new south wales Yellowfin YFT Jervis Bay

[Fergofisher]

Gday, 

 

This year - is the year i am hopefully going to be able to finally target a YFT. I have a 4.75 Top Ender and have (in the right conditions) been 30-50 km offshore regularly. Need advice on a couple things before the season properly starts to help me try and land this dream nugget. Ill usually have someone on board with me so i don't mind running 4 rods as we have a bit of experience clearing them fair fast when we were on our marlin mission earlier this year. 

 

Gear: I currently have x4 Okuma TG30 2 speeds with 500m of 50lb braid and i would say 100-200m of 15kg mono top shot. For each, i have 24kg stand up back bone elites. Will this gear suffice on fish up to 50-100kg? I am willing to upgrade to a couple Tiagra 50WLRS's with 24kg setups if need be to be able to land one of these beasts.  I have a couple heavy spin rods to pitch as well. 

Lures: I have a mix of Xrap 15's, 20's & 30's. I have a number of 6, 7, & 8" skirts all different colours etc mainly by Pakula. Lure wise will these do the job with a mixed spread? 

Teasers: I have a Pakula witchdoctor with a few flash strips attached. I have a few birds etc as well. Will this assist? 

Outriggers: I do have a set of outriggers. Not sure if this would wise to use or not? 

Leader: For the skirts i think they are already rigged at about 100-120lb. For the divers etc, will 80lb do the job? How much leader as well for the divers would work? 

Belts: I only have stand up belts not a full harness but again willing to get a black magic setup as example if that's going to help my arms not fall off. 

 

Couple more questions: 

- Where to go i am completely unsure.. This is the main concern i have. What sort of water do they sit in generally as in temp wise or does it vary? 

- I know to look for bird life etc, but if this isn't happening am i looking for temp breaks, clean/dirty water, mass eddies etc? I have access to Ripcharts to give historic guidance hopfully to put e in the general area of the hot spots

- How close in can they be caught? As in do i need to wait for perfect day to rip 30kms off or do they come in closer to the heads at all at any point or do they just follow the bait etc? 

- Is cubing the better option when the fish aren't coming to the surface? If so what's the general rule of thumb as in how often i should cube, cut into halfs quarters, when to feed a bait back through the chum etc etc. 

 

Cheers for the help in advance, this fish has been on my bucket list since i can remember. Thanks Legends. 

[GregOug]

I’d be spending any extra money on a bigger boat! Being 50kms offshore in a 4.7m sounds fraught with danger to me.

[Brodie_S]

10 minutes ago, GregOug said:

I’d be spending any extra money on a bigger boat! Being 50kms offshore in a 4.7m sounds fraught with danger to me.

Yes I agree with @GregOug

[Fergofisher]

I head out always with a fellow boat crew. I radio in and out to the coast guard, i have all the relevant safety equipment and i pick my day. I have been to the fads off Sydney in the boat 20-30 times in the past few years with no issues along with heading much wider - not worried at all in the size of the boat one bit, more worried about when and where i can hook onto a YFT!  

[Fergofisher]

Any advice at all anyone on my initial comment? Anything would be helpful to try and pull it all together to chase these beasts.. 

[ellicat]

This article on LTT may be of some assistance whilst waiting for some more members to log on and read your post.

 

[swmcl]

Fergo,

Have you seen the DVD called StrikeZone - Tuna Time ?

This is a fairly comprehensive video all dedicated to YFT off Sydney.

Rgds,
Steve

[swmcl]

Brown's Mountain is where they go in the video I think (Don't have the time to look at it again ...)

I don't know how far that is for you in your location ...

Brown's Mountain Co-ordinates: 34-02-00S, 151-39-20E

41km from Sydney.

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

Hi Fergofisher

Welcome to the forum.

I'm not from around there, so I know pretty much bugger all. Here is an article which may help - 

http://www.fishingmonthly.com.au/Articles/Display/16726-Yes-its-tuna-time

I think a normal trolling spread (for gamefish) consists of a shotgun (line way out the back), two lines that are of the side of the boat, and then another two lines with outriggers. Al McGlashan has lots of info on tuna fishing in his Fishing Bible books. Maybe try and find a post from him online, as he is based in Sydney (Same general area, I suppose).

By the way, be patient - not everyone will see this straight away. Maybe asking around and trying to find some known experts would help... It seems to be an 'in the know' thing.

Cheers Hamish

[bigkingie]

6 hours ago, Fergofisher said:

I head out always with a fellow boat crew. I radio in and out to the coast guard, i have all the relevant safety equipment and i pick my day. I have been to the fads off Sydney in the boat 20-30 times in the past few years with no issues along with heading much wider - not worried at all in the size of the boat one bit, more worried about when and where i can hook onto a YFT!  

I  would be. Especially in winter when the yellowfin are on. Westerly winds can blow up without warning and you will have to head straight in to them to get back. There is little lee effect from the land once you get out wide. I wouldn't even go to the Peak in that boat in winter time.