bright sunlight and calm conditions can reveal every detail from your line to your bait. This can affect the willingness of these fish to eat.

In times like these I’ll be sure to strip any terminal tackle from my line. Ditch the swivels and crimps and opt for a direct knot, as well as a sleek low-profile line to leader knot like the FG knot. I’ll increase the length of my leader in hopes to better hide the main line-to-leader connection. Many times, if I still can’t get the bite, I’ll start dropping down my leader size to a thinner, less noticeable, size. This can be a big gamble. You’re now choosing transparency over breaking strength and chafe resistance. Sometimes it’s a gamble you just have to make. I’ve dropped down as low as 40-pound fluorocarbon when jig and pop fishing for recreational-sized fish, about half the size I typically use.

Sometimes wear on your leader or grime in the water can leave blemishes that are more noticeable underwater. During times like these I’ll dry each leader carefully and wipe clean with alcohol wipes. This cleans the leader and minimizes spots where sunlight can reflect.

Get Weird

Difficult days with a tough bite are simply part of the game. Adapting and thinking outside of the box will make you a better captain and fisherman. I take times like these as an opportunity to try new strategies or hone in on different patterns that I’d perhaps not notice otherwise. If I’m jigging, I’ll try working different parts of the water column, rather than standard bottom to top. I’ll also try different jigging styles and methods. I try to keep a close eye on my sounder when I’m jigging and marking fish. You can see if fish are streaking up on your jig, when they’re coming up, or if they’re following it down on the drop.

Sometimes I’ll increase or decrease the size of my jig. Maybe they want more or less scope, worked on a shallower or steeper angle? When casting on top water I’ll try different style poppers, stickbaits, and surface sliders. I’ll change colors, sizes and cadence in my retrieves. When chunking, I’ll experiment with different-sized baits and the amount of chum deployed. I’ll drift some baits longer, further from the boat then try some baits closer, frequently resetting. When trolling I can change the speed and distance apart from my spread. I’ll adjust the course, going with or against the tide.

There are dozens and dozens of changes you can make when trying to decode a tough tuna bite, no matter the method you’re currently applying. If the bite is already slow and difficult, what’s the loss in doing some experimenting? Its times like these you can stumble on remarkable patterns that could very well be the difference between a successful day and a depressing ride back to the dock.

IN THE WEEDS

People tend to correlate weed lines exclusively with mahi mahi. While mahi are drawn to weed lines, tuna will also congregate there. The weeds act as a haven for smaller bait and forage fish. Without a mass of other bait nearby, tuna will often stick around weed lines. Additionally, weed lines can be on or near a temperature break, where different temp/current waters meet. This isn’t always the case, but on a tough day a weed line can be a promising place to look.

I remember one day during a very tough bite, I was in full-on experiment mode. I decided to dead stick a large, Williamson speed jig, tight to the bottom with virtually no drift. This is the exact opposite of how that jig was designed to be fished. While the rest of the fleet struggled, we boated five fish consecutively, all on that peculiar dead-stick speed jig, dragged along the bottom. Another memorable “tough bite” day was when we were catch-and-release giant fishing on a full moon. As to be expected, the fishing was weird, with myself and many others struggling. Again, I took a page from the experimental book, and instead of fishing live baits near the surface, I dropped a dead mackerel to the bottom. We were tight immediately, to the point I couldn’t even put out a second bait before the first was inhaled. The lazy werewolf tuna didn’t want to work for their meals. The drifted, dead baits on the bottom did the trick. We ended that day going four for seven on 90-inch class fish, one after another. You never know what oddball trick will change the outcome of your trip.

Tuna fishing is one of the most addictive activities on earth. The ‘tuna drug’ has me hooked, and I’m a full-blown addict. When the fishing is good it can be easy and worry-free. When it’s tough, it can break down even the most seasoned skippers. On tough days, use the clues the ocean gives you like locating slicks, fishing weed lines and watching bird behavior. Try to present your baits with elusiveness, looking as natural as possible. When the going gets tough, start experimenting and trying different techniques, no matter the style of fishing you’re currently engaged in. Be prepared to adapt and adjust your strategies at a moment’s notice.

Tuna fishing can be hard, it’s as simple as that. If you take the tough days as a personal challenge, learn to adapt and experiment, you too can decode the tuna bite, and head back to the barn, a champion.