|
©2005 Tsunami Fishing Systems
|
|
|
View from the Helm
Miscellaneous notes and interesting observations...
Seafood Guide | Issue 2 Survey Results | E-Tec Update | Deep Jigging Update | View from Below
The July 2005 issue of
Pacific Coast Sportfishing had an interesting
article titled "Lessons from Down Under", by Terry Maas. Terry
Maas is an expert open-water spearfisherman, and in this article he shares
his observations on yellowfin tuna behavior offshore. Here are some of the more
interesting points:
-
Free divers usually stake out an area and wait for the YFT to come to them.
Favorite spots are islands or underwater ridges in 20 fathoms or less.
The most productive zone for them is where the resident baitfish on the bank
meet with the more migratory bait like mackerel and skipjack tuna. This is
usually somewhere upcurrent from the structure, anywhere from 100 yards to a
quarter mile.
-
While smaller yellowfin tuna segregate by size, schools of fish over 50 pounds
tend to have mixed sizes, with the larger fish 10-20 feet deeper than the
other fish, and farther back in the school.
-
Free divers confirm what we've known for a while - tuna and other pelagic
fish orient towards floating debris, but are usually not directly under it.
YFT can be several hundred yards off the debris.
-
When YFT and dolphin swim together, the tuna do the "heavy lifting" of
chasing down and ravaging baitfish. The dolphin follow the school
and pick off the leftovers. So fish well ahead of working dolphin!
|
|
|
| << Previous Page |
Back to Start >> |
|