The nearly 604 square miles that constitute Cape Cod Bay can make it difficult for the average angler to locate an area holding big tuna. The tuna are out there for certain, however without the aid of a spotter pilot it can be difficult to locate a spot that will produce some action. The Bay is encompassed by outer Cape Cod to the east, and Massachusetts' South Shore to the west. Giant bluefin tuna can be found roaming throughout the Bay during the spring, summer and fall months. Big tuna will prove challenging to find inside the Bay. Yet there area few general areas that for whatever reason seem to yield a greater number of tuna sightings each season. Give these areas a check on your next Cape Cod Bay fishing trip and you may get a surprise from a 500 plus pound behemoth.
In the tuna fishing world, long distances through rough seas are often just part of doing business. However inside Cape Cod Bay, there are areas closer to shore that will prove better suited for small boats. The Fishing Ledge is one such location. The Ledge sits roughly 10 miles outside the east end of the Cape Cod Canal. The Fishing Ledge is situated pretty much smack dab in the middle of the Bay. We can safely access the Ledge in our 21 foot Hydra Sport in wind conditions of 10 mph or less as long as the wind is coming from west or south. If the Bay is as calm as a pane of glass, be sure to keep your eyes peeled for giant tuna cruising just below the surface of the water.
Big tuna will often create a V-shaped wake as they cruise just inches under the Bay's surface. It is possible to gauge the size of the tuna when they are cruising on the surface in this fashion. It may be smart to do so if you plan on targeting smaller tuna with lighter spinning setups. The problem is that this is very difficult to do, especially when you have been searching all day for fish. Add in the pumping adrenaline and it is hard to resist casting to tuna that will undoubtedly destroy your gear.
Tuna will venture into other areas even closer to shore while roaming through Cape Cod Bay. The Fingers outside Barnstable Harbor is one such location. During 2010, tuna in the 150 pound range could be seen feeding heavily just north of the Fingers. The area is roughly 5 miles from shore, making it much more easily accessible for smaller boats. Bluefins in the 150 pound range are much better suited for spin fishermen-compared to the 500 plus pound goliaths. Nevertheless larger specimens will sometimes be found mixed amongst the smaller guys.
The area referred to by old timers as the Square off Billingsgate may also be an area worth taking a ride too. A smart tactic would be to spend the early hours of the morning catching bluefish over the shoal, and then drifting the blues in the deeper water west of Billingsgate in the afternoon.
Quite a few of these Billingsgate bluefish are on the enormous side of the spectrum. They may seem too big to use as bait. However a 1,000 pound bluefin certainly has no problem sucking down a 35 inch or longer bluefish.. These big bluefish make perfect bait for big bluefins. Snipping off a piece of the bluefish's tail can make the blue easier to fish under a kite or a balloon.
Fishing with Balloons and Kites
Kite fishing is one of the most exciting ways to catch a tuna. Fishing a kite is in some ways very similar to casting top water plugs for striped bass and bluefish. The main difference is that the targeted tuna are around 300 times larger than the bass and blues caught on top water plugs. There is no proper way to describe the massive top water strikes that kites can generate.
Details matter when kite fishing. Loading a Penn 80 or 130 reel with braided line can help a kite to fly in even a light breeze. The drawback is that fighting a big bluefin on braided line can be a bit more challenging than on dacron or mono. Utilizing dropper lines will help to decrease the angle of the line you are using to fish the bait. Dropper lines can help to big time if you plan on fishing multiple lines off the same kite. Using an elastic to bridle baits instead of hooking them in the traditional way can help to increase the longevity of your live bait supply. Often times acquiring good live bait is more difficult than finding tuna. Bridling baits will help to keep your bait supply alive and frisky.
Balloon fishing allows a fisherman to strategically place live baits at specific depths. An appropriate size egg sinker, say 8 ounces, is attached a distance up from the live bait on the main line using an elastic band. If the depth you desire to place your bait at is 80 feet, then 80 feet of main line is paid out. Attach the balloon by tying it onto a loop of main line. Tying the balloon onto the loop will allow the balloon to break free when a fish hits the bait.. Set the balloon of the stern, sit back and relax. You will know when you have a take!
In the tuna fishing world, long distances through rough seas are often just part of doing business. However inside Cape Cod Bay, there are areas closer to shore that will prove better suited for small boats. The Fishing Ledge is one such location. The Ledge sits roughly 10 miles outside the east end of the Cape Cod Canal. The Fishing Ledge is situated pretty much smack dab in the middle of the Bay. We can safely access the Ledge in our 21 foot Hydra Sport in wind conditions of 10 mph or less as long as the wind is coming from west or south. If the Bay is as calm as a pane of glass, be sure to keep your eyes peeled for giant tuna cruising just below the surface of the water.
Big tuna will often create a V-shaped wake as they cruise just inches under the Bay's surface. It is possible to gauge the size of the tuna when they are cruising on the surface in this fashion. It may be smart to do so if you plan on targeting smaller tuna with lighter spinning setups. The problem is that this is very difficult to do, especially when you have been searching all day for fish. Add in the pumping adrenaline and it is hard to resist casting to tuna that will undoubtedly destroy your gear.
Tuna will venture into other areas even closer to shore while roaming through Cape Cod Bay. The Fingers outside Barnstable Harbor is one such location. During 2010, tuna in the 150 pound range could be seen feeding heavily just north of the Fingers. The area is roughly 5 miles from shore, making it much more easily accessible for smaller boats. Bluefins in the 150 pound range are much better suited for spin fishermen-compared to the 500 plus pound goliaths. Nevertheless larger specimens will sometimes be found mixed amongst the smaller guys.
The area referred to by old timers as the Square off Billingsgate may also be an area worth taking a ride too. A smart tactic would be to spend the early hours of the morning catching bluefish over the shoal, and then drifting the blues in the deeper water west of Billingsgate in the afternoon.
Quite a few of these Billingsgate bluefish are on the enormous side of the spectrum. They may seem too big to use as bait. However a 1,000 pound bluefin certainly has no problem sucking down a 35 inch or longer bluefish.. These big bluefish make perfect bait for big bluefins. Snipping off a piece of the bluefish's tail can make the blue easier to fish under a kite or a balloon.
Fishing with Balloons and Kites
Kite fishing is one of the most exciting ways to catch a tuna. Fishing a kite is in some ways very similar to casting top water plugs for striped bass and bluefish. The main difference is that the targeted tuna are around 300 times larger than the bass and blues caught on top water plugs. There is no proper way to describe the massive top water strikes that kites can generate.
Details matter when kite fishing. Loading a Penn 80 or 130 reel with braided line can help a kite to fly in even a light breeze. The drawback is that fighting a big bluefin on braided line can be a bit more challenging than on dacron or mono. Utilizing dropper lines will help to decrease the angle of the line you are using to fish the bait. Dropper lines can help to big time if you plan on fishing multiple lines off the same kite. Using an elastic to bridle baits instead of hooking them in the traditional way can help to increase the longevity of your live bait supply. Often times acquiring good live bait is more difficult than finding tuna. Bridling baits will help to keep your bait supply alive and frisky.
Balloon fishing allows a fisherman to strategically place live baits at specific depths. An appropriate size egg sinker, say 8 ounces, is attached a distance up from the live bait on the main line using an elastic band. If the depth you desire to place your bait at is 80 feet, then 80 feet of main line is paid out. Attach the balloon by tying it onto a loop of main line. Tying the balloon onto the loop will allow the balloon to break free when a fish hits the bait.. Set the balloon of the stern, sit back and relax. You will know when you have a take!
About the Author:
Captain Ryan Collins fishes for striped bass and Bluefin tuna off Cape Cod, MA. Visit his blog, myfishingcapecod.com for insider tips about Cape Cod Canal fishing and giant tuna.
No comments:
Post a Comment