Cape Cod tuna fishing is pretty unique in that it is 100% possible to hook up with a big bluefin tuna while fishing from a relatively modest boat. Plenty of tuna are caught each season from small center consoles or walk-around style boats typically used to pursue striped bass and bluefish. It is possible to catch Cape Cod tuna as large as 700 pounds from such small boats, as long as the weather cooperates.

In the most recent MFCC podcast I interviewed Captain Jay Ciancolo from Laura Jay Charters. Jay has been fishing for tuna his entire life, and he provided us with some very informative and useful tuna fishing advice. I think the most important tip he shared with us was to "keep it simple" and not let things get too complicated.

In this post I want to stick to the keeping it simple philosophy and share with you the technique I used to catch my first ever Cape Cod bluefin tuna. If you have never before caught a tuna on Cape Cod but want to during this season, then I highly recommend you give this super simple technique a shot.

Trolling For Tuna | A Super Simple Spread

First things first, if you do not have a tuna fishing license then I recommend you purchase one right now from NOAA. For most guys the recreational license is the one you want, but definitely read the fine print because the last thing you want to do is break a regulation. From what I've heard the fines can be substantial.

I have zero experience trolling big spreads for bluefin tuna. Running multiple conventional rods, outriggers and big spreader bars from my 21 foot boat is just not feasible. When I troll for tuna, I typically run 2 to 4 lines rigged with single hook baits 50-100 yards behind my boat.

This is as simple a spread as it gets.

Soft Plastics

For lures I really recommend 14 inch bubblegum Hogy soft plastics. I think these lures do an excellent job of imitating a variety of bait fish which tuna feed upon off Cape Cod. My tuna fishing buddy Jason Mazzola and I have had success using 10 inch pink and white Hogys, however the 14 inch bubblegum seems to be the most productive.

Rigging these lures is amazingly simple. All you need to do is thread a Gamakatsu 10/0 to 12/0 Live Bait Heavy Duty hook into the nose of the Hogy. Use some super glue on the shank of the hook to keep everything snug and in place. The Hogy should lay straight with the shank of the hook embedded in the nose of the Hogy, and the point of the hook protruding an inch back from the nose of the Hogy.

You want it to look like this:

We have had our best success trolling the Hogy between 4 and 6 mph, anywhere from 50 to 100 yards behind the boat. I have heard of guys having success trolling much slower, and even pausing their troll, so it can pay to experiment. If you can, try to get at least 2 and up to 4 Hogys skipping along the surface at one time.

The topwater bites are absolutely vicious and are my favorite part of the entire fight.

Equipment

Reel

If you have never caught a tuna before then I recommend purchasing a rod and reel that can be used in a variety of situations. The Fin Nor Offshore 9500 spinning reel is what I chose, because it works well for trolling Hogys, casting topwaters and even jigging for tuna. You can do a lot of different things with this reel and it is very reasonably priced.

Line & Leader

Load the reel up with as much 80 Pound Power Pro Depth-Hunter Metered Line as you can possibly pack onto it. You should be able to pack close to 500 yards onto the Fin Nor 9500. Double check that the line is packed super tight onto the reel spool. Major problems can occur if the line is not packed onto the reel spool as tight as humanly possible.

Fluorocarbon leader is a must. We've had success using a section of 5-8 feet of 100 pound Seagur flurocarbon. To connect the leader to the Power Pro I use a Slim Beauty knot. This works fine for trolling but I will admit that the Slim Beauty is not the most ideal solution for casting because the knot can get hung up in the rod guides.  If you plan on casting to breaking tuna you might want to consider these wind-on leaders.

Rod

There's already a bunch of information available online with regards to the best spinning rods to use for tuna. If you need to purchase a spinning rod I recommend reading this article which will help you narrow down your choices.

Harpoon & Gaff

The most challenging part of catching a Cape Cod tuna is the end game. When the tuna is circling beneath your boat you best have a good harpoon and gaff at the ready. Landing a tuna without at least a gaff can be very challenging.

If you plan on releasing the tuna, then you certainly do not want to chuck a harpoon into its back. To get a good release I recommend following the lip gaff technique that the guys from Reel Deal Fishing Charters use at the end of this video.

I think the best gaffs in the business are from AFTCO. I don't think you want to skimp on the gaff so make sure you purchase a high quality one. The last thing you want is for the gaff to break as you lift a big tuna into the boat!

As far as harpoons go we have had good luck searching Craigslist for second hand harpoons at a discount. Having a harpoon on board can make the end game much, much easier if you intend on keeping the tuna. Sometimes the last 10 feet is most difficult to gain on the fish, and this is where throwing the harpoon can really make a difference.

In Conclusion

The June 1st start of the Cape Cod tuna fishing season will be upon us before we know it. I have my fingers crossed for a very productive 2014 tuna fishing season.

When the season does start be sure to check-in often here at the blog, especially on the membership side of MFCC for the latest tuna fishing information, reports, videos and articles.

Tight lines and take care,

Ryan