Has anyone ever fished for bluefin tuna in the winter out of Charleston? If so what is the best times and how far out do you go?
Good luck finding one of those here. Better go up to hatteras or obx
235 scout sportfish
There have been some spotted here in the winter over the years, but I don’t think there is enough of a fishery to gain interest for people to go out and target them and definitely not like the fishery at the OBX.
About 20 years ago while fishing in 80’ for BSB - I reeled up 2 smallish fish and had something the size of a compact car followed the fish up. When I hooked up again , I brought them up slowly and stopped reeling at about 6’ below the surface and a HUGE bluefin inhaled the entire rig. It was definitely a bluefin. I could see the yellow finlets & the huge size. It spooled my 4/0 reel in seconds. This was in mid Feburary . They do come this far south and have shown up here and off HHI A longliner caught one several years back . I agree with Andy - its such a rare thing that it will never gain interest.
17 years ago,kept 26 Regulator CHM on lift,hooked up large Bluefin on spreader bar,fish on close to one hour,snapped a standup rod,hand lined double line to leader, could see the huge beautiful Blue fin then pop goes the leader,my son and I hugged each other ,that memory is still with us today.We have a Bluefin bite 45 miles out of NJ now.We fished out of CHM up til 2017 aboard Islander 38 Topaz Flybridge, I do miss Charleston.
islander
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FBt4xbCFK4
Just inshore and S of the Pan a few years ago.
There is a fishery for yellowfins directly offshore Charleston 50 to 80 miles out and bigeyes are caught offshore of that.
I did catch two bigeyes freelining dead minnows one morning in 170’ though.
Caught 1 Yellow Fin Tuna years ago , but none since. Used ballyhoo
quote:
Originally posted by Aunt Thttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FBt4xbCFK4
Just inshore and S of the Pan a few years ago.
There is a fishery for yellowfins directly offshore Charleston 50 to 80 miles out and bigeyes are caught offshore of that.
I did catch two bigeyes freelining dead minnows one morning in 170’ though.
No sure I would call it a fishery for YFT off Chs. They’re caught here and there, but still pretty rare. It’s definitely by-catch.
2016 Boston Whaler 230 Vantage w/300 Merc Verado
Ye dont plan on making a living on YFT here anymore the longline boats do work on the Dolphin pretty good for about 6 weeks but not YFT.
Was it always like this when it comes to YFT or have they just become rare for some reason?
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Originally posted by TullanBWas it always like this when it comes to YFT or have they just become rare for some reason?
In the “The good old days” the Yellowfin used be as plentiful as Dolphin in April/May, and they were not concentrated around GTH either. In the late 90s early 2000s it was nothing to go to 226 hole and catch more YFTs than Dolphin. One of our best days we went double digits on 50-60lb Allisons, double digits on Dolphin, had a 90lb wahoo and a sailfish, all in late April. Around 2005/6 the bite started to slack off. In 2007/08 you needed a kite to catch them. Now you need a hell of a lot of luck.
There are a lot of theories on why we don’t catch them here like we use to, when they still crush them in the OBX, but I will leave that to the experts.
“I’m not in this world to live up to your expectations,neither are you here to live up to mine” Peter Tosh - I Am That I Am
There were so many YFT that we would see schools big as football fields and every rod would hook up !
About10-15 years back some of us were fishing for bluefin south of Charleston in the Hilton Head -Bluffton area, and some were caught. I was coming out of Edisto and heading south, and did see some…looked like Volkswagons being dropped into the water. They moved so fast, it was problematic to be in their path; no way to run them down. This was in the January February time frame.
The most surprising thing was how close they came to shore, in maybe 80’, or even less. Someone in that area should be able to share some info. We were pulling horse-ballyhoo on long lines. And I expect those fish might still pass through our area, but as has been said, not enough numbers to draw attention that time of year. On the other hand, back then, we routinely caught yellowfin, which are next to impossible here, now. And the bluefin patterns might have changed likewise??
In NC, winter fishing for bluefin is a different proposition from the usual trolling out of Charleston. They are way more shallow, and drifting over structure. Maybe we should more try that?
Ona Mission