[SilverFly]

... to start thinking about about tuna!

Hoping we'll have a somewhat normal albacore season this year. There was some great fishing last year but it was tough to predict when and where.

Careful planning will be my motto this year. Time and money will be limited for me with a trip to Hawaii and some home improvement projects in the works. Fortunately we're starting to get a solid core group of tuna junkies together, so I think setting up trips will be much easier.

Always looking for new recruits though. I'd also dig seeing others setting up fly rod tuner trips. I've got my favorite boat out of Garibaldi, but I think the Westport fleet is suffering from extreme fly rod deficiency. Somebody really needs to step up and fix that.

Feel free to use this thread for the following:

》Enlist as a tuna recruit
》Arrange trips
》Tuna fly gear/rigging discussions
》Post tuna/bluewater pics and video porn
》Tuna recipes, home canning, smoking (yum)
》Post classified links to buy/sell/trade tuna fly gear
》Ask anything tuna related
》Escape the steelhead and salmon fishing blues

EDIT: Adding a list to keep track of those expressing interest:

- SeattleFarq
- JohnB
- Stuart_Stringer
- iPhish
- james_jimenez
- Kfish
- cabezon
- Bruce Baker
- Jeff Bandy
- DimeBrite
- PhilR

 

[SeattleFarq]

I've always wanted to catch a tuna. How heavy a rod would you need to catch one on a fly?

 

[Porter]

11-12

 

[SilverFly]

I've always wanted to catch a tuna. How heavy a rod would you need to catch one on a fly?

That can be arranged. Show up at the dock and you're welcome to use one of my extra 12 wt outfits.

 

[SeattleFarq]

That can be arranged. Show up at the dock and you're welcome to use one of my extra 12 wt outfits.

That's mighty tempting. When is the season? I don't know the first thing about off-shore fishing - fly or otherwise.

 

[JohnB]

I'm not sure why it is that I get so sucked into Tuna threads despite never fishing for them. One of these years I'll make it out. It'd be neat to catch one on a bug rod too.

 

[SilverFly]

That's mighty tempting. When is the season? I don't know the first thing about off-shore fishing - fly or otherwise.

The season usually is usually under way by the 4th of July but (typically) the better fly fishing is later in the season. August and September are the prime months.

I don't claim to be an expert, but I am starting to accumulate some experience with the fishery. I'll try to post a quick tutorial when I get a chance.

 

[veilside180sx]

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[SilverFly]

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Mmm, jalapeno and sweet chili. My two favorite home canned flavors. Used my last jar a while back and I'm jonesing for a killer tuna sandwich.

I'll usually chop up some bread and butter pickles, roasted garlic and green onions into a chunky relish, then mix it with a pint of sweet chili tuna. Stir in some sweet chili sauce and/or sriracha to taste. Then throw the mix in the fridge to let the flavors meld while toasting some sourdough under the broiler. Best served with the bread still warm and a cold beer to wash it down.

Lots of other sandwich variations using scallions, peppers, ginger, fresh herbs, balsamic vinegar, wasabi, nori, plum sauce, soy, teriyaki, etc... etc.. it's all good. Pretty much the opposite of canned tuna from the store which is cat food by comparison.

 

[SilverFly]

Here's a re-run of some porn from 2015 to kick things off. My work buddy's son Ted with his first fly rod tuna:

Thoughts of warmer days and azure waters.

 

[SilverFly]

I'm not sure why it is that I get so sucked into Tuna threads despite never fishing for them. One of these years I'll make it out. It'd be neat to catch one on a bug rod too.

Sounds like you have a need for speed. I love catching all kinds of fish on a fly rod but it's hard to describe the rush of the grab and that first blistering (sometimes literally) run with tuna. Hopefully we'll have better conditions this year so you'll have a good shot at experiencing this first hand if you so choose.

 

[Stuart_Stringer]

Ooooooooh man! After my first tuna experience (on live bait) this summer I have wanted get back out there. I think it was the single most fun (and uncomfortable) days of fishing I have ever had. While being sea sick really sucks, those fish more than compensate! Getting them on the fly must be a total riot.

 

[SilverFly]

Ooooooooh man! After my first tuna experience (on live bait) this summer I have wanted get back out there. I think it was the single most fun (and uncomfortable) days of fishing I have ever had. While being sea sick really sucks, those fish more than compensate! Getting them on the fly must be a total riot.

Live bait tuna fishing is flat-out ridiculous, silly, giggle-like-a-school-girl fun. So much so, it can take some resolve to step away from the bait tank and pick up a bugstick. I'm always glad when I do though.

Fly fishing for them is a mix of heart-in-your-throat anticipation of the grab, followed by panic and sheer excitement as the line melts off your reel at incredible speeds.

Yeah, it's worth dealing with some nausea, but there are ways of preventing motion sickness, or at least making it tolerable. That's another good topic to cover.

 

[iPhish]

Big time east coast tuna guy here. Moved west last summer. Never tried for one on a fly rid but damn that sounds fun. We had an incredible month last summer right before I left. 4 solid weeks of bluefin and yellowfin 40 miles from our inlet on a group of lumps. Caught them jigging, trolling, and chunking. Just stupid good fishing.

Would love to get into some out here next summer. More than willing to drive out to the coast to fill a spot on a boat and split costs. Here's a pic of my dad and I after our last trip before I moved.

 

[james.jimenez]

Never fished for tuna before. This thread has gotten off to a great start, just added it to my "watch" list!!! I am sure this is gonna be an awesome thread.

 

[FinLuver]

deleted

 

[Kfish]

Really want to try it one of these days. This is a multi-day affair right?

 

[Bagman]

I've only been out one time while it was a very long day it was just one day of fishing. We drove to OR spent the night got up the next day and fished.

 

[Mems]

Largest ahi last year, 180 on conventional.

Tripled up on CI. Two hit on the troll, I cast a pink popper while they were fighting theirs and my shibi, small ahi went airborne and hit the fly on the way down. Love it when they do that.

We catch a lot of these in Hawaii.

I like this size on fly, takes a good 1/2 hour to get them in. Careful what you wish for. My 2nd toe is still numb from fighting a big ahi, popped my l5 and that was three years ago. We are expecting a run of big ahi for superbowl. Just waiting for a window on the weather. With the packers out I don't really need to watch the game, would rather go fishing, Mems.

 

[veilside180sx]

Really want to try it one of these days. This is a multi-day affair right?

Pretty much always a single day...albeit long day affair

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