Artificial Lures

Yellowfin Tuna Fishing - The Basics

By Bill Rollins 31 May, 2023 6 mins read

You should be familiar with the following information before you travel to North Carolina for yellowfin tuna fishing. Here are some tips: Know the season, choose the right boat, and research schooling species. These tips will ensure that you have the best fishing experience possible and catch the largest yellowfin. Once you are familiar with these basics, you will be well on your path to catching a big yellowfin.

Season

The season for yellowfin tuna fishing in North Caroline can vary considerably. Yellowfin tuna can be caught by recreational anglers throughout the year. However, they are most active in spring. Yellowfins will typically be caught on topwater lures, jigs, jigs, and topwater baits. Yellowfins often attack in groups and launch themselves out of water to chase bait. These huge fish may look like 50-pound footballs. However, the fight against them is fierce and their runs are hardy.

The Northeast Corner in Big Rock is where the baitfish concentrations are greatest and where strong currents flow. The northeast corner is ideal for yellowfin fishing during tournaments that feature billfish. Dillon however recommends fishing somewhere else during the week. The crowds of small boats can disrupt trolling and fighting. Fishing in Big Rock is not necessary if you can catch the tuna in a calmer, uncrowded ocean.

Yellowfin tuna can also be caught in calmer waters during the summer. Yellowfins prefer water temperatures between 70 and 78 degrees, but they don't like high temperatures. As such, fishing in midsummer is not a good idea. To find the best time to catch these fish, look for birds in clusters and bonitos crashing the surface. They can be found by using bonitos, glass minnows, and other indicators such as glass minnows.

Spring: Yellowfins in the Gulf Stream off North Carolina's coast are abundant in spring. Yellowfin tuna fishing in North Carolina offers an opportunity for the fisherman to experience the thrill of battling a huge beast. Yellowfins come home with plenty of meat thanks to a generous regulatory allowance. If you are looking for a good yellowfin fishing trip, it's the time to plan your trip now!

Tackle

Yellowfin tuna thrives in deep water and are highly migratory. Yellowfin tuna will spawn closer to shore than other species of tuna, in order to keep their preferred temperature range. While smaller tuna species tend to swim closer to the surface than larger ones, the older ones will often move deeper into ocean and mix with other species. Yellowfin tuna is a prized species, and NC fishing charters are focused on it.

North Carolina's tuna fishing scene is best enjoyed from a large charter boat. Although the fishing season is variable, recreational anglers can catch tuna all year. Yellowfin tuna can be caught using artificial lures, ballyhoo/seawitch gears, and other methods. These fish can also be caught using a planer rig. Try a fishing charter with larger boats for a more difficult day.

Most charter boats use blue/white Ilander skirts, or multi-colored spreader bar. Yellowfin prefer pink and green colors. You can try a black/purple sleeve on cloudy days if time permits. A naked-rigged bait is also an option if you are on a tight budget. A tuna may be attracted to an unseen bait, and will avoid skirts altogether.

To entice a yellowfin tuna, try rigging it with a plastic lure or a rubber fly. These lures are very effective when used under the right conditions. These lures will draw more attention than natural baits rigged for hooks. To ensure that your lures don't bounce around in the water, adjust the hook length.

Schooling species

Yellowfin tunas have many reasons to be called schooling species. First, they often swim in groups of at least two species. While other fish such as billfish and sharks swim in groups, yellowfin are unusual in that they often school together. Yellowfin, in addition to schooling together, are known to gather with driftwood, seagrass patches, and dead marine mammals.

Fish from small schools form strong social and geographic bonds that endure for many years. These bonds may be the result of kin recognition mechanisms and general school fidelity. General school fidelity is a form of kin recognition that develops before the larval population disperses, which preserves most brood-mates. Small yellowfin displaying FADs in conjunction with skipjack tuna are evidence that species differentiation is overruled by individual size.

Larger species of yellowfin tuna often form schools with dolphins. Larger ones sometimes school near oil rigs. To make swimming more efficient and faster, the tuna fold their fins in special indentations in water when they are spawning. These fish are quite common in the sea and make up a large portion of canned fish in the United States. Yellowfin tuna also rank high in sales.

These species typically live offshore, but are occasionally spotted near shore. They eat baitfish found on islands in the middle of the ocean. Under certain conditions, an inshore yellowfin may move to the continental plate. These fish may migrate between the open sea and mid-ocean islands, according to researchers. So, it is important to observe yellowfin tuna in their natural habitats, as they may associate with drifting items.

Boats

There are many types of fishing boats that can be used to catch yellowfin tuna offshore in North Carolina. Charter fishing boats with large hulls are the most popular. These prized fish are caught by boat captains who use artificial lures, ballyhoo/seawitch and other rigs. For catching tuna, planer rigs are also a good option. A sea-hulled yacht is a great choice for your next fishing trip.

In North Carolina, yellowfins are abundant and can be reached by experienced anglers who have a Harris sportfisherman of 24 feet. Charterboats also have the range to safely access the Gulf Stream, a critical area for catching tuna. Do-it-yourself anglers can reach Gulf Stream using a small boat or a faster craft on calm summer days. They will reach the tuna within a few hours.

Fishing offshore can be extremely rewarding, especially for yellowfin enthusiasts. These tuna may form a pattern over several days and respond to repeated chunking. These fish may become frequent visitors to the congregated area from a fishing boat. Offshore fishing enthusiasts love the challenge that comes with trolling for yellowfin, and the excitement of an early blitz. They love the distinctive fighting style characteristic of yellowfin.

Hatteras Island in North Carolina is the best place to find yellowfins tuna. Also, the inlet area is a good spot. These are the areas where boat captains will use topwater plugs and ballyhoo to troll, dangle kite baits and jig vertically. These waters are only visited by bigeye tuna about once every ten years.

Management of yellowfin tuna by the NMFC

IOTC and NMFC's joint management plan for yellowfin tuna in the Atlantic Ocean are based on the premise that production of the species is concentrated in waters off the Gulf of Guinea, a tuna nursery adjacent to west-central Africa, where a large purse-seine fishery exists. These purseseine fisheries target small, vulnerable tunas.

The Indian Ocean's yellowfin Tuna stock is severely overfished and the number of catches continues to rise. Scientists fear that the fishery will collapse in five years. A number of prominent food retailers are calling for urgent action to safeguard the Indian Ocean's yellowfin fishing fleets. South Africa, Kenya and Maldives have created a new interim plan to manage the population.

The DGN fishery has been under close scrutiny since 1989 when the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) identified it as a bycatch source of marine mammals. As a result, the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMF) is now using an observer programme to monitor the fishing industry. Data from the observer programme and other sources (including commercial fishing companies and local governments) are entered into the Pacific Fisheries Information Network, which is administered by the U.S. government. It is shared with the member agencies and individuals.

Using satellite tags and internal tags to track NMFC's yellowfin tuna populations is one way to monitor the population. LDWF and NMFC have used satellite tags for monitoring the Gulf of Mexico yellowfin tuna numbers. Satellite tags have been used to track the life cycles of the tuna, however. Despite the increased use of satellite tags, some satellite tags have been retained in fish over three years.

FAQ

Where can I find good fishing guides?

There are many services that fishing guides can offer. You can get advice about the best areas to fish in, tips for catching certain types of fish and even how to use various types of equipment.

Is it possible to fish during the day?

Yes, you can fish any hour of the night. Only times that fishing is banned are when you can fish.

How long does a skilled fisherman take?

Expert fishermanship takes practice over many years. Learn new techniques, improve your skills and become a more skilled fisherman.

How do I clean a salmon?

There are many ways to clean a salmon. One way is to remove the head and guts. Wash the fish well with cold water. Another option is to gut the fish yourself. This involves removing the intestines as well as cleaning the inside cavity. Finally, you can ask someone else to help you clean the fish.

Are special licenses necessary to fish?

You cannot unless you plan on taking fish out of the state or beyond county boundaries. Many states allow anglers fishing without a license. To find out what license is required, check with your local Fish & Wildlife Agency.

What are the different types of lures you can use?

Yes, there are many kinds of lures. Some lures are specifically made for certain fish species. Some lures mimic insects, frogs or crayfish while others are designed to mimic grasshoppers, worms, and other frogs. You can find lures in many shapes and sizes. Some lures can even be shaped like real insects.

Statistics

Coarse fishing is 100% catch and release these days. (linesonthewater.anglingtrust.net)
You likely have a fish hooked if the bobber moves erratically for over 5 seconds. (tailoredtackle.com)
To substantiate this theory, Knight attempted a systematic inquiry by considering the timing of 200 'record' catches, more than 90 percent were made during a new moon (when no moon is visible). (myfwc.com)
About 40 percent of all fish are freshwater species. (takemefishing.org)