Bluefin Tuna - Round 2 with Luke Davis (4 June 2025)
Bluefin Tuan - Round 2 with Luke Davis
OBC, 4 June 2025
Links to recordings
Luke's notes:
Southern Bluefin Tuna Trolling / Night time jigging in Waihau and eastern bay of plenty
- Time of year
- June – August, usually kicks off around first – second week of June
- Main run is around end of June to end of July, can go right to the end of August, with some of my best fishing late in the season and much less boat traffic
- Unfortunately, you can't plan the weather – this will likely plan your trip
- Places to leave from: Waihau Bay, Whakatane, Tauranga, Whangamata, Tairua, Whitianga
- Some tips for your boat set up while trolling
- Speed 5.5-6.5 knots
- Set lures further back (starting wave 4)
- Tag lines – helps reduce drop back The gear you will need for trolling
- Rods 24-37kg rods •Reels - Line Cap (500m+) hollow braid is great 60-80lb with a 50 or 80lb topshot
- Windon Leaders – 200lb - 6m •Strong swivel 300lb+ Lures
- How to pick a spread of lures 6-10”
- Pick a range of colours but also have different head shapes in similar colours depending on conditions
- 4+ lumo lures great for early morning/low light
- Hook Rigs – 8/0 and 9/0 twin hooks •Usually fishing 5+ rods, this allows for a great range of colours to be used •
- Rigged with 200lb fluorocarbon or 250-300lb mono 1.5-2m leaders Squid chains and birds
- Do we run them? Hell yes! They help keep pressure on your line in the wind. Added splash and attraction. Helps hide your leader for shy fish like SBT
- I like to start the day with at least 2 x squid chain and 1 x bird
- Some days they make all the difference but don’t be stubborn as Ive had days when we only caught on naked lures. Which is why I start with a mixed spread Matching colour to lure? Makes me feel better
- Now Its Night time! Time to Jig!
- When do we start jigging at night? Basically, as soon as the lantern fish are above 120m deep ( around 5:30pm) all the way until the sun is up
- Start looking in the same areas that we fish during the day 800m-1700m
- Best ways to find them: 1.long drifts over bait/sign 2.driving around 2-4 knots looking for either bait fish or marking tunas 3. electric motor spot locking over sign Jigs and hook rig set up
- Glow – its all about the glow
- Shape – center weighted
- Hooks – 1 or 2 and top or bottom •Notice the swivels…. Jigging Technique
- Slow can be the key •Small movements •Majority of our bites on the drop – reason for the 2 hooks on the jig. This slow small movement of jigging allows for larger heavier reels
- Tips on night time Travelling and safety: Lifejackets for all on aboard. PLBs and epirbs. Nav lights and a riding light. Radar! Make yourself seen – sometimes boats might not be able to see you due to glare etc so make sure if boats are around that they can see you. Doesn’t mean to blind them with your spot lights but illuminate your boat – underwater lights , flood lights facing down etc. Gunnel lights – having some light incase something happens at night
