queensland Tuna report

[Luvit]

I took Luke & James out to look for some long tails yesterday. The morning didn't turn out as planned, when we left home there wasn't a breath of wind. When we arrived at Bribie Island to launch it was 15knts southerly gusting to 17knts. We headed out and from the Bridge onwards it was crap with wind against tide. Rather than get saturated we went down the passage to have a look. After an hour and half and a bit more light to see we headed off into the slop.

After a while we saw a small bust up but they went down before we got there. Then we saw some small fish and I caught a small Watson leaping bonito. Great bait. We sounded around and found some bait schools and some bigger marks shadowing them. While there was no surface action we cast out some soft plastics and worked them around the schools of bait.

I was using a 1/4 once jig head with a 2" Berkley power bait in pink. It paid off with a our first hook up almost immediately. After a spirited fight on a light rod a very solid long tail hit the deck. The wife had ordered a Tuna to go with some honey soy

Jame's did a great job of gaffing it while Luke drove the boat.

We headed back to the bait and Luke hooks up with the same technique. With James driving and me the gaff man Luke had it very close to the boat when it took a dive back under the boat peeling drag. Unfortunately it won its freedom by tangling the line around the main motor. Luke was a little disappointed but glad he had the fight and saw the fish. A little more experience for James in driving the boat.

Thing were quite and the weather improved so headed over to Moreton Island. As we arrived there was some bust ups and our first approach was good and Luke hooked up but the hooks pulled after 5 seconds of line burning. James also had a hit but no hook up. Again things were quite and we headed further towards the cape.

I saw a little bit of reef and we threw some more SP and Luke picked up his first ever Long Tom.

With the day nearly over we headed back in and saw many small mac tuna feeding and like Bersim stated in his last report. And like Bersim said they wouldn't take anything we threw including slugs.

Headed home to wash clean the boat and fish.

[Old Scaley]

Thanks for yet another good report, Wayne. Good tip to look for the bait schools. Can I ask about your technique with the plastics? Are you just lifting and dropping or winding it up through the school. Pardon my ignorance but I have caught a grand total of 3 longtails in my long fishing career despite many hours chasing them, and keen to make them a regular target species.

[bersim]

Glad it's not just me struggling with those macs Lovely tuna! You were clearly rewarded for heading out despite the bad weather.

James

[Luvit]

Thanks Old Scaley

Feel free to ask any questions.

I worked 2 rods, cast one out and while it is sinking place in rod holder. Cast the second one out, pick up the first rod and twitch the rod so the SP dances around. Wind it up a bit and repeat until it's back at the boat. Then re cast and do same for the second rod. That way you always have a SP in the water. Mix it up a bit and do a fast retrieve sometimes.

It's not unusual for tuna to take a SP jwhile it's just drifting around.

When casting into surface feeding tuna I found you don't need to do much except get into the right position before casting. If you have the right size SP they hit it as it sinks. Otherwise a couple of twitches and if that doesn't work try a quick retrieve, it can turn them on.

I've learnt a lot from other helpful anglers and time on water.

[kmcrosby78]

Nice one Wayne - bet the wife was impressed!! Good tip on having two rods on the go - will have to try that. Steve, I was reading your reply and immediately thought 'don't be too upset with just 3 because I've only caught one' but then I realised I've got a few years left yet to get the other two before my career is as 'long' as yours ........

[samsteele115]

Nice one Wayne, it's so rewarding hooking them when there is no surface action to find them. Only happened for me twice so far. Cant wait to get out and do it again! I find it hilarious when I see you fishing with two rods at once especially when you are holding both rods at the same time and twitching them alternately! Looks so rookie but its a great simple idea to double your chances .

Great report like usual

[ellicat]

Nice one, Wayne.

Good to get a feed.

Who eats the crock ?

[Luvit]

I am. Thought it would be good to reverse the rolls. See how they like it when the croc is on the other foot. :silly:

[tunafreak]

Love ya work guys, it's pretty cool getting them when they are feeding deep rather than on top, something different to ad to the arsenal rather than just looking for surface feeding fish....

Like you said it is not unusual for them to take a drifted (deadsticked) plastic, on many occassion I've thrown a plastic out and stuck the rod in the holder while stopping for lunch etc and picked them up that way......for those who like to use bait, you can get them on well presented pillies doing much the same thing...

[Luvit]

Yes it was satisfying to get them another way. You have been a big help Al and some of the information I say is regurgitate from others like yourself and information I have read. Like the dead sticking the SP you told me about. I personally have not caught a tuna dead sticking SP, but remembered you said it was a successful technique.

Just happy to pass on information so others enjoy the adrenaline rush of catching them as well.

It is one thing to be told how to do something but it is little things you learn while doing them that makes for the little extra success.

[kmcrosby78]

Yeah Al I got my only one thus far on a lightly weighty pilchard on gangs just north of Peel Island while waiting for them to resurface. Foul hooked him on the side so took a bit of pulling in. I REALLY need to catch another one!!!

[tunafreak]

Crosby - It's an effective way (pillies) to catch them if that's what floats ya boat, I've never done it but a good mate of mine used target them this way with great success, he rigged them on a single hook either lightly weighted with sinker straight on top of the hook or unweighted and he'd just float the pillie out and drift in the areas the tuna were feeding...

Another fun way to get them which I did partake in is to cast live pike at the bust ups, works every time, trust me, make sure your knots are up to scratch though as they hit those big baits extra hard and it's not unusual to be snapped off on the hit if you are lazy with your knots (guilty :blush: ).

[samsteele115]

Another fun way to get them which I did partake in is to cast live pike at the bust ups, works every time, trust me, make sure your knots are up to scratch though as they hit those big baits extra hard and it's not unusual to be snapped off on the hit if you are lazy with your knots (guilty :blush: ).

Haha thats so cool. I might chuck a pesky grinner or pike out into the tuna melee next time I catch one (which will be next time I go fishing). I love it when I see a tuna report posted because it means that we get another piece of your longtail knowledge and/or experiences.

I always learn something when other members post reports.

It's what the forum is all about! Love it.

Thanks

[Luvit]

That should work out well Sam, you are the king of grinners.

If I was to try that technique I would have to hook the grinner on to the SP and jig head. That way I could not be accused of going over to the dark side of a bait fisho

Only kidding get them anyway you can, drifting while have some lunch with a bait out the back sound like a top idea.

As long as you don't choke on the sandwich when the rod takes off. :ohmy:

[tunafreak]

Have never tried grinners Sam but they might work, I used to stop in at Scarby reef on my way out and grab a tank full of pike and that's all I used besides slugs back then, 25 gram sea rocks were my go to......while on the subject of tuna and pike, on more than one occasion I've seen the longtails in around the peninsula (Redcliffe) hassling the pike and it's quite a sight to see, the bust ups are savage and watching the pike leap metres out of the water to escape death is pretty cool too, that's where I got the idea to put one on the end of a hook and throw them at some angry tuna, great kingie and cobia bait around the beacons too...

[tunafreak]

Found a tackle bag with your name on it Wayne.....

[Luvit]

Ha,ha

When can I pick it up?

Was thinking of changing my user name to Scout after the boat. Nah still like Luvit.