Thread: Bluefin on the fly

From Flies and Fins...

tuna are the coolest fish out there.

I would be pumped if those 27inch fish came back to Cape Cod this summer. Our "school" bluefin are most likely going to be right around 65 inches or so. Not something you want to tangle with on a fly. I actually had to upgrade my spinning reels to Stella's after burning out the drags on my "lesser" reels that had worked flawlessly in years past.

Any ideas on where that video was shot? I am guessing Rhode Island b/c of the Bonito and Skipjack's at the end.

Originally Posted by Sagamoron

I actually had to upgrade my spinning reels to Stella's after burning out the drags on my "lesser" reels that had worked flawlessly in years past.

Penn Slammers do fine if you upgrade the drag and take care of them.

Any ideas on where that video was shot? I am guessing Rhode Island b/c of the Bonito and Skipjack's at the end.

Probably east of Chatham, tons of bones and skips there usually.

That Video makes me aroused. I have been bringing my fly rod out with the crew I fish for tuna with always praying we find some footballs for me to cast into. Its funny watching them troll for footballs with the same rods we use for giant's.
That setup doesn't look much bigger than a 10wt? Anybody know for sure or have experience doing so?

Originally Posted by 2nd mate

That Video makes me aroused. I have been bringing my fly rod out with the crew I fish for tuna with always praying we find some footballs for me to cast into. Its funny watching them troll for footballs with the same rods we use for giant's.
That setup doesn't look much bigger than a 10wt? Anybody know for sure or have experience doing so?

most 10's don't have the lifting power for footballs.

looks like a TFO Bluewater MD (14-16) (could be a green blank, then probably Sage around 14wt)

reel is definitely a Tibor Gulfstream.

Nice, Thanks for the info. ^^^

I learned my lesson about 10-years ago when I took a 9-wt Loomis Imx and a Teton Tioga out on a commerical albacore troller off the WA coast. We were going one way about 4 knots and I think the tuna was going the other way about 11 knots...flyline and backing was 3/4 gone when the cheapo Tioga (my chum salmon rig) smoked and EVERYTHING blew up. Average fish there was only about 15-pounds.

^^^^ sounds like my 8wt Orvis Mach 4/ VT-2 setup would have exploded on impact had I been able to hook on to even a small bluefin. I have only been fishing for striped bass/atlantic salmon with the rig so far and it has worked fine. Glad I never got to find out. I DO NEED/WANT to get a more burly setup for more bomber gamefish.

I remember reading an article in (I think) SWS waaaay back when I subscribed in the early 90s about people catching bluefin on the fly with (IIRC) an old 8' 9wt that used to be 8'6" but the tip had busted off, and a Pfleuger medalist. Pulling off a feat like that sounds kind of like winning the Indy 500 in a Ford Taurus.

I think the guy that wrote it caught a fish that would have been the world record for his tippet class had the boat not been in gear when he hooked up.

Originally Posted by 2nd mate

^^^^ sounds like my 8wt Orvis Mach 4/ VT-2 setup would have exploded on impact had I been able to hook on to even a small bluefin. I have only been fishing for striped bass/atlantic salmon with the rig so far and it has worked fine. Glad I never got to find out. I DO NEED/WANT to get a more burly setup for more bomber gamefish.

Most good big game flyrods cast like a pool queue.
Its mostly unintentional (by design unfortunately) chuck and duck.

You REALLY don't wanna get nailed in the back of the head by a ~14wt Rio Leviathan with a 7/0 bunker pattern on the business end.

If I were to start over and on the "cheaper" side?
TFO Bluewater Medium
Loop Opti BIG
Rio Leviathan appropriate (not sure offhand of the grain).

That'll kill footballs.

High end?
G Loomis Crosscurrent 12/13 or Sage Xi2 14wt
Charlton Mako
Rio Leviathan

(This is my current setup with the GLoomis and TFO Bluewater as a backup rod. I'm not worried about the reel.)

Originally Posted by likwid

Most good big game flyrods cast like a pool queue.
Its mostly unintentional (by design unfortunately) chuck and duck.

You REALLY don't wanna get nailed in the back of the head by a ~14wt Rio Leviathan with a 7/0 bunker pattern on the business end.

If I were to start over and on the "cheaper" side?
TFO Bluewater Medium
Loop Opti BIG
Rio Leviathan appropriate (not sure offhand of the grain).

That'll kill footballs.

High end?
G Loomis Crosscurrent 12/13 or Sage Xi2 14wt
Charlton Mako
Rio Leviathan

(This is my current setup with the GLoomis and TFO Bluewater as a backup rod. I'm not worried about the reel.)

FKNA!!!!! Thanks

p.s. totally has a subscription to SWS in the late 90's when i was always looking for boobs on the chicks in bikinis.

Originally Posted by hop

tuna are the coolest fish out there.

Tuna are cool. Perhaps even the coolest. But I'd rather catch a billfish.

Originally Posted by likwid

Penn Slammers do fine if you upgrade the drag and take care of them.



Probably east of Chatham, tons of bones and skips there usually.

I thought about that, seems like small boats for that run, although I've seen dumber things out there.

Edit: The Rio Leviathan I use is the 650 grain, on a Temple Fork HD and a Ross Canyons Big Game 8 with 65 power pro as backing. I still haven't hooked up on it, but maybe one day....

Originally Posted by Sagamoron

I still haven't hooked up on it, but maybe one day....

'And that right there is what keeps me from buying something bigger than a 10 wt. I could maybe get a Tarpon that would justify a 12. I could chum the water and catch sharks with it, I guess. But realistically, it would hang in my office and look really pretty. I'll keep using the guide's equipment for a while longer.

There are a few reasons why I haven't hooked up.
One, haven't gotten them to take a fly despite some serious efforts.

Two, I haven't seen ones the size of the Fish in the Video in years. The ones now are freakin' huge, pushing 150lbs.
Three, no one I fish wish is going to want to drive the boat for 2 hours while I struggle with a angry bluefin.

if any massholes want to try mine out, its there for the taking, I'd like someone to hook up on it.

Originally Posted by Sagamoron

Edit: The Rio Leviathan I use is the 650 grain, on a Temple Fork HD

650 on the HD? Seems light.

I'd go 750 or even the 1000 shooting head.

650 casts pretty well, especially when it collects dust on under the gunnels

Originally Posted by Sagamoron

650 casts pretty well, especially when it collects dust on under the gunnels

Dust adds grains.

Originally Posted by likwid

Dust adds grains.

then its at 800 Grain.